Innholdsfortegnelse for 4/19/2020 i City Press

Lawyers for the Gauteng Liquor Forum have told the government that they will not pursue legal steps to stop the ban on the sale of alcohol, as long as it gets a definite answer about whether or not the lockdown will be extended. They asked the government to indicate – if it was extended – the length of the period and, if so, whether the government was prepared to relax some of the conditions. After receiving the thumbs down over the easing of alcohol legislation, the forum decided not to drag the government to court – yet. Instead it would lobby for the regulations to be relaxed. “In view of the aforegoing practical realities, our clients have instructed us to inform you that they will accordingly not, at this stage,…

P Chidambaram: I think people respect governments that take decisions and act decisively On Monday night, he had millions of South Africans glued to their screens, collectively eating out of the palm of his hand. After the presentation on the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic in South Africa by Salim Abdool Karim – a professor, clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist and global industry heavyweight who has for years led from the front in scientific contributions to HIV prevention and treatment – there was a palpable shift in the public’s understanding of what informed some of government’s decisions around its response. “When [Health Minister Zweli Mkhize] felt that we should have a public engagement, I think he had a sense that the public should be taken into our confidence and they should be made…

A police docket against former deputy director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba (pictured) has gone missing and the Hawks are looking among their own members for answers. The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for possible criminal investigation. Jiba was facing charges of perjury and fraud for the unlawful authorisation of racketeering charges as well as murder and attempted murder charges against former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen and several of his colleagues in 2012, when she was the acting prosecutions boss at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). She relinquished her acting position in 2013 when Mxolisi Nxasana took over. He was unceremoniously fired by former president Jacob Zuma in 2015. The case against Booysen and members of the Cato Manor organised crime unit were thrown…

The Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak has necessitated a “business unusual” approach for health professionals, as many are now doing consultations with patients online or by telephone, a change that one industry body hopes will be the way people access some forms of healthcare. As South Africa battles to contain the spread of new Covid-19 infections, doctors are turning to telemedicine – also known as telehealth – to help limit the foot traffic into consultation rooms in efforts to flatten the curve. And with social distancing likely to be with us for several months after the easing of the national lockdown restrictions, telemedicine might just be what the doctor ordered to keep people from crowded doctors’ rooms and unnecessary travel, which might expose them to cross-contamination. The Health Professions Council of SA…

In his New York Times article, The Coronavirus Class Divide: Space and Privacy, Jason DeParle opened a window – rarely used and often avoided by the ruling class and the wealthy – to understand the living conditions of the poor and underclass in our societies and communities globally. In our unequal world, “lockdown and stay at home” is a directive that assumes all people have shelter. The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic is as unprecedented as the lockdown that has been forced on many countries by government leaders to counter the spread of the virus. It was not an arbitrary choice. Epidemiological models and projections point to a consensus to implement lockdowns to minimise the infection rate. There is a lot that is still unknown about the behavioural dynamics of the virus…

Two South Africans, Daniel Ndima and Dineo Lioma, have developed a groundbreaking testing kit that provides Covid-19 test results in just 65 minutes. The qCPR kits, which should be available by June, are made in Pretoria and are cheaper than the current imported kits. They will play a crucial role in ensuring South Africa can weather the Covid-19 crisis. When she was still a fiery opposition MP, Patricia de Lille used to roast ministers for waste, incompetence, nondelivery and alleged corruption. Now that she is a Cabinet makhulubaas, she’s spent R37 million on a border fence that is as flimsy as the wire mesh at the Nkandla chicken coop. Anyone can cut through it with cheap tools.…

Both the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic crisis are global problems, and they require global cooperation and solidarity. In other words, sharing of information and experience is of vital importance. That’s the big advantage of humans over viruses. A coronavirus in China and a coronavirus in the US cannot swap tips about how to infect humans. But China can teach the US many valuable lessons about this coronavirus and how to deal with it. What an Italian doctor discovers in Milan in the early morning might well save lives in Tehran, Iran, by evening. When the UK government hesitates between several policies, it can get advice from the South Koreans who have already faced a similar dilemma a month ago. But for this to happen, we need an…

The stimulus measures that South Africa has announced to soften the blow the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic will have on the economy to date is not a tenth of what is required to make an impact. This was according to Peter Attard Montalto of Intellidex. The current measures, which constitute about 1.6% of GDP, are some of the lowest in the world. At least 10% of GDP – between R500 billion and R750 billion – will have to be found to have an impact, he wrote in a note on Thursday. According to Professor Raymond Parsons, of the business school of North-West University, the best Covid-19 outcomes for South Africa estimate that it would cost about R300 billion (at last year’s prices) to soften the effect of the virus on the…

