Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-05-24 i Star

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za A DEAL by South Africa's banking conglomerate Absa to offload its Asset Management Unit to Sanlam hinted at this week could create a R900 billion mammoth to chafe the heels of the Public Investment Corporation. There were no confirmations of the deal by either parties this week but analysis pondered whether the offering would also include the lucrative Money Market Fund. Absa had by the end of last year about R270 billion under the management of its Asset Management wing. Absa is reported to be mulling the decision, citing risk to its business due to clients’ belief its investments “held the same degree of safety of safety as cash in a savings account”. Pundits said this week Absa was in talks with both Sanlam and partner…

TOMORROW is Africa Day, a good day to reflect on the many opportunities for digital technology offered by the continent’s vast and under-serviced people. It is true Africa has many challenges that have forced local companies to revoke their continental expansion plans. Stark inequality, high unemployment, social and political instability, regulatory uncertainty, low literacy and skills development and crippling infrastructure are just some of those challenges. But the continent, where more than 60 percent of its 1.2 billion people are below the age of 25, also presents some unique opportunities, particularly for digital technology adoption. Its young people are early adopters of new tech, for instance, as evidenced by the rapid growth of mobile money in some African countries. Old Mutual Wealth Private Client Securities research analyst Tasneem…

MASHUDU SADIKE THE SA Human Rights (SAHRC) Commission in Limpopo has vowed to follow up on cases reported to the organisation. This comes after shocking testimonies were given at a three-day hearing conducted by the Chapter 9 institution in Polokwane last week. The hearings focused on bullying, corporal punishment and sexual relations between teachers and learners in provincial schools. The Star’s sister paper, the Pretoria News reported on Friday that bullying and sexual abuse was rife in Limpopo schools, and that the commission blamed the province’s department of education for the rise in bullying and sexual offences. The hearings were triggered by the death of Mbilwi Secondary School learner Lufuno Mavhunga, who took her own life after a video of her being repeatedly slapped by a fellow learner went viral…

From Page 1 “Specifically, the court found that the SIU saw no crime being committed by me and that there was no basis for civil action against me.” But the SIU has dismissed Masuku’s claims. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the SIU never made a finding of corruption and nepotism against the sacked MEC of Health in Gauteng, adding that investigations into his state of affairs were still ongoing. “It is therefore self-serving for him to misrepresent to the public what actually transpired. The SIU rejects the notion that we propped him up as the poster boy for corruption. “The SIU is on record stating that at the time of making a referral to the Gauteng premier to take action against Dr Masuku, it had concluded the process and administrative…

Mpiletso Motumi ACTOR Loyiso MacDonald has left the popular Mzansi Magic telenovela, The Queen. The actor, who has been with the show since its inception, said it was not an easy decision to make. He said he made the decision to leave the show “to pursue other ventures and to challenge myself as an actor”. MacDonald will be joining Dineo Langa and Rami Chuene, other key characters in the telenovela, who have since ventured into new productions. More recently, Xolani Mayekiso, who played the role of Thato, left the show in a dramatic way as his character died in a horrific car crash. Production company Ferguson Films said that it was sad to see MacDonald go. “We are so grateful for what he has brought not only to the character…

Vaccine hesitancy is the greatest threat to South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccination programme. Fear, a lack of transparency, and media reports about the vaccine’s side effects have all fuelled the rumour mill. The biggest challenge to overcoming the glut of fake news running unchecked through communities is to counter it with credible news about vaccines, which is easily understood, calms people’s fears about the safety of vaccines – and most importantly, is in everyone’s home language. Pamphlets, posters and information on social media should have been rolled out months ago to counter fake news. But it is not too late. South Africa has a robust primary health-care system that has gained much respect and trust in dealing with the TB scourge and HIV/Aids epidemic. We have community health-care workers who are…

Farouk Cassim PROFESSOR Steven Friedman cites Thabo Mbeki as saying that “the ANC reserved its best people for national and provincial government” while sending “only the third best to local government”. That needs unpacking. While MPs must display expert debating skills and be good at grandstanding to frame issues in ways that are electorally beneficial to their respective parties, they have the responsibility to make laws and hold the strings of the national purse. Councillors, however, have to get stuck into shaping of district plans and melding these and other plans into the all-important Integrated Development Plan – the masterplan that has to be implemented over the succeeding five years of the council’s term. Annual revisions are required. Understanding economic development and getting to grips with structural issues such…

