Table of contents for SW-2021-03-26 in Star

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE INCLUSIVE Society Institute (ISI) has warned that unemployment in South Africa could rise above the 40 percent mark by 2023 if the economy grows less than 2 percent in the next few months. ISI said that its economic modelling showed that the current high level of unemployment was threatening to cripple any significant economic recovery, and vice versa. According to the ISI model, a weak gross domestic product (GDP) growth from 2021 to 2029 could see unemployment continue to linger at around 42 to 43 percent. ISI said at 2 percent sustained GDP growth over the next decade, the expanded definition of unemployment could be reduced to at least 38 percent by 2029. The reworked unemployment projections of the institute, based…

GIVEN MAJOLA given.majola@inl.co.za VARIOUS key representatives in the retail, petroleum, oil and gas sectors of the South African fuel retailing industry have come out strongly in support of the recent establishment of the Public Petroleum Products Act Compliance Forum by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. The forum was a means to clamp down on the sector’s non-compliance. Gadibolae Dihlabi, managing director of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa (LPGSA), said they were concerned about the unacceptably high number of traders who were illegally filling or selling cylinders. “The consequences are dire and can lead to serious accidents. Collaboration is key, because it allows us to share information and strategies with other stakeholders, including the SAPS and the fire department,” said Dihlabi. She said that the more…

GIFT TLOU gift.tlou@inl.co.za THE CITY of Joburg has attributed its Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme’s (UISP) failures to the Covid-19 pandemic. A recent report released by the SA Human Rights Commission on the province’s three metros indicated that among its shortcomings, the city failed to submit its draft plan for the programme. Mayoral spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase defended the city, saying the spending on UISP programmes was adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. “Most affected has been the housing projects given their dependency on community participation and the requirement for Project Steering Committee approval on milestones,” he said. Ndamase said there had also been other factors such as settlements located on dolomitic sites, servitudes and under pylon lines that required amendments on layout plans before implementation. “In some…

Cameron Beveridge OVER the past 12 months, the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown have demanded of every organisation and every worker that they continuously adapt. Having led my own teams in southern Africa through the crisis, I have learned some valuable lessons that I share with the hope that it will help others through the difficult period we are all collectively experiencing. Lesson #1 – Immediate innovation was essential. When the first lockdowns were announced, some sectors could adapt by enabling office workers to perform their duties remotely. Those organisations that had invested in digital transformation could more easily enable remote work. Everyone else had to undergo a process of rapid innovation to keep their going. Lesson #2 – But long-term innovation cannot be left for later. It’s vital that…

Please investigate with the City of Joburg’s Finance Department why Region D townships have not been receiving statement of accounts since early last year. How are residents expected to honour their service commitments in a communication vacuum and eradicate the non-payment culture in the process? Ward councillors and administration offices are non the wiser or not forthcoming. We are exasperated. The city replies: We are distributing statements to customers electronically via SMS and email. In addition, there is a support to the distribution platforms, where the city is availing statements on the e-services. This allows customers to log in and download the statements. In cases where customers are unable to access the e-services, our regional customer service centres may be visited to obtain the statements of advice to inform amounts…

Mpiletso Motumi mpiletso.motumi@inl.co.za FOR THE past 31 years, actor Dr John Kani has been part of the conservation conversation in South Africa. “It was in 1990 when the late Dr Ivan May of Nedbank called me and told me about an initiative to actively get involved in conservation – the protection of our heritage and animals. “All we have done over the years is to encourage people’s awareness of the Earth’s condition,” said the environmentalist and award-winning thespian. Tomorrow the world will unite for Earth Hour to shine the spotlight on the health of the planet, raising awareness on the importance of nature and inspiring action for a brighter future for nature and people. “Cape Town nearly became the first city in the country to have zero water. “We are…

Thami Zwane | Edenvale DO we really understand what it means to wear the blue uniform as members of SAPS? It means to uphold, obey and enforce the laws of this country to all people without fear, favour, prejudice or bias. It is called a service because you ought to serve those entrusted to you, the inhabitants of SA. The people are your masters and you are a servant who should be an example to them. Not by conscription or any other compulsion, but willingly you enlisted in the service. SA Police Service is definitely not ANC Police. Keep in your lane, don’t straddle it either. Police are, therefore, the pillars of our society. The SAPS’s collapse is the breakdown of law and order. What many of us…

