Innholdsfortegnelse for 1/5/2020 i City Press

Let us know. Send an email to tipoff@citypress.co.za SUBSCRIBE TO CITY PRESS IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AROUND THE HOME DELIVERY OF YOUR NEWSPAPER OR WANT TO SUBSCRIBE, THE DETAILS BELOW WILL HELP CONTACT CENTRE NUMBER: 0861 248 977 087 353 1300 EMAIL ADDRESS: subscribers@citypress.co.za NEW SUBSCRIBERS SMS LINE: SMS “SUBS” to 32368 SUBSCRIPTIONS WHATSAPP NUMBER 087 353 1333 Subscribe (retailers) • On The Dot Retail contact number: 0861 888 989 • On the Dot retail email address: assistance@onthedot.co.za PRESS COUNCIL City Press subscribes to the Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African Print and Online Media that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced. If we don’t live up to the Code, please contact the Public Advocate at 011 484 3612, fax: 011 484 3619. You…

“I don’t know, but I do not promise that,” says Ndlovu. “I really do not promise to pay you 2.2. [sic] I do not know why I must pay you 2.2. [sic] But let’s keep discussing. “But I want you to come back to me about your case.” He gives Radebe an ultimatum that if he drops the case against Gordhan, they can negotiate his claim for a R2.2 million payment. “I cannot sit here and you asking me for 2.2 million [sic], but at the same time you are fighting the minister that is giving us work. I do not agree with the 2.2 million [sic]; it is something that we will discuss, but it is fine. “Just come back to me and I meet with you on a…

In recent years, large corporations have been taken to task for the theft of intellectual property (IP). However, not everyone has the means to take on industry giants, and many simply cannot afford to foot the bill, and legal jargon is often confusing and inaccessible to laypeople. The World Intellectual Property Organisation said IP referred to creations of the mind, including inventions, literature, art, symbols, names and images used in commerce, and were protected by law. Nothando Migogo, the director of Sosela Legal & Advisory, said: “Intellectual property is a very broad topic that includes copyrights, patents and trademarks. It is founded on the premise of novelty and proof.” Migogo said an idea in its simplicity did not amount to IP and, as such, was not protected by law, which…

The ANC in North West has filed an application in the labour court, requesting that it take on review a decision by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to pay two officials their salaries that have been outstanding for 11 months, totalling R360 000. The deadline for the payments to Tebogo Kock and Daddy Leshomo, who argued that they worked full time at the ANC’s provincial headquarters in Getrude Mphekwa House during that period, had been set for December 23. The CCMA ruled that the complainants were entitled to R180 000 each at a salary scale of R15 000 a month. Kock told City Press yesterday that he had received papers indicating that the ANC was taking the matter to the labour court for a review application. A…

Nomawele Njongo is one of those women who is not afraid to grab the bull by the horns. As a 21-year-old in 2006, she landed a job as an ANC parliamentary administrative assistant after university, and felt fortunate to work in the House and mingle with the country’s top politicians. But her joy was short-lived after her boss, the then ANC chief whip Mbulelo Goniwe, allegedly invited her to his home at the Acacia Park parliamentary village in Cape Town one evening, under the pretext of delivering food to his guests. When she arrived, there were no guests. Goniwe was alone and, she alleges, he invited her to his bedroom for a sexual encounter. But the brave young woman, who was pregnant at the time, flatly refused Goniwe’s advances and…

Sir Rod Stewart has been charged by police after allegedly punching a security guard at a hotel in Florida in the US. A police report says the altercation occurred after the singer and his companions, including his son Sean, failed to gain access to a private event on New Year’s Eve. Sean allegedly pushed the security guard and Sir Rod struck his chest “with a closed fist”, the report said. Sir Rod and his son were charged with “simple battery”. The security guard at the Breakers Palm Beach Resort, Jessie Dixon, told officers that he saw a group of people near the check-in table of the private event in the children’s area. They were trying to enter without permission. Dixon told police that the group “began to get loud and…

