Table of contents for SW-2021-04-22 in Star

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za ZAK CALISTO, founder and chief executive of Karooooo, was scratching his head in puzzlement yesterday after the shares debuted on the JSE by trading at about a 90 percent discount to the Nasdaq price, before correcting. The South Africa-based international fleet and asset-tracking software company started trading at R59 a share in thin volumes on the JSE yesterday morning, but moved to R441 after midday. The share trades at around R500 on Nasdaq. The company has its primary listing on Nasdaq and a corresponding inward listing on the JSE, following a delisting and restructuring of Cartrack. Calisto said he was not sure why the share had traded at such a deep discount initially, possibly some shareholders were dumping shares for reasons unknown, there was some technical…

The group sees this as a significant first step on a journey to help investors make more informed choices OLD MUTUAL Wealth is the first Linked Investment Service Provider in the South African investment industry to publish the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings of its own locally domiciled unit trusts. The Old Mutual Wealth ratings were developed through a collaboration with MSCI, a global leader in investment research, in response to a growing demand for more transparency and a greater variety of sustainable investments. “We’re very excited about collaborating with MSCI to produce ESG ratings for the Old Mutual Unit Trusts funds on our platform,” says Farhad Sader, managing director of Old Mutual Wealth. “Responsible investing is a core value that has long underpinned the investment philosophy and process…

SOUTH Africa was ranked 110 out of 115 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index published this week, reflecting the slow progress towards a sustainable and affordable energy system. The 2021 edition of the report, titled Fostering Effective Energy Transition, ranked 115 countries according to their readiness for a just transition based on economic development and growth, energy security as well as environmental sustainability. Sweden led the rankings, followed by Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Among the world’s top economies, only the US and Italy featured in the top 10 ranked countries while China was ranked at 68. The term just transition is commonly defined as the move towards an environmentally sustainable economy while contributing to the goals of decent work for all, social inclusion and the eradication of…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Media personality Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung has made a U-turn on his stance on addressing bullying. The star has changed this perspective on his slogan against bullying after it came under scrutiny by social media users. Not one to shy away from taking on people he thinks are bullying him, the star has, over the past few months, hit back at trolls and critics with his “I’m not bullyable, I bully bullies” campaign. While some have supported his stance and even the slogan, it has not been well received by others. Many pointed out that bullying another bully would just create a society filled with bullies. This came after the Idols SA judge took to social media with a snap of himself in a T-shirt bearing the…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A WOMAN who was allegedly gang-raped by six men in 1981 is out to get justice in the form of payment, but the Prescription Act stands in her way. “AR”, as she is identified in court papers, has now launched an application intended to have the prohibitive sections of the Prescription Act of 1969 declared unconstitutional and invalid. She initially instituted civil action for delictual damages against two men identified as being involved in the sexual assault she suffered at the age of 18. But “AB” and “AN”, as they are named in papers, maintained in their legal papers on January 12 this year that her claim was prescribed in terms of sections of the Prescription Act. The cited sections stipulate that payment of a debt becomes…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za TEACHER unions and governing body organisations have welcomed the national debate on reopening primary schools full-time, however, there is concern about under-resourced schools. This comes as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) mulls over the decision to have all primary school pupils back to school full-time. Primary school learners are less likely to be hospitalised and die from Covid-19 complications. Most public schools are attending on a rotation schedule, the hybrid model. This means pupils are in school two days in one week and three days the following week – five days fortnightly. However, there have been concerns that the hybrid model was not working out. The DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga told The Star yesterday that there were a lot of challenges the department was facing with…

