Table of contents for 2022-07-19 in Star

In honouring global peace icon Nelson Mandela, UN Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday said Madiba’s example inspired hope in a troubled world. Mandela’s birthday, marked on July 18, was in 2009 declared Nelson Mandela International Day by the UN General Assembly. This year’s theme highlighted the plight of food security and climate change under the theme, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”. Guterres delivered a special message yesterday, saying: “The world honours a giant of our time; a leader of unparalleled courage and towering achievement; and a man of quiet dignity and deep humanity. “Nelson Mandela was a healer of communities and a mentor to generations. He remains a moral compass and reference to us all. “Madiba walked the path to freedom and dignity with steely…

During his inauguration speech as SA’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela urged all of us to act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world. This was expressed in his eloquent and moving words: “Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another”. Today, as we reflect on this powerful sentiment and the legacy of the father of our nation, it is important to realise that the struggle to end gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is far from won and the damage being done to society, economies and communities is getting more severe by the day. GBVF is unravelling the hopes and dreams we had as a…

SOUTH Africa was once proudly referred to as one of the most powerful developing nations with a promising future strengthened by the so-called best Constitution in the world. We inspired great leadership. Our state institutions provided the best service. The spirit of Ubuntu prevailed. But as the years passed – and cadre deployment prevailed – contamination began, with many institutions showing cracks because of poor governance. Hospital queues started getting longer, with the young and elderly people dying while waiting to be attended to by nurses and doctors, known to value their long lunchtimes more than human life. Medication shortages started as hospitals and clinics ran out of supply. Hope among our people faded and the elderly often chose to die at home rather than be neglected in hospital. Police…

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sidelined his childhood friend as head of Ukraine’s security service, and another close ally as top prosecutor, in Kyiv’s biggest internal purge of the war, citing their failure to root out Russian spies. The careers of SBU security service chief Ivan Bakanov and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova had personified Zelenskiy’s policy of putting young loyalists in charge of fighting corruption since the former TV comic came to power in 2019. But nearly five months after Russia’s invasion, the president acknowledged that his two allies had failed to root out traitors and collaborators in their organisations. Zelenskiy said the two had been removed from their posts. The deputy head of Zelenskiy’s administration clarified early yesterday that they had been suspended pending further investigation, rather than fired. More than…

Port Klang: Malaysian customs officials said yesterday they seized a stash of rare animal parts worth $18 million (R307m) thought to have come from Africa, including elephant tusks, rhino horn and pangolin scales. The Southeast Asian nation is a hub for wildlife trafficking, with animal parts shipped through the country to lucrative regional markets. Authorities foiled the smuggling attempt on July 10 when they uncovered the illicit cargo in Port Klang. The shipment included about 6 000kg of elephant tusks, Malaysia’s biggest single seizure of elephant ivory, the customs said. | AFP…

The Proteas will do well not to be distracted by the carnival-like atmosphere that will engulf Chester-le-Street in the opening one-day international against England today. The Durham locals will undoubtedly give their local hero Ben Stokes a royal send-off in his final ODI after the 31-year-old surprisingly announced his retirement from 50-overs cricket yesterday. Stokes, who recently took over the England Test captaincy from Joe Root, claimed it’s “just unsustainable for me now” and that he wants to give “everything I have to Test cricket” and “my total commitment to the T20 format”. The maverick World Cup-winning all-rounder will be equally motivated to give his supporters something special to make a noise about with a rousing final act. Proteas stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj will be hoping his bowling unit can…

GLOBAL reductions in Covid-19 testing may have impacted on the detection of the new Omicron Covid-19 sub-variant, BA 2.75. The variant has not been confirmed to have been detected in South Africa. World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the new sub lineage of the Omicron mutations was found in India, which the authority was “following”. “First, testing has reduced dramatically in many countries. This obscures the true picture of an evolving virus and the real burden of Covid-19 disease globally. It also means that treatments are not given early enough to prevent serious illness and/or death. “Second, new treatments, especially promising new oral antivirals, are still not reaching low- and low-middle income countries, depriving whole populations that need them. “Third, as the virus evolves, vaccine protection…

A GAUTENG farm owner is among nearly 100 suspects arrested for allegedly running illegal mining operations involving Lesotho nationals. SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the suspects were arrested in Heidelberg on Sunday. “A national multidisciplinary team, established to clamp down on illicit mining activities,have arrested 97 illegal miners and a 62-year-old farm owner in Heidelberg, Gauteng. “Following an intelligence-driven operation, a team consisting of various specialised units in the SAPS swooped on a farm where the illegal miners had been operating from,” he said. Mathe said the team included members of the National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team, Public Order Police, Crime Intelligence, detectives and bomb disposal specialists, and private stakeholders. After interrogating the miners, the team were able to seize mining equipment and implements. “The team also discovered that…

