Innholdsfortegnelse for 1/19/2020 i City Press

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe went on an angry rant against board members of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA (Necsa) this week, threatening them with “resistance” if they treated him like a “small boy”. The minister’s tirade took place in a meeting with Necsa executives and senior energy department officials on Tuesday. City Press has heard a recording of Mantashe’s rant. The tirade preceded the resignation on Wednesday of the entire Necsa board, with immediate effect. These board members – four in total – had stayed on as their other board colleagues quit last year. In their joint resignation statement, the four board members said they felt undermined by Mantashe as he valued neither their work nor their efforts to turn around the ailing state-owned enterprise (SOE).…

Six months since interviews were conducted, Transnet still does not have a permanent chief executive officer (CEO). This is because of a disagreement between the board and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan over the suitable candidate. The appointment of a permanent CEO is crucial to provide leadership and revive the state-owned rail, port and pipeline company, which was identified as a key player in state capture during the administration of former president Jacob Zuma. An official appointment has yet to be made, despite the board having submitted its short list to Gordhan in October. Questions have been asked about whether the minister would be overstepping the line should he reject the board’s preferred candidate. The prerogative to identify a suitable candidate rests with the board. According to several sources with…

The year’s first tennis grand slam starts tomorrow against the backdrop of the devastating blazes that have ravaged Australia for months. The catastrophic fires, which have claimed at least 28 lives, caused billions of rands of damage and the death of millions of animals, will certainly affect the Australian Open, which is played at Melbourne Park. Last week, play in the qualifying rounds was temporarily halted when the air became so badly polluted that the match could not continue. Organising body ATP sent an email to players, saying it was aware of the issues. “Conditions are challenging, but the medical experts say they are acceptable for play,” said the email. From tomorrow, players will try to put all that behind them as they work to win the prestigious tournament. The…

Former Springbok coach Jake White is in talks with the Southern Kings bosses to take over as head coach, a post left vacant by Deon Davids during the Pro 14 off season, City Press has learnt. White, who coached the Springboks to Rugby World Cup victory in 2007, met with Kings chairperson Loyiso Dotwana and his deputy Rory Stear on day one of the ongoing third cricket test match between the Proteas and England at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth this week. The approach by the Kings represents a huge about-turn as they initially turned down White’s advances when they began their ultimately fruitless search for Davids’ replacement last year. Uppermost in the Port Elizabeth franchise’s thinking at the time was that White – whose teams play with a…

Former Lions Super Rugby defence coach Joey Mongalo’s successful appeal of his indecent assault conviction in Australia has opened a window for his sensational return to the franchise, just months after his contract was not renewed. Mongalo, who was told his contract would not be renewed late last year because he was found guilty of sexual assault by an Australian magistrate’s court in April entered into talks with the Lions last week to discuss a coaching role within the union. The 35-year-old has already been replaced as defence coach by former SA Schools coach Sean Erasmus in the Super Rugby management team announced this week, but, with the guilty verdict that effectively lost him his job being overturned, it makes sense that reinstatement is a topic of discussion. While hopeful…

World football governing body Fifa has undertaken to help Safa get to the bottom of the latest allegations of corruption involving local match officials. This follows a huge outcry from NFD clubs across various provinces. They have been complaining about the standard of refereeing in the GladAfrica Championship. The second-tier campaigners also alleged that there was a syndicate working to benefit certain teams so they could gain promotion to the PSL. It was based on these allegations, which were made mostly on social media, that Safa president Danny Jordaan declared: “This is no longer a football matter, but a criminal matter.” Safa contacted the national office of the SA Police Service on Wednesday. Jordaan this week hinted that the domestic football controlling body would also write to Fifa and CAF…

On the first day of Jacob Zuma’s appearance at the state capture commission of inquiry, he went off on a conspiratorial rant. Instead of addressing the myriad allegations that he was at the centre of the pernicious state capture project, he painted himself as a victim of multiple forces that were hellbent on derailing his resistance to imperialism and his support of the black cause. The former president dropped what he believed were bombshells, accusing ANC leaders who had spoken against his corruption of having been apartheid spies. It was a pathetic rant from a once-powerful man who now wanted pity because the sins he had committed with impunity were catching up with him. Commission chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo exercised the patience of Job and let him blabber…

