Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-05-09 i Star

ANC doing itself a disservice ‘by not heeding his advice, scuppering much-needed inquiries’ Political experts say the ANC has not heeded the advice and warnings of former president Thabo Mbeki after it said it intended to use its majority to block the establishment of an ad hoc committee to provide oversight on the work of Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. Last week, the DA tabled a draft resolution at a mini-plenary session calling for an ad hoc committee to be established, but ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said such a parliamentary committee was not necessary. The ANC said it would not support the resolution when it is put to the vote later this month. In March, Mbeki sent a 17-page letter to ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile, questioning why the…

The SOUTH African government has welcomed the start of pre-negotiation talks between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which commenced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. According to Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, South Africa further joined the AU in commending the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the US for facilitating and hosting the pre-negotiation talks, as well as the two Sudanese parties for their direct engagement with each other across the table. Monyela said South Africa reiter- ated the centrality of the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on De- velopment (Igad) in the pre-negotiation and subsequent talks to ensure long-lasting solutions to the challenges faced by Sudan. “South Africa further commends the role played by the presi- dent of South Sudan,…

A NUMBER of hospitals in the province don’t have permanent CEOs, which is affecting the quality and level of service to patients, the DA’s Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said. “Acting CEOs lack authority and are unlikely to take the initiative or root out vested interests. Nine out of 37 Gauteng public hospitals currently have an acting CEO, as the previous CEO has either left or been suspended,” he said. Bloom said it was crucial to have qualified, experienced people in these posts to ensure government hospitals were well run, and that patients were afforded the correct medical treatment. The president of the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union, Rich Sicina, said the union had also been challenging the provincial department for failing to employ permanent CEOs. He said…

Two years have passed since the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment announced its intention to phase out the captive lion industry, but progress has been slow. This is according to global animal welfare organisation Four Paws, which fears the government is showing signs of not knowing how to implement the phase-out. Keeping lions in captivity is a multimillion-dollar industry in South Africa, where there are an estimated 12 000 captive lions. At every stage of their lives they are used for profit – tourists pay to pet cubs at predator parks, walk with juvenile and adult lions and take selfies; and then there’s canned hunting or trophy hunting and the lion bone trade. There is a moratorium on the bone trade, but farmers have openly said they stockpile…

As the countdown begins to Africa’s highly anticipated annual race event, Hollywoodbets Durban July, the biggest hospitality marquee, Heineken Boomtown, is getting ready to host only the finest acts. Boomtown returns for its 13th season, maintaining its consistency in providing the ultimate in hospitality every year. Offering world-class sound and lighting, complemented by live entertainment from the hottest artists in the country, this year promises to be no different. The event will feature a stellar line-up of top equines, a star-studded cast of punters, celebrities, and designers at play, coupled with entertainment and hospitality. The event has proven to be one of the most coveted July weekend experiences, delivering the ultimate gathering for horse racing, fashion, and music lovers alike. With the various lavish-tiered hospitality decks and lounges, a scenic…

The Fourth Industrial Revolution continues to change every aspect of society and can be a powerful tool to fight against corruption in South Africa. South Africa has plenty of open corruption cases, such as the Passenger Rail Agency being investigated for paying millions of rand to more than 3 000 ghost workers. Corruption in South Africa is high as it ranked number 72 out of 180 countries, according to the Transparency International 2022 Corruption Perception Index. This is supported by an Afrobarometer survey that illustrates that 64% of South Africans believe corruption has risen in the country, especially through government officials such as the police force, the president’s office, local government councils, and Parliament. Some 76% of South Africans fear reporting on corruption due to being victimised by those in…

UKRAINE President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed yesterday that Russian forces would be defeated in Ukraine just as Nazi Germany was beaten in 1945, during an address commemorating the end of World War II. His speech recorded at a war memorial in Kyiv comes one day ahead of Victory Day in Moscow, a Soviet war anniversary to be marked by an army parade through Red Square with security on high alert. Ukrainian forces meanwhile said they had downed nearly three dozen Russian attack drones, spurring explosions and air raid sirens in the capital overnight. “All the old evil that modern Russia is bringing back will be defeated just as Nazism was defeated,” Zelensky said in a video at Kyiv’s World War II memorial. “Just as we destroyed evil together then, we are…

