Inhoudsopgave van 2023-11-17 - Star

GOLD Fields expects to meet its projected bullion production for 2023 despite shortages of key skills and other persistent challenges with the operating environment in South Africa and Australia, such as above inflation cost surges. The company said yesterday its production guidance for the full year to end 2023 remained “unchanged despite operational challenges” in the third quarter period to September 2023. Gold Fields expects attributable gold production, excluding Asanko, to be between 2.25 million ounces and 2.3 million ounces this year compared to the 2.32 million ounces produced last year. The company is also anticipating all in costs of production to range from $1 480 (R28 017) per ounce to $1520 per ounce, with an exchange rate guidance of about $1:R17 and A$1/US$0.70. Interim CEO Martin Preece said Gold…

TRELLIDOR Holdings said yesterday its primary lender had condoned covenant breaches that occurred primarily due to a decrease in the group’s financial performance for the year to June 30. When Trellidor published its annual results on September 29, it reported the covenant breaches, and that its primary lender would complete an annual review and assess the significance of the covenant breaches, upon receipt of the results. Trellidor’s board said yesterday it was pleased to announce that these covenants would be re-measured by the lender for the ensuing financial period ending June 30, 2024. In allowing the breaches, the lender considered the financial and operating plans to rectify the breaches, that the group continued to be profit-making despite its underperformance, and that no legal proceedings had been instituted against the group…

A 20-year-old Grade 10 learner at a school in Boschfontein, Mpumalanga, was stabbed to death, allegedly by a learner expelled from the school. The victim was attacked a short distance from Mbambiso High School after school. Police found the victim in a pool of blood with a knife next to his body. According to police, the learner who was expelled last year was enrolled at the school when he was in Grade 9. The suspect fled, but his parents later handed him over to the police. He was released into the custody of his parents, but a probation officer was brought in to conduct an assessment. Mpumalanga police commissione, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphne Manamela urged parents to keep an eye on their children and to seek professional assistance when things get…

Land of Milk and Honey C Pam Zhang Loot (R273) Hutchinson Heinemann ROBERT Frost gave us so little choice when he wrote, “Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.” What about plagues, floods, zombies, killer robots, ocean acidification, nuclear accidents and alien invasions? Fortunately, in these latter days before climate collapse, our apocalyptic literature comes in a grim smörgåsbord of flavours. And now we have an apocalyptic novel that is all about flavours. Land of Milk and Honey is the haunting story of an ambitious chef desperate to keep cooking even as 98% of the commercial crops fail and the world’s store of food dwindles to gruel. The narrator, unnamed, is in her twenties when a mysterious smog arises from Iowa and blocks out…

A 73-year-old Limpopo woman has been brutally murdered, allegedly by a 35-year-old man who accused her of witchcraft in the village. The incident took place at Muswani Village in Malamulele under the Vhembe District on Wednesday morning, according to Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba. “Preliminary investigations indicate that a 73-year-old woman was returning home from the local clinic and when she passed a certain house, she was suddenly attacked by a 35-year-old man who apparently accused her of witchcraft,” Mashaba said. The 35-year-old man allegedly hit the victim with a stone on the head, killing her instantly. In the aftermath, community members went on the rampage and attacked the alleged killer. “Police were alerted about the incident and upon arrival, they managed to rescue the suspect who was severely…

Ahead of the festive season, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has assured that there was sufficient supply of eggs and poultry, as panic buying continues. In a statement released on Wednesday, the department said egg stock levels were replenishing steadily and that there was no need for panic buying. The department said it had open import permits for eggs and poultry products from a few countries. Brazil, the US, Argentina and others have been exporting eggs to South Africa for some time, with the department processing import permit applications from a few more countries. The country battled two strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) – H5N1 and H7N6 – and outbreaks across provinces. HPAI affects poultry and wild birds, and in South Africa millions of…

South African businessman and philanthropist Dr Collen Mashawana has made it his mission to build lasting legacies not only for himself and his family, but for the country’s poor, elderly and disabled. He has been described as the driving force behind Afribiz Invest, an investment company which invests in the African continent’s strategic sectors with a focus on infrastructural space. The Limpopo-born entrepreneur is the chairperson of Afribiz Invest as well as the founder of the Collen Mashawana Foundation, credited with building homes for thousands of disadvantaged South Africans. Almost every week, the humble businessman is found building houses for the elderly. Recently, he built and donated a home to a disabled woman in KwaNgcolosi, KwaZulu-Natal. The recipient, Thobekile Maria Dlamini, a 57-year-old wheelchair user, had been living in inhumane…