Unions are not satisfied that mining companies will have effective precautionary measures in place to ensure workers do not get infected with the coronavirus despite employers’ assurances that they will comply with regulations. A source close to labour representatives who attended a meeting between unions and Sibanye Stillwater on Friday said it ended with not much satisfaction on unions’ side. “Our understanding is that the companies would have about 35% of their workforce – mostly those already in areas close to mining sites – back on duty next week. Screening processes had already begun [on Saturday]. “Unions were, however, not convinced that workers’ safety and health were [being] put first and that these people [employers] are not only rushing to have mining operations up and running and get production out.…

Given the likely economic fallout from the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, there will be companies in the sports industry that will not emerge with sufficient financial resources to meet their sponsorship agreements. According to Nielsen Sports, a reputable provider of analytics and insights within the industry, there could be a shake-up when it comes to broadcasting rights. Major sports leagues around the world, including the PSL, are reliant in the main on the income they receive when their matches are broadcast – this is over and above other sponsorships, including match-day revenue, such as the sales of tickets and hospitality packages. The PSL earned R600 million from its broadcasting rights deal with SuperSport International, according to the figures in its most recent financial statement. The figure accounts for more than 50%…

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are known to be the fiercest rivals on the pitch and the Soweto giants swear by different slogans – if you can’t beat them, join them; and love and peace. In this time of uncertainty and despair in the country, the two club bosses, Irvin Khoza and Kaizer Motaung, have stepped up to the plate. This is the kind of ubuntu President Cyril Ramaphosa was referring to when he called on South Africans to contribute to the Solidarity Fund, the aim of which is to help curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The two biggest clubs in the country have taken the lead in the fight against a new and vicious common enemy – the deadly virus. A fortnight ago, in this space,…

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Mzansi power couple Connie and Shona Ferguson, who own Ferguson Films, have raised their concerns and frustrations on how the lockdown extension has affected the shooting schedule of the most-watched TV show, The Queen, Season 4. According to the production company’s contract with MultiChoice, it has to deliver it by the end of May. However, the Fergusons described the resources required to meet the deadline as “unrealistic and no longer financially viable with the remaining budget” because of the national lockdown. Last month, MultiChoice announced that it had set aside an R80 million relief fund to ensure that production houses were able to pay the full salaries of their production staff. However, an email, sent to The Queen cast and crew members from Ferguson Films on Monday, which City Press…

The tears flowed this week when Dr Ali Bacher (77) made an emotional, olive-branch telephone call to Hansie Cronjé’s father, Ewie. Bacher, the former head of Cricket SA, told City Press’ sister publication Rapport this week that the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic had forced him to do some deep introspection. “Over the past while, I’ve been thinking about the past and about my life very hard ... and the one thing that I had to fix was my relationship with Hansie’s father, Ewie,” Bacher said. Ewie (80), who is seriously ill with stomach cancer, was too weak to speak during the interview, but he made it known that he considered the hatchet buried. Hansie’s sister, Hester Parsons, said Bacher’s gesture meant a lot to the Cronjé family. “Mamma held the phone…

Captain Tom Moore’s charity single has gone straight to the top of the UK iTunes chart as the hero’s fundraising total passed a staggering £22 million (R517 million). The 99-year-old war veteran collaborated with singer Michael Ball for a heart-warming version of You’ll Never Walk Alone. It has narrowly pipped Vera Lynn’s stirring rendition of We’ll Meet Again to the top spot. Captain Tom has been raising money for NHS Charities Together to help frontline medics battle the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. He initially expected to raise £1 000 by completing 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday. He finished the walk ahead of schedule on Thursday – after starting out on April 13 – and more than a million donors helped the fundraiser to soar past £22 million.…

City Press and the History channel are giving one lucky reader the opportunity to have their own DNA tested and heritage discovered. The test is conducted by BH2BU and is the most comprehensive ancestry test in Africa, using hundreds of thousands of DNA markers. BH2BU compares your DNA with that of various worldwide populations to determine your ancestry. The analysis shows how you relate to these populations and is represented as percentages in a report generated uniquely for you. To stand a chance to win this unique prize, simply answer the following question: To which famous general is Minnie Ntuli related? To enter, SMS the keywords OUR PEOPLE, your answer, name, surname, email address and province to 34217. SMSes cost R1.50. Free SMSes do not apply. Terms and conditions apply.…

