Table of contents for 2024-03-26 in Star

AMERICAN lawmakers have taken steps to show that they are serious about banning TikTok, if the Chinese parent company ByteDance does not sell to a US company. When the ban becomes a reality it will be a step back. A ban is something that I associate with a terrible past. As news of the TikTok ban emerged I wondered about the possibility of banning an information platform in our modern era. Calls for a ban reminded me of what happened to publishers whose books were banned whenever they published something contrary to popular views. It’s always troubling for society whenever an authoritative entity is advocating for banning anything. Today we have the privilege of reading some of the most important books which were banned at some point. One would have…

From May, SABC viewers will for the very first time have access to award-winning British dramas, factual entertainment and documentaries. This move is part of a new collaboration between the SABC and BBC Studios, which is set to give viewers a chance to watch a range of top international shows. This includes psychological crime thriller Luther, medical drama Critical and the renowned British motoring programme, Top Gear. Long-running reality TV sensation Cheaters, which centres around hidden camera crews investigating suspicions of infidelities as well as the documentary series, Louis Theroux: Forbidden America, which explores the impact of the digital world on different parts of US society, are also part of the line-up. These shows and many more will feature as part of BBC Primetime, a new three-hour block from 9pm…

Rapper Boity Thulo is following in the footsteps of her former boyfriend, Cassper Nyovest, by taking a spiritual path. The Wuz Dat? hitmaker took to X to announce that she is returning to church. Sunday marked the first time in seven years since the musician “voluntarily” returned to the house of God. This makes Thulo the third high-profile South African celebrity who has openly embarked on a spiritual journey in the past few months. Last year, multi-award-winning hip hop artist, Nyovest, opened up about his newfound faith in Jesus Christ. He claimed to have had a transformative encounter with God, which led to him being baptised in January. In February, Grammy award-winning musician, Black Coffee, committed his life to God after a near-death plane accident. Internationally, Puerto Rican star Daddy…

Members of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) yesterday led a march to an FNB branch in Durban, contesting what they have called the closure of former president Jacob Zuma’s FNB bank accounts. The march was led by Bishop Bheki Ngcobo, who presented a memorandum to two representatives of FNB. While it was initially reported that the bank had closed Zuma’s accounts, FNB in a statement last week clarified that it had not closed the accounts but had frozen outgoing payments in terms of a court order. The party has demanded that the action be reversed. Reading the memorandum to the managers yesterday, Bishop Ngcobo said: “FNB must open Zuma’s account within seven days. We need FNB to compensate Mr JZ Zuma for public humiliation, because today Zuma has no dignity…

The GOOD party confirmed yesterday that it has fired former Springbok coach-turned-politician Peter de Villiers from the political party after its internal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. The party’s National Management Committee (NMC) terminated De Villiers’ membership of the party and removed him as a member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature. De Villiers was suspended from the party in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. Earlier this month, the party said it would be going ahead with a formal disciplinary hearing. GOOD national chairperson, Matthew Cook, said the NMC’s decision was based on the outcome of a party disciplinary process which found De Villiers guilty of breaching the GOOD constitution and code of conduct. “On January 31, 2024, GOOD received a formal complaint of sexual misconduct against De Villiers.…

FORMER fugitive, and convicted German fraudster Jürgen Harksen has died. He was 63. With a penchant for the bling lifestyle, Harksen ingratiated himself with local politicians and business personalities, scamming them of millions while masquerading as an investment guru until his arrest in April 2002. Wanted in Germany for over nine years until he was formally extradited, Harksen’s con was simple: He promised Hamburg’s greedy millionaires that he could make them more on the stock markets. And for that, they gave him millions, swayed by his persuasive sales pitch and a sophisticated scam in which white South Africans pretended to be American bankers to seal the deal. Bankers, lawyers, tax consultants and famous musicians are some of his German victims who fell hook, line and sinker. Even while he was…

THE City of Tshwane has started a public consultation process to conclude a new contract with Tshwane Rapid Transit (Pty) Ltd enabling it to operate its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), also known as A Re Yeng system. If authorised, the contract will be implemented for a period of 12 years and meet the needs of ratepayers and public transport users in a sustainable and affordable manner. Both the City and Tshwane Rapid Transit first entered into a negotiated contract in November 2014 during the inception phase of the BRT in Tshwane. City’s Roads and Transport MMC Katlego Mathebe said the negotiated contract was informed by Section 41 of the National Land Transport Act, which seeks to identify a specific group mandated for empowerment as part of transformation implementation in the…

