Innehållsförteckning för 2024-08-30 från Star

The INDUSTRIAL Development Corporation (IDC) disbursed R15.9 billion into the economy in the year to March 31, 11% below last year, but a “result we are proud of” considering the tough economic environment and that last year’s result was a record year, interim CEO Andrew Jarvis said yesterday. He said in an online presentation the institution had maintained its liquidity and balance sheet strength through the year, despite headwinds such as loadshedding, logistics issues in the country, a low commodity price and investment environment, and high interest rates. The 2023 result was boosted to record levels by pent-up investment demand following the pandemic. However, they were seeing “green shoots” in the fixed investment space. He said during 2024 the institution had remained true to its mandate to drive and…

A collaboration between the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) and the South African Music Performance Rights Association (Sampra) will see South African music artists head to the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany. The groundbreaking deal, together with the Federation of Music Conferences and global music distributor, Paradise Sound System, aims to provide ongoing platforms for South African artists to showcase their talent and engage with business executives for further export opportunities. As the first of many export initiatives, ARMC and Sampra have partnered with the festival to feature multi- award-winning artist Busiswa as well as Floating hitmaker, Namakau Star, Mzansi a cappella group, The Joy, and isiXhosa musician, Bongeziwe Mabangla. Busiswa will be performing on Saturday, September 21, at the festival and will further participate in a panel discussion, highlighting…

Carefully planned bribery and corruption ring involving Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court cops, prosecutors and attorneys uncovered A BRIBERY and corruption syndicate linked to the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court has finally been exposed and so far this week one attorney has been struck off the roll. Attorney Justice Rafedile was disbarred for criminal activity relating to Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court. An investigation by The Star had previously exposed a high-level ring through which police would arrest innocent citizens and then irregularly process them at the police station, usually by using fake charge sheets. The accused were then taken to Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, where on the first or second appearance the prosecutor would “strike a deal” with the attorney that the accused, usually a wealthy business person, should pay a hefty…

One Pot – Cookbook for South Africans Louisa Holst Loot (R280) Human & Rousseau The author of the bestselling The South African Air Fryer Cookbook is back, this time with another winning idea for busy folk in the kitchen – a book that gives wonderful ideas for a meal all made in one pot. Holst refers to one-pot wonders as “wonderful comfort food simmered in a pot” and with her clear and easy-peasy cooking methods she could not have done it better. The chapters are also user- and reader-friendly. Flash in the Pan will get you making stir fries and “quick as a flash” dishes in that one pan; the easy way out “Short Cut Pasta” offers flavoursome pasta dishes; in another chapter, for example are some fab but easy-to-prepare…

THE Pretoria Magistrate’s Court sentenced a Malawian national, Mlotha Nelson Usale, 59, who is also a pastor of Gods Chappel Church, to 10 years direct imprisonment for tampering with essential infrastructure and eight years each for three counts of fraud worth R150 000. The court ordered that the sentences should run concurrently. Usale was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. From 2021 to May 2022, Usale ran a syndicate where he would steal batteries from various network towers of Vodacom and MTN throughout the country, interchange the battery management system of batteries to different manufacturers, and respray the casings of the batteries in an attempt to disguise the true origins of the batteries to make it look as though they were commercial solar batteries. Thereafter, he would sell the…

We have numerous pieces of labour legislation that support social engineering and the structuring of employment of individuals based on race. I have never supported social engineering and do not believe that criteria based on race, colour, creed, sex or any other arbitrary ground is useful or will be successful. We come from a fractured past when apartheid was one of the governing features of employment. Apartheid almost destroyed South Africa. Ideally, people should be employed based purely on their skills and abilities. Most South Africans were ill-treated, given inferior education and denied the ability to work in many positions and industries. It is, therefore, understandable that we need to ensure that the people who suffered under apartheid would need to get as much help as possible. The help granted…

“No news is good news” again raises its ugly head as everybody stops watching Al-Jazeera and the carnage in Gaza. And as writers stop pulling on their wigs in a frenzy, just because nobody is reporting on the slaughter, there’s peace and goodwill all over the holy land, like hell, of course. There’s a word for it. “Hysteresis” does not explain it fully. “Overkill”? Now that’s a good possibility. The ratio of 40 000:1 000 is again the proverbial, holy-filled, Biblical, Qur’anic and even Bhagwad Gitaic magic number of 40. That’s a great ratio. For every Israelite touched, there shall be 40 unholy, satanic Palestinians made to pay for the royal, sacred and divine Zionists. “Overkill” might be just the right reason for the world just turning over and going…