Me, myself and I With Mangosuthu Buthelezi it is always about himself. The curmudgeonly chief couldn’t help inserting himself into his tribute to Richard Maponya. He told mourners he had met “great dreamers”, such as Maponya. “Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme was one, as was Madiba and Inkosi Albert Luthuli.” He boasted: “Visionary individuals tend to recognise one another and often great friendships ensue. Dr Maponya, like me, was a lifelong friend of Nelson Mandela. Like me, Dr Maponya was a staunch member of the liberation movement.” It’s great to love yourself. But this much? JJ vs Lebo The fight between the man who fancies himself as the next Gauteng premier, Lebogang Maile, and Newzroom Afrika broadcaster and screamer JJ Tabane just does not stop. Previously, Tabane said the MEC…

It has been a sobering start for “geopolitical Europe”. The killing of Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top military commander, by the US spurred frenetic EU activity. Phone calls, meetings, statements, tweets and intra-European turf wars came fast and furious as Europeans grappled with their first geopolitical test of the year – and came out looking weak and frazzled. Is anyone surprised? The EU’s clout in the volatile Middle East is limited. Valiant efforts made to preserve the Iranian nuclear deal are just that: valiant. The agreement did not stand a chance once the US turned its back on it. Libya is equally complicated. Despite geographical proximity, Europe’s role there remains peripheral. Judging Europe on the basis of its frenzied but lacklustre performance last week is unfair. Realistically, Europe’s geopolitical ambitions should…

The recent celebrations of the ANC’s 108-year anniversary once again put the spotlight on the land issue, which continues to linger and be a source of heated political debate almost 26 years since the advent of our democracy. The build-up to the celebrations also renewed calls to place on the agenda efforts to have land expropriated without compensation. According to Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul, 93% of the population in the Northern Cape is black – African and coloured – and only 7% of the population is white. The 7% owns 85% of the land in the province, while the 93% population owns 13% and the state owns the remaining 2% of the land. No matter how you look at the figures, they represent a skewed picture and calls for…

During the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children last year, the brutal and horrific rapes and murders of Precious Ramabulana, Gomolemo Legae and Kgaugelo Tshawane shocked South Africa. The tragic end to their young lives shows why action is desperately needed to end gender-based violence in a country where a woman is killed every three hours – which is 4.8 times the global average. There has also been a 4.6% increase in reported sexual offences. While it’s tough being a survivor of gender-based violence, such stories can trigger emotions – given the country’s harrowing statistics – especially because many more cases go unreported. It is understandable that after these shocking assaults and murders, some people choose to go online to make sense of it all…

Robbers seem to think cash and gold are a thing of the past. This was made evident by a failed robbery at Sasol’s Secunda plant, during which robbers targeted the metal rhodium. At Friday’s price of $8 100 (R117 000) per fine ounce, the relatively unknown metal makes gold ($1 555) and platinum ($1 022) look like monopoly money. Rhodium is a by-product of platinum. Heavily armed robbers broke into Sasol’s Secunda plant, a national keypoint, last Sunday. City Press’ sister publication, Rapport, understands that they specifically demanded rhodium. According to Sasol’s 2014 annual report, a rhodium reclamation plant is to be installed at Secunda. Sasol confirmed the robbery, but did not want to comment on information that the robbers were after rhodium. The company did not say how much…

When I walked into his mausoleum in Moscow, Russia, I was taken aback by how small Vladimir Lenin’s corpse was. His prominent forehead was deep pink in colour and the nose on his emaciated face was so sharp it could stab a grown man to death. He looked content, even though he died from the agony of a stroke. Love him or hate him, history has been good to Lenin. In the words of Russian writer Nikolay Chernyshevsky: “History is fond of her grandchildren, for it offers them the marrow of the bones.” Millions of roubles plus the best embalmers have been employed to keep Lenin’s body lying in state for close to 100 years. It is not what Lenin achieved that I find fascinating, but the question that he…

