Table of contents for 2021-12-02 in Star

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za FUEL RETAILERS will have to pay refunds, which could come to millions of rand, to motorists who filled up before the government picked up a costly error in the recent petrol price adjustment. The Department of Mineral Re- sources and Energy (DMRE) yesterday announced that it had overstated the petrol price adjustment that kicked in at midnight on Tuesday by 6 cents. On Monday, the DMRE announced that the price of petrol for both 93 and 95 ULP and LRP would increase by 81c per litre, taking the fuel hike to a record high of above R20 per litre. But yesterday, the department’s director of fuel pricing mechanism, Robert Maake, said the correct petrol price adjustment was an increase of 75c per litre, not 81c per…

Chad Williams chad.williams@africannewsagency.com Ethiopia, the seat of the African Union (AU), is on the verge of implosion. The country has been racked by conflict since the Tigray Liberations Movement Front (TPLF) resorted to seceding from Ethiopia in the middle of last year. While negotiations between the federal government and the TPLF have not yielded any tangible results, the concern is that the conflict could escalate and plunge the country into a humanitarian catastrophe. On Tuesday, a webinar hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) discussed the current political situation in Ethiopia under the theme, “Ethiopia at the crossroad: Where to for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa”. Speakers included researchers from the Institute for Security Studies and professors from leading South African universities. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,…

THE festive season always ushered in higher prices and unbelievable savings, therefore it would be important that prices remained fair during this period, according to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) In November, the average cost of the Household Food Basket was R4 272.44. Compared to the previous month, the average cost of the Household Food Basket decreased by R45.11 (-1%), from R4 317.56 in October 2021 to R4 272.44 in November 2021. Year-on-year, the average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R254.19 (6.3%), from R4 018.25 in November last year to R4 272.44 in November this year. Since the start of the Household Affordability Index in September 2020 the average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R416.10 (10.8%), from R3 856.34 in September…

Liam Karabo Joyce When you look at the South African music landscape at the moment, it’s easy to forget that there’s more to it than just amapiano. Some hip hop stars have been so influenced by the genre that that is all they are producing. Yes, amapiano has taken the world by storm and we should be proud of that, however, pop, gospel, R&B and musicians in other genres are still releasing chart-topping songs. One such musician is Johannesburg-based singer Evida, who recently released his debut album, Mirror for a Miracle. Born Liam Elliot Jones, the 24-year-old musician is a Sama nominee. In 2017, he was nominated as a producer for the Best Remix category at the South African Music Awards for his remix of, The Woods by Tresor and…

Marchelle Abrahams marchelle.abrahams@inl.co.za Gender-based violence is a global scourge that only for 16 days of the year gets thrust into the spotlight. Suddenly, activists and survivors are given a platform to tell their stories, which in return, are met with solemn looks and messages of support. After that, it’s back to your regular scheduled programming. In South Africa, GBV is the catalyst for many violent crimes. Of the 53 293 reported cases of sexual offences from the 2019/2020 police crime statistics, 31 100 were against women and 22 070 against children. The pandemic has further escalated the numbers. As a result, women’s rights NGO People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) has been forced to realign their operations in order to reach survivors and provide them with support. “When the police statistics…

A GROUP of protesters gathered outside Shell head offices in Bryanston yesterday to voice their objection to Shell’s seismic testing off the Wild Coast. Extinction Rebellion South Africa activists handed over a memorandum with a list of demands to a Shell representative in the hope that it would reach Shell SA chairperson Hlonziphiwe Mtolo. “We expect a response directly from Mtolo before Sunday. If we do not receive a response before Sunday, we will escalate actions further,” said Extinction Rebellio spokesperson Malik Dasoo. No confirmation was received from Shell on whether it has started the seismic survey, or any response on the matter. The seismic survey, about 20km off the coast, was expected to detect oil and gas reserves, and should last between four and five months, The survey involves…