As South African schools get ready to reopen next week, pupils and teachers at several schools around the country may find themselves sharing space or using temporary structures after school infrastructure was either torched or vandalised recently. Two schools in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were left in ruins last week in reported cases of arson. A third school was torched in KwaZulu-Natal early last month, allegedly by pupils protesting over their results. And now teachers and pupils have to deal with the consequences. In September 2018, national education authorities told Parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education that, in order to clamp down on arson, government should not prioritise the rebuilding of schools destroyed by community members. Instead, a bill should be drafted that will see those guilty of destroying schools jailed…

DANNY JORDAAN RETIRES Safa president Danny Jordaan has announced that he will be stepping down from his position after a century and a half in office. In a lengthy statement issued by his office, Jordaan, whose age is a closely guarded secret, said he felt that it was time to hand over the reins to a generation of leaders who had not lived through the trauma of two world wars, the 1913 Natives Land Act and the 1922 mineworkers strike. He said his decision had been influenced by recent developments in the Southern African Development Community. “When I saw Robert Mugabe forced out of office, I wondered if maybe it was time up for me; if something like that could also happen to a man as young as I. “And…

Liverpool got the ball rolling, so to speak, when the runaway Premier League leaders announced in the middle of last month that they had signed Red Bull Salzburg’s Japanese international Takumi Minamino, who watched from the sidelines as the Reds beat Sheffield United 2-0 on Thursday. The Reds triggered the release clause – believed to be £7.25 million (R131 million) – for the highly rated 24-year-old, despite having an abundance of attacking players, as 49 goals in their 20 league games show. If Liverpool, with a 13-point lead and a game in hand are keen to strengthen their squad, it is hardly surprising that the chasing pack are eager to follow suit. And that is what this month’s transfer window, which runs from January 1 to 31, is all about:…

Way before Christmas and perhaps even since, two phrases have been bandied about and widely used, yet they are not in the official Oxford English Dictionary – or any other dictionary for that matter. These are Brexit and the video assistant referee (VAR) system. Today, they are spoken often, and most people know their meaning and what they stand for. But, for the purpose of this column, I will concentrate on the latter as it affects football lovers around the world. The VAR system was supposed to be the solution to all, or most, of the ills that have plagued the beautiful game for a long time. Things such as the offside and handball rules. The biggest controversy appears to be around the offside rule. Originally, and in simple terms,…

TODAY Highlands Park vs Black Leopards (Makhulong Stadium, 3.30pm) Cape Town City vs Baroka FC (Cape Town Stadium, 3.30pm) TUESDAY Stellenbosch vs Bloemfontein Celtic (Cape Town Stadium, 7.30pm) Polokwane City vs Orlando Pirates (Peter Mokaba Stadium, 7.30pm) Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bidvest Wits (Loftus Versfeld Stadium, 7.30pm) WEDNESDAY SuperSport United vs Maritzburg United (Lucas Moripe Stadium, 7.30pm) Golden Arrows vs Baroka FC (Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium, 7.30pm) Kaizer Chiefs vs Highlands Park (FNB Stadium, 7.30pm) Black Leopards vs Chippa United (Thohoyandou Stadium, 7.30pm) Cape Town City vs AmaZulu FC (Cape Town Stadium, 7.30pm)…

Newcastle’s wretched record in the FA Cup continued as 40-year-old Aaron Wilbraham gave minnows Rochdale a 1-1 draw in yesterday’s third-round clash. Magpies’ boss Steve Bruce had declared his determination not to lose to “bloody Rochdale” as he eyed a sustained Cup run for a club that hasn’t won the competition since 1955 and last reached the final in 1999. But Newcastle’s FA Cup form is so bad that they have not gone beyond the fourth round for 13 years. A succession of Newcastle managers have refused to take the competition seriously, sending out weak teams as they prioritised Premier League survival. And, once again, they endured embarrassment as Rochdale, who took Tottenham to a fifth-round replay in 2018, recovered from Miguel Almirón’s opener to earn a replay at St…

