Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-02-17 i Star

DA councillor in the City of Joburg and former MMC for development planning, Belinda Echeozonjoku, has appealed to police to pay special attention to Eldorado Park and other former coloured areas that are riddled with gangsterism. Over the past few months, Eldos has been in the news for a number of gang-related murders. The area has become notorious for gangsterism, lolly lounges and youth unemployment. Echeozonjoku said there were a number of problem areas, especially where there was little or no service delivery. According to her, the predominantly coloured township had been neglected mainly for political reasons. “The sad thing about the situation in Eldorado Park is that there are politics at play. Areas which are under ANC are well looked after …” Echeozonjoku said. She said she had been…

A 44-year-old man has been arrested in Mpumalanga for alleged possession of a Ford Ranger bakkie, reported stolen in Protea Glen, Gauteng. Police spokesperson in Mpumalanga Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the vehicle was recovered in a joint operation by SAPS and vehicle tracking company Cartrack. “Credit should be given to Middelburg flying squad and the tracking company which managed to gather information regarding a Ford Ranger double-cab bakkie, whereby an enquiry was opened in Protea Glen, Gauteng, on 15 February, 2023,” Mohlala said. A joint sting operation between the SAPS in Mpumalanga and Cartrack company was conducted. “The vehicle was spotted with one occupant at Schoenland near Vosman outside Witbank. The suspect was arrested for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle. Meanwhile, the car was seized,” Mohlala said. The suspect…

The Forbes family has announced that to honour AKA and keep his legacy alive, they will continue with the release of his highly anticipated album, Mass Country, next Friday, as scheduled. Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, fondly known as AKA, had been counting down the days to the release of his album before he was shot dead in Durban last Friday. This album follows the successful release of his smash hit single Lemons (Lemonade), which currently has 1.2 million views on YouTube. It is also revealed that AKA’s team, VTH Season, The T Effect, and Sony Music Entertainment Africa will oversee the release of Mass Country. His family explained that in the past two years, AKA has poured his heart out into the making of this upcoming album. Nivo Ndimande, manager and…

KasiNomic Revolution GG Alcock Loot (R236) Tracey McDonald Publishers A REVOLUTION is taking place in the great marketplaces of the informal sector. It contains an unquantified scale and power as an economic engine and a way of life for most of our low- income populations. The KasiNomic Revolution might be a murmur in the streets, a grass-roots economic groundswell, but it is the future of African economic activity. “Kasi” is the South African word for township – a teeming conurbation of homes and businesses, entertainment venues and social meeting places. GG Alcock uses the term “KasiNomics” to describe the informal sectors of Africa, whether they are in the township, a rural marketplace, at a taxi rank or on a pavement in the shadow of skyscrapers. Brought up in a rural…

The Institute For Creative Dying Jarred Thompson Loot (R240) Picador You wouldn’t know it was there, the unnumbered house behind the iron-grille gate, just below the craggy rocks of Northcliff ridge. To the casual observer the rambling property might seem neglected, with its tangle of trees and untamed indigenous bush. But there is purpose here, and a peaceful, subterranean focus on all that withers and dies. Five strangers – a model, a former nun, a couple in crisis, and an offender newly released from prison – have come here, to this place, to discover an end to life as they’ve known it. Placing their trust in their hosts, the Mortician and Mustafa, the five open their minds and bodies to an alternative experience. Not all of them will survive –…

Daniel Mminele – well-connected politically, occupying influential positions within institutions. His stock in trade – to intellectualise and bamboozle everyone within the reach of his voice, with pontifications few will understand. Perfectly suited to influence institutional policy, in line with ANC predetermined, long range plans. ABSA executives could not deal with him, but his politically inspired manoeuvre has placed him yet again in a position of influence at Nedbank. Clear thinkers should note there is a monumental agenda here which includes the “new” funding of Eskom, Prasa and all the other broken SOEs. The appointment is well timed, leading up to 2024 when the diabolical ANC will announce newly funded projects, courtesy of Nedbank. Ja nee.…

