Table of contents for 2021-10-21 in Star

APP-BASED bank Bank Zero, one of the new, smaller bank start-ups in South Africa, has released its new pricing for 2022, with all fees remaining exactly as they were in 2021 and 2020, in line with the bank’s stated aim to bring much-needed relief to both consumers and businesses. Chairperson of the bank Michael Jordaan also said this week that after a constrained opening, Bank Zero was now fully open for business to all customers, and the Bank Zero App was also freely available from yesterday in the App Store and in the Google Play Store. Public access to the bank was initially limited to waitlisted individuals while the effectiveness of the digital customer support processes created during the pandemic to match a new WFH (working from home) world was…

A CONFESSION BRITBOX The true story of DS Stephen Fulcher, who risked his career to catch the culprit responsible for a woman’s disappearance. Starring Martin Freeman. MARTELIZE SE STAMTAFEL VIA, DSTV CHANNEL 147, 5PM Radio presenter Martelize Brink combines two of her great loves – food and digging into family history – in this talk show. In each episode, she brings a popular local soap star into her kitchen, where they’ll explore the star’s surname while cooking dishes to suit the roots of that name. RAM VIR 'N RUS VIA, DSTV CHANNEL 147, 8PM An exclusive agency plays matchmaker for four South African men who’ve struck out on the dating scene and Russian women who are looking to get married. The would-be couples will meet up for the…

Liam Karabo Joyce It’s an entertainment rarity to enjoy musicians and comedians on the same stage. After months of discontent due to the pandemic, some of the country’s biggest comedians and musicians have collaborated to make life sunnier and funnier with a one-of-a-kind EP. The Comedy Central Africa EP will feature unlikely collaborations between some of Africa’s most well-known musicians and comedians, in an innovative and fresh celebration of some of the continent's rich heritage. The EP also unites African musicians from across genres including amapiano, house, hip hop, R&B, Afrikaans pop and Afropop. They will be joined by some of the funniest comedians infusing style and comedic flavours into one comic relief mixed pot. The EP’s first hilarious release, Let Me Fill Your Holes, is a collaboration between award-winning…

The Washington Post KAITLYN Witman had grand plans for a Great British Bake Off marathon – hours of a show generally described as a comforting treat. She intended to scroll directly past Squid Game, the runaway hit show on Netflix. But her co-workers – like everyone’s co-workers – couldn't stop talking about it. “So, I took the bait and watched the first episode,” says Witman, 31, a marketing executive in Seattle. “It took me a week to recover.” Still, she felt compelled to keep watching, so she had something to discuss at work. After episode four, she had one request for this reporter: “Wish me luck” with the rest of the ultra-violent, disturbing series. Witman isn’t the only person reluctantly streaming Squid Game, a South Korean series that pits impoverished…

Mapaseka Mogotsi Assistant Editor JOBURG’S oldest daily newspaper celebrates 134 years this week. That’s more than a century of bringing news to the residents of the City of Gold. For 134 years, The Star has brought you the biggest stories that shaped South Africa. We’ve been giving you, the readers, wall-to-wall news coverage of events that have changed the history of this country. From the discovery of gold in the 1800s, the 1976 student uprising, the first democratic elections in 1994, the 2010 Fifa World Cup on our shores, the Marikana massacre, the July looting to the Covid-19 pandemic that is currently gripping the globe, we have so much more to share with readers. Over the years, the paper has produced the best journalists in the country’s media industry. Having…

Sonri Naidoo BELIEVE that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short weapon. As tough and as competitive as this industry is, the change one brings through telling stories is worth the sacrifices. My time at The Star so far has stretched my capacity of being a new and young journalist. I’ve seen stories of children attacked by hyenas, people living in dire conditions due to a lack of service delivery and then let’s not forget the two-week-long looting which dented our economy and then officials reacting to this by taking food from the families who are starving the most. The list goes on ... As The Star celebrates 134 years, I look forward to more storytelling and being part of a team…

