Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-02-09 i Star

The State of the Nation Address (Sona) by President Cyril Ramaphosa has been described as hollow and devoid of truth and reality. IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said yesterday’s speech proved to many South Africans how out of touch Ramaphosa’s government was with their day-to-day challenges. “It’s all sound and platitudes, signifying nothing. “It’s a mess. “This Sona is the height of denialism, devoid of reality and further clarity on how out of touch this government is,” Hlengwa said. He continued to say that Ramaphosa’s administration had done nothing to advance the lives of South Africans. Meanwhile, DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said the country under Ramaphosa was in a far worse position than it was five years ago during former president Jacob Zuma’s tenure. “There’s nothing that Ramaphosa has…

The family of the Grade 1 learner who died following alleged food poisoning after consuming cookies from a nearby spaza shop are devastated over the loss of their child, just weeks after beginning primary school last month. Rifiloe Usman, from Tsakane in Ekurhuleni, is one of the five children who reportedly ate contaminated cookies on Tuesday, with Rifiloe reported to have died while waiting to be transported to a nearby hospital. Four other children aged 2, 3 and 9 survived and are said to be recovering in hospital. Reliloe was a learner at Mandlethu Primary School, where she spent her last two hours vomiting before losing her young life. Speaking to The Star yesterday, the mother of the child, Motshidisi Usman, said the loss had left her shattered, she was…

Budget Air-Fryer Cookbook, the new book from Jenny Tschiesche, has a range of nutritious and budget-friendly recipes made with everyone’s favourite recent kitchen must-have. In a time when South Africans are looking to cut costs wherever possible, the air-fryer offers an efficient, cost- effective solution to cooking every day, due to the strength of the air current inside. The recipes in this book cater for a wide range of tastes and needs, exploring ideas for using tins, jars and tins, cooking from frozen, using up left- overs, using cheaper cuts of meat, grains and pulses, vegetable-based dishes and much more. Air-Fryer Nachos Ingredients ½ x 400g can of refried beans ¼ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp onion powder ½ tsp ground cumin 100g tortilla chips ½ x 200g can of…

City set to intensify aggressive Tshwane Ya Tima revenue-collection campaign Defaulting customers in the City of Tshwane must brace themselves to have their electricity and water services disconnected as the metro this week relaunched the aggressive revenue-collection campaign known as Tshwane Ya Tima. The campaign is targeting customers whose accounts are in arrears, and at least 70 households were disconnected on the first day of the campaign led by MMC for Finance Jacqui Uys. Uys said the revenue-collection campaign sought to disconnect services to defaulting clients who run up high service bills and fail to pay the City. She said the campaign was back in full swing and would target all non-paying customers, including businesses, individual households and residential estates. This week the City’s group financial services issued 188 disconnection…

South Africa has entered the era of coalition politics – an era which is possibly going to stay for decades to come. There is certainly a projection that there will be an increase in coalitions in the national elections set to take place this year. The 2021 local government elections highlighted the pressing issue of hung councils in major metropolitan areas. The often chaotic and unstable nature of the precarious coalition arrangements entered into by the competing political parties in these hung councils has had devastating effects on service delivery and municipal administration, particularly where highly contested municipalities are concerned. This instability led to the removal of Johannesburg’s mayor, Mpho Phalatse, and council speaker Vasco da Gama in the City of Joburg. While legislative and constitutional factors play a role,…

Israeli forces bombed areas in the southern border city of Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering yesterday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu rejected a proposal to end the war in the Palestinian enclave. Netanyahu said on Wednesday terms proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire that would also involve releasing hostages held by the Palestinian militant group were “delusional” and vowed to fight on, saying victory was in reach and just months away. The rejection followed intense diplomacy to end the four-and-a-half-month conflict before a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah, which is now home to over a million people, many of them in makeshift tents and lacking food and medicine. Despite Israel’s rejection of the Hamas proposal, more talks are planned. US Secretary of…