November’s retail figures were a slight highlight among the gloomy economic data that were issued recently and which have sparked fears of a technical recession. Retail activity was 2.6% higher than in November 2018, thanks to buying on Black Friday and spending on the World Cup Rugby final, in which South Africa trounced England, said analysts. The market expected an increase of 0.7% and better performance, and fears of an economic contraction in the fourth quarter were allayed. According to figures Stats SA released this week, the 2.6% increase in retail sales in November could be attributed especially to sales of food, drinks and tobacco products, which were 6.2% higher on a year-on-year basis. Lara Hodes, an economist from Investec, said the clearing house, BankservAfrica, had an increase of 36%…

Discrimination by employers towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people results in higher unemployment rates and longer job search periods, as well as self-elimination from the paid labour force. Also, because, in most contexts, it’s a nonobservable trait, lesbian, gay, bisexual and intersex people may choose to hide their sexual orientation at work, but this type of coping strategy is not really an option for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. Gender nonconformity refers to expressions of masculinity and femininity that deviate from stereotypical sex-linked expectations of gender. A 2019 study by the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) School of Law, in the US, reveals that discrimination in the recruitment process can result in LGBTIQ applicants eliminating themselves from particular jobs opportunities, being rejected by the employer or…

Many black professionals carry the costs of educating the future generation. The up side of this commitment is that the young person receiving the education will be able to qualify and obtain a job that helps them not only provide for themselves, but also support extended family and reduce the burden on the few who are already working. However, this creates a significant financial burden on those young professionals who are just starting out in life themselves. There is a way to make “black tax” tax deductible. As long as you are not closely related to the child – as a parent or sibling, for example – you can support the student through a crowdfunding platform called Feenix and receive the contribution as a tax deduction. Feenix provides a tool…

The latest round of load shedding, which hit South Africans a fortnight ago, was partly due to the failure of equipment designed and built by a firm whose owner is related to a senior manager at the utility. Following the surprise load shedding, which came against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assurances that there would be no power cuts until at least January 13, Eskom appointed Rula Bulk Materials Handling on an emergency basis to help fix the broken conveyer belt at Medupi Power Station. Two Eskom executives told City Press that the conveyer belt which broke at Medupi was designed and built by the same Rula Bulk, a company owned by Roelf Odendaal, whose brother is Eskom’s engineering general manager Danie Odendaal. Danie was suspended in December 2018 amid allegations of…

I cannot think of anyone who is more suitable to be Miss SA. Sasha has it all – beauty, brains and, above all, a commitment to help others– Zozibini Tunzi There’s a new queen in town and her name is Sasha-Lee Laurel Olivier – Miss SA 2019. Olivier was handed the title after Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe in Atlanta, Georgia, US, last month. But Olivier says she is not here to fill anyone’s shoes – she has her own. City Press meets Olivier – crowned first princess to Tunzi at the Miss SA pageant in August last year – at the glitzy Maslow Hotel in Sandton, where she politely greets us with a smile. The bubbly 26-year-old from Alberton says that, sometimes, it’s not a matter of opportunity…

The outcome of the highly-contested Mamusa Local Municipality by-elections has brought a sigh of relief to the ANC, which took a risk when it agreed to the council’s dissolution. With the community facing daily struggles of water shortage, inconsistent collection of refuse, a problematic sanitation infrastructure and deep factions in the council, the governing party was not sure what to expect from the voters. The party managed to retain eight of the wards it won in 2016. Two proportional representation (PR) seats were added to its tally to give it a total of 10 seats in the council. It lost one PR seat. The biggest loser was the small party, the Forum for Service Delivery, which failed to retain any of the three PR seats it won in 2016. Its…

GERARD MOLUPE news@citypress.co.za Lesotho’s Prime Minister Tom Thabane finally announced his resignation as head of government on Friday at State House, his official residence in Maseru. For now, he remains the leader of his party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC), pending a decision by party members on his future. Thabane, who turns 81 in May, said he was retiring from politics because of his advancing age. He traces his involvement in politics back to even before Lesotho gained independence from Britain in 1966. His resignation came after massive pressure from opposition parties as well as ABC parliamentarians, who called for him to step down on the grounds of obstructing justice in a case relating to the murder of his estranged wife, Lipolelo, and allegedly involving his current wife, Maesiah. In…

