Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-04-17 i Star

As at April 13, 2023, it has received three complaints relating to renewable energy products AS SOUTH Africa’s economy buckles under the lack of power with its growth being decimated, allegations of price gouging relating to solar and wind renewable energy product have emerged. In response to a Business Report media inquiry, Siyabulela Makunga, the spokesperson of the Competition Commission, said last week that as at April 13, 2023, the Competition Commission had received three complaints relating to solar and wind renewable energy products. He said one complaint in May last year related to wind renewable energy, but this was non-referred by the commission. “The other two cases are currently under investigation. These complaints related to price gouging allegations and the exchange of competitively sensitive information between competitors,” Makunga said.…

LABOUR wants answers after Siban- ye-Stillwater informed markets on Friday that four mineworkers had died at its Balfour plant after a rock conveyor collapsed. Sibanye’s share price fell on the news, closing 4.44% lower on the JSE on Friday. Sibanye said in a statement on Friday that a full investigation into the exact cause of the incident was under way and all relevant stakeholders had been informed. It said that the incident occurred on Thursday, April 13, at its Burnstone project, located near Balfour, where a newly constructed surface waste rock conveyor had collapsed. The incident involved the use of a 140-ton crane to lift the pulley from the ground and place it in position. As the pulley was being aligned, the conveyor belt structure collapsed “The collapse…

Radio and TV personality Sthembinkosi Junior “Bujy” Bikwa insists that he never hit rapper and reality TV star Boity Thulo with a champagne bottle during a brawl between the pair over a year-and-a-half ago. Recounting the series of events leading up to Thulo sustaining a cut on her face, the former Metro FM star says he regrets everything that happened that evening. In October 2021, news reports surfaced that Thulo and Bikwa were involved in a physical altercation at a hotel in Johannesburg. At the time, Thulo confirmed in a statement that she was allegedly assaulted and revealed that she had opened a case with the SAPS following the violent incident with Bikwa. Bikwa, who spent seven days at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre jail, also opened a counter-assault case against…

A VERY intelligent, professional conman, who is highly manipulative and believes people are there to serve his will and be cast aside once he is done with them. Those were some of the observations of South Africa’s notorious serial rapist Thabo Bester by the former head of an SAPS profiling unit, who interviewed the convicted murderer during his sentencing in 2011. Dr Gerard Labuschagne, a clinical psychologist and ex-brigadier of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Section, recalled meeting Bester while he was the head of the police profiling unit. Labuschagne said he was asked by the investigators to interview Bester and, if needs be, testify at his sentencing proceedings. Following his interactions with Bester, he said, he found him to possess a manipulative side as he was able to con a…

Another gripping and tear-jerking tale with the iconic actor Morgan Freeman at the helm is in the cinemas, shining a light on different and thought-provoking life themes. A Good Person tackles challenging themes of grief, substance abuse and mental health awareness, and family struggles. In this movie, different characters find themselves amending their lives after a fatal accident involving their loved ones transforms their lives forever. Florence Pugh portrays the role of Allison who takes viewers on an emotional train as her life turns over from being flawless to facing a horror drug addiction after a fatal accident. Allison finds it difficult to piece her life together as the day of the accident haunts her. The Star was also part of the screening that attracted a considerable group of…

For ALMOST a year, notorious “Facebook Rapist” Thabo Bester lived the life of a free man in upmarket Joburg suburbs after escaping from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein in May last year. Bester lived a high life with his celebrity doctor girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana, in a R12m Hyde Park property they rented for over R40 000 month. There were luxurious cars, such as Porsche Cayennes and Mercedes Benzes with AMG badges. Bester and Magudumana became persons of interest after an exposé by GroundUp in March shed light on how he escaped from the G4S-run prison. We look back at the events of the past year, since Bester’s elaborate escape from prison, where he faked his death by allegedly planting an unknown body in Cell 35 before setting…

