Table of contents for 2022-11-08 in Star

ESKOM’S load shedding, particularly in September, took away more than 50% of informal traders’ income, a problem compounded by the lack of energy backup solutions in the informal economy, according to a report by research and marketing firm, Yazi. The Cape Town-based firm in a report noted that more than 40% of respondents indicated that their loss of income, as a result of load shedding, ranged between R1 000 to R5 000 per month. Last month Eskom data showed that South Africans were hit by their worst-ever month of load shedding in September, with a total of 1 503GWh estimated to have been shed, and with 572 hours of the month’s 720 hours directly affected. Yazi chief executive Timothy Treagus said: “In most cases, this would constitute…

WHERE does the buck stop when it comes to how matters of bribery and corruption are dealt with between corporations and governments? Particularly if the country in question now faces a grey listing of its financial practices which could well be the final nail in South Africa’s economic coffin. The story of Glencore highlights several concerns, not least of all how easy it has been for the brown paper bag syndrome to flourish, but also, the number of highly influential and well-placed persons in the South African government and its key financial levers who are connected to Glencore’s dealings. The UK Serious Fraud Office, has shown how Glencore paid more than $28 million (R501m) in bribes across five African countries over five years to 2016. And those are…

The National Assembly rules committee has deferred decisions on how it will implement recommendations by the Zondo Commission and the implementation plan by President Cyril Ramaphosa. This after the committee could not form a quorum at a meeting convened on Friday. Only three political parties – the ANC, DA and IFP – were in attendance, a development that prompted the committee to only receive reports. National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said she had a serious problem with parties that did not attend the meeting. “People were informed at the level of the National Assembly Programme Committee that these reports will be coming here to the rules committee for a discussion. Now the reports are here and people are not attending the meeting, and yet people were desperate to receive these…

Director-general of the Department of Basic Education, Mathanzima Mweli, has urged schools and communities across South Africa to allow every pupil registered for the critical National Senior Certificate exams to participate in the critical tests, even when they are pregnant or owing school fees. “We want to make a special plea once more to the South African public to help us to protect the exams. Help us to ensure that our young people do not miss this opportunity that they most deserve and desperately need, to sit for their final year exams,” Mweli told journalists in Pretoria, giving an update after the first week of matric exams. “We’ve also picked up that there are some parents, and some schools that denied learners from writing exams because some of them fell…

AS fans assemble ahead of the eagerly anticipated return to Wakanda, Spotify has launched the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever oficial playlist, featuring new music as well as exclusive content from the cast. The sequel of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to premiere exclusively in theatres on November 11. With the Black Panther legacy carried on in this highly-anticipated sequel, fans can dive back into the world of Wakanda through immersive experiences on Spotify, including music such as Vibranium vibes: As fans listen to the Official Playlist, be on the lookout for a flash of vibranium purple while listening to new hits from the likes of Tems, Fireboy DML and more. Exclusive clips from the talented cast – from fan favourites like Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) to…

Belgium’s “golden generation” have one more chance to shed their reputation as serial underachievers after Kevin de Bruyne signalled the end of an era by admitting the World Cup in Qatar is likely to be his last. Boasting a star-studded line-up featuring De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, Belgium will be ranked as one of the favourites when the tournament gets underway on November 20. Yet, Belgium have struggled to live up to the hype in the decade since their talented crop burst onto the international stage with a revelatory 4-2 win over the Netherlands in 2012. At the 2014 World Cup, Belgium bowed out against Argentina in the quarter-finals. Four years later they lost to France in the World Cup semi-finals in what so far rates…

Led by Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Africa will be hoping for a local champion again when the Nedbank Golf Challenge tees off at Gary Player Country Club at Sun City on Thursday. It will be the 40th staging of the tournament, after it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. Grace was the last South African to win the tournament, in 2017, with Englishmen Lee Westwood (2018) and Tommy Fleetwood (2019) taking top honours since then. It will also be the first time Grace returns to play an event co-sanctioned by the Sunshine and DP World Tours since he joined the LIV Golf series. The 34-year-old Grace was the top SA player on that circuit as he earned the equivalent of a whopping R304-million from the…

