Índice para 2022-07-07 em Star

THE NATIONAL Planning Commission (NPC) yesterday finally added its voice of concern about load shedding, and suggested that a state of emergency be declared to remove the red tape on building new power generation capacity. “The most immediate priority is to ensure that new generation capacity is rapidly and urgently brought onto the grid, together with significant new storage capacity,” the NPC said. A state of emergency was, according to recent reports, also among measures proposed by ANC national executive committee members at a meeting held over the weekend to deal with the Eskom crisis, although the Department of Public Enterprises later denied that this was discussed. The latest round of power outages has wreaked havoc with the economy, small businesses and poor families, and was mainly the result of…

Kwaito legend Zola 7 is expected to receive his first Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Mzansi Kwaito House Music Awards (MKHMA). The awards, which celebrate South African kwaito and house musicians as well as award leaders in various categories, is set to take place in Sun City on November 26. Perfecta Malinga, CEO of MKHMA, said Zola needs to be honoured. “We decided to honour him while he is still alive, to give him the lifetime achievement award and tell him that we love him and respect what he’s done, not just for the music industry but for SA,” Malinga said. The awards celebrate their seventh year, under the theme “Hola 7, Ziwu 7”. “We relate to Zola 7, we all know that the only kwaito legend in…

IFP adds its voice as the president faces pressure to break his silence on the energy crisis Pressure is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation on the ongoing power outages that are ravaging the country. IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said yesterday that Ramaphosa should break his silence and address the nation on the ever-growing crisis with Eskom and load shedding. “At what ‘Stage’ will the president feel prompted to speak to the people of South Africa? At what ‘Stage’ will he step in, step up, and provide the urgent solutions this swiftly unfolding calamity deserves?” Hlengwa asked. He said, with South Africans forced to spend almost 12 hours a day, over the past few days, without electricity, the IFP could confidently state that Eskom was most certainly…

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) has expressed grave concern over the energy crisis that has resulted in load shedding. From last Tuesday, the country has endured Stage 6 load shedding, and if that wasn’t enough, Eskom implemented Stage 5 on Tuesday this week. The power utility blamed the load shedding on a week-long wildcat strike by employees. On Tuesday, Eskom and three unions signed a 7% one-year wage agreement. The NEC held its ordinary session from July 2 to 4, focusing on critical issues facing the country and the world. It emphasised the need for immediate interventions to alleviate the plight of South Africans, as well as the pursuit of longer-term systemic interventions to ensure sustainable energy security. ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said that while it recognised the…

Rhodes University officially launched the Transient Array Radio Telescope (Tart) at the Waainek site in Makhanda recently. The building and deployment of a Tart at Rhodes University is a collaborative effort between the institution, the University of Otago, and Stellenbosch University. The design for a highly low-cost, open-source 24-element radio interferometer was initially developed by Dr Tim Molteno and his group at the University of Otago to provide a test-bed for developing and testing state-of-the-art calibration and imaging algorithms for radio astronomy. This initiative originates from early brainstorming in 2021 between Square Kilometre Array (SKA) research chair Professor Oleg Smirnov, physics lecturer at Rhodes University Dr Stanley Kuja, Rhodes University mathematics lecturer Dr Patrice Okouma, and University of Otago senior lecturer in physics Dr Tim Molteno. Kuja, as project lead…

Ingredients Olive oil 1 bunch spring onions, chopped 200g baby spinach 400g haddock 1 cup (250ml) milk 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered ½ cup mature cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup cream Handful each parsley and dill Salt and milled pepper 3 potatoes 2 cups butternut, cubed 1 Tbsp butter, for mashing ¼ cup milk, for mashing Method Heat oil and fry spring onions for a few seconds. Add spinach and toss together until wilted. Place haddock and milk in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until haddock is cooked about 8 minutes. Remove haddock (reserve any leftover milk), flake into large chunks and arrange in an oven-to-table dish. Scatter over spring onion and spinach mixture and dot with quartered eggs. Mix reserved…

Opera lovers came out in their numbers to have the full experience of Cape Town Opera, which presented Mozart’s masterpiece Le Nozze di Figaro at the Roodepoort Theatre on Tuesday night. Sponsored by the Judith Neilson Head Trust in collaboration with Sempre Opera, it is the first opera to be staged at the Roodepoort Theatre since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, and is set to run until July 15. The production also forms part of the first Judith Neilson Cape Town Opera Tour of 2022. The Star spoke to a producer at the Roodepoort Theatre, Innocent Xaba, who shared details about this production. “This is the first opera that we’re hosting as the Roodepoort Theatre after Covid restrictions were lifted, so we are at a full house and we are very…