BAGHDAD: Repeated US strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq are pushing the Baghdad government to end the mission of the US-led coalition in the country, the prime minister’s military spokesperson said yesterday. The US military said a strike on Wednesday killed a commander from Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group in Iraq that the Pentagon has blamed for attacking its troops. Spokesperson Yahya Rasool said in a statement the US-led coalition “has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict”. Talks between the two countries began last month over the future of the coalition. |…

SOUTH African comedy heavyweight Trevor Noah hosted the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for the fourth consecutive year last Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Since Noah’s appointment as the show’s host, rating have been on an upward trajectory. This year, over 18 million viewers watched the number one music awards show, making it the largest audience viewing since 2020, with a 34% increase across CBS, Paramount+ and other digital platforms. In 2023, 16.9 million viewers tuned in the live event with 8.9 million in 2022 and 8.8 million in 2021. The awards’ success can also be attributed to the several high-profile performances and surprises. Reports show that 18.3 million viewers watched the first quarter of the show during the “In Memoriam” segment, which saw Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the last State of the Nation Address (Sona) of the sixth administration last night, ahead of crucial general elections, highlighting the challenges and successes of 30 years of democracy. The key challenges raised by Ramaphosa include the crippling effects of the energy crisis, challenges at Transnet that have impacted the country’s ports and the growing unemployment figures, especially among the youth. Ramaphosa delivered his address as new rules prohibited the disruption of the event. The EFF chose to boycott Sona after a Western Cape High Court judge yesterday dismissed an application by the party to set aside the suspension from Parliament of leader Julius Malema and others. Ramaphosa used his address to lay the blame for many of the country’s challenges at the door of state…

Child of the Ruins Kate Furnivall Loot.co.za (R381) Jonathan Ball Reviewer: Beryl Eichenberger The aftermath of war is a terrible thing. For the vanquished even more so. For Berlin in 1948 peace was an uneasy bedfellow – a city divided, where the Russians were taking their spoils and humanity from every citizen. Their blockades had forced the Allies in the West to mount the Berlin Airlift bringing supplies to the starving inhabitants. Berlin spelt darkness, danger and violence where murder, rape and looting were rife. “The war was over but the unspoken war of whispers, of midnight arrests and tortured body parts rages on unseen.” Kate Furnivall in Child of the Ruins has written a heart-stopping novel, a mix of historical fiction, mystery and thriller. Taut and disturbing. It will…

Sunshine & Shadows Busisekile Khumalo Loot.co.za (R258) Kwela Books VIMBAI, a final-year law student at the University of Zimbabwe, is determined not to join the long line of unemployed graduates. She would rather trade sexual favours to get a job than go back to living with her aunt-turned-stepmother. Unlike her roommate, Nosihle, she prides herself on being pragmatic. Nosihle is the good girl who mistakenly falls in love with the wrong man, and then there’s Ruby, the spoilt socialite who is leading a double life. Through their messy choices, their lives become intertwined. Vimbai is looking for someone who can offer her the opulence and grandeur of the Sunshine City. Even if it means sleeping with Cheropa, the former first son and Ruby’s boyfriend. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, after all.…

A man masquerading as a social media marketer on Facebook has been arrested after two victims were allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint in Winterveld. As part of his modus operandi the suspect advertised online a music mixer in November 2022. Unsuspecting victims responded to the advert as potential buyers of the item. Police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said a substantial amount of money was transferred to the suspect’s bank account by the victims. The suspect was identified as an employee at the National Air Force and was traced and arrested at his workplace on Tuesday. Four other suspects were arrested in connection with the same case recently, according to the police. “This trend has become a point of concern for sometime, especially in Loate and Rietgat policing precincts,” said Nevhuhulwi. To…

In an exchange of words between suspended Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Nana Makhubele and leader of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal, she reminded the tribunal that she was also a judge and asked to be questioned as such. This followed after tribunal president, retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Achmat Jappie, questioned Judge Makhubele yesterday on why she was still testifying and handing in documents pertaining to the misconduct complaint against her that Deputy Judge President Dunstan Mlambo made. He claimed she never told him that she was chair of the then new interim Prasa board when she was appointed as a judge. Judge Makhubele was adamant that she did tell him. “I thought we were done with the evidence of Judge Mlambo as we dealt with that yesterday (Wednesday),”…