In a pivotal address at the Belt and Road 3rd Council Meeting held in Chengdu on August 28, 2024, Dr Iqbal Survé, the Executive Chairman of Independent Media in South Africa, presented a compelling vision for the future of media co-operation within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). His speech underscored the critical role of the media in shaping global narratives, particularly in the context of Africa’s emerging position in the global development landscape. Dr Survé’s speech highlighted the transformative potential of the BRI, not merely as an infrastructure project but as a visionary endeavour aimed at uniting nations across continents through shared prosperity and development. He emphasised the values of peace, co-operation, openness, inclusivity, mutual learning, and mutual benefit – principles that are as relevant today as they were…

ABUJA: At least 179 people have died and tens of thousands been displaced in weeks of flooding in Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency said yesterday. The worst-hit areas were the seven north-western states where floodwaters killed 89 people and washed away more than 25 000 hectares of farmland, the agency said. The floods that peaked in July and August have raised fears for food supply in a country battling double-digit inflation which has been stoked by high food prices. Heavy rains have added to problems in the farming sector where farmers are deserting their farms in the northeast due to repeated attacks by militants. | Reuters…

London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed yesterday that his government was considering extending smoking bans in some outdoor English areas, reportedly including pub gardens and outside stadiums, sparking a backlash among opponents. The British leader said ministers are “going to take decisions in this space”, noting action was needed to curb preventable deaths and alleviate pressures on the beleaguered state-run National Health Service (NHS). Pubs and restaurants say the plans could deter customers in a market still battling from the Covid fallout and rising cost of living. | AFP…

THE Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is back. Season 5 is dropping on September 18 and if you thought the previous seasons served up drama hotter than a Utah bonfire, then buckle up because it’s about to get wilder in those snowy mountains. For those of us who’ve been watching, you know it’s been one hell of a ride. Last season gave us everything – receipts, scandals and icy feuds. Remember when Heather Gay exposed Monica Garcia as an internet troll during that fiery cast trip to Bermuda? Garcia had been tormenting the ladies online before joining the show. It was drama gold! Screenshots, timelines, proof – it was all on display, turning season 4’s finale into an explosive event. But here’s the tea for season 5: Monica Garcia…

EMBATTLED Ekurhuleni police chief Isaac Mapiyeye is said to be politically protected and has many scandals besides the alleged misconduct of assaulting a pregnant woman. Mapiyeye, head of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD), has been in the news for allegedly assaulting a heavily pregnant woman, whose name is known to The Star but can’t be revealed for fear of reprisals, working as a security guard at the government precinct. Private forensic investigator Calvin Rafadi, contacted by the victim, revealed to The Star that Mapiyeye, through his probe, was politically protected as he had files against government officials. He said: “The chief (Mapiyeye) is highly politically protected. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has councillors’ scandals in his files, especially those who have business conflicts with construction mafias and…

The Paris Muse Louisa Treger Loot (R275) Bloomsbury When Dora Maar, a talented French photographer, painter and poet, is introduced to Pablo Picasso, she is mesmerised by his intense stare. Drawn to his volcanic creativity, it isn’t long before she embarks on a passionate relationship with the Spanish artist that sometimes includes sadism and masochism, and ultimately pushes her to the edge. The Paris Muse is the fictionalised retelling of this disturbing love story, as we follow Dora on her journey of self-discovery and expression. Set in Paris and the French Riviera, where Dora and Pablo spent their holidays with their glamorous artist friends, it provides a fascinating insight into how Picasso was a genius who side-stepped the rules in his human relationships as he did in his art. Much…

Embracing Hope – On Freedom, Responsibility & the Meaning of Life Viktor E Frankl Loot (R305) Rider Published in English for the first time, Embracing Hope by Viktor E Frankl shows that by exercising our freedom, we have a duty to ourselves and others. Right from the start, with forewords by Dr Edith Eger and Dr Thomas Esch, I knew I was about to embark on a deeply personal journey. Eger’s words reminded me that “everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances”. Her message is a powerful reminder of the resilience we all possess, even in the darkest times. Esch added another layer of insight, urging us to “remain open…