Kudzai Chikowore | London It is tearful that this year Zimbabwe turns 41 amid growing fear among citizens, repression, human rights abuses and the closure of democratic space. This is a day to celebrate, yet for many Zimbabweans, it is just like any other day as it symbolises a betrayal by the liberation generation who have morphed into oppressors. It is tragic, therefore, that in independent Zimbabwe the rulers have continued using the colonial legal system to suppress citizens. Independence was a product of a protracted liberation struggle mounted to ensure an equal and just society where human rights are respected, there’s equal access to economic resources and land, and an end to minority rule. Several activists including journalists have suffered the state’s heavy-handedness. On January 8, freelance…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za I AM slightly less peeved this morning, than I was in the days preceding. When Chelsea decided to pull out of the Super League, it did bring a smile to my face, and when it started the domino effect of the other five Premier League clubs – Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, United and Tottenham – following suit, it was pleasing. It seems the backlash was just the right amount of outrage and pressure from fans, players and their government, that their greed was outweighed by common decency. And make no mistake, this was all about money, power and greed. Football on the whole is a business, its clubs the corporations, the broadcasters and sponsors the investors, the pundits stockbrokers, and supporters customers. The beautiful game has not…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za SOWETO-BASED entrepreneur and biochemist Nokuthula Fihla, who started her own detergent company, has encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to be patient, resilient and remain humble. When Fihla, from Dlamini in Soweto, turned 50 years old, in 2018, the entrepreneur realised that she had not achieved all of her dreams. “It became a scary age for me and I realised that this was the only time I could venture on my own,” she told The Star. It was then that the qualified biochemist decided to go back to her first love, which was product development. “For the first 15 years of my career, I was in the laboratory working for multinational companies and I really enjoyed it, but, over the years, I decided to venture into the other side of…

Stephen Mabunda IN HIS State of the Nation address of 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised South Africans that during his term, the country would see new cities being built. The recent launch of the City of Tshwane’s mega city project in Mooikloof is bearing witness to the president’s dream. However, South Africa is plagued by electricity supply shortages, and the serious issue of water and sanitation infrastructure, with solid waste management infrastructure equally constrained. While infrastructure development continues across the country, one cannot help but ask the critical question of whether there will be enough water and electricity to meet the demand from these new developments? Also, are there adequate landfill sites to meet the increase in demand across the country, and will motorists cope with the already constrained…

Rebel forces set their sights on Chad’s capital yesterday following the battlefield death of President Idriss Deby, a move that threatens to bring even more turmoil to a country vital to international efforts to combat Islamist militants in Africa. A spokesperson for the Libyan-based rebel group, known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (Fact), said their aim was to bring democracy to the country after years of authoritarian rule by Deby. Rebel forces, who poured over the vast country’s northern border last weekend, were now in Kanem region about 200-300km north of the capital N’Djamena. In N’Djamena, schools and some businesses were open yesterday but many people were staying home and the streets were quiet, a reporter said. Authorities have imposed a night curfew and closed land…

SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in has urged US President Joe Biden to open up talks with North Korea on its nuclear weapons and build on the ground-breaking talks his predecessor Donald Trump held with Pyongyang. Moon suggested the US president needed to engage directly with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and not consign denuclearisation talks to lower-level officials haggling over preliminary details. “The most important starting point for both governments is to have the will for dialogue and to sit down face to face at an early date,” Moon said. Biden and Moon will meet in Washington next month. | AFP…

Bab al-Hawa: A first batch of Covid-19 vaccines arrived yesterday in war-torn north-western Syria, where millions live in dire humanitarian conditions. The 53 800 AstraZeneca doses were dispatched to the rebel-dominated region as part of the Covax programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to Covid vaccinations. The vaccines were placed in a cold-storage facility. The delivery is the first to Syria as part of the Covax programme, which has already sent vaccine doses to more than 100 countries and territories worldwide. The vaccine doses are intended for the extended north-western Syrian region, which includes jihadist-dominated parts of Idlib. | AFP…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za AmaZulu FC 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0 BENNI McCarthy's AmaZulu missed the chance to close the gap at the top of the Premiership table to just three points as they only managed to hold league leaders Sundowns to a goalless stalemate at Jonsson Kings Park in Durban yesterday. Usuthu were aiming for a sixth straight win but had to be content with a share of the spoils. Sundowns, therefore, maintained their unbeaten record in the league this season and a six-point lead with the added cushion of having two games in hand. The first half was a cagey affair as both teams adopted a tactical approach that hinged on the other making a mistake. There were a couple of chances that fell to Sundowns' Thapelo Morena and…

Daniel van Tonder is the highest-ranked player in the field for the Sunshine Tour’s Limpopo Championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour, which gets underway today at the Euphoria Golf Estate in Modimolle (Nylstroom). He brings a world ranking of 80th with him into the week, and, with fellow South African Brandon Stone at 97th, it is certainly one of the strongest fields ever assembled for a Challenge Tour event. “Clearly, I want to win this,” said Van Tonder, “but I would also be glad if Brandon and I could contribute to making the tournament even more worthwhile for all the other players.” Getting the most out of any tournament he plays is high on Van Tonder’s priority list as he gets ready for his first Major, the PGA Championship at…

