Innholdsfortegnelse for Saturday, December 5, 2020 i Pretoria News Weekend

Reprieve for outstanding licence holders to 2021 STAFF REPORTER GOVERNMENT has announced that licences which expire by the end of this year remain valid until August next year. This comes as local authorities deal with a huge backlog in renewing licences after services were interrupted during lockdown. According to a governmnet gazette, learner’s, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expire between March 26 this year and December 31 will have an extended period of validity. Currently licencing centres in Gauteng are opening earlier and even on weekends to try and clear the backlog.…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA TRAVEL DURING PANDEMIC Do not board an overloaded vehicle. Ensure that you sanitise your hands before boarding, regularly during the trip and when disembarking. Avoid touching handrails and vehicle doorsEMMA CORDER MANY travellers will be using public transport this festive season to travel to visit family and friends. The movement of people is one of the quickest ways in which a virus is spread due to the close contact for prolonged periods. Go to: www.iol.co.za/travel/travel-tips…

Ndlovu in the Pink with new song SOUTH Africa’s Ndlovu Youth Choir has a new collaboration, this time with singer Pink, and a rendition of A Million Dreams for the Unicef Changemaker event on December 1. The song, which became famous in the film The Greatest Showman, has been described by some as “better than the original”. The Ndlovu Youth Choir rose to fame as finalists on season 14 of America’s Got Talent, and their powerful harmonies blend seamlessly with Pink’s voice. On YouTube, Pink also said that it was an honour to work with the choir. “Although we were thousands of miles apart due to the pandemic, we were connected by Unicef’s lifesaving mission of putting children first. Join me in supporting Unicef by donating to their lifesaving work…

LAID BACK Follow the arrow to the end JOUBERT MALHERBE A GREAT, albeit lesser known, but excellent musician-cum-poet whom I got to know during my time in England was a guy called Martin Newell. He spent time in the Brighton area close to Hassocks, the Sussex village where I lived, just inland from the south coast. He was a mate of the better known singer-songwriter Captain Sensible, who used to be with legendary punk rock band, The Damned. Captain (real name, Ray Burns) lived in the hamlet at the food of the South Downs. Newell had a great, if somewhat esoteric, album called The Greatest Living Englishman, featuring all rather lovely and melodic jingle-jangle guitars. One song eulogises the “lazy days of summer” and it’s rather glorious. It was this…

Iconic Restaurant Mosaic to close in March STAFF REPORTER THE iconic Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient Hotel west of Pretoria is closing its doors after 15 years, owner Chantel Dartnall announced on social media this week. When Dartnall opened the restaurant, she had the vision to introduce South Africa's culinary landscape to the finesse, flavour and artistry that is unique to her style of botanical cuisine. She has become one of South Africa’s most celebrated chefs: named TBC Best Female Chef in the World in 2017 and Chef of the Year by the Hospitality Counsel, the Restaurant Association of SA, the Haute Grandeur Global Restaurant Awards and the Eat Out Awards. Restaurant Mosaic has been listed among the top 100 restaurants in the world for some time and is also…

COVID-19 VACCINE Apologies after Fauci slams UK INFECTIOUS disease expert and top US adviser Anthony Fauci said yesterday he was reacting to gloating by a British television interviewer when he criticised that country’s quick approval of the first coronavirus vaccine. Fauci, longtime director of a leading US government health agency and member of the White House corona-virus task force, apologised for his comments on Thursday. “It was just one of those things where I sat down in front of the TV with a British TV station and the first thing they said was, ‘Ah, we beat you guys. We beat the Americans to the punch’. And I kind of reacted back at him when I think I probably should not have done,” Fauci told NBC’s Today show. British…

