Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/19/2020 i City Press

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The presidency and the department of public service and administration are not following legal advice to suspend Public Service Commission (PSC) director-general Dovhani Mamphiswana. Moreover, their institution of a parallel investigation has nearly jeopardised Advocate Smanga Sethene’s investigation into alleged fraud and corruption involving Mamphiswana. A source with intimate knowledge of the investigations told City Press: “It seems that the presidency and [the minister of public service and administration] Senzo Mchunu are not fully backing the investigation, so the accused persons have become arrogant and uncooperative towards Sethene, while some employees who might have assisted by providing relevant information have chosen not to take part in the investigation, as no one thinks the findings will hold much weight. “The presidency and Mchunu have cast doubt on the legitimacy of Sethene’s…

Actress Buhle Samuels believes that her partnership with lingerie brand Bras N Things will help other curvy women to embrace, love and celebrate their figures, and spoil themselves with lingerie that makes them feel comfortable and confident. The 30-year-old, who plays the fierce Matshidiso on the SABC2 soap opera Muvhango, has partnered with Bras N Things, which creates “high-quality, on-trend lingerie, sleepwear and swimwear fashion to suit women across all stages of life and for all body shapes”. She says the partnership means a lot to her because growing up as a curvy girl led to her being body-shamed, which resulted in her being uncomfortable with her body shape. “I am not perfect. I have my own imperfections. I am not skinny; I have cellulite and a big bum. As…

Former president Nelson Mandela’s call for “human solidarity” is vitally important given “the vast inequalities that have been brought to the fore by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic”, said to UN secretary-general António Guterres, who yesterday delivered the 2020 Mandela Day lecture. While the lecture was dedicated to Mandela, who would have turned 102 this year, Guterres also paid tribute to Mandela’s daughter, Zindzi, who died this week. Guterres said: “The world is in turmoil. Economies are in free fall. We have been brought to our knees by a microscopic virus. The pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of our world. It has laid bare risks we have ignored for decades: inadequate health systems; gaps in social protection; structural inequalities; environmental degradation and the climate crisis. “The pandemic has brought home the…

A R3 million bribery scandal has led the EFF in North West’s JB Marks Local Municipality in Potchefstroom to expel one of its councillors and suspend another pending a disciplinary hearing. In voice notes City Press has heard, it appears that the EFF councillors negotiated a payment of R5 million as a reward for voting in favour of the municipal budget. A lot was at stake in the embattled municipality, which services Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp, after it failed to pass the R1.8 billion budget by June 30, which would have resulted in the council being dissolved. The budget was conditionally approved on July 3. The alleged bribe was discussed ahead of that meeting. Before the national lockdown began in March, the provincial government had placed the municipality under administration, but…

Mpumalanga politician Lindiwe Ntshalintshali (pictured) cost taxpayers R348 000 by staying in a hotel for about seven months because she was allegedly finicky and rejected six houses that were allocated to her. After her appointment as culture, sport and recreation MEC in May last year, Ntshalintshali stayed at the Emnotweni Sun Hotel in Mbombela until November, according to her department and the department of public works, resulting in a hefty R348 743.29 bill. The former Emalahleni Local Municipality mayor is the provincial ANC deputy secretary. She has been acting as secretary since former premier David Mabuza and former provincial deputy chairperson Violet Sowela were elected into the national executive committee in December 2017. The vacancies will be filled at the governing party’s long-overdue provincial conference. Officials from both departments, who…

Putting exercise bikes in offices and urging employees to use them just twice a week could slash their risk of heart disease or diabetes, scientists say. A study found that sessions lasting only eight minutes and 40 seconds every couple of days could be enough to improve heart health. Researchers claimed the short bursts of exercise would cut the risk of heart disease by up to 15%, as well as slash the odds of getting type 2 diabetes. The sessions improved how much oxygen people’s bodies could pump around in their blood, and made them fitter and healthier as a result. Putting the bikes in offices, the researchers said, took away people’s excuses of not having enough time or equipment to exercise regularly. One of those who took part in…