Jehran Naidoo Former defence and military veterans minister and National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly lied under oath and on TV regarding updates on the July unrest. This is according to KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Yesterday, he claimed she had lied about him several times in her sworn statement to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) last week. Mkhwanazi was testifying during the commission’s hearing into the July unrest, where more than 350 people died. The KZN top cop told the SAHRC’s Buang Jones and Smanga Sethene that the minister did not attend any meetings at the SAPS provincial headquarters in Durban. He said she only attended one meeting at the disaster management centre in eThekwini. The ex-ministers of defence and state security were based at the five-star…

If the idea of a long table, lengthy and sumptuous lunches, scrumptious desserts, invigorating conversations enveloped in a Tuscan-style setting is something that appeals to you, then look no further. The maiden edition of THE SLOW LIFE lifestyle concept kicks off next week. The first leg will be hosted at a surprise venue on the outskirts of Joburg, with the theme being Under the Tuscan Sun. The first event of THE SLOW LIFE, which is a fitting acronym that stands for sustainable, local, organic, wholesome, learning, inspiring, fun, experiences, is on December 11. Guests will be ferried to and from the event venue from a central and secure location in Joburg. Tickets to the not-to-be-missed lifestyle event retail at R1 490 including VAT, which is inclusive of delicious meals…

ANITA NKONKI anita.nkonki@inl.co.za SURVIVOR SA 2019 winner Rob Bentele has joined the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) by developing an application, Eyerus, which is designed to provide users with personal safety and security services in the palm of their hands. He said the motive to develop the app stemmed from having someone close who was affected by GBV. “The scourge of GBV was getting out of hand and as hard as we are trying the numbers are only going up. “Raising awareness is not the solution. So we wanted to create something tangible. “Something they can use to keep them alive and safe,” he said. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, he revealed that Eyerus indicated how safe or unsafe a user was in their current surroundings via four status…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za While its smaller 2008 GT Line sibling may have walked away with this year’s SA Car of the Year award, the Peugeot 3008 GT Line is just as impressive when it comes to its exterior styling, quality interior, standard features and refined engine. The C-SUV slots in between the 2008 and the 5008 which means South Africans will now hopefully look beyond the staid and sometimes boring normal fare on offer and choose something with a bit more (French) flair. Having received a significant facelift in 2020, the changes to the Peugeot 3008 easily make it the leader in the looks department in the segment. It received a completely new grille and LED daytime running lights that resemble a sabre-toothed cat’s eyes and its sharp…

TIGER Woods refused to put a timetable on his return to tournament golf on Tuesday in his first public appearance since a serious car crash earlier this year that left him "lucky to be alive". Speaking to reporters in the Bahamas ahead of the Hero World Challenge, Woods said he would never regain full strength in his right leg, which was left shattered after the crash in Los Angeles in February. Woods, 45, told Golf Digest in an interview on Monday his days as a full-time professional golfer were over, saying that he would pick and choose tournaments from now on. On Tuesday, the 15-time major winner gave no indication of when he expected to be fit enough to play a full 72-hole professional event, repeatedly emphasising that his recovery…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za THE swagger seems to be back in Dan du Plessis’ game in recent months – and it’s no coincidence, as he is back in his preferred inside centre berth at the Stormers. Du Plessis had to operate mainly at outside centre since the resumption of rugby in South Africa last September following the Covid-19 hard lockdown. But he was in top form during the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship tour of Europe in the No 12 jersey, which is where he first made his name as one to watch in the future. Injuries hampered his progress in the past as well, but now he is showing the type of play that marked him as a potential Springbok that would follow in the footsteps of his father Michael, who…

JACK Grealish said he has found it a lot more difficult to adapt to life at Manchester City than he thought. Grealish joined City from Aston Villa in August for £100-million to become England’s most expensive player, but has made a relatively slow start at his new club with two goals and three assists in 15 appearances. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team mates,” Grealish told the Daily Telegraph. “I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled, but I found it hard to get used to at the start. I’ve not had the assists and goals I got last season, but I’m never one to doubt myself.” The England international dismissed concerns about the pressure of living up to his…

