Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-18 i Star

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has proposed amendments to tax legislation that could have significant implications for pension fund members wishing to take their savings offshore. The National Treasury yesterday proposed changes that could allow the SA Revenue Service (Sars) to subject the interest in retirement funds to taxation when an individual ceases to become a South African tax resident. Currently, South Africa can forfeit its taxing rights when individuals become tax residents of another country before or when they retire. Briefing the Standing Committee on Finance, the Treasury said the rules had been changed last year and a 3-year moratorium had been implemented for persons who were no longer South African tax residents, before they could access their retirement funds savings. Treasury’s chief director for economic tax analysis Chris…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A TEACHER, acquitted on appeal over a conviction of assaulting a pupil, testified in court that a parent solicited R50 000 from her, before opening a false case against her. Joyce Mokgaetji Mbiza, a teacher at a primary school in Motodi Village, Limpopo, appealed a finding of common assault by the Burgerfort Regional Court in the Polokwane High Court. Judge Legodi Phatudi found in her favour in the court judgment delivered last week, saving her from joining the list of teachers who subjected children to corporal punishment, despite its banning in the 1990s. While she originally faced a grievous bodily harm charge on allegations that she hit a Grade 2 learner with open hands and a stick, Mbiza was convicted of common assault. The incident happened in…

Itumeleng Mafisa THE ASSOCIATION of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has criticised a proposed wage increase at Sibanye-Stillwater in the gold wage talks, describing it as even less than the government’s grant to the unemployed affected by Covid-19. AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa said the union would approach this year’s wage negotiations with the spirit of honouring the fallen Marikana miners who were killed by police in a labour dispute in 2012. The Star understands that the unions were negotiating with individual mining companies because of the impact of Covid-19 on individual companies. “The R250 proposed by Sibanye in the gold sector negotiations, which is less than the R350 grant given by the government, is rejected in honour of our fallen comrades,” Mathunjwa said. He said Sibanye had not learnt…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za FOOD and beverage conglomerate Nestlé has cancelled an online talk after health experts warned that the company was flouting national regulations on foodstuffs for infants and young children by advertising foods for infants and toddlers. Nestlé’s marketing webinar, “Free Stokvel Mom and Child Forum”, was expected to take place on August 14, but was cancelled because of mounting pressure. The webinar claimed to provide information about infant and child nutrition. Civil society coalition Healthy Living Alliance (Heala) said advertising for the webinar “prominently featured three expensive, ultra-processed and sugary Nestlé products for infants and toddlers”. Attendees also stood a chance of winning a R500 grocery store voucher. Heala and nutrition experts said the advertising had violated the 2012 national regulations that “prohibited manufacturers or distributors of complementary…

AS WE continue celebrating national Women’s Month in August, it is opportune to reflect how gender equality can contribute to the building of a peaceful global society. The non-aggressive tendencies in women, who by nature seek co-operative means in solving problems, are becoming more and more appreciated by societies attempting to solve conflicts by peaceful means. It is the Bahá’í view the belief in, and practice of, the principle of the oneness of humanity – of every race, nation, gender or ethnic background – is one of the prerequisites for world peace. Recognition of the oneness of humanity helps, not only in overcoming various kinds of prejudices, but to go beyond concepts of tolerance, and accepting the equality of all races, nations, ethnic groups and men and women. Gender equality,…

Peter Bachtis | Benoni THE biggest flake in American history, President Joe Biden, has proven he actually has no clue about much that is going on around him. On July 8, Biden publicly stated that the Taliban had no chance of successfully invading Afghanistan. Stating there were 300 000 well-trained Afghan troops ready to protect that country, the Taliban supposedly stood no chance. Three days is all it took for a ragtag bunch of horseback riders to take over. Americans had withdrawn very suddenly, which points towards a behind-the-scenes agreement between America and the Taliban hierarchy. So much for the protectors of Western values… Americans are masters at creating chaos and walking away. Rhodesia was dropped in the poop when a young Senator Biden was instrumental in handing…