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele launched a bizarre attack on the DA that backfired horribly during the parliamentary debate on the State of the Nation address this week. “The DA difference is a racial difference. You see it in the police station in Gugulethu and the police station in Bishopscourt,” he said in a misguided attempt to accuse the DA-led Western Cape and City of Cape Town of allocating more resources to elite, historically white suburbs. Gungubele was either being deliberately spurious, or revealed his own shocking ignorance, as all MPs in the Assembly – and any informed citizen – would tell you that SAPS is in fact a national competency. He therefore only succeeded in highlighting the national police department’s own “racist” resource allocation policies. He shot his…

MOSCOW: The US should try to prove it was not behind the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that connected Russia to Western Europe, the Russian embassy to the US said yesterday. Moscow considers the destruction of Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines last September “an act of international terrorism” and will not allow it to be swept under the rug. The embassy referred to a blog post by journalist Seymour Hersh citing a source as saying that US Navy divers had destroyed the pipelines with explosives on the orders of US President Joe Biden. The White House denied this. | Reuters…

FORMER Bafana Bafana and Bidvest Wits defender Buhlebuyeza Mkhwanazi says he has no regrets about walking away from football and focussing his energy on his religious calling. Yesterday, Mkhwanazi revealed the staggering amounts he was earning at Wits before Jesus “took it away for my soul to be saved”. Having joined Wits in his early 20s, Mkhwanazi worked his way into being a first-choice defender at the club. In 2018, his contract was renewed by the now-defunct Clever Boys for three years as he became one of the highest paid players at the club. In an Instagram post yesterday though, Mkhwanazi, who has represented Bafana Bafana 21 times, put up a copy of that contract, showing the money he was supposed to earn monthly. “1.0 The club employs the footballer…

MAMELODI Sundowns will have to guard against complacency when they visit Coton Sport in their second game of the Champions League’s group stage tonight. The Brazilians started their group stage campaign on a high note last weekend, beating Sudanese champions Al Hilal 1-0 in Group A, which also boasts African Club of the Century Al Ahly. That result set them up nicely for their trip to Cameroon, having flown out of Johannesburg on Wednesday. The African title has been Sundowns’ only missing piece of the puzzle in recent years as they won five league titles in a row, including a domestic treble last season. The last time Sundowns won the continental crown was in 2016 under coach Pitso Mosimane, but a lot has changed since then, as Rhulani Mokwena has…

CHELSEA forward Kai Havertz said he was encouraged by the way the club’s new signings are gelling with the team despite the side recording only one win in 2023. Chelsea, who were beaten 1-0 by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday, spent more than $350 million to bring in eight players in January but did not sign a proven striker. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left out of their Champions League squad, on-loan forward Joao Felix hit the woodwork as Chelsea registered 21 shots against Dortmund, including eight on target, in the first leg of their last-16 tie. The return leg will be played on March 7 in London. “We have had a lot of new players join in this window and I think you can definitely see us improving…

Mondli Gungubele, Minister in the Presidency, didn’t touch on the issue of a Cabinet reshuffle, saying that was the prerogative of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Gungubele wasn’t clear on who would be announced as the minister of electricity or when he or she would be appointed. Ramaphosa announced last week, during his State of the Nation Address, that an electricity minister would be appointed to deal with the energy crisis as soon as possible. He made public the declaration of a state of disaster. Yesterday, Gungubele, speaking during a post-Cabinet media conference and outlining what was discussed at a Cabinet meeting in Cape Town, failed to tell the nation how much had been allocated since the declaration of the national state of disaster to respond to load shedding that is costing…

Police from the Soweto Flying Squad acted swiftly and rescued a woman who was hijacked of her vehicle and kidnapped by three men in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni. Three suspects were arrested after they were intercepted by the police in Soweto on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said Soweto Flying Squad members had been conducting routine patrols along Klipspruit West, Soweto, when they spotted a silver VW Polo driving recklessly. “Police gave chase, and the Polo collided with another vehicle. Three men jumped out of the car and started running on foot. “Police cornered and apprehended all three suspects. On the back seat of the VW Polo, police found a woman who had been hijacked in Katlehong and kept hostage,” Masondo said. Masondo confirmed that the suspects were charged with…

