Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/24/2020 i City Press

1 Major teachers’ unions are threatening that members will not return 2 Protective gear, cleaning and water are among the obstacles Government’s plan to reopen schooling could be in jeopardy because of fears expressed by parents and teachers that schools across the country are not ready for the big step. South Africa’s major teachers’ unions are threatening that their members will not turn up at schools tomorrow, violating the return date for teachers stipulated by the department of basic education. One union has even indicated that it will head to court to interdict the reopening. Chief among the unions’ concerns are the slow delivery, or nondelivery, of essentials such as personal protective equipment (PPE), water tanks and additional classrooms. The need for deep cleansing of schools and refurbishing of vandalised…

As the country went into Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown in March and the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) increased, several scams emerged, targeting companies and government departments in need of surgical masks, sanitisers and gloves. City Press knows of at least nine cases in which companies parted with money for protective gear to fraudsters who claimed to be manufacturing the equipment. The cases were reported in Gauteng, the Free State, Western Cape and Northern Cape, and involved millions of rands. The majority of the cases involved private companies that were buying the protective gear on behalf of government departments and other companies in need of the items. Private investigator Chad Thomas, chief executive of IRS Forensic Investigations, told City Press that he had been approached by several companies asking for…

After handing in his resignation to the SABC last week, Radio 2000 programme manager Christopher Choane described his 11-year stint at the public broadcaster in bitter terms. A former Lesedi FM sports producer, Choane had been with Radio 2000 for almost two years before deciding to leave. “I can confirm that I am leaving the SABC after 11 years, to join Bokamoso FM in Lesotho. Speak to the SABC for further comment as I am still an employee until Friday [May 29],” Choane said. Two well-placed sources close to him told City Press that he had been through hell at Radio 2000. “We saw him fight for what he believed in and, because he is a straight-talker and vocal, he was seen as a troublemaker. They wanted him to resign…

The legal battle between Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo and a woman who claims to be his former lover is far from over. In the latest episode, the woman who claims Masondo impregnated her and then forced her to have an abortion, has laid fresh criminal charges against him. She claims that he lied to the police when he alleged that she “extorted money from him” to silence her. The woman was arrested by the Hawks last year on charges of extorting money from Masondo. She was nabbed in a sting operation when she was allegedly supposed to collect R300 000 from him. The case has since been withdrawn, but the sordid public brawl between the two has not abated. Her case of perjury, statutory perjury, intimidation and crimen injuria…

The level 4 Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown period was supposed to be used for screening and testing, especially in disadvantaged communities. But some residents of Orange Farm Region G refused to comply, rejecting screening and testing for the virus. Although there are no clear signs of emerging hotspots in thw township, it remains important that residents undergo testing to flatten the curve of the epidemic. However, there is no doubt that Covid-19 denialism is rife there. “I won’t believe this virus exists here until I see someone dying from it,” said one of the residents. To this day, people roam the streets of Orange Farm for no reason and stand in long queues at supermarkets without wearing masks, going against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appeal for everyone to wear a mask when…

NEWTOWN: TOKELO KAMPONG On the other side of the city, in Newtown, Tokelo Kampong sits at the gate of Bekezela, a place he calls home and where waste pickers like himself store their trolleys. Bekezela doubles up as a hostel, where some people live, and a storage facility for the trolleys and the recycling they’ve collected. While many of his counterparts return to store their day’s collectables, the 26-year-old says he decided not to go to work today. The effects of the lockdown have left Kampong with little to look forward to. “I know I won’t find a lot of what I want to collect. Items have reduced drastically since the lockdown. Even at the scrapyard, where I sell what I’ve collected, the amount they give me per kilogram has…

South Africa is in a precarious position. People are starving. People are desperate. The economy had tanked before the Covid-19 coronavirus made its grand appearance and accelerated all of the above. The reality is that a large chunk of the population is immune-compromised. We don’t have enough ventilators. And the death statistics for those who get ventilators are frightening anyway. How do we stay positive as the lockdown is lifted and we are exposed to this virus even more? The statistics and projections presented to the government this week are terrifying. Estimates of deaths related to Covid-19 range from a few thousand to several hundreds of thousands. The main model the health department uses estimates between 34 000 and 50 000 deaths by November, although there is significant uncertainty about…

Asidikiwe! It was bad enough that a video existed in which Eastern Cape (where else?) Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba was heard farting on live television. But for the provincial PR machinery to devote time to drafting a statement denying that she farted was scaling new heights. The poor spokesperson had to explain that: “The MEC had to apologise for making a verbal mistake in a fluffed word, to which some bored people then edited a sound as if she was apologising for farting.” Gomba later exclaimed her irritation during a virtual meeting with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and other MECs, saying “andidikwe [I am fed up]”. r Teachers’ fears Parents are clearly anxious about the safety of their children after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that schooling would resume…

