Innholdsfortegnelse for 1/26/2020 i City Press

Mboweni referred all questions to public enterprises, and even cut off a question on SAA during his media briefing at the close of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Friday. Public enterprises spokesperson Sam Mkokeli said: “Events associated with last weekend’s ANC meetings should be dealt with by the ruling party. “Treasury deals with state finance. SAA is under stewardship of the business rescue practitioners announced last month.” MBOWENI’S ARGUMENT City Press understands that Mboweni’s initial reluctance to provide the required R2 billion had been born out of concern that the country had other pressing priorities in terms of basic needs for the poor and vulnerable, including health, sanitation and education. Also, the banks were refusing to do business with SAA because its costs were higher than its revenue,…

Flamboyant TV presenter Bonang Matheba was among the 20 personalities cast to participate in the latest Woolworths campaign, Catch the Feels. That was until she pulled out at the eleventh hour, failing to pitch at The Market theatre last week. City Press has reliably learnt that Matheba was scheduled to shoot her scenes last Friday but, because there were too many faces involved in the campaign, she refused to allow anyone to steal her shine and decided not to pitch for the shoot. Catch the Feels is an initiative created by Woolworths to encourage feelings of unity, pride and positivity through South African trailblazers who have done extraordinary things. The campaign features businessperson Basetsana Kumalo, comedian Celeste Ntuli, designers Thebe Magugu and Rich Mnisi, the Ndlovu Youth Choir and others.…

We have our work cut out for us. To this end, we are in discussions with Eskom about a debt repayment plan. We have also instituted a credit control programme to improve our revenue collection The administrator of the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality, situated in the Free State, is bracing himself for more violent service delivery protests by the community because, financially, the administration is in “the intensive care unit”. Blake Lefatola said that this week’s spate of protests were just the tip of the iceberg as the ailing municipality could take two to three years to stabilise. The municipality was placed under administration in 2018. While Maluti-a-Phofung tries to deal with the water shortages that have plagued the area for years, Lefatola told City Press that it owed Eskom about…

Health unions have blamed a critical staff shortage of medical professionals and cleaners for the deaths of 10 newborn babies due to a bacteria outbreak at Tembisa Hospital. Unions said workers face hard working conditions and feared that there could be more infant deaths. Cleaners are essential in the health sector environment but are often overlooked by management, argued the unions. Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) Gauteng chairperson Simphiwe Gada said the outbreak of the drug-resistant bacteria “exposes weaknesses in the system and qualifies what we have been crying about … There is a great need to prioritise infrastructure and staff shortage. “We can’t afford to continue having two preterm babies [those babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy] in one cot,” Gada said. The Young Nurses Indaba…

Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi blended European style with African flair for a catwalk collection that marked the first time a designer from sub-Saharan Africa joined the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. “It’s an honour”, Ayissi (51) told Reuters backstage before the show, referring to the decision, after many years of knocking him back, to finally admit him to the select club of haute couture fashion houses showing in Paris. “I have been fighting for 28 years. I dedicated all my life to the work. The French Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion opened its door to me after it rejected my application many times because it was not the right time or my work did not match expectations. But this time it worked”, he said. Ayissi started young, making outfits…

A Mpumalanga man who claimed to be a secret lover of culture, sport and recreation MEC Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, says he lost two jobs after the MEC’s husband found out. Ntshalintshali (42) is a high-ranking politician in the province. The former Emalahleni mayor is also the ANC’s provincial acting secretary and her permanent position is deputy secretary. She is vying to become the provincial deputy chairperson in the upcoming elective conference. Her strained relationship with Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, who wants to be the provincial chairperson, is an open secret. Her husband is Emalahleni entrepreneur Mfanimpela Ntshalintshali (45). But the MEC has denied ever being in a relationship with Mbuso Thumbathi (35). Thumbathi claims she appointed him as her adviser last October, but he was turned away and humiliated when he…