As we begin the fourth week of lockdown, it is disappointing that, for all its great work in trying to bring the Covid-19 coronavirus under control, the government still does not have an economic plan to cater for a hungry and restive population. The state has been widely hailed for its proactive and constructive strategies to ensure that we are not overwhelmed by this virus. President Cyril Ramaphosa has shown himself to be an astute and wise leader who has allowed experts to inform his response strategy. And South Africans have, on the whole, done their bit to abide by new regulations and shown patience. Many small, medium and big businesses have made a huge sacrifice by closing shop until the government is satisfied it has matters under control. But…

It’s the old story Senior researcher Abdool Karim has become a celebrity after his public presentation on Covid-19 on Monday. In one interview following the presentation, Karim commented: “We need a voluntary lockdown until the end of September for people older than 60.” The EFF’s youthful leaders warned that if that was adopted, Parliament would not have a quorum, mainly because of the ANC’s old MPs. Come to think of it, we wouldn’t even have a president … United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said there would be no government. Thank God Karim’s views are not cast in stone. Block of ice Former EFF spokesperson and MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi will not be able to live down the moniker of being “an ice boy”. This week on Twitter, a raging debate…

Dear Ntsiki, A lot has been said about your views on the male genitalia. Let me cut to the chase and assume that you are right. What then? Why should the national average size of the penis matter? At the time of writing, the Covid-19 coronavirus infections had passed the 2 million mark globally and here we are worried and angry that someone is unimpressed with the penis size of their countrymen. Your views about penis sizes leaves me cold. I wish I did not have to write this, but the reaction I have seen on the matter will not allow me to keep silent. Clearly the intention to emasculate seems to have worked. And that is a great pity. I assume that you have heard or read of stories…

The UN was wrong to label the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic “the worst crisis since World War 2”. Certainly, in terms of the threat to life, the worst crisis has by far been poverty in a world with sufficient food and other resources to provide adequately for everyone. But what Covid-19 (for which there is currently no vaccine and no ready cure) has revealed clearly is that all human beings are equally at risk from the viruses and bacteria that share our planet. This latest virus is transmitted in the air we all breathe, and can settle on surfaces touched by rich and poor alike. However, those most vulnerable are people with weaker or compromised immune systems – the elderly, the already ill and those multitudes who, usually through no fault…

The 100 percentage point interest rate cut this week means that we have seen the prime interest rate fall from 10% to 7.75% this year. This will come as a welcome relief to many South Africans with home loans and other debt. If you can continue to meet your usual bond repayments, these rate cuts offer an excellent opportunity to reduce the term of your loan. On a R1 million mortgage over 20 years at the prime interest rate, your repayment since the start of the year has effectively fallen from R9 650 to R8 209. Instead of pocketing that saving, if you kept your repayments at R9 650, you would pay your mortgage off 68 months earlier (nearly six years), and save R312 000 in interest and fees –…

While many predicted the extension of the lockdown, it has nevertheless come as a shock to realise that we still have another 11 days of social isolation. However, it does not mean we cannot connect or improve ourselves; thanks to technology, you can still communicate, learn and improve your skills during this time. Here are some free tools and resources you can access while on lockdown: 1 PERSONAL FINANCE: Now is the best time to acquaint yourself with your personal finances and create your money plan. By this I mean look into your budget and review your insurance, investments and will. It is also an opportunity to educate and familiarise yourself with personal finance terms and concepts you have struggled with. Follow @cpmoneymakeover on Facebook for the journey of six…

Just four months into his three-year contract with the French club Montpellier, promising fly half Kade Wolhuter could well be mulling over a return to South Africa. The former Paul Roos and Western Province Craven Week player, whose omission from the SA Schools team for signing with Montpellier was controversial news in Cape Town, arrived back in the country a day before the Covid-19 coronavirusenforced national lockdown. Having returned to join the camp for the now cancelled World Rugby Under-20 Championship, the 18-year-old has become the subject of a bidding war between top local rugby unions, which are said to include the Western Province, the Sharks and the Lions. Depending on who you speak to, the not-so discreet enquiries for Wolhuter’s services have either been encouraged by news that he…