Old tactics have failed, a new plan is needed to tackle militants in the Sahel All the efforts to neutralise jihadist groups in the Sahel over the past eight years have had little effect in ridding the region of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked groups. Ironically, the situation has got worse, and escalating levels of violence have raised alarms both in North Africa and in European capitals. The failure to effectively stem the growth of Jama’at Nasr al Islam wal Muslimin – al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the Sahel, and the Islamic State in Greater Sahara, is evidence of a flawed counterterrorism strategy. The time has come to shift from a reliance on a heavy-handed military approach to dealing with jihadist groups to one that prioritises the need for good governance…

US President Joe Biden this week tapped Vice-President Kamala Harris to oversee efforts to slow the rush of migrants to the southern border, handing her a high-profile and politically fraught assignment amid fresh concerns from lawmakers and activists about the growing crisis. The move came on the same day a delegation of senior White House officials and members of Congress visited a facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, where migrant children are being held. The Biden administration is seeking urgently to process, shelter and care for thousands of young children and teenagers arriving at the border without their parents. Biden called Harris “the most qualified person” to lead the US dialogue with Mexico and Central American countries “that are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks”.…

Fighting around the Mozambique town of Palma, which is adjacent to gas projects worth $60 billion, entered a second day yesterday, two security sources said. Mozambique’s government confirmed that the town, in its northern-most province of Cabo Delgado and just kilometres from the perimeter of gas developments led by oil majors like Total, came under attack on Wednesday and security forces were trying to establish order. Palma falls within a 25km “special security area” that the French oil firm had requested from the government after suspending work at the site due to security issues. Mozambique’s forces had not yet repelled the attack by yesterday and fighting was ongoing, said sources in touch with officials. | Reuters…

London: Hollywood star Johnny Depp has lost the bid to overturn a British High Court ruling which had dismissed his libel claims against a British tabloid accusing the Pirates of the Caribbean star of being a ‘wife beater’ over charges of assaulting his (then) wife, actress Amber Heard. Last year, the actor waged a three-week libel case against the publisher of The Sun newspaper over a 2018 article calling him a “wife beater”. Depp claimed that Heard’s allegations of domestic violence were “a choreographed hoax.” However, Judge Andrew Nicol had found that Depp had been violent toward Heard on at least 12 occasions, and rejected Depp’s case. | IANS…

HERMAN GIBBS THE Group C battle for places in next year's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon is set to go down to the wire after the top-of-the-table clash ended with Bafana Bafana and Ghana playing to a 1-1 draw in their penultimate 2022 qualifier at FNB Stadium last night. Following the result, Ghana are still at the top of the group by virtue of their superior goal difference with 10 points. Bafana, also on 10 points, are in second place followed by Sudan on nine points. All three teams will be in action on Sunday after which their qualification will be decided. South Africa had every chance of taking the game by the scruff of the neck in the fifth minute, after midfielders Themba Zwane and Percy…

Abdul Ajagun Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za The summer transfer window in South Africa is a period during which teams can assess their strengths and weaknesses and analyse whether they are on track to reach their pre-season expectations. Should they find that they are not on target, they can look to the transfer market to strengthen in mid-season. Clubs which make good signings in this period can end up moving up the standings which can make the difference in aiming for continental football or avoiding relegation. The following are three of the best signings made by Premiership clubs in the January transfer window this season. Cape Town City The 28-year-old joined the Citizens and will offer something different in attack to the Western Cape-based club given that he has previously played for…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za The Proteas Women’s team arrived home from India yesterday full of smiles. And they had every reason to. No South African cricket team has ever enjoyed as successful a tour as they just experienced. Six victories from eight starts is almost unbelievable, but that’s Hilton Moreeng’s side magnificent record over the course of the one-day international (4-1) and T20I (2-1) series. From the moment they arrived in Lucknow, not knowing what to expect from “bubble life” in India, they have been on the mark, and Moreeng claims its all down to how everything begun. “We knew we were playing against a team that prides itself on playing well in its own conditions. It was very important that we started well. The first ODI was the most important…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za CORRUPTION Watch (CW) has criticised politicians, public servants and business people for “sticking their hands into the public purse” after it was revealed that the organisation had received about 11 whistle-blower reports a day during 2020. CW said yesterday that the non-profit organisation’s annual report, titled From Crisis to Action, reflected that in 2020 the public was increasingly outraged by rampant corruption in relation to the procurement and distribution of essential goods and services, including relief packages, as well as cases of police and army brutality. “It is therefore not surprising that in 2020, CW recorded the second highest number of reports of corruption received in a calendar year since its inception in 2012, and, importantly, the highest number of reports implicating the policing and health-care sectors,”…