Presenter Claire Mawisa has been one of the faces of M-Net’s prime time investigative TV show, Carte Blanche, for over eight years. The former Simunye TV presenter says the show has grown close to her heart through the myriad stories and issues it tackles. Carte Blanche, which celebrates 34 years since its debut on August 21, 1988, has become synonymous with exposing corruption, consumer issues, and current events. The show has some well-known presenters and reporters, including Macfarlane Moleli, Masa Kekana, Erin Bates and Lourensa Eckard. From human trafficking to spending time on the beach with the fossils, the show delves into a wide range of topics, ensuring South African viewers get a balanced view on issues. Mawisa commented: “For anyone to join Carte Blanche is a great honour due…

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said the country needed to invest in maths education for the general well-being of youth. Makaneta said this while congratulating Dr Khensani Xivuri for being the first black woman in South Africa to obtain a PhD in Applied Data Science. He said her achievement took place at a time when the country was facing a shortage of data scientists. “These are skills necessary for the country as we grapple with the changing landscape of the world of work. There is no doubt that the jobs that exist today will become obsolete in the near future. “Hence, we need more and more people to study in the field of data science, which has a solid foundation in maths, statistics, artificial intelligence and computer engineering. “South Africa is…

Kaizer Chiefs will have a golden opportunity to see star striker Khanyisa Mayo in action first-hand on Saturday when they play hosts Cape Town City at the Athlone Stadium (3.30pm kick-off). City were forced to move the game to Athlone Stadium as their Green Point venue will be used by the Stormers, who will host Irish visitors Ulster on the same day. City are never pleased to be playing at Athlone, but if it is any consolation, Gauteng giants Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have never enjoyed playing there over the years. Mayo has been punted as one of the local players who could help to revive Chiefs’ flagging fortunes, with Amakhosi fans having urged the club to sign the player who has regularly featured among the Premiership’s leading goalscorers. He…

CAPITAL Appreciation had performed well in a market and financial year characterised by continued weak business confidence and low economic growth, it said in an update for the year ending March 31. Even though these conditions caused some clients to delay decisions for major projects and capital spend, there continued to be strong demand for the group’s technology solutions, products and services, Capital Appreciation’s directors said in the update. Increased business activity in the Payments division, improved expense management and strong cash flows resulted in a “robust improvement” in the group’s financial performance in the second half of the year. “Both the Payments and Software divisions continued to attract new clients, diversify their revenue sources, and grow market shares. The results benefited from higher finance income, a much reduced expected…

IN AN ERA where the allure of cryptocurrencies captivates the imagination of the global market, the double-edged sword of the decentralised and un- regulated nature of these digital assets presents opportunities, and significant security challenges for businesses. The core principles of cryptocurrency, decentralisation and lack of regulation, can be seen as a blessing and a curse. The relative freedom comes at the cost of increased vulnerability to cyber-attacks, where financial transactions, traditionally considered the epitome of security, can also serve as a refuge for criminal activity. There have been numerous examples of financial heists since the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was released as open-source software in 2009. In 2022 the Ronin Network, a cryptocurrency network focused on gaming, confirmed that a staggering $620 million had been lost. On the same…

SOUTH Africa – leveraging on its record of producing nuclear pebble- bed reactor fuel – is working on plans to become a global supplier of a high-temperature reactor fuel and will invest in multipurpose reactor technology envisaged for commercial deployment beyond 2030. Speaking at the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels on Friday, South Africa’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, Tokozile Xasa, said Africa was endowed with critical mineral resources needed for the just energy transition, including uranium used in various nuclear applications, and for the generation of clean base-load energy and nuclear research reactors. “South Africa plans to leverage on the beneficiation of these resources to produce feedstock for Africa’s nuclear power plants, while developing its own pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) technology as a strategic project, considering…

THE ANC in Limpopo has been embroiled in a public spat after one of its members deployed to the National Assembly has taken the party to court following the omission of his name on its candidate list. The controversial MP, Jacob Boy Mamabolo, has taken his party head on, accusing the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of removing his name from the party’s provincial to national election list. Mamabolo has approached the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, on an urgent basis to compel the governing party to disclose the process it took on finalising the candidates’ list. However, the party in the province has vowed to defend its list in court, saying the process was above board. Limpopo is considered to be the party’s stronghold after cracks started showing in the organisation’s…