Under normal circumstances, Bafana Bafana head coach Molefi Ntseki reports regularly to Safa House in Nasrec, where he has an office. His other regular activities include spending valuable time watching live football matches with a particular focus on South African players at home and abroad. The 50-year-old tactician was on track with visits to local clubs and he had already rounded off half of the 16 premier division teams prior to the coronavirus pandemic-enforced break. The target was to have covered all the clubs by the end of the season. He carried out the mission with Bafana team doctor Thulani Ngwenya, who compiled medical records of players who were part of the national team set-up. Now with no football, Ntseki is keeping busy watching old footage of Bafana games, and…

Actress Sophie Ndaba has regained her spot on centre stage, thanks to her role as the twisted nurse Palesa on Mzansi Magic’s Lockdown. Ndaba trended for two days this week on social media, with fans of her performance sharing their appreciation on Twitter and Facebook. City Press chatted to the celebrated actress who first stole viewers’ hearts with her role as Queen on Generations. She played this character for 25 years. Ndaba said: “You must understand, I used to watch this [Lockdown]. I was a fan first and I would sit and think to myself if they could just let me in, to show I’m not just Queen forever.” She praised the strong women of the cast, and said they were welcoming and helpful. She put in a lot of…

The department of public works and infrastructure has admitted to having deviated from proper procurement procedures by overlooking the requirement to advertise for bids in government’s Tender Bulletin – and instead opting to use a nomination process in awarding the R37 million Beitbridge border fence tender. Responding to questions from City Press, Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille defended the issuing of the tender to contractor Magwa Construction. The tender, which was awarded to secure the fence at the Beitbridge border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, amounts to R37 176 843.50 (including 15% VAT). As part of her explanation for her department’s deviation from stipulated procurement procedures, De Lille cited the current national state of disaster in which South Africa found itself, as a result of the outbreak of the…

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is preparing to appeal to the Constitutional Court to argue that the high court in Pretoria erred in finding that President Cyril Ramaphosa did not mislead Parliament on the Bosasa #CR17 campaign donation or benefit materially from the lobby to support his election as ANC president. Mkhwebane wants the Constitutional Court to clarify the powers of the Public Protector’s office because of what she argues are inconsistent rulings from the same courts. City Press obtained the founding affidavit which was attested to a commissioner of oaths dated April 14. The Public Protector’s office said the papers had been served on the relevant parties, but not yet filed with the court. Last month a full bench of the Gauteng Division of the Pretoria High Court ruled that…

Dreading to think about the calamity a prolonged Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown would bring on her family, Zanele Mbokodo (30) said: “Only God knows.” Deep rural village families – like Mbokodo’s in Nkomazi near Malelane – who rely on school-feeding schemes and drop-in centres for their daily meals are feeling the harshness of the lockdown. The closure of schools and drop-in centres, which feed the poorest of the poor, means two meals are no longer available in a day. Mbokodo’s family of seven – her three sisters, aged 33, 30 and 14, and three children, aged 12, 11 and four – had an income of only R1 720 in child-support grants for all the children. Before the lockdown, they did not have to worry much about food for the four children…

After driving for almost an hour, we arrive at Orange Farm, a township located about 45km south of Johannesburg. As we approach the popular Eyethu Mall, I can’t help but observe that the lockdown doesn’t seem to apply in this part of town. It’s business as usual. There is a long queue at the mall entrance, people are not wearing masks or gloves and there is no social distancing whatsoever. A few kilometres away from the mall, I spot a police van, but the police officers seem not to be bothered by what’s happening around them. I ask myself if these people know what the Covid-19 coronavirus is. Are they ignorant? Do they not care? As we continue our drive around the township, I get the shock of my life…

He was a teenager when he took his first sip of beer, and since that fateful day Samora Mogomotsi* (30) has never been sober. Mogomotsi, from Rustenburg in the North West, says he cannot survive a day without drinking two or more beers. He describes the day he first tasted alcohol as a curse. “I was in high school when I started drinking alcohol and I have never stopped. It all started with one beer, entertaining myself and having fun with friends. Little did I know that one day it would be an addiction,” he says. He had hoped that government would reconsider the ban on alcohol sales during the lockdown, but it is going to be a long haul for him and many others as government rejected the request…