STAFF REPORTER Up to 22 million people in South Africa own a smartphone, using it to navigate their daily schedules to make life as convenient as possible. This week Oppo, the smartphone brand that opened in the country last year, launched its premium smartphone offering, the Reno5. Since its introduction to South Africa, the Oppo brand has already entered the top five smartphone brands to own locally. “Oppo is dedicated to offering technology that does more, but costs less. It’s about creating a platform that encourages users to explore, experience and experiment with the power of our handheld devices, without breaking the bank,” said Liam Faurie, head of go-to-market operations. He added that the Reno5 was the brand’s most ambitious smartphone model yet. “Offering ultra-fast, ultra-powerful connectivity and…

THE installation of a 30m-high water tank is Alexandra’s newest landmark, as the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), on behalf of the City of Joburg, continues with the construction of the Alexandra Hospice and Rehabilitation Centre. The construction of the new, modernised Alexandra Hospice and Rehabilitation Centre began in March last year and, since construction activities recommenced after the national lockdown restrictions were lifted last year, the foundation for the new state-of-the-art hospice can be seen taking shape in Alex. The work entails the construction of a 48-bed and 12-ward facility, which will also have a dining hall and recreational areas located on the ground floor of the building. A water tower, retaining wall, site reticulation and concrete foundations are just some of completed works that have taken place. The Alexandra…

JEAN MICHAEL BOUVIER | Bryanston As we approach the anniversary of the first year of our national lockdown, on March 27, I would like us all to reflect on the impact Covid-19 and the lockdown has had on all of us and the country in this most difficult time in our history. Every day adds to a precipitous decline of the economy, due to the costs of failed businesses and bankruptcies, to lost jobs, mental health problems and the debt incurred that we will be paying for the rest of our lives. I wish that we remember all the tens of thousands who lost their lives and the more than 1.5 million infected, and all those who have suffered and are suffering from the double whammy of the…

REFLECTING on the last 365 days of lockdown in South Africa, it’s clear education has undergone immense changes that will forever alter the way our children learn. As the country’s largest homeschooling provider, we at Impaq have noticed how more families are increasingly viewing homeschooling as an appealing alternative. Over the last year, millions of children have done at least some of their schooling from home, with some families realising how homeschooling has benefits for them. As a result, Impaq has experienced its fastest ever rate of growth with our numbers of learners having jumped from just under 19 000 at the start of 2020 to over 24 000 at the end of that year. We’ve seen families from various demographics and backgrounds register with us. Among the interesting observations…

Helmo Preuss The Chinese government is highlighting the eighth anniversary of a key speech on China-Africa relations that Chinese President Xi Jinping gave in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on March 25, 2013. The reason for this is that, in Chinese culture, “eight” is a significant number as “eight” in Chinese is pronounced "ba" and sounds similar to “fa”, which means "well-off" or "getting rich in a short time". The importance of Africa was highlighted by the fact that Xi flew to Tanzania from Russia, with whom China shares its longest land border, and then to South Africa, where he attended a summit meeting in Durban of the BRICS emerging countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He told his audience in Tanzania that his government remained committed…

Cairo: Egypt yesterday announced the full suspension of shipping in the Suez Canal, where efforts are under way to refloat a giant container ship that has run aground and disrupted traffic on one of the world’s busiest trade routes. The Panama-flagged ship Ever Given ran aground in the man-made canal on Tuesday due to a sandstorm, leaving dozens of other cargo vessels blocked from passing through the major waterway. The 400m-long tanker veered off course while sailing through the waterway on a Rotterdam-bound voyage from China. At least 206 container ships are unable to proceed. Attempts are being made to refloat the vessel, but one of the companies involved in efforts said it may take weeks. | IANS | Reuters…

TOKYO: The torch relay for this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games began its 121-day journey after a low-key opening ceremony at Japan’s north-eastern Fukushima prefecture yesterday. The ceremony was closed to the public as organisers reduced the number of participants and simplified the programme to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Athletes started the relay from the indoor ground of the J-Village national football training centre, which served as an evacuation centre after the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown in 2011. The torchbearers, who will each run a distance of about 200m, are required to log their health information and asked not to dine out. Organisers also warned spectators to avoid crowding. | IANS…