The pace of cost-cutting at Boeing and lapses in quality control are critical factors that have led to serious crises at the manufacturer, costing hundreds of lives and placing in jeopardy the lives of millions of passengers who traverse the world utilising Boeing aircraft. The 737 is a superb workhorse that carries millions of passengers. Issues will continue to plague the Boeing series of aircraft because critical quality control measures and the supply of parts from more than 50 000 global suppliers evade quality analysis due to overwhelming production schedules. Today’s production lines are racing to meet delivery schedules, and as a result, shoddy workmanship dominates the assembly lines. The 787 encountered faulty titanium manufactured parts, which escaped quality inspection. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have lost the…

Many years ago, I hailed a taxi from Soweto to Johannesburg. From there, I would catch a bus to the Wheel of Fortune in Sun City. Before I disembarked, I saw an angry woman who caught her cheating husband red- handed. All the passengers including the driver laughed uproariously and an old woman interposed and said to all of us: “Don’t laugh because le mini iyeza nakuwe.” Roughly translated, do not laugh because you may also find yourself in a similar situation. There is a new phenomenon where children are killing their parents for insurance payouts. Parents are no longer honoured as exemplified in the Scripture; instead, they’re being killed by their children. This could happen to any parent. Our children’s actions do not comport with their…

Abou Desai, 92, the man with the bow tie, has died. Deepest sympathy to his children and grandchildren. Desai was a well-known educationist and sportsman in greater Cape Town. His language was as eloquent and as elegant as his professional attire.Perfect. Well-spoken, fair and forthright, Desai didn’t mince his words. In 1996, with the closure of the Hewat Training College, he expressed his disgust with the ministry of education, shortly after he had donated his books to the Hewat Library. He comes from a circle of friends and family steeped in education, the judiciary and sport. His late brother, Khalied Desai (2017), was the second principal of Alexander Sinton High School in Crawford in 1977. Abou Desai’s friends and colleagues at Alexander Sinton, Eddie Pratt and Eddie Oliver, all moved…

Egyptian women traditionally receive a gold jewellery set, or shabka, on their engagement. But as surging prices and a weakening currency have driven up demand for the precious metal, some are getting silver instead. The trend is a measure of an economic crisis in which inflation has been running at more than 30% and the central bank has allowed the currency to weaken 50% against the dollar, with more devaluation expected. “Silver is the new gold,” said a salesman at a Cairo silver store who only gave his first name, Abanob. In the year to January 30, the price of a gram of 21-carat gold rose more than 120% to 3 875 Egyptian pounds (about R2 400), data from the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce showed. Demand for…

Brasília: Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro, pictured, will surrender his passport to authorities, his lawyer said yesterday, as police carried out raids targeting suspects accused of a “coup” attempt. Fabio Wajngarten, the far-right ex-army captain’s lawyer and adviser, confirmed in a statement on X that Bolsonaro would comply with police. In a separate statement, federal police said they were carrying out dozens of search and seizure operations and executing four arrest warrants in an operation targeting a “criminal organisation involved in the attempted coup”, a reference to Bolsonaro supporters’ invasion of the seat of power in Brasilia on January 8 last year. |…

Nairobi: A Kenyan man suspected of murdering his girlfriend in the United States last year has escaped from custody in Nairobi, police said yesterday. Kevin Kangethe was being detained pending extradition to the US over the death of Margaret Mbitu, who was found stabbed to death in a car park at Boston’s Logan Airport in November. However, he slipped out of a police station on Wednesday evening. “This is embarrassing,” Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said. “We have arrested the four officers who were on duty when he escaped, to explain how this happened, and we are looking for him.” An arrest warrant was issued for Kangethe after he fled the US for Kenya, where he was arrested in January. |…

