Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-11 i Cape Argus

GIVEN MAJOLA given.majola@inl.co.za BUSINESSES and households have been urged to reduce food losses significantly as a study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) found that 45 percent of the available food supply in South Africa was wasted, which pointed to issues with the food value chain. The findings of the recently released study showed that about 10.3 million tons a year of food earmarked for human consumption did not reach the stomach. This was equivalent to 34 percent of local food production, but because South Africa is a net exporter of food, the losses and waste were equivalent to 45 percent of the available food supply in the country. The results pointed to a high level of inefficiency in the food value chain…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za POLICE are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found dumped in Browns Farm, Philippi, on Women’s Day. Philippi police have arrested a man believed to be involved in the murder in Browns Farm. The suspect was apprehended on August 9, at a shack in the community, after community members alerted police to his whereabouts. Police spokesperson André Traut said: “We can confirm that the body of a woman was discovered in Browns Farm on Monday morning. “One suspect has since been arrested after he was caught and beaten up by community members. The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and once charged the suspect is expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder and rape.” Philippi…

| African News Agency (ANA) SOUTH African athletes who won medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will receive a financial incentive, contrary to recent reports, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) confirmed yesterday. President Barry Hendricks said reports that the governing body would not be rewarding Tatjana Schoenmaker and Bianca Buitendag weren’t accurate. “We have been consistent in saying that we are in negotiations with partners over the issue of financial rewards to medallists at both the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. It is true that the amounts have not been finalised, given that the negotiations are ongoing. However, there has never been a point whereby a decision has been made to not offer medallists incentives,” Hendricks said in a statement. Sascoc did…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za President Cyril Ramaphosa is due back at the Commission of Inquiry into state capture today, and is expected to kick off his two-day appearance by giving evidence relating to his work in the ANC as well as his tenure as deputy president of the country. Ramaphosa was thrust into a number of politically defining moments in his presidency over the past few weeks, as his Cabinet had to deal with the insurrection in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal last month. His appearance before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo also comes shortly after Ramaphosa had to act decisively when implementing key Cabinet changes, including replacing the Health minister, while dealing with the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. His appearance at the state capture inquiry will mark the culmination of…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za Umoya Energy Wind Farm is helping West Coast entrepreneurs access business opportunities and transform their survivalist businesses into formal sustainable SMMEs through its Accelerator programme. After completing the first phase of the programme in 2020, the wind farm was able to continue with the second phase through a partnership with the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), despite the Covid-19 third wave. Umoya Energy Wind Farm Community operations manager Celiwe Mabaso said the closures that happened during Covid-19 were disturbing for the entrepreneurs and prompted them to make a conscious decision to focus on turning the threat into an opportunity through the programme. Mabaso said the 19 participating West Coast entrepreneurs benefited from coaching and mentorship, and skills development to improve revenue as well as personal growth…

THE Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) announced yesterday that it had concluded its wage negotiations in the home textile sub-sector, and settled for a 5.9% increase for members. Negotiations were finalised in late July and were held virtually to avoid the spread of the Covid-19 virus. “This new collective agreement was concluded under the auspices of the National Textile Bargaining Council with employers represented by the South African Home Textiles Manufacturers Employers’ Organisation. “Sactwu members in this textile sub-sector will receive a wage increase of 5.9%, with effect from July 1, 2021, the day after the expiry of the last wage agreement,” Sactwu’s general secretary Andre Kriel said. The union said the 12-month agreement would end on June 30 next year. Kriel said the agreement contains a…

THE Western Cape’s dams continue to see weekly increases in water levels, even though the volume of increases has dropped. Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said: “We continue to see dam levels across the largest parts of the province increase. The area of greatest concern continues to be the Gouritz River catchment area, with Calitzdorp dam at 41%, and Gamka dam outside Beaufort West at 34.7% this week.” He said the latest average level for dams in the Western Cape was 77.3%, which is 15.1% more than it was a year ago, when the average level stood at 62.2%. Bredell said the latest average level for dams providing water to the city, was 97.7%. In the second week of August 2020 the level was 78.6%. The…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za FOLLOWING the successful vaccination of homeless people last week, organisations and networks led by and supporting street people say they are currently analysing data and the vaccination operation and are looking forward to commencing with the second phase of the programme. The Hope Exchange director Reverend Annie Kirke said the first phase of the homeless vaccination administered at their site attracted 148 homeless people, with 147 under 60 and one over 60 years. She said only 17 had no identification and no known ID number, while 131 either had an ID or could recall their ID number. “The first phase went very well. We have received an incredibly positive response from the street-based community and appreciation that they could access the vaccine. The programme was a very…