January is meant for peculiar transfers. It’s about players whose contracts are endingMIKE MAKAAB The deal that could have lit up this month’s player transfer window in domestic football collapsed spectacularly when Mamelodi Sundowns offered SuperSport United less than R10 million for defender Aubrey Modiba, City Press has learnt. While SuperSport chief executive Stan Matthews confirmed last week that the player and the club “declined the offer” from the defending Absa Premiership champions, he refused to divulge further details. City Press, however, has been reliably informed by those privy to the futile negotiations between the two clubs that Sundowns had put an offer of “slightly less than R10 million” on the table for the 24-year-old Bafana Bafana player. In their last big-money deal, Sundowns are believed to have paid SuperSport…

When parents drop off their children at school or in the care of schools, they presume that the teachers will assume the responsibility of not only giving lessons about 1 + 1 = 2, but also of parenting for the duration of the school day. This responsibility becomes even greater when schools go on tours and camps, and the parents (teachers) are expected to double up their efforts of responsibility to the pupils. No parent drops off their child in the care of a school with the expectation that they may be called and told that their son or daughter has died while in the school’s care. Events of the past week or so since the reopening of schools have been disturbing. Enock Mpianzi from Parktown Boys’ High School drowned…

CR to the rescue Billionaire Patrice Motsepe was called the national blesser after his role in bringing US artist Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z to South Africa. But his short celebrity status has been revoked after he was seen arse-licking US President Donald Trump this week. To show he was not speaking on our behalf, ANC types pulled out an old video of Prez Ramaphosa lambasting Trump. “Trump was not around when we negotiated the end of apartheid. So, we say, stick to your business at the White House and we will find our own solutions. Leave us alone,” said Cereal, showing some balls for once. Journos abused Journalists were left with egg on their faces after their botched attempt at staging a walkout at Luthuli House this week.…

Municipal elections are a two-and-a-half-year “relay marathon” in which the baton is handed from the Electoral Commission to the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, to the nine provincial MECs, to the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) and back again to the commission. This relay to prepare for the 2021 local election is already well underway. In the first leg, the minister must determine and publish the formulas for determining the number of councillors for each type of municipality (local, district and metro). Currently there are 257 municipalities, comprising eight metros, and 44 district and 205 local councils. In terms of the pertinent statutory prescripts, the formulas must be based on the number of voters registered on each municipal segment of the voters’ roll, and the number of councillors may…

Cyril’s Choices: Lessons from 25 Years of Freedom in South Africa by John Matisonn Published by Missing Ink 270 pages R290 From the moment I realised that Nelson Mandela’s release from prison would lead to a genuine democratic election, which the ANC would win, I started thinking about how the new South Africa would make it work. In 1991, I took a year off to study how other countries succeeded. I discovered the Asia expert who figured out how Japan achieved rapid economic growth after losing World War 2, Professor Chalmers Johnson, and interviewed him. It turns out that the key to rapid growth depends on getting the relationship between business and government right. If business is too strong, they walk all over everyone else. If government is too strong,…

Hundreds of jobs are on the line in the Eastern Cape as a R1 billion electronics Smart Factory has closed its doors after being taken to court by Standard Bank. Yekani Manufacturing – which now faces possible liquidation – has not opened its doors since last year. The East London-based 100% black-owned company, launched with much fanfair in June 2018, was the hope of the province and hailed as a milestone towards the province’s fourth industrial revolution. It is in the East London Special Economic Zone and created hundreds of jobs, with about 1 000 new jobs still on the cards. But failure to make repayments on a R200 million loan from Standard Bank has led to the company’s potential liquidation. When City Press visited the company’s premises this week…

Zimbabwe insists that it is prepared to deal with a deepening food crisis, but the UN says there’s little evidence that enough maize is coming in to the country to feed the drought-stricken nation’s 8.5 million people who are going hungry, nearly half the population. Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perence Shiri said there was less than a month’s supply – 100 000 tons – of the staple grain, according to Zimbabwe’s NewsDay newspaper. That compares with a supply gap that’s expected to be around 1 million tons. While the government said it had started importing food, UN officials say there’s no sign of it. “The situation has not changed a bit,” Eddie Rowe, the UN World Food Programme’s country director in Zimbabwe, said on Wednesday. “We don’t see…