Tomorrow marks the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). In May of 1963, 30 heads of African states and governments that had attained liberation not long before assembled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they endorsed what was to be the OAU Charter, one of whose objectives was to coordinate and intensify efforts to achieve a better life for the people of Africa. The history-laden continental body was, in 2002, reconfigured and birthed the current African Union (AU). But to what extent can we say that the setting up of this organisation has brought relief to the long-suffering masses across the continent? For a proper appraisal and assessment of the performance of the organisation, it will be prudent to divide the 57-year timeframe into two:…

No one knows how Tito Mboweni’s beloved aloe plant is doing – but hopefully it won’t have died by the time he releases the new Covid-19 coronavirus emergency budget at the end of June. Mboweni has taken the plant to Parliament three times, using it as a metaphor for the country’s financial situation. In February last year, he said the aloe ferox was lightweight, hardy and drought resistant. In October last year, when the fiscal situation worsened, Mboweni said the plant had a long, difficult winter behind it. In February this year, the message was that everything needed to be done to help the plant reach its full growth potential. But that was before the Covid-19 blight struck. Maarten Ackerman, chief economist at Citadel, said the adjusted emergency budget would…

Municipalities, and not Eskom, are responsible for South Africa’s sky-high electricity tariffs, says Eskom boss André de Ruyter. In a virtual press conference this week, De Ruyter said municipalities tacked up to 80% on to the price at which Eskom sold electricity. He said Eskom’s tariffs were still relatively low and there was little risk that sales would be deterred as a result of the high prices. De Ruyter was commenting after a decision last week by the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa), which would allow Eskom to recover an additional R13 billion through electricity tariffs. Nersa had still to decide when that would happen and whether Eskom would be allowed to do so over a period of more than a year. The Nersa decision also opened the door…

If the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has taught us anything, it is to make sure our investments are diversified. When it comes to investing in financial assets, we ensure diversification by investing in funds that provide exposure to local and offshore equities, bonds, property, gold and cash. What the global market crisis has shown us, both now and in the credit crisis of 2008, is that this diversification is not a guarantee that your funds will not lose value; it is just that they might lose less value than an investment in a single asset class. For example, a fund that has offshore exposure benefits from the weaker rand, but its exposure to listed property will pull down its value significantly. Increasingly, investors are looking to nonfinancial assets to provide further…

With predictions of further cuts in interest rates by the SA Reserve Bank, what does this mean for your finances? I spoke to Nthabiseng Ts’oanamatsie-Zuma, a senior economist, to help us understand the role of the Reserve Bank and how it uses interest rates to influence the economy. Countries around the world are using monetary policy to tackle the economic fallout from the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, and South Africa is no exception. At the time of writing, the Reserve Bank had cut the benchmark interest rate – the repo rate – by 200 basis points for this purpose, bringing the total rate cuts this year to 225 basis points, with more cuts expected. The last time the Reserve Bank cut interest rates this drastically was during the 2008/09 global financial…

When the six rugby franchises finish tallying up the spoils from last week’s Covid-19-enforced transfer deadline, it’ll be tough for any of them to beat the Lions to end up as probably the biggest losers out of the chaos. While the Sharks, Bulls and Cheetahs would have derived degrees of satisfaction from the outcomes of the forced 21-day window period, in which players could terminate their contracts to avoid the mandatory pay cuts the industry has to go through due to Covid-19, Western Province, the Southern Kings and the Lions can’t necessarily be accused of having similar cause to feel smug. The applause for their Warrick Gelant-sized smash-and-grab at Loftus Versfeld may still be ringing in their ears, but thanks to the way they handled the Pieter-Steph du Toit “will…

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Africa Day Benefit Concert At Home MTV Base (DStv channel 322), 9pm MTV Base Africa YouTube channel, 6pm The two-hour benefit concert is aimed at raising funds to help children and families in Africa, who are affected by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, with all proceeds going towards providing for the food and health needs of those most affected. Hosted by Idris Elba, the show will bring together a star-studded line-up of some of the hottest names Africa has to offer, including Burna Boy, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, AKA, Diamond Platnumz, Nasty C, Sauti Sol, Yemi Alade, Fally Ipupa, Stonebwoy, Teni and Angélique Kidjo. Says Elba: “We’re taking a moment to shine a light on African arts to benefit the African homeland and its people. A continent of this size should…

Priests have expressed unhappiness that the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown restrictions only allow them to bury the dead but not to marry engaged couples. Wouter van Wyk, secretary of the Dutch Reformed Church in SA’s communication services, said the church was being overwhelmed by priests seeking advice about this “heartless situation”. The department of home affairs is not registering new marriages at present, although it is issuing identity documents (IDs) and death certificates. “There are enormous queues of people at home affairs [offices] applying for IDs. Why can’t the department also issue marriage certificates?” said Van Wyk. “It’s really hard for couples who made their wedding arrangements a year in advance. They all had to pay substantial deposits in advance – for their wedding dresses [and suits], catering, entertainment, flowers and…