Football’s elite clubs in Deloitte’s annual money league report raked in a combined €9.3 billion (R149.3 billion) in revenue during the 2018/19 season. All the 20 sides are from Europe’s top five leagues – Premier League (England), La Liga (Spain), Bundesliga (Germany), Ligue 1 (France) and Serie A (Italy). La Liga powerhouse Barcelona topped the list for the first time in 23 editions, becoming the first team to break the €800 million mark, toppling perennial giants and eternal rivals Real Madrid, who have not fallen below third place so far. Of the total revenue percentage, clubs in the top 20 earned 44% of revenue from broadcast deals, while commercial revenue remained at 40% and match-day income dropped slightly to 16% from 17% last season. Lyon (€220.8 million) and Napoli (€207.4…

Over the past two weeks on the Sunshine Tour, there has been a spark of what could turn into something special for South African golf. In last week’s SA Open, hosted by the City of Joburg, Toto Thimba Jr came through the first round of the second-oldest national Open in golf just three shots off the lead. This past week, Thanda Mavundla opened with a 66 and was one shot off the first-round lead in the Eye of Africa PGA Championship. Both failed to maintain their challenge and missed the respective halfway cuts, but they have charted new territory for the Sunshine Tour’s Gary Player Class of professionals. In golf, timing is everything and the timing of the tour launching its new programme in 2017 to assist historically disadvantaged professionals…

It’s been a bloodbath on the employment front this week as at least three major operations announced job cuts running into thousands. Telkom informed trade unions and staff that it could cut up to 3 000 of its more than 15 000 employees as it struggles with declining performance in fixed voice and data services. Massmart said it had started consultations with unions about the closure of up to 34 of its DionWired and Masscash stores, which could affect 1 400 employees. Mining group Sibanye-Stillwater’s completion of its Marikana restructuring saw 4 500 people ultimately lose their jobs or contracts (early retirement and voluntary severance packages included). That’s nearly 9 000 jobs in a week. And these are only the ones that we know of – the figure doesn’t include…

Give or take 100 pupils have to wade across a river to get to and from Ekhamanzi Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal. Does the government care? Not enough to build a bridge or hire a bus. I wondered how much more they’d care if their own children had to do the same. What if their six-year-old had to wade through a river to get to the closest school or the school where their child was placed? In Gauteng this week the MEC for education, Panyaza Lesufi, expressed his frustration with “fussy parents” who didn’t take the places they were offered for their kids, overburdening the department’s systems. “We don’t want to underestimate the importance of choice but there are other schools that are better than the ones our parents prefer.” What…

All comments from citypress.co.za Luke Chagwisa It’s a very bad decision to shut down schools because of their poor performance. The only possible solution is to analyse the reasons behind their incompetence. In my opinion, it is because of three factors – lack of teaching skills among the principals and the teachers; less motivated kids with no learning passion; and reckless parents who are negligent and do not push their kids to see the value of education. Tamelyne van Tonder Why are you looking at closing these schools? There should be intervention and assistance to ensure that these pupils get as much quality education as possible. They also matter. Jimzimbo Treating the symptoms, conveniently ignoring the cause ... as usual. Desiree Stephens-August Compliance with occupational health and safety requirements and…

City Press’ article, Sisulu’s battle for control (December 22 2019), regurgitates talking points of the fightback campaign against Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, suggesting she wants to centralise the communication function in the human settlements, water and sanitation ministry to “fund” a phantom political campaign for the leadership of the governing ANC. No evidence of this “campaign” has been proffered – no campaign paraphernalia or anything to substantiate the libellous claims. There is no vacancy in the presidency of the ANC, which would explain the need for a “campaign”. The truth is that two ministries were fused into one superministry. Both departments under Sisulu have communication units. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to merge the two ministries was also about finding synergies between the two departments, establishing shared services, and doing more work…

Eskom dropped a bombshell in court this week about the manner in which it views the methodology that the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) uses to determine electricity tariff increases. If the court accepts Eskom’s arguments about the need for a much narrower application of the tariff methodology, the additional R69 billion it currently wants from consumers could pale in insignificance compared with future demands, given the utility’s track record of poor management. Eskom’s application, which would have the effect of forcing consumers to cough up an additional R69 billion in electricity tariffs over the next three financial years, was heard in the Pretoria High Court by Judge Jody Kollapen on Wednesday. If it is successful, power tariff increases for this year and next year will have to be…

