Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-08-18 i Star

CITY LOGISTICS, the largest privately- owned logistics company in South Africa, and private equity management company Clearwater Capital have partnered to acquire 100 percent of franchiser Fastway Courier Company. The acquisition creates one of the largest turnkey logistics providers to the fashion, retail and e-commerce sectors, City Logistics chief executive Ryan Gaines said yesterday. Clearwater has acquired a 30 percent minority stake in Fastway. The value of the transactions was not disclosed. The deal takes place in one of South Africa’s fastest-growing business sectors. South Africa is the 41st largest market for e-commerce, with a revenue of $5 billion (R82.08bn) in 2021. Global e-commerce sales are expected to increase at a yearly rate of 8 percent between 2021 and 2025 and are expected to outperform the…

EMIRA Property Fund increased distributable earnings by 3.8 percent and its cash-backed dividend by 1 percent to 119.79 cents per share for the year to June 30, 2022. Net asset value per share increased 7.3 percent during the financial year to 1 628.60c per share. Its share price closed unchanged at R10.65 on the JSE yesterday. Chief executive Geoff Jennett attributed the improved results to consistent delivery on strategy and incremental steps taken to achieve the best value from investments. “Emira has done well to increase dividends and, in the consistent Emira way, continues the strategic direction of the fund with active asset management, focusing on basic property fundamentals and performing them (well),” said Jennett. He said Emira’s portfolio was bal- anced to deliver stability…

Radio and TV personality Dineo Ranaka has shed some light on why she left her recent marriage, labelling it as “ugly”. In a lengthy post shared on her Instagram, the Kaya FM breakfast show host opened up about her “abusive” marriage, also dishing out some relationship advice to her 12 million followers. “I had to forgive myself countless times for choosing a terrible husband. It was me. I had to forgive because it was me that made that choice. “I had to accept that it was all me. Mind you terrible is an understatement. “The most abusive man I’ve ever met and his abusive nature was met with my retaliation which was equally terrible. “The marriage was ugly to the point where my spirit started to turn ugly! “Ausi o…

SEVERAL opposition parties represented in Parliament have agreed on the list of names that will form part of the Section 89 independent panel. This comes after political parties including the EFF, UDM, ACDP, IFP and ATM held a joint press briefing in Houghton yesterday as part of their collective effort to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable for the Phala Phala farm scandal. They have nominated former judges Bernard Ngoepe, Dikgang Moseneke, Yvonne Mokgoro and Mogoeng Mogoeng as suitable candidates to take up the Section 89 independent panel. The parties also agreed that on September 9 they will march to the Office of the Public Protector in a bid to force advocate Kholeka Gcaleka to release the sealed report on the Phala Phala robbery. The parties also agreed to table a…

A FORMER VIP Protection Unit officer at Mahlambandlovu presidential residence in Pretoria got more than he bargained for when he appealed his 30-year jail sentence. He was sentenced in 2015 after shooting and killing his wife and daughter at their Pretoria West home. During the appeal process, Benedict Peloeole discovered that the sentence had been replaced with a life term behind bars. He had turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal following his conviction and sentence earlier by the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. He argued that 30 years’ imprisonment was shockingly inappropriate and extremely harsh under the circumstances. The National Prosecuting Authority in turn cross-appealed and argued that he deserved life in jail – a sentiment shared by the Supreme Court this week. He was convicted in 2018…

A MASSIVE maintenance operation by water utility Rand Water is expected to leave parts of Gauteng without water for about 87 hours from tomorrow to Tuesday. Rand Water has scheduled a planned maintenance of its B6 pipeline from August 19 to 23. The maintenance is for the newly constructed B6 pipeline, which has been constructed to supplement a portion of the existing B6 pipeline. The water utility said the tie-in is at the corner of Oak and Boundary streets, Garthdale, in Meyerton. Rand Water added that the execution of the project will start from 5pm tomorrow and be completed on Tuesday at 8.30am, meaning the project will be undertaken over 87.5 hours. The areas under City of Tshwane that will be affected include Laudium, Mabopane, Soshanguve, the Akasia reservoir, Lotus…

Although the laws that aim to protect women and children ought to be welcomed, this is not possible under our circumstances. And the fact that the laws or reforms are aimed at only men is a worrying factor on its own. In reality, the laws do not change the social patterns that are the foundation and source of immorality in vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. The laws simply aim to scratch on the surface of things and glorify a failing ANC government, because we all know that the structures of separate development and clustering remain intact. They remain intact because the governing officials and the ANC-led government have for nearly 30 years failed to dismantle the social divisions that are a breeding ground for violence and lawlessness. Moreover, GBV does not…