FAROUK ARAIE | BENONI WE HAVE set aside a special day to honour our dedicated women. Women have always been respected from ancient periods onwards, and in all religions they have been given due importance. A woman is a mother, sister, wife and, finally, a torch-bearer for human civilisation, as without a mother, one cannot see light in the world. Women stand at the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis, as health workers, caregivers, innovators, community organisers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens women carry. Attaining equality between men and women and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women are fundamental human rights and UN values.…

Adiel Ismail | Mountview Am I missing something? There has been a great fuss with the recent renaming of the town of Brandfort to Winnie Mandela. Will such renaming do justice to Winnie Mandela? With most of the municipalities outside the Western Cape unable to deliver essential services to its residents, one wonders whether the giants at the forefront of the Struggle against apartheid, including Winnie Mandela and Nelson Mandela, would have approved that their names be associated with such dysfunctional municipalities? It was reported that Day Zero looms in Nelson Mandela Bay as drought continues with the Kouga Dam having usable water of only 1.5% of its total capacity. Although this water crisis is largely due to droughts experienced for the past few years, residents blame the…

SINCE South Africa’s first participation, post-apartheid, in the Olympic Games, our country’s athletes have performed beyond expectations – all things considered. When the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday heralded the end of the Games, and the Olympic Flame was extinguished, Team South Africa could boast of only a paltry three-medal haul, and although our country placed third on the continent, this was Team South Africa’s worst performance since the Beijing 2008 Olympics. This is despite the fact that the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) sent its largest contingent of 185 athletes to Tokyo, which dwarfs other countries on the continent. On Monday Sascoc president Barry Hendricks initially confirmed weekend reports that the cash-strapped Olympic committee would not pay bonuses to South Africa’s two medal winners –…

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued a call yesterday for all eligible civilians to join the armed forces as fighting raged in multiple regions of Africa’s second most populous nation. Abiy sent troops into Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray region last year to topple the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the regional ruling party which dominated national politics for nearly three decades until 2018. The move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps, said Abiy. Although he promised a swift victory, the war took a stunning turn in June when Tigrayan forces recaptured the regional capital Mekele and the Ethiopian army largely withdrew. Abiy also declared a unilateral ceasefire, saying it would facilitate aid access to a region where 400 000 people are facing famine-like conditions, according to…

Rome: Mount Etna’s south-eastern crater has grown in height after six months of activity, Italy’s volcano monitoring agency said yesterday, making Europe’s tallest active volcano taller than ever. The famous volcano’s youngest and most active crater has risen to a new record of 3 357m above sea level, said the National Institute for Geophysics and Vulcanology. The north-eastern crater of Etna reached a record height of 3 350m in 1981, but a collapse at its edges reduced that to 3 326m, recorded in 2018. | AFP…

SOUTH AFRICA Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za THE Springboks will have to defend their Rugby Championship crown without the services of Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has undergone surgery on the shoulder he injured during the second Test against the British & Irish Lions. The 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year was the controversial victim of a late tackle by Lions wing Duhan van der Merwe and left the field in visible pain, and now he has had an operation that could rule him out of rugby for the remainder of the year. “Pieter-Steph had shoulder surgery on Monday, and I spoke to him briefly. It went well but he will be out for some time,” coach Jacques Nienaber said after announcing a new-look team to play Argentina on Saturday. “I’m not…

Sports Reporter THIS year’s Cape Town Marathon will go ahead as planned on October 17, albeit with several adjustments to what runners have come to know of the popular race. With the race having been restricted to a few elite runners and run on a loop in the Mother City as well as in Pretoria and Potchefstroom last year due to the severe Covid-19 restrictions, organisers have worked hard to ensure a return to some semblance of normality this time around. “Following extensive consultations and a detailed review with the City of Cape Town, Athletics South Africa and National Government, we developed and presented an extensive Covid-19 risk mitigation plan (RMP) for the event, and received their full support to go ahead with our planning of a safe and…

