Table of contents for 2023-05-27 in Saturday Star

For singers – amateur and professional alike – the name Tina Turner evokes instant reverence: Turner is a singer’s singer and perhaps the performer’s performer. A highly successful songwriter, the consummate dancer and fittingly ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine, Turner was the ultimate entertainer. Upon hearing of her death, I was deeply saddened. I immediately recalled the intoxicating power and timbre of her voice, her mesmerising energy and her commanding performances. I started singing sections of Proud Mary, River Deep, Mountain High and, of course, iconic original songs, such as Nutbush City Limits. This was an intimate, sentimental, nostalgic and danceable song celebrating Turner’s roots growing up in the small town of Nutbush, Tennessee. Fierce hard work My first encounter…

Curated, home-grown, and always on trend – shop homeware and home decor online with The Home Quarter for the personal touches to make your house a home. From statement styles to must-have drinkware essentials for the modern homemakers, artificial plants that will make your head turn, and inspired home decor content, it’s now all available online. Making your house a home is a process that requires time, effort, and creativity. It’s not just about timeless furniture pieces, decor, or the colour of the walls. It’s about creating a space that reflects your personality and lifestyle. Here are some of our top tips to help you create your dream living space: Make it personal: Never underestimate the power of a personal touch to make a space feel more like your own.…

“Those who stand at the barriers of crime scenes, those who process the crime scenes, who face a rape victim or a hijacked hacked victim. I speak for station commanders who have the most difficult job in the police.” These are the words of Lieutenant-General Sharon Jephta who has close to 40 years of policing under her belt and retired in 2019. This coming week, Jephta is preparing for the launch of her book: Serving with Integrity, Commitment and Excellence on June 7 between 11am and 1pm at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria. At 18, she was the first female police officer stationed at Manenberg police station. She has served in various capacities, including as the Divisional Commissioner: Inspectorate, and Divisional Commissioner to the Acting Deputy Provincial…

A group of exceptional young scientists from South Africa received an award after successfully showcasing their scientific research at the grand final of the Indonesia International Science, Technology and Engineering Competition (ISTEC) in Bali. They won the opportunity to present their research projects at the ISTEC while competing at the Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF), which was held in December last year. The four learners were all awarded medals. Luke Boswell (Grade 9), from Pearson High School in Port Elizabeth, and Matthew Crouch (Grade10), from Paul Roos Gimnasium in Stellenbosch, were both awarded gold medals. Zariah Parker (Grade10) from Star College Cape Town and Ndzhaka Mukela Siweya (Grade 12) from Khanyisa Learning Centre in Giyani, Limpopo, were awarded silver medals. Matthew said it was a good competition to work…

This week’s interest rate hike may very well be the final straw for many homeowners who have been desperately hanging on to their properties by their fingertips. The blows just keep coming as they battle what seems to be every economic challenge possible – fuel price increases, rising inflation, escalating costs of living, higher unemployment levels, and ever-growing interest rates. At some point, something has to give but, unfortunately, it is not the South African Reserve Bank – not this past week, at least. Samuel Seeff, chairperson of the Seeff Property Group, said there was “adequate reason” for the Reserve Bank to have taken a “more dovish stance” in view of the current economic climate. Instead, it hiked the rate for the tenth time in two years, placing a “huge…

The campaign to put pressure on the City of Tshwane to keep Hillcrest Swimming Pool open is gathering momentum. This comes as close to 2 000 residents have signed an online petition demanding the immediate reopening of the historic public facility. City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the pool was temporarily closed and unlike other pools it remained open longer than the swimming season, which was until the end of April, for training purposes. “All other pools closed on April 10, at the end of the 2022/2023 swimming season,” he said. The pool, he said, would be closed until such time as the water could be heated to the required temperature for safe use by clients. “This is done to comply with the standard operating procedures for swimming pools. Another factor…

AT LEAST four Limpopo communities are breathing a sigh of relief after the Nkwe Platinum Mine, operated by global mining giant, the Zijin Mining Group, handed over clean water projects to serve the communities of Garatouw, Maandagshoek, De Kom, and Hoepakrantz under the Makhuduthamaga and the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local municipalities. During a ceremony hosted by Nkwe Platinum Limited on Thursday, more than R12 million’s clean water project investments – which form part of the mine’s social and labour plan to the Sekhukhune District Municipality – were handed over. Zhiyu Fan, chief executive officer of Nkwe Platinum Limited, said more than R50m had so far been spent on its social and labour plans within the communities. “Whilst the mine is still in construction phase, we have honoured our SLP commitments to our…

