Table of contents for 2022-03-15 in Star

Lashana Lynch hailed her “working-class foundation” after winning the EE Rising Star award at the Baftas. The actress – who played MI6 agent Nomi in the James Bond film No Time to Die – delivered a heartfelt speech after being handed the coveted award at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday. After taking to the stage, Lynch said: “I don’t know how people stand up here and don’t cough their heart out because it really is nerve-racking.” Lynch took the opportunity to thank her “supportive parents”, who moved to the UK from Jamaica. She said: “I have them to thank for my existence … I’m grateful for a working-class foundation that has taught me everything about ‘nos’ and how to celebrate ‘yeses'.” Lynch also thanked some of her…

From page 1 This meant, she said, that many women are left out in the cold after a divorce, irrespective of whether they had contributed to the household, raised the children and contributed to the assets their husbands have accumulated over the years. It was argued on her behalf that unless her challenge of the Divorce Act is successful, neither she nor any other spouse in her position are entitled to apply for a redistribution order, as the divorce courts’ hands would be tied. Her advocate argued that a redistribution of assets order differed from a maintenance order, as the latter was simply to tide the spouse – usually the woman – over financially, and not what she actually deserved in terms of her contribution to the household. It was…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has reserved judgment in an application that could pave the way for divorcing spouses, married out of community of property and without the accrual system, to be compensated for what they consider to be their financial contribution to the marriage. The estranged wife of a wealthy farmer turned to the court to have section 7(3)(a) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 declared unconstitutional, as it did not allow for a court to make a “redistribution order”. The wife, who may not be named as divorce proceedings are pending, is, in practical terms, seeking to have the law amended so that a court may order that any asset – or any sum of money – be transferred from one spouse to…

BAMBIHLELO DIKELA MAJUQWANA In June 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled it unconstitutional not to permit independent candidates to stand in parliamentary elections. This appears to have opened a can of worms for some political parties. The fear among some, including the ANC, is that the electoral process will become burdensome with a long list of candidates that the voter must choose from. They worry that this will create confusion. According to the ANC: “Ultimately, if voters find it difficult to vote and find their preferred choice on a ballot, the election will not reflect the will of the people. We need to review the qualifications to stand as an independent candidate and as a new party. If we do not make it stricter, we can have thousands of candidates.” While…

The French government called for calm yesterday after fierce clashes left dozens of demonstrators and police injured on the island of Corsica, where anger over the assault in prison of a nationalist figure has reached boiling point. Police reported 67 people injured during the protest, following scenes described as akin to urban guerilla war. Yvan Colonna, who is serving life for the assassination in 1998 of Corsica’s top regional official, Claude Erignac, has been in a coma since being beaten in jail by an imate. | AFP…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Kaizer Chiefs will be looking to make it three wins on the trot when they host Golden Arrows in the Premiership at FNB Stadium on Saturday night. After starting the year poorly, Chiefs have been rejuvenated in recent times, recording back-to-back wins over Baroka FC and Orlando Pirates. A win over Arrows could lift them back into second place. Should they finish second this season, they will qualify for next season’s CAF Champions League. Given that Mamelodi Sundowns’ lead atop the league standings is 15 points, it’s safe to say that second place is the best that Chiefs will be able to do this season. Meanwhile, Chiefs legend and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has reflected on how injuries have affected his career in recent years. Arguably the best…

MIHLALI BALEKA Comment Hugo Broos’ decision to select nine defenders in his final squad for Bafana Bafana’s international friendlies against Guinea and France is alarming. Bafana are expected to be no match for world champions France on March 29, but you’d expect them to fancy their chances against Guinea, who were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations last month in the last 16, next week Friday. Friendlies are where coaches get to gauge the team’s readiness for major tournaments and even though Bafana are out of the qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup, you wouldn’t expect Broos to rest on his laurels. So why would he select so many defenders, while opting for only five strikers? The danger posed by Frenchmen Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema is known…

WILLIAM Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor – who was best known for his roles in Broadcast News, Body Heat and The Big Chill – died on Sunday, surrounded by his family. In a statement, his son Will said: “It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar-winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes.” The actor emerged as one of the leading men in Hollywood during the 1980s and he received four Oscar nominations during his time in the movie business, winning the Best Actor gong for his role in 1985’s Kiss of the Spider Woman. Hurt’s career slowed down during the 1990s, when he rejected a number of…

