Table of contents for 2023-06-13 in Star

THUNGELA Resources’ shares took a nosedive of 7% yesterday following the company saying its profits for the six months ending June 30, 2023, were expected to decrease due to a sharp decline in coal prices and continued rail underperformance by Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). The shares closed 0.66% lower at R138.58 on the JSE yesterday and have decreased by 51.36% in the past six months. In its trading update for the half year released yesterday, the thermal coal exporter said headline earnings were expected to drop by as much as 75% to between R17 and R23 compared to R67.23 during the same period last year. Thungela said for the half year it expected that the benchmark coal price has averaged $135.47 (R2 531) per ton for the year to…

Local television and radio personality Carol Ofori has said she will be starring in the coming Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, an action-packed Disney+ original animated anthology that draws on the continent’s diverse histories and cultures. The 10 part sci-fi and fantasy series incorporates advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters. The anthology tells stories from creators hailing from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Ofori stars in an episode titled Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer and plays the role of titular character Mkhuzi. In this episode, we meet Manzo – a half-human, half-alien teenager played by Nasty C who dreams of becoming a superstar racer like his mother, the legendary masked racer Mkhuzi. “I am very excited to be a part of this Disney+ production. The fact that talent from…

The community of Westbury has taken the amendments to the Employment Equity Act into their own hands after they marched to several government departments and privately owned businesses in the area. Their demands for inclusion in employment and business opportunities in the area come amid yet another shooting that resulted in the death of a 12-year-old girl at the weekend. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said officers found the girl lying in a pool of blood in the street on Friday. She was taken to the nearest hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. Yesterday, residents barricaded parts of Perth Road in Westbury and Westdene, blocking traffic between Fourth Avenue and Harmony Street, as they marched to government departments, including Helen Joseph Hospital, Rahima Moosa Hospital, Social Development’s Westbury Transformation…

A GROUP of Unisa council members have written a letter detailing the dysfunctional state of the university’s governance to the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande. The group said it has decided to withdraw its participation from the activities of the institution following acts of bullying and intimidation within the structures of the university. The letter is dated Friday, June 9, 2023, and comes two days after the university held its council meeting, which was shunned by students and trade unions. The group also claimed to have distanced itself from a submission adopted by the council on June 7, 2023, in which a resolution was adopted to review the recent independent assessor report compiled by Professor Themba Mosia, who made damning findings against Unisa. The members, who are also…

Everyone knows that Pearl Thusi not only speaks her mind but also wears whatever she wants to. The media personality simply captioned the series of pictures, “reporting live from the epicentre of the tremor”. “Is everyone okay?” she asked. Thusi stepped out in a sheer black top, completely revealing her front and sparking conversations about nudity, while others were simply admiring it. Podcaster Penuel, known to always share his views on social media, weighed in on the outfit. “This is Pearl Thusi’s body. She has agency and must dress however she wishes, within legal requirements. But I personally don’t approve of this. I think it’s a bad example for young, impressionable kids or girls. “I don’t think it’s liberating. I think it promotes the cheapening of the female body in…

With the commemoration of the 1976 students’ revolt against the apart- heid state, we owe that generation a deep reflection of what remains wrong with society. Despite the problems the country faces in reversing the legacy of apartheid, the evident horrendous blunder was to ignore the education sector, especially of black children. Nelson Mandela and his cohort of liberators, who ironically were instrumental in challenging oppression partly because of their access to education, were misguided and naive. They focused on racial reconciliation and black economic empowerment (BEE) polices. Racial reconciliation was a side issue because black South Africans, in the 1990s, had long reconciled themselves to living with other races. Why was reconciliation made such a mantra? BEE was a sell-out. It meant influential black politicians…

TEACHERS and learners at Reimolotswe Primary School in Winterveldt have complained bitterly that they are being troubled by mosquitoes in the school yard, including in classrooms and staff rooms. Their complaints came to light after school management raised the issue with the EFF in Pretoria during the party’s visit to the facility. Authorities have since been asked to assist in fumigating the classrooms to eliminate the ubiquitous mosquitoes, but to no avail. The school is located close to stagnant water, a well-known breeding ground for mosquitoes. Regional EFF leader Obakeng Ramabodu expressed concerns that the prevalence of mosquitoes posed a risk of disease transmission and called on the relevant authorities to take immediate action to fumigate the school premises. “Mosquitoes are known carriers of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever,…