Bongani Nkosi I WAS a first-year journalism student at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2006 when I first set foot at The Star’s iconic building. We had a tour of the building. Some in our group expressed that they would love to write for the paper one day. I was one of those. My dream came true in November 2017. I joined the paper on the 1st of that month, meaning I’m now exactly four years with the paper. Interestingly, four of us from the TUT group that toured the building in 2006 actually went on to write for the paper. The three others joined and left some years before I did. It’s important to reflect on why we wished to write for the paper: we viewed…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za | Additional reporting by Baldwin Ndaba THE SA Natives Forum (SANF) agrees with former spy boss Arthur Fraser’s opposition to the nomination of Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to the vacant chief justice role. SANF secretary-general Nkhathale Dikobo said the organisation has witnessed Justice Zondo “abuse his powers” as the deputy chief justice, to get subordinates to take up matters against former president Jacob Zuma instead of taking those matters to lower courts. “Deputy Justice Zondo has also failed to give people like Lucky Montana and Arthur Fraser an opportunity to cross-examine their accusers and give their side of the story. Black First Land First was said to appear before the state capture commission and they have been ignored by the very same Zondo, only he…

NOKWANDA NCWANE nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za A LOT still needs to be done to address the legacy of apartheid in the South African media landscape, especially in the digital age. This, in turn, would help the media go far in terms of giving voices to the dispossessed in the country. This was according to panellists during the Percy Qoboza memorial lecture hosted by the National Press Club and Unisa on Tuesday. The theme for the lecture was “The role of the media in the digital age. How far will it go in serving as the voice of the dispossessed and as a channel of change and real democracy?” The lecture is held annually in remembrance of Black Wednesday, October 19, 1977, the day the apartheid government banned black consciousness organisations, publications and people…

NOKWANDA NCWANE nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za ADOLESCENTS aged 12 to 17 yesterday went out in their numbers to get their Covid-19 vaccine. Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla announced last week that the government had reached a stage where it was ready to open up vaccinations for about 6 million children between the ages of 12 and 17. Section 129 of the Children’s Act states that “a child may consent to his or her own medical treatment or the medical treatment of his or her child if, the child is over the age of 12 years and the child is of sufficient maturity and has the mental capacity to understand the benefits, risks, social and other implications of the treatment”. The Act also states that parents, guardians and caregivers may consent to the medical…

Jason Woosey jason.woosey@inl.co.za WHAT is the ultimate dream car? You might be surprised to learn that it’s not a Bugatti or any similar hypercar, but rather an American muscle car – at least according to social media users. International car rental comparison website StressFreeCarRental.com recently hired researchers to find out which car models were the most often tagged with the hashtag #DreamCar on Instagram, and the result might surprise you. Researchers say the Dodge Challenger was the most hashtagged “dream car” on the social media platform, having been tagged by more than a fifth of Instagram users, of which 22% posted their dream car. However, it wasn’t a runaway victory, with the Lamborghini Aventador having secured second spot, close behind with 21% of dream car posts on the social media…

THE measure of great players is the ability to perform on the biggest stage and in T20 cricket, it does not come any bigger than the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Over the course of the previous six editions, there have been many stunning individual performances. Taken as a whole though, it is no surprise that the players who have performed the most consistently since 2007 are also among the very best players the game has seen. So, as we prepare for the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, we take a look at 10 players who have had a huge impact on the history of the tournament with their consistent excellence: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 39 wickets and 546 runs in 34 matches The greatest…

Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za GOLDEN ARROWS 0 MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (0) 1 Sirino 58th min IT was far from pretty but Sundowns had just enough depth and quality to ensure that their perfect run continued in the league after bagging full points against Arrows away from home to go four points clear at the top. After opening their CAF Champions League qualifying campaign on a mild note after drawing 2-2 with Maniema Union away from home, Sundowns were eager to consolidate their top spot in the Premiership after five victories and one draw. The ambition to make Chloorkop the home of the Premiership trophy remained intact as a Gaston Sirino strike in the second half gave the Brazilians all three points against Abafana Bes’thende at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za THE COVID-19 pandemic had proved that low-skilled employees who worked in a vulnerable service industry such as the tourism and hospitality industry, were largely unable to self-sustain their employment as they lacked general business knowledge that would accompany a higher education qualification, said private higher education institution Mancosa academic Lucinda Arulappan. According to Arulappan, the sector – formerly viewed as one of the most exciting and lucrative industries to be employed or establish a business in – had now plunged into a realm of contingency plans and recovery strategies. “For most South Africans involved in these businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about sheer distress and disruption as businesses continue to close their doors to the public at a precipitous rate,” said Arulappan. She said a…