The SACP will be holding its congress next week. This is considered to be a watershed congress as it will be held just a year after the party celebrated its centenary. However, celebrating a centenary should not be the only factor that characterises this event as a watershed. Over the years, the SACP has been a very reliable ally of the governing party, the ANC. It has made and continues to make important contributions to the policies which the ANC implements in government. These contributions make the SACP a very important component of the struggle in our society. The SACP in this conference must be frank and robust in dealing with the challenges facing this country. It must take decisions that seek to improve the conditions of the people through…

Phuket – While the new Ford Ranger is receiving all the attention right now, and rightfully so, there’s the small matter of its bigger and badder sibling waiting in the wings and ready to snort onstage. We got an exclusive preview of the new Ford Ranger Raptor at the company’s Thailand plant while attending the recent South East Asian launch of the new bakkie line-up. The Raptor that’s heading our way will be built in that same plant, with the Silverton factory having been regeared to build only the new Ranger in its various guises for local and international consumption. It’s no secret that the biggest news is the petrol 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine with 292kW and 583Nm under the bonnet. It’s what people have been asking for since the…

Rassie van der Dussen is confident that his former franchise coach Enoch Nkwe has the tools to succeed as Cricket South Africa’s new Director of Cricket. Nkwe, 39, was last week named to the position previously held by Graeme Smith. It was the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for Nkwe, who was previously assistant coach at the Proteas, and resigned from the position citing concerns over the culture in the national men’s team. “He’ll be very good. Enoch, having played under him, is obviously a good coach, but you always got the sense that management and (creating) structures was his real strength,” said Van der Dussen. Nkwe took over as head coach of the Lions franchise in 2018 after the team had suffered a disastrous season in which they finished…

THE FIRST salvo of South Africa protests against the increase in fuel prices saw taxi operators and trucks block the N4 in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, yesterday – a potential disruption to the economy if it spreads. Yesterday the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) also called for a national shutdown amid worsening living standards, including the high fuel price. On Tuesday afternoon #NationalShutdown was trending on Twitter as frustrated South Africans flooded social media with talk of a national shutdown amid the record-high fuel prices, with petrol now at more than R26 a litre, and continuous load shedding. Media reports yesterday emerged that public transport operators were incensed after the price of 93-octane petrol increased by R2.37 a litre, while diesel jumped by at least R2.30 a litre as…

SOUTH African farmers have warned that the disruptive load shedding is posing long-term risks to the agricultural sector and the economy as a whole as it could worsen rising food prices. Agri SA said yesterday that the impact of the ongoing power outages on the agricultural sector and the wider economy held serious implications for food security and social stability. Agri SA executive director Christo van der Rheede cautioned that the extended period of level 6 load shedding was threatening the viability of the sector. Van der Rheede said load shedding contributed to inflation and might result in farmers planting less due to rising costs and disruption in planting schedules. “Load shedding increases the cost of production for farmers at a time when South Africans are facing further food price…

Tom Hanks doesn’t understand the decision to replace Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear. The Hollywood icon features in Elvis and has been competing at the box office against the Toy Story spin-off Lightyear – which sees Chris Evans take over from Allen as the voice of the legendary character – and regrets that he didn’t get the chance to go up against his former co-star. Hanks, who voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story films, told CinemaBlend: “Actually, I wanted to go head-to-head with Tim Allen and then they didn’t let Tim Allen do it. I don’t understand that.” Hanks is more concerned about people returning to cinemas following the pandemic and is hoping to see a movie with Allen. The 65-year-old star said: “Here’s the thing – just as…

When a South African thinks of Senzo Meyiwa, it’s hard to not also think of award-winning singer Kelly Khumalo. In fact, it’s hard to think of one without the other especially after his tragic death and the ongoing the murder trail. During an interview with eNCA, Khumalo got tongues wagging with her bold statement, that “Nobody knew who Senzo Meyiwa was until he was attached to the brand ‘Kelly Khumalo’.” Khumalo raised eyebrows with her comment as she tried to explain that she had nothing to gain from Meyiwa’s death. In the meantime, the Twitterverse responded to her statement. While Meyiwa’s soccer career was on an upward trajectory, his affiliation with the singer thrust him into the spotlight, especially since their relationship grabbed tabloid headlines. Twitter user @MathewsNtanzi said that…

