Table of contents for 2023-12-22 in Star

It’s the weekend before Christmas and people will be busy preparing for the big family holiday. While others will be busy with last-minute shopping, some want to relax and unwind. For those who want to be out and about, here are some events you can check out. Emperors Palace Christmas Village Experience Christmas is a time to lighten up and enjoy the closing of a year while gearing up for a new one. Emperors Palace Christmas Village Experience returns for another year to give guests an unforgettable holiday experience of walking through a tunnel of lights. “Last year’s Christmas Village was a huge success,” said Complex Operations Executive Clive Tavener. “We had a great turnout, but we also listened to our guests and made some significant changes that will make…

Two Joburg City Power security officers were threatened with death, tied up and left to watch as a gang of six criminals vandalised the Alexandra sub-station and stole multiple cables on the site. The theft of the cables, which included protection cables, has led to multiple distributors tripping, causing widespread outages in the Alexandra township. City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said a gang of six criminals armed with dangerous weapons targeted the sub-station and stole the guards’ cellphones. He said the guards came under attack while on duty on Tuesday night. “Multiple distributors tripped as a result, causing a widespread outage in the Alexandra area. “The officers, who were responding to suspicious activity, were outnumbered and held hostage by the gang of unidentified criminals,” Mangena said. “The six…

Police arrested a man yesterday during a stop-and-search operation on the N3 near the Mariannhill tollgate in KwaZulu-Natal. Provincial spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the motorist was driving a vehicle without registration plates and with an expired permit. “He was found in possession of approximately R90 000 in cash, which he claims he kept to buy Christmas clothes. He was also in possession of a licensed firearm.” Netshiunda said that the man had been detained to investigate if the vehicle was used in the commission of a crime and to investigate the source of the money. “If there is nothing malicious as to how the money was obtained, the suspect will be released. However, the vehicle will only be released once it has licence plates.” Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General…

A recent survey has shown that almost 18 million unregistered voters in the country are under the age of 40, allowing political parties the opportunity to target this demographic ahead of the 2024 national general elections. The SA Voter Sentiment Report highlights the glaring gap in youth representation within the registered voter base. According to the report: “Less than 20% of South Africans aged 18-19 and only 40% of the 20-29 age group are registered voters. There are almost 7 million unregistered voters under 30 years and close to 11 million unregistered voters under 40 years of age. “This data underscores a substantial opportunity and highlights the urgent need to mobilise the youth vote.” The survey, conducted between October and December 2023, is the result of a collaboration between the…

It is that time of the year when families come together to celebrate the festive season. It is a perfect time to show love, compassion, and forgiveness and to help the needy where we can. In the spirit of giving and spreading Christmas cheer, the City of Tshwane embarked on a R100 000 Mayoral Christmas charity donation drive in Hammanskraal, where we offered a helping hand to two non-governmental organisations who care for children and the elderly in Hammanskraal. The first organisation we visited was Patricio Old Age Home, which cares for 109 elderly people who need comprehensive care. The home provides much-needed assistance with dignity and care for the elderly. Of course, it would not be Christmas without gifts for the little ones, and so, we alsodonated gifts at…

AFRICAN artists are taking the world by storm with Master KG, Nomcebo Zikode and Black Coffee among the top 40 most exported artists in the region. Following its release in 2020 and its social media chokehold, the well-known song Jerusalema gained Master KG and Zikode international acclaim which continues unabated. The top exported music from various countries shows that African music is more than just chart-topping songs; it is a tapestry of rhythms, melodies, and vocals reflecting continent’s rich culture. Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s head of music for Sub-Saharan Africa, said: “It’s music that transcends differences and brings people together, moving them to dance, sing, and revel in the shared experience. “African music is a force of creativity that’s breaking down barriers and weaving a global tapestry of unity. These artists,…

The sentencing date of 41-year-old South African Lauren Dickason, found guilty of murdering her three children in September 2021, has been pushed to next year. Dickason, who killed her daughters, 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla, and Liane, aged 6, at the family home in Timaru, New Zealand, was found guilty in August. Her sentencing date was originally set for Tuesday, but has been adjourned with no specific date set as yet, New Zealand’s The Press newspaper reported. Dickason’s case will, however, be in court again in February. After her five-week trial, which put her mental health on display, Dickason was found guilty by 11 out of the 12 jurors on three counts of murder. The former Pretoria resident, a medical doctor by profession, arrived in New Zealand with her husband…

It’s been over a month since the 20th African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) took place in Johannesburg. In a bid to reflect on the complex agenda presented at Agoa, one ponders on the year ahead and what is likely to arise from the resolutions tabled and agreed to by sub-Saharan African leaders and their US counterparts given the taut atmosphere in global geopolitics. The core mandate of Agoa has been to expand trade and investment relations between Africa and the US, to allow for economic growth as well as to aid in the integration of the region into the global economy. This mandate, one would presume, was established under the full knowledge that respective countries would maintain their sovereignty amid the trade pact. In other words, while there has…