LUBABALO NGCUKANA lubabalo.ngcukana@citypress.co.za The DA in the Eastern Cape has opened a criminal case against the municipal manager of the Port Alfred-based Ndlambe Local Municipality over an irregular R111 million tender. Earlier this week, the official opposition in the province laid charges against Advocate Rolly Dumezweni at the Port Alfred Police Station. The case followed a judgment against the municipality in the Grahamstown High Court last week, in which Judge Phillip Zilwa found that a tender awarded to Quality Filtration Systems (QFS) to install a reverse osmosis plant was unlawful and irregular. The judgment also highlighted the irregular advance payment of R20 million to QFS, before a contract had been signed and no work had been done. Sikhumbuzo Venene, DA councillor in the municipality, said only Dumezweni would have been…

I have been with my therapist for about four years now. In that time, through tears and laughter, we have managed to pinpoint the source of most of my angst in life – food, erections and alcohol. My addiction to these three things is what keeps us together, and if it weren’t for the claims to my medical aid, I would call them the best relationships of my life. The sessions that aren’t about these demons that live inside me are fillers in the space. A bit about my work and business, but mostly she helps me try to untangle myself from these afflictions. My mother died when I was 12. On a cold Sunday night, she gave in to the cancer that had ravaged her body. The last time…

You can almost set your clock by when a racially fuelled flare-up involving transformation will break out in South Africa. And the over-the-top reaction to cricketer Lungi Ngidi’s comment about the Proteas marking the #BlackLivesMatter movement in yesterday’s 3TC charity match was a case in point. With more division and finger-pointing in the offing in future, SA Cricketers’ Association (Saca) president and Lions batsman Omphile Ramela spoke to City Press about what a sustainable solution to an age-old problem would look like. ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THE #BLACKLIVESMATTER MOVEMENT HAS ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE IN SA? In South Africa – not only in cricket, but also in society – the plight of black people has been put in the back, so one shouldn’t have been surprised there was resistance. There’s already resistance…

Since Safa has taken a stance not to respond to my previous enquiries, I’ve decided to address my questions through this platform. The last time they responded to my questions was through a press release and I implore them to do so again so that the public can be informed. I’ve sent media enquiries to the association on several occasions, but – sadly – it’s never even acknowledged receipt of them. To me, this is a clear indication that it considers me persona non grata. However, that won’t deter me and I’ll continue holding Safa accountable for its actions. There are many questions I’d like to pose to the association, but I’ll limit them to just a few in this issue: • The last time anything was said about the…

Teams must ensure that all necessary precautions have been taken by players and staff to mitigate the chances of contracting the virus at least 14 days prior to the resumption of training Teams will, prior to commencing training, provide proof of Covid-19 testing (one test at least two days and at most seven days prior to the resumption of training) Players and staff must have done pre-training medicals prior to resuming training. Any chronic medical conditions must be identified and reported, and appropriate medical treatment must be implemented Any person who tests positive for Covid-19 will not be permitted to resume training If screening results raise a concern, but the test is negative, the individual will not be permitted to train and will undergo Covid-19 testing 72 hours later All…

In 1994, South Africa was the most unequal country in the world, with the highest level of poverty and unemployment. A key objective of the Constitution was to transform this scenario. Sadly, 26 years later, we retain that status. As we commemorate Nelson Mandela’s 102nd birthday, we reflect on his profound words that poverty is man-made, and hence should be fixed by man. And, I add, so are the other social sins of inequality, hunger, crime and corruption. After 1994, government embarked on the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and BEE to address the huge disparities in the labour market. However, there was not much traction, so government abandoned the RDP and embarked on the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for SA. Later in 2012, the fourth democratic administration adopted…

If you live on planet Earth, you will by now know that Real Madrid were crowned champions of the Spanish LaLiga this week, lifting the trophy with a game to spare. Better still, you should have been in front of your television to witness first-hand that bittersweet moment when Sergio Ramos lifted the trophy inside an empty stadium. If you did not witness that moment, then you need to explain – very slowly and deliberately – what it is that you were doing on Thursday night between 9pm and 11pm that was more important than watching Madrid win. What made the moment even more worthy of appreciation was that, as the Galácticos were triumphing, that club of backward Catalan separatists was being shamed by average, mid-table dwellers Osasuna. That was…