US has demonstrated many times that it regards ‘dialogue’ as announcing its demands ABOUT two months ago something extraordinary in state-to-state relations happened: US President Joseph Biden called, or, to be more precise, agreed, that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was a “killer”. On March 17, 2021, Mr Biden gave an interview to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. At a certain point in this conversation, the journalist asked this: “So, you know Vladimir Putin, you think he is a killer?” In response, Mr Biden simply nodded and said: “Mm-hmm, I do”. We believe that before we move on with our discussion, we should first mention that regardless of motivation behind US leader’s reply, regardless of the context – what he said was unacceptable. In recent times it became quite common for…

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire held into a third day yesterday as Israeli police admitted Jewish visitors to a contested Jerusalem holy site where earlier confrontations with Palestinian protesters ignited cross-border Gaza fighting. Police reported no unusual incidents at the al-Aqsa mosque compound – one of Islam’s holiest sites – as Israeli social media accounts showed a few dozen Jews in religious garb strolling around the site under guard. A police spokesman described it as a regular scheduled visit after a break that began on May 3 for the Muslim holy month of Ramadaan. The site is also revered by Jews and is situated in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in a 1967 war. Israel deems all of Jerusalem its capital, a status not recognised abroad. Police raids in and around al-Aqsa…

LONDON: Covid-19 was a “disaster” and “awful decisions” led to the government imposing lockdowns that could have been avoided, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former top adviser said. Dominic Cummings, who left Johnson’s staff late last year, made his comments in a series of tweets just days before he is due to give evidence to members of parliament about the government’s handling of the pandemic. Cummings had been Johnson’s most influential adviser on Brexit and played a leading role in his successful 2019 election campaign.…

BANGKOK: Thai police said yesterday they had arrested 62 men for breaching coronavirus restrictions in a raid on a gay “chemsex” party. The men were arrested on Saturday night at Faros Sauna 2, where police also found drugs, needles and used condoms, said Colonel Ekapop Tanprayoon, superintendent of Bangkok’s Wang Thong Lang District police station. As Thailand grapples with a third Covid-19 wave, campaigners are warning of the health risks posed by an apparent increase in chemsex – where mainly gay and bisexual men meet to take drugs such as crystal meth. Unprotected sex is common. Thailand has a reputation for its relaxed attitude towards gender and sexual diversity since homosexuality was decriminalised in 1956.…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt sit at the head of the royal table of South African football coaches. Both are among the most successful tacticians the country has produced, and endured many a titanic battle during their time in charge at Mamelodi Sundowns and Wits respectively. They have since graduated to greener pastures with Mosimane moving abroad to take charge of Egyptians champions Al Ahly, while Hunt is now at the helm of Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs. Both assignments have unique pressures with the media scrutiny even more intense, and the fans expectations almost unrealistic with Mosimane and Hunt enduring plenty of criticism. But yet they both find themselves among the continent’s elite with Al Ahly and Chiefs – the first time in their history – having…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Commenting on the live stream of last night’s Confederation Cup quarter-final second leg between Orlando Pirates and Raja Casablanca in Morocco on Facebook, some Pirates fans indicated that they would stop wasting their data and rather focus on watching the English Premier League games. That was an apt summation of the game from a Pirates perspective as their performance was plain embarrassing as they lost 4-0 (5-1 on aggregate), having conceded all the goals in the first half. Raja took the lead in the eighth minute through Ben Malango, who also caused their defence trouble in the first leg, as he headed beyond the reach of Wayne Sandilands. Pirates did have their chances to draw level between the 13th and 15th minutes as Innocent Maela’s shot was…

