Table of contents for 2023-03-16 in Star

THE COMPETITION Tribunal yesterday heard public interest and unfair competition concerns around the merger of Manta Bidco and Mediclinic International, the two large medical industry firms. This after South African Competition Commission approved the merger with conditions. Bidco is incorporated in England and Wales and is a joint venture controlled by Remgro Healthcare Holdings and SAS Shipping Agencies Services, while Mediclinic, incorporated in the UK, has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listing on the JSE and Namibian Stock Exchanges. The deal was announced in 2022 with a £3.7 billion price tag (around R82bn currently), However, Section 27, a public interest law centre, and other interested parties, said yesterday that the Competition Tribunal should enforce conditions stipulated by the Competition Commission and ratified by the…

The untimely death of dancer and amapiano star Costa Titch has sent shock waves across the world. In a video clip which circulated on social media, the Mpumalanga-born star was seen stumbling and falling off the stage during his performance at the Ultra Music Festival at the Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday night. Titch later died in a hospital, leaving many unanswered questions and speculation surrounding the cause of his death. Taking to his Instagram on Sunday, Kiddwaya sent a strong message to talent management teams, urging them to prioritise artists’ mental health and well-being. “I just saw this terrible video of Costa Titch slumping and dying on stage. It is so sad because the guy was so talented and extremely young,” he said. “This is the message to…

The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said there had been progress in wage negotiations between the government and public sector unions. The union released a statement yesterday demystifying what it described as lies being peddled in public by other unions in the public sector. Sadtu and other unions affiliated to the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), which together form 53.9% of those in negotiations at the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSCBC), “are making strides in the current wage negotiations”, it said. “Contrary to lies and the cheap propaganda peddled by unions that have been boycotting the negotiations and bullying others into their agenda, the public service wage negotiations are continuing,” Sadtu said. According to the union, since negotiations began on February 17 and ended on March 14, Sadtu…

Modern beauty standards and a proliferation of images featuring seemingly flawless celebrity bodies have resulted in a heightened desire for plastic surgery. Dr Kajal Lutchminarian, a leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon and the founder of Klutch Plastic Surgery and Medi-Spa, has urged South Africans to exercise caution when seeking affordable plastic surgery procedures. “Plastic surgery is not something to be taken lightly. “It’s important to do your due diligence and ensure your surgery takes place in a sterile theatre or operating room,” cautioned Lutchminarian. “This is the one thing you don’t want to skimp on. “With procedures costing anything between R75 000 and R100 000, it’s common for South Africans to get on planes and head to places like Turkey or the Dominican Republic for seemingly ‘cheaper’ plastic surgery procedures.…

This week marks a month since Kiernan “AKA“ Forbes was shot dead on Florida Street in Durban. His fans, loved ones, and family have been calling for justice to prevail as no significant progress has been made in bringing those responsible for his murder to book. Dubbed “Supa Mega” by fans, Forbes was also close friends with Da L.E.S. and Yanga Chief, who paid their tributes on MTV’s Love and Hip Hop SA. Da L.E.S. hosted a memorial with the rest of the cast, where AKA’s father Tony Forbes joined them to honour how AKA impacted their careers. On the show, the cast opens up about the fear that is looming in South Africa regarding crime and the tragic losses from senseless killings in the country. “I’m sitting here and…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is all smiles. Why shouldn’t he be? For months the Phala Phala scandal hung like the sword of Democles over his head. Now, he has been cleared and vindicated by the public protector and South African Revenue Service (Sars). So relieved was he that he took to the streets in Stanger and Pietermaritzburg, urging residents to register and vote for the ANC. “The ANC will give you jobs,” he promised. How many times have the poor masses heard that old, scratchy song? The preliminary report from acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka clears the president of wrongdoing, putting most of the blame on his henchmen, Major-General Wally Rhoode. It is an indicator of what’s to come in the final report. We might as well accept that Ramaphosa…