CARPING POINT Living in an alternative reality KEVIN RITCHIE @RitchKev IT WASN’T 27 years, it was a bit more than 27 days, but that didn’t stop Andile Lungisa stretching out his traipse from Port Elizabeth’s St Alban’s prison to his victorious press conference as his own Long Walk to Freedom. The former ANC Youth League firebrand, best known for assaulting a DA councillor with a water jug at Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Council and his Stalingrad bid all the way to the Concourt to avoid spending a night in the cells, was full of revolutionary fervour this week after serving two-and-a-half months of his original three-year sentence. He’s out on parole. A sixth of three years is six months, but since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 12-month remission last December,…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA LUTHULIS LED BY INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, SELFLESSNESS AND REVOLUTIONARY MORALITY The burning of the house of the offender is not a permissible punishment for arson. The rape of the offender is not a permissible punishment of a rapist. Why should murder be a permissible punishment for murder?ISMAIL MAHOMEDChief Justice of South Africa and the Supreme Court of Namibia An extract of a lecture delivered by Under-Secretary General and Executive Director: UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the Annual Chief Albert Luthuli Lecture.…

3 THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 The Undoing S1: M-Net, 9.30pm This psychological thriller, based on the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, focuses on a successful couple whose lives begin to unravel on the eve of the wife’s book launch. Starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Texas-Sized Medium: Travel Channel, 9.10pm Self-titled redneck ghost hunter RJ Warren is a paranormal investigator who hails from Waco, Texas. Towering over his clientele at 2m tall, he is part therapist, part psychic medium and part supernatural expert. and the dead. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 Titan Games S2: M-Net, 7.30pm Hosted by Dwayne Johnson, the show offers everyday people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in endurance-based mental and physical challenges designed to test the mind, body and heart.…

Tax Ombud recoups millions for taxpayers THE TOP 10 tax refunds paid between April 1 last year and March 31 this year to taxpayers who laid complaints against the SA Revenue Service (Sars) with the Office of the Tax Ombud amounted to R116 million, with the single biggest refund being R52m. These figures were revealed by Tax Ombud Judge Bernard Makgabo Ngoepe at the launch of his 2019/20 annual report this week at which he emphasised that “saving R500 is as important as saving business millions of rand”. Judge Ngoepe said: “In addition to helping promote a balance between the powers and duties of Sars, and taxpayer rights and obligations, we also provided much-needed assistance to taxpayers who had valid complaints against the revenue collector. “We resolved 1 993 taxpayers’…

Bezuidenhout, Donaldson share lead at Sun City CHRISTIAAN Bezuidenhout maintained his push for back-to-back victories on the Sunshine Tour and European Tour’s South African Swing, but he still has company at the top of the South African Open leaderboard going into the weekend at the Gary Player Country Club. Bezuidenhout signed for a second consecutive 67 yesterday to climb to 10 under par at the halfway stage of this tournament. While he broke free of the six-way tie for the lead he shared after day one, Welshman Jamie Donaldson went with Bezuidenhout and also came through the second round at 10 under par following a sublime 63. They are two strokes clear of Dean Burmester and Dylan Frittelli, who posted rounds of 69 and 68 respectively. Bezuidenhout seems in perfect…

Saved by friend from the jaws of death ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za WHAT was supposed to be a relaxing outing turned horror story for two friends after being caught in the jaws of a crocodile. But Gerard Daffue did not hesitate when he saw the huge jaws closing around his friend Bertie Fick’s leg. He fought the crocodile off with all his might, injuring himself. Both men are in hospital being treated for their wounds. It all started last Friday when the friends decided on a quick getaway to go fishing at the Rust de Winter Dam, north of Pretoria. Fick’s sister, Mercia du Plessis, told the Pretoria News that her brother had walked into the water to cast his line when the crocodile appeared out of the depths and attacked…

Meeting up with Miss SA at Time Square I MET Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida, and was impressed. From keeping step in the hit song Jerusalema, holding her poise as she presented a punter with a cheque for R1million, or sipping on a glass of red wine and chatting, she was at ease. Last weekend I had the pleasure of getting to know Shudu, who was crowned a month ago during a virtual event I watched on TV with my daughter. She was a guest at Sun International's Time Square, Pretoria, for the glitzy and glamorous finale of the Black Pearl Roulette competition, a great event after months in which the Arena stood empty due to lockdown. And, placed at her table were a select few, among them three journalists…

