Table of contents for 2021-07-28 in Cape Times

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za S&P GLOBAL Ratings has warned that the recent civil unrest could slightly dent the expected rebound in gross domestic product (GDP) for 2021. In a report yesterday, S&P said the civil unrest was a clear example of wide income inequality, increasing poverty levels and poor access to health services. South Africa experienced widespread looting of retail outlets and manufacturing facilities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng following the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma. The unrest is estimated to have cost the country R50 billion in lost output and placed at least 150 000 jobs at risk. S&P’s corporate ratings director, Omega Collocott, said the unrest had also severely hampered supply chains because of blocked road and rail transportation corridors. Collocott said the damage to elements of the country’s…

Capital & Counties resumes its interim dividend distribution Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za UK-BASED Capital & Counties (Capco) has recommenced dividend distributions with a 0.5 pence per share distribution for the six months to June 30 after UK Covid-19 government restrictions were lifted and retail and hospitality customers fully reopened. Rent collection improved in the first half for the group that holds most of its assets in Covent Garden in London, and 65 percent of June quarter had been collected adjusted for payment plans. Customer support was being provided on a case-by-case basis and was expected to reduce with easing of restrictions. The total property value of £1.8 billion (about R37bn) represented a 5.1 percent decrease (like-for-like) from the value at the end of December 2020. Net rental…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za AVI, WHICH owns more than 50 consumer brands from frozen convenience foods to fashion accessories, said yesterday that it anticipated headline earnings a share to rise by between 5 and 7 percent for the year to June 30, from last year’s 470.8 cents a share. The group said the net effect of the recent looting and violence in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng on the 2022 financial year was not expected to be significant, because strong replenishment demand suggested that retail densities would improve in unaffected stores. Direct damage was limited to four Spitz stores where all of the stock was stolen and the fixtures were damaged. The stores were expected to resume trading in three to six weeks. None of the group’s other sites suffered damage. Snackworks lost…

From page 1 He was invited – together with Vavi – by Cata and Codeta to intervene. “Between 1992 and 1993, when there was a violent flare-up in the taxi industry, I intervened and made recommendations which assisted, hence they thought of me again,” said Holomisa. “There is no doubt that since we met at the weekend and Monday a lot of progress has been made, and gaps have been narrowed. To the extent that both parties agreed to a ceasefire.” In the document, both provincial and national transport governments are said to have failed to point out a clear way forward, and “that they just listened to the two associations and told them to continue engaging without any recommendations that would end the impasse”. One of the long-term…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za HUNDREDS of Mango employees are owed R157 million in unpaid salaries and have not been paid since May this year by the struggling state-owned low-cost airline. Mango, a subsidiary of the equally struggling national carrier SAA, yesterday suspended its flights and services due to the debt it owes to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). According to the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the airline’s crises, state-owned ATNS is owed almost R58m by Mango. Outa said Mango’s parent company, SAA, also owes ATNS over R55.5m. The Mango Pilots Association, the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) have asked the South Gauteng High Court to urgently place the airline –…

Vernon Mchunu vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za | SEE BR PAGE 9 WHILE the full impact of last week’s cyberattack on Transnet remained unknown yesterday, experts have warned that the consequences of the growing new crime trend could be severe. It could result in financial losses, reputational damage or the complete loss of systems, said Junaid Amra, PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ forensics technology solutions leader. Transnet said last week that it had “identified and isolated” the source of disruptions to its IT systems, adding that technical teams continued to minimise the impact. The company said it was prioritising the export of reefer containers (cold storage), primarily through the Durban port, given the citrus season. After the attack, loading and unloading operations had to be handled manually at the ports in Durban, Richards Bay, Eastern Cape and…