Bulls Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za THE Blue Bulls and Griquas meet at Loftus Versfeld this afternoon with both teams desperate to return to winning ways after unexpected Currie Cup defeats last week. Griquas had been expected to beat the Lions in Kimberley to back up their impressive win over the Sharks the week before, but the Joburgers turned the tables after having lost to Griquas in the first round. The Bulls were the favourites going into their match in Durban last Friday, but the Sharks bounced back to win convincingly. “We are on the back of a disappointing result against a strong Sharks side, and now we will face an equally committed and dangerous Griquas team,” Bulls coach Jake White said. “Griquas have proven that they are very strong competitors in…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za LAMONTVILLE Golden Arrows coach Lehlohonolo Seema is both excited and humbled as his side prepare to kick off their 2021/22 season with an MTN8 quarter-final clash against SuperSport United at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Saturday. There will be heavy expectations on Seema to continue Abfana Bes’thende’s good form from last season, which saw the club finish fourth in the Premiership and narrowly miss out on a place in the CAF Confederation Cup. It remains to be seen, however, if Seema will be able to replicate the type of performances that Mandla Ncikazi orchestrated as Arrows’ mentor last season. Ncikazi has since left the Kwa-Zulu Natal-based club and is now part of the Orlando Pirates technical team. “We have been preparing well, and not only…

THE Shoprite Group has reopened 89 stores in the past three weeks as the business works day and night to restore operations disrupted by the recent unrest, the company said in a statement yesterday. The efforts and determination of the group to prevent looting and damage, and to clean up and restore operations following the unrest, have been exceptional. Loss prevention, supply chain, fleet management and in-store teams stepped up immediately and have been critical in the reopening process, Shoprite said. “The support of customers and their offers to help with clean-ups has been overwhelming,” Shoprite said. “All of these efforts to reopen and rebuild our business and serve our communities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng reflect the strength and resilience of our teams and our operations,” a spokesperson for the…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za From the moment their relationship was made official, it appeared to be something out of a movie. When media personality Somizi Mhlongo went public with his relationship to his then-boyfriend, Mohale Motaung, South Africans were taken aback by, yes, the usual things, like the couple’s age gap, but it was how public Mhlongo was about the relationship that shocked the masses. Until then, the Sarafina star had kept his relationships private. South Africans were given all access to the couple. They appeared on Mhlongo’s reality show Living the Dream with Somizi, they did interviews together, posted each other on their respective social media accounts and were given a wedding special. The first of its kind for a gay couple in Mzansi. However, it wasn’t long before…

Ntombi Nkosi ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za THE deployment of the SANDF should be executed with transparency, political parties say. This as the government confirmed that soldiers had been deployed to National Key Points including the SABC, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s homes, among others. Department of Defence and Military Veterans spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said yesterday: “Unfortunately, we do not discuss operational matters with anyone.” An anonymous source within the SANDF said National Key Points included airports, the SABC, transmission stations, pumping stations, Parliament, the Transnet pipeline, depots, Rand Water, fuel depots, mining sites, SA Mint, former presidents’ homes, provincial legislatures, power stations and refineries. “Most of the key points like Parliament or the Union Buildings by nature are guarded by soldiers or the SAPS. Key point areas can be used to sabotage the…

| African News Agency (ANA) EMPLOYEES involved in work at Unit 4 of Eskom’s Medupi power plant whose generator exploded at the weekend, have been placed under precautionary suspension pending the conclusion of an investigation, the power utility has announced. Eskom said the incident occurred during work to displace hydrogen with carbon dioxide and air respectively, in order to find an external leak. “Following the power station preliminary investigation, it appears that while performing this activity air was introduced into the generator at a point where hydrogen was still present in the generator at sufficient quantities to create an explosive mixture, which ignited and resulted in the explosion,” the utility said. “It also appears that there was a deviation from the procedure for carrying out this activity. As such Eskom…