News that India will delay deliveries of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine to the global programme to inoculating poor countries triggered alarm yesterday, with the head of Africa’s disease control agency describing the continent as “helpless”. Unicef, a UN agency responsible for distributing vaccines through the global COVAX programme, confirmed it expected deliveries of the vaccines to be delayed this month and next. AstraZeneca doses produced under licence in India form the overwhelming bulk of vaccines that COVAX has been anticipating for the initial months of its roll-out, which aims to vaccinate vulnerable people in the world’s poorest countries for free. “We understand that deliveries of Covid-19 vaccines to lower-income economies participating in the COVAX Facility will likely face delays following a setback in securing export licences for further doses of Covid-19…

Welcome to SPORTS DRIPS. It’s month end and I will be giving you some cool tips on where to find the best online deals for sportswear. E-commerce has thrived during this horrible pandemic as it was so easy to buy from the comfort of your home and the goods are delivered directly to your door. If you did not like the product that you saw online or it did not fit, you could return it at no extra cost … so convenient. If you were like me, I was very wary to buy off any site as there is fraud and I could lose my hard-earned cash or my bank account could be hacked, so I started very late in the game with regards to online shopping. Today I will…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE MARKET dove into the red yesterday with the JSE falling the most in almost two months dragged by the decline in retailers and banks after the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) raised its inflation forecasts for this year. The JSE All Share Index fell 0.73 percent to 64 783 index points, its lowest level since February 5, as fears over renewed lockdown restrictions will weaken the momentum in economic recovery. The rand also pared early gains while stocks traded at a near 2-month low, weakening 0.2 percent to R15.06 against the dollar by 5pm as the looming third wave of Covid-19 infections and possible tighter restrictions drove traders to the dollar. Analysts forecast that an appreciating collar could push the rand towards R15.17 and R15.35…

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za THE SHARE price of Sabvest Capital (Sabcap) leapt by more than 14 percent on the JSE yesterday morning, despite the investment group reducing its dividend for the year to the end of December for the first time in 20 years as it decided to preserve cash due to the lingering Covid-19 threat, as well as for share buyback programmes. The share closed 9.07 percent higher at R38. Sabcap has interests in nine unlisted investments and three listed investments. Its listed investments include a 1.6 percent stake in Transaction Capital, 11.1 percent in Metrofile Holdings, and 7.3 percent in Corero Network Security, a cyber-security group listed on the London Stock Exchange. Sabcap’s unlisted investments include a 44.8 percent stake in Apex Partners, a 25 percent interest in Classic…

CARTER S2 UNIVERSAL TV, DSTV CHANNEL 117, 8PM In season one, Harley solved his mother’s murder and is now embracing the fact that he isn’t playing a detective on TV - he’s the real deal with a P.I. license. Harley finds himself facing a whole new crop of quirky mysteries – especially the new chief of police in Bishop who has a very mysterious past. DEATH RACE M-NET CITY, DSTV CHANNEL 115, 9.10PM Jason Statham fans will love him in this high-octane action film. In the not too distant future, a reality TV show uses prisoners in a deadly race for entertainment.…

Mpiletso Motumi mpiletso.motumi@inl.co.za THIS WEEK Huawei hosted the Industrial Digital Transformation Conference 2021 online. The three day event, which comes to an end today, is exploring the power of the resilient and innovative digital world from three perspectives: business, technology, and ecosystems. Sharing insights on digital transformation, the brand has detailed the practices they have carried out over recent years in the government, education, transportation, finance, and energy sectors, as well as other industries. Topics of discussion over the last two days included reshaping the world through digitisation, digital transformation in the new global landscape, developing universities in the intelligent era, ports of the future and transforming into a smarter power industry. The brand wants to ultimately act as a link between science, technology, and industries, forging connections with…

I commend the residents of Eldorado Park for being active citizens in the fight against vandalism in their suburb, which is robbing them of working street lights and making crime worse. Residents in Ward 18 have had several meetings with City Power which have told residents that it would not fix street lights in Eldorado Park because they would be vandalised shortly after being repaired. Residents have responded by electing representatives from each extension to organise street patrols that work closely with community organisations and the SAPS to combat this problem. Despite this proactive attempt to fix one of the problems in their neighbourhood City Power is refusing to engage with residents to find solutions to street light vandalism. I have written to the member of the mayoral committee for…

Dr Dennis Walter Smith Sr. | Seneca Falls, NY Desired balance on this journey called life is a shared yearning. The similarities of personal habits and values common to humans are remarkable, but ironically a casual compliment to a co-worker invites criticism these days! It appears we’ve lost an integral mindset that once appreciated the integrity of social harmony; probably due to prevailing enigmas of poor depleted ethical mechanisms. Goodness towards others decades ago perfumed the common dialogue as social standard. Dishearteningly, contemporary values have drawn strong scrutiny, like the undenying coercion of some government officials that encouraged insurrection upon the face of the Capitol! The true essence of ethics is uncompromising! The humane pursuit of happiness and the building blocks of social trust are ethical drivers that…