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told scores of his party supporters in the Eastern Cape that any party going against the ANC would die slowly. Mbalula was making a reference to the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party), which he said would eventually die “just like Congress of the People (Cope)”. Addressing ANC supporters on a campaign trail in the Eastern Cape at the Progressive Youth Alliance Siyanqoba Rally at the weekend, the secretary-general said members of the ANC should not be shaken as the party would win the upcoming elections with an outright majority. “Victory is certain, and there is no single detractor who will make us lose focus. The ANC belongs to the people of this country, and South Africans will deliver this victory. We will defend the…

The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court granted R150 000 bail to former Steinhoff legal head, Stephanus Johannes Grobler. Grobler appeared in court yesterday after spending the weekend in jail. “He appeared in court on Friday and the case was postponed to Monday for bail judgment, where he was granted R150 000 bail with conditions. Grobler will reappear in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on June 26,” said spokesperson for the Hawks, Colonel Katlego Mogale. Grobler was arrested on charges of fraud, a pattern of racketeering activities and contravention of Financial Markets Act. He was scheduled to appear with Steinhoff CEO, Markus Jooste, who allegedly died by suicide near his Hermanus home last week. Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed that an inquest docket was under investigation.…

Hijacked, abandoned, dilapidated buildings and shacks have become home for many families in Gauteng in recent decades as the province is increasingly under threat of overpopulation. Frustrations and fears over shady crime-ridden buildings have led to many resorting to land grabs to build or install their structures. Many low-income, unemployed, and disadvantaged people have taken over Gauteng’s vacant land and dilapidated buildings in the cities and towns to have a shelter over their heads. This is where thousands of people including children, women, and disabled children live without water and sanitation facilities, as well as electricity, and safety. Residents blame the government for its inability and failure to provide adequate housing for the people who are struggling to survive. Kempton Park, Johannesburg, and the Vaal have become the hotspots for…

Police have arrested six men and confiscated high calibre firearms, following a take-down operation in Gauteng at the weekend. It is believed the gang, travelling in a marked courier vehicle and a Toyota bakkie, were en route to commit a robbery in Sandton on Sunday. “Police received information about the gang on their way to commit a robbery, using a marked courier truck,” said Gauteng police spokes- person, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo. He said Johannesburg Flying Squad officers spotted the two vehicles travelling on the N1 South. “The police followed the suspects until on the M1 South in Sandton, where they stopped the vehicles, a branded courier company Ford bakkie driven by an employee of the company and a white Toyota double cab bakkie,” Masondo said. Police officers searched both vehicles…

THE Grace Bible Church has planned a rousing Good Friday Celebration in the heart of Soweto this Easter. The church, now running for 40 years, promises congregants at the Orlando Stadium a stirring experience at one of the most important gatherings on the South African Christian calendar. Grace Bible Church’s three-day Good Friday Celebration attracts thousands of people from across the globe to the home of DStv Premiership giants Orlando Pirates. Prior to 2011, the event was held at the church’s premises, followed by the Jabulani Amphitheatre in 2009 and 2010. Such was its popularity that a bigger venue was needed, and Orlando Stadium was identified as the preferred choice. An even bigger crowd is expected this Friday when Grace Bible Church founder and presiding Bishop Mosa Sono is expected…

The SANDF is set to wow the public with this year’s three-day Rand Show at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec, from Thursday to Monday. The Rand Show boasts a wide range of activities from various departments in the SANDF. Attendees, especially young people will be provided with programmes of the defence force, information and the constitutional mandate it is enjoined to execute. The activities will include band performances from the defence force, a spew of services from the SA Air Force, such as an experience of the Alouette and Impala Simulator-SAAF aircraft and ARGOS Air and Ground System. Attendees will learn how the SAAF integrates air and ground operations for maximum efficiency. Among other programmes, the SA Navy will make an appearance, featuring its SA Naval Divers, Maritime Reaction…

MEET NICOLE Dunn. This week’s TechTides Africa column gets a shake-up courtesy of Nicole Dunn. Dunn, co-founder and chief operating officer at South African fintech start-up Revio, spearheads go-to-market strategies, corporate planning and operational tactics. Prior to joining Revio, she honed her skills over several years at Elixirr, a global challenger consultancy, and Founders Factory Africa, where we crossed paths as colleagues. These days, I’ve found the most insightful way to track Dunn’s instructive career moves is by tuning into her updates on LinkedIn. There she shares a wealth of first-hand insights drawn from her background as a consultant-turned-investor-turned-start-up operator. Also noteworthy is her collaboration on the Next Frontier Podcast with US start-up advocate Brian Kearney, offering listeners an in-depth look at the intricacies of African start-up ecosystems. Amid ongoing…