Cape Town Spurs match-winner Ashley Cupido could arouse Orlando Pirates’ interest even more with an impressive display against AmaZulu in tonight’s Premiership clash. Pirates have reopened their interest in the Cape Town-based striker, and he has emerged as a target during the January transfer window. A few months ago, he was on Kaizer Chiefs’ shopping list and during the last off-season Mamelodi Sundowns looked at him as a back-up for marksman Peter Shalulile. Last season, Cupido ranked among the best South African strikers after he finished as the top goalscorer in the National First Division for Spurs. His haul of 16 goals in a single season was excellent, and that sparked the interest in him. Two weeks ago, Cupido was unable to rescue bottom-of-the-log Spurs in the Cape derby against…

It’S a little too early in the season to start thinking about the ‘I’ word. But it can’t be helped, can it? Not when Mamelodi Sundowns are looking as dominant as they are in the DStv Premiership season. Boasting a 100% record after 11 league matches, there’s every reason to believe they can complete the first half of the 30-match campaign with 15 wins. And given just how much of a scholar of the game he is, bet on Rulani Mokwena to already be aware that this season marks the 20th anniversary of ‘The Invincibles’ – that Arsenal team which won the English Premier League title without losing a match in 38 outings. Sundowns need only do that in 30, which is not too much to ask for a team…

Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz’s free-flowing style that he has labelled the antithesis to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s football faces the ultimate test when the two men face off in today’s Club World Cup final (8pm kick-off, SA time). Diniz, 49, has shot to fame in his homeland, even combining his role with the South American champions as interim Brazil coach, on the back of an innovative set-up that seeks to bring the skills honed as kids in street football into the professional arena. “The way Pep likes having possession is the opposite of mine. His style is positional, mine is anti-positional,” Diniz once said when asked about comparisons between him and Guardiola. The idea is to group players together in small pockets, trying to create overloads in tight spaces.…

Award-winning veteran actor Seputla Sebogodi is getting ready for an exciting new chapter. The former Generations actor, well known for his explosive role as Kenneth Mashaba, will be joining the cast of e.tv’s Scandal! from December 26. Sebogodi will play Kgopolo More, a sophisticated and successful businessman with a thriving betting company, set to play a pivotal role in Taps’s journey. According to a media statement, “The story gets interesting when Kgolo comes into play, and Taps gets upset over an article about a man's inheritance. “Taps shares a plan for a final heist with his friends, who agree to join in. Unfortunately, the plan goes awry when Taps gets caught by the police while his friends manage to escape. “The twist comes when the company owner surprisingly decides not…

THE limited financial literacy levels of South Africans has been cited as one of the factors exposing them to predatory lending, financial scams and acquiring inappropriate financial products or services. This is according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who said the 2020 Financial Sector Conduct Authority Baseline survey found that South Africans have an average financial literacy score of 52 out of 100. “This suggests that South African consumers have limited knowledge to understand financial sector products or services. “This exposes South Africans to predatory lending, financial scams, and acquiring inappropriate financial products or services with inadequate disclosures. “As a result, there is a continued need for comprehensive financial consumer education programmes, complemented with a range of consumer protection measures,” Godongwana said. The minister made the observation when he was…

The Socio Economic Rights Institute South Africa (Seri) has welcomed the recusal of advocate Thulani Makhubela as the commissioner of the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into the Usindiso building fire tragedy. On Wednesday, the chairperson of the commission, retired Justice Sisi Khampepe, recused Makhubela from the commission due to complaints about some of his tweets, which have been deemed xenophobic. Makhubela’s recusal follows an application by concerned residents and civil society organisations. They said Makhubela was not fit to be investigating the matter because of his alleged bias against foreigners, and his association and support for Operation Dudula. Seri executive director Nomzamo Zondo welcomed the decision after Seri and the Inner City Federation lodged an application on October 28, requesting the recusal of Commissioner Makhubela. “The basis for this…

The New loveLife Trust (loveLife) says it welcomes the decision by the South African Council for Educators (Sace) to indefinitely strike sex-offending educators off the roll for alleged sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment of learners and having sexual relations with their learners. Early this year, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga revealed that 191 cases of sexual misconduct were reported to Sace and four teachers were struck off the roll. This week, the Education Labour Relations Council revealed that 30 teachers have been fired since April for sexual misconduct and will soon be registered with the National Child Protection Register and barred from ever working with children again. loveLife spokesperson and Gauteng provincial manager Thilivhali Livhadi has indicated that the decision to deal with sex offenders bodes well for millions…