It’s been some days since I learnt the tragic news of your passing. That you passed on the same day as Dad, Thembekile, is a synchronicity I can’t even comprehend. I remember your telling me how close the two of you were and that your love of jazz stems from him; that he introduced you to jazz. Mazet, how do I even put pen to paper and eulogise you, when I can’t even wrap my head around the fact that you are no longer breathing; that I will never see you smile nor hear your hoarse voice calling me Ndindi? You were so much more to me than an aunt, you were my big sister, owing to the fact that we are a mere five years apart in age. From…

Companies that have been investigated or found guilty of price increases of as much as 1 918% for essential Covid-19-related products have already paid more than R14.05 million in fines. Of this, R5.5 million has been donated to the Solidarity Fund and more than R508 000 worth of essential goods have been donated, said the Competition Commission this week. According to Siyabulela Makunga, the commission’s spokesperson, the R14.05 million is for settlements and agreements that have been confirmed by the Competition Tribunal. It does not include fines of R1.2 million and R76 040, which the tribunal imposed on Dis-Chem and Babelegi Workwear & Industrial Supplies, respectively. In both cases, the companies have lodged appeals, which will be heard in the Competition Appeal Court, he said. To date, the commission has…

Crowd1 is an appbased multilevel marketing platform with Swedish backers. It is being marketed specifically in South Africa and Nigeria as a way to reach “financial freedom”. Members or affiliates pay between R1 800 and R45 000 – in euros – for “education packages” that allow them to become a seller in the Crowd1 network. While members will be given access to potential future revenue from selling external companies’ digital products, it appears that the main revenue stream for affiliates is currently recruiting and selling education packages to new members. It is this structure, which some claim resemble a pyramid scheme, that concerns the South African authorities and has seen the platform banned by the Bank of Namibia, and the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, and Norway’s lotto authority warning…

Despite claims during the South African Crowd1 sales webinar that the company is registered in Spain with claims of protection through EU law for investors, it is in fact registered in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Payments made for packages appear to go through a bank in Malta. One is discouraged from buying packages through bank transfers or credit card transactions. Instead, Bitcoin is the preferred payment. The only way to get your money out is to either buy a gift card for someone else to buy a package through Bitcoin. Crowd1 has created its own currency based on Crowd1 Business Points (BP) with one BP equal to €0.1. The terms and conditions have been very carefully written to absolve the organisation of any responsibility: “All information provided regarding…

Eating too much red meat could speed up the ageing process as scientists claim that maintaining healthy levels of iron in the blood could be the key to a longer life. Researchers from Scotland and Germany analysed the genetic data of more than 1 million people to determine why some people’s bodies age at different rates. Their findings could help accelerate the development of drugs to help treat various age-related diseases – including heart disease and dementia. The team’s genetic analysis did not reveal the optimum amount of iron one should be getting as part of one’s daily diet. However, the NHS recommends 14.8mg a day for women aged 19 to 50 and 8.7mg daily for men older than 18 and for women 50 and older. “We are very excited…

Treasury has withheld the remaining equitable share and conditional grants for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in the Eastern Cape over the legality of the appointment of acting municipal manager Mvuleni Mapu because of serious charges he once faced. Between R800 million and R1.2 billion had been due to the metro for the remainder of this financial year, but Treasury has taken a hard line, setting a precedent for municipalities countrywide that have been found to ignore due process and compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). In a letter Treasury sent to the metro on Wednesday, Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo wrote: “The one critical reason that informed the intention to withhold the equitable share was the appointment of [Mapu], which – in the absence of a council…