FORM is fleeting in golf and defending South African Open champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout knows that as well as anyone in the field for this year’s edition of the second-oldest Open in the world which gets under way today at Gary Player Country Club. He was unstoppable when he won the SA Open at Sun City last year, and followed that win with a triumph at Leopard Creek in the Alfred Dunhill Championship which catapulted him to a status in world golf. He tees off in defence of his most prestigious title with just one top 10 finish in the last year on each of the European Tour – now the DP World Tour – and the PGA Tour. Despite that, his reputation has been burnished by glimpses of the form…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za FIRSTRAND missed the requisite shareholder support for its remuneration policy by the skin of the teeth during the 2021 annual general meeting (AGM) held virtually yesterday. All resolutions were passed with the requisite voting requirements with the exception of the remuneration policy and the remuneration implementation report despite the group drumming up support for the resolutions. FirstRand, whose subsidiaries in- clude First National Bank, Wesbank and Rand Merchant Bank, received 74.11 percent of shareholders support for the non-biding advisory vote for remuneration policy. A total of 48.75 percent of shareholders voted in favour of the non-biding advisory vote for the remuneration implementation report. This is the second consecutive year FirstRand’s remuneration policy and implementation report have not meet the 75 percent threshold set by…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za LOCAL and foreign banks implicated in alleged collusion of foreign exchange trading have asked the Competition Tribunal to dismiss the case against them as they claim that the Competition Commission has not accumulated sufficient evidence against them. The Competition Commission alleged, in a case initiated in 2015, that the Bank of America, Merrill Lynch International, BNP Paribas, JP Morgan Chase, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Standard York Securities, Investec, Standard Bank, Nomura International, Standard Chartered Bank, Credit Suisse Group, Commerbank AG, MacQaire Bank, HSBC Bank, CitiBank, Absa Bank, Barclays Capital and Barlcays Bank and Standard Americas Inc participated in a “single overarching collusion”. The banks allegedly did this by participating in chat rooms where information on their trading in the rand-dollar exchange rate was exchanged. The…

Eustace Mashimbye I HAD A conversation with one of our members recently about the different access to market opportunities that membership of the buy local movement offers. One with which we have struggled over the years is finding shelf space with our leading retailers for more locally manufactured items – from white goods to fast-moving consumer goods. We have had many round table discussions with the country’s retail chains, but only a few have yielded any meaningful results. One sector in which we have, however, made great progress is with clothing retail stores, where the sectoral masterplan has played a major part in seeing an increase in locally manufactured clothing and apparel on their shelves. The sector continues to be a blueprint that can be adopted for other sectors…

DREAMS OF GOMORRAH SHOWMAX In this local feature film, a young woman named Phiwo, who has a strict, religious father, travels to Durban to get married – but she finds herself falling in love with a woman. ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE DISCOVERY, DSTV CHANNEL 121, 8PM The Browns, a family of nine, live deep in the Alaskan bush. This season is dedicated to the late family patriarch, Billy Brown, who died in February. As the season begins, Billy rallies the family on their North Star Ranch just before it is burnt to the ground by wildfires. MOJA LOVE, DSTV CHANNEL 157, 9.30PM Siyabonga Mdlalose highlights issues around property ownership and the property disputes that happen within South African communities, from low-income households to ultra-rich families. Find out what happens…