THE STAR newspaper has stood witness to its fair share of trials and tribulations, triumphs and jubilations over the years. None more so than the past 18 months, where not just South Africa, but the world has experienced a seismic shift in its approach to life, work and play. This month The Star newspaper turns 134 years young, and with a successive line of dedicated men and women who have contributed to upholding journalistic integrity, freedom of expression and balanced reporting on the issues of the day, I expect it to continue for at least another 134 to come. Perhaps not in its current guise, because as we have seen over this period, change is inevitable. One thing that cannot change though, and must not, is media freedom, the ability…

Sifiso Mahlangu Editor YEARS back I sat in a Midrand boardroom with a gentleman Abhinav and The Star’s former editor Moegsien Williams. A crisp Williams shared his vision about South Africa and its press. It was that the media would be transformed and lead this country’s mission to social cohesion. “So that one day you can sit behind my desk,” he said. Years later I did sit behind his desk, an antique wooded desk in the gregariously large corner office of The Star tower on Pixley ka Seme Street. He was right! This week I reflect on the power of this office. How it educates and informs the Republic, how it charts through South Africa’s robust and often toxic political terrain. How it tells the story of an ordinary man,…

Sonri Naidoo sonri.naidoo@inl.co.za A SORROWFUL day for the mother of murdered Eldorado Park teen, Nathaniel Julies as she heard the findings of her son’s post-mortem. According to State witness, Colonel Lucas Visser from the Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria, who testified at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the body of the boy contained multiple wounds caused by the type of ammunition he was shot with, “birdshot”. The post-mortem of the boy took place on August 28 at the Diepkloof Mortuary Services. “We found that the ammunition which was shot at the deceased contained 280 pallets, we then discovered 65% of these pallets in the body. “Each pallet created a wound causing dark spots, after the 5th pallet was removed we stopped searching to prevent further harm to the body,”…

Jason Woosey FOR the past 15 years the Avanza has been the go-to Toyota for those seeking a lot of interior space on a relatively modest budget. But it’s time to say goodbye to Toyota’s seven-seat stalwart as the new Rumion has arrived to take its place. The new Rumion bears no resemblance to its Daihatsu-based predecessor, neither on the surface nor beneath the skin. That’s because the Rumion is the third product to come out of Toyota’s partnership with Maruti Suzuki in India. Apart from the badge and grille, it appears virtually identical to the Suzuki Ertiga, which hit South African shores in its latest iteration back in 2019. That means Toyota’s compact MPV is now front-wheel-driven (remember, the Avanza was a rear-wheel drive product), and that should…

Jason Woosey jason.woosey@inl.co.za SOUTH AFRICAN motorists are potentially facing fuel price increases of “catastrophic proportions”, with diesel looking set to see its largest hike ever, the Automobile Association said this week. Unaudited mid-month data is pointing towards a petrol price increase in the region of R1 per litre, while diesel and illuminated paraffin are looking set to rise by around R1.40. This would bring the price of a litre of 95 Unleaded up to around R18.60 at the coast and R19.33 in the inland regions. “The hikes in diesel and illuminating paraffin would be the largest in South African history, bearing in mind that this is only based on half a month’s data,” the AA said. “R20 a litre for petrol is now a realistic scenario before the end of…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za BANYANA Banyana found their groove again and inflicted a humiliating defeat on Mozambique at Estadio do Zimpeto in Maputo, making their opponents look like amateurs in a 7-0 rout in their Women’s African Cup of Nations qualifier. The 159th-ranked Mozambican’s never threatened their southern African counterparts and were outclassed from start to finish. The game was a virtual warm-up for Banyana. Fresh from their frustrating fourth place finish at the recent Cosafa Women’s Championship on home soil in Gqeberha, Banyana named a full-strength starting XI which included stalwarts Janine van Wyk, Robyn Moodaly and Thembi Kgatlana. Coach Desiree Ellis’s team exerted their domination from the early stages of the game. After pressing and probing, Banyana took the lead in the 22nd minute as Mamelodi Sundowns star Melinda…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za FORMER Proteas manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee refuted claims that he was part of a meeting prior to the 2019 World Cup, where discussions took place about apportioning blame to former Cricket South Africa chief executive Thabang Moroe, should the Proteas fail at the tournament. Moosajee, who was the national men’s team manager from 2008-2019, testified before the Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings yesterday that Moroe’s account of a meeting involving then Proteas coach Ottis Gibson, senior players and Moosajee prior to the World Cup was a fabrication. In August when Moroe appeared at the hearings, he told the Transformation Ombudsman Adv Dumisa Ntsebeza that a player, who Moroe referred to as “Player X”, had informed him about such a meeting where “Plan B” was discussed. The plan,…