Itumeleng Mafisa JOBURG Council Speaker Nonceba Molwele has dismissed remarks that the city’s new mayor, Jolidee Matongo, is a foreign national. Matongo was elected unopposed as the city’s first citizen yesterday just more than a month after former mayor Geoff Makhubo died from Covid-19-related complications. During his acceptance speech as a nominee at the special council meeting yesterday, Matongo declared that he was the son of a migrant from Zimbabwe. However, Molwele later cleared the air around Matongo’s citizenship. “It is important, because there’s a perception that the executive mayor is not a citizen. I want to put it into perspective that the executive mayor was born and brought up in the country – in Soweto, to be precise. “He has been in different structures that fought for the…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za CONSERVATION lobby groups and activists have started a petition to stop the City and Cape Nature from “killing” Chacma baboons on the Cape Peninsula. The groups, which are calling for a moratorium on the killing of baboons and a workshop with the authorities, said they have been asking for this from 2009 and, in this period, 81 baboons had been killed under baboon management protocols. They called for a more empathetic approach to managing the baboons. The moratorium will be handed over to Cape Nature today. Activist Debby Zuanni said a new way forward with stakeholders must be planned, and old protocols and management guidelines must be reassessed and overhauled. She said alternatives for paintball guns, bear bangers, and constant harassment of the troops had to be…

Malusi Rayi | Communications, DWS Western Cape It all began in 1956 when more than 20 000 women of all races marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in a protest over the former apartheid regime’s much hated pass laws. Did you know? l Major Mandisa Nomcebo is the first black woman to be a South African combat fighter pilot. l Dr Mosadi Mahoko is the first black woman to qualify at Stellenbosch University as a plastic surgeon. l Nicky-Newton King is the first woman to have run Africa’s biggest stock exchange, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). l Dr Pregaluxmi (Pregs) Govender is a feminist human rights activist who was the second SA Human Rights Commissioner. The common denominator among these women is the fact that despite the…

Iqbal Jassat AMID a full-blown controversy sparked by a decision to allow Israel “observer status” at the AU, it is crucial to note that the Zionist colonial settler regime hasn’t halted its violent plunder of Palestinian rights while relentlessly pushing ahead with illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The unauthorised permission by the AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has resulted in African leaders facing divisive consequences of a rash, unwise and problematic decision. Mahamat’s unilateral approval, if not reversed, would allow Israel to adversely influence the historic solidarity of the continent with Palestine. When news broke from Israel celebrating its admission, it was revealing to note that the AU website was conspicuously silent. Only days later did Mahamat confirmed it, thus giving rise to speculation and questions…

Taliban insurgents tightened their grip on captured Afghan territory yesterday as civilians hid in their homes, with an EU official saying the militants now controlled 65% of the country after a string of sudden gains as foreign forces pull out. President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his government, while a UN official said advances made in human rights in the 20 years since the hardline Islamists were ousted from power were in danger of being erased. In the capital Kabul, Ghani’s aides said he was seeking help from regional militias he has squabbled with over the years to rally to the defence of his government. He had also appealed to civilians to defend Afghanistan’s “democratic fabric”. In the town of Aibak, capital of Samangan province on the…

Bangkok: Riot police yesterday fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in Bangkok as hundreds rallied for democratic reform and against the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Demonstrators defied a ban on public gatherings as Thailand tries to quash its worst virus outbreak so far, with daily new cases hovering around the 20 000 mark. Hundreds of protesters wove their way through Bangkok streets on motorbikes and in cars. Some demonstrators threw firecrackers and fireworks at police, who responded by firing water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas. A youth-led democracy movement kicked off in Thailand last year drawing thousands to rallies demanding the resignation of Prayut, the former army chief who came to power in a 2014 coup. | AFP…

The focus of the sporting world shifts to the Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar following the Tokyo Olympics, with lingering questions over Covid-19 safety and human rights. Unlike the Games, which played out to a backdrop of surging case numbers in Tokyo and without spectators to limit viral transmission, organisers of the November 18 to December 21, 2022, football tournament insist it will be played in full stadiums. Qatar 2022 might be the first truly global sporting event with fans since coronavirus emerged at the start of 2020, if the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics goes ahead behind closed doors as an International Olympic Committee (ICC) official has suggested. Such is the commitment of the tiny, super-wealthy host emirate to stage a “normal” tournament, that Doha has pledged to vaccinate…