THE spike in terror attacks in Mozambique is likely to cause political instability in South Africa and other SADC countries, if not stopped. Efforts should also not be spared to promote a “peaceful and inclusive dialogue” in eSwatini in the interest of regional security and the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. This is contained in the ANC policy document, “In Pursuit of Progressive Internationalism”, in which the party is asking its branches to discuss solutions to terrorism and cross-border terror networks on the African continent. Addressing the media at Luthuli House, ANC headquarters in Joburg, the governing party’s head of international relations, Lindiwe Zulu, said her party had developed these policy documents to allow branches to beef them up before the national policy conference in Joburg next week. The…

GAUTENG residents have been waiting far too long for a decision to be made on the future of e-tolls in the province. Given the recent continuous hikes in fuel prices, a solution must be found as a matter of urgency. It is unfair that our residents, who are struggling to keep their heads above water because of the increasing cost of living, are being subjected to a system they did not agree to. Earlier this year, the South African National Roads Agency increased toll fees by 5%. If history is anything to go by, e-tolls will once again be used as voting fodder by the ANC in Gauteng. The DA is once again demanding that Premier David Makhura share the proposals that have been put forward as a solution to…

South Africa is one of the most progressive countries in advancing the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Africa, and its Constitution is the first in the world to prohibit unfair discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. But even though South Africa’s Constitution guarantees all citizens’ rights, many factors still conspire to make transgender and gender-diverse persons particularly vulnerable to life-threatening marginalisation, oppression, violence, and exclusion. Some of these factors include access to education, socio-economic status, health status, stigma, housing, and discrimination. Because of these and many other factors, the delicate topic of how South African communities and institutions of higher learning treat sexual and gender minorities, particularly the transgender community, is one that still demands considerable attention. Transgender and gender-diverse students continue to be marginalised, neglected, mistreated,…

SHANGHAI: Several large Chinese cities including Shanghai are rolling out new mass testing or extending lockdowns on millions of residents to counter new clusters of Covid-19 infections, with some measures being criticised on the internet. China has reported an average of around 390 local daily infections in the seven days ending on Sunday, higher than 340 seven days earlier, according to official data yesterday. China is adamant about implementing its zero Covid policy. Persistent outbreaks and more closures could add pressure on the world’s second-largest economy. | | Reuters…

Madrid: Spanish customs agents seized a Picasso sketch worth over €450 000 from a passenger who arrived at Ibiza airport without declaring the artwork, Spain’s customs office said yesterday. Agents found the 1966 sketch, Trois Personnages, on July 5 in the suitcase of a man who arrived in the holiday island on a flight from Zurich, the office said. The passenger said the artwork was a simple copy and presented the agents with a handwritten receipt of 1 500 Swiss francs which he said he had paid for the sketch. But customs agents found another receipt in his suitcase from a Zurich art gallery for 450 000 Swiss francs. | AFP…

When current leader Jonas Vingegaard and defending champion Tadej Pogacar roll up the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, the cyclist in the yellow jersey will have endured an epic 21-day struggle for supremacy. Two-time defending champion Pogacar was billed as the nailed-on certainty in the run-up, but for now the Slovenian sits second, two minutes and 22 seconds behind the Dane. Here, we look at the factors most likely to settle the enthralling struggle. MENTALITY: Pogacar was dancing around playfully pouring water on stage winner Jasper Philipsen at the finish line on Sunday, like some teenager at a pool with his pals. On the same day, Vingegaard lost two teammates to injury. He also had to survive an early long range attack from his rival, but also a late fall. The Dane…

LAMIEZ Holworthy, and Our Perfect Wedding host Lebogang “The Funny Chef” Tlokana are serving serious friendship goals. Holworthy recently threw a surprise party for her best friend in celebration of her new cookbook The Funny Chef’s Delicious Dishes. In conversation with IOL Lifestyle, Tlokana described the moment as mind-blowing when she arrived at Holworthy’s home to find her family and close friends ready to celebrate her accomplishment. “That was the most beautiful thing,” she said. “There's a point where I said to her (Lamiez), ‘for you to invite me to your house… our house is a very sacred space’. You don’t just invite anybody, for the fact that she invited my family. That was it for me. And when I saw them… it was ridiculous…supreme happiness. She also shared the…

PROLONGED strike action by employees of the SA Revenue Service (Sars) could lead to poor tax collection and cause the economy to take a knock, public service unions have warned. The Public Service Association (PSA) said South African exports were already feeling the pinch, with Sars workers being on strike at the borders. PSA spokesperson Reuben Maleka said that if the wage stalemate continued, it could have a big impact on tax collection and the economy. Sars employees have been on strike since July 12. Unions in this sector are asking for inflation plus 7%. But Sars said it could only offer workers 1.39%. Maleka said workers were facing tough times with an increase in the price of food and fuel. He said that if workers did not get the…