Leinster coach Leo Cullen said he has only the utmost “admiration” for Jacques Nienaber after it was revealed on Saturday that the current Springbok coach will join the Irish giants at the end of the year. In a bombshell revelation by SA Rugby, it was confirmed that Nienaber would depart his current post to take up a position as an assistant coach in Dublin, starting for the 2023/24 United Rugby Championship (URC) season and after the Rugby World Cup in France. Speaking to the media after Leinster remained unbeaten in the URC with an excellent 39-36 victory over the embattled Emirates Lions at Emirates Airline Park, a chuffed Cullen waxed lyrical about the newly revealed appointment. “We were aware of Jacques for a few years at Munster originally and now…

A lot of work has gone into making Anrich Nortje the full package that we see in the Indian Premier League, says former provincial coach Piet Botha. Time and again, Nortje has proved his quality as an all-format fast bowler. Rarely injured, Nortje always delivers fast and does so accurately. Mostly, fast bowlers have the ability to bowl fast from a very young age and in Nortje’s case, it was not different, according to Botha, the now Proteas Test team’s bowling coach. Botha worked with Nortje at Eastern Province, right after Nortje finished matric, back when he had his sights set on breaking into franchise cricket. At the time, Nortje had already made a name for himself as one for the future because of his natural ability to bowl fast.…

SOUTH Africa’s muted economic growth is expected to drag the prospects of the whole sub-Saharan African region lower in 2023, as the country is the most-industrialised economy in the region. This was the warning issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the release of its sub-Saharan African Regional Economic Outlook for 2023 report in Washington DC on Friday. The IMF has already maintained its projection that South Africa’s growth would decelerate sharply to 0.1% in 2023, weighed down by an intensification of power outages; a weaker external environment; and, a negative carry-over effect from the growth slowdown at the end of 2022. The ongoing energy crisis has already slashed at least two percentage points off South African economic growth forecasts for 2023, as intensified power cuts cripple industrial and…

ENERGY analysts have commended Bheki Nxumalo for agreeing to take the responsibility as Eskom’s new head of generation to resolve elevated levels of power outages on the back of the continued loss of major generation units amidst heightened demand. Eskom on Friday appointed Nxumalo as group executive generation with immediate effect, nearly a year after Phillip Dukashe resigned from the post in May 2022 for personal reasons after a year in the job. Following Dukashe’s sudden resignation last year, veteran engineer Thomas Conradie was appointed on an “acting” basis but managed to have an “open-door” policy around issues of generation with the public at Eskom. Eskom said that Nxumalo will report directly to the acting group CEO Calib Cassim. Nxumalo’s career in the energy sector spans more than 20…

British multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and rapper, Bree Runway, is an artist steadily making waves. Having risen to fame with her spin on anthems, Runway has now remixed popular ’90s track, Rhythm of the Night by Corona. Her unique genre-bending style has given the party track a laid-back feel, re-imagining it for a new audience while encouraging people to sip slowly. The up-tempo song was chosen, not only for its significance as one of the most prominent dance classics of the ’90s but also for its lyrics. Runway collaborated with Captain Morgan to release the remix for the Enjoy Slow campaign which encourages drinkers to set their own pace, and not be afraid to say no to a drink or another round. “I am unapologetically myself at all times, I live…

Local artist Dylan-John Gordon has been crowned the winner of the Red Bull Doodle Art 2023 competition after creating a spectacular piece of art showcasing the power of creativity. He will represent South Africa at the Red Bull Doodle Art World Final. Gordon says he is animated to have won the competition and looks forward to meeting other artists from across the world. “I feel extremely grateful to have won the competition. I was very nervous and I’m aware this comes with so much pressure, but I’m looking forward to meeting and learning from all the other doodle artists from across the globe. “This will be my first time going overseas and thank you to the Red Bull Doodle Art competition for making this possible,” he said. Judged on creativity,…

