Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-08-23 i Star

THE ENERGY crisis is the Achilles heel facing South Africa, and the BRICS Summit is a huge opportunity to rewrite the rules on global co-operation. This comes as the BRICS Summit has officially kicked off as Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China, touched down on African soil at OR Tambo International Airport as top leaders gather for this long-awaited event with South Africa as the host. However, while South Africa acts as the host, it does not not seem able to punch above its weight in these BRICS partnerships. This can be witnessed at the energy sector BRICS Summit. South Africa’s position appears mute and our leaders do not appear to be negotiating anything tangible on the energy crisis agenda. Instead, it is the usual rhetorical…

The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation (UMF) is set to host a unity walk at UCT against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) – and to remember those whose lives have been claimed by this. Tomorrow will mark the fourth year since first-year UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, 19, went missing. She was found raped and murdered after going to collect a parcel at Clareinch Post Office. Her killer, Luyanda Botha, a post office worker, received three life sentences in November 2019. Uyinene’s mother, Nomangwane Mrwetyana, said at her funeral four years ago that she was sorry she never warned her about the post office. “I am sorry I warned you about other places but not the post office. I am sorry I was not there to protect you,” she said. “I promise to…

The City of Tshwane has blamed illegal connections and cable theft for the widespread power outages in region one, fuelling protests in some communities. Since Monday, residents of Soshanguve Block VV, UU and WW have been forced to stay in darkness yet again owing to prolonged power interruption. Many said their efforts to seek answers from the municipality fell on deaf ears as no one could shed light on the turnaround time for power restoration. “What about what is happening here in Soshanguve block WW, UU, and VV, someone is playing with the cables here. Every week we experience the same problem and it seems like you can’t come up with a solution. Come month-end we will be billed for full services and won’t be compensated,” tweeted a resident Junior…

Destruction and mayhem have enveloped South Africa as violent demonstrations engulf the land in a fiery inferno, Swellendam being the latest frightening example. Our democracy is under threat. We were warned by many of the mortal danger complacency poses to our democracy. Over the past 27 years, two unwritten norms have preserved our rainbow nation’s political system. They were mutual tolerance, in which parties accepted one another as legitimate rivals, and forbearance, in which politicians exercised restraint in using their institutional powers. The carnage in Cape Town, Umzinto and Swellendam destroyed the sacred accord and weakened our democracy. Faceless forces exploited the situation, using stealth, deception and false slogans, to alter the balance of political power. Mob rule poses the greatest threat. We are close to totalitarianism. Those…

As we continue to celebrate National Women’s Month, it is opportunity to reflect on the relationship between justice, unity, and gender equality. In the Bahá’í view, the achievement of equality between men and women is one of the most important prerequisites for building a united world. Unity is closely linked with justice, and unity and justice are reciprocal in their effect. The chief instrument for the transformation of society and the achievement of unity, Bahá’u'lláh asserts, is the establishment of justice in the affairs of humanity. He states: “The light of men is justice. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.” Discrimination against women and denial of their equality with men is an injustice against half the world’s population. The Universal House of Justice, the governing…

The month of August has been filled with activities recognising women for their immense contribution to society. Insightful and thought-provoking conversations have been the order of the day, prompting calls for more nourishing discussions focussing on women. Many women from all walks of life have been open about what this month means for them, stressing the necessity for “safe spaces” where they will not be subjected to scrutiny or abuse. This has compelled brands to pull all the stops to ensure this month is packed with events that give women safe platforms. One of the biggest campaigns is SheBeen by Brutal Fruit Spritzer, which served as the first women’s pop-up bar in South Africa. This campaign was driven by the importance of epitomising uninhibited freedom, celebration, and belonging that…

IN ORDER FOR businesses to fully take advantage of the opportunities provided by South Africa being part of BRICS and Africa, several infrastructure challenges have to be overcome, which the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) could help solve. This was according to Wamkele Mene, who is the secretary general of the AfCFTA Secretariat, who was speaking at a panel discussion on BRICS in Africa: Unlocking opportunities through AfCFTA, hosted by the BRICS Business Council at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg yesterday. The panel members were Gugulethu Mfuphi, who was the moderator, Mene, Stavros Nicolaou of South Africa, Angelo Oselame of Brazil, Mikhail Makarov of Russia, Onkar Kanwar of India and Tongzhou Wang of China. Mene said the AfCFTA could provide the tools to make Africa globally competitive to…

