Innholdsfortegnelse for Saturday, January 9, 2021 i Pretoria News Weekend

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA OUTLINES FOUR PRIORITIES IN JANUARY 8 STATEMENT Time of challenge , time for change VAL BOJE val.boje@inl.co.za ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined four priorities for the ruling party in the year ahead. Delivering the party’s 109th anniversary January 8 statement, he spoke of the coronavirus pandemic as a great health crisis and a time of “great upheaval” to lives and the economy, but said it should create a new spirit of unity, cohesion and solidarity among South Africans as we rebuild and strive for a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it. The first and immediate priority was to act together with all South Africans to defeat the Covid-19 virus which threatened the health and livelihood of the country and undermined its…

BREAKING CURFEW Late-night dash for milk gets new dad arrested SAKHILE NDLAZI sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za A LATE-night dash to a hospital pharmacy to get milk for his newborn baby led to a dad being arrested for breaking curfew and a traumatised mother. The couple have briefed lawyer Lily Rautenbach – and asked for space while they recover from their ordeal. According to Centurion ward councillor Leon Kruyshaar – who posted the story on the Concerned Citizens Facebook group – the woman ended up walking alone to the Wierdabrug police station so she could fetch the milk and the car keys from her husband. He described how the father went to Unitas at around 1.30am last Friday to get milk from the Clicks pharmacy there for two-day old baby Ariana. He was stopped…

REWARD Looking for Luke, the beagle HE’S her best friend, her “son” and the love of her life. He is Luke, the beagle, and Sone Louw is willing to pay R10 000 to get him back. Luke went missing from her home in Theresa Park north of Pretoria on December 16 and Louw, an animal nurse, is frantic for any help to get him home. “Please, if anyone can just tell me where they have seen him, I will know,” she said. Louw said she left for holiday to the Kruger National Park on December 15. She has many animals so she hired a pet sitter to take care of them. She received a telephone call late on December 16 from people in the area who told her Luke and…

US ELECTIONS Trump to skip Biden inauguration UNITED States President-elect Joe Biden is focused on preparing to take office, and will leave to Congress, Vice-President Mike Pence, and President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to “act as they see fit” on the issues of impeachment and the 25th Amendment, a Biden transition spokesman said. Spokesman Andrew Bates made the statement yesterday in response to a Reuters question on calls for Trump to be impeached following Wednesday’s attack on the US Capitol building by Trump supporters. “President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are focused on their duty – preparing to take office on January 20th – and will leave it to Vice President Pence, the Cabinet and the Congress to act as they see fit.” Trump said yesterday that he would…

CARPING POINT Vexing and perplexing start to 2021 KEVIN RITCHIE @RitchKev ON DECEMBER 31 every year, we promise ourselves that the New Year will somehow be different. But our resolutions never really seem to work. The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is the best excuse yet not to hit the gyms – for fear of infection, of course. There are plenty of other excuses, though. Some people, though, don’t even have to try: the coronavirus has been a godsend for ministers Bheki Cele and Fikile Mbalula. Both have been able to make an immense amount of noise, secure a disproportionate amount of media coverage and still achieve nothing except be objectionable – again. Cele wanted everyone not just at home by 9pm on December 31, last year, but asleep…

EDITORIAL We need to give vaccines a fair shot ONE does not have to be first to succeed, and this is what we sincerely hope will be the case with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in South Africa. Rich nations like the UK, US or others booked vaccines in advance and have started their programmes, but not all the vaccines first out the blocks are suited to our conditions. We can feel encouraged by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize’s assurance that we will get 1.5million vaccines this month and in February; there certainly is no time to be lost as the case load is increasing by the day. We commend the work of the advisory committee on vaccines, the Health Products Regulatory Authority to fast-track the registration process,…

CRICKET Dolphins good to go in One-Day Cup ZAAHIER ADAMS zaahier.adams@inl.co.za MUZI NTOMBELA BackpagePix LIKE most things affected by the coronavirus, the Momentum One-Day Cup starting today will take on a different shape this season. Firstly, the six franchises have been placed in two groups with the Dolphins being joined by the Titans and Knights in Group A. The Cape Cobras, Warriors and Lions make up Group B. Due to Covid, the teams will also play all the matches at one central venue, with Senwes Park in Potchefstroom providing the facilities for the bio-secure venue. The Group A matches will begin today and run through until January 16 before the competition takes a break. Group B will then commence on January 29 until February 5. The play-offs will take place…

SOCCER Stellies fire blanks at basement dwellers ZAAHIER ADAMS STELLENBOSCH FC were left to rue a host of missed opportunities in their DStv Premiership clash with Black Leopards yesterday in the searing heat at the Danie Craven Stadium. The hosts were seeking a second consecutive home victory after the defeating TTM earlier in the week, but had to be content with a 1-1 draw against the league strugglers. Assistant coach Wesley Sergal had expressed a desire mid-week for the Stellies strikers to be more ruthless in front of goal, and his words were prophetic as the home team once again created numerous chances that unfortunately went a begging, particularly in the second half. Stellies were forced to play catch up, though, after conceding another penalty. Home team captain Lee-Raoul Langeveldt…