Nkululeko Nciza, known as Ciza Liza, is following in the footsteps of his parents – Mafikizolo’s Nhlanhla Nciza and her former husband, Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza, of the once highly popular TS Records. Ciza is no stranger to headlines. Last year, his lavish matric dance attire set social media abuzz. His debut single, Come Alive, which is now out, marks his foray into the world of music as he follows the map charted by his parents. Asked what made him choose to pursue this path, his answer is immediate. “I’m confident that I know my craft. I know for sure that listeners will experience love, joy and happiness from my music and they’ll dance in ways they’ve never danced before. There’ll always be good vibes when listening to Ciza. “I’ve said…

Allegations of political influence have cast doubt over the upcoming selection process for the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) board. The shortlisting process by the joint subcommittee of the portfolio committee on women, youth and persons with disabilities, and the select committee on health and social services has been peppered by allegations of political influence amid calls for a review of the process. It has been alleged that some of the 30 shortlisted candidates do not meet the general requirements necessary to serve on a board that manages a budget of approximately R500 billion. The candidates will be interviewed to fill seven vacancies following the expiry of the term of the previous board in May. One of the candidates does not have a higher education qualification and has minimal work…

Sometime in 2024, marking the start of the new post-Covid-19 era, President Cyril Ramaphosa finds himself humiliated as he governs only half of South Africa. The other half is now called Hartland, Africa’s 56th independent state under the control of minority communities including “white, brown and Indian population groups”. A cunning laughter is heard all the way from Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the few provinces that will remain untouched by the wave of secession given momentum last year by a Western Cape-based game hunter under the banner of the civil rights group, Verenigde Vryheids Alliansie or the United Liberty Alliance (ULA). Like DA federal chairperson Helen Zille, the new civil rights group’s leader Heinrich Marx (60) also believes that there are too many “race-based” laws in South Africa today.…

The debate over the impact of alcohol on gender-based violence should be considered in the context of the historical fractures and tensions that still plague South Africa today. We’re a society that speaks the language of violence. We learn it at an early age and men, in particular, expression their pain, shame, anxieties and stresses through it. Therein lies the rub. We face a multitude of simultaneous pressures in daily South African life – some inherited, some quotidian and some attributable to, if not exacerbated by, the current moment. The Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of lockdown are taking place amid historical and inherited pressures such as growing inequality, unemployment and poverty, rampant drug and alcohol abuse in many regions, and escalating gender-based violence and child abuse. These are the…

Almost 200 years ago, Langalibalele and his amaHlubi defied authority – first that of amaZulu and later of the British. The concept of the land belonging to a colonial government and subject to colonial law was foreign to Langalibalele and his people. After all, was he not the leader of amaHlubi? Why should his people work for the colonial government, building roads for it without pay when they could be using their time to further the interests of their tribe? The prospering amaHlubi struggled to live on the small territory allocated to them, so Langalibalele let them spread out into what he still thought of as land belonging to the clan. Read on to find out how the conflict escalated between amaHlubi and the British. The Rebellion of Langalibalele SA…

• Kelso Peskin Age: 25 Club: Stade Brestois 29 Féminines Country: France • Jermaine Seoposenwe Age: 26 Club: SC Braga Feminino Country: Portugal • Nothando Vilakazi Age: 31 Club: EDF Logroño Femenino Country: Spain • Amanda Mthandi Age: 24 Club: Club de Fútbol Femenino Badajoz Country: Spain • Janine van Wyk Age: 33 Club: Glasgow City FC Country: Scotland • Bambanani Mbane Age: 30 Club: FC Dinamo Minsk Country: Belarus • Refiloe Jane Age: 27 Club: AC Milan Country: Italy • Linda Motlhalo Age: 22 Club: Djurgårdens IF Country: Sweden • Regina Mogolola Age: 27 Club: Red Star Belgrade Country: Serbia • Zanele Nhlapo Age: 28 Club: KF Apolonia Fier Country: Albania • Rachel Sebati Age: 27 Club: ALG Spor Country: Turkey • Letago Madiba Age: 29 Club: ALG Spor…

