Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/5/2020 i City Press

Songstress Zahara, whose real name is Bulelwa Mkutukana, has broken her silence about an ordeal she went through eight years ago, during which she escaped being raped. On Friday night, she broke down when she shared her ordeal and her views on gender-based violence on news channel eNCA. Speaking to City Press yesterday, Zahara said the reason she was sharing her story now was her concern about the rising statistics of femicide in South Africa. “It’s about time we women told our stories. Let’s not die in silence. Enough is enough. We’re all affected by gender-based violence. Let’s all fight it,” she said. The 31-year-old said the man who almost raped her was well known in the community of Balfour Park in the Eastern Cape. “I was in the studio…

For six years, Mapula Masoba has been living in fear. Her crime: refusing to fall in love with a pastor in her church who claimed that God showed him that the 42-year-old was his future wife. Masoba said her “sin” was that she had refused to fall into the trap of loving Mbuyiselo Jacobs. Jacobs has been threatening and stalking her since 2014, but she has no desire to be in a relationship with him. Masoba has done everything to stop him from harassing her – from reporting the matter to the police and obtaining a restraining order to changing her cellphone number. But he has been relentless. Now Masoba, who is a bookkeeper and office manager, has decided to go public about her ordeal as she does not want…

Botswana has no coastline, yet it is still exporting shark fins worth P17 million (R24 million) to neighbouring countries, including South Africa, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN’s Comtrade database. The Botswana government is unable to explain the figures, which reflect shark fin exports in 2018 and some years prior to that. It has expressed fears that powerful syndicates are using the country as a conduit to smuggle products of shark species listed as endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), of which Botswana is a signatory. ITC data show that Botswana is among a number of countries that trade in shark products – an industry worth $1 billion (R17 billion) a year, according to a Food…

Former police minister Nathi Nhleko (pictured) has applied to give his side of the story after he was implicated in wrongdoing by former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride at the state capture inquiry. McBride testified before the Zondo Commission in April last year and Nhleko has decided to challenge his testimony. Nhleko wrote in his affidavit that although he had failed to respond within 14 days of McBride’s testimony, he intended to bring an “application on the grounds of justice, prejudice and good cause having been shown”. He was minister of police until 2017 when he was moved to the public works portfolio. In 2018, President Cyril Ramaphosa removed him from the post. City Press has learnt that July 27 has been set aside for Nhleko to…

COME ON IN, WE’RE OPEN FOR Following government’s announcement that schools’ management would return to work on May 11, reports emerge that only some schools in the Western Cape and Gauteng are ready to reopen. Renewed debate on the issue peaks on May 19 after the national command council approves the reopening of schools on June 1. DA federal chairperson Helen Zille tweets in support of opening schools: “Dear Sadtu [the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union]. Young people are not at mortal risk from Covid, unless they have a serious underlying condition such as diabetes. What is more, the latest scientific evidence is that children do not pass the virus to adults. Time to open schools. Back to work for you guys!” On May 21, after Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma…

Kitchen Queen by Lucia Mthiyane Human & Rousseau R375 recommended selling price 192 pages With its fresh, crafty layout and absolutely gorgeous food photography, Kitchen Queen by Lucia Mthiyane is the perfect cookbook for easy breezy cooks who want solid, simple recipes to add to their repertoire. Mthiyane is a TV personality, singer and kitchen queen who has been in the food industry for more than 10 years. In Kitchen Queen she shares her favourite and most reposted recipes from social media, weaving together her life story with her unique take on food. Dishes include leg of lamb with apples, Zulu chicken and spinach with chorizo. And for those with a sweet tooth, there are chocolate brownies with a maize meal twist. She generously shares recipes that fuel our bodies…

Ahead of the anticipated resumption of the PSL programme next month, there are a few issues that need to be clarified. Since we are living in the time of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, and what is being called “the new normal”, things are done differently from what we are used to. So certain issues need to be clarified before things get complicated. We don’t want the clubs to resort to the courts of law to settle matters – because this would only prolong the already delayed season. If the PSL rules allow the postponement of fixtures for the clubs with three or more players on national duty, what will happen if the same number of players from once club test positive for Covid-19 a week or days before a game?…

