Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/31/2020 i City Press

The planned reopening of schools for pupils in grades 7 and 12 tomorrow requires “divine intervention” as such a move is “reckless” and akin to an act of “criminality”, warn teacher unions and parent bodies. And, they say, doing do will continue to perpetuate inequalities in the country. On the eve of the expected reopening of schools, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has been called on to postpone the date. Yesterday afternoon, unions and representatives of school governing bodies (SGBs) met with Motshekga and the Council of Education Ministers, a group comprising provincial education MECs, to discuss the possibility of postponing the planned reopening. Unions and SGBs have repeatedly voiced their concerns about the lack of the readiness of schools to receive children, warning that a one-size-fit-all approach will not…

As the country prepares to move to level 3 of the national Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown tomorrow, South Africans appear unwilling to take any unnecessary risks that may put them and their loved ones in danger of infection. This is according to the results of a new nationwide survey conducted by Victory Research for City Press and its sister publication, Rapport. The poll revealed that the majority of the 600 people who took part in the survey preferred a gradual easing of the regulations, with some even indicating that they were not ready to return to the old social, entertainment and education activities they engaged in before the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The poll was conducted from May 18 to 27 among a representative demographic sample in urban and…

On March 23, President Cyril Ramaphosa proposed the formation of a Covid-19 anti-corruption unit to expedite the prosecution of those involved in corrupt activities. However, there was no clarity as to which structure of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster would oversee the setting up of the unit. On May 13, City Press approached National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi for comment on whether the unit had been constituted. In response to the enquiry, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head of communications Bulelwa Makeke said: “This issue is being handled by the entire justice, crime prevention and security cluster. The cluster is working on a statement and it will be issued by tomorrow at the latest.” With no communication sent out by the cluster, City Press then approached the…

The Scorpion Kings – the talented duo of DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small – have released a song called Play Your Part – Africa Unite. The proceeds will go to the solidarity fund to fend off the Covid-19 coronavirus. The song has been available on all streaming platforms since last week. Its driving message is the reinforcement of government regulations requiring everybody to practise good hygiene and to stay at home as much as possible. The new kings of local turntables roped in Zimbabwean singer Sha Sha and pop crooner Tresor from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as rappers Youngsta CPT, Rouge and Riky Rick. The song showcases a multitude of languages. French, Kiswahili, Lingala, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Setswana, English, Afrikaans and Shona are all used on this…

The battle between father and son in the AbaThembu royal household looks far from over as neither side is willing to concede defeat – while government remains tight-lipped on who it recognises as the king. This week saw a power play move by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo against his son and acting king Azenathi Dalindyebo, in what could be seen as “check” in a chess game before a “checkmate”. The controversial king, who was released from prison in December last year, has managed to unify behind him some of the most influential players in the AbaThembu kingdom as he tries to cement his authority. One of the significant players is the Mvezo chief, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela (pictured), who has previously had a number of public spats with the monarch.…

The rising number of people who test positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus in mines has put unions and mining companies on a collision course, with mining companies being accused of withholding information about infection rates and not caring about the health of employees. Last week, Mponeng Gold Mine in Carletonville, Gauteng, reported 196 Covid-19 cases. It was forced to temporarily shut its doors and many of its workers have since been placed in quarantine facilities provided by the company. In Limpopo, Sekhukhune district, which until recently had zero Covid-19 cases, has suddenly become the epicentre of infections in the province, following the re-opening of mines. Sekhukhune now has 68 confirmed cases of Covid-19, followed by Capricorn (30), Waterberg (26), Vhembe (eight) and Mopani (seven). The infection rate climbed steeply with…

Tomorrow South Africa takes another step towards returning to normality. When we move to level 3, as per President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement, most sectors of the economy will be allowed to operate and only those identified as high-risk industries will remain shut. Schools, closed in mid-March as the Covid-19 coronavirus began to tighten its grip on the country, will be open to pupils in Grade 7 and matric, who will return to classes. A limited number of tertiary students will return to campuses. Places of worship will reopen, although under the stringent rule that no more than 50 congregants can be together at any given time and that there be sufficient social distancing. When going to the shops to get essentials, South Africans can now also pop into their liquor…