The BMW Concept Touring Coupé is essentially a tin-top version of the latest Z4 and it could become a limited-production reality. Revealed at the opening of the 2023 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the new design study pays tribute to the BMW 328 Touring Coupe that won Mille Miglia back in 1940. It also reminds us a little of the BMW Z3 and Z4 M Coupe models, the former nicknamed Breadvan due to its unconventional, rear-heavy shape. Unlike its forebears, however, the Concept Touring Coupé is not an M model, with power reportedly provided by the familiar 3.0-litre turbocharged six that powers the Z4 M40i, with 285kW and 500Nm. Although initially described as a one-off model, it now appears that the German carmaker is considering a limited production run for the…

Last week, exploring gold as an investment, I dug up some interesting facts about the yellow metal and looked at the history of the gold price over the last half-century. Today I focus on the pros and cons of investing in gold and the direct and indirect ways in which you can invest. Many investors turn to gold as a “hedge” against falling or volatile equity markets. It’s a widely held perception that there is a strong negative correlation between equities and the gold price: when one goes up, the other goes down. But it’s more complicated than that because other factors are involved, such as dollar strength and inflation. In response to a question on the Quora platform, Aaron Brown, a former risk manager at AQR Capital Management in…

Africa has plenty of experiences to offer the modern traveller. Africa is known as the “cradle of humankind”, the only continent with fossil evidence of human beings, showing their ancestors through each key stage of their evolution and giving the continent a unique place in human history. While it’s also known as the “motherland”, the continent has some of the most extensive nature and wildlife viewing opportunities, including mountains, lakes, rivers, sea and animals. When we talk of Africa, it’s easy to think of popular destinations like South Africa’s Cape Town or Kruger National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the archipelago of islands of Zanzibar and Mauritius, or the thundering waters of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe.…

Companies are focusing on emerging technologies and improving customer experience. Travel technology firm Amadeus has released a study that shows travellers are keen to embrace new technology and travel more in 2023. Stephan Ekbergh, CEO of Travelstart, has identified three key strategic synergies that will drive future growth for travel companies: artificial intelligence (AI), digital payments, and customer-centricity. Personalisation through AI Travelstart is introducing AI and ML (machine learning) solutions to personalise customer experiences, launching AI-powered support and self-service, to become the first African OTA (over-the-air) to use ChatGPT to enhance customer experiences. The product team will focus on ensuring dynamic and rich content, generating hotel descriptions using ChatGPT, and classifying and enhancing establishment images using AI, presenting customers with the best and most applicable choices while saving time in…

When it comes to anti-ageing skincare products, retinol has become an ingredient that those looking to slow down their ageing process look out for. It is a form of vitamin A that has been shown to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and promote a more youthful complexion. One of the primary benefits of retinol is its ability to increase cell turnover. As we get older, our skin cells become less efficient at renewing themselves, resulting in a dull, uneven complexion. This ingredient helps to speed up the process of shedding dead skin cells and producing new ones, revealing smoother, brighter skin. It also stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that gives skin its elasticity. As we age, collagen production slows down, leading to…

Dionne Warwick will remember Tina Turner as an “eternal ball of energy”. The Grammy-winning star died on Wednesday, aged 83, and Warwick has paid a glowing tribute to the music icon. Warwick, 82, said in a statement: “Another long-time friend had made her transition. “Not only will I miss that eternal ball of energy named Tina Turner but the entire world will also find this void in their lives. “My condolences to her husband and other members of her family. Rest in peace my friend!” Elsewhere, Ronnie Wood has described Turner as the “Queen Of Rock And Soul”. Alongside a series of throwback photos, Wood wrote on Twitter: “[prayer and heart emoji] God bless you Tina, the Queen Of Rock And Soul and a dear friend to our family. “Love…