Manchester City can top the Premier League, for a few hours at least, if they beat Everton at home tomorrow, and Pep Guardiola’s side are firm favourites to end the season there. But a record fourth successive English league title is perhaps not the foregone conclusion some are predicting. Phil Foden’s hat-trick inspired City to a 3-1 victory at Brentford on Monday – City’s fifth league win in a row – to put them two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand. It all feels ominously familiar, with City looking capable again of the long winning streak that ultimately grinds down those seeking to end their domination of the top flight. “It does feel at the moment as though Manchester City winning the title is a formality,” former Arsenal…

The countdown is on to Prime Video’s first South African original, unscripted comedy series LOL: Last One Laughing, with Trevor Noah in the host’s seat. Ten famous South African comedians and entertainers are pitted against one another to see who can keep a straight face while trying to make their opponents laugh – and lose. South African musician and dancer Moonchild Sanelly, real name Sanelisiwe Twisha, after being on the show shared that a career switch might be on the horizon because of how funny she is. Noah gets to look on to see how the contestants do funny things to see who will laugh first. The My Power collaborator was surprised to see everyone had a strategy and was sneaky. South African comedian and actress Tumi Morake…

FOR once, South Africans heaped praise on Bafana Bafana despite their Cinderella run at the Africa Cup of Nations ending abruptly at the hands of traditional rivals Nigeria on Wednesday night. Mzanzi’s surprising acclamation stems from the fact that Bafana were written off as no-hopers and rank outsiders to win Africa’s marquee football event in the Ivory Coast. Yet the side managed to reach the semi-finals after defeating Africa’s highest-ranked team, Morocco, in a round-of-16 clash to reach the quarter- finals against all odds. Then they went on to beat Cape Verde in a thrilling penalty shoot-out, where captain Ronwen Williams made four saves. Wednesday night’s semi-final outcome could have been vastly different had Bafana taken their chances. The fact that they were not outplayed by three-time champions Nigeria earned…

WITH Valentine’s Day festivities fast approaching, criminal specialists have warned the public to keep their wits about them with online bargains. Much like the fever witnessed around Black Friday specials, the day of love is no exception for criminals looking to defraud the public. Specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis said as February 14 draws closer, there has been a surge of fake online retailers offering attractive deals on flowers, gifts and even romantic getaways. Bolhuis said what often happens is that the items never get delivered or are of a substandard quality. In other instances, criminals lure their victims through phishing emails or messages containing Valentine’s Day promotions, or e-cards containing malicious links that lead to phishing websites. “It is advisable for people to stick to reputable and well-known online retailers,…

Smoke Kings Jahmal Mayfield Loot.co.za (R436) Melville House In fiction, revenge is often reduced to its simplest form – a hero has been undeniably wronged and must seek retribution. In Mayfield’s thrilling debut, Smoke Kings, the novel tells the story of four diverse young friends who, after a hate crime results in the murder of a loved one, decide to form a secret group called the Smoke Kings and enact revenge. But their vengeance takes a unique form as they decide to kidnap the descendants of past perpetrators of hate crimes – sometimes over a century past – and force them to pay reparations to a community fund. It’s a fascinating premise and an intentionally uncomfortable one that fits into discussions of race – the concept of reparations; the necessity…

AN acting judge has expressed his concerns over whether it is ever justifiable in a constitutional democracy to “arm” the rich and to disadvantage the poor in their ability to turn to the courts. The issue was sparked by a family feud over land in which several female members of the family took on various other family members, mostly men, following the death of the patriarch of the family. In defending the land dispute litigation, the respondents, some of whom are the brothers of the female applicants, wanted the applicants in the matter to first issue security for costs before they were permitted to proceed with their application. That, they said, was just in case the applicants lost their application and would be faced with a costs order against them…