The Southern Kings’ newly appointed board’s first bit of business will be to convince sponsors Isuzu not to walk out on their contract. Having been named on Friday by SA Rugby, the incoming five-person board – which will be headed by Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) president Andre Rademan – has already been tasked with talking its main sponsor off the ledge. City Press understands that the Port Elizabeth-based utility vehicle maker sent the Kings a letter this week informing them of their intention to pull out of the three-year deal a year early. Isuzu, which is said to have had a great relationship with the Kings’ recently deposed majority shareholders, the Greatest Rugby Company in the Whole Wide World (GRC), are apparently citing a clause in the contract in…

In an unexpected speech during the commission of inquiry into state capture this week, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo made the following remarks: “When there are elections, I’m sure every political party will tell the voters that ‘the people come first’. But we need to see this in action. We don’t need speeches about how people say they are committed to fighting corruption.” Zondo was speaking after evidence given by former Passenger Rail Agency of SA board chairperson Popo Molefe, who had spoken at length about how he tried to sensitise several institutions, including Parliament and the leadership of the governing ANC, to massive corruption happening at the entity. Molefe said letters that he wrote were not responded to, and the relevant ministers failed to act on his alerts. This…

Plea for help The ANC leaders will live to regret the day they were forced to confirm in public that they had failed to pay salaries of their staff at Luthuli House on time. It’s just what the political opponents were looking for. This comes weeks after the DA confirmed that the party was retrenching staff because of financial difficulties. This news has brought unbridled joy and mirth at the Red Berets headquarters in Braamfontein. The EFF, which has just set up a labour desk, has now invited ANC staff members to swallow their pride and approach them for assistance. No cheap talk Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has kept his political career afloat through bombastic political rhetoric, but that is just not flying with those in the taxi industry. This…

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic provides a golden opportunity for implementation of the mantra of finding “African solutions to African problems”. The story of the battle between an eagle and a cobra teaches us that home advantage is important. A cobra is a lethal fighter on the ground, while the eagle soars high in the sky to show its might. Whenever the two creatures go into battle, the eagle gets a homeground advantage by taking the cobra high into the sky, where the cobra becomes helpless and hopeless. Africans have long been reduced, and at times we reduce ourselves, to powerless and helpless cobras by fighting eagles in the sky instead of standing firm on our familiar ground. Former president Thabo Mbeki poetically infused us with pride in his speech titled…

A couple of years ago, Mark Heywood of public interest law centre Section27 spoke at a conference at a leading business school. It was shortly after the painful death of young Michael Komape in January 2014, who fell into a pit toilet and drowned. Heywood argued then, as I believe he would still, that we are not angry enough as a people, as a nation. That we seem to be too disengaged on matters that affect our society. That we make a noise for a but short period when incidents like children dying in pits happen, when violence is meted out on school grounds and when politicians engage in corrupt activities with no repercussions. I found myself reflecting on his sentiments as Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu released his findings on how…

Steinhoff International Holdings is close to reaching a potential deal on €10 billion (R192 billion) worth of legal claims lodged against the global retailer following an accounting scandal that almost wiped out the company, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. South African claimants, including former chairperson Christo Wiese, whose lawsuit amounts to R59 billion, had been offered a combination of cash and shares in Pepkor Holdings, one of the people said. It wasn’t immediately clear how much the settlement could amount to, the people said, asking not to be named because talks are continuing and a deal may not be reached. Steinhoff owns 68% of Pepkor, Africa’s largest clothing retailer. “I’m hopeful it will be soon,” Wiese said by phone, without being more specific on the timing…

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“I did not only lose a best friend, but I have also lost a sister and confidante. Mary [Twala] was everything to me. She has left a void in my life. I feel like a part of me is dead.” These are the moving words of veteran actress Mary Twala’s best friend, Lillian Dube, yesterday, following the news of her passing. Twala was 80. Her death was announced by her son, TV darling Somizi Mhlongo, on his social media platforms. “Today is my father’s birthday and my mum decided to respond to his call to join him in heaven. The tree has fallen. I am shattered to the core, but I would be selfish if I don’t release her. My mum lived to the fullest, achieved beyond her dreams. It…

A security risk assessment conducted at the North West residence of former ANC MP Nono Maloyi has revealed his calls, emails and SMS messages were being intercepted using a military-grade phone signal grabber – possibly by political opponents in the governing party. Maloyi is being punted for the position of ANC North West chairperson once Luthuli House gives the green light for the long-delayed provincial conference. The Gauteng-based security company that conducted the test, and which cannot be named as it is likely to be a witness in the ongoing investigation by the police and the office of the inspector general of intelligence, revealed that a person attached to the office of North West Premier Job Mokgoro was linked to the illegal interception through an “084” sim card number that…