We have entered a new year and a new decade, and this one promises to be more turbulent than any since World War 2. With increasing tension between Iran and the US, the already suppurating sores and boils on the global body politick are unlikely to subside any time soon. In fact, unless the cause of the disease is widely accepted and dealt with, they may grow worse. But, while a future of horrendous inequality on a polluted, overheated planet beckons, there is still hope. Although none of it will stem from the woolly platitudes mouthed last weekend by President Cyril Ramaphosa. What optimism exists should stem from the fact that the elites of this world no longer largely control the flow of information – the internet and social media…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has opted to focus on pressing domestic crises instead of joining the most significant investment and macroeconomic event between Africa and the UK in modern times. Hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK-Africa Investment Summit takes place in London tomorrow, and will see no less than 15 African heads of state plus leading private sector executives descend on the British capital for a gathering that seeks to bring closer investment ties between the UK and Africa. Africa boasts 15 of the world’s fastest growing economies but only enjoys less than 4% of global foreign direct investment (FDI). The UK currently has a net value of £22 billion (R414.64 billion) of investments in Africa with 2 200 of its companies engaged in business across the continent.…

More than a decade after the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popi) was first tabled, the information regulator says that 2020 is the year it has to come into effect. Popi makes lofty promises to consumers about world-class protection against information-age problems, such as people being pestered by call centres and businesses experiencing data theft. But it will also cause a headache for many cash-strapped businesses as they will have to find additional money to ensure they are in compliance. Popi was signed in 2013, but most of its provisions have yet to come into effect. Whether the protections espoused by Popi will have real-world advantages for consumers will depend on the regulator, tasked with applying the act. The regulator has now finally begun to take steps to create a…

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is sounding alarm bells on the climate emergency, with environmental risks occupying the group’s top five long-term concerns for the first time on record. Extreme weather events, the failure to mitigate the crisis, major natural disasters, biodiversity loss and human-made environmental damage were the risks identified as most likely to occur by respondents in the WEF’s 2020 report. It’s the only time in the survey’s 14-year history that climate-related concerns took all top spots. Economic confrontations and domestic political polarisation were also recognised as short-term issues by global experts and decision-makers, the report, which was published on Wednesday, showed. Confronting the climate crisis will be a key topic of discussion when business and political leaders meet in Davos, Switzerland, for the WEF’s annual meetings, which…

What do South Africa, Ivory Coast and Morocco have in common? The three countries spread across south, west and northern Africa are all vying to build the continent’s tallest building. The Leonardo, in Johannesburg’s upmarket Sandton neighbourhood, is 234m high and is the current holder of the prestigious title. Yet not long after it officially opened in October last year, the skyscraper is expected to be topped by the Mohammed VI Tower in the Moroccan capital of Rabat within the next three years. Construction of that 250m tall building started a year ago and when done it “will have 55 floors hosting a luxury hotel, prestigious offices and luxury apartments as well as an observatory at the top of the tower”, according to Leila Haddaoui, the deputy managing director of…

The festive season is over and it’s time for the kids to go back to school. Many people may need to borrow money this month to take care of expenses that include school fees, uniforms and transport. Advocate Kedilatile Legodi, acting manager: education and communication at the National Credit Regulator (NCR), says: “Consumers are reminded that credit is expensive, therefore they should only borrow when it is absolutely necessary to do so and only from credit providers registered with the NCR.” Be a credit-smart consumer by understanding the total cost of the credit you are applying for before you sign on the dotted line. The cost of credit includes interest, once-off initiation fees, monthly service fees and credit life insurance. To understand the cost of credit, consumers should be given…

#Trending reached out to some of the major record labels to get an idea of the music we can expect in the months to come. Based on the projected line-ups from each stable, we are all in for a memorable year, with more than a few audio gems headed our way. SONY MUSIC AFRICA Sony has one of the larger rosters, with acts such as DJ Maphorisa, DJ Sliqe and even the Distruction Boyz. From a production standpoint they’re packing heat, but what can we hope for? SHEKHINAH Album title: To be announced Release date: From June We’re particularly excited for the most streamed artist in the country to unleash her sophomore album. Her debut, Rose Gold, gave us timeless pop hits. Shekhinah has great potential to fly the flag…