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga recently warned us that teachers who refuse to teach the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) curriculum will face disciplinary action. In response to Motshekga’s stance, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) threatened to take the department to court as it believes that “parents should teach children about sex, not the state”. The ACDP is not the only group opposed to the enforcement of CSE. The SA Teachers’ Union and religious lobby groups also oppose it. Some have even turned to misinformation to register their vehement opposition. The opposition to CSE is ill-advised because it deprives children of the opportunity to learn so that they can make informed and safe choices about responsible sexual activity, something not all parents teach at home. But the opposition to CSE…

Tis the season to be hopeful and cheerful; a time for starry-eyed optimism and belief. Not! This is rather a time to be realistic and pragmatic. As we wake up from a period of overindulgence and give thanks to the blessed soul who invented regmakers, it is tempting to put on rose-tinted glasses. As Millie Jackson once put it, rose-tinted glasses allow you to see only beauty and ignore the truth. A classic case of this is UK leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, recently describing last year as “a great year for Labour”, despite his party suffering its worst defeat in more than seven decades. President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in Kimberley this weekend wearing his own rose-tinted glasses as he presides over the ANC’s anniversary celebrations. The…

TRADE AMBITIONS Many countries in Africa face bleak economic prospects, including its biggest economies, South Africa and Nigeria. But the continent can’t be accused of lacking ambition. If all goes to plan, the world’s largest free-trade zone by area will start in July. The idea is to gradually integrate the economies of 53 of the continent’s 54 nations (Eritrea hasn’t signed up) to create a zone covering 1.2 billion people, with a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion (R35.8 trillion). The African Union-led agreement is certainly needed. Only 15% of Africa’s trade is between nations on the continent, compared with more than 70% with Europe. Myriad ever-changing regulations, snarled border posts and poor infrastructure are to blame. For the African Continental Free Trade Area to succeed, many nations will have to…

A man with a white beard is out on bail of $10 000 (R143 000) for allegedly robbing a bank in Colorado in the US and then throwing the stolen cash into the air, shouting “Merry Christmas” to passersby and police, local media reported on Tuesday. David Wayne Oliver (65) was arrested at a nearby Starbucks coffee shop after he held up the Academy Bank in Colorado Springs, according to police, who said the suspect had “threatened the use of a weapon”. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. A police spokesperson could not be reached for comment. Colorado Springs’ television station KKTV reported that witness Dion Pascale said Oliver stepped outside the bank and tossed the money “all over the place. He started throwing money out…

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is expected to announce that the matric pass rate has breached the 80% threshold for the first time. City Press can also reveal that the Free State has reclaimed the top spot from Gauteng, which has reportedly dropped to second position. North West grabbed third position, with the Western Cape completing the top four. Insiders, education experts and commentators attributed the improvement in the pass rate to the maturing of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement, holiday schools and a significant improvement in infrastructure, and pupil and teacher support material, all of which boosted the pass rate up from 78.2% last year. “The department is going to announce the highest matric pass rate. The system is on the rise,” said an insider in the department. “The…

Eskom wants taxpayers to cough up a further R1.8 billion for performance bonuses, despite the power utility’s well-documented inability to keep the lights on. This startling allegation was laid bare in court papers filed by the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) and follows rolling blackouts that were imposed by the debt-ridden, state-owned power utility last month. At present levels, South Africa would have been at stage four load shedding this weekend if it weren’t for the fact that most industries have yet to resume operations this year. Nersa is preparing for a court battle against Eskom next week, in which Eskom will try to squeeze a further R69 billion out of consumers (see Business). In the court papers, filed by Nersa last week, Nomfundo Maseti, the acting full-time member…