HERMAN GIBBS After weeks of unanswered controversy and a flurry of litigation, the Premier Soccer League yesterday finally stepped into the public domain at a media conference to explain the expeditious sale of beleaguered Bloemfontein Celtic’s Premiership franchise to Royal AM. The transaction drew widescale derision and disbelief since Royal AM are in bad standing with the PSL. They are awaiting a disciplinary committee outcome after they were found guilty of no-shows at four PSL promotion/relegation play-off matches last month. It was hard to stomach that the PSL was willing to do business with a club that called for the PSL’s acting CEO Mato Madlala to be sent to prison if she is found to be in contempt of court after the play-offs took place. Two days before the…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za South African local procurement influencer Proudly SA said yesterday that it was studying the draft guidelines on collaboration between competitors on localisation initiatives for public comment issued last week. Proudly SA chief executive Eustace Mashimbye said they were of the view that these would have a direct impact on them, given the work they started doing back in 2018 around Localisation Commitments at corporate level, especially now that they were actively soliciting commitments at industry level. Proudly SA’s mandate is to influence local procurement in the public and private sectors, to increase local production and to influence consumers to buy local in order to stimulate job creation. This is in line with government’s plans to revive South Africa’s economy so that millions of jobs could be created…

Ntombi Nkosi ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za The ANC Women’s League in the City of Ekurhuleni has called on state organs to take women and children and rape cases serious. The call came as a well-known ANC councillor and businessman is expected to appear at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court today for alleged rape and contravention of a protection order. The suspect, who in terms of the Sexual Offences Act cannot be named until he pleads to the charge, is due to make his first appearance. “We are always urging law enforcement to deal with rape cases fairly, because women are being raped, and when they go to court dockets go missing. Women are being abused by our police and we are condemning the rape issue that has happened in Ekurhuleni,” said Ekurhuleni ANCWL…

Cometh Dube-Makholwa | Midrand I WILL never forget the jubilation that took place in the car we were travelling in from Rustenburg back to Joburg when an announcement came on air that South West Africa, now known as Namibia, had gained independence from South Africa. Colonised by Germany in the 1880s and South Africa after 1915 following a defeat by South African forces, Namibia was free from all forms of colonialism; a historical achievement that called for celebration. My husband and his friend were hilarious; knowing SA was without a doubt the next and final country in Africa to be relieved of the clutches of colonialism. It is sad he departed from this planet in May 2006 without witnessing the great metamorphosis that would take place in this…

An ecstatic Mohammed Siraj runs past a shell-shocked James Anderson, who is still holding his stance, to grab the stump he has just knocked over. The rest of the Indian players – bar captain Virat Kohli, who has sprinted off in any which way – converge on the Lord’s pitch in a manic dash to collect the remaining pieces of timber for their own piece of memorabilia. It is these crazy scenes that are cherished by everyone inside the hallowed old ground, especially during these Covid-19 times when just being a spectator at a live sports match is a privilege in its own right. In a time zone far away in Jamaica there was nobody at Sabina Park, bar the grounds staff and television crew who could appreciate an equally…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za The Lions, down on their luck, confidence low and battling to find their footing in this season’s Currie Cup, have two matches to rectify their faults and at least finish the campaign on a high note. But it won’t be easy ahead of their penultimate fixture against Western Province today, as coach Ivan van Rooyen finds himself battling injuries sustained during the encounters against the Free State Cheetahs and Blue ulls, the return of Covid-19 protocols, and – as reported by local media – the possibility of being replaced in the coming weeks. Both tighthead props Carlu Sadie and Jannie du Plessis left the field injured on Saturday in the 48-21 loss to the Bulls, leading to uncontested scrums in that match which also robbed them of…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za The Blue Bulls have made a number of changes for their Currie Cup encounter against the Pumas in Nelspruit today (2.30pm kick-off). Fullback Sibongile Novuka, who has featured off the bench twice this season, will make his first start for Jake White’s team. In midfield, Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans will pair up, while Johan Goosen and Zak Burger will again form the halfback combination. At the back of the scrum, Elrigh Louw returns to the starting XV after starting on the bench against the Lions at the weekend. In the front row, Schalk Erasmus will start with props Gerhard Steenekamp and Mornay Smith on either side of him. Bulls director of rugby White explained some of his selections. “This is our penultimate match in the round…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has announced a R340 million fund to support small and medium-sized businesses with funding, particularly in the manufacturing and green economy sectors. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) yesterday launched the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), in partnership with international financial services firm, JP Morgan. The deployment constitutes JP Morgan’s initial R300m through the fund and R40m through grants. The fund is expected to result in R2 billion worth of financing transactions, and create a minimum of 1 000 jobs over the eight-year period. Minister Ebrahim Patel of the dtic said JP Morgan was the first international bank to undertake an EEIP programme. He said the EEIP was part of the government’s broad-based black economic empowerment framework, which allowed multinational corporations that…