TO celebrate Madiba’s birthday month, the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) and Futurelife have initiated a programme to assist children from destitute backgrounds. An Early Childhood Development (ECD) Telesmurfs in Soweto is a beneficiary of the programme which seeks to fight hunger and create an adequate learning environment for children. The partners donated groceries and blankets to Telesmurfs with The Star joining the initiative, which aims to keep Nelson Mandela’s legacy alive. Managing director of Futurelife, Mark Bunn, said that the harsh reality was that malnutrition and hunger was rife among many of South Africa’s children. “Futurelife is a brand that believes in health, hope and happiness and that all people should have access to these through good nutrition. “Our partnership with the Nelson Mandela Fund Early Childhood Development Programme will…

This is no tooth fairy tale but a real show of apology and redemption from Belgian authorities who recently led an entourage of children and grandchildren of the late Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, who escorted a gold-capped tooth all the way from Belgium to Kinshasa, DRC. The procession with Belgian officials in tow made global headlines. Lumumba was the first prime minister of DRC from June to September 1960 but was assassinated by firing squad on January 17, 1961. History books tell us that shortly after gaining independence in 1960, a mutiny broke out in the army which marked the beginning of the Congo Crisis. Belgium supported the Katangan secessionists led by Moise Tshombe and the US refused to help, believing that Lumumba was a…

The routine reference to Ukraine as a “democracy” is problematic. Democracies don’t have martial law. Ukraine does. Democracies don’t ban all opposition parties. Ukraine does. Democracies don’t prohibit opposition media. Ukraine does. Democracies don’t torture minorities. Ukraine tortures the Russian minority. If Ukraine is a democracy, surely China, North Korea and Iran are also worthy of being called “democracies”? US President Joe Biden’s stance on democracy is dubious given the policies of his party: The branding of parents opposed to the indoctrination of their children with Marxist Critical Race Theory in schools as “domestic terrorists” and their surveillance by the FBI. Imposing LGBT and Transgender ideology on schoolchildren despite objections. Using Big Tech companies to assist in censuring speech. Attempting to reject the rule of law where the second…

In early 2021, the Minerals Council South Africa published a report on how the country’s mining industry was increasing its use of new innovations to strengthen several sectors of operation, with the Covid-19 lockdowns accelerating the application of 4IR technologies. Council chief executive Roger Baxter echoed this, saying the council advocated a people-centric, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)- nabled approach to the sector’s modernisation, and the technology would allow national operators to be globally competitive. The 4IR represents a dramatic shift across all industries in terms of digital transformation and new ways of conducting business. In mining, innovative methods such as network video and audio products make overseeing and managing operations more efficient and secure, while also serving as a scalable solution for what is, essentially, South Africa’s most important sector…

Panama City: The government and indigenous leaders have reached a second deal to clear all remaining demonstrators from the Pan-American Highway in exchange for lower fuel prices, ending a two-week blockade that stymied food deliveries. The government released footage of the signing of an initial agreement in far-west Chiriqui province, where most of the country’s food is produced, and of a blocked section of the highway being cleared. Angered by high prices and corruption, protesters had clogged the highway. The deal is effective from yesterday. | AFP…

Orlando Pirates have parted ways with veteran defender and club legend Happy Jele, with the Sea Robbers announcing the release of the 35-year-old yesterday. “Our central defender and club captain, who has reached the end of his contract, will be leaving the club. This marks the end of Jele’s momentous career with us,” Pirates stated. Jele had been on the books of Pirates for 16-years. During that time, he won two Premiership titles and made nearly 400 appearances. Jele’s exit from Pirates forms part of the club’s plans to rebuild itself into a giant of South African football after several years of underachievement. In addition to Jele, the club have also parted ways with no less than 14 other players. They have also seen no less than 13 players join…

The last time the All Blacks lost a home series was in 1994 against France, and two weeks later they took out their frustrations on the Springboks, bouncing back strongly to win a series 2-0, with one Test drawn. History has a strange knack for repeating itself, but let’s hope that is not the case when the latest All Blacks team to be hurting from a home series defeat – this time to Ireland – arrives in South Africa shortly for two Rugby Championship matches against the Boks in a fortnight’s time. I have a feeling, though, that things will be different this time and that the Boks have the forward arsenal to see off the Kiwis in Nelspruit and at Ellis Park, because what was evident is that the…

Arthur Zwane appeared to have scared off his predecessor Vela Khumalo when Kaizer Chiefs went live on Instagram last week. In a clip doing the rounds on social media, Zwane mocks Khumalo by saying he will quickly grow a goatee as well, given the pressure that comes with being the reserve team coach. As if that was not enough, the new Amakhosi head coach reminded Khumalo that “this (club) is the biggest thing in South Africa” in his parting shot! But Khumalo responded to lecture ‘10111’ and said that he delivered where it mattered the most – on the pitch. The Chiefs reserve team beat rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 in Soshanguve on Saturday to book their spot in the Diski Shield final. Chiefs fans said the win is not only…