COURT Matsena family relieved case continues RAPULA MOATSHE rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za THE Pretoria Magistrate's Court yesterday set a trial date for a 29-year-old man charged with murder of ANC MPL Mapiti Matsena, who was stabbed to death at his Doornpoort home on July 15. The trial is scheduled to take place from April 19 to 30 next year at the Gauteng North High Court, Pretoria. The accused, Francis Thoka Monoko, is expected to be represented by a Legal Aid lawyer. Monoko told the court yesterday he did not have witnesses to testify on his behalf when the matter resumes. The State, on the other hand, indicated that there would be a number of witnesses to testify against the accused. The pending proceedings would take place after months of postponements due to delayed…

FALSE REGISTRATIONS OF BIRTHS, DEATHS ABOUND Probe into avalanche of blocked IDs MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE Home Affairs Department is investigating close to a million “blocked” IDs that were found to be suspicious, duplicate or fraudulently issued with falsified supporting documents. This was revealed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi when he was responding in writing to Parliamentary questions from EFF MP Lorato Tito. Tito had enquired about the total number of cases of blocked IDs in his department. She also wanted to know how long it took his department to investigate and resolve the matter of blocked IDs. In his written response, Motsoaledi said the department had 813343 identified cases of blocked IDs falling under different categories. “The afore-mentioned total includes cases that have to remain blocked as…

Exradition request for Bushiri couple ZELDA VENTER Picture: Instagram A FORMAL request for the extradition of controversial priest Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary was issued by the South African government yesterday on the government of Malawi. The ministry of justice and correctional services, confirmed that the extradition request for the Bushiris has been served in terms of Article 6 of the SADC Protocol on extradition as well as in terms of the extradition agreement between the two countries. Spokesperson for Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, Chrispen Phiri, said the law provides for the extradition request to be submitted within 30 days. However, in this case, it was being brought within a period of two weeks since the pair left the country illegally. He said the submission follows a request for…

A show to rock you in a right royal manner PIETER Toerien and Mzansi Ballet are bringing back The Queen Show. As the name suggests, the show honours the famous rock band, but also included dance. Described as family-friendly, and having performed to acclaim in Brazil, it opens on December 11 at Montecasino. The show is choreographed by Michael Revie with his wife, Angela Revie and includes in the cast Craig Arnolds, who recently starred in Chicago, Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni and Aviwe November, alongside Lize Mentz, Page McElliot, Alison Sichy Smth, Nehanda Pehuillan and Tsebang Sipambo. Fresh from a successful season earlier in 2020, The Queen Show director and ballet advocate, Dirk Badenhorst, is delighted to be back entertaining live audiences. Tickets are available from Computicket and range from R150 to…

Guide to the 50 best books of 2020 across all genres STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph has released its guide to the best books of 2020, including history, crime fiction, poetry, music books and other genres. They recommend: 50. English Pastoral by James Rebanks 49. Summer by Ali Smith 48. My Wild and Sleepless Nights by Clover Stroud 47. Stephen Hawking by Leonard Mlodinow 46. Haldane by John Campbell 45. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet 44. Let’s Do It by Jasper Rees 43. Going Dark by Julia Ebner 42. Ladies Can’t Climb Ladders by Jane Robinson 41. Broken Greek by Pete Paphides 40. Mussolini’s War by John Gooch 39. Hollywood’s Eve by Lili Anolik 38. The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan 37. Head, Hand, Heart by David Goodhart 36. Hamnet…

UNITED NATIONS ‘2021 shaping up to be a humanitarian catastrophe’ NEW YORK: Next year is shaping up to be a humanitarian catastrophe and rich countries must not trample poor countries in a “stampede for vaccines” to combat the coronavirus pandemic, top UN officials told the 193-member UN General Assembly yesterday. World Food Programme chief David Beasley and World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke during a special meeting on Covid-19, which emerged in China late last year and has so far infected 65 million globally. The pandemic, measures taken by countries to try to stop its spread and the economic impact have fuelled a 40% increase in the number of people needing humanitarian help, the UN said earlier this week. It has appealed for $35 billion (R530bn) in aid…