Kamogelo Moichela kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za ANTI-RACISM activist and former Pretoria Girls High pupil Zulaikha Patel has told the SA Human Rights Commission that those responsible for the controversial Clicks hair advert two years ago should be held accountable. Her comments come as the commission yesterday kicked off its first sitting of an inquiry into racial discrimination in South Africa’s advertising sector. In 2020, Clicks flighted a TREsemme advert on its website that depicted the hair of white women as “normal”, while the hair of black women was depicted as “dry and damaged”, with the Cabinet describing it as “profoundly offensive and racist”. Patel, who in 2016 became the face of the movement called #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh after she protested against the school's discriminatory hair policies, told the commission the advert published by the retail…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THE family of a deceased Tsakane pupil, who was allegedly assaulted by a schoolteacher and a groundsman last week, is calling for justice, as Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced that an independent firm would be appointed to probe the death of the teenager. Lesufi visited Tsakane Secondary School in Tsakane, Brakpan, yesterday to try to understand the circumstances surrounding the death of Nhlanhla Tshabalala, a Grade 10 pupil, on Tuesday last week. Lesufi further visited the Tshabalala family home to convey his condolences and apologies. The 16-year-old attended Reshogofaditswe Secondary School, but the incident allegedly occurred at Tsakane Secondary. The department confirmed that the police were investigating. Panyaza said that according to Tsakane Secondary School, Nhlanhla came to the school to retrieve his money and cellphone…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za MEDIA personality Somizi Mhlongo says if Zola 7 wants help, he must “lay the foundation” for this by implementing certain changes in his life. Taking to Instagram over the weekend, Somizi shared nuggets of wisdom with Zola 7, encouraging him to dust himself off and start again. “I’ve known Zola for the longest time and I want to say to Zola … just because he has received help does not automatically mean he’s going to be helped,” he said. “The foundation of him being helped out of the situation starts with him. And my message to him is bhuti (brother) I hope you really need help and if you want help, act as such.” The Idols SA star added that Zola needs to make serious lifestyle changes…

Bathabile Dlamini is the president of the ANC Women’s League. For that post, she is paid R70 000 a month. Her after-tax pension as a former MP and minister is R40 000. This is not bad remuneration for someone who has served in public life for many years. It might be fitting for someone who is highly regarded to be so well paid. Regrettably, except within the ANC, Dlamini, a doubly convicted criminal, is not nearly as highly regarded as one would expect. She was what can only be described as a lousy minister. Known as a strong Zuma supporter, she had a lengthy career in the Cabinet and when she was finally dropped, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu came to her rescue and appointed her as chairperson of the Social Housing…

JOHN Whitlock | Germiston A teenager dies after a stabbing outside a school in Verulam, Durban. A 15-year-old is stabbed to death by a 16-year-old after an altercation. A female matric learner in Pretoria is attacked and stabbed four times for her cellphone. In Pinetown, a 15-year-old boy is stabbed and killed by another learner. The list goes horrifyingly on. The incidents seem to involve only black learners. What is strange is that the incidents don’t evoke frenetic and furious demonstrations by black parents, and no frenzied media and television coverage that school racism generates. No frustrated, shocked and dismayed MECs rushing to brief parents, learners, governing bodies and the media, sending counsellors to help grieving learners. It gives one the impression that racism is far more horrendous…

Pharmaceutical company Moderna announced on March 7 that it would develop a site in Kenya to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines. The company holds much of the key intellectual property relating to the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Due to their higher efficacy, mRNA vaccines are the preferred option in developed countries. They account for 92% of all vaccinations to date in the US and EU. Moderna’s decision to continue making the vaccine itself, though on the Kenyan site, is a signal that the company (at least for the moment) is not considering licensing its technology to a third party for local manufacture. In this way, the company keeps closer control over who has full knowledge of, and is able to use productively, its technology. Licensing is an arrangement which has lower cost…

An IMF delegation was in Sri Lanka yesterday for talks on the island’s worsening economic crisis, with the public suffering through months of food, fuel and medicine shortages. A lack of foreign currency has left traders unable to pay for vital imports in what authorities concede is the South Asian nation’s worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. Long queues outside petrol stations and blackouts have become the norm, while record inflation has caused serious hardship for 22 million people. | AFP…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@gmail.com Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi has come to terms with the intense pressure of being at the helm of a team who lose more than they win. On Sunday, Pirates produced an emphatic performance in the Confederation Cup despite suffering recent Nedbank Cup and Premiership defeats. Pirates defeated Eswatini’s Royal Leopards 3-0 at Orlando Stadium and moved to the top of Group B. After four matches, Pirates have nine points, two points clear of JS Saoura (Algeria) and Al-Ittihad (Libya), who are on seven points each but separated by goal difference. The fourth team, Leopards, have yet to win a game in their debut season. Although Pirates top the log, JS Saoura and Al-Ittihad can still pip them to the knockout stage if they lose their two…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za MEDIA personality Khanyi Mbau has thanked her man, Kudzai Mushonga, for supporting her while she chases her dreams. The Young, Famous & African star was on everyone’s lips after the latest episodes of The Wife dropped that had a steamy sex scene with co-star Mondli Makhoba. Taking to her Instagram page, Khanyi sang Kudzai’s praises for supporting her in all her endeavours. Captioning the post: “Your level of support baby, the way you let me chase my dreams and want to see me become the best in all I do is incredible and honestly the wind beneath my wings. “My silent cheerleader and fighter, my family, my guide. How you do it? Truly beats me. “My love, my hubby ... my heart ... thank you for…