Staff writer AN IMPACT assessment on the trade of alcohol during lockdown, compiled by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, has found micro cellars and craft breweries were hardest hit by sales bans. Titled the Economic Impact of Government Restrictions on Domestic and International Trade of Alcohol, Optimal Agricultural Business Systems did the research, and the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy did the modelling. It summarised, among other findings, that the smaller players in the industry were hardest hit by the trade ban, while bigger, particularly foreign-based multinationals, were the least affected. It noted that 30% of craft breweries have already closed their doors, and 90% of the balance are at risk. “Compared with the 2019/20 harvest, wine prices received in the 2020/21 harvest is down 18%, leading…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za THE Undertakers United Front Western Cape (UUFWC) said it was concerned by reports that families had not been allowed to view bodies of those deceased by certain undertaking groups and mortuaries, despite regulations allowing viewing for identification purposes. This comes as widow Patiswa Mhlauli relived the funeral of her late husband, Thamsanqa, on Monday after she was alerted by funeral service provider Avbob, three hours after his burial on Friday, that they had buried the wrong body. Avbob apologised to the family, saying it was human error that had led to the delivery of the wrong body. “We will do whatever we can to resolve the matter and assist the family in getting closure,” the funeral service provider said. Mhlauli told the Cape Times yesterday that the…

Samaoen Osman | Crawford SOUTH Africa is paying a heavy price for the failures of the governing ANC to build a meritocratic, competent, professional and corruption-free public service. The public anger sparked by revelations of large-scale tender irregularities involving Covid-19 relief funds has served as another reminder of the widespread mismanagement, dysfunction and corruption that have hobbled state institutions in South Africa. This culture of wanton criminality and impunity will have dire consequences for future generations. What is clear is that the ANC has betrayed the vision it set out in 1994 to dismantle the apartheid legacy and construct a developmental state that is responsive to the social and economic needs of all South Africans. When the ANC came to power in 1994, it outlined a series…

Ilse Haas | Bothasig THE question, define the future in South Africa, has no easy answer. All we know is South Africa is in a big mess. But not only South Africa, the whole world is lacking in honest leadership. If it is called a republican government, or a democratic government, but after it is voted in, directions and promises change quickly. To bring some change, and improve the South African economy, and create jobs, I only see one solution. I see a form of a dictatorship, not one nasty leader, a different form. A handful of honest, competent people. It is an emerging phenomenon, most people are in need of strict directions to function. One can see it even in religion. And good guidance starts in childhood,…

Devi Rajab AS I pen this column my mind wanders through a mine, full of contradictory thoughts arising from experiences that I have had throughout the week. South Africa is a laboratory of human relationships from the sublime to the bizarre. At one moment one has hope at another one is in a state of despair. The recent attempts to unseat the present government by anarchic forces hell-bent on destroying property and causing havoc to citizens has had the reverse effect of bringing loyal South Africans of all hues together. But red herrings were tossed to divert attention from the real issues by inciting racial tensions of long standing. My 105-year-old mother born in South Africa hears Malema raving and ranting on TV. What’s all this noise she asks?…

The January 6 US Capitol attack by a mob of then-US president Donald Trump’s supporters trying to overturn his election loss featured violence resembling a medieval battlefield, a police officer hurt in the melee told a congressional panel yesterday. At the Democratic-led House of Representatives investigatory committee’s first hearing, the officer, Aquilino Gonell, testified of being pummelled by rioters fired up by Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him via widespread voting fraud. “What we were subjected to that day was like something from a medieval battlefield. We fought hand-to-hand and inch-by-inch to prevent an invasion of the Capitol by a violent mob intent on subverting our democratic process,” said Gonell, one of four police officers called to testify. “The physical violence was horrific.” The nine-member panel…

ABOUT 24 000 Eritrean refugees are trapped in two camps in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, cut off from humanitarian aid, and their food rations may have run out, the UN said yesterday. Appealing for access to the camps, the UN refugee agency said there was “a real danger of hunger”. Fighting between the Ethiopian central government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has escalated in and around the camps, and two refugees have been killed this month. “The last food distribution to the two refugee camps was done during June, the ration supplies then were only enough for 30 days,” said the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The World Food Programme said the UN agency would run out of food in Tigray on Friday and 170 trucks…

DHAKA: At least six Rohingya Muslims, including children, were killed and several injured yesterday after heavy monsoon rains triggered a landslide in refugee camps in southern Bangladesh, officials said. Heavy monsoon rains over the last two days flooded most of the refugee camps. Nearly one million Rohingya are living in squalid camps in the border district of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee settlement, since fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State nearly four years ago. Bangladesh weather office said it expected heavy rains to continue for the next few days. | Reuters…