There is a cracker double header for Independent Media readers on Friday. It’s the 2021/2022 South African and English soccer season fixtures list supplement giving soccer fans the best of both worlds – all the English and all the South African premier league fixtures in a compact pull-out. Don’t miss the must have soccer supplement – sponsored by SPAR – with the Cape Argus, Isolezwe, the Mercury, Daily News, Star, Pretoria News, Cape Times and as well as in a special INL Digital Magazine.…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za CIVIL society organisations have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the GBVF (Gender-Based Violence and Femicide) Private Sector Response Fund pledges, but raised concerns over the fund’s insufficiency and potential mismanagement. In his Women’s Day speech, Ramaphosa announced that the fund has so far received R141 million in pledges. The fund, launched earlier this year, is aimed at financing and supporting the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF and expanding the government’s work in fighting GBVF. Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said the amount raised thus far was insufficient judging from the fact that GBV costs the country between R24 billion and R42bna year. “Comprehensive investments into sustainable economic opportunities for women need to be undertaken. The immediate and long- term impact of the…

| African News Agency (ANA) THE recent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, with the rampant blockage of roads and redirection of security resources into communities, has caused some delays in the probe into the foot-and-mouth disease in the province, Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza said. “However, the movement control protocol and movement permit system remained in place. “During the said unrest period, a number of fines were issued for illegal movement of animals, which demonstrates that, despite the difficult situation, both veterinary services and the police were able to perform their duties effectively. “Visible veterinary patrols and roadblocks are in place in the DMA (disease management area) to control the movement of livestock and to monitor adherence to the movement protocol. “Fines are issued for consignments…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarrynleigh.solomons@inl.co.za The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy says even though the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng has subsided, Covid-19 restrictions have seen a lag in services as some service stations are yet to be rebuilt. The portfolio committee on mineral resources and energy was yesterday briefed by the department on the impact that the looting had on the sector. Deputy Director-General of Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulation Tseliso Maqubela said over and above the damages to property and subdued investor confidence, it has been estimated by notable banks that the riots would shave off 0.8% of economic growth in 2021, with the third quarter seeing an estimated decline of 3%. Maqubela explained that the production of minerals was not necessarily impacted, however the disruptions would have…

Rhys Evans SOUTH Africa has entered the third wave of Covid-19, with an average of 17 781 new cases every day. Despite the worrisome numbers, this is no reason to forget or dismiss existing occupational health and safety obligations. The risk of injury in accidents caused by workers who arrive under the influence should be even more evident now with the media highlighting the extent to which hospital emergency, trauma and casualty wards fill up with people injured as a result of intoxication. Therefore, strict consistency in compliance with all health and safety measures is equally important in ensuring a working environment that is safe from alcohol, drugs and the Covid-19 virus. While the alarming rise in Covid-19 infections should not be taken lightly, it's important to remember that…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za THE Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) wants the Constitutional Court to decide by August 30 when the local government elections will be held. The IEC has applied to the apex court to postpone the municipal polls, scheduled for October 27, until February next year because of threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Constitutional Court has set down the matter for next Friday. Medical experts have warned the IEC that the actual figures of Covid-19 mortality are about three times higher than the officially reported deaths, reaching as high as 180 000. The elections were due to be held on October 27, but following retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke’s recommendations to postpone the polls until at least February, the IEC has applied to the court to confirm…

HOW does one follow a universal act of stellar proportions that produced physical feats in Tokyo that rewrote sports history? Or the reshuffling of a Parliament and the likelihood of replacing one set of rogues with other possible malfeasants? How does one continue to beat the drum of the need to observe pandemic protocol when this thing has been with us so long that it seems to be the new normal? And how do families reconfigure and reposition relationships with everybody at home and not away for most of the day? We do it by buying sanity with the coin called nostalgia. It is still a viable currency. Even now we can say things like: Remember when we could leave home at eight in the evening for drinks at the…

Farouk Cassim | Cope Century View Milnerton PEOPLE everywhere in the world now need to have a sense of extreme urgency and palpable fear regarding the climate emergency. It’s here in all its frightful manifestations – prolonged drought, wildfires, heat waves and floods. The UN report, as the Cape Argus reported, “is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred”. In just 79 years, sea levels could rise by as much as two metres. Policymakers must face immense pressure to ensure that they implement policies which will allow for drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. I have been urging via a motion and through other interventions that mayor Dan Plato and…