Flip-flops In South Africa, no politician flip-flops and reinvents himself more than EFF leader Julius Malema. After drinking alcohol for years and being caught on videos totally sloshed, he has now become the voice of reason against alcohol, saying it causes violence and unsafe sex. Not even Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma or Bheki Cele can articulate the drinking vice better. But he caught Siyahleba’s attention when he said some of the people celebrating the lifting of the ban on liquor sales this week were sending messages when the lockdown started, saying they had no food and electricity. Little lie here... DA interim leader John Steenhuisen recently lost his cool on TV when he was asked by a journalist which South Africans he was purporting to speak for. But his party clearly didn’t…

The Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown, if anything, has exposed many social issues and ills that have, for the longest time, not been given the necessary attention. These include poverty, inequality, sanitation, education and health. The lockdown has put every social structure to the test. One of the most disturbing has been the magnitude of domestic gender-based violence, which has made us realise that home for many women and children is actually a nightmare. The hashtags #StayHome, followed by #StaySafe, have been popular slogans used to encourage quarantine and social distancing strategies to curb the spread of the virus. A simple definition of home comes from the understanding of it as a place where one lives. The understanding and relation of the concept of home extends to it as a place of…

SHOULD I BUY A SECOND PROPERTY? Themba writes: I bought my first property 18 months ago with FNB and I would like to buy another one soon. Will the bank offer me a lower interest rate because it would be the second property, or should I apply for a reduction on the first before getting another? City Press replies: The rate will be determined by the interest rate now (prime is 7.25%) and your credit risk. If you have a good payment history on your first home, that could be positive. However, taking on more debt could increase your credit risk. The bank might be concerned about your ability to meet both home loan repayments. The bank will provide you with a home loan based on your existing income –…

Pitso Mosimane is not only sporting a new look, but his bank balance is bulging. A big up to Mamelodi Sundowns for extending his stay at the club by a further four years. Mosimane has etched himself into Sundowns’ history books thanks to his trophy-laden spell at the club, and he deserves to be rewarded. By the end of his new four-year term – hopefully he will finish it – he would have been at the club for 12 years. Sundowns boss Patrice Motsepe has said that he wanted Mosimane to be the Alex Ferguson of South African football. Ferguson spent 26 years at Manchester United and brought them trophy after trophy. Mosimane has achieved a lot with the Brazilians. I know he is an ambitious coach and wants more…

The association taking the government to court over the tobacco ban has accused it of inflating the number of people who supported the ban and using literature that does not show the link between cigarette smoking and the Covid-19 coronavirus. The supplementary affidavit submitted by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita) was in response to a 4 000-page submission by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, explaining the rationale for the ban. Dlamini-Zuma’s affidavit mentioned that there were 2 000 complaints against the permission of the sale of cigarettes. However, according to Fita, only 1 897 submissions were made. From those, 66.7% had nothing to do with the ban. Fita highlighted this discrepancy as a “lack of attention to detail, which was concerning”. The organisation,…

The Covid-19 coronavirus has brought to the fore the racial prisms through which South Africans view government’s handling of national affairs. This is according to a nationwide survey conducted by Victory Research for City Press and its sister publication, Rapport. It revealed the stark contrast in the manner in which different racial groups perceive government’s performance in handling the crisis and approval for the way different leaders do their jobs. The City Press/Rapport Covid-19 Survey revealed that black and minority South Africans were not in unison regarding whether or not government has been able to ramp up testing, prepare the health sector for a possible influx of patients and assist those gravely affected by the virus. When asked how well government was doing, following its announcement of a range of…

It took some convincing and to-and-fro negotiations before veteran actor Rapulana Seiphemo (52) could say yes to the Fergusons and join their production, The Queen. Seiphemo says he couldn’t help falling for the dark allure of Hector Sebata, the character he is going to portray on the telenovela. “After they told me what they were looking for in Hector, I was sold. It has been five years since my return to Generations: The Legacy, so it was a good move and I am happy to be tapping into a new character. I have been playing Tau Mogale for so long,” he said, adding that the prospect of sharing the screen with Connie Ferguson again was exciting. The pair worked together on Generations and on Generations: The Legacy. Ferguson played Karabo…

