Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/10/2020 i City Press

The new tell-all YouTube channel launched this week by former president Jacob Zuma and his son Duduzane has been described as a “mere smokescreen and public relations diversion meant to gain public sympathy given the looming arms deal corruption trial set to be faced by the former president in June”. Jacob Zuma and his son made headlines after posting two intimate videos on YouTube titled Zooming with Zuma, in which the pair discusses a range of topics. Among the controversial issues was the death of Duduzane’s mother, Kate Zuma, and the allegation that Reverend Frank Chikane may have played a role in leaking her suicide note to the media. Speaking to City Press, Chikane said he did not want to be drawn into rehashing an unfortunate incident that occurred more…

This month is extra special for actress Linda Mtoba. She will be celebrating her first Mother’s Day today and her third anniversary with her husband, Steven Meyer. To add a cherry on to the top of the cake, Mtoba was officially announced as the new brand ambassador for Huggies SA this week. The award-winning actress, who plays Nomonde on Mzansi Magic’s telenovela The River, took over from actress Gail Mabalane. The former Isibaya actress took a year’s break from the screen to raise her now seven-month-old daughter, Bean. Speaking about her new partnership with Huggies, the 27-year-old says she had to keep it under wraps for five months as she was waiting for the right moment to make the big announcement. “When Huggies broke the news to me, Bean was…

The movement of thousands of people between the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak has strained relations between the two provinces, and the ANC in the Eastern Cape is threatening to take the DA-run Western Cape government to court. A war of words has erupted between party leaders from the neighbouring provinces, resulting in the global pandemic being reduced to a political squabble. Lulama Ngcukayithobi, provincial secretary of the ANC in the Eastern Cape, told City Press this week that they were planning to take the “racist” Western Cape government to court over the influx of people who did not have proper documentation into the Eastern Cape, which is required for movement between provinces during the nationwide lockdown. The Western Cape is currently the epicentre…

Access to food parcels for KwaZulu-Natal’s most vulnerable citizens depends on where they live, who they know and how effective local community structures are in any given area. Community-led feeding schemes and the province’s social development department said a further challenge was assessing where exactly the need was, sifting out duplication and dealing with people who can afford their own food, but believe they are entitled to freebies. Residents of informal settlements across eThekwini told City Press they were being overlooked or ignored by local councillors and government programmes. Community leaders warned that one of the many unintended consequence of the prolonged Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown was worsening hunger. Prior to the lockdown, Howick-based Matt Hogarty ran the nonprofit organisation Love Howick, which focused on community building and skills development. Now…

Thousands of people in Limpopo are on the verge of starving to death. The Covid-19 lockdown that has forced millions of people to stay in their homes has revealed their urgent need for food. The provincial department of social development said it had registered more than 90 000 households that were in need of food and were unable to fend for themselves because of the lockdown. Witness Tiva, department spokesperson, said more than 40 000 households had been given food aid, adding that the process was ongoing. He appealed to ordinary citizens for help. “We have distributed food parcels to 43 000 households through social relief and Sassa [the SA Social Security Agency],” he said. “We have made good progress since we established a provincial food bank operated by community…

A forensic investigation into allegations of corruption in the awarding of tenders has set the cat among the pigeons at the embattled Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in Durban. City Press can reveal that vice-chancellor Enoch Duma Malaza and the university council chairperson Morailane Morailane are at each other’s throats following a decision by the council to conduct a forensic probe into contracts awarded to private companies in the past 18 months. Malaza was suspended by the council on April 29 pending the outcome of the probe into allegations of corruption against him. Morailane has stepped aside voluntarily until the probe is finalised. Malaza confirmed his suspension on Thursday, saying he was suspended “for bringing to the council of the university evidence of the involvement of members of the council…

Joburg, the city of gold, can make dreams come true. But it also has the ability to destroy them. So says kwaito artist Jakarumba, who tells his story through his new single titled Egoli, which features Professor, Mr Luu and MSK. After 20 years with iconic kwaito troupe Trompies, Jakarumba has released solo albums that narrate parts of his life. He was nominated for the best kwaito single album award for the track Uthando and the best kwaito artist award at the 2019 Mzansi Kwaito and House Music Awards. Jairus Ditshotlo Nkwe, born in Meadowlands, Soweto, paved his way into the industry through pantsula culture. Egoli speaks about Maboneng, where everything happens fast – a world of city life, night parties and crime. The song, which was released about a…