Artist, model and aspiring actress Laetitia Ky considers herself a feminist activist. Using an African feminist artistic lens, she draws attention to the power of black women’s hair and bodies in a world that spins on an antiblack axis in terms of beauty ideas. “Once I have the idea, I draw it, but only when there is a lot of detail. For designs with less detail, I just visualise the thing and I’m good,” she tells #Trending via a Zoom interview. Ky says her main tools are her dreadlocks, hair extensions, thread, wire, scissors and a needle. “Depending on the hairstyle, I will generally take between 20 minutes and two hours to create the work. And after I finish, I’ll take my own photos with my camera – using my…

In his latest weekly letter to his “fellow South Africans”, President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed the centrality of the Constitution and the fundamental rights it encapsulates in our democratic order. Given the spate of litigation against aspects of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown regime, as well as the legitimacy of the Disaster Management Act and the national command council, it was important for the president to emphasise the rule of law. Ramaphosa is rightly hailed as one of the architects of our Constitution and his ascendency to the leadership of the governing party and the country was seen as a victory for constitutionalists and constitutionalism alike. In his letter, he wrote: “As we navigate these turbulent waters, our Constitution is our most important guide and our most valued protection. Our robust democracy…

The love of football lives in the hearts of millions of South Africans, including passionate supporters, as well as those who play and run the sport. The beautiful game represents hope for many a youngster who dreams of getting on to the national stage to showcase his or her skills, as well as to lift their family from conditions of poverty. It is important that those who run football remember that they are mere caretakers for these hopes and aspirations. As such, it was disturbing when two former chief executives of Safa levelled accusations of irregularities and abuse of power at football’s mother body. City Press and other media outlets have carried stories of Dennis Mumble and Gay Mokoena’s allegations about the conduct of Safa president Danny Jordaan. Mumble even…

When the country moved to level 4 of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown on Friday May 1, Workers’ Day, I thought I might have misheard the president saying we were still required to stay at home. It turned out I had not misheard him. The national lockdown – imposed from midnight on March 26 – still required that people stay at home. But clearly some could not take it any more. The images were on all media spaces – joggers and dog-walkers took to the streets; shopping malls were packed to the rafters; and on the roads there were high traffic volumes. These images raised fears that the country could return to level 5 more quickly than it would move to level 3, because people were just not adhering to the…

Last week, National Treasury announced that it had provided a guarantee of R100 billion to banks to provide additional funding for small businesses. This will be increased to R200 billion if necessary and if the scheme is successful. Funeka Montjane, chief executive of personal and business banking at Standard Bank, says: “This guaranteed loan scheme will bolster efforts made in both the private sector and government to aid small business. We have been in constant consultation with government about the implementation of the scheme and are now ready to receive applications.” This is over and above the existing measures, including funding from the small business development department and the SA Future Trust Fund, as well as debt-relief holidays. Loans will be made available to business customers with an annual turnover…

I need to be running so I can get back what I lost, not just having another season in which I’m idling around ANASO JOBODWANA For someone whose sprinting career has played out not too dissimilarly to a sports car gathering dust in the garage, Anaso Jobodwana should have a degree of understanding for the restrictive nature of the lockdown measures put in place due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. But the dispatches from his base in Phoenix in the US are more of the frustrated than relieved kind, after the International Olympic Committee decided to delay this year’s Olympic Games by a year, in keeping with the suspensions, postponements and cancellations the pandemic has visited on global sport. Having reunited with Stuart McMillan, the man who coached him to…

Dear Safa, This week, I was reminded of what former president Nelson Mandela said during the 1963 Rivonia Trial. Mandela told the court: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and equal ... It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to achieve. But, My Lord, if it needs to be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Mandela’s words came to mind after what I was subjected to by Safa this week. I was the talk of town. They called me names in an effort to discredit me and tarnish my image. My crime was asking hard-hitting questions, which obviously did not go down well with the leadership of…

The impact of the Covid-19 coronavirusenforced sports hiatus will be significant. Although there are various ways of looking at this, the reality is that the full impact will not be known until the new normal is established. The broadcast revenue and commercial income will be mainly affected. The biggest will, however, come with the impact on the fans, the heart and soul of all of all sports’ economic value. In Europe, five leagues could lose up to €4 billion (R77 billion) – that is nearly 20% of the European club football’s total income, with the Premier League in England alone taking the biggest hit of about €1.2 billion, according to Uefa’s football report. AND WHAT ABOUT OUR OWN PSL? Firstly, it must be noted that the PSL has not said…