INVESTEC is looking to build on the momentum it achieved in the second half of its 2021 financial year, after it was hurt by the Covid-19-related disruption in the first half in the year to the end of March. The financial services group reported a 14.7 percent decline in adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations to 28.9 pence (R5.69) a share, with second-half earnings outperforming the first half by 58.1 percent. The group said it expected adjusted earnings per share in the 2022 financial year to improve from 28.9p to between 36p and 41p. Chief executive Fani Titi said the 2021 financial year was a tale of two halves. “The first-half performance was characterised by difficult and volatile market and economic conditions attributable primarily to Covid-19.…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Amapiano star Kabza De Small walked away with the most nominations after the South African Music Awards (SAMA27) finalists were announced on Wednesday night. His album I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust proved to be prophetic as he walked away with nods in the album of the year, male artist of the year and best amapiano album categories. Once Upon A Time in Lockdown, his collaboration with DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) also secured nods in duo/group of the year, album of the year and best amapiano album, bringing his tally to six nominations. Hot on his heels is Sun-El Musician. He proved his versatility with three projects, earning him five nods in male artist of the year, best dance for his album…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A MURDERER in his 19th year of life imprisonment has convinced the Constitutional Court that he should be eligible for release next year and not 2027, a year that would mark 25 years in jail for him. Prisoners serving life terms for committing heinous crimes such as premeditated murder and child rape qualified for parole after 25 years in South Africa. Gaolatlhe Senwedi, jailed in 2002 with accomplice Alfred Khonyane for counts including murder and aggravated robbery, approached the Constitutional Court to argue that the Kimberley High Court infringed his rights by ordering a non-parole period of 25 years. Senwedi, represented by Legal Aid, attacked the constitutionality of the 25 years non-parole order. His argument was that the minimum life imprisonment term in 2002 was still 20…

Timothy Bernard timothy.bernard@africannewsagency.com A funeral usually brings family and friends together to bid farewell to a loved one. A pauper’s burial, on the other hand, speaks of the cold reality of an individual who may have fallen out of touch with family and had to endure a path of loneliness before they died and still faced the cold after death. On Wednesday morning, the bodies of 70 people laid in 70 chip-wood boxes were to be buried in a mass pauper’s burial. The City of Johannesburg admits that 70 is a big number, however, it is not unusual. The city morgues are constantly pushed to their limits. The bodies are from several mortuaries around the city and all of them have gone through the prescribed waiting period before the…

Mpiletso Motumi mpiletso.motumi@inl.co.za JUST a week after his single release, celebrated kwaito star Mjokes has died. The star, real name Emmanuel Mojalefa Matsane, performed for the last time at popular Soweto hangout Disoufeng. His stable Kalawa Jazmee Records released a statement yesterday confirming the death of the Trompies member. “It is with great sadness to announce that our co-director Emmanuel Mojalefa Matsane popularly known as Mjokes passed away in a car accident. The accident happened in the early hours of Sunday after their performance with Trompies. Further information regarding his memorial service and funeral will be given during the week.” Fellow group member Eugene Mthethwa said he was shocked at the news and blamed drinking and driving as one of the causes of the tragic accident. “It is a sad…

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN | Kloof There’s growing concern around the world about the ravaging impact of India’s Covid-19 crisis. The poor are especially hard hit as India records new highs with the infection rate remaining above the 400 000 mark, and a daily death toll of more than 4 000. The situation is so critical the poor cannot afford the cremation fees and are dumping bodies into the Ganges River, polluting the holy river. It’s seems so callous and goes against Indian culture. But what are the poor to do in these desperate times? The river is a cheap way of getting rid of the bodies. As if the pandemic was not enough, the West Coast of India is being lashed by Cyclone Tauktae, piling on more misery for…

THE FREE market economy is supposed to be one of the pillars of American society. Yet in the past decade we have seen successive US administrations continually interfere with the market. Even to this day, under the new Biden regime, the US is proving to be unceasing in its hypocrisy. From bailing out the banks to trade tariffs, the US under Obama, Trump and now Biden has ensured the vagaries of the market do not allow themselves to run their full course. Understandably for many scholars this has signalled the collapse of capitalism. Yet the latest moves by the Biden administration, with the US Congress, shows the US does not practise what it preaches. It realises if it implements what it believes, then other countries will certainly have gained much…

Twenty-one people were killed after hail, freezing rain and high winds hit runners taking part in a cross-country mountain race in China, state media said yesterday. The extreme weather struck a high-altitude section of the 100km race in the scenic Yellow River Stone Forest in north-western Gansu province at the weekend. Among the dead were elite Chinese long-distance runners, media reported. Official news agency Xinhua confirmed that 21 of the 172 participants had died, citing the local rescue command headquarters. The other 151 were now safe, state media said. Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen said that at about midday on Saturday a section of the rugged ultramarathon course was “suddenly affected by disastrous weather”. “In a short period of time, hailstones and ice rain suddenly fell in the local area,…