1 The potential client drops off their business plan at the IDC's Pre-Investment Business Centre (PIBC) at 19 Friedman Ave, Sandown, or at one of the IDC's regional provincial offices 2 All business plans are registered by the records departement and screened for a mandate 3 If it falls within the mandate, the PIBC allocates it to a manager to begin screening as part of the basic assessment process 4 Applications that pass the basic assessment process are forwarded for review to one of the 13 strategic business units (SBU’s) 5 The SBU undertakes a due diligence process. If the plan meets all the requirements, it goes to exco for approval. If approved, then the money is disbursed subject to meeting all the conditions…

Mike asks: I have a question regarding the R7 million tax rebate on the estate of a second spouse. Upon the death of the second spouse, does the rollover of the allowable tax rebate of R3.5 million or part thereof also apply to couples if they are married in community of property? Elmien Pols from Private Client Trust replies: The first R3.5 million of a person’s estate is exempt from estate duty. As there is no estate duty paid if the deceased leaves their estate to their spouse, if at the death of the first spouse the survivor is the sole beneficiary of the estate the full R3.5 million will roll over to the survivor’s estate even if they were married in community of property. The Estate Duty Act reads…

In 1899 the town of Mafeking in the North West was very different from what it is today. There was a population of about 1 500 white people from different backgrounds and nationalities. Of these, about 630 were women and children. There were also smaller Chinese, Indian and Coloured communities and about 5 000 Barolong in the district of Mahikeng. Mafeking was close to the Transvaal border but was part of the Cape Colony. It was in a strategic position because it was an important railhead on the line between Kimberley and Bulawayo (in Zimbabwe). At the time it was also on what was called the “missionary road”, which led west to the German colony of South West Africa (now Namibia), and it was close to the British protectorate of…

Dolittle I thought it was trying to be several movies in one. If it were a dessert it would be more like an Eton mess than a perfect soufflé. It’s sweet, light and fun, but not exquisite in its execution. – Channel24 The Irishman One of the greatest directors of our time, Martin Scorsese, has cut us a direct-to-television film, and I dare say that 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 see this movie, you won’t be disappointed. – Channel24…

Even in the recording, it is the mother in me trying to help a young South African who is trying to do something right, and that is me Social development deputy minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu offered to take a would-be in-law employed in her office on four international trips so that he could save up money to pay lobolo for her niece. Zwidofhela Mafoko, an administrative clerk in the deputy minister’s office, benefited from government’s subsistence and travel (S&T) allowance. He eventually married Bogopane-Zulu’s niece, Nompumelelo Msibi, in 2017. The conversation in which the deputy minister made the offer took place in 2016. It was encapsulated in an audio recording, which City Press has obtained. This week, Bogopane-Zulu confirmed to City Press that it was her voice in the audio recording,…

Black prosecutors are not regarded as professionals and worthy of growth in the NPA as they are not given chances to occupy higher posts and are blocked by the NPA system from earning good salaries like their counterparts Disgruntled prosecutors in three coastal provinces have challenged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head, Shamila Batohi, to suspend the recruitment process to fill vacant posts because they allege it is racist, nepotistic and does not fulfil transformation objectives. The prosecutors, who first marched to the NPA’s headquarters in March last year, had followed with several letters to Batohi in which they alleged that black prosecutors were overlooked for promotions and discriminated against. Operating under the banner of the not-yet registered SA Prosecutors’ Union and calling themselves a Concerned Group of Prosecutors, they…

Life has been a roller coaster ride for TV darling and entertainment host Minenhle “Minnie” Dlamini. From bad career and relationship decisions and being publicly body-shamed, the sometimes actress says life is about making mistakes, learning and growing from them. “I am a direct product of all my lessons, good and bad, so no regrets. There are so many ups and downs to mention. When you are passionate about something you take the bad with the good. It’s all about finding your balance. As long as the good outweighs the bad, you keep going,” she says. Since she started presenting the SABC1 Live Amp show in 2010, Dlamini’s career has blossomed. The bubbly presenter says she has learnt plenty over the years; such as understanding that the entertainment industry is…