DEPRESSING and discouraging as it may sound, President Ramaphosa’s call on his recent visit to Qatar that Israeli should be referred to the International Criminal Court to be investigated for war crimes will go nowhere. Of course, on the surface it appears that South Africa is trying to do something decisive about this issue. But the reality is very different. This is because Israel has countless times in the past emphatically displayed the attitude that it has no respect for international organisations that deal with justice. It has refused repeatedly to listen to any pressure to subject itself to the prescripts of international law. Pertinent examples in recent memory are the murder of the American Palestinian journalist by Israeli troops and, of course, its continuing policy to…

CRIMINALS don’t only wear balaclavas and carry guns. Some of them wear suits and ties and commit crimes behind laptops and smartphones. Abusing their positions of influence at multinational financial institutions, bankers are able to commit theft and fraud on a macro scale, wreaking damage to whole economies in the process. And they have the financial resources and legal teams at their disposal to avoid prosecution and punishment. It may have taken eight years of tedious litigation, but a landmark settle- ment agreement this week exposed the kind of malfeasance the banks are capable of. UK-based Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) admitted guilt in relation to manipulating US dollar and South African rand trading and agreed to pay a R42.7 million fine after being prosecuted by the Competition Commission of South…

NAIROBI: Kenya’s parliament yesterday approved the proposed deployment of its police to Haiti to lead a UN-backed multinational mission aimed at restoring peace and security in the gang-plagued Caribbean nation. The UN Security Council gave the go-ahead in early October for the Kenya-led mission to help the overwhelmed Haitian police battle rampant gang violence. But Kenya’s involvement has been criticised at home, and the government is currently barred from deploying any police to Haiti due to a court challenge to its plans by opposition politician Ekuru Aukot. | AFP…

LONDON: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given $23.6 million (R432m) to US-based life science company Micron Biomedical to fund the first mass production of needle-free vaccine technology. The technology works by delivering the vaccine via dissolvable microneedles attached to the skin on a patch-like device. Global health experts have long argued for the potential of similar technology to boost the uptake of life-saving shots. It is simpler to transport and administer than traditional injections, particularly in low-income countries. | Reuters…

Life Healthcare is bumping up its South African capital expenditure for the year to September 2024 to R2.1 billion to purchase a hospital it currently leases as well as spending on product development for its Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) unit. In the year to the end of September 2023, Life Healthcare invested R1.5bn, up from R1.4bn year earlier, in capital expenditure covering continuing operations. Of this, maintenance capex for the year under review amounted to R1.2bn while growth capex stood at R366 million. “In FY2024 we plan to spend R2.1bn on capital expenditure in SA, including R350m on the purchase of a hospital property currently leased. We also plan to spend R200m on capex for LMI, largely earmarked for investment into LMI’s product pipeline development,” the company said. The planned…

EMIRA Property Fund declared an interim dividend of 61.74 cents per share that was 7.1% lower than that declared at the end of December 2022, but the payout was bang on forecasts made at the end of the last financial year, CEO Geoff Jennett said yesterday. In this context, “we are okay with it,” he said in an interview. Portfolio metrics had improved across all sectors, reflecting increased stability and “giving us cause for cautious optimism that the market is nearer to bottoming out and may be poised for upside.” The group also met key strategic targets through the period. Distributable earnings for six months to September 30 fell to R310.6 million compared to R378.7m for the prior period, primarily because the current period excluded interest income from…

This IS THE final article in a series on planning for retirement, focusing on the different phases of this important chapter of life. The first article looked at pre-retirement planning considerations, the second looked at navigating the transition phase of retirement, and the third explored the active or “go-go” phase. In the fourth article, we looked at the passive phase of retirement, and the fifth article covered the late retirement phase and the often opposing goals of having a lasting income and leaving a legacy. In this article, we provide a holistic review of the five phases of the retirement journey and some of the important takeaways from each. Retirement is a significant milestone that requires careful planning and preparation, preferably throughout your working years. Achieving a comfortable retirement requires…