Do children really need to get the Covid-19 vaccine? The short answer is yes. A lot of studies have shown Covid-19 isn’t as severe in children, particularly younger children, but that doesn’t mean children aren’t at risk of getting infected and potentially spreading the virus. Children under 12 who get Covid-19 tend to have mild illnesses, or no symptoms, while teenagers seem to have responses somewhere between what adults and younger kids have experienced. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found teens were twice as likely to be diagnosed with Covid-19 as children aged five to 11. Researchers are trying to understand why we’re seeing the differences between older and younger kids. Behaviour probably plays a part. Teenagers are more likely to engage in social or group activities, and they…

In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed his deputy, David Mabuza, to spearhead the inter-ministerial committee on Covid-19 vaccines. At the time, Ramaphosa said a strategy had already been developed for the distribution of the vaccine and that the committee would handle the mechanics of the whole process. Since then, the government has dealt with myriad challenges and embarrassing moments which have warranted us to pose a pivotal question: “Does the inter-ministerial committee work at all, and is it effective?” For instance, the shambolic process that unfolded in the procurement of AstraZeneca vaccines remains a thorny issue. It remains a mystery whether the Department of Health under Minister Zweli Mkhize conducted due diligence in the deals with India to get AstraZeneca to our shores, only for the vaccines to remain unused…

PARIS: A Vincent Van Gogh painting of a Paris street scene, held in a private collection for over a century, sold for 14 million euros (around R246m) at auction yesterday. Auction house Sotheby’s had set an estimated value of between €5m and €8m for “A Street Scene in Montmartre”, painted in 1887 while the artist lodged with his brother Theo in the French capital. The Sotheby’s team held the auction from Paris with bidding online or by phone. The €14m bid was placed online just as the hammer was coming down to clear a bid at €13.05m. The painting, which depicts a man and woman strolling arm in arm past a ramshackle fence with a windmill in the background, came from the private collection of a French family. |…

LONDON: Britain’s former prime minister David Cameron is being investigated by an independent oversight body after reports that he had campaigned for government help for now-collapsed supply chain financier Greensill Capital. Cameron reportedly lobbied the government to increase the company’s access to Covid-19 loan schemes, months before the finance company collapsed. Asked about it in parliament, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng avoided commenting directly. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had no knowledge that Cameron had lobbied Downing Street officials to help Greensill. | Reuters…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prospects of forming a new coalition government after an indecisive election were further complicated on Thursday by a far-right refusal of any prospective parliamentary partnership with an Islamist party. Partial tallies from Tuesday’s ballot showed Netanyahu’s conservative Likud and ideologically kindred factions short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset – raising the possibility he would seek some sort of accommodation with the United Arab List. While political commentators saw inclusion of the UAL – which was forecast to win four seats – in a Netanyahu-led government as unlikely, some predicted the party might instead pledge not to support any opposition no-confidence motions. In exchange for such protection from an unlikely ally, Netanyahu would agree on measures to improve conditions for Israel’s 21% Arab minority,…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za FROM Pniel to Pretoria and then back to Paarl, Henry Davids did a lot of winning over the course of two decades as a professional cricketer. Davids, who announced his retirement from the sport yesterday, won 13 domestic trophies – 11 as part of a Titans franchise that dominated the local game in the last decade. Davids was a crucial part of that success, his flair at the top of the order that included a dreamy lofted cover drive made him one of the best limited-overs batsmen South Africa has produced. There are many, including Titans chief executive Jacques Faul, who feel he should have played more than just 11 matches for the Proteas (two one-day internationals and nine T20s). “Henry was the kind of player you…

HERMAN GIBBS The Sunshine Tour has salvaged the women’s professional golf tour based in southern Africa by offering a condensed Women’s Tour schedule after the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to competition in the last few months. The 2021 calendar starts with the Cape Town Women’s Open at Royal Cape Golf Club on April 7. The season ends with the South African Women’s Open at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town starting on May 13. This time, the SA Women’s Open will be a Women’s European Tour co-sanctioned event and will be an official qualifying event for this year’s US Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco in June. The South African winner of the SA Women’s Open takes home an additional R100 000 for the Investec Homegrown…