Itumeleng Mafisa THE Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe said it was regrettable that the government was participating in Marikana commemorative events for the first time since the death of 34 miners at the hands of the police during a labour dispute in 2012. Mantashe was speaking at an online commemorative event held by Sibanye-Stillwater, the mining group that was at loggerheads with workers nine years ago. It was at the time known as Lonmin. The government has been facing criticism over an alleged denial of the Marikana tragedy. There have also been growing calls to have August 16 declared a public holiday in memory of those who died in the Marikana massacre. The EFF had laid charges at the Marikana police station against some politicians, including…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za The announcement of Struggle veteran Bushy Maape by the ANC as the new premier of the North West was overshadowed by violent protests in Mahikeng yesterday. Scores of protesters descended on the ANC’s provincial headquarters to resist the removal of Job Mokgoro as premier, citing continued factional battles as the reason. Due to the protests, the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) under co-ordinator Hlomane Chauke had to change the press conference venue where Maape was officially announced as a designate to replace Mokgoro. Mokgoro has yet to announce his resignation as premier and member of the provincial legislature. Last night, Mokgoro’s office confirmed that he was still in office in his official capacity as premier of North West. During the announcement of the premier-designate, Chauke downplayed the…

FAROUK ARAIE | Gauteng IT IS ironic that the man who masterminded America’s policy and strategy in Afghanistan, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the security adviser to then-president Jimmy Carter, a proponent of an aggressive strategy for asserting US global hegemony, died on Friday, May 26, 2017, at the age of 89, exactly four years before the Taliban regained Afghanistan after 20 years of war. Major powers violated every rule pertaining to warfare permissible under international law, but ultimately the terrain and the combat and survival skills of the Afghans defeated the most powerful nations in history. About 241 000 people have been killed in the Afghanistan war zone since 2001, 71 000 of those civilians. Afghanistan is contaminated with unexploded ordnance, which has killed and injured tens of thousands of…

Thami Zwane | Edenvale WHO ELSE other than President Cyril Ramaphosa? It’s a question on many South Africans’ lips. And the answer is, there are plenty more fish in the sea. “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. When the hired man sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away,” John 10:11, GNB. The Zondo Commission sums Ramaphosa up as dishonest, self-ambitious, lacking courage and exemplary leadership. Like a hireling, he left us in the lurch during the alleged insurrection. He needed the company of EFF (leader) Julius Malema to face the angry community of the first democratic massacre in Marikana which still remains an unfulfilled promise. The key question at the commission was whether or not he knew…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber says the sweeping changes they’ve made for their second Rugby Championship Test against Argentina is all about player welfare and not them underestimating the opposition. During the media conference yesterday to announce his line-up for Saturday’s match in Gqeberha (5pm kick-off), Nienaber listed 11 changes to the side that beat the same opposition 32-12 in their championship opener last week. The team for the second Test features six changes to the backline and five up front, with Nienaber bringing back a host of players who featured in the series win over the British & Irish Lions. Marvin Orie gets his first Test start, while Malcolm Marx and Trevor Nyakane have also been promoted to the starting team, where Thomas du Toit will also…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za COACH Hilton Moreeng has long challenged the South Africa women’s team to build up their depth in reserves if they are to become a consistently high-performing international outfit. It seems that they are approaching that level with the return of captain Dane van Niekerk and Chloe Tryon to the Proteas squad for the forthcoming tour to the West Indies. Both players have been on the sidelines for a lengthy period of time with their last appearance for the national team being the epic T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in March 2020. Despite the star duo’s absence, the Proteas secured series victories over Pakistan (home) and India (away) during that period with a host of fringe players coming to the fore such…