Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-08-16 i Star

The NATIONAL Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa) has condemned the continued curatorship of the insurance subsidiary of its investment platform, 3Sixty Life, which has been under curatorship for more than 22 months now. In May, the company said it was hopeful that it would exit the period of curatorship in three to six months, but things are not looking up for the company that fought tooth and nail to remain solvent under difficult circumstances due to prolonged curatorship. The company, which serves Numsa members, was placed under curatorship in December 2021 by the Prudential Authority (PA) on allegations of an unconvincing recapitalisation plan.It was subsequently prohibited from taking on any new insurance business. On Monday, and after being mum for a long time, acting CEO of Doves…

OFFICERS who attended the Vosloorus home of Kelly Khumalo following the shooting of Senzo Meyiwa have been described as “reckless and ignorant” by the defence counsel of the men on trial for the murder of the soccer player. Advocate Zandile Mshololo, the legal counsel for Sifisokuhle Ntuli, the fifth accused, gave State witness Sergeant Patrick Mlungisi Mthethwa a tough time on the witness stand following his testimony in the High Court in Pretoria yesterday. Mthethwa, stationed at the Vosloorus Police Station, testified in court that he was one of the first responders who attended the call regarding a shooting at the Khumalo house on October 26, 2014, along with another officer and two students. He informed the court that they were unable to establish what had happened at the Khumalo…

A SOCIETY where no one is dominated by another is the wish of Sharon Ekambaram, the head of Lawyers for Human Rights’ (LHR) Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme for all during this Women’s Month. Ekambaram, a human rights activist involved in the struggle for social justice, has overcome many struggles herself. Her message to women, in particular, is never give up hope for a better life. “We owe it to this generation and those to come to transform this society and to be the beacon of hope for the world and to be a society in which no one is dominated by another.” The mother of two said this is what people like Chris Hani sacrificed their life fighting for. As head of the Refugee and…

Pan-African designers will fly their nations’ flags high as they showcase at the Milan and Paris fashion weeks next month. Fashion Week Studio Inc announced that designers will showcase at the Milan fashion week studio show on September 23 and 24, and at the Paris fashion week studio show on September 27 and 28. According to Fashion Week Studio Inc, every February, March and September, they create a runway show platform for international designers from around the world to showcase in front of the biggest fashion editors, buyers, curators, writers, and experts using top luxury venues in New York City, Milan and Paris. ‘‘They hold a reputation for luxury and excellence through their legendary, historical and lavish venues. Their commitment to quality, professionalism and effective service is what defines…

The recent crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2022/23 have revealed that 189 women and 61 children have been murdered in Gauteng. These numbers are shocking and once again highlight that the scourge of gender-based violence is increasing, despite the Gauteng provincial government initiating many campaigns to fight this issue. Assault and gender-based violence have been identified as the main drivers of these crimes, making it imperative to find effective ways to address the root causes and protect the vulnerable. There has been a significant surge in rape, attempted murder, and other contact crimes against women and children. The Johannesburg district has reported the highest number of domestic violence cases, amounting to 4 414 or 38.5% of a total of 11 454 cases in Gauteng. As a society, we…

IF South Africa has any real hope of turning the tide against the rampant corruption and looting of state resources, real effort needs to go into ensuring our corruption-combating units do the work for which they were intended. In the past week, news headlines were about former Eskom forensic manager, Dorothy Mmushi, who came out about death threats she received after her work uncovered cartels operating within the power utility. The crux of her concern was that there had been no action taken by the authorities which had been alerted to this issue. Security experts also came out to plead for the protection of “whistleblowers” before it was too late. And although over the years the country has implemented measures and units to address this issue, such as the Prevention…

OSAKA: Over 20 people have been injured in gusts of wind and torrential rains in five Japanese prefectures, where Typhoon Lan is passing through, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported yesterday. More than 80 000 households in central Japan are without power and meteorologists warn that torrential rains will continue today. A risk of flooding and landslides remains. Additional evacuation advisories brings the total number of people advised to evacuate to 559 759. Typhoon Lan is currently advancing through Osaka Bay towards the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture. Winds at the centre are reaching108km/h, with gusts up to 144km/h.…