Amahle Hadebe, a young upcoming actress from KwaZulu-Natal, is readying herself for a career-defining trip to New York City, where she will represent South Africa and showcase her passion for acting. The 17-year-old was invited to perform at one of the most prominent model and talent conventions in Africa, The International Arts Talent Showcase, after receiving a callback at the regional auditions. At the showcase, she was afforded an opportunity to display her talent in the presence of a panel of international American talent scouts, artists and casting directors. After considering Hadebe’s performance, they have invited her to represent Africa and perform in New York City in June. She said she has had a strong desire to act since she was a child, but only took the first bold…

Google search trends have revealed what South Africans have been searching for from January last year to date. Google indicates that South Africans have been using the giant search engine to search for ways to understand the economy better, build their skills and build their careers. It is further revealed that they utilised Google to prepare for interviews and find new opportunities. Matt Brittin, president of Google Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, said: “It’s great to see people in South Africa showing more of an interest in the transformational technology that is AI. AI is already a key part of many of our lives. “In fact, if you use Google tools regularly, you’re probably using AI without even realising it. It’s what helps Maps give you the fastest or…

The Sweet Spot Amy Poeppel Loot (R535/R429) Atria/Emily Bestler THE sweet spot in the title of Amy Poeppel’s fourth novel refers to a grungy Greenwich Village bar, a beloved neighbourhood fixture with battered wood floors, rickety tables and a pungent smell of beer. Its owner is Dan, “a laid-back, decent, extremely chill” single dad who helpfully steers customers clear of the house wine. It’s a good name for a bar but an even better name for a warm and charming comedy of manners that hits every note just right. Above the bar live Lauren and Leo, their three young children, and a poorly behaved dog. Lauren is a ceramic artist whose porcelains sport signature grotesqueries, usually of a squirmy sort, such as a teapot with “a revolting brown worm crawling…

Home Cailean Steed Loot (R340) Raven Someone has broken into Zoe’s flat. A man she thought she’d never have to see again. They call him the Hand of God. He knows about her job in the café, her life in Dublin, her ex-girlfriend, even the knife she’s hidden under the mattress. She thought she’d left him far behind, along with the cult of the Children and their isolated compound Home – but now he’s found her, and Zoe realises she must go back with him if she’s to rescue the sister who helped her escape. But returning to Home means going back to the enforced worship and strict gender roles Zoe has long since moved beyond. Back to the abuse and indoctrination she’s fought desperately to overcome. Going back will…

February is International Mother Language month. It is also the beginning of Unesco’s Decade of Indigenous languages. Ancestral Voices is South Africa’s largest, most unique indigenous heritage and language preservation project. The project is involved in transcribing into current indigenous language orthography and then translating into English a large collection of manuscripts and contemporary typescripts written in seven of our nine official indigenous languages. All were written between the late 1920s and 1960s before Swati and Ndebele were written languages. Written by mother tongue speakers, many after interviewing the then-elderly, these writings contain information on every aspect of the history and culture of the people written about as told and recorded by members of those communities. Written nearly 100 years ago and considering the age of the authors, many among…

“I greet you all in the name of peace!” From his greeting, you could tell the man had a passion to lead and transform the nation to its maximum level of stability. Today we have remained with leaders who squabble like idiots, digging in each other’s waste bins in the name of corruption. Leaders who are fiddling while Rome is burning. Instead of competing about excelling in service delivery, they compete about who excels in digging the dirty laundry of another. What a shame we have in our departments. Sies. Elders behaving worse than Grade R kids while they wait for the taxpayers’ money to feed and fuel their ignorance for another term. Leaders who claim that there is no organised looting in appointing a minister of electricity, aka Mr…

The AU’s Summit takes place this weekend in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Many important decisions will be made, including on trade and the economy. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on Africa’s integration as a catalyst to transform Africa’s economic future for the better. The advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is arguably the closest Africa has ever been to continental integration. The AfCFTA, an output of the AU master- plan for transforming Africa’s development, Agenda 2063, promises to raise inter-regional trade by over 20% in the next decade. Yet, the basic building blocks for the AfCFTA – the free movement of persons, integrated infrastructure and production – have yet to get off the ground meaningfully. Even discussions around the digital economy ecosystem are moving…