Trainer and facilitator Cheryl Benadie, who runs the Whole Woman workshops to help women develop healthier relationship patterns, says: “Men who are abusive can often hide behind religion and, unfortunately, concerns from women raised in these circles are not taken seriously enough. Jealousy and obsession is not love.” TYPES OF ABUSE: Physical, psychological, emotional/mental, sexual, financial and spiritual. WAYS THAT MAPULA MASOBA CAN SEEK SAFETY: Benadie says Masoba is highlighting the weaknesses of the justice system in protecting victims of abuse. “Imagine someone who was living with an abuser – it would be even more difficult for them to seek the help they need to escape a dangerous situation. “To increase her level of safety, Masoba should perhaps think about staying with friends or family if she is currently living…

Auditor-General (AG) Kimi Makwetu’s new powers will be put to the test after three municipalities were found with material irregularities. Makwetu’s new powers came into effect in April 1 2019. The amended Public Audit Act had been extended so that Makwetu’s office could go after culprits allegedly responsible for irregular, unauthorised and wasteful expenditure. The act allows the AG’s office to identify material irregularities in municipalities. These are defined as any noncompliance with, or contravention of, legislation; fraud; theft; or a breach of a fiduciary duty identified during an audit performed under the Public Audit Act that resulted in – or is likely to result in – a material financial loss, the misuse or loss of a material public resource or substantial harm to a public sector institution or the…

Professor Zeblon Zenzele Vilakazi joined Wits University in January 2014 as the deputy vice-chancellor: research and postgraduate affairs, and was promoted to the position of vice-principal in April this year. He has served as the group executive for research and development at the Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA and as the director of iThemba Labs. Born in Katlehong in Ekurhuleni, Vilakazi obtained his PhD at Wits in 1998. He was one of the first students from Africa to conduct his PhD research at the European Centre for Nuclear Research (Cern) in Geneva, Switzerland. This was followed by a National Research Foundation postdoctoral fellowship, also at the Cern. On his return to South Africa, he lectured at the University of Cape Town, where he was instrumental in establishing South Africa’s first…

As the world’s attention has been held captive by the onslaught of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, a premier global platform for the nearly 40-year-old HIV epidemic is set to show that the HIV threat, now more than ever, still needs urgent prioritisation. The 23rd International Aids Conference – known as Aids 2020 – begins tomorrow and will run until Friday. However, as many conferences have been upended by the Covid-19 pandemic, it will go virtual, though still showcase the latest HIV science and advocacy. The conference – which is organised by the International Aids Society – is set to draw more than 20 000 participants from over 170 countries, and will be hosted in San Francisco and Oakland in the US. The last day of Aids 2020 will coincide and…

This week we learn how the young Shaka came to be under the protection of Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa. By this time Shaka had grown into a tall, muscular man with a forceful personality. When he was only 19, he killed a charging leopard single-handedly. Despite his energy and athletic physique, the young Shaka spent much time alone, brooding over revenge for the torment he and his mother had endured, but also dreaming of rewarding those who had been kind to them. Read on to find out how Shaka rose in the ranks of Dingiswayo’s army. Shaka: From Outcast to King South African Heritage Publishers 48 pages, illustrated R115 at bookstores In 1809, inkosi Jobe of the Mthethwa tribe died and his outcast son, Godongwana, who was only seven years…

Steamed Spinach Bread (Ujeqe) Says Lucia Mthiyane: “Now that I have warmed up to spinach, I find that it actually adds depth to the flavour of a whole range of dishes. “This recipe has its origin in the fact that I wanted to add an interesting twist to our conventional steamed bread. “It proved to be such a hit, not only with my friends but also on social media, that some people now consider this recipe ‘a national treasure’. I loved this response!” Makes one medium loaf to serve four Ingredients • 360g (3 cups / 750ml) flour • 10g (1 sachet) dry yeast • A pinch of salt • A pinch of sugar • 125ml warm water • 125ml warm milk • 1 large egg • 30ml vegetable oil…

‘I didn’t expect it, but it happened. I have to accept it and move on,” said Joseph Molangoane after he was released by Kaizer Chiefs this week. The 32-year-old utility player was let go by Amakhosi alongside George Maluleka and Kabelo Mahlasela following the expiry of their contracts on Tuesday. “I have beautiful memories with Chiefs, but, at the end of the day, you have to understand that it’s a business. I took this on the chin as a man and accepted it. I am a soldier and I’ll bounce back,” Molangoane told City Press on Friday. “And, let’s be realistic, my time at Chiefs would have ended at some point and it happened on Tuesday. I would have loved to be there for more years, but I respect their…