What an irony that newly appointed Minister of Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet is being accused of fraud in gaining admission to Fort Hare University. It is unbelievable that Fort Hare did not pick up this anomaly. At any higher education institution, there are multi-layered processes of quality assurance. Regarding student admissions, applicants’ documents go to an administrator who must convince themselves that all is in order; the second tier is where the assessment is done (department of applicant) and lastly the faculty/school where the dean or an equivalent makes sure that everything is in order. It is thus impossible that crooked applicants can get through such a system undetected. Surely the Presidency or even President Cyril Ramaphosa should have known that there was something amiss in the background…

At the young age of 28, Constantinos “Costa Titch” Tsobanoglou has robbed us of his talent after collapsing onstage earlier this week. The amapiano artist and rapper has left a void in the music industry for all music lovers. It is alleged that the young performer suffered from seizures from a very young age, and stage lights were the cause of his death. Before his untimely demise, the Big Flexa hitmaker was a breakthrough superstar in a traditionally “black music” genre. After almost 30 years in the democratic dispensation, Titch still surprises many South Africans of all races with his choice in music. It is as though there is still a sense in the country that sees one race as fit for something while another is fit for something else.…

DHAKA: A Myanmar delegation is visiting Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh this week to verify a few hundred potential returnees for a pilot repatriation project. Nearly a million Rohingya Muslim refugees are living in camps in the border district of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, most having fled a military-led crackdown in Myanmar in 2017. Living conditions in the camps are dangerous. Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission said there was a list of 1 140 Rohingya who were to be repatriated through the pilot project, of which 711 have had their cases cleared. | Reuters…

Beijing: The doctor who exposed China’s cover-up of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) epidemic in 2003 has died, aged 91, his family confirmed yesterday Jiang Yanyong, then a doctor in a Beijing military hospital, angered the authorities when he informed foreign media of China’s attempts to downplay the outbreak of Sars, revealing the existence of hundreds of previously hidden cases. His funeral was held yesterday, said Jiang’s daughter-in-law Cui Hong, who did not attend the ceremony. SARS went on to kill more than 800 people worldwide. | AFP…

THE major discussion points had already been settled before delegates gathered for the 73rd Fifa Congress in the Rwandan capital of Kigali today, including the format for the 2026 Soccer World Cup and Gianni Infantino’s next term as president. Incumbent Infantino will stand unopposed, making his re-election a formality even if he is not universally popular among member associations for a range of reasons, including pushing for a failed plan to play the World Cup every two years. Instead there will be an expanded finals that will feature 48 teams at the 2026 event co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, with a format that will see 104 matches played, up from 64, to bolster Fifa’s already burgeoning revenues. It will mean more funding for poorer member associations, who will…

HE may be hanging up his playing boots in June, but Morne Steyn’s kicking boots are going nowhere. In fact, they are likely to remain at Loftus Versfeld, as the veteran flyhalf says he is in talks with the Bulls to become a kicking coach. The 38-year-old former Springbok pivot announced this week that while he is busy establishing his own MS10 kicking academy, he is hoping to remain involved in the game at the highest level once he retires at the end of the season. And his work will entail much more than just taking shots at goal. “I am in talks to remain involved at the Bulls, specifically as a kicking coach. I’ve often seen with teams that when it gets difficult in matches, you can always see…

Tributes are pouring in for award-winning vocalist and instrumentalist Gloria Bosman, 50, who died after a short illness. The family said Bosman died at home, surrounded by loved ones, on March 14. “It is with profound sadness that we share that in the early hours of this morning, we lost the rock of our family; a beloved mother, grandmother, and sister, Gloria Bosman, who came to fame for her soulful and soothing voice,” read the family statement. Saddened and shocked by Bosman’s sudden death, music lovers, fans and musicians took to various social media platforms to share their messages of condolences to the family while also paying their respects to the music icon. Actor Sello Maake kaNcube wrote: “We are allowed to allow words to fail us at times! What…