BERLIN: German police have arrested a cardiology specialist suspended from Berlin’s Charite hospital on suspicion of murder, police and prosecutors said yesterday. The 55-year-old is suspected of having knowingly administered high doses of a sedative to two seriously ill patients in intensive care who died as a result. The cardiologist was suspended from Charite in August 2022. Prosecutors initiated an investigation at that time, but an arrest warrant could only be issued on receipt of a medical report showing that the high doses of sedative had not been medically justifiable. | Reuters…

WHILE the country’s only licence printing machine is once again out of order, AfriForum is gearing up for its legal challenge in August, which deals with the expiry of driving licence cards. According to the Department of Transport, the machine broke down due to a technical problem that required a part to be replaced by the original manufacturer. AfriForum will be in the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on August 7 and 8 to demand a declaratory order stating that the five-year validity period of driving licences is unconstitutional. It will also ask that all fines issued for expired licences be declared unconstitutional. According to Ernst van Zyl, campaign officer for strategy and content at AfriForum, the least the government can do is to grant a grace period to…

The mother of a Grade R pupil, who said her child fell into an open pit toilet during school hours, not only lost her damages claim against the North West Education MEC, but was also ordered to pay its legal costs. In this pit toilet saga with a twist, the unemployed mother, who cannot be identified as her son is a minor, turned to the North West Division of the High Court, sitting in Mafikeng, as she was adamant her son was injured when he fell into the pit toilet. The headmaster of the school, which was not named in the judgment, teachers and even the gardener who the child claimed had pulled him out of the toilet, denied the events. While the child was not called as a witness…

THE BALOBEDU Royal Council has endorsed Princess Masalanabo Modjadji to be installed as the next rain queen. The council, a parallel structure to the Modjadji Royal Council, was established last December after a fall-out between Princess Masalanabo and her elder brother, Prince Lekukela Modjadji. The Modjadji Royal Council last October hosted a traditional ceremony inaugurating Prince Lekukela as the next king, which would end 200 years of rule by women in the Balobedu nation, situated at Khetlhakone Village outside Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo. The two siblings have been in a fierce battle to ascend the throne to lead the Balobedu nation after the death of their mother, “rain queen” Queen Makobo Modjadji, in 2005. The factional Balobedu Royal Council consists of the late queen’s advisers and are backing Masalanabo to be…

the latest proclamation from el Presidente Ramaphoria is that the gap between the private medical system and the public sector government operated medical system is ever widening, so the NHI must be brought on with increased haste. I do not really think the private medical system has improved by any leaps and bounds forward; has Ramaphosa not realised the widening gap is 100% because the government/ANC run hospital system is daily falling backwards by a quantum measure? There are daily reports in the media including the SABC, the public hospital system is in ruins. Doctors and other professional staff have to bring in food to feed patients, hospitals suffer blackouts and cannot operate or perform even basic medical rounds (no diesel or better still no generators), hospitals have no medicines…

I AM once again struck by all the myriad strands that go into the weave of human life – a once-knitted tapestry that upon death, falls apart at the seams. Someone sent me an excellently chronicled narrative on the complexities of the human experience, and I’ve added a light, patented seasoning of my own banter and wish to share it with you. In the clip, a Zambian man talks in polished English and it goes like this... “After your funeral, everyone gathers at your house or an outside venue to share a meal. The crying has stopped! Some will reminisce about your good deeds and the good times but the conversation will quickly turn to current events. Then everyone goes back home. Your married children go back to their…