A DURBAN judge was fed up with the lawyers of a divorcing woman who launched an application for interim maintenance, and attached dozens of pictures to the application which included a picture of the husband’s lipstick- and semen-stained T-shirt. Judge Robin Mossop, sitting in the High Court in Durban, said Rule 43 applications (interim maintenance while a divorce is still pending) are interim in nature and thus speedy and swift procedures. He questioned how the lawyers allowed reams of irrelevant documentation to be handed to court. He said the wife’s sworn statement was “prolix in the extreme”. “It contains irrelevant allegations and has attached to it literally dozens of photographs, the precise relevance of which is not clear.” Judge Mossop said examples of these pictures were a photograph of a…

THE office of Tshwane council Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana was yesterday mum on whether a motion of no confidence against the embattled mayor Cilliers Brink will be tabled during today’s ordinary council sitting. This was after Brink and his party, the DA, approached the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday with a view to fight off motions of no confidence by the ANC seeking to remove him from power. In court papers, Brink cited that the motions were dated July 22 and August 27, respectively. He said although the ANC announced the withdrawal of the July 22 motion, Ndzwanana decided to allow it to be a deferred motion for the continuation of the council meeting yesterday. The motion, however, was formally withdrawn by the ANC. It remained to be seen if today’s…

The Professional Board for Occupational Therapy, Medical Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Arts Therapy under the ambit of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is collaborating with the University of Pretoria in celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Music Therapy Unit’s training programme. The symposium will be held at the Musaion on UP’s Main Campus in Hatfield tomorrow. Music therapy is a recognised, evidence-based health profession where therapists use music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals, groups, and communities. Through techniques such as improvisation, songwriting, movement, and music listening, therapists enhance their clients’ well-being. Launched in 1999, this pioneering training programme has played a pivotal role in shaping the field of music therapy in South Africa and beyond. It has produced numerous skilled therapists now…

Ingredients 2 tbs canola oil 2 medium onions, chopped ½ green pepper, chopped 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1.5cm cubes 2 tbs medium curry powder 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp paprika 400g can Italian crushed tomatoes 1kg slow-cooked ox tripe Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tbs smooth apricot jam 3 x 410g can Woolworths samp and beans, heated Method Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onions, green pepper and potatoes for about 8 minutes. Add the curry powder, garlic and paprika and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the spices from catching. Add the tomatoes and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tripe, mix, season with salt and pepper…

With cooking known to be an opportunity to bond with loved ones, media personalities Dineo and Zothile “Solo” Langa have joined an interesting campaign to share their love story through their favourite cuisine. The couple captured viewers’ attention with Kwakuhle Kwethu, a three-part documentary that chronicled their road to marriage. They have now teamed up with curry powder brand Rajah to share their love story and their love for curry. The couple were brought on board to bring the concept of love and home-cooked meals together with the brand’s famous curries. They said of their collaboration: “Besides the obvious saving of money, there’s a tailoring of recipes to accommodate dietary requirements. Also, we have more of a control over our health and fitness goals when we’re able to customise our…

TO A large extent, the distortion of political realities and understanding is due to the misappropriation attached to the term “liberal”. Liberalism has lost its identity because as a reference it has been appropriated by the Left. The association of liberalism with tolerance has been exploited by the Left to the extent that tolerance is no longer bound by the core principles of liberalism – merit and liberty, individual rights and the rule of law. Unbounded tolerance leads to anarchy and revolution – the instruments of the Left. In that liberalism has become synonymous with the Left and has lost its identity, it finds itself in a psychotic state. That situation is illustrated by the decision of lifelong, liberal loyalist and Democrat, Robert F Kennedy to associate himself politically with…

Siviwe Gwarube is the first DA member to become minister of basic education; an impressive feat that is fraught with peril. The Cabinet positions the DA received under the Government of National Unity have little coherency or real influence over the country. Unfortunately, the ANC did not form the GNU in good faith. The Cabinet positions it gave the DA are more likely to be patsy positions, distracting the public from the ANC’s refusal to change its behaviour. Gwarube is unlikely to fix basic education, as the crucial Cabinet positions needed to make real changes are held by the ANC. If the DA was able to fix basic education, there are a few changes it could work towards: The DA should push for the privatisation of schooling. Public schooling has…