From page 1 In his motivation for Soni’s recusal, Montana alleged Soni had done work for Werksmans Attorneys, which he regarded as a major conflict of interest. Montana said his request to provide evidence was rejected to protect certain individuals implicated in serious corruption at Prasa. Despite efforts to get comment from the State Capture Commission, Mosala, and Justice Zondo, questions sent on Sunday had not been replied to. Commission spokesperson Rev Mbuyiselo Stemela yesterday said he was atten- ding to the request, but had not commented by the time of publication.…

Staff Reporter THE #EndDomesticSilence initiative is being run by Unilever tea brand Joko, in partnership with People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa). Launched in 2019, #EndDomesticSilence aims to help end the silence around domestic violence by supporting victims of violence in ending their silence with information, tools and the provision of more safe spaces. A substantial part of the #EndDomesticSilence initiative involves training non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across South Africa on aspects of domestic violence. Developed by Powa and funded by Joko, the training empowers organisations to better address domestic violence, providing knowledge of its many forms and signs, its contributing factors and effects, legal and practical steps to leave domestic violence, and resources to address it, among a range of other valuable information. Kate Mocheki, head of projects at Powa, says:…

Peter Bachtis | Benoni The owners and top executives at Kulula and British Airways should be relieved of their posts immediately. Their aircraft was grounded by the aviation authority for non compliance. Basic rules, regulations and safety and maintenance procedure have been ignored, placing in jeopardy the lives of staff and passengers, making use of the aircraft. This is a failed organisation, run by men and women who know not what they do. The old Yiddish saying is so apt “The fish rots from the head”. There are no excuses and no mitigating factors, as this executive team had been alerted time and again of the catastrophic failures within their organisation. How can any would-be traveller make use of their services? Hitching a ride is a better option.…

Dr Thabisi Hoeane | Pretoria Being transparent and consultative in making critical appointments is theoretically a welcome idea. This has been the hallmark of the Ramaphosa administration and there is no doubt that he does so for positive reasons. But there is a sense in which such processes can backfire, just like in the appointment of Justice Raymond Zondo as the new chief justice. The unintended commences of the moves can be detrimental in two ways. First, just consider the acerbic and inane interviews which the four candidates for this position underwent at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The insults ranged from sexist invective hurled against Justice Mandisa Maya to the crass political posturing by the EFF representatives who were clearly primarily there to push their party…

Kenyan police said yesterday they had arrested the suspected ringleader behind an assault on a female diplomat that sparked outrage and protests in the East African country. The young woman was attacked in daylight by a gang of motorcycle taxi riders in the capital Nairobi earlier this month, police said. Sixteen riders were rounded up after a video showed men grabbing at the woman’s clothing and groping her as she screamed for help inside the car, the door of which had been forced open. | AFP…

| AFP As Russian forces surrounded several Ukrainian cities yesterday, Moscow warned it could place them under the Kremlin’s “full control”. A Kremlin spokesperson said that Russian forces had so far held off on a full-scale onslaught on large cities “because the civilian losses would be large”, but that Moscow “does not rule out the possibility of putting large cities under its full control”. The warning came as a fourth round of talks between Ukraine and Russia got under way via videoconference, amid deadly air strikes in the capital Kyiv and an eastern pro-Moscow separatist region. Russian-backed separatists yesterday said fragments from a shot-down Ukrainian Tochka missile landed in the centre of Donetsk, killing 20 civilians, including children. A rebel leader said the victims were people waiting at an…

You have to give it to Karim Benzema. His resurgence at Real Madrid has been a marvel to watch, considering that he was in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale when the duo ruled the Spanish capital not so long ago. In four successive seasons, Benzema has scored more than 20 goals. That’s a great return for a striker who has surpassed the 30-year mark where players are deemed to be past their peak and are subjected to scrutiny, and are even dropped to the bench. Benzema has been so good that he guided Madrid to the top of the La Liga standings and into the quarter-finals of the Uefa Champions League after beating Paris Saint German 3-2 on aggregate in the last-16. Benzema scored all three goals…

Cristiano Ronaldo gave Manchester United fans a glimpse of what they thought they were getting from his second coming at Old Trafford with a trio of thumping finishes to see off Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 on Saturday. The 59th career hat-trick of Ronaldo’s career was just his second for United in a second spell that has failed to match the hype around his signing in August. United go into today’s Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid, after a 1-1 draw in Spain, knowing European glory is their only remaining chance of silverware this season. Ronaldo has tended to save his best for the Champions League this season, scoring six goals in the group stage just to ensure United did not suffer the ignominy of a group stage exit for the…