What if we changed gear on the Covid-19 coronavirus? What if we conceded the futility and counter-productivity of some of the virus containment strategies to date? What if our strategy shifted from a policing-centric to a behaviour-modification paradigm? What if we invested in ways to get most people to opt in regarding the Covid-19 containment quest and transcended the government as the saviour paradigm? What if we shifted our strategy to leadership as opposed to command and control? Would we do better in our Covid-19 situation? The law is a powerful instrument for behaviour modification and social change. But the law has its own limits. Firstly, to be obeyed voluntarily, the law must not only be just and fair, it must be seen and felt to be so. The law…

Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu leaves office in four months’ time and his replacement will have their work cut out for them. This week, Makwetu released audit outcomes for municipalities – the coalface of service delivery. Aptly titled “Not much to go around, yet not the right hands at the till”, the report tells the country what we pretty much already know, except that things are a lot worse now than they were a year ago. Irregular expenditure – fertile ground for corruption and theft of the little that is supposed to go towards service delivery – has increased by R7 billion to R32 billion. Makwetu this week said: “The discrepancies, as well as the departure from the prescribed regulations that govern the procurement of goods and services, have not been fixed.…

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This came to my mind after distraught friends complained to me about their bosses. It was a mission to comfort them. Firstly, a friend complained bitterly about her supervisor, or nduna, as they call him. “I thought women bosses were always petty towards other women employees but I was wrong.” I knew then trouble was coming. “Why do some men in positions of power tend to behave like women? I mean, how could he do this to me?” she asked, even before she could tell me her story. After going on a tirade she eventually calmed down and told me. During levels 5 and 4 of the national lockdown, the company had told employees to stay at home –…

Yesterday marked 100 days since South Africa entered the Covid-19 coronavirus national lockdown on March 26. During this time, the DA has launched several court challenges to the irrational and damaging lockdown regulations as well as the constitutionality of the Disaster Management Act. Some of these cases have been resolved, others are in the process of being appealed. In some instances, the mere threat of legal action was sufficient for government to reverse its decisions. And so I thought I’d give you a brief account of where we stand and why these court cases are of such importance to every South African. In short, if it weren’t for these challenges, the ANC government’s petty authoritarianism under the Disaster Management Act would have run amok. As it is, millions of people…

Do you know that there is a strange link between a disease and architecture? I didn’t, but was glad to stumble across an article in The New Yorker last month by Kyle Chayka titled How the Coronavirus will Reshape Architecture. It explains how TB came to shape modernist architecture in the early 20th century. So, if you’re living in a home with clean lines, white walls and crisp metal fixtures, you have TB to thank. Who’d have thought? TB has been around for thousands of years but it was only in 1882 that the real cause was identified by a German doctor, Robert Koch. By then the disease, commonly referred to as “consumption”, was part of life. So much so that the famous Swiss architect Le Corbusier designed his house…

Delays and bottlenecks at Cape Town’s harbour are costing South African fruit exporters millions of rands and adversely affecting the quality of fruit the country exports. The Western Cape government was also concerned that major international shipping companies had indicated they would no longer dock at the port, said David Maynier, the MEC for finance and economic opportunities. He has called on Pravin Gordhan, the minister of public enterprises, to urgently intervene in the matter. The harbour has been functioning ineffectively for years as a result of the systematic decline of infrastructure, backlogs in maintenance and an outdated, highly uncompetitive business model. The problems all came to a head when many of the harbour’s personnel contracted Covid-19. This had the effect of causing delays in the loading and unloading of…

There are many tools to help you navigate the road to financial success. These include a budget and using apps to track your spending. But what other tools are there to help you evaluate your financial position? Personal financial ratios are tools or calculations designed to help you evaluate your current financial strength and position. Doing these calculations at least once a year can give you a benchmark to help you work towards better financial health. NET WORTH CALCULATION The net worth calculation is in effect your personal balance sheet, which measures your assets versus your liabilities. The bigger your assets are, compared with your liabilities, the higher your net worth will be. • Net Worth = Assets – Liabilities SAVINGS RATIO A savings ratio is the level of savings…