Many overindulgers want to know if juicing will work for a post-festive season detox. Dieting fads come and go, but the juice diet is showing no signs of slowing down. Many call it the best thing since sliced avocado, while others find it to be a dangerous craze that will fade. And, understandably, the rest of us who are trying to figure it all out and are pretending to be health-conscious people are left wondering what to believe. So, if you’re planning a juice diet as part of your detox, we’ve got the latest on juice and juicing. WHAT’S A JUICE CLEANSE? You’ve probably come across celebrities or health experts talking about juice diets or juice cleansing. This basically involves following a strict diet that consists solely of fresh vegetable…

INGREDIENTS: Butter puff pastry 1 egg Frozen blueberries 50g honey Vanilla ice cream METHOD: Cut out a square of butter puff pastry and score the edges to form a border. Place on a baking sheet, brush with a beaten egg and bake according to package instructions until puffed and golden brown. Top with tangy blueberries: melt 50g honey over a low heat in a non-stick pan, add frozen blueberries and cook gently for five to seven minutes until warm. Scoop on to the puff pastry, top with scoops of vanilla ice cream and serve. TIPS FOR USING FROZEN PUFF PASTRY: • Be sure to defrost the pastry in the fridge; this ensures that it rises well. • When making a pie, score the edges of a roll of pastry using…

The Irishman One of the greatest directors of our time, Martin Scorsese, has cut us a direct-to-television star-studded film. And I dare say, he and the astounding cast are in line for a few awards for The Irishman. – Phumlani S Langa Judy Judy will stir all the emotions in you and you will not be able to take your eyes off Renée Zellweger. Go and watch this movie. You won’t be disappointed. – Channel24 Can You Keep a Secret? Can You Keep a Secret? is entertaining and worth watching, but maybe it isn’t really a get-all-dressed-up-and-leave-the-house kind of film. Perhaps it’s best to adopt the film’s new-generation approach and just wait until you’re able to stream it. – Channel24…

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Migrating pupils from “weaker” provinces have been blamed for the decline in the matric pass rate in the Western Cape. So said Debbie Schafer, Western Cape education MEC. She was referring to the province’s backslide from number three spot in 2018 to number four last year. Historically, the Western Cape has been among the top performers in the country. But, the last time it led the pack was in 2015 and since then it has slipped backwards. “I would certainly like to see the Western Cape in the number one spot again, but I am pleased with the results this year considering the difficult circumstances under which we are working – such as increasing numbers, people coming in Grade 10 from other weaker provinces, decreasing budgets, increased class sizes and…

I had the privilege of visiting the new Tottenham Hotspur grounds in London last week. It is truly a magnificent stadium that reportedly cost £1 billion (R18.7 billion) to build. If it did, it’s worth every penny. I was there to watch the home team take on current Premier League leaders Liverpool with my son, who is a huge fan of the Reds. From where we were seated, we could clearly see Spurs manager José Mourinho and Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool. Referee Martin Atkinson had an excellent game, as did his assistants. However, his fourth official, Andre Marriner, was not doing his job. Let’s first discuss law 1(9) of the laws of the game. The technical area relates to matches played in stadiums with a designated seating area for team…

second spot, if comments such as “you can’t expect Sundowns to win the league all the time” are anything to go by. Targeting the CAF Champions League seems likely to be a big motivation, especially now that Sundowns are through to the quarterfinals. Dropping points against fellow title contenders over the past few weeks has dented Sundowns’ aspirations on the domestic front. The Tshwane derby at the Lucas Moripe Stadium comes a few days after the team’s defeat to Orlando Pirates in Soweto, which was the fourth occasion coach Mosimane’s side had dropped points in a fixture involving a side in the top five. The 1-0 loss at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday was the latest among a series of setbacks that Sundowns have incurred since their defeat to Chiefs in…