Philips Avent manual breast pump R919 at takealot.com When I returned to work at the beginning of March, following four months of maternity leave, I was dead set on continuing to breastfeed. My son was a little over three months old at the time and I was just getting into my stride after a hard-won victory of finally breastfeeding without the pain, nipple cracks and latching struggles that characterised the first month of my feeding journey with him. But I quickly found that the manual pump process was quite tedious. Despite its relative efficacy, the manual pump I had at the time took at least an hour of pumping for me to get 150ml of milk. The thing is, tedious pumping can make you consider quitting the breastfeeding journey sooner…

Oh, how we wish we never had to talk about Jacob Zuma. How we wish he could vanish from public life and emerge only when he has to appear in court to answer for his multiple offences, and before commissions of inquiry to answer for his treasonous behaviour when he was president. Alas, the man just will not go away. He insists on inserting himself and his weird opinions into our lives. And whatever he says is never constructive. On the contrary, it is inflammatory and divisive. If it is not some pointed comment on Twitter, then it is in an interview with a lapdog journalist who nods and lets him ramble on. Sometimes he uses his addresses outside court to spew his rubbish. He even abused his appearance at…

Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Lebogang Maile has just lost, with costs, a legal case in which he dissolved the DA-governed Tshwane municipality. The immediate impact of his decision to dissolve the council left hundreds of councillors without an income as a result of what the Pretoria High Court has since ruled an ill-conceived action. Maile and the Gauteng executive are now planning to seek direct access to the Constitutional Court to try to reverse the court judgment. The process is increasingly looking like an ego trip, on which Maile seeks to prove that he was correct to intervene in the manner in which he did. The judgment has painted a picture of an MEC obsessed with getting even Tshwane has demonstrated the complexities of coalition governments in…

If we were to follow former UK prime minister Winston Churchill’s advice to “never let a good crisis go to waste”, leaders would take decisive action when we emerged from the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis to implement the long-awaited National Health Insurance (NHI) system. The pandemic is a sharp reminder that everyone everywhere should have access to quality and affordable health services. Its dramatic impact has been a pertinent reminder, despite the economic devastation, of the need to renew political commitment to improving health as a central component of sustainable development. It also affirmed health as a fundamental human right and the foundation of economic prosperity and security. I’m sure the introduction of the NHI Bill was a divider only seen between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters. It was vicious…

Investors who prefer to keep cash in the bank during times of crisis definitely limit their exposure to risk, but it comes at a high cost. Research shows that, over a period of 90 years, the after-inflation return on cash is less than 1% a year. Graham Tucker, a portfolio manager at MacroSolutions, part of the Old Mutual Investment Group, says the data they analyse for their annual publication, Long-Term Perspectives, show that it takes investors 86 years to double their real wealth (after inflation) if invested in cash. A similar investment in shares would double in just 10 years. During a webinar for the release of the seventh edition of the publication this week, Tucker said investment remains king. Since 1930, it has been the asset class that performs…

In this year’s City Press Money Makeover competition (Facebook @cpmoneymakeover), one noticeable quality is that the candidates are actively including not only their spouses in their finances, but their kids as well. Unfortunately, financial literacy isn’t taught in schools, as it should be, so the responsibility for doing so lies with parents. I still find it bizarre that such an important subject isn’t part of the general curriculum; if our kids are smart enough to learn a new language, play a musical instrument, learn maths and science, and understand what happens on Black Friday, when parents go on a shopping frenzy, surely they’re smart enough to learn about saving and investing. When kids are taught financial skills, they become better equipped to manage their personal finances and avoid making mistakes…

I regularly see comments on social media about different incidents regarding the laws of the game. People put up with certain situations and make ill-advised comments, and even commitments that can lead only to more confusion. One is where a ball is over the goal line, but the goal upright is not in line with the goalpost. Is this a goal or not? I would ask the referee (perhaps it wasn’t a game, but just a set-up) why he allowed the game to go ahead at all. At the start of each game, the referee is told by his assessors/mentors to check the field of play for any defects that might endanger player safety. While doing this, the referee should also check the markings on the field of play to…

Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki is one of the Safa employees who are set to be affected by proposed salary cuts. City Press can reveal that Safa wants to impose a mandatory 15% pay cut across all its divisions to reduce its annual salary budget “by at least R20 million to avoid bankruptcy”. It has emerged that staff members have opposed the planned move through their representatives, who met with Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo on Wednesday. However, Safa has warned that those opposing the move could face retrenchments. Safa head of communications Dominic Chimhavi told City Press: “As initially articulated, staff will have to agree to a salary cut. Those who don’t agree can take a voluntary retrenchment package. Those are the two options on the table. These…