FORMER public protector advocate Thuli Madonsela was challenged by the last administration until the Constitutional Court ruled that her remedial action was binding. This ruling has set a precedent for constant litigation against the Public Protector’s Office. The Public Protector’s Office is a Chapter 9 institution that protects the vulnerable from the abuses of power by investigating complaints received from the public. The protector then holds those who exercise power to account. It is not easy for those who are in power to admit that they are wrong, and take responsibility. The public protector of Zambia, advocate Caroline Zulu-Sokoni, testifying at suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry on January 30, said “the public protector is in a vulnerable position (because) it investigates the executive”, which both created it and…

The Lions’ season ended in an anti-climax that was of equal measure brilliant to watch, frustrating to witness and predictable to see. There were some truly special plays during the last-gasp 39-36 loss to Leinster on Saturday at Ellis Park, but then it eventually petered out into a disastrous final quarter where the home team lost all control and semblance of their intent. That has been the story of the Lions this season in both the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup – which they will now be consigned to again next season. Coach Ivan van Rooyen’s players have either started too slowly or ended too late. In short, they have failed on most occasions to compete for a full 80 minutes. That characterisation repeated itself against Leinster where the…

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has expressed the pride he has in his team despite suffering a Nedbank Cup setback. The Brazilians were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by a spirited Stellenbosch FC on Saturday evening at Athlone Stadium for their first defeat in Mokwena’s 24 matches as sole head coach, while extending their winless streak to four matches in all competitions. The Chloorkop-based club have arguably the most gruelling schedule of all Premiership teams, considering their exploits in the CAF Champions League. The 36-year-old mentor said that he remains a proud coach as his charges continue to manoeuvre their way through a congested fixture list, chasing the league and Champions League double. “As I sit here as their coach, I am more proud of them than I…

Arjun Tendulkar, son of batting great Sachin, made his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians in their home match against former champions Kolkata Knight Riders yesterday. The Tendulkars became the first father-son duo to play the IPL after Arjun received his cap from Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma. With Mumbai electing to field after winning the toss, left-arm seamer Arjun opened the attack for Mumbai conceding five runs in his first over. “So happy to see Arjun play for Mumbai ... The champion dad must be so proud. Wish him all the best,” tweeted former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Arjun conceded 17 runs in his two overs before being taken off and did not finish his full quota of four overs. He also failed to take a wicket. Sachin, international cricket’s…

THE COMPETITION Commission said on Friday that is was launching a new market inquiry into the South African steel industry. It had gazetted the draft terms of reference for the probe on April 7. The commission said it would examine whether or not there were any features or a combination of features in its value chain that impede, distort or restrict competition in the South African steel industry. “A market inquiry is a general investigation into the state, nature and form of competition in a market rather than an investigation of specific conduct by any particular firm,” it said, saying the industry was a driver of inclusive growth in the South African economy. The commission had prioritised the intermediate and industrial sectors since 2008 due to the sector being linked…

ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) has not just evolved technically. It has also become more accessible to non-tech users such as business people. AI is providing deep insights like never before, and is helping many business processes to become more efficient. In fact, 86% of CEOs mentioned that AI plays an important role in their businesses, not in the form of robots and complex machinery, but software to run their day-to-day operations. From predicting customer behaviour to handling communication, AI in business is becoming indispensable in ways never seen before. AI applications have significantly evolved over the past few years and have found their application in almost every business sector. Whether a small or large business, there are many AI tools that can improve business operations and productivity, save time by automating…

the South African BDS Coalition has called on the government to end all G4S contracts with immediate effect. “We call on our government… to boycott apartheid Israel and companies complicit in the oppression of Palestinians,” said Salim Vally. According to the BDS Coalition, not only has G4S failed to deliver on its Mangaung contract, but it is directly complicit in Israeli apartheid. Vally said it was outrageous that the government was paying R2 billion to a company that trains the brutal apartheid Israeli police who recently stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque on Ramadaan, beating worshippers with rifle butts and throwing stun grenades into the building. “The global BDS movement has long been calling for a boycott of G4S policy. “The company operated and partially owned by G4S is responsible…