The return of former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo to the top structures of the ANC in the province was a forgone conclusion after the governing party’s secretary-general, Ace Magashule, granted his request for a second chance. But Mahumapelo, fondly known as the “Black Jesus” among his supporters, had his comeback blocked by the interim provincial committee, which also ejected him from a meeting at Luthuli House in February after Magashule had invited him to attend. Mahumapelo, an ANC MP, resigned from the interim committee last September. So, the committee insisted that only the ANC national executive committee (NEC) – and not Magashule – had the power to rescind his resignation. The committee’s coordinator, Hlomane Chauke, in a letter to Magashule on March 2, said Mahumapelo had to explain the…

As scientists worldwide seek to harness both new and existing medical treatments to help combat the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, closer to home, a group of local researchers is looking into the possible role cannabis can play. South Africa recorded its first Covid-19 patient on March 5. According to the health ministry, the country currently has 29 240 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 611 deaths. Globally, the latest statistics show that the virus has hit the 6 million mark, affecting people across 216 territories. According to the World Health Organisation, it has killed more than 367 000 people. With no vaccine in place and the jury still out on an effective treatment for Covid-19, the search continues apace. To this end, a partnership has been struck between the Vaal University…

As the battle over the government’s continued cigarette sales ban under the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown level 3 heats up, smoking will continue to get a bad rap today when the world marks World No Tobacco Day. This week, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, cited three studies and a systemic review in her court submission filed at the Pretoria High Court in response to the legal action taken by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association. The documents showed the correlation between the harmful effects of tobacco products and the Covid-19 coronavirus. “Studies on the potential links between the use of tobacco products and Covid-19 are being undertaken. “However, from the studies that have been done so far, the evidence is that the use of tobacco products…

When President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) on the eve of the lockdown in March, he told them this was “a mercy mission”, “a life-restoration mission”, “a life-saving mission”, “a life-giving mission”. He told them not to “skiet en donder” but to be supportive of the people. But before long the SANDF soldiers, alongside their colleagues in the SA Police Service and municipal forces, were dondering the people. What’s worse, their political principals – the security cluster ministers – were doing nothing to discourage this behaviour. Alexandra resident Collins Khosa fell victim to this behaviour when he succumbed to injuries sustained when he was assaulted by soldiers and metro cops. His sin was to drink beer in his yard. When Judge Hans Fabricius ruled…

President Cyril Ramaphosa hadn’t even finished his address to the nation when celebrations (and agony for smokers) began after the announcement that alcohol would be sold from tomorrow. Social media was abuzz with videos of people singing outside liquor outlets, where they’ll be able to buy alcohol (legally, at least) for the first time since March 25. It’s been a tough two months for South Africans who, clearly, can’t live without their favourite dop. Their jubilation reminded one of the festivities when embattled former Fifa president Sepp Blatter opened the all-important envelope and told the world that the 2010 World Cup would be held in South Africa. Then, a true rainbow nation emerged and we were all united because we’d get to host the biggest sporting event on the planet.…

Organised citizens of Cala, my hometown, and our neighbours in Elliot, in the Eastern Cape, under the banner of a local civil society forum, have instructed lawyers to take up a long-standing matter of the failure of Sakhisizwe Local Municipality to perform its basic responsibilities and functions, which has had dire consequences on their lives. The lawyers have given Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane an ultimatum: dissolve the municipal council and appoint an interim administrator with all the requisite authority by June 10, or we will escalate the matter to the national cooperative governance and traditional affairs department (Cogta). If no resolution is found there, they are prepared to request a court-ordered intervention to dissolve the municipal council. Cases of this nature are on the rise in the Eastern Cape.…

Eskom has refused to name the contractor that got a R5 billion overpayment from the cash-strapped national power utility in a transaction that Parliament’s standing committee on appropriations described as too astronomical to just be explained away as an accounting error. Eskom said on Thursday that it had not yet taken measures to recover the R5 billion. To avoid a public spectacle that might compromise the chances of a positive outcome, it would not disclose the details of the company that benefited from the transaction. “This matter is confidential and is the subject of a process, the airing of which in the media would be detrimental to a positive outcome for Eskom,” spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha told City Press. The standing committee on appropriations heard last year during a visit to…

DAVID WRITES: I took out a home loan six years ago for R790 000 and payment of R8 500 at 10.5%. Now the interest rate has dropped to 7.25%. Is it better to add additional monthly payments when the interest rate is high or low? I understand I will reduce the term of the loan and total cost, but do I save more when the rate is lower or higher? CITY PRESS REPLIES: When interest rates are lower, your debt costs you less money, but it also provides the perfect opportunity to pay off your property sooner. Money that was going to interest can now be allocated to capital. By continuing to pay R8 500 a month, even though your monthly instalment has dropped, you in effect pay in extra…