The 159th instalment of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival in Cape Town is bringing a different flare to the event this year as the annual equine and fashion spectacle will accommodate members of the public for free. Ahead of the two-day event – on Friday and Saturday – coordinator Katherine Grey said there would be a free area where attendees would be allowed to bring their own blankets and chairs to enjoy the festivities. Food and drinks will be available from the bar and food trucks nearby. Grey explained that, following some feedback, this year’s layout would be slightly different. “We’re pulling people closer together by bringing the hospitality areas closer to each other to create a friendly and intimate atmosphere,” she said. As usual, the festival is set…

HIT & MISS The individual on the left is probably in pain after carrying the other two people on their shoulders. The face masks were very Moulin Rouge and burlesque. And repurposing those jeans using tassels and de-stressing was crafty. But other than that, it’s gowns, great gowns HIT You can never go wrong with a well-tailored blazer. The beaded accessories elevated the look, adding allure to a classic outfit MISS Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking? Maybe not. She will have to do better next time MISS All it takes is a stroll down Braamfontein’s streets to see this look. The thing is, you might even see it done better there. This was a complete fail HIT Wearing flowers at a festival is so boring. And so Moschino Spring/Summer…

As the ANC’s big guns descend on Kimberley in the Northern Cape on Tuesday to start mobilising community members for the party’s January 8 celebrations this week, the Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry has raised concerns regarding a lack of accommodation in the town, as well as Kimberley’s limited supply of clean water. The chamber’s chief executive officer, Sharon Steyn, told City Press that the ANC had barely communicated with businesses about what could be expected during the week. “I believe that Kimberley is honoured to have an event like this, but, no, we don’t have the capacity,” she said. Steyn said she had been inundated with calls from business owners who want information about the event, but she was also unsure of the details. “Nothing has been…

• Tobacco use is rising among young South African males (between the ages of 15 and 24), according to the South African Child Gauge 2019 study, but the abuse of alcohol has diminished; • The prevalence of obesity among South African girls increased from 2003 to 2016; and • A worrying trend cited by the study is that South African teenagers are becoming sexually active earlier. In 2008, 11.3% of young South African males said they had had sex by the age of 15. In 2017, the figure was almost 20%. In addition, fewer young people are using condoms. In research conducted in 2008, 66% of girls and 85% of boys indicated that they had used a condom with their most recent sexual partner. By 2017, this had dropped by…

Current and former executives of cash-strapped state arms manufacturer Denel are expected to spark a fire when they appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture next week. Former Denel chief executive Zwelakhe Ntshepe, former supply chain group executive Dennis Mlambo and chairperson Monhla Hlahla will appear before the Zondo commission shortly after it resumes its work on January 13. Three Denel sources told City Press that, while Ntshepe had been subpoenaed, Mlambo and Hlahla volunteered to help the commission to get to the bottom of the graft that paralysed the parastatal. Denel was unable to pay employee salaries in full following a severe cash crunch in June. Staff were only paid 85% of their salaries. One of the sources said: “Mlambo will talk about how…

NATHAN AKÉ (24, defender, Bournemouth) Wanted by: Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham GARETH BALE (30, winger, Real Madrid) Wanted by: Tottenham, Manchester United RHIAN BREWSTER (19, striker, Liverpool) Wanted by: Aston Villa, Crystal Palace BEN CHILWELL (23, defender, Leicester City) Wanted by: Chelsea, Manchester City MOUSSA DEMBÉLÉ (23, striker, Olympique Lyonnais) Wanted by: Chelsea CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN (27, midfielder, Tottenham) Wanted by: Manchester United THOMAS LEMAR (24, winger, Atlético Madrid) Wanted by: Arsenal JAMES MADDISON (23, midfielder, Leicester) Wanted by: Manchester United DRIES MERTENS (32, striker/winger, Napoli) Wanted by: Arsenal, Everton VEDAT MURIQI (25, striker, Fenerbahçe) Wanted by: Leicester, Tottenham JADON SANCHO (19, winger, Borussia Dortmund) Wanted by: Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea CENK TOSUN (28, striker, Everton) Wanted by: Crystal Palace SAMUEL UMTITI (26, defender, Barcelona) Wanted by: Arsenal TIMO WERNER…