BEIJING: Antibodies triggered by Sinovac Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine declined below a key threshold from around six months after a second dose for most recipients, but a third shot had a strong booster effect, a lab study showed. Chinese researchers reported the findings from a study of blood samples from healthy adults aged between 18-59 in a paper which has not been peer reviewed. Participants who received a third dose of the Sinovac shot about six months after the second showed around a 3-5 fold increase in antibody levels after a further 28 days, compared with the levels seen four weeks after the second shot. | Reuters…

Transnet is getting ready to lift force majeure in staggered way Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za TRANSNET said yesterday that it was considering lifting a force majeure after five days of downtime that involved only using systems that could be operated manually to cope with a backlog of trucks, ships and empty dockyards. In a statement yesterday, Transnet said it expected that some applications may continue to run slowly over the next few days, while monitoring systems were brought back in a staggered manner, to minimise further risks and interruptions. “It is expected that some applications may continue to run slowly over the next few days, while monitoring continues. All operating systems will be brought back in a staggered manner, to minimise further risks and interruptions,” the group said. Logistics groups, including…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za A LITTLE won’t go the distance of 30 days to feed entire families, but desperation leaves millions with no choice but to be grateful for anything they get. This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the government’s decision to reinstate the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant of R350, until March 2022. This time the grant’s eligibility criteria has also been expanded to include unemployed caregivers who receive a child support grant on behalf of children. For Manenberg mother Valerie Olifant, 40, who has been unemployed for the past five years, this was the blessing she had been praying for as their household consists of 11 children and six adults, so every little helps. “It’s tough because life is very expensive and here are many kids…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za ALLEGED extortionists whose taxis have not been operating for nearly two weeks due to safety reasons amid violence in the industry, are now apparently also targeting private motorists when they have more than two passengers. Initially, school transportation associations expressed their fears and concerns over being intimidated and being forced to pay R1 500, which has resulted in some suspending operations for this week. However, some motorists have taken to social media to complain about drivers in Nyanga and Gugulethu allegedly charging between R300 to R500. The development comes while UDM leader Bantu Holomisa and South African Federation of Trade Union (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi have made some progress and stirred peace engagements in the industry. Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) spokesperson Andile Khanyi said…

Staff writer THE 15th annual Women’s Humanity Arts Festival will commemorate the 150th anniversary of freedom hero Charlotte Maxeke’s birth, recognising her as an inspiration and trailblazer. The Artscape Theatre will once again celebrate National Women’s Day with the annual festival, envisaged as a hybrid stage and online event, adhering to disaster regulations. The theme of this year’s festival is The Year of Charlotte Maxeke, who was a leader and activist, one of the first black women graduates in South Africa and one of the first black South Africans to fight for freedom from exploitative and social conditions of African women. As an early opponent of passes for black women, Maxeke also helped organise the first major anti-pass march in Bloemfontein in 1913. Artscape chief executive Marlene le Roux said…

Francesca Villette francesca.villette@inl.co.za THE Western Cape High Court has dismissed an urgent interdict application brought against the government-led communication platform GovChat, while another application against it is expected to be heard later this year. Chè Overberg, a director of Silvergrey (Pty) Ltd, a social networking company with offices in Loop Street, brought two applications against GovChat founder and chief executive Eldrid Jordaan, alleging Jordaan fraudulently took Overberg’s computer program and presented it to the government as his own. GovChat is a government-led social media platform that is used for engagement between local government and communities in real time. Overberg sought the urgent interdict against GovChat and Hashtag Let’s Talk, while seeking another application – which includes having ownership of GovChat handed to Silvergrey, alternatively, to interdict GovChat and Hashtag Let’s…

Dr Ivan Pragasan Pillay | Pietermaritzburg POWER-induced, fuel-infused; the raiders watched and waited, mapping route; whispering “loot” for weeks they baited. Delusion-fed, fanning images flaming plunder, they read and spread nameless texts of toxic thunder. Dawn brought the darkness. Eagle-eyed, blind and wild they swooped towards their bounty: man, woman, child. Rabble-rousing, rubble-raising they tore through every door, talons stripping lusting more. My mater, my mater, my postcard dream – raped ravished sunken Spirit once supreme. I, child of your womb suckled at your breast, Weeping Witness to beauty undressed. Then I see in Vision through screens of flaring fire, razed cities of old rising in gold above their mire.…