Beyond piled-up tyres and barbed wire, a Ukrainian flag flutters across from Belarusian border guards patrolling an increasingly tense frontier. Next to the Ukrainian colours, another flag could be seen in a sign of defiance – the white and red used by the suppressed Belarusian opposition. Like all other checkpoints between Kremlin-aligned Belarus and its neighbour to the south, the crossing has been shut for a year after Russian forces poured over the border to attack Ukraine. Now, fears are mounting that Belarus could enter the conflict despite assurances from its president, Alexander Lukashenko, that this would only happen in the event of aggression from the Ukrainian side. Belarusian guards in the village of Dzivin, often referred to as Divin, said they were on standby, claiming the other side had…

LAMPANAH: A boat carrying 69 Rohingya Muslims landed in Indonesia’s Aceh province yesterday, the UN refugee agency said, the latest in a wave of arrivals as hundreds flee desperate conditions in Bangladeshi refugee camps. Hundreds of Rohingya, a persecuted religious and ethnic minority in Myanmar, have reached Aceh in the past few months, even as an untold number have died at sea from disease, hunger and fatigue. The UN has said that 2022 may have been one of the deadliest years at sea in almost a decade for the Rohingya. For years many Rohingya have attempted in rickety wooden boats to reach Thailand. | Reuters…

KAIZER Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has put on a brave face amid the injury woes that has hit his team, saying they are focusing on the players they have at their disposal. Chiefs were expected to hit all the right notes this season, rediscovering the club’s identity and getting back to winning ways after a seven-year trophy drought. But such has been their inconsistent season, they are nowhere near the chasing pack as they trail Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by a whooping 27 points. Chiefs’ focus has since turned to winning the Nedbank Cup and finishing second on the league standings to qualify for the Caf Champions League next season. But that won’t come easy as they have to get the best out of the available players at their disposal…

Musician and radio host DJ Lamiez Holworthy-Morule has penned a bittersweet tribute to her unborn son. Taking to her Instagram on Wednesday, Holworthy-Morule shared a series of photographs of herself, showcasing her growing baby bump. Holworthy-Morule, who is expecting her first child with record producer and hip-hop superstar Khuli Chana, expressed her concern about bringing a child into a world full of violence. She wrote: “Dear Son…In this scary dark world? “You are all the light I need. I cannot wait to meet you.” She also took to her Insta stories, expressing how she’s trying to be excited about her new journey as a first-time mother, while her husband remains inconsolable following rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes’s murder on Friday last week. “The hardest thing about this all is not being…

WHILE opposition parties piled on the pressure against the appointment of yet another minister, President Cyril Ramaphosa used his reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate to defend the decision, saying the resolution of the energy crisis needed effective co-ordination across several departments and public entities. He dispelled criticism that the planned appointment would cause confusion and fragmentation and might also result in turf wars among ministers dealing with energy and Eskom. “The minister will be responsible for driving the various actions being coordinated by the National Energy Crisis Committee to end load shedding as a matter of urgency. This appointment will ensure that there is a minister who is ultimately responsible for resolving load shedding and who is able to work with all fellow Cabinet ministers,…

Whenever we address sexual and reproductive health and the rights of homeless individuals, we talk about the complexities of homeless women living in shelters. We unpack their experiences in shelters and their access to quality family planning, primary health care; maternal health and menstrual hygiene products – but we hardly ever talk about men’s reproductive health. Both homeless women and men’s sexual and reproductive health equally matters. While visiting shelters and centres that cater for homeless individuals, I heard stories of survival, change and gratitude from those who have found themselves homeless and are now on the journey to transform their lives. A man in his mid-forties talked about how men had raped him several times on the streets of Cape Town when his was homeless. His eyes darted around…

In just 19 months, seasoned actress Nolwazi Shange-Ngubeni had viewers at the edge of their seats every single evening while portraying the character of Mbali Kubeka on e.tv’s Scandal. And just as the character hit its pinnacle, the prolific actress bowed out of the soapie this past Wednesday on a high and described the journey as her “greatest joy”. The 39-year-old was introduced to the soapie in July 2021, together with the Kubeka family, which comprises stars such as Fana Mokoena, Slindile Nodangala, Melusi Mbele, Sihle Ndaba and Robert Mpisi. “It’s a matter of walking away and ending it on your own terms, or the audience will drive you out of sheer boredom,” the star said. The twist in the character’s demise came with Mbali getting shot and killed by…