GOLD FIELDS’ share price rose nearly 3% – a sign of market approval – after it refused to be drawn into a bidding war for Yamana Gold as its board had unanimously determined that it would not offer to change the terms of the transaction. On Friday, Yamana announced that it had received another offer from Agnico Eagle Mines and Pan American Silver (PA), and its board had resolved that the new proposal was superior. Yamana gave Gold Fields five business days to amend the terms of its offer, although it was not forced to. Deal Leaders International chief executive, Corporate and Advisory Andrew Bahlmann said yesterday,: “The fact that Gold Fields’ stock rose in value on the news suggests shareholders believe, like myself, that Gold Fields won’t enter into…

EFFORTS by real estate investment trust Redefine Properties to reposition and simplify its asset platform were now largely complete, its chief executive officer Andrew Konig said yesterday. The process to dispose of non-core assets to reduce Redefine’s loan to value (LTV) to acceptable levels has ended, he said. In January this year, Redefine got the green light to acquire EPP, Poland’s largest retail landlord, in a R7.2 billion deal, and delisted it in March. “Our EPP business business is well integrated into Redefine and the liquidity position has been stabilised,” Konig said. Redefine reduced its LTV by 2.2 % following its strategy to sell off its non-core assets and optimise its property portfolio, it said in its results for the year ended August 31 this year. The LTV fell…

A criminal complaint has been laid against controversial ANC MP Boy Mamabolo after The Star editor Sifiso Mahlangu reported that he had been told to stop writing stories about President’s Cyril Ramaphosa’s adviser Dr Bejani Chauke or face “assassination”. In a text message sent to Mahlangu on Sunday, Mamabolo said: “Leave Dr Bejani alone pls.” In response, Mahlangu texted: “I’m not against Bejani, my man”. Mamabolo in return said: “Aowaa mon (No man) Mo tologele nyana” (leave him alone). When Mahlangu said he had no idea what Mamabolo was referring to, Mamabolo said: “Leave him alone abit. You are my frnd and I don’t want Pple to assassinate you. Bcos it can happen anytime from now” (sic). Mahlangu, who reported the matter at the Sandton police station yesterday, said Mamabolo’s…

IN SPITE of several body parts of Bokgabo Poo still missing, the four-year-old was finally laid to rest in Wattville, Benoni, yesterday. The family held off the funeral for weeks hoping that police would find her missing body parts after her alleged killer refused to co-operate. But her family obtained her positive DNA results offering them some closure to continue with the burial. She was reported missing on October 10. Her dismembered body was found in two places. Her alleged killer Ntokozo Zikhali, 30, was charged with rape, murder, defeating the ends of justice and violation of a corpse after he was arrested in Boksburg on October 14. In spite of Zikhali’s last appearance in court, Bokgabo’s father begged him to reveal where her body parts were but the alleged…

THE approach taken by the justice system to impose harsher sentences on guilty criminals had not shown a visible impact to reduce crime or discourage repeat offenders, said national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale. He said almost half the inmate population in the Gauteng was serving life imprisonment. This was an indication that the minimum sentencing legislation and harsher sentences approach had had no visible impact either on the rate of crime and repeat offending by parolees and ex-offenders. Thobakgale said South Africa had one of the highest per capita inmate populations, ranking 12th in the world and the highest in Africa, clearly illustrating that crime continued to persist irrespective of harsher sentences issued by courts. “This is a disturbing phenomenon as many citizens do…

South Africa’s first black free-diving instructor, Zandile Ndhlovu, delves into the power of representation and the importance of protecting the ocean in a new short documentary, The Black Mermaid, launched on November 4. Ndhlovu is often dubbed the “real-life Ariel” as she explores the power and place that the ocean holds in indigenous South Africans’ lives. Sharing details about the documentary, Ndhlovu spoke about the challenges she encountered growing up that prevented her from exploring the deep. “Growing up, I faced many obstacles that prevented me from exploring the deep: challenges accessing swimming lessons as a child, the lack of representation in free-diving, and the steep financial costs associated with it have historically excluded many black individuals from participating in the sport. Now I am on a mission to shake…