Today sees the third race in as many weeks, the Hungarian Grand Prix, staged at the Hungaroring on the outskirts of the capital, Budapest. The season opening doubleheader in Austria created two very different races, but Mercedes ultimately held their dominance. Lewis Hamilton took top honours at the Styrian Grand Prix, making amends for his performance in the opening race of the season. Both Mercedes and their drivers, however, have suggested that they are still way ahead of the rest of the pack. Valtteri Bottas holds a championship lead after winning the Austria Grand Prix, and he proved that he has the making of a potential world champion after storming to second place in the second race last Sunday. But it is too early to say that the four-point lead…

Beast Mode is about applying yourself and defying limitations Tipped for relegation and shown little hope of encouragement from the media, Wycombe Wanderers defied naysayers and are now in the EFL Championship for the first time in their history. But even though it has been a remarkable season for the club, and manager Gareth Ainsworth has described the campaign as “writing a new hit”, most of the headlines have been about the real journeyman footballer with Nigerian roots, Adebayo Akinfenwa. The club itself has only been in the football league since 1993, avoiding relegation to the English non-League six seasons ago, but their headline victory over Oxford United in the play-off final was brushed aside as star player Akinfenwa stole the limelight. The 38-year-old’s spectacular post-match interview with Sky Sports…

Education has always been an issue that cuts close to our emotions. This is heightened in these times when parents have to decide how to best protect their children from getting infected with the Covid-19 coronavirus while not neglecting their educational interests. There is no national survey on this, but it is clear that most parents fear that their children could get exposed to the virus at school, hence many are calling for the schooling calendar to be either scrapped or deferred until after the peak of infections. It is not just parents who are concerned – the World Health organisation (WHO), the foremost global authority on matters of this nature, this week advised that it was unwise to send children back to school when the virus was at its…

Stop digging When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. That is a wise adage that Eastern Cape MECs are just not paying heed to. This week, after the provincial government had been caught in all sorts of scandals that revealed their incompetence and lack of care with funds, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Xolile Nqatha added a layer of buffoonery, telling Parliament that, even though “it’s not an issue we should be competing about”, there were provinces that were more corrupt than the Eastern Cape. “I know provinces where government collapsed and the national government had to intervene and take over.” Booze crusade We know that the reasons behind reimposing the alcohol ban are valid and mainly put in place to preserve space at hospitals for more…

The recent state-ordered evictions in the middle of a global pandemic and a harsh winter remind South Africans about the unanswered land question. These forced removals exacerbate longstanding race, class and gender socioeconomic inequalities highlighted by the societal impact of Covid-19. Black working-class citizens – excluded from the economy and with minimal access to public goods such as land – are at the receiving end of these evictions. The rationale provided by government authorities cites previous court rulings, zoning regulations and future spatial development plans. The evictions are taking place notwithstanding the fact that regulations published in terms of the Disaster Management Act prohibit evictions under the national lockdown. The state has also attempted to justify its conduct by relying on artificial distinctions between evictions and counter-land invasions. All these…

The G20, which consists of governments and governors from 19 countries and the EU, may this weekend have to consider expanding help for the poorest countries three months after agreeing to provide temporary debt relief, as the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage nations. Central bankers and finance ministers from the G20 will hold a virtual meeting this weekend to discuss and coordinate phased efforts to spur global economic recovery. Looking beyond just debt relief efforts will be part of the discussion. Covid-19 is spreading faster in the Americas and Africa compared with during the G20’s previous meeting in April, when the bulk of infections were in Asia and Europe. The rate of infections and debt costs are crowding out health and social expenses. Unprecedented stimulus from the largest central…

There may yet be a storm or a series of peaks in Covid-19 coronavirus infections before a vaccine emerges. The major victims will be older working people whose immune systems have been compromised by a lifetime of malnutrition, and harsh living and working conditions. But the advent of a vaccine should rouse working people the world over to ensure that, at least in this regard, the basic human right to healthcare is observed. Without a fight, that universally agreed right will continue to be largely ignored because healthcare is a massive moneymaking machine, behind which stand some of the most sinister profitable corporations in the world – pharmaceutical companies. This is a business sector where bribery, corruption and other malpractice in the pursuit of profits is well documented. And such…