It seems the ANC are coming to life, as they look ahead towards the 2024 elections. They have always had the ability to influence millions of their “sheep”, who regarded the party and its leadership as being omnipotent. The sheep collective dutifully kept them in power, never doubting their political abilities. Times have changed, and millions of the sheep have morphed into a smarter group, questioning the folly of the ways of the party they once revered. The Judas goat, although under a lot of pressure, seems to be holding his own, using his insufferable smugness and erudite speech to continue influencing some of the vacillating sheep, who remain undecided. Beware the Judas goat … for he has led all those remaining foolish sheep to the door of the slaughterhouse.…

Recent breakthroughs by the SAPS in arresting suspects have seemingly not discouraged extortion gangs from chancing their luck. This week, The Star sister paper Cape Argus reported on a KFC restaurant undergoing renovations in Bishop Lavis being targeted by local gangsters demanding a protection fee for work there to go ahead. Gangsters across Cape Town, and now even in the Boland towns, have used the same modus operandi to generate income from struggling small businesses, threatening them with violence if they fail to pay up. And competition between these gangsters, who started by targeting foreign-owned spaza shops, is believed to have been behind the bloody massacres in Khayelitsha and Gugulethu. One of the men believed to be behind a reign of terror in Khayelitsha is finally behind bars, and awaiting…

Ankara: Turkey said yesterday that its decision to restore diplomatic relations with Israel after a decade of tensions did not mean that it would abandon its support for Palestinians. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid announced the resumption of full diplomatic relations that included the reappointment of ambassadors. Cavusoglu said the decision will allow mostly Muslim, but officially secular Turkey to lobby for Palestinian interests in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Turkey does not recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and its embassy is located in Tel Aviv. | AFP…

Beirut: A Lebanese man who held bank staff hostage in Beirut last week to demand access to his trapped savings has been released from custody after charges against him were dropped. Judge Ghassan al-Khoury ordered that Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, who stormed a Federal Bank branch in Beirut with a rifle, be freed. He still faces possible charges by the state. Hussein turned himself in after the bank agreed to let him draw $30 000 (about R500 000) of his more than $200 000 in trapped savings. He has been hailed a hero by many who blame the country’s elite for the financial crisis. | AFP…

THE pent-up frustrations on The Real Housewives of Cape Town has finally exploded. Halfway through the reality show, the cracks are on full display, and the episodes are heating up. From the moment the ladies arrived at Camilla’s home for their trip to Greyton, the drama was bubbling under. “The Queen of Constantia’s” home has been a hot topic among the other ladies, thanks to Mrs Leo and Beverley. With this in mind, Camilla was bound to feel protective of her home and while Thato and Rooksie came prepared for a house tour, Camilla made it clear it was not on the cards. The fight between Thato and Camilla was quite the rocky start to the trip, and things just went downhill after that, with one fight after another. The…

THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has instructed the Mpumalanga police to release a fifth suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Hillary Gardee. This was revealed outside the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mbombela yesterday, before the appearance of the Nigerian national who was allegedly linked to the murder through a cellphone and laptop belonging to Gardee. “We have been advised to get a tech expert who can verify that the gadgets belonging to the late Miss Gardee were in the possession of the fifth suspect that we arrested,” provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said. Mohlala said their investigation had linked the suspect to the crime. “We use equipment that can track phones and phone numbers. Without giving out how we do our investigations, we can say that the…

A MAN, 40, who had been on the run for seven years after he allegedly stole hardware products which he had been sent to deliver to clients, was arrested after he went to a police station voluntarily. Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said Thomas Ngcobo appeared in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody. “According to information at the police’s disposal, the suspect was supposed to make a hardware material delivery worth more than R20 000. It is alleged that the said material was redirected to another address without either the owner’s consent or knowledge,” said Mohlala. “The suspect’s dirty tricks were uncovered a week later after the manager decided to check invoices. It was realised that two invoices were missing and other material had…

Ellis Park was deflated at the end of the Springboks-All Blacks clash this past weekend, and for good reason. Before kick-off and in the build-up to the second Rugby Championship match day of the tournament, there was a belief the Boks would beat the All Blacks. Those in New Zealand have huffed and puffed it was arrogance that decreed victory before the kick-off, but I would insist it was over-confidence – misplaced perhaps – but over-confidence nonetheless. There were strange decisions from the Bok camp, not only in selection but also in their tactics and approach during the game. The All Blacks came out with all the intent in the world to undo a recent slump and with that desperation in their hearts and minds, piled the pressure onto their…