RENERGEN has entered into an agree- ment with DPD Laser for the manufacture and purchase of the first 110 Cryo-Vacc cases, following the launch of its Cryo-Vacc storage solution. DPD Laser is one of South Africa’s leading express courier companies that has been serving South Africa for more than 30 years. Renergen said yesterday that the key terms of the agreement are a fixed purchase of 110 Cryo-Vacc cases in a combination of all three sizes and the Cryo-Vacc cases will be delivered in May. The agreement has been completed ahead of the launch of Phase 2 vaccination programme for South Africa and Renergen has commenced construction of the 110 Cryo-Vacc cases for delivery to DPD Laser, which is expected to be completed by the end of May. Renergen chief…

INTEGRATED facilities management company Servest has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC) that would enable both parties to expose unemployed graduates to the maritime industry by re-skilling and upskilling talented graduates to bridge the skills gap in the sector. Despite South Africa having a vibrant maritime industry, professional skills in many areas of the sector were in short supply, with many skills being limited to unskilled areas, a statement said yesterday. A study by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University found that the oceans economy had the potential to create about 316 000 jobs and contribute R5 billion to the country’s GDP. In terms of the agreement, the EMC would be responsible for recruitment and selecting graduates who would be upskilled. The areas of potential…

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za QUILTER plc yesterday reported a 26 percent increase in assets under management and administration (AuMA) in the first quarter to the end of March, boosted by improved net flows, positive investment performance and markets. The UK-based wealth manager saw its AuMA climbing to £119.9 billion (R2.39 trillion) during the quarter, up from £95.3bn compared with the same quarter last year, and up 2 percent compared with the quarter to the end of December. Chief executive Paul Feeney said he was delighted with the significant improvement in both their gross flows and net flows in the first quarter of this year, with the UK business, excluding Quilter International, delivering annualised net client cash flow of 5 percent of opening AuMA 2021, led by…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za THE “CITY BUZZ” was back with the return of people to the Johannesburg and Tshwane city centres and virtually all of Octodec’s retail tenants were trading, Octodec Investments managing director Jeffrey Wapnick said. He was speaking about the post-February 29 trading period, at the release yesterday of the interim results for the six months to that date. Wapnick said although the economic and Covid-19-related environments remained uncertain in the future, leasing activity had picked up across sectors and they were seeing renewed confidence from national tenants to commit to leases. Residential vacancies had fallen “nicely” following the delayed start to the tertiary academic year, and rental payment patterns were becoming more predictable, with collections averaging 99 percent, he said. The benefits of the digital marketing push…

Michael B Jordan wants to take roles not specifically created for black actors as he feels it gives him a platform within the film industry. The 34-year-old star revealed that he wants to work on projects that may not have been tailored to him, such as Fahrenheit 451 or the coming The Thomas Crown Affair remake, as it gives him a greater presence on screen. Jordan said: “You take these roles that aren’t written specifically for (you) because they have a platform, and you inject yourself and your experience into the character. That’s the Trojan horse.” The Creed star believes a focus on increasing diversity within the film industry has made it easier for black actors to step into other roles. “We're in this moment in time where I think,…

GIFT TLOU gift.tlou@inl.co.za IT’S almost three years since Silindile Ntshangase, 36, was attacked by nine dogs at her workplace. Yet no one has been held accountable. The Sedibeng resident went through the horrific ordeal at her employer’s farm in Delmas in May 2018, where she worked as a domestic worker. The incident landed Ntshangase in the Far East Rand Hospital where she stayed for three months. Scars on her body and face remain visible. “My health has not been in a good condition after that incident. Some parts of my body are still in pain and I am not able to work for a longer period.” Ntshangase said the dogs pounced at her after she came out of the bathroom at her employer’s house. She said she tried hiding under…