Spokesperson for the Jacob Zuma Foundation Mzwanele Manyi might have stoked the fires that suggest former president Jacob Zuma is the unnamed ANC leader who once visited Chris Hani killer Janusz Walus. Walus was granted parole by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola in what Hani’s widow Limpho Hani and the SACP described as the second killing of her husband. In a recent interview with Newzroom Afrika, Manyi, without disclosing the identity of the person, said a former president had visited Walus without the permission of the governing party. “There are things that we will never know until the truth is heard about it, that Janusz Walus was visited in prison by a former president of this country. “We do not know…

It’s been more than six weeks since the world lost celebrity chef Lentswe Bhengu-Mafoko and although the rest of the country has moved on, Langa Mavuso is still in grief. Lentswe was in a relationship with leading male vocalist and soulful musician Mavuso, which was disclosed after his death. According to the family statement, Lentswe died after a brief illness on February 28 at the Sandton Mediclinic. Mavuso has spoken out about his life without his partner who was commemorated in three memorial services – one in Johannesburg and two in Durban, before he was laid to rest on March 8. At one of the memorial services, Mavuso said that in their seven years together, they had built a life for themselves. According to Mavuso’s speech at Bhengu-Mafoko’s memorial services,…

SOUTH Africa’s diverse and multi-racial comedy industry gathered at the M1 Place in Marlboro on Saturday to celebrate the country’s comedic talent. Among those who attended the 10th Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards were musician Samthing Soweto, radio and TV personality Pabi Moloi, TV personality Moshe Ndiki, and musician Donald. The star-studded awards featured comedians across 10 categories, with Robby Collins and Durban-based comedian Nonto R emerging as the biggest winners with two awards each. Collins won the best comedian of the year award and funny influencer award, while Nonto R won the breakthrough award and best vernacular, also known as the Joe Mafela award. Speaking to The Star, Nonto R, who has cemented herself as the country’s leading woman comedian, said the recognition meant a lot to her and…

Royal AM (1) 1 Manganyi 28 Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 Matlaba (OG) 36, Maart 103-pen Kaizer Chiefs fought back from a goal down to beat Royal AM and book their spot in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup at Chatsworth Stadium last night. Amakhosi join Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch and Sekhukhune United in the final four of the Ke Yona competition. Thwihli Thwahla captain Samuel Manganyi wouldn't have imagined he would be on the field let alone on the scoresheet as he came off the bench to score the opener a minute after entering the field. The stocky centre-back capitalised off poor Chief's marking and headed in at the near post, giving Royal AM the early advantage in the 28th minute. It was not long before the hosts, in particular Thabo…

JOSE Riveiro was reluctant to voice it verbally lest he came across as being disrespectful, but the Orlando Pirates coach was clearly delighted that his team will not be facing a lower-division outfit again in the Nedbank Cup. Three times the Buccaneers have had to work their way into the next round of South Africa’s premier club knockout competition by beating a non-Premiership outfit. And while they reigned victorious in all those, none of the matches were easy, not even that 2-0 victory over Motsepe Foundation outfit All Stars in the round of 32 because the match remained on a knife-edge for a long time with Pirates only managing to score in the 62nd and 70th minutes. They could only get the better of another Motsepe Foundation team Venda Football…

SEKHUKHUNE United, 2-1 victors, won the ‘Battle of the Uniteds’ against Chippa United in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday. With the win, Sekhukhune joined Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC in the semi-finals. It’s first time that Sekhukhune have reached the Nedbank Cup semis. No sooner had spectators taken their seats when Elias Mokwana, playing out on the right wing alongside Nigerian Chibuike Ohizu and Victor Letsoalo in Sekhukhune’s three-pronged attack, opened the scoring in the first minute. Straight from the kick-off, Sekhukhune worked the ball down the right flank before crossing the ball into the opposition goalmouth where Chippa failed to deal with the danger. Two passes later in the Chippa penalty box, Mokwana showed great composure by slipping the ball wide of Nigerian goalkeeper…