With the Covid-19 coronavirus still wreaking havoc across the world, debate over the candidates for individual sports awards this season have seemingly died down. Instead, conversations now centre on how football can safely resume in the face of the pandemic. Given that the coronavirus has forced the suspension and, in some cases, cancellation of football programmes across the world, would staging events such as the players’ awards gala make sense amid such uncertainty? Fifa, the world football governing body, has already cancelled its awards that were scheduled to take place in Milan, Italy, in September. The Ballon d’Or, which is awarded by France Football, also remains in doubt this calendar year, while Uefa’s award ceremony – planned for August in Monaco – will have to wait until the Champions League…

If their futile attempts so far are anything to go by, it is not inconceivable that a cure for the Covid-19 coronavirus could be found before the Southern Kings appoint a head coach. Having most recently been turned down by former Lions coach and Springbok assistant coach Swys de Bruin – last weekend – City Press has learnt that the Kings have now turned their attention to former Springbok coach Allister Coetzee. It’s almost a year since the Pro14 franchise parted ways with former coach Deon Davids, yet they are no closer to doing this than they were when he left in June, thanks to recruitment processes that have had more than the odd farcical turn. De Bruin, who had already developed a rapport with the coaches and players of…

Resumption of non-contact sport and training • All sporting events organised or held in a stadium or venue are prohibited; • Sports grounds, fields and swimming pools for non-contact sport and training for professional athletes may resume in compliance with health protocols without any spectators; • All sports bodies must within 14 days of the publication of the latest directives inform the minister of health in writing as to the date of resumption, and further provide guarantees in the form of affidavits relating to the testing of all officials before resumption of training and matches; and • All sports bodies and professional clubs must: i) ensure that athletes and their support staff be subjected to quarantine for 14 days pending the test results; and ii) develop and implement policies and…

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TV actress and songbird Kelly Khumalo has dropped a bombshell: She blames Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa’s family for making Mzansi turn and crucify her for a sin she did not commit. On Friday, an emotional Khumalo (35), in an interview on Ezemidlalo Ukhozi FM, shared that it had been almost six years since her boyfriend, Meyiwa, had died, but “it feels like yesterday. My world was torn apart when Senzo died. I never thought something like this would ever happen to me. It was a sudden death, which left me with a wound that won’t heal any time soon,” she said, sobbing. Meyiwa was shot and died at Khumalo’s family home in Vosloorus in October 2014. His killers have still not been arrested. Since his death,…

Is tomorrow going to be something like a Black Friday rush? Or is it going to be Phuza Thursday on a Monday? These are two of the scenarios that present themselves when considering the scenes that will play out across the country when liquor store doors are flung open. The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the two-month alcohol drought would end tomorrow was met with ululations, whistles and whoops of joy. After such a protracted period of no alcohol sales, what will happen can only be left to the imagination. One thing is certain: huge crowds of customers. With less than 24 hours before liquor outlets open their doors, establishments across the country have been stocking up and are expecting some ferocious buying. The KwaZulu-Natal independent bottle store owners…

Some small-scale sugar cane farmers in Mpumalanga hope the decision by the government to lift the ban on the sale of liquor will go a long way towards reducing theft on their farms. Manufacturers of an alcoholic drink made from sugar cane, in the Nkomazi area, left small-scale farmers counting their losses, as the thieves have been plundering their fields since the prohibition of liquor sales during the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. The farmers had even asked Mpumalanga agriculture and rural development MEC, Vusi Shongwe, to intervene and save their livelihoods because signs were that they would lose more of their harvest during the lockdown and as home-brewed liquor producers saw the increasing demand. Sugar cane is grown throughout the Nkomazi area near Malalane and the small-scale farmers have plantations near…

It is one thing to understand why certain decisions are taken and another to agree or disagree with such decisions. It is also easier to be an armchair critic and the dog that barks at the moving car. The second address by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the nation earned him some scorn and ridicule. One pertinent question critics kept asking was why he addressed the nation simply to inform us that he was engaged in consultations. Understandably, people living under restrictions for the first time since the dawn of democracy were in some distress and were irritable. When the national Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown was announced, it was meant to last for 21 days. So, there was an expectation that it would end at the next announcement. But objective facts always…