GOITSEMANG TLHABYE goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za THE Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has found Springvale primary school teacher Annelise Boot guilty of assaulting a 12-year-old pupil over a bottle of sparkling water. The court delivered the judgment yesterday, finding that Boot, 54, was guilty of common assault, following the incident which took place at the school, on February 21, 2020. Boot reportedly assaulted the pupil by throttling, kicking and pressing his chest with her knee, while pulling his arms upwards. She was called in to resolve the matter by another educator. In delivering the judgment, the magistrate said the child remained unshaken under cross-examination and, when he was given evidence, it was clear that he had a good recollection and was able to narrate the events that happened. She further detailed that he was an…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za IN a move that has been on the cards for days, former president Jacob Zuma yesterday parted ways with his high- powered legal team. The split, which Independent Media understands was amicable, happened weeks before Zuma returns to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to face his corruption trial which emanates from the multibillion-rand arms deal of the late 1990s. Announcing their split from Zuma, Eric Mabuza of Mabuza Attorneys in Johannesburg wrote to the court and informed it. But Mabuza, who was Zuma’s instructing lawyer, did not give any reasons for their withdrawal in the letter and refused to discuss the matter when asked about it. “Be pleased to take notice that Mabuza Attorneys hereby withdraw as the attorneys of record for Accused No 1. Kindly take…

Farouk Cassim | COPE, Milnerton THE Table Mountain fire, whoever caused it and however it was caused, was tragically destructive to life and property. The loss of the Jagger Library with its collection of rare books is immense. Nature aggravated what humans had begun – strong south-easterly winds combined with a high daytime temperature. But most inexcusable of all was political failure. The Cape Times reported that community environmental NPO Parkscape had concluded after discussion with other parties in October 2019 that the risk of fire on Table Mountain was significant. Furthermore, Parkscape regarded the situation in the vicinity of Rhodes Memorial as “a catastrophe waiting to happen”. What did the authorities do? Apparently nothing? What did they do about the homeless living on the mountain? Nothing! After…

The alarming fire in Cape Town mercifully resulted in no casualties but devastated several buildings at UCT, including the library. It hardly need be said that the heart of a university is its library, witness the Bodleian at Oxford, the Widener at Harvard and so on. Fire is the great enemy of books. It destroyed the Great Library at Alexandria in Egypt, depriving scholars of many of the works of Aristotle and other major authors, the reservoir of knowledge in the ancient world. The unique Anglo-Saxon manuscript of Beowulf, now in the British Museum, was charred but remains intact and legible. In Shakespeare’s The Tempest the exiled Prospero recalls sadly that “my library was dukedom large enough”. Writers obviously have a special affection for libraries. “I ransack public libraries…

Chevon Booysen Chevon.booysen@inl.co.za Cape Town food truck and eatery, Rack ‘N Grill, will keep the “Smash Burger” on their menu following a fruitful engagement with the Spur Group. Rack ‘N Grill owner and chef, Muammer Kasu, said after meeting with the group on Tuesday, he was feeling positive about the way forward, with prospects of a collaboration. “Nothing is confirmed yet, but we had a good meeting where ideas were put on the table. More details will be made available soon, but at the moment, the Smash Burger will remain on the menu. We will be keeping the name,” said Kasu. The meeting comes after RocoMamas served legal papers on Kasu to change the name of one of his burgers. Kasu received a letter dated April 14 from franchise chief…

Dominic Gaobepe “It’s about time we just move on, get over apartheid, and stop playing the victim.” “I wasn’t responsible for apartheid, why must I suffer for sins of the past?” “Black economic empowerment is apartheid in reverse!” “In the new South Africa there are no opportunities for whites.” Growing anxieties around dwindling economic prospects have been nurtured among many white South Africans and have fuelled an attitude of intolerance and fatigue around retrospections of South Africa’s shameful past. When one is ignorant of history, it may be extremely tempting to look at the above statements and accept them as true, however; we need to be deliberate in understanding our history in order to realise the work we still need to do to achieve a society based on justice…

Over the past week, South Africans of colour have had to contend with racist financial institutions engaging in discriminatory practices Evidently, these institutions are meddling in political affairs, seemingly aided by leaders who have either blocked any effort to build a state bank not controlled by private interest, or are helping aid private interest to discriminate and exclude black Africans from thriving in the economy. The country has learnt with shock that successful black-owned businesses such as Ayo Technology Solutions have been targeted by the same enemies of economic transformation. Using apartheid-era tactics, some of these financial institutions have intensified their arrogance in shutting down black-owned companies. The issue of our discriminatory financial system has come under fire recently from all corners of our society, who feel a grave…