Activists and Citizens Forum (ACF), a recently launched civic organisation led by former Cope spokesperson, Dennis Bloem, has slammed recent calls by former statistician-general, Dr Phali Lehohla, for next year’s elections to be postponed. This week, while speaking to an online publication, the former statistician-general called for the elections to be postponed indefinitely due to a range of reversals in the country’s democratic gains. He said the country should, instead, focus on holding wide-ranging talks involving all stakeholders, including communities, civic groups, politicians, businesses and religious organisations, to determine the kind of a country they want to build. Lehohla, in an interview with the SABC, said the country mirrors the state of decay evident at former president Nelson Mandela’s home in Houghton, where the grass has become overgrown and its…

Anyone who believes that the DA’s mayorship in Tshwane is jinxed would be forgiven for the conviction given that since 2016 the party has constantly changed its executive mayors in the metro. This year was no different as it introduced another new mayor – Cilliers Brink – after it was obviously disappointed by former mayor Randall Williams. The DA’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, who took over the reins after the 2016 municipal elections, served only for three years and did not finish his term. He resigned after a frosty relationship with former city manager Dr Moeketsi Mosola. While Msimanga could not complete his term in office, he should be credited for at least serving for a longer period than his party peers. His successor, Stevens Mokgalapa, exited office after being…

The year 2023 was dominated by several captivating TV shows that kept viewers entertained and glued to their screens. The shows also enjoyed high visibility on social media platforms, where viewers regularly shared their thoughts. Sizok’thola Sizok’thola, a reality show that exposes drug dealing, has been among the shows that made a mark with the former host, Xolani Khumalo, fighting to combat drugs. Moja Love has since cut ties with Khumalo after he was embroiled in allegations of murder following the death of a man during the recording of the show in July. While the case continues to unfold, it’s reported that Khumalo is now working with the City of Johannesburg through his foundation to fight crime in the metro. This Body Works For Me This Body Works For Me,…

Ingredients 10g powdered gelatine 250ml cream 4 egg whites 100g castor sugar 3 x 250g punnets strawberries 10ml lemon juice Seeds of 1 vanilla pod To Garnish: Fresh strawberries, sliced Pistachio nuts, shelled and chopped. Vanilla shortbread biscuits, crumbled. Method Sponge the gelatine and set aside. Prepare a Swiss meringue over a bain-marie (water bath) by whipping the egg whites in a glass bowl until soft peaks form, and slowly incorporating the sugar while constantly whisking. Monitor the temperature of the bowl – you always need to be able to touch the bottom of the bowl without burning. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Remove the strawberry tops and blend the strawberries into a purée. Set aside 100g of the strawberry purée for garnishing. Melt the sponged gelatine and…

No wonder that the succession of the Zulu monarch is so hotly contested. The monarch annually earns R70 million from the state. The monarch is also the sole trustee of the Ngonyama Trust which owns millions of hectares of land, and he makes a killing from this venture. And the fact that he makes money out the land he oversees is questionable, as traditional laws in this part of the world do not recognise ownership of land by kings; they hold it in trust of behalf of citizens and are not supposed to make any money out of it. What is the rationale for according the Zulu monarch the benefits? How is the figure of R70m reached? Is it because the Zulus are the largest ethnic group and thus he…

Gavin Hunt did not say it aloud, but the SuperSport United coach is still hurting that his team are playing in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup instead of the continent’s premier club competition – the Champions League. Matsatsantsa a Pitori were beaten to that coveted Champions League spot last season by Orlando Pirates, who finished as runners-up in the DStv Premiership, just three points above SuperSport, who had to settle for third place. Interestingly, SuperSport are still involved in the continental competition and were actually victorious on Wednesday night – the 2-1 win over Al Hilal Benghazi in Polokwane, their first of the group stages – to give themselves a slim chance of progressing to the knockout stages. Pirates, on the other hand, have long been knocked out and did…

If THE Stormers opt to not kick the ball into touch for line-outs, they will do so at their peril. This was the warning from Bulls coach Jake White ahead of tomorrow’s massive United Rugby Championship encounter at the Cape Town Stadium (7pm kick-off). The Capetonians have battled in the line-outs this season, after the departure of No 5 stalwart Marvin Orie to French club Perpignan, while newly appointed captain Salmaan Moerat has been sidelined with a knee injury. This has seen Ruben van Heerden and Adré Smith – essentially two No 4 locks – operating in the second row, while coach John Dobson has also experimented with different combinations for certain games, such as the Champions Cup clash against Leicester, where Hendré Stassen and Connor Evans were the lock…