I’m midway through a virtual briefing when a dogfight breaks out. I can’t see the mayhem, but I can hear the owner screaming at his pets to stop. The rest of us in the webinar have to hang in cyberspace until the hullabaloo subsides and wait for his return so that the facilitator can ask him to please mute his microphone. This is the new reality of conducting business in the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown and, quite frankly, I’m getting tired of it. Unfortunately, this is going to be the new normal for some time. When we first went into lockdown, working from home was, for some, a novel concept. I’m sure the novelty has fast worn off, especially for parents who have had to try to appear professional on back-to-back…

voices@citypress.co.za South Africa is still a country of inequality, and the Covid-19 coronavirus-enforced lockdown has intensified the deep divisions in our society. On one hand, there are people stuck in their homes with Wi-Fi, TV and the ability to hit the shops at any time to stock up the fridge while lamenting the lockdown restrictions. On the other hand, millions are now without an income, a stable source of food or even the luxury of social distancing. Of late, two particular inequalities have stood out among the many. One is the plight of citizens who need help just to get food, and the way unscrupulous people have reportedly seized on this need to manipulate processes to benefit their own agendas. The other is the apparent difference in the way the…

According to the UN, the world faces “a famine of biblical proportions”, owing to responses to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, which has put some 250 million people on the brink of starvation. What this statement has confirmed is that viruses kill, but so too does poverty. It is the working class, the low paid, the casual labourers and the unemployed who will suffer most and die, perhaps in their millions. In many cases, these are women and men with families to support, who have recently been thrown out of work. Among them are the ill, who may have no access to necessary chronic medication. In the South African context, they may be unable or unwilling to collect medication. Whatever the reasons, researchers and clinics in the country’s high-density areas report…

An appeal by Vantage Goldfields SA (VGSA) to get rid of an interested buyer of the Lily and Barbrook mines in Mpumalanga might be delayed after the company asked for an extension to submit its documents to the Supreme Court of Appeal. VGSA’s decision to request the extension came after its lawyers, Mervyn Taback Incorporated, withdrew from representing it. The company is appealing an Mbombela High Court ruling that declared Arqomanzi, the potential buyer of Lily and Barbrook mines in Louisville outside Barberton, the biggest creditor of VGSA. Arqomanzi – formed by the Siyakhula Sisonke Corporation (SSC) subsidiary, Flaming Silver 373, and Taung Gold – approached the court in October after reaching an agreement with Standard Bank to cede Vantage Goldfields’ loan account amounting to R389 million to the company.…

If you have assets and a family, including minor children, you need to have a will in place. A will is a legal document in which you stipulate how you want your assets to be divided among your loved ones after your death. A person dies intestate if they die without a valid will. This means that the state would be your executor and your assets would be divided between family members. No consideration would be given to any of your wishes, including the guardianship and inheritance of your minor children. If a person dies intestate, they do not bequeath their assets in the will. The same applies if the will is invalid. It is crucial to have your will drawn up by an experienced professional. A will is an…

Reigning Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya has entrusted her audacious bid to qualify for the 200m at next year’s Games to a young and untested sprints coach. Just more than a year ago, Koketso Mogapi was still competing as a long jumper, with a personal best of 7.71m, and dabbling in the triple jump (15.27m) and the 100m (10.42sec). Now the 28-year-old from Zeerust is charged with helping one of the most recognised athletes on the planet achieve an unprecedented feat. In the history of athletics, no one has won a creditable performance in the 200m and the 800m, let alone won a major championship medal in both events. But having practically built her whole career on proving people wrong, Semenya is attempting to qualify for Tokyo in the half-lap…

Bundesliga games behind closed doors have given coaches an unexpected opportunity to play talented youngsters who won’t have the of pressure of playing in front of huge crowds. Before the restart of the German league, few football fans would have heard of Florian Wirtz, a talented 16-year-old who joined Bayer Leverkusen from Cologne in the winter break. Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz decided to place his faith in the offensive midfielder in the club’s first match after the layoff – an away game at Werder Bremen – on May 18, two weeks and a day after Wirtz turned 17, he started his first Bundesliga match. He became Leverkusen’s youngest Bundesliga player, taking over from Kai Havertz, who is considered the top German talent and is on the wanted list of several…