MINISTER QUESTIONED Licence fees for mobile viewers? COMMUNICATIONS and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has defended government’s plan to extend the payment of TV licence fees to viewers who watch DStv and Netflix on their mobile devices. Ndabeni-Abrahams responded to parliamentary questions from DA MP Mike Waters after the Draft White Paper on Audio and Audio-Visual Content Services Policy Framework was published for comment. The guide was published at a time that the SABC’s licence fee revenue decreased by R177 million in 2019/20 compared to the previous financial year, with many TV owners refusing to pay as they say they do not watch the SABC. The document sets out the government’s plans to increase its revenue through various mechanisms, including getting pay-TV broadcasters like DStv and streaming services like Netflix…

SALARIES DETERMINED New AG’s pay package revealed LOYISO SIDIMBA loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has set the salaries of some of the heads of chapter nine institutions including newly appointed Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke and Deputy Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka. Maluleke, who started her seven-year term last month replacing the late Kimi Makwetu, will be paid just under R5.1 million a year, in terms of Ramaphosa’s determination published on Christmas Eve. Makwetu, who died of lung cancer last November, was paid R6.8m in the 12 months ending in March 2020. His pay included R5.2m in gross remuneration and R1.57m in deferred compensation, while Maluleke was paid R4.26m in the same period when she was Makwetu’s deputy. In 2019, Maluleke’s pay was R5.28m, which included just over R4m gross remuneration and a performance…

3 THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK BORDER CONTROL EUROPE Saturday, Discovery, DStv Channel 121 at 8pm As millions of people move across the continent, the teams are tasked with detecting danger and ensuring public safety. Europe’s border control teams must deal with the most dangerous situations to curb the threat of drugs, weapons and suspected terrorists. SWORD MASTER Saturday, KIX, DStv Channel 114 at 7pm In this martial arts epic, renowned actor-turned-director Derek Yee pays tribute to the Shaw Brothers Studio’s 1977 film Death Duel. After giving up his deadly skill, swordsman Shao-Feng must return to his old ways as his past catches up to him. THE TRUMP SHOW Thursday, M-Net, DStv Channel 101),at 9.30pm Go inside the first 18 months of Donald Trump’s presidency. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews…

LAID BACK Rock and rowdy start to the new year JOUBERT MALHERBE WELL, my new year got off to quite a bang last weekend, despite attempts by the authorities to put a damper on festivities. I had already forayed into dreamland when people living nearby set off a firecracker or two and some kids jumped into the pool accompanied by the usual shrieks. Oh yes, I thought in my befuddled state; the midnight clock has struck and we have entered the Year of Our Lord of 2021; all this as I was trying to placate our Jack Russell, Fudge, who was freaked out by the bangs. To try and soothe her, I switched on the bedside radio to hear Auld Lang Syne being sung. I love hearing that song, as…

The People New envoy for Sudan MOSCOW: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed German diplomat Volker Perthes, pictured, as his special representative for Sudan, the UN press service said. “United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today announced the appointment of Volker Perthes of Germany as his new Special Representative for Sudan and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (Unitams).” Perthes earlier served as the UN’s special envoy to Syria from 2015 to 2016 before taking up teaching positions in Germany and Libya. | Sputnik Cleric linked to Bali bombings freed from jail SUKOHARJO: Indonesian Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, pictured, the suspected mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, walked free from prison yesterday after serving 10 years for setting up a militant…

UNITED STATES FBI reward for details of pipe bombers THE FBI is offering a reward of up to $50 000 (about R764 000) for information on who placed pipe bombs in the committee headquarters of US political parties in Washington. Law enforcement agencies had received reports of two suspected devices, one each at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, on Wednesday, the FBI said in a statement. The statement was accompanied by an image of a masked suspect wearing gloves and a hoodie, carrying an object. “The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50 000 for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction.” ABC News reported that bomb technicians used water cannons to blast the devices to break them apart and…

COMMENT Virtual healing in the ‘African bush’ LINDSAY SLOGROVE lindsay.slogrove@inl.co.za THE trifle is finished and there’s a lioness in my house. Well, the first one is true. The second is a fanciful description of Zeus the boerboel, imagined by the person he owns having spent many hours in the African bush during the break. It began as an experiment to navigate Christmas and New Year with a huge hole in the family, something many people were trying to do after our terrible 2020. We tried to connect with a lost loved one in a way that didn’t hurt too much. In honour of Sean, my brother-in-law who died late last year, I made a potato salad. He was famous for his and, even though he and his secret ingredients were…

YOUR STARS Barbara Kiselev If today is your birthday: Take this new year as a time to prove yourself. You have much to overcome, but you can take it in stride. Come on! You can do it. So with a little work, and a lot of luck you are there! Aries (21 March-20 April) A new year! A whole new you. Time for some plans moving forward. A whole new love. Time to ask the big questions, and make those big plans. A year for you to prove yourself, and stretch yourself even further. Taurus (21 April-21 May) This is a year where you can look forward to getting things done, and things going your way. Yes, problems persist but you’re on top of your game. So no problem too…