Electricity is a key operating cost for homeowners and, since around 2008, the cost has been escalating at a rapid rate. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for electricity rose by a massive 447% in the past 15 years, far outpacing how income has been rising, and it shows the extreme electricity-affordability deterioration over the past 15 years. However, this is not the end of the direct cost impact for homeowners. The deterioration in reliability of electricity supply means that many homeowners are required to incur additional costs on solutions aimed at improving their electricity-supply reliability. This can include inverters or solar solutions, to name but two. Reliable electricity supply has become significantly more impor- tant in recent years, for the larger number of employees who spend increased amounts of…

In light of the cholera outbreak in South Africa, renowned local dentist Dr Norman Cahi has called for regular hand washing and proper hygiene. “I think it’s vital to once again raise the awareness of the importance of hand washing and general personal hygiene, including good nutrition,” he told Saturday Star this week. Cahi is known as “the dentist to the stars” after his work on some of the nation’s biggest stars, including those from the Miss South Africa organisation. He is also passionate about the dental care of the nation’s youngsters, and this prompted him and his team at Cahi Dental & Prosthodontic Practice in Parktown North, which includes his daughter Chelsea and prosthodontist brother, Emile, to start the Dental Wellness Trust (DWT). The DWT is a registered charity…

A Johannesburg organisation which cares for chronically ill children is at risk of closing down as the Northcliff house from which it operates has recently been sold. Marang House spokesperson Indiana Kool said that unless they found another location by the end of August, these youngsters would not have a place to call home. “Marang House, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing a loving and supportive home for chronically ill children, is facing a race against time to find alternative accommodation,” Kool told the Saturday Star this week. “With their current rental property, which has been their cherished home for the past 20 years, being sold, the situation has reached a critical stage.” Kool said if a new home was not secured in time, the consequences would be devastating. “The…

In 2021, a Progress in International Reading Literacy Study conducted by the University of Pretoria into the reading proficiency of Grade 4 learners in South Africa showed a staggering 81% of children unable to read for meaning in any language. This means that only 19% of Grade 4 children possessed the necessary reading skills to comprehend texts effectively. There is a direct correlation between early learning and developmental delays in literacy, numeracy and other cognitive developments in later years. A government study conducted on 5 000 4- to 5-year-old learners showed more than half have not reached the required milestone for their age (Thrive by Five). In language and literacy, Thrive by Five statistics show only 54% of children are on track for their age. This means 46% are falling…

Surgeon to the stars and one of South Africa’s most popular cosmetic and reconstructive surgeons, Dr Deon Weyers, is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a private practice at Fourways Life Hospital in Johannesburg. His passion for cosmetic procedures led him to obtain additional experience in Vaser Lipo training in Colombia. He is a key opinion leader in non- and minimally-invasive treatments such as neurotoxin injections. He specialises in a popular procedure known as the “Mommy Makeover”. This procedure includes a breast lift, breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tuck. You are able to do cosmetic surgery on any celebrity in the world. Who do you choose? I already have such a patient, she is South African with an international reach. I understand the culture and desires. She has a…

From the outside, the Transwerke building at the Constitution Hill Precinct in Braamfontein is unwelcoming. The paintings on the walls and the security guard on the stairs create a welcoming presence and hint at the activities inside. Once a maternity hospital, it is now filled with studios for creatives of all kinds. The residents of studio 52, Lesole Tauatswala and Bulumko Mbete, of BLVCK BLOCK, offer a platform for artists, conversations and stakeholders outside conventional commercial art spaces. “Transwerke is an incubator for creative businesses and forms sustainable partnerships with other stakeholders,” says Tauatswala, who also occupies a managerial office at @Transwerke. Witnessing the kind of events, collaborations and experimental projects occurring in the building inspired him to bridge the gap in the contemporary art scene, which doesn’t readily encourage…

The Mercedes-Benz GLB was introduced to the local market towards the end of 2020, with only two models on offer. A sportier Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic has now been quietly added to the manufacturer’s website locally. Although launched to the market in November 2020, Mercedes-Benz South Africa only held a media launch of the vehicle in April 2022 (read our review here). Two models, a GLB 250 4Matic and GLB 220d 4Matic were launched, however former Vice President for Marketing and Sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars, Selvin Govender, announced that 2022 would see the introduction of the GLB with AMG treatment, albeit in very limited numbers. Thanks to delays of an entire year, the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic has finally arrived on local shores, however only 35 units were shipped. The…