A constant nervous smile on Julia Francisco’s face masks the anguish of fleeing extremist militants roaming northern Mozambique, then giving birth on a boat sailing in rough Indian ocean waters. Relieved to be now safe in Pemba, the capital city of northern Cabe Delgado province, the 21-year-old mother sat under a makeshift shelter at Paquitequete beach, holding her 4-day-old daughter. After eight days on a fishing boat, she spent the next three on the beach before being moved to a transit centre at a municipal stadium. Seven months’ pregnant at the time, Francisco was home when IS-linked militants struck Palma in what locals believed was an impenetrable town, replete with soldiers protecting a multibillion dollar gas project. What followed the March 24 surprise raid was an orgy of violence and…

Brussels: The EU yesterday denounced a proposal by Myanmar’s election commission to dissolve deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the general election in November. “If the commission were to proceed with this proposal, it would show yet again the junta’s blatant disregard for the will of Myanmar’s people and for due legal process,” a spokeswoman of the EU’s executive commission said in a statement. On Friday, media cited the chairman of the junta-appointed Union Election Commission as saying the panel would have to dissolve the NLD for committing vote fraud in the November election. Myanmar’s army seized power on February 1, overthrowing and detaining Suu Kyi.…

Tehran: Iran has started rolling blackouts, which officials blamed on heat, drought impacting hydropower generation and surging electricity demand blamed in part on crypto-currency mining. Power cuts in summer are common in Iran, but a government report said precipitation was down 43% compared to the country’s long-term average, warning of reduced water supplies for the year. The national grid is also overburdened from a new phenomenon called crypto-currencies,” national electricity company director Mohammad Hassan Motevalizadeh said. “Illegal” crypto miners are blamed for using vast amounts of electricity through the so-called blockchain process used to generate digital assets like bitcoin.…

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won Formula One's showcase Monaco Grand Prix yesterday to lead the world championship for the first time in his career. The 23-year-old Dutch driver started the day 14 points behind Mercedes' seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and ended it four clear of the Briton with 18 races remaining on the schedule. Hamilton finished seventh, gaining an extra consolation point for the fastest lap after making a late stop for fresh tyres. "It's so special around here to win and, also for me, the first time on the podium here. An amazing race," said Verstappen, who had everything under control from start to finish. "You always want to win this grand prix. I remember when I was very little, already watching this grand prix, so standing here…

Aishah Cassiem aishah.cassiem@inl.co.za AS BLACK-OWNED businesses continue their struggle to secure financial assistance from banks, while others endure the abrupt termination of their bank accounts without valid reasons, the banking ombudsman stressed that they are there as a last resort and as a form of recourse to investigate any possibility of unfair treatment. The banking sector has since the start of the pandemic been accused of discrimination, seeing the collapse of several black businesses, but the Banking Ombudsman Services of SA (OBS SA) has argued that if banks are found guilty of any misconduct, including discrimination, then the “OBS has the power to put things right”. OBS communications manager Kwanda Vabaza said that there are always possibilities for companies to seek recourse and that OBS has jurisdiction to handle…

THE US equity market has all the makings of a “grey rhino” – a term coined by Michele Wucker and defined as “not random surprises, but occur after a series of warnings and visible evidence”. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, consumer confidence provides an indication of future developments of households’ consumption and saving, based upon answers regarding their expected financial situation, their sentiment about the general economic situation, unemployment and capability of savings. Yes, their confidence about the future economic situation. It is therefore no coincidence that there is an almost perfect correlation between US consumer confidence and the US stock market rating as measured by Robert Shiller’s cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (PE10) for the S&P Composite Index based on average inflation-adjusted earnings from the previous…

ITUMELENG MAFISA THE INDEFINITE Metrobus strike will only end when the City of Joburg recognises rebel union the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of SA (Demawusa) as a union, says SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) leader Zwelinzima Vavi. Vavi's utterances come as the Metrobus strike enters its fourth week with no end in sight. The Star understands that the majority of workers want to return to work but because of threats of intimidation and attacks they are afraid to. Demawusa, a Saftu affiliate, has about 100 members at Metrobus while more than 700 belong to the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu). The City of Joburg had tried interdicting the strike but failed. “Metrobus must go and negotiate with the union and its workers and not to the…

| Mpiletso Motumi IT IS safe to say that actress Thuli Phongolo and host Dineo Langa owned the SA Film and Television Awards (Safta) night with their glam looks. Phongolo wore a dramatic fishtail gown from designer Orapeleng Modutle and stole the show before it even started. This year’s event took place virtually with a live-streamed red carpet hosted by Lerato Kganyago and LaSizwe. Kganyago shone bright in a purple luxurious dress from Gert-Johan Coetzee. LaSizwe chose a white ensemble from Otiz Seflo. The only female host for the night, actress Langa, was dressed by her own brand, Port of LNG. The star changed into five different gowns, including a blue high-slit dress. She stunned in a white gown, glowed in a yellow number, became a show-stopper in a…