The Fair-trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita) is happy with the concession by government to allow its members to manufacture and export tobacco products after it went to court over the ban of tobacco sales in South Africa during the lockdown to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Fita chairperson Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said tobacco companies would now be allowed to manufacture and export products under the level 4 revised lockdown regulations announced by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on April 29. However, the sale of tobacco products in South Africa is still banned, despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s initial announcement that cigarettes could be sold under level 4 regulations. Mnguni told City Press this week that the decision to allow the exports was a result of ongoing negotiations…

Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has retreated from key ministerial decisions this week, the latest concerning the Sedibeng Water board in the Free State. Just last week, Sedibeng Water board members lost their jobs after Sisulu wrote to them to say their term had come to a premature end. But Sisulu did an about-turn this week, telling City Press that it had been a mistake to serve the dismissal letters in the middle of a national state of disaster. The matter is now off the table. Sisulu also withdrew another letter, dated April 15, which was leaked, in which she declared that her ministerial water services advisory group, known as the national rapid-response task team (NRRTT), would be dissolved. This, she said, was because members had allegedly…

Unisa’s decision to conduct open-book digital examinations as part of this semester’s assessments has sparked outrage among some students. City Press understands that the decision has not been welcomed by a number of students, who raised several issues. These include the possibility of the high volume of exam scripts clogging the system, and poorer students complained about a lack of data to download exam papers and then upload their answers. Other students were worried about their “online typing skills”. Some students were concerned they would be stigmatised for qualifying by passing open-book exams. However, Unisa this week defended the decision, saying the online exams were in line with the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown social distancing regulations. It said that, despite the students’ concerns, the exams would go ahead as scheduled this…

According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, more than 47 states and jurisdictions have had their elections postponed as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic – and the number is increasing. However, amid the pandemic, there were states and jurisdictions, such as Mali and South Korea, that decided to go ahead with elections. Mali’s elections were held on March 29, and the second round took place on April 19. Mali’s leadership decided to forge ahead with the vote after a few attempts to hold elections were disrupted by incidents of violence. A major concern was that not holding elections would further damage trust in government institutions after the previous delays. By the time the elections were held, Mali had already recorded 200 positive cases of Covid-19…

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on the nation and world. Every aspect of our lives is subjected to severe restrictions – academic, social, religious or spiritual, physical and economic. The importance of adhering to the national lockdown regulations, especially regarding social distancing, cannot be emphasised enough and, while we may understand the reasoning behind such measures, the emotional and psychological effects of the virus need to be talked about. The sudden and dramatic restriction of personal freedom, and the juggling of multiple roles and activities in the course of the day, may have left many feeling disoriented, overwhelmed and resentful. We rely on our daily routines to give us a sense of structure, predictability and safety; they influence our goals, plans, motivation, energy and productivity levels.…

When the airline industry wakes up from the nightmare that is the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, it may find that the clock has been turned back 30 years – to a time when the state dominated the local aviation industry. This is the warning that has been issued by independent aviation expert Rennie van Zyl against the background of the state’s plans for an SAA 2.0. The fact that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan let the name Comair slip during a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting last week strengthened these suspicions. Gordhan told the portfolio committee on Wednesday night that he would, within 48 hours, propose a plan for a new airline, devised by his department with aviation consultants Seabury and organised labour, to SAA’s business rescue practitioners. The written presentation he…

The propaganda model to overthrow a sitting president has been perfected. The art of building a brand has infected politics like a deadly virus that escaped from a sinister laboratory. Using propaganda to overthrow an elected government has become a silent epidemic in many democratic countries. No one can tell with confidence where the virus first mutated, but we could point to our own Wuhan – in China, where the Covid-19 coronavirus started – and say it started in Kiev, Ukraine, with the overthrowing of then President Viktor Yanukovych. That revolution was started by the deliberate dissemination of disinformation. It would be a stretch to accuse the late Timothy Bell of the now-defunct Bell Pottinger as the inventor of the sinister communications virus, but we could debate the idea that…

When Anil contacted his medical scheme to cancel his premium because he knew he didn’t have the funds to pay for it, he discovered it was too late. The debit order went off his account and bounced, and Standard Bank charged him a R61 penalty fee. Anil’s story is not unique and highlights the financial pressure felt by so many households. If you are not managing your debit orders proactively, you will pay severe penalties and there will be a negative impact on you credit record. Depending on your bank and type of account, bounced debit order fees can be as high as R80 per transaction. The Payment Association of SA (Pasa) said it was unable to share the exact figures with City Press, however, it confirmed that, while there…