The People Harris chooses staff WASHINGTON: US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, pictured, announced new members of her White House senior staff. In a statement on Thursday, Harris said Tina Flournoy, an aide to former US President Bill Clinton, will be her chief of staff. Harris said that Flournoy’s “deep experience, public policy expertise, and accomplished career in public service make her uniquely qualified for this important position”. Rohini Kosoglu, a senior adviser on the Biden-Harris transition team, will serve as the Vice President-elect’s domestic policy advisor and Nancy McEldowney, a diplomatic veteran, will be her national security adviser. The additions to Harris’ office come after Ashley Etienne was announced as her communications director and Symone Sanders was announced as her senior adviser and chief spokesperson. The latest personnel moves mean…

MALAWI Incidents of mob justice on the rise A MAN accused of killing a woman was stoned to death in Dedza, in central Malawi, while an elderly woman was rescued by the police as mob justice incidents continued to rise in the country, Malawi media reported yesterday. Police spokesperson Cassim Manda said Bikiyele Alfred, 37, was seriously injured on November 30 after he was accused of killing Iness Kamkuza. Kamkuza, 56, died last week after unknown people crushed her skull with a large stone while she was sleeping outside her house alongside her husband due to hot weather. After she was buried, some people reported to the police in Mtakataka that Alfred could be a suspect, claiming that Kamkuza had rejected his proposal to marry her daughter. He allegedly had…

BOOK Essays honour Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed Former colleagues discuss his absorbing judgments and work as a human rights advocate HARRON KALLA CHIEF Justice Ismail Mahomed was a philosopher of law and a man of towering intellect. He spent his entire life in service of the law and justice, contributing significantly to laying the foundation for human rights in our country. As a fearless advocate, he challenged and argued against immoral and repressive legislation and executive action. He also developed the common law, especially in the areas of administrative and public law. As a judge, he was at the forefront of a radical and visionary constitutional transformation. This commemorative volume of essays comes 20 years after his death, partnering with a book reflecting on his life. The book…

EDITORIAL Heed Ramaphosa’s call PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement concerning the Coronavirus infection rate should not be interpreted to mean that people in areas outside the Nelson Mandela Bay have "escaped" and are free to continue doing as they please; walking about without masks, ignoring physical distancing requirements and gathering in large numbers. Rather, the news that some restrictions are being imposed again in the district should be the spur which recommits us to doing everything possible within our spheres of influence to ensure that we do not experience a dreaded full-blown second wave. The news that the infection rate has nearly trebled from 1 500 new cases per day in the first week of November to 4 400 a day this week should be cause for introspection, for individuals and…

BOOK Laugh, cry with Michael J. Fox’s word tapestry POROCHISTA KHAKPOUR WHEN Michael J. Fox told the world, in 1998, that he had been fighting Parkinson's disease for the past seven years, it felt devastating to me in many ways. For one thing, like a lot of people of my generation, I had been a big fan of the hit ’80s TV sitcom Family Ties. Fox’s disclosure was doubly shocking as not only was he just 29 when he was diagnosed, he was also not the kind of celebrity who seemed vulnerable at all. To imagine him compromised in any crisis seemed impossible. For a while I had no idea how to process his struggles, though I was amazed he was still surviving as the years went by. I assumed…

HOLIDAY-SEASON FINANCE TIPS ALTHOUGH this festive season promises to be very subdued compared with “normal” years, you are still likely to indulge in some form of celebrations, exchanging of gifts, and may even be getting away for a relaxing holiday. The December 2020 issue of our free digital MONEY magazine has advice on budgeting over the holiday period, checking up on your insurance, staying safe and avoiding fraudsters. If in the unlikely event you are going overseas and relying on the travel insurance that comes free with your credit card, your cover might not extend as far as you think. Read up on what is and isn’t covered. For easy-to-read information about managing your finances, download your free copy of MONEY now, at https://issuu.com/independentnewspapers/docs/iol_money__issue_5_dec_2020…

WORDS ON WEALTH Ombud’s report highlights ongoing problem of bad advice MARTIN HESSE | martin.hesse@inl.co.za Supplied THE RELEASE each December of the Fais Ombud’s annual report provides a good opportunity to remind you of the recourse open to you if you have been on the receiving end of bad financial advice. Under the Financial Advice and Intermediary Services (Fais) Act, financial services providers, which include financial advisers and insurance brokers, are obliged to adhere to a code of conduct when dealing with you, the customer. The ombud, officially the Ombud for Financial Services Providers, has the power to act on complaints against advisers by consumers and, where the complaint is found to be valid, reach settlements with advisers or issue determinations against them on compensation up to R800 000. Losing…