The European Parliament and EU member states agreed yesterday a target to cut carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030, in what was called a “game changer” just before a US-hosted climate summit. The deal, reached before dawn after 14 hours of negotiations, sets about putting parts of the 2016 Paris climate accord into binding legislative effect across a range of sectors, underpinning the EU’s ambition to lead the world on the issue. The EU vice-president responsible for the bloc’s Green Deal, Franz Timmermans, called the agreement “a landmark moment for the EU and a strong signal to the world”. But top environmental groups Greenpeace and WWF slammed the agreement as insufficient to limit global warming to the 1.5°C threshold enshrined in the Paris accord. Greenpeace noted that Britain,…

BERLIN: Hundreds of people protested in Berlin yesterday against a law parliament is set to pass giving the national government power to impose lockdowns on areas with high coronavirus infection rates to curb a third wave of the pandemic. Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to draw up the law, which has drawn criticism from opponents who argue it curtails personal freedoms, after some of Germany’s 16 federal states refused to impose tough measures despite a surge in cases. Hundreds of protesters, few wearing face masks, gathered in the sunshine beside the Brandenburg Gate, not far from the Bundestag parliament building in central Berlin. The law is due to go to the Bundesrat upper house of parliament on Thursday. | Reuters…

SHANGHAI: Tesla Inc apologised to Chinese consumers for not addressing a customer’s complaints in a timely way, and said it would launch a review of its service operations in the world’s biggest automobile market. The apology followed criticism in state media, and after an unhappy customer clambered atop a Tesla at car show to protest against the company’s handling of her complaints about malfunctioning brakes. The trouble overlapped with new questions in the US about the safety of the company’s partially automated driving systems. Police in Texas are investigating a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model S that hit a tree and burst into flames. Tesla sells 30% of its cars in China, made at its Shanghai factory. | Reuters…

HERMAN GIBBS CAPE Town City scored a notable 2-1 victory at FNB Stadium as wasteful Kaizer Chiefs’ dreadful run of form in the Premiership continued last night. After City had taken a 2-0 lead, Chiefs had a glut of scoring chances, but only Australia-born midfielder Kearyn Baccus, a second-half substitute, found the net in the 67th minute. Chiefs took the initiative at the start and managed a few early sorties into the opposition goalmouth without setting up scoring chances. City took some time to settle down. When they did, their attacks, mostly down the right flank, proved penetrative. An 18th minute corner provided City with a chance for a breakthrough when Chiefs made a hash of clearing their lines. The ball spun free and City striker Tashreeq Morris, from…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za While five provincial unions have given firm backing for the creation of a Board of Directors at Cricket South Africa that is primarily made up of independent officials with an independent chair, the Northerns Cricket Union yesterday sought to walk a fine line in which it tried to satisfy everyone. That may seem diplomatic but it is also confusing. The NCU released a statement yesterday indicating its support for a majority independent board with an independent chair, but that the latter has to “be someone with the skill and experience to lead CSA”. The NCU also proposed that a former international player serve as an independent director, while two of the other independents had to have served in sports structures. Quite how those requests will go down…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka Orlando Pirates will need a win or draw from their last match of the group stage, or a result for Group A counterparts Enyimba against Ahli Benghazi this afternoon, in order to reach the quarter-finals of the Confederation Cup. That waiting game could have been avoided though. Pirates were held to a goalless draw by ES Setif in their penultimate group stage match at Orlando Stadium yesterday as they moved on to nine points, one behind their next opponents Enyimba. After a rollercoaster few outings in domestic football, following their humiliating 4-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals and 2-0 win over Maritzburg United in the Premiership, Pirates were hoping to continue with a win in continental football. They had won all their last…

HAMMERSON had reached agreement on the portfolio sale of its seven retail park assets to Brookfield for £330m (R6.57 billion) cash, representing an 8 percent discount to the December 31, 2020, book value of £357m. The transaction concluded Hammerson’s exit from the UK retail parks sector, a statement said yesterday. Hammerson also recently disposed of Brent South Shopping Park and its minority interests in Nicetoile and Espace Saint Quentin, which were sold in line with December 31 valuations. The transaction with Brookfield took total gross proceeds of Hammerson’s disposals in 2021 to £403m at an average discount to December 31 valuations of 6 percent. The proceeds would further strengthen Hammerson’s balance sheet, reduce debt, which was £2.2bn at Decem- ber 31, and increase liquidity, which stood at £1.7bn…