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

We have urged the government to add to its procurement for the various pillars of the Covid-19 intervention, to drive localisation and develop local manufacturing The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Covid-19 coronavirus facility is probably the cheapest that Treasury could get, the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting heard at the weekend. In the absence of Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, his deputy David Masondo took the ANC’s highest decision-making body into its confidence on the Treasury’s ideas to raise the necessary funds to fight the pandemic. Treasury’s presentation was warmly accepted but with qualifications, including that the sovereignty of South Africa would be safeguarded. NEC members warned that the debt should be accepted under favourable conditions so that it did not become a burden on the fiscus.…

The family of the late Independent Police Investigative Directorate investigator Mandla Mahlangu is living in fear after intruders returned to his farm where he was murdered in March. Mahlangu’s nephew, Xolani, told City Press that two men entered the premises after jumping the fence last weekend. “They were interrupted by security guards, who called for backup, but they managed to escape,” he said. Xolani said the family suspected that those who ordered the hit on his uncle could have been involved in the second incident. “Maybe they came back to kill some of the witnesses who could testify against the arrested suspects. “We have requested that all the witnesses be placed under witness protection,” he said. Last month, City Press reported that a hitman alleged that the assassination of the…

The process of distributing food parcels in the Eastern Cape has been marred by allegations of corruption, while thousands wait for food relief in the face of privations cause by the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. In the province’s two metros, Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay, food parcels and food vouchers have allegedly been diverted away from deserving beneficiaries. This week, a Buffalo City metro DA councillor, Anathi Majeke, wrote to city manager Andile Sihlahla, requesting a full report on the metro’s R30 million food voucher system. This comes after the metro introduced the voucher system instead of food parcels, which had proven disastrous in many parts of the country. The DA said that, although its caucus initially welcomed the voucher relief system, it had been poorly planned and processes were…

While the Gauteng government continues with its blitz to prepare for the spike in Covid-19 coronavirus cases, especially as winter approaches – by increasing its bed and ward capacity – staff at a small clinic have been left reeling. A month ago, workers at Skinner Street Clinic in Pretoria were allegedly told to vacate their premises in the Tshwane District Hospital complex as the hospital had been earmarked for designated Covid-19 services. Sources agreed to speak to City Press about the matter on condition of anonymity, saying they feared reprisals. They said that about 70 staff working at the clinic had been relocated to surrounding clinics. Most were sent to FF Ribeiro Clinic in Sammy Marks Square, and a few were sent to Folang Clinic. Crucially, claimed the sources, many…

There is a growing trend of South Africans joining social media service OnlyFans. Not only that, some international celebrities, including Blac Chyna, have also signed up. For those who don’t know what OnlyFans is, it was established in 2016 and lets creators provide a subscription content service. Creators upload content and build relationships with their subscribers or fans. Though content creators can put up just about anything – from cooking to fitness videos – the content on there has predominantly been porn. It varies from simple nudes to porn for all: gay, straight, bi and solo sex. If you can think it up, it’s probably on there. The content creators decide just how much skin and sex they want to show. Any adult with a smartphone can create content for…

When Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was appointed to this portfolio last May, she told City Press that she would turn it around in six months. But, a year down the line, the only thing that she has turned around is the procurement operations, which she has been trying to wrest from old officials and give to those closely associated with her. She has spent much of the past year flexing her muscles and reminding everyone who is the boss. Her primary obsession seems to be rising to higher office rather than transforming the lives of citizens. The Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has speeded up things for some communities. That is not due to her diligence and commitment. It is difficult to sympathise with Sisulu as she volunteers…

Thieves 1, Cele 0 Police minister and braggart Bheki Cele was left with egg on his face when thieves went on a mission purely to embarrass him last week. An unknown number of thieves broke into a police station in the Eastern Cape and repossessed alcohol that had been confiscated during the lockdown. The thieves made off with about 30 bottles of expensive alcohol, including gin, whisky and brandy. This action must have been taken to show Cele the middle finger as he has declared war against alcohol. He has also boasted that crime levels are down since lockdown began, which makes sense because we’re all locked down! Level 3, please! Psychologists have warned about the traumatic effects of a sudden withdrawal from alcohol and tobacco. Symptoms include anger and…

The multiple lockdowns due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic may have shut down much of the world as we know it, but they have not quite shut up many people. Being social creatures by nature, people have instead raised their voices and expanded their footprint in cyberspace to fill the physical void of social interactions with friends, family and foes. But, long before the pandemic, technology was well down the road to fundamentally changing almost every aspect of our lives, enabling the continent to bypass infrastructure challenges and improve access to markets previously unreachable, thus eradicating borders, fast-tracking information sharing, and facilitating communication and commerce – as well as exposing some of the challenges of sharing information in the digital age. It has been the amphitheatre for the best and…