Proteas v England series in danger as another player tests positive ZAAHIER ADAMS African News Agency (ANA) CRICKET SA face an anxious 24-hour wait for the results of emergency Covid-19 tests conducted on the Proteas to determine whether the ODI series against England will go ahead. The first ODI was dramatically called off yesterday morning an hour before play was due to start at New-lands after it emerged that a Proteas player had tested positive in the latest round of testing conducted on Thursday. The Proteas have already had one player test positive prior to the squad coming together on November 18 and then a second player within the bio-secure environment two days later. Both players missed the T20I series due to being in quarantine, but were expected to…

Winelands dress rehearsal for Bucs ahead of MTN8 final MIHLALI BALEKA ORLANDO Pirates are far from running like a well oiled machine this season but that they are undefeated in the DStv Premiership could very well set them up for a gleeful finish come the end of the term. Two wins, three draws is Pirates’ league record this season. Their blemish has been the draws but they’ve come to the party when needed, cruising into the MTN8 finals with a clean sheet in three matches. This follows a 1-0 win over Cape Town City in the quarter-finals and 5-0 aggregate victory over Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-finals. At the back of a win and draw in the league, there would be no better way for the Buccaneers to…

Matrics to rewrite two exam papers Disappointing first in history of NSC exams VAL BOJE val.boje@inl.co.za DIMPHO MAJA African News Agency (ANA) FOR the first time in the history of the country’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, there will be a national re-write of two exams. This comes after both the Maths Paper 2 and Physical Sciences Paper 2 were leaked two weeks ago. According to Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister, Angie Motshekga, Maths Paper 2 will be written on Tuesday, December 15 at 2pm and Physical Sciences Paper 2 on Thursday, December 17 at 2pm. “It was not an easy decision to take but one which is necessary under the circumstances. We need to work hard to deal with the human factor in the examination system.…

WIDE AWAKE South Africans score poorly in sleeping well Karishma Dipa karishma.dipa@inl.co.za South Africans, just like a multitude of other nations across the globe have been struggling to get some shut-eye this year. The findings formed part of the 2020 City Sleep Index with researchers suggesting that the Covid-19 pandemic may be responsible for keeping citizens around the world more awake at night. “2020 has been an undeniably difficult time for people all over the globe, and stress and anxiety are known disruptors of sleep,” they explained. Those living in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, had the best sleep quality in the study and that those in Sao Paulo, Brazil had the worst. The sleep index was conducted by VAAY, a Berlin-based well-being and CBD lifestyle brand who created a shortlist…

The coolest stuff in a single display at Irene SOUTH Africa’s largest and premier hand crafted exhibition KAMERS/Makers returns to Cornwall Hill College in Irene from December 8-13 2020 with a splash and a difference. Nearly 200 carefully selected artisans and foodies will display the coolest and most innovative handcrafted artifacts and items at the Gauteng leg of KAMERS/ Makers to make for a truly memorable Christmas, from jewellery, ceramics, fashion-ware, décor, fend, music and lots more of the distinctive Lifestyle stuff that you have come to expect of a show that’s simply the best of its kind in South Africa. The creators have ensured that shoppers not yet ready to venture out to the physical display despite the Covid-19 Level 1 status are catered to with lots of cool…

City staycation drive USUALLY at this time of year South Africa would be welcoming visitors from abroad, but this year, with Covid-19 and restrictions on travel, the focus is firmly on domestic tourism. To promote local tourism sites, the Gauteng Tourism Authority this week launched its provincial Domestic Tourism Festive Season Promotional Campaign; #GPFestiveSummer. The provincial destination marketing agency will in the coming days embark on a drive to encourage Gautengers and visitors to the province to explore what is available in the region. Yesterday, they took the media to Freedom Park and on to the Voortrekker Monument to show the diversity of heritage that the two embody. Then it was on to the Pretoria CBD taking in some of the sites being settled down at Sho't Left in Soshanguve…