AS THE GLOBAL community rallies to combat the pressing challenges posed by climate change, the role of local governments cannot be underestimated. In the context of South Africa, municipalities stand at the forefront of the battle for a more sustainable future. The Just Energy Transition (JET), a key element of this endeavour, hinges upon the effective mobilisation of climate finance to ensure that municipalities can transition to cleaner and more resilient energy systems. The Presidential Climate Commission seeks to explore, through various interventions in partnerships with our metros, cities and towns, the pivotal role that South African municipalities must play in the just energy transition, highlighting the need for climate finance flows into these entities, while addressing the challenges they currently face in accessing and utilising climate finance. These challenges…

Prince Kaybee has been all over the headlines in the past two weeks after Cyan Boujee’s shocking accusation that the dance music star allegedly leaked an explicit video of the two having sex. While the Fetch Your Life star has avoided addressing the matter publicly, he’s been as active as ever on his social media platforms. On Sunday evening, Kaybee took to X to respond to a question about the worst rumour he’d ever heard about himself. He said: “Paedophile, arrogant, abuser, homophobic, poor, can’t make music, short, R Kelly… the list is too long.” Fans responded by pointing out a glaring omission – the rumour about the sex tape with Cyan. “What about Cyan? That finger nail looked so familiar,” one commented. Another added, “Nothing about the sex tape…

RESIDENTS in the City of Tshwane can brace themselves for massive water outages after the municipality notified them about an emergency leak at Mapleton booster station. As a result of the leak, there has been a reduction to Mapleton’s pumping to 66%, which is likely to affect water supply to many areas. City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said: “The City of Tshwane has been notified by Rand Water about an emergency repair work on the utility’s B8 pipeline leak at the Mapleton booster station.” He said according to the water utility, the isolation and scouring started on Sunday and the repairs were still under way. “Both Rand Water’s Vlakfontein and Bronberge reservoirs, which supply water to Tshwane, are in a state of depletion,” he said. Among the reservoirs affected by…

The ANC’s Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans League (MKMVA) and the ANC’s headquarters, Luthuli House, have denied any knowledge of controversial IPHC leader Bhekumuzi Michael Sandlana as a former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) combatant. Sandlana leads the Jerusalem faction of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC), Gauteng’s biggest traditional church. Sandlana had claimed to be the son of the IPHC founder, the late MG Modise, and had initially claimed, in an affidavit, to have a will endorsing him as the church’s next successor. Now, he has strangely changed his tune in the church’s succession battle. In an odd turn of events, Sandlana said he didn’t have a will and refused to do DNA tests to confirm paternity. Sandlana’s spin doctor, Vusi Ndala, told the media that the church didn’t require the leader…

We are waiting with bated breath next year’s democratic elections which will be decisive for the future of this country. Citizens should vote with their conscience to choose a better party to represent their interests. ActionSA is such a party and it has huge potential. Its president, Herman Mashaba, does not mince his words when he says his government will prioritise service delivery. As mayor of the City of Johannesburg in 2017, he prioritised the poor by handing over more than 5 000 title deeds to residents. Furthermore, the operating hours of public clinics were extended. His notable achievements were when he returned hijacked buildings to their rightful owners and insourced cleaners and security guards to the municipality. This is the party with a strong, ethical and capable leadership. The…

Some three decades since the end of the Cold War, the world order is undergoing a structural transformation. At the heart of it is the challenge posed to the hegemony of the US. This is primarily being led by Russia and China, who are discontent with Washington’s excesses across the global stage. The most recent example of this rebellion was the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Fiona Hill, a British-American foreign affairs specialist, observed the war was a “proxy for a rebellion by Russia and the ‘Rest’ against the United States”. The African continent is an obvious contender for major power courting as this realignment takes place. This is for at least four reasons. First, it is the largest regional bloc in the United Nations, representing some 28% of…

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) yesterday confirmed the dates and venues of the MTN8 semi-finals. Kaizer Chiefs will host the first match against Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their clash on Saturday, September 2 at FNB Stadium. The return leg has been scheduled to take place at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, September 23 with both matches scheduled for a 3pm kick-off. Amakhosi rallied from a goal down to eventually overcome Cape Town City in the quarter-finals and place themselves in the draw for the final four. The Brazilians were made to dig deep as a resilient 10-man Moroka Swallows took them to the brink before they were able to book a spot in their third consecutive MTN8 semi-final. The second semi-final will see Stellenbosch FC hosting Orlando…