Talks of a national shutdown over fuel price hikes rapidly spread around Mpumalanga yesterday, affecting motorists, commuters, businesses and workers. Minibus taxis and haulage trucks were used as barricades at different entry points into the provincial capital, Mbombela (Nelspruit), while workers travelling from townships and suburbs found themselves stuck on the road without hope of accessing the inner city. The “Nelspruit shutdown” started all the way from White River up to the Ngodwana area on the N4, and circled back towards the N4 heading to Malalane, near the Mozambican border. In the afternoon, it reached far-flung places such as Mkhuhlu township outside Hazyview. “It was another morning to me when I drove the car out of my yard and started heading out to Mbombela,” said Shane Sambo, from Hazyview.…

The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (Asisa) is looking for claimants of R33.5 billion in unclaimed assets held on behalf of policyholders, beneficiaries, investors and heirs. Asisa senior policy adviser Rosemary Lightbody said an intensified effort by the organisation’s members ended with the organisation placing unclaimed assets worth R22.7bn in the hands of South Africans by the end of December last year. Lightbody said Asisa members began in 2021 with having to trace the legal owners of R32.3bn in unclaimed assets. “Asisa’s tracing efforts reduced this amount by R22.7bn to R9.6bn, but unfortunately Asisa member companies had to classify another R23.8bn of assets across 60 837 policies and investment accounts as unclaimed during 2021.” Lightbody said that in a world where policy documents and investment contracts were sent…

As many as 4.6 million children in South Africa will go to bed hungry tonight and 27% of children under the age of 5 in South Africa are nutritionally stunted. Of those under 4, 76% have no access to pre-schools. “No child should be malnourished or deprived of an education,” says Mark Bunn, MD of Future Life. “These little ones are the future of our nation and need to be given a chance to reach their full potential. For this reason, Future Life together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation has created a sustainable programme to reach more children in need with FUTURELIFE® highly nutritious Smart Food. “We have a collective goal to distribute over 5 million meals through various, sustainable initiatives and FUTURELIFE® will also be building an Early Childhood…

Malaysian carmaker Proton is making a South African comeback, and the first vehicles are expected to hit showrooms in September. Following the announcement by its parent company back in April that the brand would be returning to South Africa, the local importer has announced the first details of the relaunch. Proton cars will be distributed by Combined Motor Holdings, which plans to open 25 dealerships for the brand in September. The first products to be offered locally will be the new X50 and X70 crossover models, and pricing will start at the R450 000 mark, CMH said, although full pricing and specifications will only be announced nearer to launch. Much has changed since Proton exited the South African market back in 2015. The brand is now owned by Geely,…

LOCAL boy. Maritzburg College alumni and first Springbok prop. Must enjoy long walks on the promenade and be able to turn soil. They call me Toeks. #Farmlife. That might well be Ntuthuko Mchunu’s personal add or dating profile - if he were to ever place or create one. Yesterday, the soon-to-be new Bok revealed all these little titbits to the media collected in Bloemfontein ahead of the second Test against Wales on Saturday. Mchunu is one of six debutants that will make their first appearance for the Boks after head coach Jacques Nienaber surprised all earlier this week with a radically changed matchday 23. The powerful loose-head prop has been likened to the legendary Tendai Mtawarira, so it is easy to understand why there is a fair amount…

IT took Cameron Norrie over three sets to get “locked in” to the task of taming David Goffin in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday, but the Briton knows he cannot afford to leave it so late in his next match as he will be facing a rival his Belgian victim described as “an alien”. Over the last two decades, British fans have become accustomed to being taken on five-set rollercoaster rides on tennis’s most famous stage by four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman and then twice champion Andy Murray. South Africa-born Norrie joined that select group on Tuesday night when he fought back to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final with a 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Goffin. “Pretty crazy to be sitting here and in the semis. Crazy…

THE RAND slumped again to its weakest in 22 months yesterday as it was galloping towards R17 to the US dollar pressured by severe power cuts in South Africa and concerns over the growing risk of global recession. State-owned power utility Eskom continued implementing Stage 5 rotational load shedding yesterday due to multiple plant breakdowns even after the end of the workers’ strike over wages. Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said load shedding would continue to be implemented at varying stages during the next few weeks as the generation capacity shortages persisted. “Eskom cautions the public that it will still take a few weeks for the power generation system to fully recover to pre-strike levels,” he said. The rand weakened to R16.80 to the US dollar by 5pm yesterday, its…