Tito makes a meal of it on social media WITH close on one million followers on Twitter, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is what can be considered an influencer. But when it comes to the dishes he proudly displays on social media, much like his budgets, he does not always find favour. Commentators note his overuse of garlic and spice, and when he posted a picture of chicken stew, they had unflattering responses. But he is undeterred, and has posted that he will be cooking at a restaurant in Polokwane this weekend. Called the Uhuru Café and Wine Emporium, in the Limpopo capital, invites guests for a “gourmet experience of food that explodes in your mouth”. “Well, I will be cooking at the opening occasion of this restaurant in Polokwane. Come…

Israel warns of attacks abroad JERUSALEM: Israel has warned of potenial attacks by Iran, which has been issuing new threats against Israel since the killing of a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist. In its warning on Thursday, Israel’s counter-terrorism bureau said Iran could try to carry out attacks in nearby countries, including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. “In light of threats recently coming from Iranian agents and in light of Iranian agents’ past involvement in terror attacks in various countries, there is concern that Iran will try to act in such a way against Israeli targets,” it said. Iran’s clerical and military rulers have blamed Israel for the killing its nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. A top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has said that Iran will give…

FRANCE Protest against Amazon’s expansion CLIMATE activists piled up giant cardboard delivery boxes outside the finance ministry in Paris yesterday, protesting against Amazon’s expansion in France as the online retailer launched a delayed “Black Friday” sales drive. Gathered in the ministry’s cobbled courtyard, the protesters from three groups – ANV-COP 21, Attac and Amis de la Terre – rolled out a banner on the building’s facade bearing the slogan “change of owner” and featuring the faces of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and French president Emmanuel Macron. “Amazon is destroying jobs and climate in France. It plans to massively expand in France with dozens of warehouses already built and more to come. We demand a freeze (on building more),” Sandy Olivar Calvo, a spokeswoman for ANV-COP21 said. The campaigners view the…

UNITED STATES Cannabis industry aims to build on Thanksgiving rush CANNABIS sales in he US hit record levels over the Thanksgiving weekend, prompting industry predictions that the combination of Covid-19 anxiety and a trend towards legalisation has triggered a permanent uplift in demand. After years of sluggish official sales, buying soared in early March and April when lockdowns began and consumers, fearing supply disruptions, stockpiled the drug. Although many expected the initial surge to fade, monthly sales have kept hitting records. One of the top cannabis data aggregator and research companies Akerna said sales on Green Wednesday, as the eve of Thanksgiving is known, climbed by 80% above the daily average this year, hitting an all-time one-day record. The company’s calculations, based on data collected from its dispensaries in 19…

COMMENT There’s comfort saving lives in death LINDSAY SLOGROVE lindsay.slogrove@inl.co.za PANSY, sunflower, buttercup-thingy, tulip, bouquet, two stars, smiley sunface, five hearts and I love you. Two hearts, pansy, sunflower, daisy (which really looks like a fried egg), hibiscus, tulip, bouquet, three stars and I love you too. These were the last exchanges on WhatsApp with my beloved sister, Janet, last Thursday. Within 24 hours she had suffered a huge bleed in her brain stem and we would never talk again. She died, at 53, just eight weeks after her husband of 32 years, Sean, died of a heart attack. Her two amazing daughters, Tyane and Maxine, lost both parents within two months. The family is, naturally, shaken to its boots. But there is comfort in this horrible story. Janet had…

TELEVISION The real star of ‘The Undoing’? Nicole Kidman’s eyeballs THE WASHINGTON POST HBO’s The Undoing is a perfectly fine six-episode miniseries about a couple, Grace and Jonathan Fraser (Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant), whose marriage and privileged lives implode when Jonathan is accused of murdering his mistress. The plot, based on a novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, is standard fare for a David E Kelley drama. Kidman and Grant, veteran actors who both played deliciously evil Paddington villains, are the obvious draw. The acting is good. Grace’s coats (you must have heard about the coats) are fabulous. But no one in the show shines more than Kidman’s steely baby blues, which quickly become a character of their own. The eyes have it from the very first episode, where they…