Rain emerged as a critical ally in South Africa’s efforts to head to the fourth and final test against England in Johannesburg with the series score still locked on one-all in Port Elizabeth yesterday. At stumps on day three, the Proteas were 208/6 in their first innings, with wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock (63 from 134 balls, nine fours) and all-rounder Vernon Philander (27 off 55 balls, five boundaries) the not-out batsmen with the hosts needing another 92 runs to make the visitors – whose first innings was declared on 499/9 – bat again. With England captain Joe Root’s men firmly in the driving seat after a combination of a slow wicket, indifferent bowling by the South Africans on day two and patient centuries by Ollie Pope (135 not out for…

The first step for alcoholics who want to take charge of their lives is to declare: “I am an alcoholic.” In doing so, the declarer recognises that they are responsible for their actions. When are we going to hear the ANC declare that the inaction of its MPs and its lack of workable policies are responsible for the blackouts? It is not just Eskom that is floundering; many other state-owned enterprises – including national carrier SAA – are in the doldrums because of greed, self-enrichment, theft, incompetence and a good dose of lying by a government that has ruled for more than 25 years. Eskom has filled many columns, but writers shy away from the cause of the blackouts. The first cause was the policy that prioritised RDP housing. It…

The town of Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, which is part of the Makana Local Municipality, is a rather quaint place. It is a pretty little town with lots of churches, lots of elite schools, and lots and lots of donkeys. Donkeys are the Ubers in this historic town and, at the start or end of the tertiary term, they can be seen carting Rhodes University students to or from transport nodes. These beasts of burden are such a part of the town’s fabric that it is completely normal to see them grazing on sidewalks in the centre of the town or just wandering along the street in search of the next green spot. In 2018, the Grahamstown Residents’ Association raised concerns about donkeys being “frequently maimed and killed in…

On January 20 1961, towards the end of his inaugural speech, John F Kennedy said: “And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” The clarion call Kennedy made to the American people that day is applicable to all people across the globe, including in Africa and, right now, in South Africa in particular. It is imperative that, as the year unfolds, citizens have one dominant thought in their minds – to contribute meaningfully to building and serving this country. Whatever skills, talents and gifts they have should be used in…

All comments from citypress.co.za Val Payn Why should South Africans have any faith in the National Health Insurance (NHI) system given the failure, corruption and incompetence of all other state-run institutions? Darren Pienaar If Health Minister Zweli Mkhize does not understand the fearmongering, use your brain – he wants the already strained middle class to now fund medical benefits for the majority of a jobless population. We all know we have no choice if this corrupt government decides to go ahead with this new bout of theft; we know that, slowly, one story at a time, we will watch the NHI blow billions and pay for new BMWs for the state’s thieves. Maybe the country would be better off if he stopped adding financial burdens on to the few of…

There are no people as musical as black people. For them, all aspects of their lives are punctuated and accompanied by a soundtrack. Steve Biko states this when he speaks on culture: when we are sad, we sing; when we are happy, we sing. When we are engaged in struggle, we sing. Try imagining what #FeesMustFall would have been like without song. Imagine a wedding or funeral without song. The existence of song in all aspects of our lives bears testimony to the fact that, for black folk, music does something much more important than entertain. There is a more vital role that music plays. It is this relationship that black people have with song that I want to briefly speak on, especially music that is regarded as “traditional”. The…

Eskom has exceeded its budget for diesel by almost 50% in a desperate attempt to keep the lights on. This is with just two months of the financial year remaining. The National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) has previously put a cap on how much money Eskom should spend on diesel and how many hours the emergency diesel turbines should be racking up, but these limits have apparently been ditched. It costs Eskom at least R27 to buy one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity from private diesel turbines, while their average selling price is about R1 per kWh. Nersa thinks it is acceptable for Eskom to use diesel turbines 1% of the time, but the power utility is currently using them 5% of the time. That’s because it cannot increase the…

In his typically frank style, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni laid down the cards that will be taken by Team SA as it heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, at the end of January. As the country’s debt woes grow, tax revenue declines, unemployment increases and foreign investment slows, Team SA does not, on the face of it, have a particularly sparkling future to sell. Or so you would think. Not so, says Mboweni. “The country has the determination to implement serious structural reforms and we have a clear economic strategy,” he says. The elephants in the room, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), are firmly in hand. “Those that work must be supported,” says Mboweni. “Those that don’t must get out of the way.” This view is unlikely to find…