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (3) 4 Shalulile 17; Nku 20, 47; Kekana 35 GOLDEN ARROWS 0 A SEVENTH successive championship is very much on and the rest of the Premiership clubs will have to be at their very best to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns this season. Granted, Golden Arrows were like sheep to the slaughter at Lucas Moripe Stadium yesterday, but the fact that Sundowns killed them off so quickly is an indication that Rulani Mokwena’s team mean business once again. They should easily have matched last year’s 6-0 hammering of the KwaZulu-Natal team, but the Brazilians dropped the ball somewhat in the second half following numerous changes to the team. Lesiba Nku helped himself to a brace on his maiden start for his new team, as Marcello Allende and Themba Zwane shone…

FINTECH-focused digital consumer financial solutions group HomeChoice International (HIL) grew operating profit 25% in the six months to June 30 in a challenging consumer environment and lifted its dividend 9% to 70 cents per share. HIL’s fintech business grew revenue 29% to R872 million with its operating profit up 44%. Digital revenue now comprises 57% of group revenue. The fintech operations offer financial services and retail products to more than 1.7 million mobile-savvy, mass-market, mainly women customers in South Africa, as well as payments products through 2 570 retail partners with more than 5 900 points of presence country-wide. Retail sales operation sales fell 26% to R594m at its 14 stores, a setback after it had started to recover post the Covid pandemic, but credit…

Dance music stars Dlala Thukzin, Kabza De Small and Skye Wanda are leading the 2023 South African Dance Music Awards nominations. Dlala Thukzin, real name Thuthuka Zindlovu, is leading with four nominations this year with the prestigious Best Gqom Record, Best Dance Album, Best Producer and Best Male DJ. Close behind with three nominations are Kabelo Motha, aka Kabza De Small, with Best Dance Album, Best Producer and Best Male DJ, and Nonhle Mhlongo, real name Skye Wanda, with Best House Record, Best Female Vocalist and Best House Record. The SA Dance Music Awards recognise and celebrate artists who have pushed boundaries and set new standards of innovation and creativity within the dance music industry, and are the premier platform dedicated to honouring achievements of artists, producers, DJs and…

Political parties, unions react with shock at high-level of unemployment rate The low rates of economic growth and the less-than-ideal 0.3% point quarter-on-quarter decrease in the country’s unemployment rate have led to criticism of South Africa’s economic trajectory. This comes after Statistician-general Risenga Maluleke released the Quarterly Labour Force Survey statistics for the period between April 1 and June 30, yesterday. The Federation of South African Trade Unions (Fedusa), the EFF, the Free Market Foundation and the DA all reacted with shock following the figures released by Statistics South Africa, which indicated that the country’s official unemployment rate has decreased by 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, with the latest number of unemployed now standing at 32.6%. Maluleke announced the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), which is…

Katlehong-born documentary photographer Lindokuhle Sobekwa, pictured, has won the FNB Joburg Art Prize for his contemplative and stimulating documentary photography work soaked in materialism and subtle geographical and temporal distances. Sobekwa was announced as the winner of the 16th edition of the art prize during an event held at 19 Dartfield Road in Kramerville yesterday. By winning this prestigious art prize, Sobekwa etched his name as the 16th winner of the prize, behind previous laureates such as Lady Skollie, Nelisiwe Xaba, Dada Khanyisa and Bronwyn Katz. FNB chief marketing officer Faye Mfikwe congratulated Sobekwa for his achievements, saying: “This prize was created to recognise talent and innovation in the arts. As a result, we are delighted to see artists pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking through creative expression. As a…

A RECENT poll found that three in five employees have reported declining mental health due to work-related stress. The poll by Robert Walters Recruitment surveyed close to 2000 participants and revealed that 63% of professionals suffered from workplace-related stress, with 35% of professionals indicating that the workload and the type of work they did were the biggest triggers. A worrying 55% also indicated that they did not think that their employees were doing enough to help combat work-related stress, and that also accounted for 21% who stated that high workloads had resulted in low-quality work being produced. When asked how often they felt this way, 41% stated very often, with a further 22% saying they felt like this “somewhat often”, and only 28% identifying this as happening “sometimes”. Only 9%…