The average member of a pension fund in South Africa has eight times less of their annual salary in their pension fund when they retire. This means that only six out of 100 people who contribute to a pension fund can retire comfortably with an income equal to 75% of their annual salary. This picture has emerged from data gathered by financial services company Alexander Forbes as part of the annual Member Watch survey, which focuses on the behaviour of the more than 1 million members of pension funds that the firm administers. Vickie Lange, the head of best practice at Alexander Forbes, said South Africans should be contributing 17% of their income to a pension fund for at least 40 years for them to be able to retire at…

TV actress Cindy Mahlangu is rumoured to be romantically linked with Bafana Bafana and French side Amiens SC midfielder Bongani Zungu, who may be moving over to Scottish giants Rangers. Rumours of the love affair started making the rounds earlier this year after the 27-year-old former Mamelodi Sundowns player posted flirty messages between himself and the actress. Last week, Zungu featured the actress on Instagram Live, with the accompanying caption: “Fav me.” He then posted a painting he had received as a gift for his birthday from Mahlangu. “Very thoughtful. Thank you, Cindy,” followed by heart emojis. The pair was also seen getting cosy while chatting on Instagram Live. During that conversation, Mahlangu asked whether Zungu watched The Queen, which she used to star in. The football ace said he…

Former abaThembu acting king Azenathi Dalindyebo has been accused of using the courts as a platform to insult his father, King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. The two royals, who have been at loggerheads over who has control of the kingdom, crossed swords at the Mthatha High Court on Thursday after Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane removed Azenathi as acting king and reaffirmed Dalindyebo as the monarch. Buyelekhaya’s legal representative, Advocate Dali Mpofu SC, tore into the court application brought by Azenathi and amaDlomo royal family chairperson Nkosi Thandisizwe Mtirara to challenge his removal. Azenathi’s legal representative, Advocate Apla Bodlani, argued that the applicants had not been given a hearing by the premier when he reviewed Azenathi’s acting period – a process that led to his being deposed and his father reinstated as…

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga (pictured) says she has not lost touch with the reality poor communities face. Motshekga, who has been widely criticised for reopening schools during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, says she grew up in a township and has not abandoned her roots. “I am a township girl and that is where I grew up. All my siblings are in the townships. All my life, I have lived in the township and I have not lost touch. I continue to function in the community as a deployee. My constituency is in the townships. I have not lost contact with my parents. On a regular basis, I visit schools in townships. Actually, our main interest is in supporting pupils who are most vulnerable,” Motshekga said. She was responding to…

Four companies benefited from a windfall of almost R240 million after a municipality in Limpopo awarded them the exclusive right to skip the tedious process of bidding for tenders. The Mopani District Municipality’s officials opted for the rarely used Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) method to award tenders. Under this method, construction companies bid to be placed on a panel of contractors. Once that’s done, the companies are asked to submit only quotations for tenders that aren’t advertised for fair and competitive bidding. The rationale behind using such framework agreements, according to the CIDB website, is that it saves the parties from procuring services on the open market every time they require work to be done. This exclusive arrangement saw Selby Construction, Mbanga Trading Enterprise, Zenobia Trading 242 and Leap…

Kabza De Small I am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust Available on all streaming platforms ••••- You might be thinking that, as Covid-19 has stopped the cats pouncing so regularly and stopped the nightclubs from jumping, amapiano would have slowed down. It hasn’t. If anything, the lockdown has allowed this genre to anoint a crown ruler, and his name is Kabza De Small. This man might be one of the hardest working artists behind the decks. I’d opine that the only other person who works as hard is his mentor and collaborator Maphorisa, who served as an executive producer on this latest album. Kabza calls himself the king of amapiano and lays down close to 30 tracks on two discs, Dust and Sweet. Starting with Sthandwa featuring Tyler…