WHATSAPP will charge users if they want to keep their old photos and messages exceeding the limit of 15GB of free storage. The Meta-owned company warned its billions of users that their content will now count towards their 15GB of free Google Photos storage if they have an Android device, and if they exceed that figure, customers will need to fork out for additional memory. In a blog post, Google's community manager warned of the impending change, writing: “As an important heads up, WhatsApp backups on Android will soon start counting toward your Google Account cloud storage limit, similar to how WhatsApp backups are handled on other mobile platforms. WhatsApp backups on Android will continue to work, as long as you have available space within your Google Account storage. If…

Social media detectives are hard at work trying to figure out who Thuli Phongolo’s latest cryptic video post is aimed at. The actress and 2Faced DJ took to Instagram recently to share some fly pictures of herself, but also casually slipped in an automated video of an elderly lady warning her ex to stay away from her. Captioned: “Not the kind you forget…”, the video hilariously gets straight to the point. “This video is for my ex. I know you watching it and you know who you are. If you don’t stop calling me, I’m going to have you arrested,” says the old lady. “You are toxic and I don’t know what I saw in you. I guess I fell for your good looks, but you not cute on the…

EMBATTLED Matjhabeng mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha, accused of misusing municipal funds for the ANC election campaign as well as using a municipal service provider to construct his R3.4 million home, was recently slapped with a suspended 30-day prison sentence. Last Friday, Khaliphi, alongside advocate Ronald Ngoqo, appeared in the Bloemfontein High Court following an urgent application filed by Joseph Ndayi. Ndayi sought a contempt of court order after the duo failed to comply with a previous order to reconnect his services after they were disconnected by the municipality. Acting Judge Duduzile Mthimunye of the Free State High Court ordered the imprisonment of Matjhabeng’s mayor and municipal manager. The court order indicated that the pair, together with the municipality, were in contempt of court. The court order had directed them to restore…

A report into the death of a 12-year-old, Grade 6 learner at Khehlekile Primary School has recommended disciplinary action against four teachers, including the principal. The report found that the boy, Sibusiso Mbatha, was subjected to homophobic comments. Sibusiso hanged himself at his home in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, on October 23, allegedly after being bullied by a teacher. In a message to his mother, he wrote: “Mama (kiss emoji) bye (waving-hand emoji) see you in heaven love you. “I want to kill myself because of the bullying I get from my teacher (name withheld). He always say things that hurt me, so bye.” Family spokesperson Phindile Ndengezi said: “As a family we thought only the teacher was involved, it hurt us to learn that more people led to his death.…

A 49-year-old woman, who allegedly orchestrated the deaths of her family members, including her husband and three children, to cash in on insurance policies, will make her first appearance in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court today. The woman was arrested following an intelligence operation after family members raised suspicions. National SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Sergeant Keshi Mabunda and a team of detectives worked on the case following a tip-off from relatives of the suspect. Mathe said the body of one of the woman’s relatives was exhumed, and a forensic team was able to link the dots. “The murder that was initially ruled a ‘natural death’ happened in Mmabatho in the North West, where a female relative died under mysterious circumstances in March 2023. Investigations revealed that the suspect fraudulently…

At Fire Hour Barry Gilder Loot (R209) Jacana Media From the acclaimed author of The List and Songs and Secrets, the recently released At Fire Hour by Barry Gilder is a sweeping, soulful novel that tells the story of Bhekisizwe Makhathini, a young black South African writer, detained and forced into exile, who earns a creative writing Master’s degree in the UK and does military training with the ANC in Angola and the Soviet Union. Makhatini faces the angst of choosing between his writing and his passionate desire to pit his new military skills against the apartheid regime. But the young man faces another challenge – suspicion by his ANC comrades that he was released from detention in return for spying on the ANC, an issue that lingers during his…

The sordid tale of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) should be called “When thieves fall out”. The problem is that we don’t know who the thief is and we don’t have all the information about the role players. What we do know is that R5 billion was about to be moved to a brand-new entity that had been set up just two days before the agreement was signed. We know that the UIF, probably the UIF commissioner and the director-general of the Department of Labour, signed an agreement. We also know that the agreement was for a payment from the UIF funds belonging to the employees of South Africa, to this brand-new company. The funds were being held in trust for the UIF by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). We…