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) appears to be having second thoughts about its announcement that certain low-cost medical aid products will be illegal in just over a year. At a CMS meeting with insurers, medical aids and other role players this week, it said it would continue to develop a framework for a low-cost benefit option, or something of a similar nature. The CMS and the private sector have been working on developing a low-cost benefit model for the past five years. In March last year, the council’s position, contained in a discussion document, was that it would still allow certain medical aid options that did not cover all minimum benefits but that paid for reasonably comprehensive services. While this model was being developed, exemption was granted to certain…

Former South African Under-19 cricket coach Ray Jennings feels that administrators need to take a long, hard look at youth structures in the sport. “All I can say is that there’s no way that you can have such a lack of performances over a period of time. Where has the talent gone?” Jennings said when asked if there was something lacking in the youth system since the Under-19 World Cup in 2014. “Has the talent disappeared? Are you picking the right players, or are you tracking them incorrectly?” South Africa won their maiden Under-19 World Cup in 2014 with Jennings at the helm. Since then, it has been a topsy-turvy time for the team. In the two global championships prior to the ongoing edition, Team SA were knocked out in…

Orlando Pirates might not be a huge part of the league title conversation, but the team’s consistency will make it hard for the pundits to leave them out when it comes to talking about the outsiders in the Absa Premiership race. With their 1-0 win over AmaZulu at Orlando Stadium last night, Bucs moved into the fourth spot on the table, and their 33 points in 19 games keeps them within range of the chasing pack – Mamelodi Sundowns (35 points), SuperSport United (34) and Bidvest Wits (30). Pirates have left a trail of destruction in their wake under new coach Josef Zinnbauer, who assumed the reins last month. The Buccaneers last night chalked up their fourth win in a row and maintained a six-match unbeaten run under the German…

Four out of 10 people who died on the roads during the festive season were pedestrians. This staggering figure – 40% of the 1 617 recorded deaths, as reported this week by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula – should make the nation sit back and ask: “Why are so many pedestrians killed on roads?” Authorities tell us that most pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas. Some were the victims of drunk drivers and/or drivers of unroadworthy vehicles losing control and veering off the road, hitting those walking. Jaywalking – crossing or walking on the street unlawfully or without regard to approaching traffic – was a contributing factor. Pedestrians’ attitudes towards vehicles has long been a cause for concern in our cities. Motorists are sometimes forced to employ advance-driving skills to avoid…

Two recent incidents related to clothing have had women around the world fuming. The garments in question have been part of the international discourse before – headscarves and skirts. ANC Youth League member Sizophila Mkhize became the headline of the party’s national executive committee lekgotla this week when she was prevented from entering the venue because her dress was “too short”. To their credit, ANC leaders rallied around, taking photographs with Mkhize, who was then wearing knee-length shorts, or, as a certain leader called them, a “bum short”. The ANC said it addressed the issue, but didn’t offer any details about what action was taken. It is disappointing that a lekgotla that was supposed to focus on real issues facing the country was overshadowed by an argument about fashion. But…

‘Children are a third of our population and all of our future.” And this future looks bleak in South Africa. There are many reasons children fail to thrive but one of the most pressing is nutrition. Poor nutrition can have far-reaching effects on a child’s ability to learn, grow and develop optimally. Nutrition involves not just access to enough food, but also enough of the right food. South Africa, however, is losing the war against the “hidden hunger” – that is malnutrition in a country which the Global Security Food Index classifies as the most food secure in Africa. Children under 15 make up 28% of the population, according to Stats SA. It is important to consider how they are thriving. According to last year’s South African Early Childhood Review,…

New party? Yes, there is definitely space for it. However, it should not become the usual “one-strongman show-party” like all other new parties launched since the dawn of democracy. Should the new party follow similar cult-like organisations, it will not gain national traction, for sure. Herman Mashaba must not leave Mmusi Maimane outside or overshadow him simply because he doesn’t have the money, his age is perfect to give the new party some long-distance run. Joshua Zitha Gauteng Go ahead Mr Mashaba, I am behind you all the way. Matt Kalane Gauteng I think it is time that South Africa got a political party that is driven by society, not a party that will decide for us. Sydwell Mpumalanga Good idea, especially if it’s driven by societal input rather than…