Reuters Norway’s state-owned postal service Posten is marking 50 years since Norway decriminalised same-sex relationships, with a heart-warming Christmas ad in which Santa Claus strikes up a romance with a man called Harry. In the nearly four-minute film called When Harry met Santa – a nod to the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry met Sally... starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan – Harry spots Santa delivering gifts to his home. Meeting again each Christmas over several years, the two slowly build a bond. But Santa’s busy schedule allows for only fleeting encounters – until he enrols Norway’s Posten to help with deliveries and the two are finally able to spend time together, and kiss in the final scene. “This year it’s all about love, highlighting the fact that 2022 marks…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is facing a budget shortfall of about R10 billion for the next academic year, a situation that the Higher Education Department partly attributes to budget reductions. Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande revealed in a written reply in Parliament that the department was scrambling to avert a shortfall in the NSFAS budget. “A shortfall on the NSFAS budget is still anticipated for the 2022/23 financial year and engagement is ongoing within the government budget processes in relation to this matter,” said Nzimande. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated R56.8bn to fee-free higher education and training for the next academic year. This was an increase from the R44.7bn of the current financial year. Godongwana delivered the Medium-Term Budget Policy…

ITUMELENG MAFISA itumeleng.mafisa@inl.co.za LEGENDARY gospel artist Keke Phoofolo has broken his silence about his financial problems, fighting depression and his past marriages. Phoofolo has been out of the industry for five years and said despite being a pastor and a musical evangelist, life threw curve balls at him and like all human beings he took some knocks. Despite this, Phoofolo said it was time for him to come back on the scene with the launch of his new album, which he has not released yet. He said he was also starting a new church and would be involved in counselling services for those going through hardships. “It’s been an interesting journey. I was going through pain and betrayal and the pain of a dysfunctional marriage. I had to grow at…

ANITA NKONKI IT SEEMS like South Africa’s darling Thuso Mbedu’s awards are piling up as she gains more recognition and receives more awards, both locally and internationally. The 30-year-old actress landed a major gig with her Hollywood debut role in the historical fiction drama The Underground Railroad and her career has since been soaring high. This week all congratulations were directed to the two-time Emmy nominated actress following her second award in days after she was honoured as the Woman of the Year at the GQ Men of the Year award ceremony. The renowned actress later revealed that she had bagged the Gotham Award for Outstanding Performance in a new series for her role as Cora in The Underground Railroad. Mbedu expressed how thrilled she was when she received…

Willem van de Putte SOUTH Africans love their bakkies and when it comes as a “special edition” even more so. Which is what the Red Ford Ranger FX4 essentially is, based on their popular XLT double-cab version which we had in our long-term garage for six months. It covered large parts of the country without a hitch and colleagues who drove it could not speak more highly of it. It’s powered by Ford’s single turbo 2.0-litre engine that provides 132kW and 420Nm and which I reckon is the sweet spot in their range especially for the FX4’s power-to-weight ratio. Not once did I feel power was inadequate, even when on one occasion it was heavily loaded with building sand for a driveway project. Which is why double cabs, in…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za THE extension of the deadline for the final report from the Social Justice and Nation-Building Ombudsman comes as no surprise given the volume of testimony the office had to process. Cricket South Africa (CSA) onfirmed yesterday that its board of directors had given Ombudsman Dumisa Ntsebeza until next Monday to submit his final report. The original deadline was Tuesday, which was already an extension of a September 30 deadline. However, that date was changed to accommodate responses from those who had been named in the original phase of the Ombudsman’s oral testimonies conducted in July and August. A number of individuals and entities adversely mentioned during the hearings were given the opportunity to submit written responses, including CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith, the Proteas men’s team…