EVERY week residents in Soshanguve Block VV, UU and WW are being forced to stay in the dark due to power outages happening outside load-shedding schedules. Residents expressed their frustration after they experienced another unexpected power cut on Monday afternoon without receiving any notification from the City of Tshwane. They said the outages were either a result of cable theft or electrical faults related to the power tripping. Some people were worried that their food might spoil should the City not restore power by the end of yesterday. Other residents said they might be forced to dig deeper into their pockets to buy new groceries. Many of them took to social media to express their frustrations, wanting to know from the municipality when power would be restored to their…

THE reality of the hard economic times middle-class South Africans are experiencing is felt especially during dragged-out divorce proceedings, a judge said during an application by a wife for her soon-to-be ex-husband to up his monthly maintenance towards her and their children. The wife turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, because she felt her husband was financially much stronger than her. Apart from claiming more maintenance, she also wanted her husband to contribute towards her legal costs in the divorce, which she said is at this stage standing at more than R400 000. In dealing with the application, Judge Elmarie van der Schyff said realities cannot be ignored when a court considers the question of maintenance in Rule 43 (pending divorce) applications. “On the one hand, it is…

When Siya Kolisi leads the Springboks onto the pitch at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, it will be one more step towards the completion of one of rugby’s miracle comebacks. Kolisi suffered a “six-to-nine months” knee injury playing for the Sharks in April, but has defied the odds to return to action in half the time for Saturday’s warm-up match against Wales. Kolisi’s coach, Jacques Nienaber, is a physiotherapist by trade and he said the 32-year-old’s incredible recovery is no fluke. “I don’t think people understand the sacrifices Siya has made to get to the point where he is ready to play rugby, nor how hard his support team has worked,” the Bok coach said. “From the beginning of his rehabilitation, he has had weekly markers set by…

On Monday, you reported that certain shop keepers are selling expired food items or food items with their expiration dates rubbed off. Why don’t these shopkeepers buy smaller quantities of food items at a time, so they would all be sold before the expiry dates? Could the reason be that these small shops are buying food stuffs that have already expired from certain supermarkets? People connected to certain supermarkets could be selling expired goods to these tuck shops, with or without the owners or directors of the supermarkets knowing about it. Also, jobs could be created by appointing more health inspectors to inspect food shops. If fines for selling expired food were to be made much higher, the money collected from these fines could be used to pay more inspectors.…

Slightly more than two years after Niger’s first peaceful handover of power from one civilian president to another, the military seized power in July 2023. The coup – the fourth in Nigerien history – followed on the heels of recent military interventions in Africa. Mali (August 2020 and May 2021), Chad (April 2021), Guinea (September 2021), Sudan (October 2021) and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022). Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the number of military coups has declined sharply. However, francophone west Africa now accounts for approximately two-thirds of all military coups that have occurred since then. As a political scientist analysing African politics, I have studied military coups and their outcomes for the last decade and a half. In a recent article, Justin Hoyle, a…

The AU held talks on the Niger crisis as the country’s post-coup rulers showed defiance yet also pointed to diplomacy for a potential solution. But talks at the AU’s headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa coincided with a flare-up over threats by the regime to prosecute Niger’s deposed president. “AU’s Peace & Security Council meets to receive an update on the evolution of the situation in Niger and the efforts to address it,” the pan-African body said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Those attending included AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat as well as representatives from Niger and the West African bloc Ecowas (the Economic Community of West African States), it said. President Mohamed Bazoum, whose election in 2021 was a landmark in the country’s…

A local politician in Ecuador was shot dead on Monday, party officials said, less than a week after a presidential front-runner was gunned down at a campaign rally ahead of this weekend’s elections. Pedro Briones, a member of the Citizen Revolution Party of former president Rafael Correa, and one of the movement’s leaders in the province of Esmeraldas on the border with Colombia, was killed by unknown gunmen. “My solidarity with the family of comrade Pedro Briones, new victim of violence,” Luisa Gonzalez, one of the main presidential candidates, said on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter. | AFP…