The issue has always been how we strike a proper balance between the competing interests and obligations each country has towards its citizens amid grinding poverty, hunger, economic hardship and political instability It has been reported that Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has suggested that businesses that wanted to secure government financial aid due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic should hire more South Africans. The question of employing locals or foreigners has been an issue for many reasons. The most pronounced has been the exploitation of the vulnerability of our brothers and sisters from across our borders by unscrupulous employers. Mboweni might indeed have a valid point and his sentiments deserve some measure of serious attention. Other African countries have strong barriers for non-nationals who are looking for jobs or want…

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has delivered behavioural changes across cultures and social profiles the world over. These changes include more frequent hand washing and physical distancing guidelines, as well as reduced frequency of travelling. In this consumerist era, citizens around the world are learning that most consumer goods are more wants than needs, and that unbridled consumption during ordinary times manifests a measure of greed. When the pandemic was gaining momentum and it was clear that ordinary lives would be disrupted for an extended period of time, most of those who could essentially emptied shelves of groceries. From tissue paper to hand sanitisers, the whole world joined the sort of irrational accumulation usually reserved for so-called doomsday preppers. The planet has had the opportunity to breathe from its ever-demanding tenants…

The truest thing ever said about becoming a parent was by author Elizabeth Stone, who opined that deciding to have a child was to “decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body”. Most parents make supreme sacrifices to provide for their children, and research shows that mothers in particular will put their children’s needs before their own. It is, after all, your heart that is wandering around out there. I know many mothers who would go into overdraft to make sure their children had the right clothes to “fit in”, or who justify buying their kids the latest smartphone so they won’t be ostracised at school. I recently spoke to a woman who was worried that she did not have a retirement fund as she had…

Having had a junior career as decorated as it was record-breaking, precocious 400m hurdler Sokwakhana Zazini has, for myriad reasons, found the going somewhat tougher in the senior ranks. When he began life as a senior athlete last year, Zazini embarked on a career in which he hoped he would one day become only the second South African – after high jumper Jacques Freitag – to be a world youth, world junior and world champion proper, having already achieved the last two by the end of 2018. But the world Under-18 400m hurdles record-holder undertook the said journey with a pubic symphysis complaint – pelvic pain brought on by the uneven movement or misalignment of the pelvis – and new coach Lucinda Liebenberg, who was chosen for him by Tuks…

In the end, not even Salomon Kalou managed to stop the Bundesliga from restarting next weekend. Two days after the former Ivory Coast international live-streamed a five-minute interaction in the Hertha Berlin changing rooms in which he – and other players – blatantly disregarded the social distancing and hygiene rules related to the Covid-19 coronavirus, German politicians gave the thumbs-up for the Bundesliga to go ahead. A day later, the German Football League (DFL) announced via a virtual press conference that the two tiers of the Bundesliga would resume, albeit behind closed doors. Earlier, the DFL had given the politicians a lengthy report in which it outlined plans to restart the 2019/20 season while trying to secure the health of all those involved. In the press conference, DFL boss Christian…

The national lockdown to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus came at the right time for Polokwane City, who were going through a rough patch before the PSL matches were indefinitely postponed in the middle of March. City captain Jabu Maluleke believes the team will come back with a renewed sense of energy to complete the season on a high note and avoid relegation. City are 14th on the Absa Premiership table and in danger of going down to the GladAfrica Championship, but Maluleke said that won’t be the case as they will make sure they win the remaining six games to survive. The 38-year-old veteran midfielder said the lockdown was a blessing in disguise for the team as it gave them a chance to regroup and come back…

How ironic it was that, on the same day the PSL leadership was meeting to map the way forward regarding the resumption of the league programme, the first local player has tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus. The news of Orlando Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari testing positive could not have come at a worse time for the league, and it must have put a real damper on the meeting. I wonder how the news was received and interpreted at the meeting. It must have thrown a spanner in the works for them. For me, it sends a clear message that the leadership should not rush into making uninformed decisions. Coaches always preach safety first on the field of play, particularly when it comes to defensive duties. Let’s rather be safe…

Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana star players Percy Tau and Thembi Kgatlana are desperate to come home from abroad amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic that has forced most countries in the world into lockdown. The two overseas-based players had asked Safa to help them get home, Dominic Chimhavi, the association’s communications head, told City Press on Friday. “Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus, we have approached most of our players abroad – men and women – to find out what their intention was. We did this at the time when government repatriated South Africans who were stranded abroad [in March]. So far, Percy and Thembi have said they want to return home and we are doing everything we can to help them,” said Chimhavi, adding that Safa was liaising…