If the conjecture around the racial make-up of the men currently tasked with guiding the Proteas’ fortunes – and Temba Bavuma’s non-selection for the ongoing test against England – has taught us anything, it is that we are in danger of creating a narrative above performance in our teams. To briefly recap, former Proteas captain Graeme Smith’s appointment as director of cricket at Cricket SA has ushered in the return of his former team-mates Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis (among others) in the capacity of head coach and batting consultant, respectively. This is something that has rubbed the black cricket loving public up the wrong way. Forget that the two are Smith’s friends from their playing days – or indeed the fact that they were once accused of forming a…

Black Leopards’ newly appointed head coach Cavin Johnson spent his first week working on the mental aspect of the team’s players. “The first few sessions were to stabilise the mentality of the players. We’ve got to come back with a positive result against Highlands Park,” Johnson told City Press ahead of his first game in charge in Tembisa this afternoon. In a surprise move, the Venda powerhouse went against its tradition of appointing non-South African coaches by naming Johnson as its new tactician. The 61-year-old from Westbury, Johannesburg, joined Leopards just two days after the resignation of his predecessor, Luc Eymael. Johnson said he was ready to return to club football after AmaZulu terminated his contract three months ago. “Football takes you wherever ... I was in KwaZulu-Natal recently and…

South Africans lived through a brutal year in 2019. A flailing economy, load shedding, startling revelations at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture and the never-ending stream of devastating gender-based violence cases are just some of the blows that spring to mind. By the end of the year, we were weary. The festivities to welcome a new decade have proved just as bleak as the end of the year did. In the next few days, the nation will learn how many lives have been lost on our roads over the past three weeks. Daily news of tragic crashes claiming multiple lives reminds us that we continue to die unnecessarily on our roads. Negligence, drunk driving, unroadworthy and overcrowded vehicles, speeding, and other factors are preventable and within our…

Banking on Zuma Former president Jacob Zuma had Twitter buzzing this week as he topped the trends list right into 2020. This happened after he was spotted at a Capitec bank branch in Richards Bay on December 31. At his side was former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni – the same woman who claimed she could not afford to buy an air ticket to attend a court case in Pretoria. It is still not clear why Zuma was there, but the Twitterati had a field day accusing him of banking with the “Stellenbosch Mafia”. Others cautioned the bank, citing the fact that he still owed VBS Mutual Bank money – with interest. What’s ubuntu? The ANC has a clear plan and knows what the priorities are – or not. Staff…

“We’re now starting to see that it doesn’t matter where or who you are. When given the opportunity, you’ll perform,” said the insider, adding that 44 of 75 education districts had achieved a pass rate of 80% and above. A report that the department presented to SA’s Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, Umalusi, last month shows that the holiday camp schools attracted more than 530 000 matric pupils across the country’s provinces. It also shows that the camps resulted in pupils receiving an additional 20 schooling days. The holiday schools targeted high-risk pupils, progressed pupils and schools that enrolled more than 100 pupils for a single subject, as well as schools that enrolled more than 50 pupils but had achieved a matric pass rate…

The EFF is embroiled in a wage dispute with one of its former administrators, who has now dragged the party to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for unfair dismissal. Frans James, a former EFF administrator in the Free State provincial legislature, claims that he was dismissed after demanding to be paid back more than R500 000 in deductions made by the party since September 2016, when he was employed by the red berets. James said that, as a member of the EFF support staff at the provincial legislature, he earned R34 500 a month, including benefits. He claimed that the EFF only paid him R20 000 of that amount and that, after tax, he took home only R17 186. This means the EFF deducted R14 500 every…

The late payment of salaries for full-time ANC employees last month has caused anxiety among desperate workers, who think the party should rather do away with its “extravagant” 108th birthday celebrations in Kimberley, Northern Cape, on Saturday and instead ensure the financial wellbeing of staff members. Luthuli House sought to provide assurance this week that the recurring unavailability of money for payments to staff members – including a decision to hold back on promised salary increases and a potential drop in take-home cash due to increasing deductions – did not spell a crisis. The bleak Christmas for the governing party’s employees cast a negative light on the party’s financial stability and the work of ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, who was not available to comment this week. ANC employees who spoke…

