Table of contents for 2022-12-30 in Star

It’s almost time to ring in the new year and what better way to do so than by getting together with friends and having a good old time partying the night away? As we get ready to say goodbye to 2022 and welcome 2023, event venues and organisers are putting together some of the best line-ups and packages for party-goers. The Mother City does seem to be a firm favourite to ring in the New Year, with several big events being hosted in Cape Town. A-listers such as Somizi Mhlongo, Thando Thabethe, Moozlie and Boity Thulo have already checked into Cape Town. The parties are calling all the big ballers to come and have fun and are offering some serious packages. While some parties cost an arm and a leg,…

SPEAKER of the City of Joburg Colleen Makhubele has promised residents better days in the new year after a year of leadership squabbles and slow service delivery. Residents this year were faced with a revolving door of mayors, with several motions of no confidence filed, leading to a court battle that saw the DA retake power in the city. That was not the only problem, the city was rocked by challenges concerning payment to service providers, something that affected the city’s ability to deliver essential services. Makhubele said the next year would see the emergence of a government of local unity comprising minority parties with the support of the ANC as a majority partner. “For the residents, they must know that once we take back the administration, we…

The third suspect linked to the racism incident at the Maselspoort Resort and Conference Centre on Christmas Day has been granted bail of R20 000. The 48-year-old Jacobus Claasen appeared briefly in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Claasen was released on bail after he was not deemed a flight risk as he was a permanent resident of the country and a businessman in the area. He is expected to appear in court again after the case was postponed to January 25 next year. It was adjourned for further investigation, with Claasen said to be facing charges of attempted murder, assault and crimen injuria. His appearance comes a day after two of his co-accused appeared in the same court and were released on a warning following the highly…

Police at KwaMhlanga are investigating an incident in which an alleged rapist, 29-year-old Bheki Moses Phakathi, escaped from custody at the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Phakathi vanished from the court on December 21, when he was due to appear on at least five counts of rape. “According to the report, members from Tweefontein SAPS are said to have transported suspects for court appearance on the said day. It is alleged that on their arrival in court, the suspect (Phakathi) somehow escaped inside the court building,” said Mohlala. “Thereafter, it is further indicated that the members chased after the escapee but without any success.” A case of escape from lawful custody was opened against Phakathi, with another charge of aiding a suspect to escape being…

Daylight saving is done to make better use of natural sunlight and thereby use less electricity for lighting. Daylight saving means setting the clock forward one hour in the spring and then backwards by one hour in autumn. Thus, in the warmer months people get up one hour earlier and start and finish work an hour earlier. (Although the clock will show the same time as they get up now because it was put an hour forward in spring). People would also go to bed one hour earlier than they do now and would therefore use less lights, saving electricity. In autumn, the clocks are turned back by an hour to be the same as they are now. With daylight savings, less electricity would be used for lighting in summer.…

Mampintsha’s celebration of life mirrored how he lived his life, not only as a renowned award-winning music artist but as a son, father, and husband to Bongekile “Babe Wodumo” Simelane. Industry friends and family gathered in a lively memorial service at Bishop Dube’s church (eThekwini Community Church), where all the people who took the podium hailed him for his humility and the footprint he left in the entertainment industry. Mampintsha, whose real name is Mandla Maphumulo, was 40 when he died after suffering from a stroke on Christmas Eve. He had been hospitalised before his death. The gqom artist had been a household name in the past decade and built his name solidly as he collected many accolades in the entertainment space. Both his father and father-in-law spoke fondly about…

KABUL: G7 foreign ministers yesterday called on the Taliban to “urgently reverse” a ban on women working in Afghanistan’s aid sector. The ban is the latest blow against women’s rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban reclaimed power last year. The hardline Islamists also barred women from attending universities earlier this month, prompting global outrage and protests in some Afghan cities. “Women are absolutely central to humanitarian and basic needs operations. Unless they participate in aid delivery in Afghanistan, NGOs will be unable to reach the country’s most vulnerable people,” G7 ministers said. Six aid bodies suspended operations in Afghanistan in response to the ban. | AFP…