World-renowned South African musician Nkosinathi “DJ Black Coffee” Maphumulo is the latest Mzansi celebrity to land up in trouble with the taxman. According to legal papers submitted by the award-winning record producer at the Johannesburg High Court recently, the 44-year-old, who is known for his sold-out shows across South Africa and internationally, may owe the SA Revenue Service (Sars) millions of rands. In court papers, he wrote that he was “being assessed to pay arrear income tax in the amount of R40 million by Sars”, but was able to negotiate his indebtedness to Sars “to an amount of R8 million, after making representation on my present financial position and inability to comply with R40 million assessment”. He also said he had reached an agreement with Sars to dispose of his…

For someone who started her music career professionally six years ago, winning the Black Entertainment Television (BET) award came as a complete shock for Amapiano queen Charmaine “Sha Sha” Mapimbiro. Last Sunday, the 25-year-old vocalist scooped the Best New International Act award at the 20th annual BET awards hosted virtually by American comedian and actress Amanda Seales. “I am still pinching myself,” she said this week. “I was sitting at home watching the awards with my sisters. They were the first to scream when my name was announced. There was this weirdness of calmness. A few minutes later, I was screaming and jumping, even though our complex security guards had to call me to order,” she laughs. The Zimbabwean-born singer did not even hesitate to share the great news with…

Gender-based violence (GBV) victim Bonolo Selaolo cannot wait to leave hospital so that she can open a case against her boyfriend, who stabbed and disemboweled her, leading to the loss of their unborn baby. What she does not know is that he is dead. After almost a month since the incident, Bonolo is yet to be told that the man she wants behind bars committed suicide after attacking her. Her sister, Brenda Selaolo, said they have been advised by doctors not to break the news to her just yet. “I went to see her in hospital last week and she asked if a case was opened and if her assailant was in jail. “I just told her we’re concentrating on her health for now and that she will open a…

Spending R249 million on consultants has not really helped Limpopo municipalities to manage their budgets, as only one of 27 municipalities received a clean audit outcome for the 2018/19 financial year. Auditor-general Kimi Makwetu said only six Limpopo municipalities – Capricorn District (in Polokwane), Waterberg District (Modimolle), Vhembe District (Thohoyandou), Mopani District (Giyani) and Collins Chabane (Malamulele) – improved their audit outcomes from the previous financial year. Three municipalities – Sekhukhune District and Elias Motsoaledi (both in Groblersdal) and Ephraim Mogale (Marble Hall) – have deteriorated financially. Of the total amount spent on consultants, R127 million was wasted when these municipalities failed to finalise their audits by the cut-off date. The consultants were hired to prepare the municipalities’ financial statements and fixed asset registers, while also rendering value-added tax services.…

Matiphandile Sotheni had always wanted to be a police officer like his father who had served in the Transkei Police for 50 years. After serving in the SA Police Service (SAPS) for many years, Sotheni joined the SAPS Special Task Force, the elite tactical unit, in 2010. “For me this was part of my lineage – of following in my father’s footsteps,” said Sotheni. But unbeknown to Sotheni, his decision to join the elite unit led to the end of his career as a police officer. “I have been brutalised and have been a victim of a system that bullies you till you crack,” said Sotheni, who quit last year to join a private security company. He alleged that he was victimised by the unit’s head, who he claimed wanted…

The economic sustainability of cross-border feeder towns to neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe has taken a massive beating during the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. In Musina, which is located about 15km from the Beitbridge border gate that separates Zimbabwe and South Africa, shop owners say the lockdown has practically destroyed their businesses. “We are struggling because business is bad right now because of the coronavirus. Most of our customers from Zimbabwe are not able to come and buy anymore, so we lose half of the customers,” said Rana Masut, who owns a shop in the small town of Musina. He said that, in the past three months, his income had dropped from roughly R6 000 per day to about R1 000 on a good day, due to the closure of international…

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has brought national decision-making processes into sharp focus. Many critical issues must be dealt with, and speedily; the virus has effectively put decision-makers into a pressure cooker. Government’s decision to send more pupils back to school tomorrow, before the virus has peaked, requires balancing a complex web of risks, interests and stakeholders. Everybody has something to say on the matter. This gives us key insight into how governance works in South Africa. Layered over the central debate of whether our children should return to school tomorrow or not is a question that fundamentally determines the broader success of our democracy. Has the will of the people, the “stakeholders” in this debate, been properly considered by our self-avowed government “for the people and by the people”, or…