STEVE Bruce said his stint at Newcastle United could be his last managerial role after the 60-year-old left the club yesterday following a poor start to their Premier League campaign and the takeover of the side by a Saudi Arabian-backed consortium. Bruce, who has been the target of fans’ ire since replacing the popular Rafa Benitez in 2019, left by mutual consent with the team in 19th place and winless after eight games. “I think this might be my last job. It’s not just about me; it’s taken its toll on my family because they are all Geordies and I can’t ignore that,” Bruce told The Telegraph. “They’ve been worried about me ... especially my wife Jan ... She dealt with the death of my parents, hers have not been…

ENGLAND captain Eoin Morgan said he would be prepared to drop himself at the T20 World Cup if he cannot turn around his poor form. The 35-year-old left-hander has scored a mere 82 runs in seven T20 innings for England this year, and he only managed 133 runs at an average of 11.08 in the recently concluded Indian Premier League, although he did lead Kolkata Knight Riders to last week’s final. At his best, Morgan is a dynamic ball-striker with the ability to up the scoring rate quickly, as indicated by a strike-rate of 138.25 in 107 T20 internationals. But asked if he might drop himself, the middle-order batsman said: “It’s always an option. I’m not going to stand in the way of a team winning the World Cup.” Former…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za THE INSURANCE industry could see a larger number of cancer claims over the next year as people become more comfortable visiting medical facilities again for these delayed checks and receive their diagnosis, according to the Liberty Group’s chief medical officer, Dr Dominique Stott. She said that owing to the delays, for some the diagnosis of a more severe stage of cancer was inevitable which would exponentially impact the survival rate and the cost of treatment. “Even with a medical aid, there are so many other costs associated with cancer treatment, both medical and lifestyle related, especially if the disease isn’t caught early enough,” said Stott. Earlier this year, Liberty's 2020 Claim Statistics revealed that cancer and leukaemia made up 27 percent of all claims that year.…

Marchelle Abrahams marchelle.abrahams@inl.co.za The thing with first dates is that you never know what you’re in for. It’s like opening a packet of Liquorice Allsorts – choose the wrong flavour, and you’re left with a bitter taste in your mouth. I’m betting Elyse Myers bit into the small, twisted liquorice: the kind that you’ll only really appreciate if you’re into all bitterness and no sweetness. After sharing her worst first date experience on TikTok, Myers became an overnight viral hit. Her story had all the hallmarks of a dark rom-com, including comedy, suspense and intrigue. But what made it all the more interesting is that most could relate to it. Long story short: A trip to Taco Bell and 100 tacos later, she finds herself sitting in the home of…

Itumeleng Mafisa THE STAR newspaper turning 134 is an amazing event. We think of this old woman who has been sitting on Sauer Street for the past century, reporting about the City of Gold and its development. The building is situated in a prime spot near a mosque, near the banks, and next to the seat of power, Luthuli House. The reporting style I have learnt at The Star has been amazing, with the emphasis on change and saving the people of Johannesburg from potential economic and political threats while at the same time entertaining and educating. I only wish that my name carries on in the analysis of history as a reporter who changed lives through reporting the truth and standing for the little man. I would like…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za CASTLE Lite has resorted to using renewable electricity in a bid to beat the load shedding blues. While the group aimed to completely switch to renewable energy by 2025, all seven of its breweries in the country have started generating electricity using solar and biogas. The group has revealed that the seven breweries generated over 9.7GwH of renewable electricity between January and August this year. “This switch has also resulted in 9 443 tons of CO2 emissions reductions since the start of the year,” said the group. Its announcement comes amid another round of load shedding by power utility Eskom. Load shedding often disrupted operations in companies without back-up generators. For its part, Castle Lite opted for a lasting solution to the load-shedding blues. “The last week…