MIKE GREENAWAY mike.greenaway@inl.co.za SPRINGBOK flyhalf Handre Pollard is set to leave French club Montpellier for English Premiership outfit Leicester Tigers, according to reports from England. Pollard became the world’s best-paid player when he joined Montpellier after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, but his time in France has been plagued by injury and long absences to play for the Springboks, so he possibly has not given the club their money’s worth. His contract expires at the end of the current Top 14 season and both parties appear happy for him to move on. He has not been offered a contract extension. The 27-year-old has apparently turned down a lucrative offer from a Japanese club for a future with the English giants, who are embarking on a bold new rebuilding…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za CRICKET South Africa (CSA) are pulling out all the stops – as you do when $100 million is at stake – to ensure India’s proposed tour to this country goes ahead. CSA have provided all the health and safety assurances that their bio-secure environments are as safe as any in the world. They also have the support of national government – the same organisation that just a few months ago was threatening to take the game out of their hands – that they can adequately host Rahul David’s team without putting the players and staff at risk. Chartered planes are part of the planning with inter-provincial travel also limited to the bare minimum as single venues could play host to a number of matches in order to…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za SOUTH Africans are predicted to each spend an average of R6 326 over and above their usual monthly expenses during this festive season, an annual Summer Spending survey by short-term lender Wonga reveals. Based on Statistics SA’s mid-year population size estimates, the survey said this meant that local consumers were set to pump R252 billion into the local economy. Some 6 400 South Africans shared their plans for the festive season in the survey conducted last month. This revealed where they planned to be, what gifts they would like and how much they intended to spend. They also gave an indication of how they were feeling about next year. According to the results, the average spend per person over this period was forecast to…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za When it comes to music, language is no barrier. That’s because, as clichéd as it might sound, music really is a universal language. This is why Korean music, aka K-pop, has become so popular. Thanks to toe-tapping techno beats, crazy-colourful aesthetic, trend-defining fashion and perfectly choreographed videos, K-pop has become something of a global phenomenon and its stars are smashing records. From BTS winning Artist of the Year at this years American Music Awards to Blackpink being the first K-pop group to perform at Coachella in 2019, these stars are shining bright. K pop is part of what is called “Hallyu”, which means “Korean wave”. It refers to the colossal and ever-growing impact of South Korean culture, shown in the popularity of everything from K-dramas on…

Gene Weingarten THE one-storey clapboard house looks dingy and dilapidated, and the lawn is cluttered with crap. The backyard makes the front look like Versailles. There are piles of garbage and mouldering pits of ashes where trash and food scraps have been burnt. No person lives in the house, which is in rural northern North Carolina, a financially annihilated area where many people are living thin. The house has been abandoned since January, when the owner, an elderly man, died of Covid-19. We are here in late July. The squalor seems lifeless, but, terribly, it isn’t. You hear the three dogs baying before you see them, and then you see them and recoil. Each is tethered to a metal cable, which is tethered to its own primitive wooden doghouse.…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za Children can never have enough playtime, especially when it’s time spent with their best friends. For the only child who doesn’t have any siblings to play with, playdates are perfect. They don’t have to wait for large family gatherings or their friends’ birthday parties to get together with their buddies outside of school time. However, if your little one is under 10 years old, playtime with friends generally requires some form of supervision. While arranging a playdate is easy when you know your child’s friends and their parents, it can often be more difficult when it’s a first-time date. If, however, your little one is as persistent as my seven-year-old can be, then it’s only a matter of time before you have to give in to the…

Lucky Shabangu exclusively reveals to The Star that he is not and never was a witness against ex-state security minister and ANC NEC member Itumeleng Mafisa and Sifiso Mahlangu The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which has been accused of participating in the ANC’s factional battles, has suffered another blow to its case. Another mystery “witness” has fallen. Lucky Shabangu, who was said to be a witness in the case against former state security minister and ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Bongani Bongo, has exclusively revealed to The Star that he is not and never was a witness against Bongo. Shabangu said he has never provided an affidavit relating to the case. Bongo and his brother Joel, who are on bail of R10 000, face charges of…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za The High Court in the Western Cape has granted the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) an extension for the lawful relocation of residents illegally occupying its property along the Langa railway lines. Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda, said the extension was from November 26 to July 31, 2022 to allow for further consultations with affected communities. Prasa approached the court in July, seeking to regain its portion of land, erf 114 412, which it said was essential for its operations and the resumption of train services along the relevant corridor and route. The land, known as Siyahlala informal settlement, was invaded on January 4, 2019 by people from different areas in the province. “While the court has granted Prasa an eight months extension, further delaying our…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za WHAT punches well above its weight, climbs slippery rock faces with ease and floats effortlessly across beach sand and dunes? Without a doubt, it is the Suzuki Jimny, which has crept into the hearts of South Africans since the second generation SJ series in the 1980s. When the third generation JB43 arrived people really started to take notice. Suzuki put together a safari into some of the most remote areas of South Africa, including the Richtersveld, Boesmanland, Namaqualand and the Diamond Route in the old “Spergebied”. We landed in Upington, climbed behind the wheel of a five-speed GLX manual and hit the road to Pofadder. My partner and I had driven the same road to Pofadder and beyond in December in a Ford Ranger Raptor…