The AMOUNT of young players in the Proteas white-ball squads displays South Africa’s intention to widen the talent pool and adjust to the ever-dynamic cricket landscape. The world of cricket has changed immensely following the inception and success of the Indian Premier League and many other franchise T20 tournaments around the world. The success of these leagues has tested every nation, and they continue to adapt to the change. Almost every month of the year has one major global T20 tournament and that means more often than not, each country’s top players have offers to play in these leagues and earn big pay cheques. This leaves the smaller countries, including South Africa, with no choice but to release players and to schedule their international season in a manner that gives…

Australia and England re-engage one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in sport when they meet with a place in the Women’s World Cup final on the line at a sold out Stadium Australia today. While England boast the pedigree as twice World Cup semi-finalists and winners of the European title last year, Australia’s plucky Matildas have captured the hearts of a nation usually invested in other sports. Australian rules and rugby fans may be sketchy on the finer details of the round-ball game but they know ‘Aussie grit’ when they see it, and last Saturday’s dramatic penalty shoot-out win over France certainly fit the bill. Sports fans around the country celebrated goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s saves and Cortnee Vine’s winning penalty as if the tournament was won, and there has…

Kaizer Chiefs might have got the monkey off their backs at the weekend as they secured their first victory of the new season, but they remain in a delicate situation as they build towards this weekend. Amakhosi scored a stoppage-time winner against Cape Town City through new arrival Edson Castillo to book their place in the semi-finals of the MTN8, a relief for the club and the new man at the helm. Head coach Molefi Ntseki remains on a precarious standing with the club’s supporters after a rough pre-season and under-par showings in the Premiership after two matches. However, Chiefs’ recent dose of positivity may signal a turnaround in fortunes ahead of the rest of the season. Before their away win against the Citizens, Chiefs had not won any of…

Spain are just one step away from World Cup glory after their dramatic 2-1 semi-final win over Sweden yesterday, and forward Salma Paralluelo said La Roja had proved they have what it takes to be crowned champions. Goalless for 80 minutes, a cagey affair at Eden Park looked to be drifting towards extra-time but sparked to life when substitute Paralluelo put Spain up with nine minutes left. Sweden equalised shortly after through Rebecca Blomqvist before Spain captain Olga Carmona hit an 89th-minute winner. Spain’s players were in tears at full-time and celebrated wildly on the pitch after reaching the final for the first time. They will face co-hosts Australia or European champions England in the final in Sydney on Sunday. “It was a very tough game,” teenager Paralluelo said afterwards.…

THE PRESIDENTIAL Climate Commission (PCC) has been tasked with driving the Just Transition for the country to ensure a low-carbon and climate-resilient future. This task heralded the first-ever Just Transition Framework in a developing country, making South Africa a first-mover once again. As the PCC, we acknowledge that our work broadly and the Just Transition framework inadequately addressed the issue of gender inequalities and this oversight has been raised on various platforms by stakeholders. It is in this context that the issue and need for gender equity must be prioritised in further planning processes in the Just Transition process and specifically in implementation. The PCC recently hosted a webinar on Gender and Social Inclusion in the Just Transition. Validating the sentiment expressed by President Cyril Ramapahosa in his address…

If you’ve spent a fair amount of time on social media over the past couple of days, chances are you’ve come across Thuso Mbedu’s name somewhere on the TL. After being named as L’Oreal Paris’s first brand ambassador of sub-Saharan Africa, Mbedu was the star of the show as the brand held a glitzy event with celebrities, influencers and media at the Sandton Convention Centre recently. The event also saw the 32-year-old South African actress launch a new skincare range with the brand, Glycolic Bright Instant Glowing Serum. But this isn’t even the first time Mbedu has hit the big time with a global brand. Earlier in the year, Mbedu bagged a deal as the face of Gris Dior fragrance. In a video posted on the Dior Beauty Instagram page,…

A CHOICE to retrieve a key from between a woman’s breasts or pepper spray her to obtain the key, has cost two police officers. They were convicted of assault and slapped with a hefty fine. However, on appeal, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria overturned their convictions. Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi said the idea to retrieve the key from between the woman’s breasts was too “ghastly” for the officers. They were commended for not going this route. The judge found they had acted in self defence when they opted for pepper spray. Officers Jimmy Manasa and Majozi Phakula were earlier sentenced to a fine of R6 000 each or 90 days’ imprisonment for assault. Although the magistrate who had convicted them said the woman clearly did not tell the whole truth about…