Early childhood education (ECE) for children is increasingly recognised as essential for children’s developmental needs and, frequently in Africa, to mitigate the effects of intergenerational poverty. Unfortunately, however, in South Africa and Kenya, children with disabilities are frequently excluded from ECE. In parts of both countries, many parents lack the ability to identify their children’s disabilities unless these are physically evident. This leads to drastic delays for such children in reaching their developmental milestones. Worse, at the community level, many cultural and religious beliefs attribute children’s disabilities (whether physical, developmental or psycho- social) to curses, incest, a punishment for past-life sins or sins committed by family members. Consequently, families living in these communities might hide their children with disabilities or seek spiritual or witchcraft solutions, rather than present their children…

Yangon: A convoy of diplomats travelling in Myanmar came under fire from an unknown armed group, a military official and a diplomat said yesterday. Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration in February 2021. On Sunday a convoy of vehicles travelling in Taunggyi township in eastern Myanmar’s Shan State was attacked by an unknown armed group. The convoy was carrying diplomats from the embassies of Indonesia and Singapore and officials co-ordinating humanitarian relief from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc. No casualties were reported. | AFP…

KOCHI: At least 22 people died when an overcrowded double-decker tourist boat capsized in an estuary in southern India, authorities said. Some passengers managed to jump off and swim to safety when the converted fishing vessel overturned in the waterway near the town of Tanur in Kerala state late on Sunday, one survivor said. But others among the estimated 40 people on board were trapped in the boat, officials said. The dead included 11 people from one family. Rescuers called off a search yesterday when the last missing passenger, an 8-year-old boy, turned up alive in Calicut hospital. | AFP…

A host of senior United Rugby Championship players could return to their Currie Cup teams to provide more impetus to the competition. After being dumped out of the URC play-offs by the Stormers and Leinster respectively, the Blue Bulls and Sharks can call on their big-name players to help them push for semi-final spots in South Africa’s premier domestic competition. It’s especially the Bulls who need all the help they can get as they have lost twice in a row in the Currie Cup and have been slipping down the standings. They are second from bottom after only winning three of their nine matches. The Sharks, on the other hand, have been doing quite well without their senior players and have managed to stay among the top four sides. They…

After claiming she had been physically assaulted by her partner, Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, affectionately known as DJ Maphorisa, renowned actress and DJ Thuli P has withdrawn the assault case. Thulisile ‘’Thuli P’’ Phongolo, who initially denied being in a relationship with Maphorisa on social media, showed up at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday and confirmed the withdrawal of the assault case against her lover. Maphorisa was locked up overnight at the Sandton police station and has been granted R4 000 bail with stern instructions not to contact Phongolo. The hearing has been remanded to June 14. It was also stated that he should adhere to the instructions until the withdrawal statement was examined. According to reports, Phongolo alleged that they were involved in a heated argument and Maphorisa responded…

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has welcomed the independent chairperson’s findings against its former second deputy president, Ruth Ntlokotse, who was on Thursday expelled as a member of the union. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the union had been forced to issue a statement to address the matter due to “a continuation of misconduct by the former second deputy president”. Ntlokotse was found guilty on three charges by the independent panel led by labour relations practitioner Charlie Higgs. Her expulsion from the Saftu-affiliated Numsa comes after Ntlokotse and 30 other members initiated a court process against Numsa before its congress in July 2022. In August 2022, the Labour Court dismissed Ntlokotse’s contempt of court application. She had applied to the courts to have the congress declared null…

For the first time ever, Red Bull Unlocked will celebrate Joburg’s nightlife by bringing together some of the best venues under one roof, offering the ultimate immersive experience for party-goers who love socialising and good times. For those with a thirst to celebrate friends and explore unforgettable experiences, Red Bull Unlocked is the key, say the organisers. The most exciting local venues and talents – bars, clubs, performing artists, and more – will take over Victoria Yards in Johannesburg to “showcase their signature ambiance while also collaborating for must-see cultural mash-ups”. This global event has seen Switzerland, Manchester, Nashville, and Australia turn up, and now it’s Johannesburg’s turn to showcase what Mzansi has to offer. Taking place on Saturday, May 27, Red Bull Unlocked is a nightlife enthusiast's dream come…