SOUTH Africa’s economy has taken several heavy body blows recently. These include a slowdown due to measures taken to control the spread of Covid-19, on top of increased state dysfunctionality due to corruption. The country has also just experienced the worst riots since it became a democracy in 1994. President Cyril Ramaphosa and former Finance Minister Tito Mboweni have put measures in place to try to soften some of the hardships caused by the pandemic and, more recently, the arson and violence. But a host of additional adjustments need to be made – to economic plans as well as budgets. One of these is the country’s power generation and electricity supply programmes. A reappraisal of the country’s long-term electricity requirements – and a review of technologies best suited under the…

Wildfires fanned by blistering temperatures and tinder-dry conditions have killed at least seven people in Algeria, the interior minister said yesterday, adding that the fires had criminal origin. Photographs on social media show huge walls of flame and billowing clouds of smoke towering over villages in the forested hills of the Kabylie region, east of the capital Algiers. Meteorologists said the temperature would reach 46°C yesterday, and the country was also struggling with severe water shortages. Fires were reported in multiple locations in 14 districts, 10 around Tizi Ouzou, one of the most populous cities in Kabylie. Interior Minister Kamel Beldjoud said seven people had been killed, including six in the region around Tizi Ouzou and one in Setif. “Fifty fires starting at the same time is impossible. These fires…

WASHINGTON: The US Senate on Tuesday approved a $1.2 trillion (R17.1 trillion) infrastructure investment plan backed by President Joe Biden. The package, described by the White House as “historic”, would go to the House of Representatives for final approval. The budget resolution “will be the most consequential piece of legislation for working people, the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor since FDR (President Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and the New Deal of the 1930s,” said independent Senator Bernie Sanders, the chairperson of the Budget Committee. “It will also put the US in a global leadership position to combat climate change and make our planet healthy and habitable for future generations.” | AFP…

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi received a hero’s welcome after flying to France yesterday to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following his shock departure from Barcelona. The agreement to sign the 34-year-old Argentine is a major coup for wealthy PSG, who will add one of the best footballers of all time to an already formidable front line that includes Brazil’s Neymar and young Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. Wearing a T-shirt that read ‘This is Paris’, Messi beamed and waved at scores of fans who had come to greet him at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of the French capital after his flight from Barcelona. Chanting “Messi, Messi, Messi,” the fans cheered and let off firecrackers. “It’s going to be mad. After all, it’s a legend who is arriving,” said Florent…

Cricket’s world governing body said on Monday that it intends to push for the sport’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The ICC said it would start preparations on an Olympic campaign to point out “the sport’s inclusion in 2028 would mark the end of a 128-year absence”. Cricket has appeared once in the Olympics, at Paris in 1900 when the Devon and Somerset Wanderers, representing Great Britain, beat the only other entrants, a team of British embassy staff appearing as France, by 158 runs in a one-innings match. ICC chair Greg Barclay said the Tokyo Games, which ended on Sunday, had been an inspiration and that cricket’s large fanbase meant it should be invited to the party. “I would like to congratulate the IOC,…

Chelsea will aim to start the new season as they ended the last with more silverware when the European champions face Europa League winners Villarreal in the Uefa Super Cup in Belfast today. Thomas Tuchel’s stunning impact since taking charge of the Blues in January has raised expectations for Chelsea to challenge in all competitions this season, particularly with Romelu Lukaku on the verge of returning to Stamford Bridge for a club record fee of £97-million (about R1.8bn). Tuchel’s men beat Manchester City to lift the Champions League in May, just five months after he replaced the sacked Frank Lampard with Chelsea languishing in ninth in the Premier League. Victory in Porto was Chelsea’s third over City in six weeks towards the end of the season. Now they have the…

Lions Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za After an extended period on the sidelines, former captain Jaco Kriel will finally return to the rugby field when the Sigma Lions face the Free State Cheetahs tonight in Bloemfontein. Beloved by ‘The Pride’, the Springbok flank last played for the team in January in the Currie Cup semi-final against the Bulls, which the Johannesburg outfit lost 26-21, and has since then battled with recurring niggles and Covid-induced absences. Against the Cheetahs, the 32-year-old has been selected onto the bench by coach Ivan van Rooyen as cover for a starting trio consisting of captain Francke Horn, Ruhan Straueli and Sibusiso Sangweni. Elsewhere, Rabz Maxwane, who has scored four tries so far this Currie Cup campaign, has been moved onto the right wing so as to reintroduce…