Xolani Qubeka THERE is rampant pain among the families whose loved ones died as collateral damage of the carnage that started on our national roads with the burning of scores of commercial trucks. When we hear reports that at least 330 people died in the looting and associated thuggery, we seem to see one number – 330. Yet that number represents 330 families, robbed of their loved ones because someone's conviction, somewhere in the dark corners, conceived what was to be another Marikana. The nation is too silent. Our national flag ought to fly at half-mast and we should be in mourning. We shout and cry out more about destroyed malls than the human lives lost. The deeds of those days makes the Marikana disaster the beginning of our…

THE latest case of power outage in parts of Tshwane, which has left residents in the dark in the middle of winter, is a sign of poor service delivery and bad planning by the city. For more than 10 days running, areas such as Koedoeberg, Faerie Glen, Lombardy, and Cura, Furrow, Vergelegen, Meerlust and Stellenberg Streets in Equestria in Pretoria East, have been plagued by electricity outages due to maintenance problems at the overloaded Wapadrand electricity substation. It is common knowledge that the substation has had problems for the past three years, and no long-term solution seems to have been found. Frustrated residents have spoken about the impact of the outages on their lives. “I understand that you are working very hard to fix the problem, but remember when did…

Electronic cigarettes and similar devices are dangerous to health and must be regulated to curb the tobacco industry’s tactics to get young people hooked on nicotine, the World Health Organization warned yesterday. “Nicotine is highly addictive. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are harmful, and must be better regulated,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2021, which focused on new and emerging products, was published yesterday and said ENDS should be tightly regulated for maximum public health protection. “Where they are not banned, governments should adopt appropriate policies to protect their populations from the harms of ENDS, and to prevent their uptake by children, adolescents and other vulnerable groups,” Tedros said. The UN health agency’s eighth annual report said ENDS manufacturers often target…

SAO PAULO: Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, known for her environmental activism, has become a shareholder of Ambipar, a Brazilian environmental services firm that went public last year, the company announced yesterday. The Brazilian model was also tapped as Ambipar’s brand ambassador. Bündchen, who has been a critic of environmental policies of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, embraced Ambipar’s mandate. “For 25 years it has been reusing and valuing waste that would turn into garbage and end up in landfills, rivers and oceans, giving them a new use,” said Bündchen. | Reuters…

Benghazi: A Libyan militia leader accused of human rights violations has been shot dead in the eastern city of Benghazi, a military source said yesterday. Mohammed al-Kani was killed after resisting members of the military who had an arrest warrant for him. He led the Kaniyat, a gang of six brothers who traumatised the town of Tarhuna by executing not only their opponents but slaughtering entire families. Human Rights Watch said at least 338 people were abducted or reported missing in Tarhuna. So far, 150 bodies have been exhumed in a process that began in June last year after the town was captured from Haftar’s forces. | AFP…

LONDON: Scotch whisky maker Glenfiddich has begun converting its delivery trucks to run on low-emission biogas made from waste products from its own whisky distilling process as part of a “closed loop” sustainability initiative. The distiller, which sells more than 14 million bottles of single malt whisky a year, said its whisky waste-based biogas was already powering three specially-converted trucks that transport Glenfiddich spirit from production at Dufftown through to bottling and packaging in central and western Scotland. The biogas cuts CO2 emissions by over 95% compared with diesel and other fossil fuels. | Reuters…

The whole build-up to the first Test was worrisome. Covid-19 wrecked havoc with the Springboks’ preparations, but that is something beyond the control of coach Jacques Nienaber and SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus. But there were a number of situations and decisions that could’ve been avoided. Having followed the Boks’ unforgettable run to the 2019 World Cup title all around Japan, the South Africans were always clear in their planning, ideas in terms of selection and tactics, and the fitness of players. Just one example – Cheslin Kolbe could’ve been risked for the semi-final against Wales, but Erasmus opted for Sbu Nkosi at right wing, and it paid off as the Sharks star was excellent on the day. For the first Lions Test this past weekend, captain Siya Kolisi…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za STATE-OWNED low-cost carrier Mango Airlines yesterday temporarily suspended all flights because of outstanding payments of more than R57 million to another state-owned company, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). ATNS provides air traffic, navigation, training and associated services within a large part of the Southern Indian and Atlantic Ocean, comprising at least 10 percent of the world’s airspace. Mango’s grounding of its flights left hundreds of customers stranded at airports across the country, because it happened without warning. Mango said it would offer customers vouchers to help with alternative travel arrangements on other airlines. In a statement, Mango’s acting chief executive, William Ndlovu, apolo- gised for the inconvenience. “We plan to resume normal operations as soon as possible,” Ndlovu said. “We ask for calm and patience as…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za THE Manenberg teen who almost died from being hit in the head with a brick during an altercation over a girl, says the violent incident was a serious wake-up call for him. Despite attempts by friends to seek revenge against the perpetrators, 19-year-old Tyrone Visser said he just wanted to move forward with his life in a positive way. “I am grateful to be alive. I never thought something like this would happen to me. This is my second chance, and I have no interest in negativity or violence. My dream is to become a professional soccer player,” the Grade 10 Phoenix High School pupil said. Visser stumbled into his home and collapsed, with blood gushing from his head, one Friday night last month. His skull had…