In a joint Annual Report, the Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance (Olti) and the Ombudsman for Short-term Insurance (Osti), which has as its theme “Shaping our Tomorrow”, said this week the highlight of the 2022 financial year was Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s recognition of the Ombud Council under the Financial Sector Regulation Act. The minister appointed Leanne Jackson as the chief ombud of the council, for five years, late last year. Jackson was an independent consultant in financial sector regulation at the time but worked in various positions at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) for more than a decade. She advised on market conduct and headed the strategy of treating customers fairly, at the regulator and its predecessor, the Financial Services Board (FSB). According to the annual report, the newish…

Inspirational Places (IP) has announced that it has extended its portfolio of luxury hotels and safari lodges with the addition of the new Walkers Plains Camp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park. The camp, 30 minutes from Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit, is set to open on June 25 and may be booked on either a per room or exclusive-use basis, and rates are all-inclusive. The 5 000-hectare private concession is located within the 53 000ha Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and has been in the Walker family since 2006. It includes an existing self-catering camp, Walkers River Camp. According to IP, Walkers Plains Camp accommodates 16 guests in six luxury rooms and two family rooms with two bedrooms each, and children 8 years and older…

Feeling down as the weather gets colder? A health expert offers ways to boost your mood with different foods. Anne-Marie de Beer, nutrition, health, and wellness manager at Nestlé East and Southern Africa, said much of what we do during this colder time is eat for comfort; mostly foods that are filling. De Beer said the premise behind it is that food will, along with our heaters and fireplaces, help with the feeling of warmth, but what we don’t realise is we also need to boost our immunity during this time. “Hearty winter food generally leaves us full and renders us couch potatoes. And before we know it, winter is over, we’ve piled on kilos, and we’re feeling the post-winter weight gloom, but that doesn’t have to be the case,”…

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are reportedly eyeing a feature-length film for Netflix. The pair – who quit life as senior royals in the UK for the US in 2020 – reportedly feel that their Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan and Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare are “missing” many “nuances” of their story. A source told Closer magazine: “There are a lot of nuances from their story that they feel are still missing after the documentary and Harry’s book.” After landing a mega-money deal with the streaming giant they are said to be “keen” to work with Netflix again as they have more to say. The source said: “There is no doubt they would get a handsome payday for it, which is hugely tempting. “Meghan is really pushing for…

It would be amiss of me if I did not start this piece with a disclaimer: my opinion on township and community perspectives is my own. Because of my multiple identities, and associated privileges and struggles, I cannot claim to speak on behalf of entire communities with equally complex lived experiences. The communities where I live and work are at polar ends of the class continuum. I live in Bram Fischerville in western Soweto. Developed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the township was the democratic government’s attempt at resolving the exclusion of black people from the city, resulting in housing shortages in Soweto and other peri-urban, segregated areas. Armed with policy directives of the Redistribution and Development Programme, the National Department of Housing developed small housing units with…

If it all goes right it will end the reign of an unlikely killer, but if it goes wrong several species will disappear from this corner of the far southern Indian ocean. The killer is not much bigger than a match box but on Marion island they are predators that prey on seabirds many times their size. This after it was discovered that these birds are defenceless against their attacks. The culprit is the house mouse which was introduced to the island in the early 19th century, most likely by visiting sealers. The problem is that over the last three decades conditions on Marion have become warmer and drier which, scientists believe, have caused a bloom in the mice population. With more mice on the island, the rodent species experiences…

The City of Joburg has offered big businesses an early Christmas gift by exempting them from continuous blackouts which lead to job shedding and disinvestment in the economy of Joburg. The incentives, which are likely to come into effect in a few days, were announced by the City of Joburg’s MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Jack Sekwaila, following his meeting with top brass of City Power on Thursday. Sekwaila said the City of Joburg would exclude key customers, essential services and some businesses from load shedding in an effort to protect livelihoods, attract investment and increase the economy within the City, where network configurations allowed. Sekwaila said the move, which would start gradually from early June, would go a long way towards saving much-needed jobs and ensuring businesses remained…