Age of vice Deepti Kapoor Loot (R270) Fleet This is the age of vice, where pleasure and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill. New Delhi, 3am. A speeding Mercedes jumps the kerb, and in the blink of an eye five people are dead. It’s a rich man’s car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family – loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all. In the shadow of lavish estates,…

Victory City Salman Rushdie Loot (R240) This is Salman Rushdie at his best. A feminist tale in an historical setting that will remain with you long after you turn the final page. The epic tale of a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the centuries. In the wake of an insignificant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in 14th-century southern India, a 9-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for the goddess Parvati, who begins to speak out of the girl’s mouth. Granting her powers beyond Pampa Kampana’s comprehension, the goddess tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of…

One might argue our president was playing a practical joke on the citizens of South Africa when he nominated Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to head our new state of disaster, the Eskom crisis. Personally, I don’t think the president is smart enough to appreciate an irony such as appointing the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, who is disaster personified, to head any disaster management. She is inarticulate, uninspiring and, in her nondescript way, arrogant. How she was chosen to be head of the AU, apart from being black, a woman and South African, still puzzles me. And she seems to have Ramaphosa by the balls, otherwise why does he persist in foisting her on a suffering citizenry? This is the woman who countermanded the president’s edict during our…

A friend once said to me that a man who claims to understand women should be ignored. Equally, any person who claims to understand matters of the heart should also be ignored. Tuesday was St Valentine’s Day when many couples around the world proclaimed their love. Some got engaged and some took their partners to the altar. The question that kept flooding back was: How does one keep the fire of love aflame after the euphoric season is over? To paint a mental picture of what I am talking about, imagine the following conversation between customer and a car dealer call centre agent. Helpline: “Excellent Motors Helpline, how can I help you?” Customer: “My car ran fine for a week, and now it won’t go anywhere!” Helpline: “Is the petrol…

Beirut: Dozens of angry demonstrators attacked several banks in Beirut yesterday after the Lebanese pound hit a record low, amid a deepening economic crisis. Lebanon’s cash-strapped banks have imposed strict restrictions on withdrawals, barring depositors from accessing their savings. Around 50 protesters smashed the facades of four banks and burned car tyres in the central Beirut suburb of Badaro. The attacks came after calls by the “Depositors’ Outcry Association”, a group that supports depositors’ attempts to withdraw their money. The Association of Banks in Lebanon also declared a strike, saying the crisis was affecting the entire financial system. | AFP…

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday launched a company to carry out a hugely ambitious development in downtown Riyadh, as part of the leading oil exporter’s plans to make its capital a global metropolis and diversify the economy. The kingdom aims to double the size and population of its capital city with total investments of $800 billion (R14.5 trillion) under its Vision 2030 plan to modernise the Gulf state and reduce its dependence on oil export revenues. The New Murabba Development Company’s project will include a museum, university, and theatre. | Reuters…

SPANISH prosecutors are investigating around €1.4-million (about R27m) in payments Barcelona made over three years to a company owned by a high-ranking official of Spain’s refereeing body, the club said, confirming an earlier media report. Spanish radio Cadena SER said on Wednesday that the club made the payments between 2016 and 2018 to a company of Jose Maria Enríquez Negreira, who was at the time vice-president of a refereeing committee of the Spanish football association. Barcelona said in a statement it was aware of the investigation. It said the club had “hired the services of an external consultant” that supplied it with “technical reports related to professional refereeing”, calling it “a common practice among professional football clubs”. It said the consultant also provided, in video format, reports about youth players…

PROSPECTIVE new owners of Manchester United have until today to reveal their interest in buying one of the world’s biggest clubs, with the British media reporting a bid from Qatar which, if successul, will send shockwaves through European football. United’s current American owners, the Glazer family, opened the door to fresh investment in the English giants in November, either in the form of a minority stake or a full takeover. Deeply unpopular with supporters since they saddled the club with huge debts in a £790-million leveraged takeover in 2005, the Glazers are ready to cash out their chips at an enormous profit. According to reports, they are seeking £6-billion for the three-time European champions, which would smash the record fee for a football club set by Chelsea last year. A…