ORLANDO Pirates captain Innocent Maela and fellow defender Nkosinathi Sibisi have been given a clean bill of health and will be fighting fit to face Mamelodi Sundowns today at Loftus Versfeld (3.30pm kick-off). Maela and Sibisi suffered injuries ahead of the World Cup break in late October and were unable to participate in the Carling Black Label Cup at FNB Stadium. Both players resumed training a fortnight ago and are likely to be included in the starting XI for the clash against log-leaders Sundowns. Maela usually plays on the left side of a three-man defence and can be relied on to defend his channel. He is rock-solid in the rearguard and when opportunities arise, he won't hesitate to push forward. He can prove a threat when delivering crosses into the…

With two public holidays falling on a Sunday, South Africa is expected to have two extra holidays in 2023. This means that January 2 and September 25 will be additional public holidays in terms of the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994). With New Year’s Day on a Sunday, this would be observed on Monday, while Heritage Day, which is on September 24, also a Sunday, would fall on the Monday. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared last week Tuesday that December 27 would be a public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day, which fell on Sunday. South Africa has 12 public holidays as determined by the Public Holidays Act and with the additional two days, this would now be 14 days. The act determines that whenever any public holiday…

The Justice and Correctional Services Department spent up to R104 000 per day on four lawyers in a single court case, MPs heard. The court case focused on the cadre deployment policy, and it was brought forward by the DA against six respondents, namely the ANC, the ANC deployment committee, ANC deputy president, the South African president, the government, and the public service and administration minister. In one of his state capture reports, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo attributed state capture to the cadre deployment policy. DA MP Dr Leon Schreiber asked Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola what it cost the state as it opposed his party in the matter between the DA and the ANC about the cadre deployment policy in the Gauteng Division of the High Court…

Americans are such vain, superficial and showy people. Look at their Christmas; it is so fairy-like, much like Hollywood. What can be more magical than a white Christmas with Father Christmas on a sledge pulled by reindeer, the jingle of bells and Christmas trees decorated with tinsel, lights and gifts? I cannot believe that this first world nation so advanced in science and technology is so immersed in such a make- believe world of appearances and glamour. This same nation loves guns and violence as much as religion and the Bible. But Mother Nature turned on America and made their white Christmas into a living hell. It pummelled them with a bomb cyclone the likes of which they had never experience, disrupting air and road travel and putting an end…

Israel’s hawkish veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister again yesterday after a stint in opposition, heading what analysts call the most right-wing government in the country’s history. Netanyahu, 73, who is fighting corruption charges in court, already served as premier longer than anyone in Israeli history, leading the country from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021. “This is the sixth time I’m presenting a government that I’m heading to get parliament’s support, and I’m excited like the first time,” Netanyahu told the Knesset ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. The leader, who sees himself as the guarantor of his country’s security, stressed that his top goal would be “to thwart Iran’s efforts to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal” and “ensure Israel’s military superiority in the region”. But he also voiced…

Brasilia: Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security has authorised the National Public Security Force to safeguard the presidential inauguration of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on January 1, in the light of threats from groups opposing the incoming government. Organisers of the ceremony expect about 300 000 people to attend in the capital, Brasilia. Supporters of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro have been protesting the results of the October 30 run-off, in which Lula received 50.89% of the ballots, surpassing Bolsonaro’s 49.11%. Yesterday, police said they arrested four people and carried out raids over an alleged coup bid during riots by Bolsonaro supporters. | IANS…

CITY of Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has warned residents against drinking and driving during the end-of-year revelling this weekend. Phalatse said law enforcement would be “continuously visible” over the weekend in problem areas and on busy roads to ensure residents were safe and enjoyed their festivities “with ease”. Despite her New Year’s message, there were concerns from opposition parties that the municipality had no clear plans for ensuring that residents were safe this weekend. There were reports that staff at the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) were demoralised and had been in conflict with the municipality over a number of labour-related issues. Issues with payments to service providers and expired contracts had left the city without speed cameras for some time. Opposition parties had also complained about dysfunctional breathalysers…