South African women’s cricket entered a new frontier yesterday with the launch of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Professional Domestic Women’s League at Freedom Park in Tshwane. The league will comprise two main tournaments – the CSA Women’s One Day Cup and CSA Women’s T20 Challenge. The new structure has been set up with the help of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture’s investment of R15-million over three years. “This league is a symbol of progress, breaking down stereotypes, and the challenging of preconceived notions about women’s roles in sports. It represents a shift in mindset, where talent, dedication, and passion take precedence over gender,” said Minister of Sport Zizi Kodwa. Significant changes have been implemented to the women’s structure with the number of permanent contracts in the ‘Top…

Both the Proteas and Australia’s focus will be squarely on the one-day international leg of this incoming tour with the World Cup in India fast approaching. This situation has, therefore, opened the door for a host of exciting young players to be given a run in the three-match T20 series to be held at Kingsmead in Durban starting next week. Here, Zaahier Adams runs the rule over five rookies to keep a close eye on. Dewald Brevis (SA) All eyes will undoubtedly be on the 20-year-old Titans wunderkind as he finally gets an opportunity to showcase his immense potential on the international stage. Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter has indicated that Brevis will be utilised in the middle-order due to his ability to counter high-quality spin. Equally, he will be…

Mamelodi Sundowns have flown out of the blocks this season and will next turn their attention to a frail Richards Bay FC. The Brazilians travel to the King Zwelithini Stadium today where they’ll clash with the Natal Rich Boyz in a match set for 5pm. Sundowns’ latest victory over the Chippa United on Saturday saw them collect 12 out of a possible 12 points from their opening four Premiership fixtures of the season. It also saw the Tshwane-based outfit retain their 100% record in all competitions, having also dispatched Moroka Swallows FC in the MTN8 quarter-finals. Rulani Mokwena has also put together the longest run a Sundowns coach has started their tenure without defeat in the PSL with 24 outings undefeated. With Richards Bay comes the familiarity of former SuperSport…

Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Avril Phali has backed coach Jose Riveiro’s decision to rotate his goalkeepers for the last two matches. Pirates began their Champions League campaign at the weekend when they beat Djabal Club d’Iconi 1-0 in the first leg of their preliminary round tie in Comoros. Spaniard Riveiro stuck to his pre-match decision that he would tweak his starting XI, making eight changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Chippa United in the Premiership last week. The changes included between the sticks, as Richard Ofori replaced Sipho Chaine, who had played each of the four domestic matches since the start of the season. With domestic and continental football being totally different kettles of fish, was Ofori’s selection based on experience or to rest Chaine? Phali, who had…

INAUGURAL chairperson of the BRICS Business Council, Patrice Motsepe, has called for the fast-tracking the visa process for BRICS countries. Speaking at the BRICS Summit held in Sandton, Motsepe said business people who want to do business in these countries should be given preferential treatment. ‘’We understand that there are legitimate concerns about making sure that governments maintain the sovereign control of who comes in and who comes out. ‘’We don’t just agree with that, we support it as well, but as these are some of the low-hanging fruit, we can immediately give preferential access to businesspeople from China, India, Brazil, and from Russia, give them visas that allow them to come in and look at opportunities in South Africa, and on the continent,” he said. Motsepe said what was…

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s economy had stabilised over the first six months of the year, despite “unlawful sanctions that seriously hinder the export of Russian food products”. Putin, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed the 15th BRICS Summit in Sandton yesterday. At least 40 heads of state, scores of government representatives, as well as local and international dignitaries, delegates and 2 500 members of the media are attending the summit. Putin delivered his address via video link while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is leading the Russian Federation delegation in South Africa. Putin said the sanctions had complicated Russian logistics, insurance and bank payments. “Russia is being deliberately obstructed in the supply of grain…

THE INTERCONTINENTAL Johannesburg was a flurry of activity as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived for the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre yesterday. “Modi! Modi! Modi!” could be heard as members of the Indian diaspora gathered at the entrance of the hotel to welcome him by waving Indian flags. Modi took a moment to wave and greet the excited members who had come to the hotel to catch a glimpse of him on his arrival. Scores of local and international media could be seen coming into the convention centre, and stationed at intersections surrounding the venue where the world’s leaders are holding bilateral meetings on promoting peace, security, development, and co-operation. Billboards and placards bearing Modi’s likeness could be seen on the road to the centre. Modi’s…