For our Money Makeover candidates, the lockdown has been an unexpected obstacle on their journey to financial freedom. While Mishack has lost out on overtime pay, Colen is worried about his investment properties and Bellah’s construction business has ground to a halt. However, Nono and Catherien’s side gigs have been winners in the Covid-19 coronavirus meltdown. Peter’s wife is a speech therapist, so with schools closing and being unable to see clients she will not be earning an income. This has come as a blow to the couple, who had for the first time in years managed to live within their budget. Peter’s wife is looking into the possibility of working with adult clients via Zoom if the lockdown is extended. Our candidates are more fortunate than most, as they…

The relationship between a citizenry and a country’s police force is not – and should never be – adversarial. With equal weight, the relationship with the military, when deployed for civil duty, should also not be adversarial. Both these arms of protection are employed by the people they serve. It is taxpayer money that funds these services to safeguard the welfare of citizens from internal and external threats. The lockdown in South Africa needs to be sustained; we all know that. But this should not come at the expense of human rights and the right to life. Reports so far reflect a dark picture of alleged abuse of citizens at the hands of their protectors. Those returning from shopping have been forced to do press-ups and squats when stopped by…

This week my attention has been drawn to what I suggest we call the curious case of Reverend Kenneth Meshoe. The leader of the African Christian Democratic Party has tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus, but has spent most of the week questioning his diagnosis and seeking to cast aspersions on the testing kits used in his case. Meshoe and his fellow MP, Steve Swart, attended a prayer conference in Bloemfontein which has been flagged as central to the spread of the virus in the province and other areas as hundreds had attended. Swart also tested positive. The government has spent time and resources tracing many others who attended so that they could be tested. We must not allow stigma to drive cases underground – making it more deadly Meshoe…

The cruel ambush of South Africans by the Covid-19 coronavirus has exposed the cadre deployment policy of the ANC and its capacity to rise to the occasion. This is surely a litmus test for the ANC leadership in government as the country battles to combat the spread of this novel virus. Over the past decade, branded as state capture, we made relentless calls for the ANC to prioritise capacity and skills when deploying leaders to influential government positions. The deployment process within the ANC was, in the public opinion, nothing more than a dispensation of patronage to reward cadres with blind loyalty to the leaders. Contrary to its predecessor with reprehensible trial and error tendencies, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sixth administration has ushered in a science-based approach to decision-making processes in…

The R10 billion cash injection request by the SAA joint business rescue practitioners – in the middle of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic – has irked government, provoking sentiments in the highest echelons that the practitioners were being “rogue”, “naughty” and “insensitive”. It’s been almost five months since the ailing national carrier was placed under business rescue, but the business rescue practitioners, Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana, have yet to present a financially viable plan to government, creditors and the public. Earlier this week, the department of public enterprises shot down the airline’s request for R10 billion, saying it could not provide any future funding to sustain the business rescue process and would also not provide any further guarantees to SAA to increase its foreign borrowing limit. Asked on Friday what…

Financial and strategic advisory company Fluence Capital is offering pro bono support and guidance for South Africans facing the potential loss of their businesses due to the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. Fluence Capital director Sandra Beswick says: “Many companies tend to wait until the last minute to seek help when their businesses are in financial trouble. “The sooner they act to turn the business around with what finances and resources they do have, the better their chances of survival. Planning for the imminent transition of your business will focus your mind and keep you at the forefront of change.” Beswick says many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that depended on monthly cash flow to pay salaries and stay afloat are now seeking relief. “Government and other institutions have announced several initiatives…

The reported return to South Africa of Springbok utility back Frans Steyn to play for the Cheetahs should pose a few questions for the world champions when the Covid-19 coronavirus-enforced suspension of the rugby season finally ceases. SA Rugby is said to have had a hand in Steyn’s – who is from the Free State, but has not played for the province at first-class level – being in line, like Ruan Pienaar did last year, to finally make his debut for his home province. Having practically nudged some of their Springboks to go the overseas club route with a new contracting system aimed almost exclusively at looking after players who remain home, helping bring back Steyn suggests that they, too, have a vested interest in the two-time World Cup winner.…

“We take no joy in seeing Sascoc’s internal affairs playing out on public platforms in a manner that adds to negative perceptions about the organisation,” Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa told City Press. “I have made several interventions, while respecting Sascoc’s autonomy, to help it implement the recommendations of the ministerial inquiry. To that end, I appointed a compliance task team to help Sascoc. “This process, with the full cooperation of Sascoc, was due to conclude by the end of last month, when they would have [elected] a new leadership. Until then, Sascoc had played a constructive role in ensuring that the process was a success. The current lockdown led to a decision by Sascoc to defer the elections at a time when Sascoc was in the process of dealing with…