No potholes, cobblestones or unfinished bridges could stop The Potjie Boytjies from claiming victory at the Red Bull Box Cart Race on Sunday. The iconic streets of the Bo-Kaap welcomed more than 22 000 spectators and more than 50 carting teams including Phala Phala Bank, and Dala What You Must, headed by South African comedian Jason Goliath, in their creative concept carts as they attempted to go down the slope-like racetrack in the fastest time. The second team to take on the intricate track that featured a cobblestoned obstacle course, The Potjie Boytjies used their pot-like cart to navigate the course at a fast pace. The team of five from Stellenbosch also delivered the most impressive skit performance ahead of their race, which wowed the judges and played an integral…

SPRINGBOK assistant coach Deon Davids says management has discussed the impact goal-kicking had on the defeat to Ireland, and that Jacques Nienaber will respond in due course – but maybe the answer is in the absence of Manie Libbok from the match-23 for Thursday’s South Africa ‘A’ game against Munster. Libbok, the top points scorer in the first United Rugby Championship, was originally set to play for the SA ‘A’ team, but there clearly has been a change in the plan after Damian Willemse and Cheslin Kolbe struggled off the kicking tee at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. A painful lesson was learned against the Irish – you have to have a top goal-kicker – and Libbok’s absence from the SA ‘A’ squad surely means he will make his Springbok…

Brad Binder might have finished 2022 on a high, but, on reflection, the Red Bull KTM rider will no doubt feel that this MotoGP season came to an unfulfilled and disappointing end. There was certainly a tinge of that melancholy in his post-race comments at the season-ending Valencia race on Sunday, where he finished second, to bag his third podium of the year. Previously, Binder had claimed second-place finishes at the season-opening Qatar GP and another in Japan in September. “I am really happy to be back on the podium,” said Binder. “This weekend I came with the mindset I had to win and it didn’t quite work out but (race winner) Alex (Rins) rode really well (Sunday). “I have to take my hat off to the team, I have…

Springbok fans will have to wait to see starlet Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the colours of green and gold after South African ‘A’ coach Mzwandile Stick confirmed he picked up a knock in the lead-up to the Ireland game last week. SA ‘A’ will play a tour match against Munster on Thursday (kick-off 9.30pm) but it will be without the services of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who was largely touted as a shoe-in for some playing time during this End-of-Year tour. “Sacha last week picked up a bit of a knock during the training sessions,” Stick said yesterday after the SA ‘A’ team announcement. “It’s not like he won’t be able to play in the next two weeks, it’s just that the medical team wanted to spend more time with him on that side.”…

‘A one-size-fits-all approach to financing the change that disregards African realities is neither just nor equitable’ PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa called yesterday for better and cheaper ways of funding the Just Transition to a greener economy from developed nations, speaking at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. “A one-size-fits-all approach to financing the transition that disregards African realities is neither just nor equitable and will not work,” he said. He said the use of non-debt instruments would ensure that developing economies did not have to shoulder an even greater debt burden. In an echo of the country’s climate change plan he launched on Friday, Ramaphosa said yesterday that the reality was that developing economies had not received the required multilateral support to face the climate challenge, including for loss…

RAUBEX’S share price surged by almost 5% yesterday as it announced a bumper interim dividend, up nearly 13%, boosted by increased activity on SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) projects in KwaZulu-Natal as well as the Beitbridge Border Post project. The share price closed at R31.19 on the JSE yesterday. In its interim results for the six months ended August 31 this year, the infrastructure development and construction supplier declared an interim dividend of 53 cents per share, from 47c per share for the prior corresponding period. Chief executive Felicia Msiza said: “Our teams navigated tough macro-economic and inflationary pressures as well as supply chain constraints to achieve a pleasing group performance, supported by all four divisions.” Revenue was 23.2% higher at R7.38 billion, supported mainly by increased activity…

South African rapper Sho Madjozi shared that she was making her long-awaited return with a new single titled Toro on November 11. She hasn’t dropped a solo single since 2019’s viral hit, John Cena. Her last album, 2020’s What A Life, marked her first release under a new landmark international deal with US record label Epic Records, which is home to the likes of 21 Savage, DJ Khaled and Travis Scott. She was the first South African artist to be signed to the Sony Music- affiliated label. Since then, Madjozi has featured on collaborations alongside the likes of Nandy, Gigi Lamayne, OB-M, Saudi Sol, Black Motion and A-Star. In making her announcement, Madjozi also shared a pre-save link for the song on Instagram. The multi-Sama award-winning artist had previously teased…

The Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee has welcomed a proposal by Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, to have Soweto’s electricity debt scrapped. Lesufi has made public utterances lobbying for Soweto’s debt to be completely scrapped. The township owes Eskom close to R5 billion, but Lesufi said scrapping it would enable residents to start with a clean slate. Lesufi has also advocated expunging electricity debt for other townships and hostels. He said this was essential for the development of black communities. Trevor Ngwane, a leader of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, welcomed the pronouncements. “We welcome this view, and this is something that we have also called for. Eskom has a social mandate to carry out, and we also have to be aware our people are unemployed.” Ngwane said Soweto’s debt should be…

Renowned South African musician and virtuoso guitarist, Billy Monama, is challenging the status quo of music education, particularly in black schools, one seminar at a time. Monama will be hosting the inaugural “South African Music Colloquium” at Wits University, Braamfontein, today. Known for his advocacy in documenting and preserving African music history, Monama told IOL Entertainment the seminars would alter the South African music landscape. “Through the many years of research, I have been conducting workshops and masterclasses and as a performing musician, I have come to realise that our unique style of playing the guitar in South African music is fast disappearing. Important aspects of our heritage and music legacy could die.” According to Monama, arts and culture once occupied an important place in South Africa’s currently discarded curriculum…

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has called on community members, especially people who recently travelled to and from malaria endemic areas, to seek medical treatment if they experience malaria-related symptoms which include fever, chills, headache, and other flu like symptoms. MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko made the remarks as part of the observation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Malaria Day, observed annually on November 6, to create awareness about malaria and to mobilise communities to participate in malaria control programmes. “With the festive season fast approaching, we encourage people who will be travelling to and from malaria endemic areas to take prophylaxis before their visit. Complicated malaria cases and deaths are caused by malaria-infected patients who delay seeking medical help from the health facility and only visit the…

ELDORADO Park pupils have become the first beneficiaries of the 2022 Caring4Girls Million Collection Campaign. The Imbumba Foundation and Dis-Chem Foundation started the first of their Caring4Girls Million Comforts Campaign sanitary pad distributions last week at Willow Crescent Secondary School, in Eldorado Park. Founder and CEO of the foundation, Richard Mabaso, said: “Today’s event celebrated the achievement of the 2022 campaign, which collected over 10 million sanitary pads throughout Dis-Chem group stores.” The foundation was established in 2012, after Mabaso overheard a conversation between his mother and his niece. Realising the taboos, misconceptions and stigmas associated with menstrual cycles, he was inspired to start the Caring4Girls Programme. For the past seven years, Imbumba Foundation has partnered with the Dis-Chem Foundation annual Million Comforts campaign. The programme supports close to 1.8…

A FEW armchair observations on the Ireland defeat. Cheslin Kolbe is not a full-back. Perhaps Nienaber should take a look at Tyrone Green (Harlequins). Tyrone can even play flyhalf. Pieter-Steph du Toit is not a flank – far too slow. Jasper Wiese gets the ball and then, without fail and with regular monotony, runs slap-bang into the opposition. He must be told that he is allowed to pass the ball to another player. Bringing on Kwagga Smith and Deon Fourie in the last 10 minutes, and expecting them to perform miracles, is ridiculous. They’re being wasted. Faf de Klerk, now that he has been relegated to the bench, seems to have lost his enthusiasm and interest, and just goes through the motions. Cobus Reinach is a must. Damian Willemse did…

The 2022 World Cup starts in 12 days, and starting this week Independent Media will break down each group, and the contenders most likely to progress to the knockout stages. Today, Herman Gibbs takes a look at Group B. ENGLAND England are the favourites in this group, but things could become tricky should they battle against the United States and neighbours Wales. As Euro 2020 finalists, the Three Lions are on the right track and now their thoughts are turning towards breaking their trophy drought – 1966 is the only time England have won the World Cup. In the run-up to Qatar, England’s form has not been entirely convincing, but they should be strong enough to advance beyond the group stage. Gareth Southgate has guided the team to at least…