CLARICE, M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 9.30PM This procedural is a sequel series to the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs. HIGH TOWN, M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 10.30PM Junior is pronounced dead after overdosing on carfentanil. Jackie is distraught over his death and relapses. Ray arranges a raid on a house of Osito's suppliers and brings Jackie along. DIE GROENSTE VINGERS, KYKNET, DSTV CHANNEL 144, 9PM For those with green fingers, look no further than this reality show. Set up as a competition, gardeners, florists and passionate flower-enthusiasts compete for the title of Die Groenste Vinger. Each week, the participants will take on different challenges with a panel of judges deciding who has wilted and who still has room to bloom.…

Striking Rand Water workers will go back to work today. This follows a dispute with the management over a lack of consultation regarding performance bonus withdrawals, among other issues. The Labour Court in Joburg heard the matter between the two parties yesterday and it was resolved that workers would return to work and that the employer would reverse a letter sent to the employees regarding performance bonuses. The court said the two parties should use the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration’s conciliation process before strike action could take place. A court order seen by The Star stated: “The applicant will withdraw its notice of non-payment of incentive bonuses pending the outcome of the conciliation proceedings, which is scheduled for April 28 2021 before the CCMA.” The order went on…

MASHUDU SADIKE SACKED Limpopo government spin doctor Phuthi Seloba has failed in his bid to be reinstated in his job, the General Public Sector Bargaining Council said this week. In the arbitration award document, presiding commissioner Seth Mavhungu dismissed Seloba’s appeal to be allowed back to his position as director of communication in the office of the premier. He said: “I find that the dismissal of the applicant was procedurally and substantively fair. On that premise, I make the order that the case of the appeal against the respondent (Seloba) is dismissed.” Seloba was sacked in March last year, for leaking “sensitive information” about Premier Stan Mathabatha to the opposition party. But the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union’s Samson Magomane branch, which represented Seloba, is crying foul…

Anna Cox anna.cox@inl.co.za ONE of Joburg’s oldest retirement homes for destitute women in the declining suburb of Bertrams, is battling financially to keep its doors open. The Gerald Fitzpatrick House and Nursing Home is a haven to 80 elderly women who have nowhere else to go. Many have been abandoned by their families and are either destitute or only get a state pension, and/or are too ill to take care of themselves. Many eventually end up in the home’s frail care centre, where costs to the home are exorbitant as it operates as a full hospital. Those who have a state pension, pay pro rata to their income. Some are in what they call “independent living” rooms with shared bathrooms and are able to take care of themselves. The home…

Africa Teen Geeks has been announced as a strategic partner to leading technology summit Africa Tech Week in collaboration with Unicef, Apodytes and Independent Media. Afronovate’s objective is to expose young people aged 6-18 to the African technology ecosystem and to create a digital programme that educates and inspires African children to be participants in the growth of tech industry in Africa. This year’s Africa Tech Week Conference will be held virtually on May 5. Africa Tech Week is a leading conference, exhibition and award summit for technology professionals who believe that true digital transformation across the continent requires co-operation between business leaders, governments and civil society. Africa Teen Geeks has announced that chief Lindiwe Matlali will be one of the key speakers at the Africa Tech Week Summit alongside…

Sne Masuku sne.masuku@inl.co.za THE wife of the slain former rugby player Lindani Myeni, who was killed by police in the US last week, poured her heart out yesterday, in a video clip she posted on social media, about the hatred her husband was subjected to because of his skin colour, body build, and for being a foreigner. She was no longer afraid of showing her face in public and feared no one. “I have come to one realisation that I have nothing to worry about. My worst nightmare has come true,” she said in tears. “I think my two-year-old son is starting to figure out that something is wrong. He is walking around, but he can’t see his daddy.“ She said they were always worried about the police in America,…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za LAWYERS must always first ensure the children are taken care of before lining their pockets, a judge has said. Judge Demise Fisher of the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, was delivering a scathing judgment in the case of an attorney where claims were instituted against the Road Accident Fund (RAF) on behalf of children whose breadwinner had died. Judge Fisher said lawyers simply settled matters with the RAF where claims were lodged on behalf of children because their breadwinner had died. However, these had to be done with the court’s scrutiny. This, the judge said, was needed to ensure the child’s remaining parent or caregiver was utilising the money for the child’s needs, and to determine whether the money should not rather be held in a trust…