A woman, who according to her now ex-husband loved nice cars and fashionable clothing, forfeited her half of their matrimonial home, as well as her share of his pension money; all because she left him 11 years ago fending for their three children. The youngest child was 2 at the time and her husband told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that until recently, she never bothered to check up on the children. He turned to court asking for a divorce, coupled with an order that she forfeit her marital benefits. The wife, in turn, launched a counter application, saying she was entitled to half of the house and pension, as she was a good wife during the time she had lived with her husband. The wife pointed out that she,…

WHILE TikTok is the fastest growing social medium in the world, it seems everyone is getting in on the action. This week Ian Cameron, Action Society director of community safety, said he was concerned about the number of videos circulating of inmates going live on TikTok. Cameron tweeted: “Receiving increasing reports of convicts doing live-streaming on TikTok, etc from prison. Things are messed up, but every day I become more aware that criminals in South Africa have more rights than law-abiding citizens.” Many Tweeps replied that this was “nothing new”. On the actual live streaming, there were up to 32 000 people watching with people asking various questions including: “How is the food (in prison), is it as bad as everyone says it is?” Another user was shocked that prisoners…

Police Minister General Bheki Cele has wrapped up a five-day official visit to the People’s Republic of China ahead of the 15th BRICS Summit due to be held in Johannesburg in August. Cele led a delegation of senior officials from the SAPS, headed by deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili. According to Lirandzu Themba, Police Ministry spokesperson, the official visit saw the South African and Chinese police delegations discuss, among other policing matters, the strengthening of China-South Africa practical law enforcement co-operation and collaboration. “The three-city tour to Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai was characterised by engagements with key safety and security role-players in China. China’s public security minister, Wang Xiaohong, hosted Cele and the South African police delegation on June 8. “High on the agenda of the fruitful engagement…

Just over a month after the ANC’s 2017 elective conference that ushered in President Cyril Ramaphosa, then-ANC secretary general Ace Magashule was fomenting rebellion. Supporters of former president Jacob Zuma were still smarting from defeat after Ramaphosa defied the odds to beat Zuma’s anointed successor at the December conference. Addressing an ANC Youth League meeting in KwaZulu-Natal – Zuma’s stronghold – just over a month later, Magashule told supporters: “It’s just a matter of five years comrades, the (elective) conference happens every five years, so let’s work…” Magashule then went to work, seeking to undermine Ramaphosa at every turn. Less than four years later, Magashule was eventually suspended from the ANC after a months-long internal tussle over his refusal to “step aside”, after he was criminally charged for his…

Bunia: Militants have attacked a camp for displaced persons in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 41 people, a local official said yesterday. Codeco (Co-operative for the Development of the Congo)militiamen attacked the camp in Ituri province, an official of the local administration for Bahema Badjere in Djugu territory said. The Codeco claims to protect the Lendu community from another ethnic group, the Hema, as well as the DR Congo army. Many people were burnt to death in their homes and others were killed by machete. The camp is the site of a UN peacekeeper base. | AFP…

Houston: Thousands of dead fish have washed ashore on a beach along the Gulf Coast of the US state of Texas, local media reported. The dead fish were found at the far end of Bryan Beach, near the mouth of the Brazos River, some 9.7km down the coast from Quintana Beach County Park, said officials of the beachfront park located on the upper Gulf Coast. The park officials said the combination of shallow waters and lack of sunlight created the “perfect storm” to deplete oxygen levels inshore. Despite clean-up efforts, thousands more fish are expected to wash ashore. | IANS…

RONWEN Williams could have allowed criticism to get to him and cause him to not live up to his potential and become Bafana Bafana Bafana’s No 1 goalkeeper. His integration as a Bafana player was met with huge criticism after he conceded five goals in the 5-0 hammering by Brazil in an international friendly in 2014. For a good number of years his international career was stained by that result, despite continuing to thrive at SuperSport United. However, the Port Elizabeth-born goalkeeper continued to hone his craft and when Itumeleng Khune’s international days ended, he made the Bafana No 1 jersey his own. Over the years Bafana have endured more heartbreaks than triumphs, but if it wasn’t for Williams’ leadership both on and off the field, things could have been…