Water utility Rand Water made revelations about how it is struggling to meet demand in Gauteng. Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu is concerned about this. Areas in the province, including Johannesburg, Thokoza, Palmridge, Eden Park, Brakpan, Kempton Park, Midrand, Fourways and Kagiso have experienced interrupted water supply and shortages over the last few months. Rand Water is only able to pump 4 500 mega-litres of water into running taps per day. The water utility attributed this, among other problems, to vandalism, which damaged meters, and ongoing load shedding. From March 20 to 26, the country is commemorating National Water Week. Mchunu said that they needed to accelerate access to clean water for all, and it is a constitutional right. He said some municipalities in Gauteng and other areas…

Durban animal rescuer Nick Evans was forced to jump on top of a 1.5m Nile monitor lizard to catch it in the Dawncliffe area of Westville on Saturday. Evans said a resident had been walking in her garden with her Jack Russell, when suddenly the dog started barking. He said the dog had discovered the large Nile monitor lizard in the garden. According to Evans, when he looked at the address, he noticed that the property was quite far from a reserve or stream. “How it got there, I don’t know. Crossing through properties put it in grave danger of being killed by dogs, and, crossing roads, it could get run over. I really hoped to catch it.” He said when he arrived, the lizard was lying against the fence,…

A new tackle rule is seemingly coming to South African rugby, one that hopes to make the game safer and more appealing to the public. On Monday, World Rugby announced it recommended to its member unions the tackle height be adjusted to below the sternum in the community game after trial findings in France, SA, Georgia, and Fiji “delivered positive advancement in player safety, by reducing the number of head impacts and concussions, and the overall game experience by the supporting of increased ball-in-play flow”. “This is essential to the sport’s future,” the statement added. “The evidence we have, from France in particular, shows that not only does reducing the tackle height make the game safer but it increases numbers playing as well. That must be the aim for everyone…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday urged Ethiopia to “deepen the peace” in its war-torn north, as he announced a $331-million (about R6 billion) aid package to the country during a visit aimed at repairing relations shaken by the two-year conflict. The top US diplomat was paying his first visit to the long-standing ally since the end of the war in Tigray, which claimed 500 000 lives according to US estimates, and led Washington to sever trade preferences with Africa’s second most populous nation. As China and Russia increasingly seek influence in Ethiopia and around the continent, Blinken opened his visit by voicing hope for better relations as he sipped Ethiopia’s celebrated coffee at the foreign ministry. “It’s a very important moment, a moment of hope, given the peace…

Istanbul: Flash floods brought on by torrential rains killed at least 13 people living in tents and container housing set up across Türkiye’s quake-hit region yesterday, putting more pressure on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before crunch elections. Several more people were swept away by the rushing water, which turned streets into muddy rivers in areas hit by last month’s 7.8-magnitude quake, reports said. More than 48 000 people died in Türkiye and nearly 6 000 in Syria. Thousands of Türkish quake survivors were moved into tents and container homes. | AFP…

BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos will have a tough time selecting his final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Liberia this month as most of his men are on form. After playing only one game in Group K, losing to log leaders Morocco, Bafana are second in the group, leading third-placed Liberia, who also lost to the Atlas Lions, on goal difference. The three teams are vying for a qualification berth for the continental finals in Ivory Coast next year as Zimbabwe are out of the running following a ban imposed by Fifa. The South Africans could all but secure their spot in the finals as early as this month if they beat Liberia at home, Orlando Stadium, on March 24 and away four days later in…

THE MANGEMENT at Growthpoint Properties presenting South Africa’s largest primary listed real estate investment trust’s (Reit’s) interims yesterday adopted a tone of caution and defensive stance for the year ahead with muted growth on the horizon. Looking ahead, Growthpoint said, its diversified portfolio, strong balance sheet and stable hard currency dividend income streams position the company defensively for the rest of financial year 2023. “However, with elevated uncertainty in the local and global macroeconomic environment and rising interest rates and inflation, Growthpoint still expects to deliver muted full-year distributable income per share (Dips) growth,” it said. CEO Norbert Sasse, talking about the firm’s interim results for the period ended December 31, 2022, said that it would take about a three- to five-year period for property values to recover. This…