Allan Wolman | Tel Aviv, Israel Mandla Mandela, referred to as “Inkosi” in his media statement, urged the newly crowned Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane to boycott the Miss Universe contest to be held in Israel. Capitalising on his late grandfather’s name, “Inkosi” Mandla Mandela has few credentials that would make anyone sit back and listen to him. He has a record of hatred for the Jewish state but knows very little about the true facts that he may want to review before his hollow pronouncements. That elusive “better life for all” his grandfather envisaged has unfortunately morphed into just the opposite for his own people. The dismal state of the vast majority of the municipalities in South Africa has been so starkly exposed. Potholed roads, raw sewage…

Jason Woosey jason.woosey@inl.co.za South African pricing for the new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé has been released, just months after it was revealed abroad. The new five-door “coupé” is expected to hit local showrooms before the end of 2022. Three variants will be offered at launch, with the base 320i priced at R937 452, the 420d costing R984 830 and the M440i xDrive listed at R1 312 696, according to Duoporta. Unlike the 4 Series two-door Coupe, the Gran Coupé will not be offered in “base” specification, with the M Sport spec grade being standard on the 420i and 420d models. Although you might be tempted to think of it as a sleeker 3 Series, the 4 Series is actually a bit bigger than BMW’s mainstream sedan, gaining 74mm in…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za WE’VE all been there. Around the braai fire, and the discussion turns to cars and how person A, B and C won’t ever touch another product from manufacturer A, B and C. Whether it’s something that’s a minor irritation or a massive failure, almost everyone has a story to tell. Gone are the days that it can be written off as a “Monday” car because all manufacturers are fighting for your hard-earned cash and can’t afford to be the troublesome one. With that in mind, we got a rare glimpse into how Ford South Africa manages the quality assessment of vehicles it sells locally. To say it’s a data analyst’s dream is an understatement because there’s data and then there is quality assessment data that…

STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za WICKET-KEEPERS of yesteryear would let you know that they were the forgotten men of the team. Fast bowlers take the breath away, spinners have their trickery and batsmen get plaudits no matter what. But ‘keepers – ‘pah, just catch the ball bro’. That changed around the time of Geoff Dujon was standing back to the West Indies quicks, and it most certainly did when Adam Gilchrist wore the gloves for the all-conquering Australian team of mid-90s to early 2000s. Suddenly everyone needed a ‘keeper who could not just catch the ball, but also smash it when it was their side’s turn to bat. It’s taken a while, but the rest of the world has caught up and suddenly, at this year’s T20 World Cup a handful of…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za The road to recovery and match fitness is almost complete for the Emirates Lions’ Tiaan Swanepoel, coach Ivan van Rooyen disclosed yesterday. Due to injuries to Jordan Hendrikse and Eddie Fouche during the Joburgers’ recently concluded United Rugby Championship tour of Europe, the Lions found themselves dangerously thin at flyhalf. The lack of depth in that position was further exacerbated by the non-availability and departure of Lions stalwart Elton Jantjies and Gianni Lombard, who is also leaving for Japan. Bereft of a recognised No 10 for their last two matches in Europe, EW Viljoen stepped up to the plate and did well for himself with some solid displays against Glasgow and more recently against Ulster. Fred Zeilinga was also flown in to shore up the position in…

MIHLALI BALEKA mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za AMAZULU coach Benni McCarthy says they are looking forward to achieving “something magical” for the club, given that they are one match away from qualifying for the group stage of the Champions League. After turning Usuthu from perennial relegation candidates to runner-up finishers in the Premiership, McCarthy brought a sense of belief to the club and his charges that they can achieve anything that they put their minds to. But they didn’t live up to that lofty billing from the outset this term after a rocky start, although they progressed to the second round of the Champions League qualifiers after an impressive second leg match away against Big Bullets last month. In the second round, AmaZulu were drawn against TP Mazembe. The five-time African champions returned home…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za North West Dragons 156/8 Rocks 153/6 North West won by 3 runs THE Paarl-based Rocks suffered an incredible meltdown in the second half of their run chase, losing a match that seemed impossible to lose. Requiring 157, the Rocks, thanks to an opening partnership of 108 between the Malan brothers, Janneman and Pieter, were comfortably on course for a spot in the semi-finals of the Cricket South Africa Provincial T20 Knock-Out in Kimberley. When Pieter was out for 46, caught on the long-off boundary, the requirement for victory was a seemingly simple one: 49 runs off 43 balls, with nine wickets in hand. And yet the Rocks lost. Janneman Malan, who finished not out on 74, could only watch from the other end as his teammates…