Record inflows for asset managers despite Covid-19 woes SOUTH Africans invested a net R57 billion in local unit trust and exchange traded funds in the third quarter of this year, bringing to R165bn the net inflows into collective investment schemes for the 12 months to the end of September. Statistics for the quarter and the year to the end of September, released this week by the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (Asisa), show that the collective scheme industry held assets under management of R2.58 trillion, spread across 1 650 funds. Just under half of these assets were held in multi-asset funds (47%), with the rest in interest-bearing funds (36%), equity funds (16%) and real estate funds (1%). Sunette Mulder, senior policy adviser at Asisa, said despite the volatility…

RANDS & SENSE Black tax: turn a grudge expense into a social investment PALESA TLHOLOE BLACK tax is something that almost all successful young black people have to deal with. Urban Dictionary defines the phrase as: “The extra money that black professionals are expected to give every month to support their less fortunate family and extended families.” Unsurprisingly, much of what has been written about black tax has focused on the negative aspects. For example, the financial struggles faced by many black professionals have been blamed on those professionals having to pay all their earnings to cousins, aunts and uncles. Eavesdrop on a conversation at a restaurant in the suburbs and the chit-chat will inevitably turn to the burden of black tax and how it symbolises a lack of progress…

MOTOR SPORT Hamilton’s sub sets practice pace on Mercedes debut GEORGE Russell looked perfectly at home in Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes during Friday's opening practice session for the Sakhir Grand Prix by going fastest on his debut as the seven-times Formula One champion's stand-in. The 22-year-old, put in Hamilton's seat after his fellow Briton tested positive for Covid-19, set a time of 54.546 seconds as Formula One for the first time lapped around the shorter outer layout of the Bahrain International Circuit that hosted last Sunday's race. Russell headed Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon who completed the top three in their Red Bulls. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas only managed fourth and was 0.322 seconds behind his substitute teammate's benchmark. However, the Finn was nursing damage on his car. "Valtteri broke his car…

SOCCER Napoli's stadium renamed to honour Maradona ITALIAN side Napoli's San Paolo stadium has been officially renamed the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium after the late Argentina striker who led them to their only two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup, the city's council said yesterday. Maradona died last week after suffering a heart attack at his home in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, less than a month after his 60th birthday. The city council approved the resolution proposed by Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris to change the stadium's name to honour the World Cup-winning great who scored 115 goals in seven years at the club. "I've been in talks with local authorities for the past 17 years, I've always asked to buy the stadium and rename it 'Diego Armando…

TV GUIDE SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER Cricket ANZ Bank Test Series: New Zealand v West Indies, First Test, Day 4, 11.30pm, CRI Golf European Tour: Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World, Day 4, 8.30am, GOL; Sunshine Tour: South African Open, Day 3, 1pm, GOL; PGA Tour: Mayakoba Golf Classic, Day 3, 9pm, GOL Motorsport FIA Formula 2 Championship, Round 12: Race 1, 2pm, MSP; Formula 1: Bahrain Outer Track Grand Prix, Practice 3, 3.45pm, MSP, SSM; Qualifying, 6pm, MSP, SSM (6.55pm) Rugby Vodacom Rugby Tri-Nations: Australia v Argentina, 10.35am, RUG; Autumn Nations Cup: Georgia v TBC, 1.50pm, ACT; Ireland v TBC, 4.05pm, ACT; Wales v TBC, 6.35pm, ACT; Carling Black Label Currie Cup, Premier Division: Vodacom Bulls v Toyota Cheetahs, 4.15pm, RUG, GSD; Xerox Lions v DHL Western Province,…

Lions v WP: The Four Horsemen MORGAN BOLTON morgan.bolton@inl.co.za PHANDO JIKELO African News Agency (ANA) BackpagePix THE Xerox Lions and the Western Province are jam-packed with talented individuals, X-factor players, and men who will go the distance, Rocky Balboa-style, for their teammates and supporters. Here we look at four players, two apiece for each team, who can turn the tide in favour of their team and secure victory in their Carling Currie Cup encounter at Emirates Airline Park today (kick-off 7pm). FOR THE LIONS: Elton Jantjies There is no doubt that the Lions are built around the exploits of their captain. The flyhalf is arguably one of the best No 10s in the competition, the country, the world. He has vision, he has the distribution skills and he has the…