SINGER and songwriter Zahara, real name Bulelwa Mkutukana, said “yes” to her boyfriend Mpho Xaba after a courtship of six months. The Loliwe singer’s engineer boyfriend snatched her in front of her family and friends recently when he proposed. It’s said she was under the impression she was going to be part of a podcast interview, but Xaba and his PA planned the set-up with rose petals and champagne on hand. Her family were in full celebration when Xaba popped the question. While this is not the first time she’s been engaged, she was chuffed when Xaba got down on one knee in his white suit. Tweeps had mixed reactions to the singer’s loved up post, where she flashed her engagement ring as her fiancé leaned in for a kiss…

Public Investment Corporation (PIC) listed equities general manager Lebogang Molebatsi has told the High Court in the Western Cape that he considered the ICT investment group, AYO Technology Solutions (AYO), to be a good investment, and advised the PIC to buy its shares. Molebatsi, who was testifying at the ongoing case in which the PIC is looking to dissolve and recoup its R4.3 billion subscription agreement in the listed technology firm, admitted saying on several separate occasions that he considered AYO to be a good investment. Molebatsi, who was being questioned about his role in the deal, admitted under cross-examination by AYO senior counsel Nazeer Cassim to having signed memos supporting the transaction several months later. Molebatsi was part of the PIC transaction team, which also included then PIC executive…

The city says it is seeking to enhance the standard of living for all its citizens. This will be done by deploying smart city infrastructure such as CCTV cameras, interactive panic buttons and electronic signage to enhance road traffic enforcement, law and by-law enforcement, the detection, prevention and investigation of crime, disaster mitigation, and services relating to licensing and medical and fire emergencies. The Public Safety Department of the city and VumaCam Proprietary have signed a memorandum to set rules for how VumaCam and the city can collaborate so the city can use the experience, knowledge and resources provided by VumaCam to enhance the level of safety it provides to its citizens, said the spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Xolani Fihla. “This involves building a safe and…

Ingredients: 6kg lamb knuckles 1 packet Royco Brown Onion Soup powder 2kg baby potatoes, cut in half 3kg shallots 1.5kg carrots, diced 1kg green beans, sliced 5 cloves of garlic 500g lamb spice mix 1 litre cooking oil 4 tins chopped tomatoes 2 litres vegetable stock 1 bunch fresh parsley, to garnish Salt and Pepper to season Method In a large bowl start off by mixing Royco Brown Onion Soup in about two litres of vegetable stock or water and set aside. Heat up large potjie pot, toss the lamb in some flour, herbs, lamb spice, salt and pepper. Cook in batches until lightly browned on either sides. Once cooked, add the brown onion soup mix, wine, herbs and onions to your potjie along with the lamb and mix well…

Research conducted in 2019 by a medical practice network, Body- LogicMD, revealed that 51% of respondents experienced “dead bedrooms” as a result of work stress. With stress known as a part of life due to the demands one faces daily, Affinity Health, a provider of high-quality healthcare, reveals how stress can negatively influence one’s sex drive. “It’s important to talk to your health-care provider if you’re experiencing sexual dysfunction. Your doctor may recommend sex therapists or mental health experts who specialise in treating diminished libido and sex drive due to stress,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health. In the bedroom, a lack of communication between couples can raise tension, and many people get more worried if their self-esteem is low. The health provider points out that the relationship between…

So, the Anglican Church in Southern Africa has developed certain ethics aimed at accommodating more and more homosexual partners. I also hear that the pope of the Catholic Church has begun to warm up to homosexuality as opposed to previous stances from the papacy. If the Christian churches are ready to embrace homosexuality and culture and promote these practices, then all the churches must begin with polygamy. Or are they waiting for approval from the Vatican and prestigious Western institutions and social scientists? Even though polygamy is not a norm in the West, and to the superior authors in the US and Europe on what it means to be genuinely democratic, polygamy is very much part of African societies. And unlike homosexuality, polygamy is clearly mentioned in the Bible, in…