Staff writer THREE human rights lawyers – two of whom are South African – are suing the Tanzanian government after they were detained, denied access to their lawyers, subjected to interrogation, had their possessions confiscated and were threatened with anal examinations in 2017. South African human rights lawyers Sibongile Ndashe and Khanyo Mkhize, along with Noah Mirembe, were members of the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (Isla) – a pan-African feminist organisation that works on women’s human rights and sexual rights – when they, along with local partners, were detained despite no formal charges ever being laid against them. In October 2017, the trio travelled to Dar es Salaam to conduct a workshop with their Tanzanian partner, Community Health Education Services and Advocacy (Chesa), on a case to challenge…

OWN Correspondent JOINING an online campaign to highlight the careers of successful black botanists and to promote botany as a field of study and career option, black botanists and plant lovers from all over the world are this week celebrating the second #BlackBotanistWeek. The initiative, the brainchild of Dr Tanisha Williams from Becknell University in the US, was established in response to the success of the #BlackBirders campaign in 2020. Sparked by a racist incident in Central Park involving a black birder, the Black Birder Week went online to boost recognition of black people enjoying and studying the natural world. According to Williams, she enjoys birds and participated in the first Black Birders Week, but she enjoys plants much more. For her PhD research she worked in the Western Cape…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za MATTHEW Grobler, from KwaZulu-Natal, will be running to raise money for vulnerable children. The 21-year-old will run 32km to try to raise R32 000 in aid of child protection organisation, Molo Songololo. He will also be doing it in honour of his aunt, who recently died from Covid-19. “My motivation behind doing this event is to inspire children and youth who come from a background of abuse, as I found myself there too after I had been abused by two father figures. “I know what it is like to struggle and feel vulnerable. It wasn’t a great time, but what pushed me through was my love and passion for sport. “My escape was sport, and I hope to bring the same through my passion, and inspire other…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za MORE than 170 Western Cape school principals have been found guilty of misconduct in disciplinary proceedings over the past eight years, with 22 dismissed for the offences. Some have been found guilty in more than one case for transgressions including sexual harassment, improper conduct, assault and financial mismanagement. The statistics were shared in the legislature on Monday, where MEC for Education Debbie Schäfer responded in a written reply to questions from ANC education spokesperson Khalid Sayed. He said it was shocking that a total of 175 principals have been found guilty of serious transgressions, including fraud and insubordination, between 2014 and 2021, yet only 22 have been dismissed. “We need to do follow-up questions to understand the reasons for those not dismissed and a course of action…

Amos Zwane | Fish Hoek I HAVE read the letter in Monday’s newspaper written by Lynn Harding. Eish, I’m very afraid. How can someone with no experience be in charge of the army? Will the generals listen to her? Can we rely on them to keep law and order? There must be people in the government who could do a better job. Also, I don’t understand how a minister can be taken from one department and be appointed to act as the minister of health. What are her credentials? When is the minister going to be charged for corruption? Why didn’t the deputy take over? If he is not capable, why is he the deputy? I am very confused and afraid.…

Whatever the outcome, future polls will take place under the ‘new normal’ WE’VE reached a point in the preparation show for the local government elections where those who have failed to put their house in order are forced to perform a zany or embarrassing stunt. The Electoral Commission will seek a legal opinion on whether to approach the Electoral Court or the Constitutional Court to seek approval to defer the municipal polls beyond the constitutional five-year limit placed on municipal councils. The commission understands that approaching the Concourt directly is risky because it could question its decision not to approach a lower court or the Electoral Court, which has jurisdiction over electoral matters. The commission will also approach the Treasury about the financial implications of postponing the polls, as…