Willem van de Putte BUYERS are spoilt for choice when it comes to the medium sized SUV segment so much so it’s one of the most cluttered options around, meaning manufacturers really have to make an effort to get the public’s attention. Look on the internet and you’ll see the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX5, Nissan X-Trail to name a few, and in this case the Renault Koleos. Looking at the more recognised competition, the Koleos has a tough battle on its hands and, unlike the Renault Duster it’s not a name that jumps to mind when you hit the search button. It was updated earlier in the year to give a more distinctive look, something I immediately noticed when I saw it for the first time.…

THE worldwide governing body for netball, World Netball, has appointed Dr Charlotte Scholtz as technical delegate for the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town. The appointment marks an acknowledgement by World Netball that Scholtz, a geneticist, is equipped to oversee the competition planning and provide technical advice to ensure the event adheres to the organisation's standing orders. Scholtz, ever the academic, responded to the appointment with a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes jr, the American jurist and legal scholar: “A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions”. She continued: “I am confident that being part of the Netball World Cup 2023 will be a magnificent opportunity for growth and development for myself and South Africa.” Given the slew of highly…

HERMAN GIBBS KHAMA Billiat has undeniably been at the heart of Kaizer Chiefs’ rejuvenation and has witnessed first-hand the jaunty demeanour of his teammates when celebrating a goal. As Chiefs’ Premiership fortunes have taken an upward turn, Billiat has rediscovered his mojo. Together with the inspirational Keagan Dolly, Chiefs now find themselves in a lofty second place on the standings. Last weekend the two acclaimed players collectively bagged three goals against Swallows FC, and it sparked touchline celebrations that would have made the ‘king of goal celebrations’ Roger Milla look on with envy. The 31-year-old Zimbabwean, who recently retired from international football, will play his 100th match for Chiefs when next he runs out for the Amakhosi. It is a milestone that he should pass on Saturday at FNB…

NEWCASTLE United must now do what no other team in Premier League history has achieved if they are to avoid relegation – survive after failing to win any of their first 14 games. A 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Norwich City on Tuesday extended their winless run and new manager Eddie Howe knows the situation is becoming critical. Only three other teams in the Premier League era have failed to win any of their opening 14 games – Swindon Town (1993/94), Queens Park Rangers (2012/13) and Sheffield United (2020/21) – and all were relegated. Howe looked on in disbelief on Tuesday night as Ciaran Clark was sent off for inexplicably hauling back Norwich striker Teemu Pukki. Yet his team responded well and took the lead through Callum Wilson’s penalty…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za THE Bulls have beaten the Sharks and South Africa ‘A’ this year, but now “it’s almost like we are playing the Springboks”, says coach Jake White about tomorrow’s United Rugby Championship clash in Durban. White said during an online press conference yesterday that he has information that the Sharks will roll out all their Bok stars – including captain Siya Kolisi, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, centre Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi – for the Jonsson Kings Park showdown (7pm kick-off), and he has likened the game to a Test match. In contrast, the Bulls will have no returning Springboks in their line-up, after they confirmed prop Trevor Nyakane’s move to leading French club Racing 92 yesterday, while hooker Johan Grobbelaar was on tour in Australia, but did…