Listening to the Absa CEO, on a recent radio interview, I thought wow, this guy really knows his stuff! He has awesome depth of banking institutional knowledge of both domestic and international issues. But his bank falls flat on its face when it comes to “on the floor” relationship banking. It is scandalous. They do not have enough experienced people to assist those with banking queries even during trading hours. On a recent visit to the East Rand Mall Branch there was one person assisting with what was a complex customer query. And the rest of us just sat ... and sat ... and sat ... and the queue simply grew longer and longer. Those institutional bigwigs, who sit behind sculpted mahogany desks, in their lofty towers, have absolutely…

OVER the past few weekends in a far-off land, British football legend Gary Lineker’s simple act of speaking out for vulnerable refugees brought severe disruptions to the BBC’s sports coverage. In a personal tweet, Lineker equating the Tory government’s Illegal Migration Bill to Nazi Germany. Lineker is a freelance host of immensely popular BBC Match-of-the-Day, a Saturday night feature for millions of viewers in the UK. The BBC handed down a suspension to Lineker for Saturday’s programme. According to the BBC, as a person contracted to the national broadcaster, Lineker should have remained impartial even in his personal capacity and refrained from criticising the government’s actions. The suspension cost him his fee for the programme. In solidarity, sports commentator colleagues at the BBC downed tools and refused to work. This…

Bogotá: At least 11 people died and 10 more remained trapped following a coal mine explosion in central Colombia, the governor of Cundinamarca department said yesterday. The accident in the municipality of Sutatausa occurred due to an accumulation of gases that exploded after a worker’s tool caused a spark, Governor Nicolas Garcia said. The explosion happened at a series of legal mines that are linked. The miners were trapped 900m underground, making access difficult for the more than 100 rescuers working on the search, Garcia said. Oil and coal are the main exports of Colombia, where mining accidents are frequent. | AFP…

Lahore: Legions of Imran Khan’s angry supporters fought off riot police attempting to arrest the former Pakistan prime minister, but the 70-year-old opposition leader insists he is all about law and order. Police yesterday wanted to arrest Khan for skipping court dates to answer allegations that he failed to declare gifts he received during his three-and-a-half-year term in office – or the profits made from selling them. But they were met by hundreds of his fanatical supporters as they waged battles with officers. Khan was ousted from office in a no-confidence vote last April. | AFP…

MIKEL Arteta insists Arsenal will not down tools in the Europa League to help their bid to win a first Premier League title for 19 years. Arteta’s Premier League leaders sit five points clear of second-placed Manchester City with 11 games left. Bowing out of the Europa League could aid the Gunners’ hopes of holding onto the lead in the title race as it would allow more recovery and preparation time. But Arteta does not share that view because the Arsenal boss is trying to restore a winning culture to a club mired in mediocrity for much of the past two decades. Arsenal host Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash tonight with the tie delicately balanced after a 2-2 draw in Portugal last week.…

TRADITIONALLY, it isn’t before every encounter between the Pumas and Lions that one can say that it is the Nelspruit-based team who are the pre-match favourites to sweep aside their more illustrious neighbours in the Currie Cup. The Pumas crushed the Bulls 63-15 at Loftus Versfeld last Sunday, while the Lions came unstuck at home 28-44 against a well-drilled Western Province unit. Both results were surprising by degrees of shock, the defending champions mauling of the Pretoria-based side more so. Moreover, the Lions lost both matches against their eastern neighbours last season – 50-9 and 45-10. Nevertheless, and despite the recent early set-back in the opening weekend last week and the 2022 record, Darrien Landsberg remains positive that the Lions have the self-belief to travel to Mbombela Stadium on Friday…