For more than three decades, Derek Watts has been one of the most trusted and recognised investigative journalists on the small screen. In April, Watts posted on social media from his hospital bed. He wrote: “Morning! Looks scary but collapsed with suspected stroke in Hoedspruit 14 days ago and despatched to super pro Mill Park Hospital ICU. “Diagnosed severe Sepsis which destroyed the bod in an hour! So learning to walk again. But back on your #carteblanche screen asap!” It has since been confirmed that Watts was diagnosed with skin cancer, which had spread to his lungs. Despite reassurances of him returning to Carte Blanche, it has now been confirmed that that won’t be the case as he is focusing on his recovery. In a press statement issued after the…

From Page 1 “We are demanding a straight and forthright answer from the premier. He must tell us directly that he is out to exterminate people who have been classified as coloured. “We request a plan of action from his office on what his administration is going to do to restore the confidence we once proudly held as a government that treats us equitably and justly, as promised in the Constitution … “There has been consistent unfair treatment meted out by successive governments. First by the apartheid government, and now by our own brothers and sisters,” the bishop lamented. Maureen Pieterse, a mother to a 24-year-old JMPD learnership holder, decried how her son has been forced to stay home after they were removed midway through the programme. “Our children are…

AS Covid-19 has impacted all health systems across the world, with many health professionals having succumbed to the pandemic and economies ravaged by it, the best way to proceed is to rebuild everything that was lost. In 2019, nursing training migrated to the Department of Higher Education. This has created confusion and instability in the training and production of high-calibre nurses. This has to be reviewed. Budget allocation for health must receive due consideration for the demands that must be met. Control of immigration into the country is vital as South Africa is bankrupt and hardly able to take care of the health needs of its citizens and cannot afford to be overburdened with illegal immigrants. One of the functions of the South African Nursing Council (SANC) is to…

I find it strange that a world super-power, such as the US, has no high- security vault deep in the Pentagon to store classified and other high-security documents. Surely this should be a priority and in the national interest? Is there no law regulating the storage of classified documents? In order to move the boxes containing the documents to Mar-a-Lago, former US president Donald Trump must have acquired some form of transport. Did nobody see them loading the vehicles or did the loading take place in secret? Where was security? Did no official think it abnormal and immediately report it? Why, after almost three years, has it become an issue? Who all knew about it? Why have President Joe Biden and former vice-president Mike Spence who had classified documents in…

THE City of Tshwane has released the draft framework for national and provincial departments, the private sector and the business community to develop precinct plans in collaboration with the metro. In March 2019, the city’s Economic Development and Spatial Planning department developed guidelines titled “Precinct plan minimum requirements for the appointment of a service provider for the preparation of precinct plans”. The department is undertaking the development of several precinct plans for the next financial year, 2023/24. The main purpose of a precinct plan is to set a vision for the future development of the identified area or precinct. The Pyramid South Precinct is a prominent node in Tshwane, Gauteng and the SADC region at large, said MMC Hannes Coetzee. He said the benefits of the development of the precinct…

A Bonteheuwel mother was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for selling photographs of her naked child on the internet. The 33-year-old woman cannot be named to protect her child. She was arrested in July 2021, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation detected her activity on the internet, where she sold pictures of her naked child. An agent from America’s Homeland Security acted as a buyer and traced her to Bonteheuwel. Initially, she appeared at the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court, but the case was later transferred to the Parow Regional Court. According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, the woman entered into a plea and sentencing agreement in November last year when she was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment. Councillor for the area Angus Mckenzie welcomed the conviction…

What do you do when a vulture with a crushed beak needs a new beak and two attempts to fit an acrylic beak fail? You improvise and use the beak of a deceased bird, successfully enabling the injured bird to feed again. In another first for South Africa, this remarkable procedure was recently performed on a white-backed vulture (Gypsafricanus) by a University of Pretoria (UP) team led by Professor Katja Koeppel, a veterinary wildlife specialist in the institution’s Faculty of Veterinary Science at the Onderstepoort. The beak of the female African white-backed vulture, an endangered species, was crushed when it was hit by a car in March this year. The bird also presented with a serious head injury, causing blindness in the right eye. The vulture was taken in by…