THE expelled councillor for the Congress of the People (Cope) in the City of Tshwane, Ofentse Moalusi, says he was taken by surprise by the news that his party membership had been terminated in view of his being part of a newly formed coalition of minority political parties called the South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara). Moalusi was shown the door alongside Joburg Council speaker Colleen Makhubele, who told the media on Wednesday that she was fired because she has “courage to lead men”. Moalusi said he was duly elected by presidents of other minority political parties as chairperson of Sara. Despite having serious reservations about their sacking, the pair have decided not to challenge it. Moalusi said: “I will not challenge my expulsion. We have decided to move and go…

THE right to personal freedom is highly prized in our society and the deprivation thereof is regarded by the courts as a serious injury, a judge said in ordering the Ministry of Correctional Services to pay R1 million in damages to a former inmate who was unlawfully arrested while on parole. Nkosana Leso turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where he claimed damages against the Department of Correctional Services for his unlawful detention of just more than two years. The court on an earlier occasion found that the department was wrong in detaining him again following his parole. The only reason he was thrown back into court – only months after his release on parole – was that he had lost the GPS device he was fitted with by…

A Limpopo teacher, 29-year-old Samuel Matibidi, was remanded in custody when he appeared before the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, said Matibidi appeared in court on Wednesday, after he allegedly assaulted a Grade 12 female learner at his school. The alleged assault took place on Sunday afternoon, at the St Peters Combined Christian School in Apel, outside Sekhukhune. “Preliminary reports indicate that the victim was in her room, studying at the school’s hostel as part of ongoing exam preparations, when the teacher came and assaulted her with a belt and shoe,” Mashaba said. The learner allegedly suffered injuries and bruises, and was taken to hospital for medical treatment. “Police are still investigating…

After a rocky start, the 29th annual South African Music Awards (Samas) appear to be on the right track, with the announcement of the event’s hosts. DJ Sabby “The Best Thing Ever” Mtshali, Nomalanga “The Flame” Shozi, Hope Mbhele, and Thuthuka Mthembu are set to fire up the SunBet Arena at Time Square, Menlyn Maine, as they ready to take centre stage as the hosts of the show taking place tomorrow. Organisers have promised that this year’s edition of the Samas will be a thrilling celebration of the nation’s musical excellence and recognise the artistry and talent of musicians from various genres. In collaboration with Africa Fest, Sama29 is preparing to be an exhilarating showcase of talent, entertainment, fashion, and bright lights, promising memorable night. Speaking about the well-known stars,…

Most ordinary people are really naive and out of touch with the depths of depravity in the hearts of key policymakers in politics, economics and finance on this Earth. More so, concerning the military threats and so-called climate crises that can affect the Earth. And on the nuclear matter, the elementary fallacy is the belief that everyone will die during a nuclear war and that the Earth will end. Who says so and did they create this Earth? For ordinary people it’s important to know that rich and powerful individuals spend as much time on nuclear arms as they do in searching for survival ways out of the consequences of a nuclear crisis. Otherwise, what is the need to spend trillions in order to explore other planets, if the Earth…

Housing is a critical social determinant of health. The World Health Organization defines healthy housing as a shelter that supports physical, mental and social well-being. The WHO has developed guidelines outlining the attributes of healthy housing. These include structural soundness, as well as access to a community that enables social interactions. Healthy housing protects inhabitants from the effects of disasters, pollution, waste and extreme heat or cold. It provides a feeling of home, including a sense of belonging, security and privacy. Health risks in the home environment are important to think about because of the amount of time people spend there. In countries where unemployment levels are high or where most work is home-based, people spend more than 70% of their time indoors. Children especially spend a large amount of…

Palestinian medics said yesterday they are increasingly afraid for the lives of hundreds of patients and medical staff at Gaza’s biggest hospital, cut off from all links to the outside world for more than a day after Israeli forces entered. Gaza’s health ministry said Israeli soldiers had removed dead bodies from the grounds of Al Shifa hospital and destroyed cars parked there but were not letting staff or patients leave. Ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra said there was no water, food or baby milk in Shifa, which was packed with 650 patients and about 7 000 people displaced by weeks of Israeli air strikes and artillery bombardments. “Medical teams, patients and displaced people are fighting death due to the lack of any basic life necessities. The occupation forces are now present…

ANTANANARIVO: Voters in Madagascar headed to the polls yesterday in a presidential election boycotted by 10 out of 12 opposition candidates and marred by weeks of violent protests. People queued at polling stations in areas supporting President Andry Rajoelina and his Tanora MalaGasy Vonona (Young Malagasy People Ready) party, while those in opposition areas were mostly empty. There was a low-key security presence across the capital. Initial voter turnout was around 30% in areas supporting the ruling party and a mere 15% to 20% in opposition strongholds. | AFP…