Policing in the Western Cape has long been mired in politics between the City of Cape Town and Western Cape law enforcement, and the national SAPS structures. The politics between local and national police has been a manifestation of the rivalry between the ANC government and the ruling DA party in the city and province. The tension has been counter-productive. It has played itself out in public spats in the media, where local law enforcement chiefs and politicians will take credit for successes in crime fighting, but will criticise SAPS for failing in their mandate when the crime stats come out. This blame game has resulted in a lack of co-operation, which ultimately renders policing on the ground and in communities less effective. In recent years, the rift between local…

PARIS: Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of messaging service Telegram, was released yesterday after paying a 5 million euro (R98m) bail, but he is required to report to the police twice a week, Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. Durov has been placed under investigation on six charges and he was prohibited from leaving France during the investigation, Beccuau added. The Telegram founder is accused of failing to act against Telegram users involved in cyberbullying, sharing paedophilic content and glorifying terrorism. The Telegram group said that the company abides by EU laws. | Xinhua…

ACCRA: The US has agreed to help build Ghana’s first small modular reactor (SMR) project to promote nuclear technology as a cleaner energy option for African countries. The commercial agreement between Nuclear Power Ghana and Regnum Technology Group will use NuScale Power LLC technology, the US Department of State said. SMRs can be mass-produced for assembly, reducing the time for construction and installation. Yet most are still in the design stage, and soaring inflation have driven up costs. Ghana relies on gas for about half of its 6 600-megawatt generation capacity. | The Washington Post…

JSE-LISTED Blue Label Telecoms’ bid to increase its shareholding in mobile operator Cell C is moving closer to the finish line, with regulatory hearings set to be completed by the end of the year. Blue Label, which distributes prepaid products as well as virtual merchandise and value-added services, yesterday reported revenue of R89.3 billion in the year to May when PIN-less top-ups – a recent line of offerings – are included. This compares with R76.8bn reported last year. Excluding PIN-less top-ups, revenue would have been R14.6bn. Headline earnings per share came in at 76.08 cents, a year-on-year gain of 40%. However, excluding a positive contri- bution of R66 million in the current year and a negative amount of R523m in the prior year, mostly because of Cell C’s…

Hot on the heels of her Best African Actress accolade at the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam for her role as Queen Nandi in Shaka iLembe, Nomzamo Mbatha will once again take to the Global Citizen Festival stage in New York. The actress, media personality and human rights activist will be a presenter at this year’s edition of the annual music festival which seeks to unite the world to defend the planet and defeat poverty. The gathering at the Big Apple’s Central Park’s Great Lawn on September 28 will be hosted by Deadpool & Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman. Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, will also make a special appearance. RAYE, Benson Boone, Post Malone, Doja Cat, LISA, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro will also perform. In addition to Mbatha, Antoni Porowski,…

PETROL heads are in for a treat this weekend as they will be able to immerse themselves in South Africa’s vibrant car culture at the Festival of Motoring. The annual event has grown into the largest industry-supported auto show in South Africa and in Africa. “Since our inception, we’ve been fuelled by the vision to create a vibrant automotive community where industry titans, passionate motoring enthusiasts and those in search of their dream rides come together for a day of action-packed thrills and family fun,” the organisers said. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore more than 150 exhibitors showcasing automotive products and services as well as lifestyle offerings and custom vehicles. “More than just an exhibition, the Festival of Motoring invites you to fully experience and immerse yourself in…

THE Dark Wives Ann Cleeves Loot (R259) Pan Macmillan A BODY is found by an early morning dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up at work. DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. Her only clue is the disappearance of 14-year-old resident Chloe. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility. Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie are soon embroiled in the case, but when a second body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, folklore and fact begin to collide. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to…

A teaspoon of sugar added in a warm cup of coffee or tea by a baker employed by Shoprite Checkers was twice the subject of legal scrutiny – once before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and now before the Labour Court sitting in Gqeberha. Shoprite Checkers claimed the spoon of sugar came from their sugar stock for the bakery, thus “shrinking” their stock. Baker Godfrey Makaloi, who had a clean working record since the early 1990s, said it was his sugar. Video footage of the sugar incident showed an unidentified man stirring sugar in a warm drink at work. Makaloi admitted he was the person stirring the drink, but he denied that the sugar came from the 25kg bag of sugar which was stored in the room.…