Peter “Terror” Mathebula was my first childhood hero. He was the first sporting personality whose fortunes I took personally. It could be because he was the first “celebrity” I saw in person. I saw him when he lived a few houses from my uncle’s house in Dobsonville, Soweto, I saw him at church on (some) Sundays, heard of his exploits on radio and, on occasion, saw him on television. If there is one regret it is that, unlike my cousin and other boys in the neighbourhood, I cannot claim to have helped make Terror the champion and legend he was. You see, Terror had a habit of allowing boys in the neighbourhood to hold the punchbag as he pummelled it or the rope as he skipped. Terror would be clad…

While SAA is locked in a desperate fight for survival, its competitors are beginning to eye the juiciest part of the SAA group – its low-cost subsidiary, Mango. Safair and SA Airlink have both confirmed to City Press’ sister publication, Rapport, that they conveyed their interest to SAA’s business rescue practitioners, and Comair has said that it is “open to any opportunity”. According to aviation experts, Mango is the most valuable of all SAA’s assets. The sale of the asset could make a lot of sense to SAA, as long as it can get past the Competition Commission, they say. The successful suitor will likely become the dominant player in the domestic airline market. Safair, a long-established airline company, has also been running the low-cost airline FlySafair since 2014. “We…

Eskom’s new group CEO, André de Ruyter, wants to slam the brakes on the process of unbundling Eskom. This means that the goal set in Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s road map for Eskom, which would have seen a separate transmission company existing within the Eskom group by March, may fail to materialise. Reflecting before acting is part of De Ruyter’s Eskom turnaround plan, which the board is expected to consider this week. Gordhan revealed his Eskom road map in October, spelling out the plan to halt Eskom’s precipitous decline. A key part was the unbundling of the power utility, so that it would eventually consist of three separate companies – responsible for power generation, transmission and distribution. Eskom has already failed hopelessly at meeting some of the early goals…

The aviation industry plays a critical role in any society. It makes it possible for people and business to connect across continents and cultures. In addition to being an industry and a major contributor to economic activity in its own right, aviation also facilitates the activity of other economic sectors. One of the industries most dependent on the aviation sector is tourism. According to studies, more than 1.4 billion people cross borders as tourists, half of whom do so by air. Based on 2016 data, the aviation industry supported some 37 million tourism jobs globally. The aviation industry is also a big enabler of global trade and e-commerce, making it crucial for the greater linkages of the global economy. In all of these roles, aviation is therefore an important industry…

Trevor writes: I have two flats for rental and the turnover per month is R32 000. I’m planning to invest this amount for six years. I am not happy with the interest rate I am receiving from the bank. Where else could I invest? City Press replies: Any investment into a market-related product should only be done if you can leave the money for at least five years. Given that the funds come from rental property, it would make sense to keep some of the money liquid in case it is needed for an emergency – a tenant may not pay or there might be a maintenance issue. You may want to keep about three months’ worth of rental income easily available and only put away money you know you…

Xolani writes: Can I claim my late uncle’s Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) as he doesn’t have any children or wife? He was paying UIF and I’m the one who buried him. My grandmother – his mother – nominated me as his beneficiary. City Press replies: A death claim for UIF can only be made by the surviving spouse(s)/life partner or a dependant. It is aimed to provide support to those who were dependent on the deceased and relied on his/her income. It is also worth noting that a spouse must apply for benefits within 18 months. A dependant can apply for benefits if the surviving spouse/life partner has not applied within 18 months of the contributor’s death. The surviving children have 14 days to apply after the 18-month period. •…