Ingredients For the casserole: (serves 6) 60 ml olive oil 2kg beef short rib (or brisket), cut into large chunks salt and pepper, to taste 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 stick celery, finely chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4-6 sprigs rosemary 30ml tomato paste 250ml dry red wine 1 can chopped tomatoes 5ml sugar About 450 ml beef stock For the polenta: 6 cups water 1,5 cups polenta 125ml fresh cream Salt and pepper, to taste Method: For the casserole: in a large, wide casserole/pot, heat the oil and fry the meat in batches over high heat on all sides until brown. Season with salt and pepper while frying. Remove the meat, then add the onion, carrot, celery, onion and rosemary. Lower the…

Genocide is taking place in Asia, while an uncaring world remains in self-imposed denial. The next few years will be defining for many nations as fascism gains traction in Europe and Asia and stealthily worms it’s way into power as nations are lulled into a self induced state of political paralysis. Fascists despise democracy, degrade liberty, humiliate the judiciary, insult parliamentary democracy, mock the constitution and shamelessly use jackboot tactics to pulverize a nation into absolute submission. Fascists are relentless in spreading a plethora of lies. At the heart of it, merciless attacks on the truth, large and small, day by day, year by year, a strategy that pierces and places a deadly knife in democracy’s heart. They must tell blatant untruths, things that are direct, frontal assaults on truth.…

Why is women’s empowerment key to fighting climate change and promoting sustainability? Because women and girls experience disproportionate harm as a result of climate change. Historically, researchers and policymakers have struggled to make the connection between gender, social equity and climate change. However, more data and research reveal a clear correlation between women’s empowerment and effective climate action. We have less than a decade left to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender equality is fundamental to delivering on the promises of sustainability and human progress. Women can play a role in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability only if they are provided with the appropriate opportunities, technologies, networks and support to do so. And if they are given the right seats at the right tables. According to research…

August is Women’s Month in South Africa – a time to reflect upon and evaluate the progress women in South Africa in particular, and BRICS in general, have made over the past 67 years. On August 9, 1956, 20 000 South African women representing all communities in the country marched to the apartheid government offices at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For the past 67 years, August 9 has been commemorated as Women’s Day in South Africa. It marks the day that the women of South Africa stood up to the apartheid regime to protest the extension of pass laws to African women. On July 31, 2014, the Women’s Movement in South Africa, in conjunction with the government, declared August Women’s Month. This declaration was in response to the…

BEIRUT: Lebanon ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of its embattled former central bank governor on Monday, days after the US, the UK and Canada slapped him with sanctions. Former governor Riad Salameh, 73, who left his post of 30 years at the end of last month without a successor, is widely viewed as a key culprit in the country’s dramatic economic crash. The central bank’s special investigation committee has ordered the lifting of banking secrecy as well as the freezing of accounts “that are directly or indirectly” linked to Salameh, it said in a statement. | AFP…

COLOMBO: The waterholes and ponds in a key wildlife park in Sri Lanka have dried up due to a prevailing dry spell. Suranga Senanayake, warden of the Wilpattu National Park, said yesterday that all the water sources inside the park had dried up. He said steps had been taken to transport water from outside to fill up the waterholes and ponds for wild animals such as elephants, leopards and spotted deer. The dry weather that has hit Sri Lanka is expected to last till the end of September, according to meteorologists.…

KEVIN De Bruyne could be out of action for up to four months after suffering a hamstring injury in the opening Premier League game of the season, manager Pep Guardiola said on the eve of their Uefa Super Cup clash against Sevilla. The Belgium international left the field in the 36th minute of City’s 3-0 win at Burnley on Friday. De Bruyne, who was left out of City’s squad for their Super Cup game, also limped off during the Uefa Champions League final in June and Guardiola confirmed the midfielder had suffered a recurrence of the same injury. “It’s serious. We have to decide surgery or no surgery, but he will be out for a few months,” Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday. “(A decision on surgery will be taken) in…