THEMBA KHOZA | Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson WATER infrastructure vandalism is one of the main challenges facing the country in relation to reliable water supply to communities. This negatively affects the socio-economic development of communities. Access to water is a basic human right and the vandalism of water infrastructure denies some communities access to water. Water infrastructure vandalism is a crime as it cuts off water supply to communities and denies people access to the source of life. Water infrastructure vandalism results in water wastage and leads to leaks in the water supply system, leading to major water losses, which we cannot afford as a water scarce country. It must be understood that any illegal tampering with the water infrastructure is vandalism and affects the effectiveness…

IT is commendable that the SA Football Association (Safa) dipped into the ranks of past players to appoint Helman Mkhalele as an assistant to newly appointed national team coach Hugo Broos. As a former player and coach of national age group teams, Mkhalele brings a wealth of experience to the post of an assistant national team coach. This experience will be invaluable as Broos and his assistants groom the next generation of national team players. Mkhalele’s playing career spanned 18 years in South Africa and Turkey. During that period, he was exposed to many major competitions such as the Fifa World Cup, the Africa Nations Cup and the CAF Champions League. This equips him with an overview of what is in store for players at various levels of the game,…

A river of boiling lava came to a halt on the outskirts of Goma yesterday, sparing the city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo from disaster after the night-time eruption of Mount Nyiragongo sent thousands of terrified residents fleeing in panic. Fire and strong fumes emanated from the blackish molten rock as it swallowed up houses, heading towards Goma airport on the shores of Lake Kivu, a correspondent said. But the military governor of North Kivu province said “the city was spared” after “the lava halted near Buhene on the outskirts of Goma”. Five people were killed in accidents during evacuations, said General Constant Ndima. He said “several thefts from shops and an attempted escape of inmates” from the city’s prison had been reported, but “the situation is under…

Vatican City: Pope Francis yesterday urged “serious dialogue” and defended the right to peaceful protest in Colombia, mired in a month-long social crisis compounded by police repression. “The situation in Colombia is still worrying,” the Argentinian pontiff said during his Angelus prayer address at the Vatican. Francis said Colombia needed to advance “through serious dialogue, (whereby) fair solutions are found to the many problems it faces.” The protests began over proposed tax reforms that were swiftly shelved, but the unrest has widened.…

LONDON: A former BBC chief who was criticised for his “woefully ineffective” probe into Martin Bashir’s deception in securing a bombshell interview with Princess Diana resigned on Saturday as chairperson of Britain’s National Gallery. Bashir tricked Diana into giving a 1995 BBC television interview in which she lifted the lid on her troubled marriage to Prince Charles, an independent investigation concluded on Thursday. Tony Hall, who had led an earlier investigation into the interview and was later named head of the BBC, said he had “today resigned as chairperson of the National Gallery. “As I said two days ago, I am very sorry for the events of 25 years ago and I believe leadership means taking responsibility.”…

Liverpool and Chelsea grabbed the final two Uefa Champions League places but Leicester City fell short of a top-four finish for the second successive season on a nerve-jangling final day of the Premier League season yesterday. Liverpool avoided any drama as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to finish third – a silver lining to a difficult season in which their attempted defence of the title crumbled. Chelsea lost 2-1 at Aston Villa, a result that could have been curtains for them in the top-four battle. Yet they were saved as arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur twice came from a goal down to win 4-2 at Leicester. Harry Kane was on target for Tottenham to win the Premier League Golden Boot award for the third time with 23 goals, while Gareth Bale…

The World Boxing Organisation has ordered Anthony Joshua to defend his heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk after the Briton’s bout with domestic rival Tyson Fury was thrown into doubt. Joshua, who also holds the IBF and WBA titles, was set to face WBC champion Fury on August 14 in Saudi Arabia, but Fury was ordered by an American arbitrator last Monday to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time before September 15. The WBO said it had sent a letter to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn on Wednesday to “show cause” within 48 hours why the WBO should not order a fight with Usyk, asking for confirmation of the Joshua-Fury bout.…