KOLKATA: Australia are through to an eighth ICC World Cup final, while South Africa’s 31-year wait for a place at the big dance will continue for another four years. That’s the bare bones of a pulsating semi-final at Eden Gardens last night as the Proteas went down by three wickets. Everything in-between was high-octane drama that had close to 50 000 spectators on the edge of their seats. It was by no means a perfect exhibition of one-day cricket, but it’s often these classics that are strewn with error and exhilaration in equal measure. Pressure has a way of making even the most seasoned of players do strange things. But ultimately it was Australia who pitched up at the races and were ready to charge out of the stables from…

Jake White says the ‘Bomb Squad’ concept is growing on him as he again picked six forwards on the Bulls bench for tonight’s United Rugby Championship clash against Edinburgh in Scotland. Kick-off is at 9.35pm, SA time. But the key factor for the URC log leaders will be their powerful starting pack as White recalled Springboks such as Gerhard Steenekamp, Elrigh Louw and co-captains Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Nortjé yesterday, who will bolster the team that ground out a 18-12 victory over Cardiff last week. It is clear that the Pretoria side want their heavy artillery to impose themselves on the home team at the DAM Health Stadium, with Edinburgh known for their running game, where powerful South African-born wing Duhan van der Merwe is one of their main catalysts.…

The Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies team have a chance to follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts and beat a Moroccan side in a final of a major African competition. The Brazilians sealed their spot in the CAF Champions League final, their third in a row, on Wednesday night after beating defending champions AS Far 1-0 in the semi-final in Korhogo, Ivory Coast. It was a deserving win for “Banyana ba Style” over their Moroccan counterparts as they are now all but favourites to win the African crown for the second time in three finals. Sundowns have scored seven goals across four matches in the competition, while goalkeeper Andile Dlamini is yet to concede a goal. Standing in their way in the final at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in…

Bank and wealth management group Investec lifted its interim dividend 14.8% to 15.5 pence (R353) per share in its first half after successful client acquisition strategies, loan book growth and benefits from the high interest rates. The lender also yesterday announced it intended to launch an equities trading platform called Clarity, with the aim of competing in a market currently dominated by EasyEquities, and which would offer competitive fees, but a launch date has so far not yet been provided. CEO Fani Titi said the macroeconomic backdrop had been difficult characterised by high inflation, elevated global interest rates and persistent market volatility. “Our client franchises reported solid performance while the results also reflect the conclusions of the strategic actions over the past 18 months. Our balance sheet remains strong and…

Actress and media personality Pearl Thusi has recently become the butt of many jokes on social media. It seems everything she posts online somehow turns into something bigger than it actually is, and she’s had enough. Taking to her Instagram stories recently the Queen Sono actress called out her detractors, asking them to redirect their energy into focusing on real issues, instead of worrying about her. “Guys, there are actual wars happening on this planet, I’m hearing about Congo, I’m hearing about Sudan, there’s terrorists all over this planet, then you hear about the children in Gaza, people who were kidnapped in Israel. Then you hear about just children holding press conferences and begging for their lives, that is where our energy is actually meant to be right now,”…

In an unexpected shift, the MTN Group, a telecoms giant, has announced its intent to withdraw from select markets, yet remains invested in Iran. With a presence in 19 countries, MTN is orchestrating an “orderly exit” from Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Liberia, according to the TechCentral report. The exit will see MTN’s operations in the West and Central Africa (Weca) region reduced to five countries. Concurrently, MTN is driving for the completion of its Afghan market exit by the year’s end, aligning with the timeline laid out in their latest quarterly update. Amid these withdrawals, MTN’s decision to maintain its Iranian investments remains puzzling, especially because the group is under the shadow of a significant US District Court ruling. The court has allowed a crucial Anti-Terrorism Act lawsuit to progress to…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has received widespread criticism for promoting a “taverns of the future” project while having recently stopped issuing liquor licences in the province. On Tuesday, Lesufi took to X (previously Twitter) to announce that he had been briefed on the project. He said the envisaged project would bring about change and innovation in the liquor industry. “Today, we received a full briefing to launch taverns of the future in our communities. The tavern of the future will blow your mind. Thanks to the new Heineken Vision. Exciting times indeed,” the premier tweeted. However, many South Africans have reacted with anger to the initiative due to the dangers of alcohol in the country, viewed against rampant crime, road accidents and the massacre of patrons of these establishments. The…