MORE political parties have joined the call for an end to the SA Municipal Workers Union’s (Samwu) strike action in the City of Tshwane, which began three weeks ago. The striking workers have been demanding a 5.4% salary increase from July. However, their demand seems to have fallen on deaf ears, with the municipality saying it can’t afford it. The strike was declared illegal and unprotected and has seen service delivery affected leaving residents with disruptions of water and electricity while waste has not been collected for weeks. Cope is the latest political party to call for an intervention from the SA Human Rights Commission to defuse the tensions between the management of the metro and the striking municipal workers. Party spokesperson Dennis Bloem called on the commission, as well…

NATASHA Joubert always dreamt of being Miss South Africa, but the moment the crown was finally placed on her head exceeded her expectations. “I have always manifested being crowned at the SunBet Arena because it is my home ground and just about 20 minutes away from home, so I got to share that moment with so many of my friends and family,” the 26-year-old brunette beauty said. “I felt such a special energy and it really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I can’t even explain.” The BCom Marketing Management graduate and fashion entrepreneur was named as the new Miss SA on Sunday during a glittering ceremony at Time Square in Pretoria. Meanwhile, apart from Joubert’s new prestigious title, she also received R1 million in cash in a prize and sponsorship…

South Africa will be having its seventh national and provincial elections next year in what seems to be the most crucial elections since 1994. The elections will be a turning point in our democracy because for the first time, independent candidates will be allowed to stand. The Constitutional Court judgment to allow independent candidates to be on the ballot will also give the Electoral Commission of South Africa a difficult challenge in presiding over the elections. One can imagine how big the ballot paper will be. The biggest problem, however, lies in the fact that the country is facing high levels of unemployment and there are those who see political positions as a way of making money for survival. People will therefore contest the elections for the sake of making…

Why should entities such as Eskom, which depend on our hard-earned taxes and have misused them, continue to piously treat the public as fools? This is the height of arrogance. When it emerged that the church of Mpho Makwana, the Eskom board chairperson who is also the church’s secretary-general, owed Eskom millions and yet its electricity remained on. Eskom disdainfully told the public he was not responsible for paying the accounts of the church. What is worrying is that the Eskom chairperson and his church are not abiding by Eskom’s demands. Surely, as the secretary-general, he must have known the church owed Eskom? Why did he not urge his church to pay? How will consumers respect Eskom’s calls that they pay when those in power at the utility act…

The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces has led to the most aggressive financial sanctions by Western countries against another country in modern history. Two stand out. First, the decision to block most Russian banks from SWIFT, the global messaging system that enables them to transfer money across the world. This measure is backed by the major world economies such as the European Commission, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Second, the countries also agreed to prevent the Russian Central Bank from using its international reserves held by these countries to undermine sanctions. The aggressive sanction response from Western nations will influence the Central Bank of Russia’s decisions in the management of its currency reserves. Here, the neutral role of China will be pivotal. A telling…

Brandon Petersen’s recent performances in the Premiership are the epitome of Bob Wilson’s sentiments that “goalies have the loneliest job in football”. Wilson, a British football legend, has a four-minute film with the New York Times titled The Lonely Goalkeeper, which touches on themes of competition, fear and self-belief. The performances of Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Petersen might as well be a replay of the film on the former Arsenal star. Petersen’s butterfingers saw Chiefs lose their second league game 2-1 to champions Mamelodi Sundowns as he failed to save Neo Maema’s timid shot. As if that wasn’t enough, Petersen conceded an own-goal after the ball came off the upright and accidentally hit his hand and rolled into the back of the net, resulting in their 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy…

Cape Town City will welcome back influential defender Taariq Fielies for their crucial Premiership clash against Sekhukhune United at Athlone Stadium tonight (kick-off 7.30pm). After a promising start to the season that saw City claim maximum points in their opening two league matches, the Citizens have since been knocked out of the MTN8 followed by a first league defeat to SuperSport United last Friday. Fielies’ return to the City squad will therefore be a major boost in a bid to help Eric Tinkler’s team return to winning ways. Equally, the 31-year-old centre-back will be eager to get back out on the park after a disruptive start to the season. The Bafana Bafana defender was City’s “best defender” - according to Tinkler - last season but was required to sit out…