“The initiative worked as a catalyst for me to realise my idea in a short period,” says artist, curator and founder of Basile Art and Projects Ivy Rihlampfu. Rihlampfu was part of the 2019 Hub@Goethe intensive mentorship programme for cultural and social start-ups, which takes entrepreneurs on a journey of developing the foundation of their companies. “I had to go out there and test what my businesses needed, and through this rigorous process I realised I had overstated a lot of what I thought I needed to see my idea through,” she adds. The initiative is open to creatives, innovators, space makers, game changers and developers of all nationalities, with projects centred on cultural and social impact. Through Basile Art and Projects, Rihlampfu aims to promote art accessibility by hosting…

Aladdin (2019) M-Net (DStv channel 101) Sunday, 8pm Aladdin, starring Will Smith, retells its classic source material’s story with sufficient spectacle and skill, even if it never approaches the dazzling splendour of the animated original. The Greatest Showman (2017) M-Net Smile (DStv Channel 105) Monday, 8pm Starring Hugh Jackman, the movie celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) M-Net Action (DStv channel 110) Wednesday, 8pm The human government develops a cure for mutations, and Jean Gray becomes a darker, uncontro--llable persona called the Phoenix who allies with Magneto, causing escalation into an all-out battle for the X-Men.…

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and his team’s proposals to liquidate SAA and start a new airline were defeated at the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting and lekgotla last weekend. Instead, the meetings agreed on a restructuring process – which would require significant funding from government. The governing party’s decision to restructure the ailing national carrier – instead of going with Mboweni’s proposal to liquidate it and start a new airline – could cost up to R10 billion over a period, City Press has learnt. The envisaged restructuring, which was meant to create a profitable new airline under the SAA brand, could cost a further R8 billion – over and above the R2 billion government has committed to provide for the business rescue process. The additional R8 billion would be…

A former SA Air Force sergeant from Hoedspruit, Limpopo, who murdered a child who had been forced into prostitution in Burundi, and later shot his wife and shot and killed his own children with an R4 assault rifle in his home, will be released after 13 years behind bars. Flippie Venter, 48, served as a member of the South African peacekeeping force in Burundi. He was sent to prison in 2006 for the murder of his children and was convicted of the murder of 14-year-old Therése Nkeshimana a year later. Venter’s parole was approved by the Barberton Prison parole board on Wednesday. Venter’s former wife, Millie, who survived the attack after being shot in the stomach, now fears for her life. She said that she would obtain a protection order…

The Moretele Local Municipality in Makapanstad in North West is fighting the reinstatement of its municipal manager, Isaac Maroga. He has been on precautionary suspension since December 2018 pending a disciplinary hearing over the R50 million irregularly invested in the VBS Mutual Bank. During the disciplinary hearing which concluded in August last year, Maroga was reinstated after he presented evidence that he had played a minimal role in the municipality’s irregular investments in VBS. As part of his reinstatement he was docked three months’ salary – about R210 000 – and given a final written warning valid for six months. But last November the ANC-led municipality decided to overturn that sanction and have him dismissed instead as it felt it was a slap on the wrist. Last Wednesday a council…

Two of the biggest political parties in the country are taking turns courting the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in a bid to govern the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. The UDM, fully aware of its kingmaker status, is not giving anything away, and is refusing to commit to anyone until it is satisfied it won’t be undermined because it is a small party. UDM leader Bantu Holomisa confirmed that his party held talks with the DA last week, and with the ANC this week. On Thursday, Holomisa said that he led a UDM delegation to meet with DA leader John Steenhuisen and DA MP James Selfe. The meeting prompted the ANC to ask for a similar meeting. “Yes, there are currently those kinds of talks that were initiated by the…

Africa is the only world region projected to have strong population growth for the rest of this century. Between 2020 and 2100, Africa’s population is expected to increase from 1.3 billion to 4.3 billion. Projections show these gains will come mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, which is expected to more than triple in population by 2100. The regions that include the US and Canada (North America) and Australia and New Zealand (Oceania) are projected to grow too, but at slower rates than Africa’s. By 2100, five of the world’s 10 largest countries are projected to be in Africa. Six countries are projected to account for more than half the world’s population growth until the end of this century, and five are in Africa. The global population is expected to grow by…