Looming crisis of normalising violence is having a detrimental effect on SA’s young people Tsholofelo Nakedi VIOLENCE among learners at Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo that went viral should be a wake-up call. The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) has dedicated work in communities that highlight the looming crisis of normalising violence – and the detrimental effects it has on young people growing up in South Africa today. According to research conducted by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, schools are supposed to be safe spaces to reinforce positive attitudes among learners. Our work as the CSVR and the bullying at Mbilwi Secondary School that led to Lufuno Mavhunga’s suicide says otherwise. The reality is that schools are also a fertile ground for violence.…

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on Tuesday of murdering George Floyd, a milestone in the fraught racial history of the US and a rebuke of law enforcement’s treatment of black Americans. A 12-member jury found Chauvin, 45, guilty of all three charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter after considering three weeks of testimony from 45 witnesses, including bystanders, police officials and medical experts. Deliberations began on Monday and lasted just over 10 hours. In a confrontation captured on video, Chauvin, a white veteran of the police force, pushed his knee into the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in handcuffs, for more than nine minutes on May 25, 2020. Chauvin and three fellow officers were trying to arrest Floyd, accused of using a fake…

LONDON: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth says she has been deeply touched by the tributes paid to her husband Prince Philip, in her first public remarks since his death earlier this month and as she marks her first birthday without him in 73 years. “While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world. My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. “We have been deeply touched,” Elizabeth, 95, said. | Reuters…

JAKARTA: Indonesian rescuers searching for a submarine with 53 people on board yesterday found an oil spill near where the vessel had dived, authorities said. The 44-year-old submarine, KRI Nanggala-402, was conducting a torpedo drill north of Bali but failed to relay the results as expected, a navy spokesman said. Two navy vessels with sonar capability had been deployed to assist in the search, the Defence Ministry said. Requests for assistance had been sent and Australia, Singapore and India had responded. Military chief Hadi Tjahjanto said contact with the vessel was lost at 4.30am yesterday. The oil spill could also mean there was damage to its fuel tank or it could also be a signal from the crew, the navy said. | Reuters…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka It won’t come on a silver platter for the South African Under-23 men’s team, but they will know that they cannot afford to fall at the first hurdle of the Tokyo Olympics like the teams of 2000 and 2016 did. They were yesterday drawn in Group A for the Olympic football tournament alongside hosts Japan, Mexico and France. The Japanese have qualified for the last six editions of the Games, with their best finish being semi-finalists nine years ago. Their disappointment of a fourth-place finish in London in 2016 was due to eventual winners Mexico, who have qualified on six occasions since 1992 despite being bundled out of the group stage at the last edition in Rio de Janeiro. France are the underdogs in the group, behind…

WHAT’S now clear from the statements of Central Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, and the comments from Easterns Cricket Union and Free State Cricket Union president Xander Snyders is that Tuesday morning’s statement from Cricket SA’s Members Council does not reflect the beliefs of that Council. Even the Northerns Cricket Union’s statement yesterday morning, in which it tried to be ‘Switzerland’ and is proposing an Indaba with all parties, reflected the deep divisions on Cricket SA’s Members Council – the most powerful decision-making body in the organisation made up of the 14 provincial presidents. And that puts its chairman Rihan Richards in a precarious position. That statement on Tuesday really should have got unanimous backing or as close as possible to unanimous backing before it was released. A bit like those…

Mike Greenaway Comment At one point there was the possibility of South Africa’s Rainbow Cup teams basing themselves in Croatia – the players wouldn’t have minded a resort on the sunny Adriatic Sea one bit – such was the range of options the organisers exhausted before finally giving up. No fewer than 16 venues across the UK, Ireland, Europe, and even the Middle East were considered as base camps for our teams, but all were ultimately kicked into touch by a persistent pandemic, and one that on a sporting level has sentenced South African teams to pariah status. Of course, everybody was desperate to see intercontinental rugby competition, especially governing rugby bodies close to perishing from lack of broadcasting revenue, but also coaches and players growing stale from playing each…