DESPITE all the commendable government work in opening up export markets, helping to control the spread of animal diseases, and supporting smallholder farmers over the recent past, South Africa’s agriculture sector has been operating from one crisis to another, according to a local agribusiness organisation. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), said this has limited the sector’s full potential growth. “Last year, the big challenge was load shedding and its effects on agricultural production. Later in the year, there were widespread animal diseases and crises at ports, railway lines, and roads. This means many government programmes to address the sector’s growth remain on the periphery, as government officials and the private sector throw their weight on the present issues. For example, the interventions contained in…

Speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will not be arrested for the time being, as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has undertaken to withhold her arrest until the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has ruled on an application to halt her arrest. She turned to the court yesterday in an urgent bid to avoid her arrest on corruption charges. Judge Sulet Potterill said she would deliver her judgment on April 2. While Mapisa-Nqakula said she wanted her day in court to prove her innocence, this should not be done by way of her arrest. Her advocate, Reg Willis SC, told Judge Potterill that Mapisa-Nqakula was willing to hand herself over to the Lyttelton police station on April 3, to be processed and taken to court. This was the first date that her…

Almost 30 years since section ranger Joe Nkuna joined arguably the best tourist destination in the country, the Kruger National Park (KNP), he has decided to hang up his ranger boots. Nkuna, who is known in the park as “Kokwani Ranger”, can tell a plethora of stories from his 29 years at the helm as a ranger, including that he was named best ranger when based at Letaba Rest Camp in 2004. A familiar face to tourists, Nkuna was a teacher at Mabunda Primary School near Giyani, Limpopo, before joining the park. Being a teacher at the time, making a living was hard because the salary could not sustain a reasonable living. He was 34 when he heard of a vacant post for field rangers at the park, where he…

THE Gauteng provincial government’s smart licensing centre in Atteridgeville has been hailed by people in the area. The facility was opened by the MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, last week to bring convenience, efficiency, sustainability and integrity to “townships, informal settlements and hostel communities”. Launching the initiative in Atteridgeville is a testament to the provincial government’s commitment to act and improve the lives of its residents, said Diale-Tlabela. “Integrating these smart testing centres into the administration system of the Road Traffic Management Corporation and offering services like other testing centres across South Africa highlights a commitment to improving public service delivery and increasing capacity to meet the demands of licence renewals and related services,” the MEC said. Resident Boitumelo Mathabathe said: “This smart licensing centre is going to…

The Lions have been haunted by their shock loss at home to the Ospreys in January, and this weekend, they have a chance to exorcise their demons. Assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher said they are still hurting after surrendering a commanding lead to eventually lose 38-28, with the Welshmen scoring three tries in the last eight minutes. Now the Ospreys host a Lions team in Swansea on Saturday (5.05pm kick-off, SA time) that haven’t forgotten the error of their ways and are riding high after the historic defeat of Connacht in Galway, the first time a South African team have won there. “We have just discussed that Ospreys game in a meeting, and we still can’t believe how we lost focus for 10 minutes towards the end,” Loubscher said yesterday. “We…

Bafana Bafana will face their toughest test of the Fifa Series when they take on Algeria in their own backyard tonight. The two nations will clash at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers at 11pm SA time looking to complete the last Fifa break of this season’s football calendar in fine style. Having deployed a second-string side against Andorra last week, Bafana coach Hugo Broos is expected to bring out the big guns against the highly-ranked Desert Foxes. We took a look at five key clashes that could decide the encounter... Sydney Mobbie v Yacine Brahimi The absence of Mamelodi Sundowns man Khuliso Mudau has allowed for the return of Mobbie into a starting berth for Bafana, which is not set to be an easy one as he comes up…

The Springbok Women’s comeback victory over Spain in their first Test of 2024 will be etched forever in the memories of the four debutants. They won their season-opening encounter on the European tour 15-13, and loosehead prop Xoliswa Khuzwayo, No 8 Anathi Qolo, lock Samantha Els and prop Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen earned Springbok Women’s Test numbers 170, 171, 172 and 173 at Pepe Rojo Stadium. South Africa jumped to 12th position on the World Rugby rankings after the win, and on Saturday they will face the ninth-ranked USA, in their second Test after the narrow win in Valladolid. Kick-off is at 3pm, SA time. Things are only going to get tougher for the side coached by Louis Koen this weekend, and they will have to put in another strong performance if…