It’s been 10 long years since a South African side won the Super Rugby title. With the Springboks having won the World Cup last year, hope springs eternal that the franchises could emulate them, but can they? SHARKS  The good news: With Sanele Nohamba, Curwin Bosch, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Sbu Nkosi and Aphelele Fassi in their back line, Sean Everitt’s men will be a headache to any side daft enough to give them a ball to work with. The elephant in the room: News out of Durban is that the Sharks will aim to play a fast-flowing game. The main reason for shifting the ball away from contact is apparently because they don’t have explosive ball carriers. We all made fun of Robert du Preez and his sons turning…

Ahead of their third-round replay in the FA Cup on Thursday against Tranmere Rovers, Watford coach Nigel Pearson changed the side that played in the league on Tuesday. The former defender brought in 11 new players, clearly indicating that his priority lay in keeping last year’s FA Cup runners-up in the Premier League, even if it meant playing with a weakened team against the League One side. Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp might be tempted to do something similar, but the other way round. A hard-earned 2-1 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday saw Liverpool open a 16-point lead at the top of the league table with a game in hand, and the German finds himself in the enviable position of pretty much being able to keep his strongest side for…

Former Proteas coach Eric Simons would prefer to see the current coaching team choose a team of players and show faith in them, rather than tinker every time they falter when it comes to results. Regardless of the outcome of the ongoing fourth and final test against England (it is scheduled to finish on Tuesday), the rebuilding Proteas have become a team so low on confidence that they might be terrified of their own shadow. As their insecurity has shown itself over the past two tests in particular, the cricketing public has taken the opportunity to suggest one favourite or another in a team rendered changeable by the need to arrest the slide in performance. Simons would like to see less chopping and changing: “My view is that they must…

The ANC has never really implemented its so-called cadre deployment policy. What it has done is to appoint ANC members affiliated to particular slates and factions to certain key positions in government. It has always been more about loyalty to a particular leader than loyalty to the republic of South Africa. This cadre deployment has been based on political patronage and has very little to do with patriotism. Nelson Mandela’s Cabinet of national unity had the apartheid civil servants with accumulated experience from the Union of South Africa in 1910. The roads used by white people were properly maintained. Water and sanitation infrastructure were adequately maintained. Electricity was installed and operated successfully in the towns and cities where white people lived. The new state and government in 1994 had to…

Last weekend was a big one in the good republic. The nation’s “brains trust”, as President Cyril Ramaphosa described the attendees at the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) lekgotla, was meeting in Tshwane to deliberate on and find solutions to the big challenges facing South Africa. They came from far and wide, determined to lead us boldly into the 2020s. When summing up at the end of the lekgotla, Ramaphosa described the mood of the meeting, to borrow from ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe, as “robust, constructive and ... extremely productive”. “It is clear that comrades worked hard to formulate proposals to be taken forward in the plans of government and the movement. There is a clear commitment by all parties to work hard, address the challenges collectively, and communicate our…

When I started high school on the Cape Flats in Cape Town, I was one of about 300 pupils divided into eight different Grade 8 classes. By the time we wrote matric five years later, there were only 56 pupils left, and we were in a single class. Nearly all of us passed that year and we celebrated happily – we had made it, and we gave little thought to the fact that four out of five of our fellow Grade 8s had not. It’s been almost 20 years since I wrote matric, yet the alarming rate at which pupils disappear from the education system persists. The annual national matric pass rate has improved year on year, with the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga even joking recently that she was…

All comments from citypress.co.za Chris Bennett Blasphemous b***ard. If he misused the words of Allah, he would be on the receiving end of a fatwah and deservedly so. He is an offensive, incompetent little man who has nothing of value to say and nothing of value to contribute. The only truth he speaks is his name. After that, every word from his mouth is a lie. Sidney du Preez When you quote from the Holy Bible for your own gain then you will one day pay for the things you quote. Be very careful because Jesus is not the EFF or any other political party. Mpitseng Lephoi Maybe they were opposing the nuclear deal? Percy Zwide Ka Langa Ignore him at your peril. He is in charge. Lettie Mulder This…