The DA in Gauteng says the province’s Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation has spent R28 million in the past two years on social events, while artists are struggling without much-needed support from the department. The party’s Gauteng spokesperson on sport, arts, culture and recreation, Kingsol Chabalala, said Gauteng artists, particularly in the townships, were facing serious challenges posed by the lack of resources and funding. According to Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Morakane Mosupyoe, the department spent R14 473 205 in the 2021/22 financial year and R13 327 380 in the 2022/23 year on social events such as beach parties and live music shows. Mosupyoe revealed this in a written reply to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng legislature. Chabalala said that…

The South African mortgage market and high interest rates have squeezed the working class to live from hand to mouth due to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) hiking or increasing interest rates. Regrettably, bankers are not friends of the working class and they use a deeply inhuman and exploitive system to control wealth. Like the capitalist, bankers are profit-sucking institutions. Charging interest to human beings to purchase basic needs such as a simple home or a small vehicle or pay for an education has proven to have negative impact on the dignity of human beings, society and economy. Until a more sustainable, egalitarian and non-exploitive money lending system is designed, I would like to suggest to the minister of finance and the Governor of the SARB to use the…

Johannesburgers waited with to learn who the new leader of the greatest city in Africa and the economic hub of our country would be. The ANC/EFF coalition, together with the Patriotic Alliance of Kenny Kunene and Gayton MacKenzie, finally gave us a new puppet mayor: Kabelo Gwamanda from a party called Al Jamah Ah. It has three seats out of 200 in the city council. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, fast building himself a reputation for being a bumbling ass, only interested in publicity and promoting his own interests and career, put down a revolt, with the assistance of the secretary-general of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula (also not known for sound judgement), of ANC councillors who refused to vote for Gwamanda at first. Lesufi reassured them that that was necessary to…

With new political parties tripping themselves up to register with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), South Africa has an oversupply of political parties hoping to contest the 2024 general elections. According to the commission, there are about 1 547 registered political parties in its database, with over 701 already de-registered from their system. Some 83 of the parties have been rejected for one reason or another. In total, this makes South Africa one of the leading countries when it comes to the number of political parties, with 2 330 on IEC’s system. Some are quick to say this is a sign of true democracy, but this over-supply of political parties in a young democracy such as ours defeats the whole purpose of freedom of choice. How are South Africans supposed…

BEIRUT: Syrian factions have given mixed reactions to an Arab League decision to lift the suspension on Syria’s membership after more than a decade of isolation, underscoring the deep rifts cut into the country by years of bloodshed. The decision by foreign ministers of Arab League countries consolidates a regional push to normalise ties with President Bashar al-Assad, whose country was suspended from the body in 2011. Since then, hundreds of thousands have died, mill ions have been displaced and infrastructure has been ravaged by years of bombardment. | AFP…

Dakar: The military junta in Mali is facing fresh opposition to a June 18 referendum on a new constitution from a movement calling for elections and a quick return to civilian rule. Constitutional reform is the first major step in the military’s plans to justify continuing to govern until 2024, following the overthrow of former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020. The Call of February 20 movement said the referendum was “illegal”. The junta intends to hold elections in February 2024 to restore a civilian government in Bamako. | AFP…

It is not often that an overseas batter is credited for his ability to play high-quality spin in the IPL, but Proteas middle-order star Heinrich Klaasen is certainly earning the respect of people in India. Klaasen, playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, has enjoyed a breakout IPL season this year after being part of the tournament since 2018. Having previously only been a squad member, Klaasen has established himself in the Sunrisers middle order with some exceptional performances. The 31-year-old has struck 215 runs at an average of 43, but more tellingly he has the highest strike-rate of 185.34 for batters who have scored more than 200 runs in the competition. It is widely acknowledged that batting up-front against the new ball in the powerplay is the most productive time on…