AUGUSTINE Siyami Maluleke, known as Simi Siyami has been gradually establishing himself in the music industry over the years. Maluleke was born in November 1986 in Mabopane to Flora and Adam Maluleke, who were both of Mozambican descent. Together with his sister Helen, they lived in Limpopo and Gauteng. It was during that time that Simi discovered his gift and love for music. This was after he met late Kokwani Khatisa, who used to invite him and other village children when she performed her songs. His grandfather was also a well-known musician, while his mother was a well-known traditional healer. Indigenous songs and dances were thus not knew to him. His father too, despite being a miner worker, would also invite people to sing while enjoying some African beer. It…

New study finds that environmental toxins are poisoning epigenetic inheritance Researchers from McGill University, the University of Pretoria and Université Laval have concluded that toxins in the environment, notably DDT, modify the sperm epigenome at sites potentially transmitted to the embryo at conception. The study signals potential reproductive and health complications in humans, now and for future generations. It reveals that fathers exposed to DDT- may produce sperm that could have health consequences for their children. Epigenetic changes were found to occur at genes that are involved in fertility, embryo development, neurodevelopment and hormone regulation. These alterations correspond to the higher levels of birth defects and increased incidence of diseases, including neurodevelopmental and metabolic, that occur in DDT-exposed populations, including in Canada's North. While it is generally understood that women…

I liked Cometh Dube-Makholwa’s letter, “Thirty years of trial and error”. (The Star, February 7). Here was a black man, I thought, who didn’t have the herd mentality and slavishly worshipped his masters. He was frank, honest and forthright about the state of the nation before the country’s big chief delivers his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday night. So unlike the masses who are still held in bondage by tribalism and patriarchy. He’s a star! The gist of his letter was the failure of democracy under the ANC. In nearly every aspect, democracy under the ANC has been an abject failure. The rot and the stink is too overpowering. If in 30 years the ANC couldn’t make this into a rainbow nation, can it do it in…

The problem with trying to create a Garden of Eden is that hordes of intelligent fools and bleeding-heart liberals are likely to protest that weeds have rights, are deserving of protection, and must – out of a fear of causing offence – be referred to as flowers (thus making the debate almost impossible to follow). And so it will come to pass that those who want to do what is best for the human race will be paralysed by those who are obsessed with the rights of, among others, pelicans, pandas and primitive hunter-gatherers deep in the Amazon jungle. (“Occupants of the land” will be called “owners of the land” and will be lumped together with people who paid for their land, while “settlers” will refer only to people who…

THERE remains a familiar, acrid old whiff in the air in the “Fairest Cape”. Beyond the bright lights of the modern metropolis, in the quiet nooks and crannies of the dorpies, and behind closed doors, you’ll still find racist attitudes and behaviour. A few recent reports unfortunately remind us that intolerance is alive and well in our otherwise polite society. Incidents that leave us asking, “In this day and age … ?” Earlier this week, the case of the famous Bala brothers was heard in the Strand Magistrate’s Court, where they allege that they were victims of racial abuse. They claim that their clothing was ripped off them and one member of a group of white males was overheard saying, “I feel like beating a k**** (racist word)”. Only one…

Pakistan began counting votes after polling ended yesterday in a general election marred by militant attacks and suspension of cellphone services, with authorities saying that at least nine people had been killed nationwide. The vote was held as the South Asian nation, and the fifth most populated country in the world, struggles to recover from an economic crisis while it grapples with rising militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy and voting was to fill seats in the federal legislature, called the National Assembly, and four provincial, or state, legislatures. Almost 128 million Pakistanis out of a population of 241 million, above the age of 18, were eligible to vote Many analysts believe the vote may not produce a clear winner. Thousands of troops…

PARIS: Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee president Tony Estanguet said yesterday he had not determined his salary amid an alleged legal probe into his remuneration. On Tuesday, French media reported that Estanguet was allegedly facing a judicial investigation into his pay. “I have not decided what my salary would be or how it would be determined,” Estanguet, a three-time Olympic canoeing champion, told reporters yesterday. “Since the start of this adventure, we have put in place a number of bodies to oversee and define my salary, which is itself monitored by the remuneration committee, the board of directors and the government.’ |…