A report released by the South African government paints a grim picture of the country’s water resources and water infrastructure, as well as the overall quality of its drinking water. The Blue Drop Watch Report – an interim report because it only assessed a sample of the facilities across the country – focused on the condition of the drinking water infrastructure and treatment processes from a technical standpoint. It also reported on water quality. The issues of biggest concern that it identified included the collapse of the country’s wastewater treatment works and a sharp rise in the number of local authorities that are failing to meet minimum compliance standards. The report records continued overall decline in the status of the country’s water supply services. The findings point to a culture…

Former US president Donald Trump flew to Miami yesterday to face criminal charges of unlawfully keeping US national-security documents and lying to officials who tried to recover them, in a case that so far has powered rather than hampered his re-election hopes. Trump has proclaimed his innocence and vowed to continue his campaign to regain the presidency in the 2024 election. Trump, who turns 77 tomorrow, left his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey by motorcade and flew from Newark on his private jet to Miami. Supporters gathered nearby for a noon rally at a Miami golf club he owns. The political reality that the former president, currently the leading candidate to win back his old job, is facing is that the US government, which is led by his chief…

NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay about $290 million to settle a class action lawsuit by victims of Jeffrey Epstein, a person familiar with the matter said, resolving a large part of litigation over the bank’s relationship with the disgraced financier. The largest US bank said yesterday with the lawyers for the woman who sued JPMorgan Chase that it had agreed to settle the class action lawsuit, but did not admit wrongdoing. The bank is still facing a lawsuit by the government of the US Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned two islands and was suspected of abusing victims. | Reuters…

Cape Town-based artist Bravo Le Roux has finally dropped his highly-anticipated single, Umntu, alongside multi- award-winning superstar Sjava. The two rappers collaborated on the first single off his upcoming debut album, Igazi, Iinyembezi, Nombilo. “The lead single is a beautiful piece of art about hoping to find true love again. We live in a time where it’s really hard to find true love because of values and new norms,” he told IOL Entertainment. “The song is for giving hope and faith that we don’t have to rush ourselves to finding true love, for it still exists.” So far, 2023 has been the year of ticking boxes for Roux, as he’s known. A long-term dream, his collaboration with Sjava drops after he announced his distribution deal with Sony Publishing and…

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit and the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation detained six suspects, aged 36 to 58, in Mahikeng on Saturday for alleged fraudulent claims to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). It is alleged that the suspects – two of them former Department of Employment and Labour employees in the North West Provincial Government at the Mahikeng and Klerksdorp offices – and four agents who allegedly recruited, under false pretences, unemployed individuals between 2019 and 2020. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said some of the claimants were allegedly informed that they were being assisted to lodge claims with the Drought Relief Fund; some were allegedly claiming money from the UIF; others were allegedly informed that they would be employed at the SA Revenue Service, and…

CITY of Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda is expected to respond to the State of the City Address (SoCA) debate today after falling ill last week. The SoCA debate will continue this morning, followed by the budget speech in the afternoon. “Whilst I am not at liberty to discuss his health, the mayor has rested, is recovering well, and should be able to resume his duties this week,” the speaker of council, Colleen Makhubele, said. Makhubele was briefing the media on preparations for the budget and budget debate as well as the continuation of the SoCA debate. Makhubele said that the budget presentation will send a clear message to the residents on what the Government of Local Unity Coalition values. Makhubele said the total capital and operational budget for the 2023/24…

South Africa has been ranked the 10th-worst country for unhealthy lifestyle habits. It also recorded the highest rates of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevalence in the study at 37 273 out of 100 000 people, which massively impacted the score. Engaging in unprotected sexual activity can be very risky, especially if you are not in a committed monogamous relationship. Having unprotected sex with multiple partners exponentially increases the risk of contracting an STD, which can be unpleasant for those infected and can have lasting health implications. “By looking at which countries have the highest levels of STD prevalence, we can infer that rates of unprotected sex are also high in those locations. “South Africa has the highest rate of STD prevalence at 37 273 people per 100…

National Youth Day on Friday symbolises the desire of youth for a better world, for justice and peace. It is a reminder of the potential of our youth, their energy, strength and vigour; and that it is in our youth that we place our hope for a brighter future. Through education and guidance, our youth can be empowered to act in the long-term interests of humanity and contribute to a positive change in our communities. They have great potential and capacity. As parents and teachers, it is our role to help them to develop and enhance the capacity. Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, compares human beings to a mine containing hidden jewels, waiting to be discovered: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education…