Tokyo’s 2 848 Covid-19 infections yesterday were the Olympic host city’s highest since the pandemic began, officials said, as media reported that authorities had asked hospitals to prepare more beds for patients as the Delta variant drives the surge. The rise in cases threatens to further erode support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose ratings have slid to their lowest level since he took office last September, in large part because of his haphazard handling of the pandemic. It also spells trouble for the Olympics, as many Japanese fear the influx of athletes and officials for the event could add to the surge. About 31% in a survey by the Nikkei daily on Monday said the Games should be cancelled or postponed again. “Refrain from going out unnecessarily and watch…

Cuba has denounced the targeting of its Paris embassy this week as a “terrorist attack” encouraged by the US after the building was bombarded with Molotov cocktails. Firefighters in the French capital said two incendiary devices were thrown at the delegation, in the city’s 15th arrondissement, on Monday night, causing minor damage. Fire department officials said they were alerted to the attack after midnight. Three Molotov cocktails struck the building and started a fire that was put out by the mission’s employees. Demonstrators marching in favour of and against the Cuban government took to the streets in cities all over the world this weekend and on Monday, coinciding with the July 26 Day of the National Rebellion commemorations and just two weeks after anti-government protests erupted throughout Cuba. About two…

London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for caution yesterday after Britain registered nearly a week of lower Covid-19 case numbers, a decline that has surprised officials and experts. Recorded infection rates across the UK have dropped for six consecutive days, with 24 950 new cases announced on Monday compared with 46 558 last Tuesday – a fall of 46%. The reversal after weeks of rising rates has coincided with the removal on July 19 of nearly all pandemic rules in England. But ministers are warning the long-term situation remains uncertain. “People have got to remain very cautious and that remains the approach of the government,” Johnson said. He ended 10 days in isolation late Monday after being in close contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for…

LONDON: London’s Court of Appeal made a U-turn yesterday by agreeing to reopen a $7 billion (R104bn)lawsuit by 200 000 claimants against Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP, reviving a case over a 2015 dam rupture behind Brazil’s worst environmental disaster. It is one of the largest group claims in English legal history. Lawyers have been pushing to revive the lawsuit against BHP since a lower court struck it off last year. The collapse of the Fundao Dam, owned by the Samarco venture between BHP and Brazilian iron ore mining giant Vale, killed 19 and obliterated villages as 40 million cubic metres of mining waste swept into the Doce River. | Reuters…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber says his front-row – with two new props – will have to lay a solid foundation in their second Test against the British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday. Nienaber made three changes to the starting XV for their must-win encounter. Two of those changes are in the front row, where Steven Kitshoff has been given the nod along with tighthead Frans Malherbe, replacing Ox Nche and Trevor Nyakane on either side of Bongi Mbonambi. During the team announcement, Nienaber explained that Nche – who was a standout in the series-opener last weekend – was ruled out due to the neck injury that led to his half-time substitution, along with the entire front row. Nienaber added that the hamstring niggle…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za The man Springbok supporters love to hate, Owen Farrell, could yet feature prominently in the British & Irish Lions series because of a concussion uncertainty over flyhalf Dan Biggar. Yesterday, coach Warren Gatland provisionally named Biggar in his side for Saturday’s second Test, but the Welshman must pass an assessment by an independent concussion consultant before being given the go-ahead to play, with the controversial Farrell waiting in the wings. The English flyhalf incurred the wrath of South African when he got away with an illegal shoulder charge on Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen in a match at Twickenham in 2018. Farrell will at the least be on the bench but if he indeed starts, it will mean the Lions will have a new halfback combination for…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za THE manner of the Blitzboks’ capitulation in the Tokyo Olympics quarter-final against six-man Argentina warrants a bosberaad at SA Rugby, such was the agonising way in which they went down 19-14 to bow out of medal contention. Only Canada of the other last-eight sides could be considered weaker than Argentina, so it was almost the best possible draw for the Springbok Sevens team. They had earned that spot by outlasting the United States 17-12 in their final Pool C match earlier in the day, but that game may have knocked the stuffing out of the South Africans. They looked short of a gallop despite scoring first through Selvyn Davids against Argentina, and things fell apart once the South Americans lost Gaston Revol to a red card…