After spending the past 12 months circumnavigating the post-pandemic new normal, for many this festive season is a chance to enjoy a well-deserved break. A time to step away from school runs, Zoom meetings and the mundane stresses of everyday life, and instead kick back, relax and make merry with friends and family. Yet for many, the festive season can also be stressful. Mentalist, illusionists and magician Larry Soffer shares some valuable tips to help boost your festive cheer, keep the magic alive and find memorable ways to believe in the impossible. Make memories with loved ones The best part of this time of year is the weather in sunny South Africa. Spending time with family, especially those we don’t see often, is a wonderful way to experience the magic…

The public view, which is correct, is that money is increasingly undermining politics as the wealthy are becoming too powerful at the expense of society. This is especially so with respect to the ANC. For example, there are unproven but serious accusations that money was bandied about at the recent ANC elective conference to influence delegate’s votes. The ANC has come out to rightly criticise this practice. But how genuine is this condemnation? The ANC has for decades been blatantly telling South Africans that money talks in politics. This is with reference to its official gatherings, where money is splashed around to gain access to tables of prominent officials. With the upcoming January 8 celebrations, the ANC is reportedly going to charge just over a million for a seat at…

Old age and generational conflict are two emotive topics of our time. Some people treat old age as sacrosanct and others view old age as a valueless asset to be disposed of on a whim. Golda Meir, a former prime minister of the Israel, once said: “Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you’re aboard, there’s nothing you can do.” The ANC is a fighting-prone organisation. Since its inception, it had to fight active racism. After it was unbanned it had to fight sexism within its ranks and now in the twilight of its life, it is fighting ageism. The ANC seems to be oscillating between simple challenges and complex ones. During a press conference, newly elected ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula lamented the exclusion of Joel…

In THE world of celebrities, many A-list couples get together and then move on way too fast, going from being a new item to engaged or married in a few short months, although celebrity relationships are known to not usually last very long. However, for every A-list couple that burns out and calls it quits, there’s another that seems to be in it for the long haul. Whether they’ve celebrated years of marriage or have simply had a successful relationship, these are some of the celebrity couples who carried the year 2022 with their “love lives here” goals and remained an inspiration: 1. Zakes Bantwini and Nandi Madida After dating for a few years, Zakes and Nandi tied the knot in 2016 in a small ceremony in KwaZulu-Natal. The love…

Washington: At least 62 people have died in the US due to the catastrophic winter storm that continues to wreak havoc across the country since it started on December 22, officials said. Erie County in New York reported 37 deaths as crews continued to clear roads and first responders are checking on people they couldn’t reach days ago. The remaining 25 fatalities were reported across 11 states. The storm buried the city of Buffalo in Erie County in nearly 132cm snow, trapping residents at home and taking out power lines. The storm was expected to linger into the upcoming weekend, weather forecasters said. | IANS…

ELON Musk has claimed Twitter “works” for him as users report issues with the site. The 51-year-old billionaire said everything was hunky dory as many people on the microblogging site complained of an international outage for hours that left them unable to use it. According to the website downdetector.com which monitors site traffic, Twitter was down just before midnight on on Wednesday. NetBlocks, a UK-based internet monitor tweeted: “Twitter is experiencing international outages affecting the mobile app and features including notifications.” | Bang Showbiz…

Kaizer Chiefs defender Zitha Kwinika is bracing himself for a “big fight” when Amakhosi play Lamontville Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow (3.30pm kick-off). Kwinika has become a solid defender who uses crunching tackles to ward off threatening attacks, while he also has an eye for counter-attack opportunities, providing lengthy upfield clearances for his forwards to run onto. Chiefs have done their analysis on Arrows and Kwinika feels Arrows will be highly-motivated for the clash. “They are a good team. In the past few weeks, we have been doing analysis on them,” said Kwinika. “They have got confidence and, as with all teams when they play us, it is like a big fight.” Kwinika says the team is ready to resume the challenge for DStv Premiership honours after…