257 The number of years before the globe reaches gender parity, with regard to economic participation and opportunity. This is the only dimension where progress has regressed since being measured last year. Here, the figures are sobering, with a deteriorating situation forcing gender parity to a low 57.8% R232 billion The cost of lost productivity in SA owing to work-related stress, major depression, burnout and anxiety disorders, according to a study by the SA Depression and Anxiety Group. These account for more than 40% of all work-related illness. According to the Workplace Culture Trends report for 2018, 86% of millennials said they would consider taking a pay cut to work at a company that offers packages which suit their values and lifestyle 1.7 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal for…

With every new year comes the sentiment that “this year, things will be different”. We get excited and dream big. We often set New Year’s resolutions to get out of debt, lose weight or increase our savings. But, not even halfway through the year, we will have given up on most, if not all, of our good intentions. Why is this? Why do people get disheartened and throw in the towel when it comes to their goals? It is because people often get overly excited and set grand goals. While there is nothing wrong with this, the ideas are not usually accompanied by a plan regarding how they will let go of old habits to build better ones. Without training ourselves to acquire new, better habits, the likelihood of successfully…

Last month, a landmark ruling in the Cape Town High Court found against the excessive debt collection fees on garnishee orders. The judgment would not only have a significant impact on the amount lawyers may charge for legal fees on outstanding debt, but could result in hundreds of thousand of garnishee orders being removed and about R1 billion in excessive debt collection fees repaid. While this ruling has the potential to be a real game-changer for debt-stressed consumers, credit provider Bayport Financial Services, one of the defendants, has lodged an appeal against the judgment (Cape Town court rules on garnishee debt, City Press, December 22 2019). In a fight against the abuse of garnishee orders, Summit Financial Services, the Stellenbosch Law Clinic and 10 of their clients brought a court…

There is a wave on the continent of acknowledging and celebrating strides made in telling localised African stories. The preservation of African languages is a big part of this conversation. But many writing in indigenous languages often struggle with resources to reach audiences that appreciate their work. Awards such as the Sanlam Prizes for Youth Literature are essential in promoting literature written in local languages and celebrating some of the most brilliant minds behind these works. For those looking to immerse themselves in localised narratives and to polish their isiXhosa and Tshivenda, these two award-winning picks should go a long way towards offering this experience. Thembisile Kundlwana’s debut isiXhosa novel, Tata Sikuxolele – which translates to Dad, We’ve Forgiven You – was awarded the gold prize at last year’s Sanlam…

Creamy ice creams, fruity sorbets, tangy ice lollies and bountiful berries – there’s a world of decadent delights that awaits you during these warm days. Flavours vary – from pistachio and Belgian chocolate to lemon curd. And let’s not forget everyone’s favourite – Woolies’ Tin Roof ice cream. Topped with almonds or drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate sauce to make the ultimate chocolate sundae, any diet might have to wait. But let’s indulge in the deliciously classic blueberry pie. Considered one of the easiest pies to make, this summertime special is effortless to make if you prefer to skip the peeling and pitting needed for other fruit pies.…

In December, Desire Marea announced on social media that they had embarked on a solo music project. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the music video of You Think I’m Horny, which is the leading single from Marea’s eponymous debut album. I was drawn to the artwork of the album, which is a black and white headshot of Marea in a satanesque motif, snapped by Professor Sir Zanele Muholi. With what look like horns protruding from the top of their head, Marea confronts the viewer with a blank, direct stare. Marea is one half of the electronic music and performance art duo FAKA, whose introduction might be futile, but is definitely worth recalling when considering the amount of work and growth they have displayed as an artist outside…

Avengers: Endgame (2019) M-Net (DStv channel 101) Sunday, 8:05pm After Thanos, an intergalactic warlord, disintegrates half of the universe, the Avengers must reunite and assemble again to reinvigorate their trounced allies and restore balance. The Invasion (2007) M-Net Action+ (DStv channel 106) Wednesday, 8pm A psychiatrist finds out about an epidemic that changes human behaviour. She also discovers that her son might be the key to preventing this deadly epidemic. Earth to Echo (2018) M-Net Movies Zone (DStv channel 139) Friday, 7pm After receiving a bizarre series of encrypted messages, a group of kids embark on the adventure of a lifetime after befriending an alien who needs their help.…