SUPPORTERS say it’s the world’s most ambitious green investment rulebook and could direct huge sums of money into fighting climate change. Critics say it’s a “greenwashing” exercise that puts the EU’s climate change targets at risk. So what is the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy? What does it do? The EU taxonomy is a complex system to classify which parts of the economy may be marketed as sustainable investments. It includes economic activities, as well as detailed environmental criteria that each economic activity must meet to earn a green label. Rules for most sectors came into effect this year, covering investments including steel plants, electric cars and building renovations. The rules for gas and nuclear energy, however, have been long delayed amid intense lobbying from governments who disagree on whether the…

The Real Housewives of Lagos: Reunion Part One is currently streaming on Showmax. The ladies looked amazing in their traditional attire. They showed off what Nigerian design is all about. The fashion is big, bold and beautiful. Chioma Ikokwu stole the show with her royal blue look. Laura Ikeji Kanu looked stunning in Tiffany Blue and gold, Iyabo Ojo looked dashing in red, Mariam Timmer looked like an African goddess in gold, Carolyna Hutchings looked regal in black with a touch of white and Tiannah “Toyin” Lawani-Adebayo looked okay in white. Everything now makes sense. Every friendship has been tested and put under the wringer. We also see which alliance survives. In the beginning, it was hard to understand the ladies and their differences, but all the layers to…

Durban-based ANC member and proponent of Radical Economic Transformation, Nkosentsha Shezi, says he and a group of like-minded individuals and civil rights organisations will hold a picket outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court today in support of Jacob Zuma and the one-year anniversary of the former president’s “unconstitutional” incarceration. “The picket is in support of his contribution to the struggle for freedom, which he was denied when the current regime put him in jail without a case number. “A year later we see our justice system has become worse, yet the Phala Phala matter (involving President Cyril Ramaphosa) is being ignored,” he said. Shezi said the picket was also in response to rising fuel and food prices, the unemployment rate and other issues affecting South Africans. On July 7 last year,…

A family came home from a visit to the mall to an unexpected visitor – a black mamba. Snake catcher Nick Evans said that on Sunday afternoon, while he and his wife were on their way back from the Aloe Festival in Ashburton after he had given a talk there, he received a call from the family and he told them he would be there soon, the snake “wasn’t going anywhere”. Evans said that the family had returned home from a trip to the Pavilion and found an unexpected surprise inside their home. He said that one of the family saw a long black thing by her bedroom door. She thought maybe it was a belt, but was a bit nervous to go close, so she called another family member,…

Researchers have long argued that grey water, which became popular after the slew of water restrictions introduced during previous dry winters and Day Zero periods, had the potential to contribute to food security if it was used to water domestic food gardens. However, there was ongoing concern around its safety. Now research by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) geo-information science and earth observation professor Timothy Dube alleviates some of these concerns, after conducting a study examining the quality of grey water used in domestic food gardens, which found that grey water was safe for domestic irrigation. “The study has shown that grey water can be used for home gardening, especially for vegetables that are not consumed raw. It was observed that the use of grey water for flushing…

HIGH-FLYING Banyana Banyana will cement a Wafcon quarter-final berth if they triumph against debutants Burundi in today's Group C clash at Stade Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassanin Rabat, Morocco (kick-off 7pm, SA time). After Monday's dashing performance against Nigeria's Super Falcons, three more points will ensure Banyana will finish in the top two of Group C, and that will automatically qualify the side for the knock-out phase. The other Group C team is Botswana, who opened their campaign on Monday with a 4-2 win over Burundi's Swallows. Nigeria are expected to return to winning ways when they play their remaining Group C games against Botswana and Burundi. The form book suggests South Africa will top Group C, followed by Nigeria, at the end of the group phase. After…

THE Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup is under way and Maritzburg United forward Rowan Human is raring to go as he looks to create an opportunity to earn himself another move abroad. This year’s edition will be the second time Human will take part in a Cosafa tournament after turning out in the 2019 Cosafa Under-20 Men’s Championship, helping Amajita to a runners-up spot to eventual champions Zambia. The 21-year-old forms part of an incredibly youthful Bafana Bafana squad trying to defend their Cosafa Cup title this year. The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man knows first hand the opportunities presented by international tournaments after earning his move to Israel in 2019. “Opportunities for one to earn a move abroad come when you’re playing for your national team,” he said. “Most…