ERICA Primary School Robotics and Coding team rose above their circumstances, qualifying for this year’s national robotics competition. The learners from a school situated in the heart of Belhar, Western Cape, competed against various schools across the province, mainly including private schools, to earn their spot at nationals. However, they need your help to get them there for the competition, to be held from September 13-14 and they only have nine more days to raise the funds. Their teacher, Vernon Petersen, who has been heading the club for the past two years and saw his teams previously rank second and third in various categories at previous World Robotics Olympiad, says his learners are well deserving to show off their skills in Johannesburg next month. “We had seven teams who competed…

A man from Los Angeles in the US – known as Tank – has opened up about the unique challenges and experiences of having been born with two fully functional penises. Tank was born with a rare condition called diphallia, or penile duplication, where a full or partial second penis is formed. Only about 100 cases have been reported over the past 400 years. Tank shared that his unusual condition has made his sex life both intriguing and complex. “Women didn’t believe it when I told them I had two penises, but then I took them to the room, they’d see,” he revealed during an interview with the YouTube channel Soft White Underbelly. Some of his sexual partners were intrigued and enjoyed the experience, while others found it uncomfortable and…

GAUTENG Premier Panyaza Lesufi has had a tough time trying to find a mayor that has all the qualities needed to deal with the many challenges and demands of a highly populous city like Johannesburg. Very serious problems have been allowed to take root, and continue unattended for years. Where in the world have you heard of foreign nationals coming from all corners of the world, disrespecting all the laws of the country and getting away with it? Where abandoned multi-storey buildings are divided into several small shacks with overcrowding and no water supply and illegal electricity connections – an obvious recipe for disaster, and when these buildings catch fire, resulting in the death of people, then the city council is held accountable. Now, a mayor who once spent 25…

In Africa, with a young demographic, a plethora of socioeconomic development requirements and energy poverty, among other pressing issues, meeting the population's minimum energy requirements is crucial and existential. These critical issues must be reconciled when mapping Africa’s development path and addressed before the drive to achieve net zero emissions. With geopolitical tensions rising and growing pressures to eliminate hydrocarbons from the energy mix, the continent’s primary concern should be securing energy availability and affordability for its people. Currently, it is estimated that 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, creating significant barriers to health care, education, productivity, digital inclusivity, and, ultimately, job creation. Therefore, the continent must focus on securing energy access from every source despite geopolitical tensions and increasing pressure to eliminate hydrocarbons. This natural resource is currently…

Palestinians in Gaza were waiting yesterday to see if there would be a pause in fighting to allow a polio vaccination campaign to begin, as the conflict raged across the besieged enclave, killing at least 20 people. The UN is preparing to vaccinate an estimated 640 000 children in Gaza, where the World Health Organization confirmed on August 23 that at least one baby has been paralysed by the type 2 poliovirus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years. The UN, which called for a humanitarian truce earlier this month, hopes to begin the vaccination campaign on Sunday, said Juliette Touma, communications director of UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency. The World Health Organization named the baby as Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan. He will turn one year old…

Karachi: Pakistan authorities blamed a months-long internet slowdown that has drawn backlash from activists and business leaders on damaged underwater cables. Digital rights experts believe the state is testing a firewall that could also be used to control online spaces. Internet networks have been up to 40% slower than normal since July, according to one IT association, while WhatsApp and VPN connections are severely disrupted. It comes as Pakistan’s military says it is battling “digital terrorism”. Analysts say the main target of the disruption is the party of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan. | AFP…

SPIN will almost always play a big role in sub-continent conditions, and with the Women’s T20 World Cup taking place in the United Arab Emirates in October, the Proteas spinners will have a massive role to play. Before the Proteas Women squad arrives in the UAE, they will travel to Pakistan, where they will play three T20Is in Multan from September 16-20. This tour will serve as added preparation for the sub-continent conditions and it will mark the side’s return to Pakistan after touring the country for the first time a year ago. Cricket South Africa spin lead, Paul Adams, joined the side during the week-long camp in Durban this week, and will be travelling to Pakistan and to the UAE to offer his expertise to what is a young…