Low levels of a stress hormone called cortisol can indicate the lingering symptoms after a Covid infection, according to a not yet peer-reviewed study. Long Covid is defined as having new or ongoing symptoms four weeks or more after the start of the disease. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of concentration and joint pain. The symptoms can adversely affect day-to-day activities, and in some cases can be severely limiting. Researchers from Yale University in the US included 215 individuals, including 99 with long Covid, in an exploratory, cross-sectional study using machine learning methods to identify key immunological features distinguishing long Covid. The results posted online on a pre-print website showed that among participants with long Covid, most striking was levels of cortisol in blood. It was roughly…

South Africa is extremely water scarce, and supply will become more challenging in the future. The population and economy are growing, increasing demand. Rainfall is variable, and more extreme and prolonged droughts are expected because of climate change. More than 80% of South Africa’s available surface water resources are already allocated for use. Groundwater resources will therefore become more important. There is, however, a potential threat to those groundwater resources. South Africa depends heavily on coal for energy, but its coal resources are being depleted. The country may turn to unconventional oil and gas resources to augment energy supply. And methods to extract oil and gas can contaminate and deplete groundwater. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is used to extract trapped oil and gas from underground geological formations. A…

Seoul: North Korea test-fired two cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea yesterday, a South Korean military official said, as President Yoon Suk-yeol marked his 100th day in office. In his Liberation Day speech two days ago, Yoon laid out the details of an initiative meant to help the North improve its economy if it takes denuclearisation steps. The North’s first known launch of a cruise missile since January also came a day after South Korean and US military troops began preliminary drills ahead of a combined exercise. While the North is banned from launching ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions, the launch was not a violation. | IANS…

CAPE Town City goalkeeper Darren Keet is looking to revive his career following the departure of Hugo Marques from the Citizens. Angola international Marques surprisingly left the club this week despite winning the PSL Goalkeeper of the Season award last term, beating off competition from the likes of Sekhukhune United shot-stopper Toaster Nsabata and AmaZulu FC’s Veli Mothwa. While the news of Marques’ departure will be a blow to City, it does present Keet, once regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in South Africa, to re-establish himself. The 33-year-old delivered a solid performance in City’s 0-0 draw with Maritzburg United on Tuesday night. It was City’s first point of the season after they lost their opening three games to Mamelodi Sundowns, Swallows FC and AmaZulu FC. “This is our…

First Test: Day 1 of 5 England 116/6 SO, that was entertaining, right? A bit more than a third of the overs were bowled on the opening day at Lord’s before the forecast showers arrived to end proceedings shortly after 3pm SA time. But even with the pricey tickets at the ‘Home of Cricket’, the spectators would have felt they got their money’s worth in terms of action. South Africa’s captain Dean Elgar also got just what he wanted to start the match, with the coin falling in his favour at the toss. He couldn’t wait to blurt out “we’ll have a bowl”. His opposite number Ben Stokes would have done the same and not just because of his side’s fondness for chasing, which has led to their last four…

CAPE Town City coach Eric Tinkler is not concerned with his team’s poor start to the new Premiership season. The Capetonians continued their winless streak after playing to a goalless draw with Maritzburg United on Tuesday night. The result means that City have managed just one point from their first four league games in their worst start to a Premier Soccer League season. Speaking after the match, Tinkler played down any questions of his position at the club and in fact went on to reveal that he and his players are enjoying the pressure they currently face. “We are judged on results and I think I have produced results at the club. We’re unfortunately going through a patch at the moment, but fortunately for us we also like the pressure…

Saith Phumelele Goqo, known as DJ Ndiyo, is fast becoming an artist to look out for. She’s tackling the music industry head on as she strives to create a name for herself. The young musician studied sound technician and has been DJing. The DJ is also a qualified beauty therapist. Her studies have helped her to understand the music industry, especially when it comes to the business side of things. “Going to school teaches you more than just DJing, it teaches you more about songs and the music business. Which I think artists should really know about, because they get themselves into trouble (not knowing) much about the business of music,” she said. The DJ has recently dropped Ndiyo, a banger track that features music producer Tony Duardo and singer…

What are the requirements of the Rental Housing Act 50 of 1999 regarding leases? In addition to important information that is a part of a lease contract, the act requires tenant and landlord to include specific information and imposes certain duties. These cannot be negotiated or left out. Below, a few examples of what is deemed to be part of the lease contract, even if parties failed to include these in the contract: Joint Inspection A joint inspection must be undertaken by both parties before the tenant takes occupation and within three days before the tenant moves out of the property. Difference between viewing and inspection Viewing the premises is not the same as inspecting it for the purpose set out in the act, that is, to inspect for any…