NFD clubs will only know this week how the PSL plans to settle their campaign. Ajax Cape Town, Swallows FC, Uthongathi and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila were all on course for promotional berths, but their progress was, like most of the leagues around the world, halted in March due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. While some Absa Premiership teams are already heading into the third week of training, the majority of the GladAfrica Championship campaigners have been struggling to return to training as they are yet to meet the minimum Covid-19 safety and health compliance standards. Worse, there is now confusion and uncertainty about the resumption of play locally. City Press’ efforts to confirm the number of teams that have met compliance requirements with the PSL’s compliance officer Michael Murphy were…

The proposed loan scheme for teams, announced by PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza this week, has been welcomed by clubs, but the initiative could be a debt trap if not managed carefully, some warn. PSL clubs face financial ruin because of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Games have been suspended since March and Khoza admitted that clubs were going through a stressful period. The last grant for the suspended 2019/20 season was paid on June 30, the league’s boss confirmed this week. Going forward, clubs would have to find alternative funding avenues to run their operations. The PSL is so desperate to complete the season that it wanted to restart games yesterday. However, that was scuppered because match officials were not ready, according to the league’s press statement after their board of…

The years leading up to the unbanning of liberation movements in 1990 were brutal and uncompromising, as a low-level civil war played itself out in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was the galvanising face, the personality, the leader who drove South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. Under his leadership, the country was propelled into its greatest 10 years of growth and international recognition. His core philosophies offered a chance at peace in a deeply divided nation. Reconciliation and redress were core beliefs, and so was the importance of personal responsibility in taking the country forward to unity and strength. In honour of Mandela’s contribution, and the thousands who gave their lives in the fight for liberation, South Africa recognises the day of his birth as a national day of celebration,…

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has changed the care and consolation we once found our greatest refuge in when saying goodbye to a loved one. The virus is changing not only the way we live, but also the way we deal with death. Every culture and family have their own customs and rituals for mourning loved ones – whether it’s a night vigil with their body before the burial or sharing a meal with family and friends afterwards. But the one thing all these customs and traditions have in common is the social connection. Unfortunately, this pandemic has driven a wedge between us and these important moments of connection. Coping with grief, for as long as I’ve known it, has relied on social connections. To be with and find comfort in…

We gathered on an icy-cold Friday morning as the winds of ageless sorrows blew chills deep into our troubled, confused and aching hearts. In heavy clothing, we tried to resist the gusts, but the winds were harsh and penetrating. Soon we realised that there was no defence strong enough to thwart the pain of death – especially when it is unanticipated, unprepared for and unbelievable. We realised there was no song, no words and no silence that could soothe the agony of this loss. In such circumstances, the heart flounders in bitter waters, swept along by the heavy stream of grief. The heart, clinging to what it loves and seeking immortality in the face of mortality, refuses to accept. It looks away, throwing human understanding into radical denial. “It can’t…

Every July 18, we are encouraged to respond to former president Nelson Mandela’s call to take on the burden of leadership by addressing the world’s social injustices. On Nelson Mandela International Day, or in honour of this day, individuals and corporates engage in many charitable initiatives, such as dedicating a morning to spending time with kids in underprivileged schools; visiting old-age homes to offer treats and company to the elderly; and donating toys, books, clothing and food to families in need. This year, the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic makes many of these activities unsafe. Precautionary measures mean we need to keep our physical distance from the people who may most need our help. They also mean we can’t as easily record and showcase our good hearts on social media platforms or…

GET ADVICE Losing a job is a financially and emotionally stressful situation. Consider advice before you make any major decisions. Although you will have to make financial choices, this also means proper budgeting and cost cutting. But you have to think it through carefully says Vickie Lange, head of best practice at Alexander Forbes. CONTINUE TO PAY YOUR MEDICAL AID CONTRIBUTIONS AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS In this way, you can avoid further financial stress in case something unforeseen happens. Ensure that you and your family have a medical aid plan that meets your needs. Rather cut back on luxuries and reduce any money waste so that you can stay up to date with your premiums. CONSULT AN ACCREDITED ADVISER The personal financial circumstances of people differ from individual to individual, and…