Eating healthily is good for your brain and mental health, scientists have confirmed. A review of studies on different diets found there was a “direct relationship” between eating well and stress, mental health and brain function. Experts from across Europe, led by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said this relationship was firmly established in some areas, but vaguer in others. The ketogenic diet, for example, can help children with epilepsy, while a vitamin B12 deficiency could contribute to poor memory or exhaustion. The Mediterranean diet – which scales back on sugar, red meat and saturated fat – can protect against anxiety and depression. The researchers said there wasn’t enough evidence explaining why foods had certain effects and that new discoveries were “urgently needed”.…

The introduction of Caps-aligned matric exams. The first cohort to write Caps-aligned matric exams was in 2014. Caps came into being as a response to concerns around the OBE. A ministerial task team was appointed in 2009 to investigate ways to deal with challenges facing the OBE Assistance was given to poor schools Maths, English and science were classified as critical subjects, with funding provided for the Funza Lushaka bursary programme for students to pursue a career in teaching subjects considered a national priority Support continues to be given to progressed pupils to pass through matric. Progressed pupils are those who fail a grade for two consecutive years and are then promoted to the next grade Umalusi’s standardisation policy allows for the adjustment of marks not in excess of 10%,…

More than 5 000 people died of measles in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year in what the World Health Organisation (WHO) regards as one of the disease’s most serious outbreaks. In the Pacific island nation of Samoa, government has just announced the end of a state of emergency after more than 5 600 people contracted measles and 81 people died of the highly infectious disease – many of them children younger than five. The government announcement on December 28 ended the emergency order, which had been in place since November and included the closing of schools, limiting public gatherings and restricting travel. The US and the UK were also hit by the measles epidemic last year after both countries thought they had eliminated the disease. An outbreak of…

LONG MAY ZOZIBINI TUNZI REIGN I don’t remember the world being as excited about the crowning of Miss Universe as it was when Zozibini Tunzi won last year. Her natural charm and inspiring narrative about breaking barriers for black women with kinky hair reminded us of Lupita Nyong’o’s Oscar-winning moment. It’s not surprising that A-listers, including Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis, Naomi Campbell and Nyong’o, have publicly declared their excitement about Tunzi’s reign, and echoed her response to one of the pageant questions about teaching young girls to take up space and cement themselves through leadership. I am rooting for Tunzi and can’t wait to see how she will use her position as Miss Universe to captivate us even more with her grace, charm and intelligence. – Welcome Lishivha THE RISE…

CRICKET ICC T20 WORLD CUPS Both the men’s and women’s T20 World Cups will take place in Australia. The women’s event will run from February 21, with the final set for March 8, while the men’s tournament will take place from October 18 to November 15 TENNIS January is traditionally the month of major tennis events. For SA, the year started on a positive note with star Kevin Anderson’s eagerly-awaited return to the ATP Tour for the first time in six months following a knee injury. The 33-year-old is part of Team SA at the inaugural ATP Cup, which started in Australia on Friday. The SA team, consisting of teenager Khololwam Montsi, Lloyd Harris, Ruan Roelofse and Raven Klaasen, is housed in Group A alongside Serbia, France and Chile at…

At a time when most footballers across Europe take a well-earned break from the beautiful game, Premier League players endure a tough two weeks that see them play four matches in fewer than two weeks. This heavy programme often goes a long way towards determining which club will win the Premier League and who will be relegated. All but three clubs that were leading the Premier League on Christmas Day in the 11 seasons since 2008/09 have gone on to win. And in three cases it was Liverpool that lost out on the big prize at the end of the season as they gave away a Christmas Day lead in the 2008/09 season to Manchester United, then to Manchester City in 2013/14 and 2018/19. However, this time around, Jürgen Klopp…