The royal family of the kingdom of AbaThembu wants to know why acting king Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo (pictured) continues to receive a salary and other benefits from the government. Last month, the royal family, known also as the Ngangelizwe Royal Family, wrote to Xolile Nqatha, MEC of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, asking him to explain why Azenathi continued to receive a salary/stipend, a state-sponsored vehicle and other benefits, despite his acting period having lapsed on March 8. Azenathi receives his salary on the 15th day of each month. Last Friday, at a press conference at Bumbane Great Place, Prince Siganeko Dalindyebo, his spokesperson, confirmed that his nephew had been paid this month’s stipend. A white Jeep SUV, assigned to the acting king by the government, was spotted inside Bumbane,…

WESTDENE: DANIEL MOSIA In Westdene, a suburb a stone’s throw away from Westbury, 36-year-old Daniel Mosia has been hard at work since 5am, after having left home in Doornfontein at 4am. It’s now just after 8am and he says he must work as quickly as he can “before the Pikitup trucks arrive”. “I mainly collect plastic bottles like those of cold drinks, milk, cleaning things like Domestos and such. I also collect cardboard boxes and iron,” he says as he works frantically. “I collect beer bottles, but they’ve been scarce because people can’t buy alcohol. I have to manage with what I can find. The money I got from beer bottles would be separated from money I made from cardboard boxes because I’d sell the 750ml ones back to bottle…

South Africans with the means to do so have been using the tap of a finger for meals to be delivered to their homes, since the country went into Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown level 4 earlier this month. Between technical glitches that hampered said deliveries and complaints over the quality of the food delivered, social media was abuzz – albeit for a short time – while fast food chains scrambled for the best PR-inspired responses and made promises to fix their customers’ gripes. Soon, it seemed, all was back to normal and Mr D Food, Uber Eats and others were back in business, bringing customers the convenience and luxury of hot food prepared by others. Now picture this: A family, not necessarily in rural South Africa, but as urban as a…

When my children were younger, I used to worry a lot about how anyone would access the house to help us if anything happened to me. So, I made sure that a trusted friend had a spare key to my place. I once had an emergency, fetched the spare key and did not return it. It didn’t seem as important any more because my kids were older. Then, in 2017, just before I had surgery, there was an evening when I found myself in extreme pain and was on the verge of passing out. Lying on the floor, I quickly requested an Uber to a hospital and told the children to put on their shoes. I SMSed some friends to let them know where I was going so that they…

Medical aids are saving a lot of money because elective surgeries and visits to doctors and specialists have dramatically declined as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. On the other hand, the hospitalisation of one Covid-19 patient costs R85 000 (excluding hospital costs). This is about three times the cost of typical hospital admissions. Ryan Noach, the CEO of Discovery Health, said that the virus would be with us for some time, so its impact on medical aids this year and next year should be taken into account. Depending on the extent of the pandemic, Covid-19 screening, testing and hospital treatment during this time could lead to an additional cost of between R816 and R3 561 per beneficiary across all medical aids. That could cost the country’s medical aids…

‘When you get younger, you’ll understand,” Masilo said to her father, Ramasilo, who was grumbling uncontrollably. What Ramasilo hadn’t realised was that someone in the heavens had tampered with the switch, and the conveyor belt of life was going in the opposite direction. Life started in the grave, where you came out as wrinkled as a prune. You then gradually got smoother as you got younger. Nobody in heaven noticed that mistake because, quite frankly, they were tired of Earth, a small place in the universe, but with the most complaints and problems. Masilo’s parents, Ramasilo and Mamasilo, now found themselves in a world controlled by children, and the ants were at the top of the food chain. Everyone was blissful. When the children asked for meals, the parents prepared…

Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme • R14 billion in benefits paid to employees • 2.5 million employees have received benefits • Submit applications at uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/ SMME Debt Relief Finance Scheme • Loans to businesses affected by Covid-19. Businesses must be compliant with Sars and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Registration with the UIF is a prerequisite for application. • Businesses need to register on the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) database of the small business development department, and apply at smmesa.gov.za. • The facility offers working capital – strictly direct costs that are auditable. • A maximum R500 000 loan per SMME will be considered, depending on requirements. • The term of the funding will be determined by the business cash flow, with a maximum of a six-month moratorium. •…

Two down, seven to go. As the first league in Europe to do so, the Bundesliga restarted last weekend after a lengthy suspension of games was enforced due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. After this weekend’s matches, they will have just seven match days to go before completing the season. The good news for the German Football League (DFL) is that there was no major (or minor) catastrophe. The games went ahead, there were no huge fan gatherings outside the stadium and one of the matches actually had some class. Borussia Dortmund showed that they were determined to stick close to Bayern Munich’s heels as the club from the Bavarian capital chased an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title. For Schalke 04 fans, their club unfortunately lived up to its name in…