The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), the US HIV-Aids project, “has resulted in substantial improvements in health outcomes in South Africa”. But there’s concern that the future of Pepfar (and another US programme, Agoa) may be in jeopardy following tensions resulting from recent US allegations surrounding the secretive visit of the Russian vessel, Lady R, to Simon’s Town. Pepfar is an important pillar in South Africa’s fight against HIV, as David Feldmann, spokesperson at the US Embassy in South Africa, highlighted. “With an estimated 8 million people living with HIV in South Africa, more than 5.7 million South Africans are on life-saving antiretroviral therapy,” he told Independent Media. “While HIV incidence is declining each year, there are still about 177 000 new HIV infections annually. The HIV burden…

This week Redhill School in Johannesburg hosted its annual Africa Day festivities. The occasion saw the entire day and the entire school, from the young pupils in the Early Learning Centre to the most senior, the Grade 12s, united in celebrating the great continent that is Africa. Included in the programme were film screenings; contemporary, relevant speakers; panel discussions; singers, dancers, marimba and orchestra performances and drumming sessions. The brainchild of the school’s executive head, Joseph Gerassi, Africa Day was a vibrant occasion at the school, designed to remind the community of the potential that exists on the continent. | SUPPLIED…

Nine South African pupils are proving that numbers don’t lie. Their calculations have led them to national selection and the chance to compete globally to see who the best maths whizz is. Some have already made their mark at this month’s Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (Pamo) in Rwanda, where South Africa was named the third best-performing country behind north African nations Algeria and Morocco. The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) has announced who will represent the country in the upcoming International Mathematics Olympiad. The Olympiad will be held in Japan from July 2 to July 13. From the team who starred in Rwanda, Yian Xu, Redhill School (Sandton); Moied Baleg, Settlers High School (Cape Town); both in Grade 10, and Hugo Bruwer, Grade 12, of Hoër Jongenskool Paarl, were selected. The…

This week once again saw the University of Pretoria Library bringing man’s furry four-legged friends to the Hatfield campus to rub shoulders with the students. The university’s library services, in collaboration with the largest dog therapy organisation in Gauteng, Top Dogs, on Thursday brought therapy dogs onto the campus to provide animal-assisted therapy to the students who needed a little love from the trained dogs. Research indicates that human- animal interaction has a relaxation and stress reduction effect even after as little as five minutes of interaction with a therapy dog. Although animal-assisted therapy is mainly used in health care and elderly care settings, more and more modern international academic and public libraries use therapy dogs as a way of engaging student interaction. This programme is the brainchild of librarian…

It’s been 45 years since they’ve been to South Africa, and the well-known rock band Rabbitt are excited. The band disbanded in 1978 and that was the very last time South Africans would get to see them perform live. Formed in 1972, the band evolved from The Conglomeration, with members Ronnie Robot, Marius Marais, Neil Cloud and Duncan Faure. Their successes included making it to the top of the South African charts with the hit Charlie in 1976. Now they are back and excited to reconnect with their SA fans. The band will perform in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, with a tour which will include four concerts. Saturday Star caught up with Rabbitt this week. SS: How thrilled are you to be returning to South Africa? Rabbitt: It…

While the world continues its love affair with SUVs it’s heartening to know that in the land of BMW their flagship model is still a low-slung sedan. And not just any sedan mind you, but the BMW 7 Series or just The 7. I know behemoth is often used in car reviews but in the case of The 7 it really is. Even the polarising kidney grille is large and while I feel it’s somewhat out of place on some of the other BMW models, in the 7 Series it fits the character of the car and is in proportion to the rest of it. Driving the BMW 740i that we had on test felt like an occasion every time I got behind the wheel and you almost felt guilty…

Less than 10% of workers in sub-Saharan Africa save for old age, the lowest rate for any region in the world. That implies most of the breadwinners today won’t be able to afford basic items after retirement. A pension plan is meant to commit employers to make regular savings so that employees will continue to earn after retirement. What’s the state of sub-Saharan Africa’s pension savings? In a recent study of retirement savings in sub-Saharan Africa (other than the Francophone countries), we established the continent’s pension funds are diverse in architecture, coverage and performance. But they mostly lag behind in reforms compared to other regions. Pension savings are also low compared to other regions. Only 19.8% of people above statutory retirement age receive a pension in sub-Saharan Africa, and just…