This week is a very significant one for the thousands of young people anxiously awaiting their matric results. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will announce the outcome of the exams on Tuesday. Whatever the results, it’s important to keep things in perspective. Matric is not the be-all and end-all. After all, the leader of the official opposition, John Steenhuisen, is living proof that it’s possible to get ahead without a tertiary education. You can create a decent future if you don’t have the marks, but have the will. Patrice Motsepe, South Africa’s first black dollar billionaire, worked at his father’s store and beer hall in his youth. He studied law and made his fortune in mining. American media mogul Oprah Winfrey was born into a poor family in Mississippi in…

New Year’s resolutions are always a great start to change what did not work well in one’s life the year before. The resolutions come in handy to guide us on how we will live our lives in the year ahead. Often we hear: “I’ve quit smoking”; “I’m going to live a healthy lifestyle”; “I am signing up for a gym membership”; “This year is my year to get my business off the ground”; and “I am going back to school”. On social media, these declarations get the thumbs up from our friends and families, and inspire others to join in and do something positive with their lives. “That six pack will require commitment, dedication, perseverance and drive” Due to these resolutions, gym memberships skyrocket in January as more people fight…

Gomolemo Legae, an 18-year-old woman from Mahikeng, North West, was brutally murdered by her boyfriend during the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence Against Women and Children. Legae’s case is yet another example of what we now glibly call gender-based violence (GBV). Just a few months ago, Uyinene Mrwetyana’s vicious murder sparked national protests around South Africa. Speeches were made and new policies were promised – as has been done for the past 10 years. GBV has become yet another abbreviation that is bandied about as though the brutality of what happened to Legae, Mrwetyana and many other women who have died at the hands of their partners has little to do with us. We behave as if the war on women’s bodies does not happen to women we…

The combination of economic and political developments over the past 12 months in South Africa has generated particular interest in how the economy will perform this year. What are the factors to be taken into account as the year unfolds? Last year, the bad news about the economy outweighed the good news. Consequently, South Africa’s GDP growth rate too often found itself in negative territory during the year. More recently, the poor GDP growth of -0.6% in the third quarter of last year was followed in the fourth quarter by weak manufacturing and mining data, sagging retail turnovers, meagre new vehicle sales and continued low business confidence. These trends suggest that South Africa will struggle to even reach the previously revised generally low forecast of 0.5% growth for last year…

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The centenary was an opportunity to not only look back and celebrate the ILO’s history and achievements, but to also look to its future. It provided a unique opportunity to reaffirm the relevance of the ILO’s social justice mandate and decent work agenda, and to chart a path that will enable the organisation to meet new challenges as it enters its second century. Here are some of the achievements and insights:…

The Bank of Portugal is evaluating Angolan billionaire businessperson Isabel dos Santos’ suitability as a shareholder of Portuguese banks. This comes after an Angolan court ordered earlier this week that her assets in the country be frozen. A court document – issued in Luanda and dated December 23 – ordered an asset freeze of the personal bank accounts of Dos Santos, her husband Sindika Dokolo and businessperson Mario da Silva in Angola, as well as stakes they hold in nine Angolan companies. Government has accused them of causing the state losses amounting to more than $1 billion (R14.3 billion). Dos Santos and her husband have denied the allegations, calling them “politically motivated”. Da Silva, who is chairperson of Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA), has not commented. Dos Santos, the daughter…

Tuberculosis (TB) kills more people in South Africa than any other infectious disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were 22 000 TB-related deaths and 56 000 deaths of people with TB and HIV in 2017. Globally, 1.6 million lives are lost every year. “This bacterium has tricks up its sleeve that enables it to cause disease to the extent that it overtook [the number of] HIV/Aids [patients] two years ago,” says Professor Valerie Mizrahi. The renowned researcher into the science of TB is widely recognised as a global leader in the field. She recently received the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award worth R1.5 million to further the valuable work done by her team at the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town…