The holidays are a time of gathering with friends and family and lots (and lots) of food. With social pressure, the desire to please your hosts, and with decadent dishes right in front of you, it can be very tempting to indulge and eat more than you usually would. It is hard to resist all of the temptations. You have worked so hard to be diligent about your health and what you eat, and then that goes out the window. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The Herbalife Nutrition team shares a few tips on how to navigate the final stretch of the year: Keep moving Keep moving by taking a daily walk around the neighbourhood, going to the park with your dog, or doing a few home…

CrimE experts in the country have urged all South Africans to be vigilant during the festive season, as crime is expected to drastically spike during the festive period. Criminals are at work already, with home burglaries on the increase, as well as robberies at shopping malls. At the end of November, a 39-year-old woman was shot and killed in a burglary in Hartbeesfontein in the early hours. Three houses were robbed in the mayhem that followed. Police are investigating the robberies, that look like co-ordinated attacks. In all three cases, the robbers gained entry by breaking windows and cutting the burglar bars with a bolt cutter. The victim of the first robbery, just after midnight, a mother of a teenager, was shot in her bedroom. She died on the scene.…

HONOR Technologies Africa gifted R245 000’s worth of devices to the Siyafunda Community Technology Centre in a handover ceremony on Tuesday. The consignment included units of HONOR’s latest offering, the Pad X9 which boasts an 11.5-inch, 5:3, 1200 x 2000-pixel display, a 120Hz refresh rate as well as a six-speaker system. HONOR’s Zhou Lefeng said: “We believe that access to technology and digital skills is not a luxury but a necessity, a fundamental right that should be available to everyone irrespective of their socio-economic status.” He expressed confidence that this will empower Siyafunda’s students as they “access online education, seek job opportunities, and improve their lives”. Siyafunda CTC uses such contributions to “remove the large cost factor” associated with technology adoption, particularly in educational settings. Similar logic was shared by…

THE passing of the National Health Insurance (NHI) by Parliament’s National Council of Provinces has dug up old wounds among many in the country, as they debate the cost and effect of the implementation of the system. The system, a universal method of ensuring health care is provided to both the poor and rich, has been about 20 years in the making, and has, since inception, been fiercely opposed by those who feel that the government would not run it as effectively as is required. In its composition it is meant to allow access - equal access, to the same health institutions and doctors, and health care to all, in a universal method that will bridge the gaping divide between the haves and the have nots. “But that is not…

Christian Saile wants to settle in at Kaizer Chiefs after an inconsistent start and help the team to solve their conundrum in front of goal. Saile arrived at Amakhosi with a lofty billing last season, having been a top marksman for Nchanga Rangers in the Zambian top flight with the ability to use both feet. However, the striker, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, didn’t quite live up to expectations in his first season at Chiefs, scoring only three goals in 16 matches. But he was tipped to settle in this season. Saile has been nowhere near his best, though. He’s only scored four goals and registered a single assist in 21 matches. The 23-year-old has reasoned that the PSL and Zambian top flight are completely different,…

The promoters of a Super League announced plans for a new breakaway competition yesterday after the EU’s top court ruled that Uefa had used illegal tactics to stifle a previous project. The European Court of Justice ruling did not constitute an endorsement of the Super League idea, which still faces furious opposition from many football fans and from Europe’s existing national leagues. But it marks a serious legal setback for Uefa and for football’s world governing body Fifa, finding that their tactic of threatening to ban future Super League clubs and players from taking part in their competitions broke EU law. And it was seized upon by the promoters of the Super League project, A22 Sports Management. They promoted their vision of a new 64-team tournament that would feature promotion…

Liverpool destroyed West Ham 5-1 on Wednesday night to set up a League Cup semi-final against Fulham, easing the frustration of last weekend’s Premier League stalemate against Manchester United. Curtis Jones scored twice and Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah were also on the scoresheet for Jurgen Klopp’s dominant team, who were trophy-less last season. No team has won more League Cups than Liverpool, who lifted the trophy for the ninth time in the 2021-22 season. The Reds had 34 shots against United in last Sunday’s Premier League match without finding the net, failing to win at home for the first time this season. Manager Klopp said he was delighted with his team’s “joyful football” as they once again clicked in front of goal against West Ham. “We were…

There’s a desire to build on the winning momentum picked up last weekend by the Stormers, and a perfect early Christmas gift will be a triumph over the Bulls tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Pretoria team will look to pick up their first United Rugby Championship win over the hosts at the Cape Town Stadium (7pm kick-off). Rugby writer Leighton Koopman looks at five key players for the Stormers. Mercurial Manie He has lapped up every opportunity to torture the team that let him go several seasons ago. And it won’t be any different for Manie Libbok come kick-off. Although he’s not yet found the rich attacking form that saw him drive the Bok attack at the World Cup and the Stormers last season, Libbok will want to keep turning over…