When Proteas all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo recently announced a surprising desire to play 100 tests for South Africa, one could almost hear the cynical among us stifle a giggle. Contrasted against a growing reputation as a patron saint of lost causes in white ball cricket, the 11 wickets and highest score of nine Phehlukwayo has as mementoes from the four tests he has played – the last of which was two and a half years ago – hint broadly at his talents belonging in the limited formats of the game. But try telling that to his first franchise coach and former Proteas all-rounder Lance Klusener, who used lack of opportunity and the example of an omnipotent cricketing ginger to mount a case for the defence. “I think as soon as T20…

Kenya’s former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang has been banned for four years after violating anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced Friday. Kipsang, who claimed the world record during the 2013 Berlin marathon and is the only person to have beaten current record holder Eliud Kipchoge over the distance, was found guilty of “whereabouts failures and tampering by providing false evidence and witness testimony”. The AIU, World Athletics’ anti-doping arm, said Kipsang’s ban would run from January 10 this year, and all his results dating back to April 12 last year will be scrubbed. Kipsang has a fine marathon pedigree. Winner of a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, the 38-year-old police officer has won marathons in London (2012, 2014), New York (2014) and Berlin (2013)…

What is the appropriate remedy when councillors fail to fulfil their obligations to residents? This is the question that confronted Judge Igna Stretch in a case involving the Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Appearing before the judge on September 12, the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) pleaded for the dissolution of the municipal council. Passing her judgment on January 14, Stretch acceded to the request and, three months later, turned down the council’s application for appeal. Led by the ANC, the council is now pleading with the Supreme Court of Appeal to hear its case. This case puts a spotlight on why municipalities are deteriorating. Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu reported on Thursday that officials were getting more reckless with public money, and continued to award tenders to themselves and those…

The concept of déjà vu is considered to be one of the great mysteries of life, with countless theories proferred about why we occasionally get this sense that “I’ve been here before”. Those who have tried to get to the bottom of it include neurologists, psychologists, spiritualists and wacky hippies. Medical journals abound with studies of this concept. But because there is no new breakthrough to report today, we will skip right over it. Instead, let’s talk about the déjà vu moments experienced this week by South Africans. On Tuesday, MPs gathered for a virtual sitting of the National Assembly. One by one, they leaned into their microphones and blustered about their abhorrence of gender-based violence. They condemned the monsters who perpetrate these crimes and called for this or that…

It is significant when a political party or politicians who are or were members of Parliament (MPs) wake up one day and run to the courts to have laws they passed or left on our statute books for so long be declared unconstitutional. This may mean that the public is owed some change from their hefty salaries and some rent for using Parliament as a place to sleep during sessions instead of working hard for the people. Two significant cases came before the courts last month – one by the DA which wanted the Disaster Management Act declared unconstitutional and the other case brought by its former leader and founder of the One Movement SA Mmusi Maimane, who wanted schools shut down due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. In both…

They could have at least let him put on his clothes before demolishing his shack. But no, the bigger purpose – an insatiable appetite for humiliating black people in the land of their birth – was too strong for the Cape Town law enforcement officers. Even the phrase ‘law enforcement officers’ is an oxymoron because in enforcing the law, they violated the law, the Bill of Rights, which guarantees basic human rights for all citizens of the republic. A video of Bulelani Qolani being forcibly removed from his shack by law enforcement officers in Khayelitsha in Cape Town has been doing the rounds on social and mainstream media for days. Incidents of harassment, humiliation and the total disregard for black dignity have become serious issues in South Africa. Two weeks…

US President Donald Trump is furious at Germany for many reasons, not all of them fathomable. In phone conversations with Angela Merkel, he’s allegedly called the German chancellor “stupid” and denigrated her in “near-sadistic” tones. Though this be madness, as the Bard might say, there is – on rare occasions – method in it. One such case is Nord Stream 2. It is an almost-finished gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany, running right next to the original Nord Stream, which has been in operation since 2011. At a recent campaign rally, Trump roared: “We’re supposed to protect Germany from Russia, but Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars for energy coming from a pipeline. Excuse me, how does that work?” As is his wont, the president…

Capitec Bank clients who made use of payment breaks are set to benefit from a three-month 100% interest refund on their loans. The bank announced this relief measure last month while many South Africans are under financial strain due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The interest refund will be available to all clients who have taken up Capitec’s Covid-19 payment break or rescheduling relief plan between March 27 and June 30. Gerrie Fourie, chief executive of Capitec, said: “While payment holidays offer clients the temporary financial relief needed during this time, loans still incur interest, which increases the total cost of credit. “While this is only about 20% of our credit clients, we want to help them as much as possible during this time, which is why we will waive…