ANOTHER video has emerged of a confrontation at the Afrikaans- medium school in Bronkhorstspruit, following a heated rugby match against Zayo Academy on June 3. It was taken on Friday, when EFF leaders went to the school to confront management following allegations of racism erupting after the game. Erasmus Hoërskool is accused of instigating “racial” violence after the rugby match against Zayo Academy, which has predominantly black pupils. The Pretoria News reported earlier that a brawl erupted during and after the match when parents ran on to the field in protest at the referee’s ruling against the Erasmus rugby team. According to written testimonies from the victims of the alleged violence submitted to Zayo Academy principal Catharine van Tonder, white parents referred to them using the k-word. This…

THE SA Medical Association says fake medical practitioners either don’t have medical training, have incomplete medical training or have qualifications obtained outside SA and are not recognised by the country’s regulator. Chairperson Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa was speaking following the arrest of 124 bogus doctors across the country. A countrywide crackdown on the illegal doctors was triggered by the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) after establishing an office to clamp down on individuals pretending to be registered medical practitioners. The blitz netted 124 fake doctors who had no legitimate qualifications, incomplete medical qualifications and unregistered foreign doctors. Mzukwa said even though it was a global occurrence, the organisation was highly concerned over the prevalence of bogus doctors in the country. It was difficult to ascertain the number of fake…

The PASSENGER Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) will have to cough up millions to cover damages a commuter suffered when he fell from a moving train whose doors weren’t closed, between Heideveld and Nyanga in 2019, the Western Cape High Court has ruled. Siyamthanda Maphela made a claim of R3.5 million from Prasa for negligence after he described in his claim particulars that he was struck by a stone thrown by an unknown person through the open doors of the carriage of the train upon which he was a fare-paying passenger and the incident caused him to fall from the moving train. He suffered a right frontal decompressed fracture of the skull and blunt trauma injuries. Prasa, however, denied the particulars of the claim and liability and submitted that Maphela…

Mental health disorders can be linked to other disorders, such as substance abuse, chronic illnesses and physical disabilities. Studies have shown that individuals with mental health disorders are more likely to experience difficulties with physical health than the general population. Mental health disorders can lead to poor self-care and neglect of physical health needs. For example, individuals with depression may neglect their hygiene and have unhealthy eating patterns, leading to physical health problems such as obesity and heart disease. Additionally, individuals who experience high levels of stress or anxiety may develop unhealthy coping mechanisms such as smoking or alcohol use, leading to physical health problems such as lung cancer, liver disease and cirrhosis. All of these factors reinforce the need for a comprehensive approach to mental and physical health…

As clashes continue between the Sudanese military and rapid support forces, the current and historic role of foreign governments in Sudanese affairs is under close examination. Unsurprisingly, the Sudan conflict has amplified concerns from the US and other countries about the roles Russia and China are playing in Sudan specifically, and in Africa. Researchers had been concerned that Beijing’s loans for infrastructure and development to countries including Sudan might be “debt-trap diplomacy”, a predatory attempt to acquire key foreign infrastructure such as ports. Analysts had suggested the implications of China’s growing military engagement with Africa, including establishing naval bases and its use of security contractors, are examples of Beijing wanting to expand its military power and political influence abroad. Others have suggested that Russian activity in Africa could be a…

Seoul: A British man was arrested in South Korea yesterday after he attempted to climb the country’s tallest skyscraper, the fifth highest in the world, without equipment, police said. The man was scaling the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul early yesterday when staff saw him, forcing him to stop his ascent as he reached the 73rd floor. The 555m-high Lotte World Tower is the world’s fifth tallest building. Local media have identified the British man in custody as George King-Thompson, who in 2021 was jailed for attempting to scale the Shard, a 72-storey skyscraper in London. | AFP…

BERLIN: Nato began its largest air force deployment exercise in Europe yesterday, in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia. The German-led “Air Defender 23” will include 250 military aircraft from 25 Nato and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance. It will run until June 23. Up to 10 000 service members are to participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack within Nato territory. The exercise includes operational and tactical-level training. | AFP…