Still Breathing Marita Van der Vyver Loot (R240) Tafelberg Publishers Ltd GRACING my shelves for many years, Marita van der Vyver’s books are a constant joy, dipping into the lives and personalities of a diverse cast, her characters and situations are always real, relatable and with a steady dose of wry humour thrown in. Her writing is a breath of fresh air with, in Still Breathing, a hearty dose of ozone, set as it is on the west coast of Cape Town. When I picked up Still Breathing I immediately recognised the characters, in fact, for a moment I thought this was a reprint of her highly successful Breathing Space, published in 2000. But no, the cast was the same but the time frame some 25 years later – present…

My Big Fat Greek Taverna – From Diplomacy To Ouzo Costa Ayiotis Loot (R230) Melinda Ferguson Books Many a great potential was never realised because those bestowed with oodles of talent were happy to rot in their comfort zones. This is not the world’s greatest book, but seeing that it packs a mean punch and carries one of the focal messages in human development, perhaps it qualifies as an essential book. It shouldn’t surprise us then when life coaches inevitably put it in their arsenal of motivational tools. The reader gets the sense that writer Costa Ayiotis had meant to have fun, clearly, when he undertook the writing project that culminated in his My Big Fat Greek Taverna – From Diplomacy to Ouzo. A law graduate from Wits, Ayiotis had…

With South Africa’s drastic shortage of poultry and eggs due to an outbreak of the H7 bird flu, learners at a Bloemfontein school for youngsters with special educational needs have been doing their bit to deal with the crisis. For quite some time, learners at Dr Böhmer School in the Free State have been looking after hens and producing their own eggs as part of an agricultural programme at the school. The school has 230 hens and the special needs learners take responsibility for looking after them and the eggs they produce. The school teamed up with Nutri Feeds, which supports the school with expertise and feed. While the school produces its own eggs, the chicken manure has become fertiliser for the school’s vegetable garden, which in turn produces…

IN A matter involving interim custody over children, an acting judge remarked that parents will often point fingers at each other as being the “bad” parent, while the needs of the children become secondary. These remarks were made during an urgent application before the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, by a mother who wanted her daughter, aged 14, to stay with her. The parents were never married and after they broke up, the father married another woman. While various experts, including the office of the family advocate, are investigating what would in the end be in the best interest of the children, the court earlier ordered that both the daughter and her brother, 12, remain with their father. The mother, however, had visitation rights. The husband, however, recently agreed that the…

A 39-year-old suspect appeared in the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday following his arrest for his alleged involvement in smuggling illicit cigarettes. Polokwane-based Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit members took over an investigation from SAPS-Marble Hall detectives in January this year, and five people were arrested for allegedly smuggling illicit cigarettes worth over R12 million. Further investigation was conducted and it was established that the suspect was the owner of the trucks used to transport the illicit cigarettes. It was further revealed that the suspect allegedly reported to the tracker company that his trucks had been hijacked with cigarettes, whereas he knew that they were arrested for transporting illicit cigarettes and the haul kept as exhibits at the police station. When the suspect was summoned to court…

The countdown to the 72nd Miss Universe pageant finale, set to take place tomorrow, at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in El Salvador, has begun. Miss Universe South Africa, Bryoni Govender, will compete for the coveted title against other beauty queens from around the world. Govender recently revealed her farewell gown and the national gown by acclaimed KwaZulu-Natal designer Casey Jeanne, which celebrates her Indian and South African heritage while also allowing her to take centre stage. She said her entire wardrobe is well thought out, and comprises vibrant patterns and colours that represent the warm spirit and diversity of the South African people. Werner Wessels, creative director of the Miss South Africa organisation, said the national costume was a highlight for Miss Universe supporters and enthusiasts and played a…

There is a term used in the township for people who meddle in other people’s affairs – they are called “Abo Ndaba”. It goes against my grain to intrude in other people’s affairs, but a warrior in me compelled me to interpose in the scrimmage between the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa (EPCSA) leadership and the procedural justice fighters (PJF). Warriors join the war only if the cause is just. The bone of contention between the church and the PJF was the death of a pastor’s wife who is alleged to have been a victim of gender-based violence (GBV). On the other side of the coin, the leadership said they requested her to open a case of GBV against her husband but all their efforts culminated in failure. The…