THE SABC has cautioned its listeners never to negotiate advertising airtime with any of its presenters following a complaint against a social media account bearing the name of SAfm news anchor Cathy Mohlahlana. An award-winning author based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, nearly paid R10 000 to secure an interview on SAfm. The author, Godfrey Malibe, approached The Star’s sister paper, the Pretoria News, when he grew suspicious of the amounts demanded from him when he was only trying to promote his latest book, Happily Ever After. He is a recipient of the African Honoree Authors Award, which recognises authors from all over the continent. “SABC has a dedicated sales team responsible for the corporation’s airtime negotiations and this team does not include on-air personalities. Therefore, the SABC warns the public to…

THE ANC, to give teeth to its commitment to gender equality, elected a woman, Nomusa Ncube Dube, to lead the province for the first time. What better way to celebrate Women’s Month than electing a woman premier to take over the reins at KwaZulu-Natal after the lacklustre performance by former premier Sihle Zikalala? After the floods and the violent July unrest, there was a desperate need for a fresh face, someone with courage and determination, to give some impetus to get the province back on its feet. Dube Ncube comes with experience in politics and administration. Although her appointment has been welcomed in political circles, we should, nevertheless, view it with cautious optimism. It is still an ANC- led provincial legislature government which has a poor track record in good…

The ANC has been in power for more than 25 years uninterrupted. That’s a long time. Instead of taking the nation to the Promised Land, it has taken it to the road to hell. That’s how the governing party thanks the nation for trusting it with its votes. In 2024, the country will hold general elections. According to pundits, the ANC is likely to lose power. If it continues to rule, it will be through a coalition. However, the opposition parties are also hungry for power. The pertinent question is: If black voters don’t vote for the ANC in the next elections, which party are they going to vote for? The question sounds stupid, but it’s not. The majority of people of this country need to rally behind one political…

Renowned actress and media personality Pearl Thusi will be strutting the Miss Heritage Global 2022 stage after being announced as the host of this highly anticipated pageant, set to take place in Limpopo on September 25. With South Africa chosen as host this year, women from other parts of the world will travel to the culturally rich province of Limpopo, where the winner will be crowned at the Kalahari Waterfront Nandoni. The event will bring together citizens in celebration of the world’s heritage and cultural diversity. It will boast performances by much-loved performers such as the Limpopo-born superstar, singer-songwriter and dancer Makhadzi, musician and record producer Master KG, rapper, musician and DJ Lady Du, as well as musician La’ Joy. The chief executive of Miss Heritage Global, Mbofholowo Mbodi, said…

A South African man living in Canada recorded a short video of a woman employee of a company in Canada collecting garbage and driving a solid waste collection truck on her own, to show South Africans the job could be done efficiently with fewer people. The video has been circulating on social media platforms. In the video, the man greets the solid waste worker as she collects garbage bags and empties bins from the side of a road in the rain. He then explains that in Africa, five people are needed to do her job. “Five on a truck like this,” he reiterated after the woman stopped what she was doing, in apparent shock. She says: ‘Really, five but I have to drive the truck and load the dirt too.…

China is scrambling to alleviate power shortages and bring more water to the drought-hit basin of the Yangtze river as it battles a record-breaking heatwave by deploying relief funds, seeding clouds and developing new sources of supply. For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the hydropower-dependent regions of the southwest to shut down to ensure there is sufficient electricity to supply homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rises in temperature that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. The current extreme heat is likely to stem from a “special case” of high pressure from a West Pacific subtropical high…

Nairobi: Kenya’s president-elect William Ruto vowed yesterday that his new administration would be transparent, saying there was no time to waste in meeting the “huge expectations” of Kenyans. Ruto was declared the winner of the August 9 poll in a race against veteran politician Raila Odinga that went down to the wire. Measures to make his new administration more accountable would include enabling ministers to be questioned in parliament and ensuring that public servants don’t work for parties. Ruto is moving ahead with his administration, even though his rival could make a Supreme Court challenge to the election results. | AFP…

DUBAI International Airport, a major aviation hub, is gearing up to help ease transit travel for World Cup supporters ahead of the tournament starting in November, its director said yesterday. The first World Cup to be held in a Middle Eastern country is due to kick off in Qatar on November 20 and will last until December 18. Gulf states have agreed to ease administrative procedures for fans in transit, in particular through the United Arab Emirates. “We are actually putting together some immigration procedures which should make that transition between the two countries a lot easier,” said Dubai Airports chief Paul Griffiths. He added that online check-in will mean normal procedures can be bypassed “and then you can get in and out very quickly”. Pre-Covid-19, Dubai was the world’s…