Government’s decision to split Eskom into three separate entities will not lift the company from the brink of collapse. Instead, the move will push the parastatal over the edge. Here’s why: Most of Eskom’s problems are directly attributable to procurement corruption and poor project management. So, by fixing tender fraud and the manipulation and rigging of procurement processes, and by addressing project management, government will see most of Eskom’s problems vanish overnight. Of course, this argument applies to all state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including SAA, Transnet, the SABC, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, the Independent Development Trust and the Coega Development Corporation. Unfortunately, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Eskom’s board, which President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed two years ago, have failed to turn the utility’s fortunes around. This is partly…

Despite cash flow problems, SAA’s employees will receive their January salaries, personnel were informed on Friday. The airline’s business rescue practitioners informed City Press’ sister publication Rapport that SAA had put various measures in place to ensure that cash flow was secured. “As a consequence, we have enough money to pay salaries,” they said. SAA this week cancelled scores of domestic and international flights to manage its cash flow, necessitated by the fact that government still had not made a promised R2 billion lifeline available. In an internal letter, SAA acting human resources manager Martin Kemp said personnel would receive “100% of their January salary”. Regional and international employees’ salaries would be paid on the agreed dates. Earlier this month business rescue practitioners could not guarantee that salaries for January…

Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) will again cross swords over electricity tariffs in the Pretoria High Court tomorrow, less than two weeks since their last court hearing. Eskom will try to convince Judge Jody Kollapen to set aside Nersa’s decision allowing Eskom an increase in electricity tariffs of only 5.23% in 2018/19, and will try to get the matter referred back to the regulator for reconsideration. Eskom had originally asked for a tariff increase of 19.9%, which would have provided the power utility with a tariff income of R219.5 billion. Nersa allowed just 5.23%, amounting to a tariff income of R190.3 billion. If successful, Eskom also wants the additional amount that Nersa allows after reconsideration to be added to the tariffs as soon as possible. This…

The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda) has gone to court to try to protect and retain its 40% stake in a chrome mine after its Chinese partner ran the enterprise into business rescue and the assets were sold to another Chinese company. According to legal correspondence and two high-placed sources from the state-owned company and the Limpopo provincial government, the mineral resources and energy department not only declined to prevent the right from being swallowed by the business rescue process and sold to another Chinese company, the department signed the transfer of the right to the new Chinese owners. Leda was granted the 40% nondilutable stake of the mining right for Dilokong Chrome Mine in 2006 on condition that it could transfer it to a state-owned mining company only at…

Nancy writes: I have been retired for fewer than six years and 18% of my investment capital has been wiped out. I draw 10% of my provident fund, which has only given me about 4% growth. I am considering moving to a guaranteed fund that gives me 7%. City Press replies: It is impossible to draw down more than 5% of your retirement money each year and hope that it will last the rest of your life. According to the Association of Savings and Investments SA, if you draw 5% of your capital each year then your income should only start to reduce after 30 years. If, however, you draw down 10% of your capital each year, your income will start to reduce after seven years, based on a market…

When I reach retirement age, must I invest my provident fund in an annuity or can I just build a unit trust portfolio with an asset manager and draw a yearly “salary” of not more than 4%? Will there be tax implications? City Press replies: A provident fund, unlike a pension fund, allows you to take the full lump sum and you do not have to purchase an annuity. However, the tax implications are significant. You may qualify for R500 000 tax-free if you never withdrew before retirement, but the rest is taxable as per the retirement tax tables. For example, on a R1 million withdrawal you would pay R130 000 in tax and 36% on any amount above R1 million. This means you pay more than a third of…

Personal finance is all about finding the best way to make your money work for you. And one of the cornerstones of personal finance is budgeting. And regardless of how much you earn, we all have to budget. But what is a budget? A budget is telling your money where to go. If you look at your bank statement, it will show how you have prioritised how you spend your money. So a budget is really just a spending plan: how you allocate your money towards your needs and wants. Not one method of budgeting will work for everyone but there are several methods to choose from: 50/30/20 RULE OF BUDGETING This is one of the most popular forms of budgeting. With the 50/30/20 rule, you allocate your after-tax income…