Farouk Araie, our resident prophet of doom, in his latest letter, states: “It is a proven fact that Israel came very close to dropping two nuclear bombs on Gaza, only to be stopped by threats of global intervention.” Not true! I could find no evidence of this. Apparently, an Israeli cabinet minister, Amichai Eliyahu, suggested that the “use of nuclear weapons on Gaza was an option”. He was immediately suspended. There was no global intervention. It is true that Israel has dropped 25 000 tons of explosives on Gaza. This is equivalent to two nuclear bombs. Israel deploys precision-guided munitions (PGMs) that employ advanced guidance systems, and that are more accurate and more humane and, above all, are legal under international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, innocent civilians are always the victims…

KYIV: Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron travelled to wartime Kyiv and met President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks on his first working trip abroad, the Ukrainian leader said yesterday. Cameron said he wanted to underscore London’s support for Ukraine. Zelensky said he was grateful for the gesture. “We will continue to give you the moral support, the diplomatic support... but above all the military support that you need not just this year and next year, but however long it takes,” Cameron said. Ukraine is trying to build up a Black Sea shipping corridor to revive its seaborne exports, defying threats from Moscow. | Reuters…

Beijing: At least 26 people were killed yesterday after a fire broke at a building of a coal mine company in China’s Shanxi province. According to the National Mine Safety Administration, the fire ripped through the second floor of the five-storey building located in Lishi district of Lyuliang city. Rescue efforts were under way, officials said. More than 60 people had been sent to a local hospital for treatment. The building belongs to the private Yongju coal mine company, which has a production capacity of 120 tons a year. Shanxi province is China’s largest producer of coal. | IANS…

The Proteas came close, but ultimately went down by three wickets to Australia in yesterday’s World Cup semi-final in Kolkata. Here are our Plays of the Day... Review of the Day In a night where nothing seemed to be going in South Africa’s favour, this is a review the Proteas desperately needed to go their way. Even the toss did not go in South Africa’s favour, despite winning it and batting first, which is what any other team would have done, seeing how dominant teams who batted first had been throughout the tournament. Because of the gloomy overhead conditions, coupled with the fact that the pitch had been under covers right through the night, there was swing on offer for the Australians, nullifying South Africa’s decision to bat first. Moreover,…

France captain Antoine Dupont will sit out this season’s Six Nations to prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, less than a year after the disappointment of an early World Cup exit, the French rugby federation (FFR) told AFP this week. Dupont, 27, will miss the competition held between February 2 and March 16 next year in order to participate in the World Rugby seven-a-side circuit, now known as SVNS. His club Toulouse, the FFR and Dupont are set to hold a media conference on Monday, 250 days from the start of the Games, when they are expected to announce Dupont’s intentions. Dupont will join France’s sevens squad in January before SVNS events in Vancouver, Canada on February 23-24 and Los Angeles on March 2-3. The scrumhalf’s most recent…

Oswin Appollis is eager to soak up as much experience as he possibly can from his Bafana Bafana seniors in his quest to be a fully-fledged international player. Appollis got his maiden Bafana call-up for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Benin in Durban tomorrow (3pm kick-off) and Rwanda in Butare on Tuesday. It was a deserving call-up for the 22-year-old from Bishop Lavis in Cape Town, as he’s been one of the performers in the local top flight recently, guiding Polokwane City to a decent return to the elite division. But while he made six goal contributions across 14 matches in all competitions for Polokwane, never in his wildest dreams did Appollis think he’d get a Bafana call-up so soon. And that’s why, speaking to the Safa website…

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams believes the club’s recent success on the continent could further the prospects of Bafana Bafana. The South African men’s national team begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign at the weekend, and are looking to kick-start their journey with an injection of positivity. Bafana will welcome Benin to the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow (3pm kick-off) before jetting off to Rwanda for their second match in Group C on Tuesday. The 31-year-old shot-stopper saved a penalty against Al Ahly in the semi-final of the African Football League (AFL), and Brazilians went on to eventually clinch the inaugural title. Before their final match against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, Sundowns had to muscle their way past Petro de Luanda from Angola and Al Ahly, one of the most…