TV GUIDE TODAY Cricket ANZ Bank Women’s Super Smash: Wellington Blaze v Northern Spirit, 12.35am, ACT; Wellington Firebirds v Northern Knights, 4.10am, ACT; Momentum One Day Cup: VKB Knights v Warriors, 9.45am, CRI; Test Series: Australia v India, Third Test, Day 3, 1.20am, CRI, GSD (1.45am); Big Bash Twenty20: Perth Scorchers v Sydney Thunder, 10.10am, VR1 Golf PGA Tour: Sentry Tournament of Champions, Day 2, 1am, GOL; PGA Tour: Sentry Tournament of Champions, Day 3, 11pm, GOL, GSD (11.30pm) Rugby Currie Cup - Premier Division: DHL Western Province v Cell C Sharks, 1.45pm, RUG, GSD 2.10pm); Tafel Lager Griquas v Toyota Cheetahs, 4.25pm, GSD, RUG; Guinness Pro14: Cardiff Blues v Scarlets, 4.55pm, ACT; Dragons v Ospreys, 7.10pm, GSD, RUG; Connacht Rugby v Munster Rugby, 9.30pm, GSD, RUG; Gallagher Premiership: Northampton…

MOTORSPORT Sainz fights back as Peterhansel keeps grip on Dakar lead STEPHANE Peterhansel retained his Dakar Rally lead at the halfway point in Saudi Arabia yesterday after a sixth stage dominated by his Spanish X-Raid Mini teammate and defending champion Carlos Sainz. The Frenchman, a 13 times winner on two wheels and four, finished fourth on the shortened 348km stage from Al Qaisumah to Ha'il. Closest rival Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar was third and trimmed Peterhansel's overall lead to five minutes and 53 seconds going into today’s rest day. Sainz clawed back seven and a half minutes from Peterhansel, his second stage win of the event leaving the 58-year-old triple champion still a hefty 40 minutes adrift in third overall. Toyota's Saudi driver Yazeed Al Rajhi finished the stage second.…

‘A SHAME’ TWEETS SON Player criticised for accepting Trump award AFP SOUTH African golfing great Gary Player has been criticised for accepting the US Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump on Thursday, a day after a mob of Trump supporters invaded the US Capitol building. Player’s son, Marc, however, went on social media to try to persuade Player not to accept the award, and afterwards tweeted it was a “shame” that his father decided to attend the ceremony held behind closed doors. Player and Annika Sorenstam, who also received the award, were also slammed by Golfweek columnist Christine Brennan for attending the ceremony a day after chaos erupted in Washington DC when a ragtag group egged on by Trump breached Capitol security and temporarily brought a halt to…

SUNDAY | JAN 10 SABC1 06:00 Teenagers On A Mission 07:00 Siyakholwa 07:30 Bonisanani 08:00 African Religion Magazine 08:30 Gospel Avenue 09:30 Skeem Saam Omnibus 12:00 Uzalo Omnibus 14:30 Soccer Build Up 15:00 Laduma 17:30 Gospel Unplugged 18:00 Telkom Monate Vibes 19:00 Xhosa/ Zulu News 19:30 Women Year 1 20:00 The Kingdom 21:00 Shaft 23:00 Gospel Avenue (R) SABC2 06:00 Simcha 06:30 Music And The Spoken Word 06:57 Motheo 07:00 Morning Live 08:30 7de Laan Omnibus 11:00 Simcha 11:30 Oh My God (OMG) 12:00 Slice of Light 12:30 Sport On 2 14:00 The Cube 15:00 Touched By An Angel 16:00 Issues of Faith 17:00 Gospel Classics 18:00 Nuus 18:15 Setswana/ seSotho News 18:30 Life or Debt 19:30 Tko: Total Knock Out 20:30 Speak Out 21:00 Titans 22:00 El Chapo 23:00…

CORONAVIRUS Private hospitals won’t turn you away NORMAN CLOETE norman.cloete@inl.co.za THREE of the country’s biggest private hospital groups – Netcare, Life Healthcare and Mediclinic – have denied the story doing the rounds on social media that they are turning away Covid-19 patients. The groups say members of the public may have misunderstood the temporary closure of certain units which is done in an effort to address backlogs to mean that hospitals have reached capacity and could not attend to them. Jack Bloom, the DA Gauteng Shadow of Health MEC believes that Gautengers will be in for a rough time over the next two months as the province heads into the peak of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Eastern Cape has already peaked, the Western Cape is peaking…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA LOOK TO THE FUTURE A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.LARRY BIRD Former US professional basketball player Skills development will be more important than a degree and skills-based courses are the future. There will be a rapid rise in the emergence of the following skills: retailing, banking, selling, mobile repairing, fashion and jewellery to name a few. Go to: www.iol.co.za/education…

Virus variants are spreading across the world LONDON: Pfizer Inc and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and in South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the US drugmaker. Up to 80% of new cases in London and eastern England are the new variant of coronavirus, data published yesterday has revealed. The UK’s Office for National Statistics infection survey found there were more than 1.1 million people with Covid-19 at any one time between between December 27 and January 2 in England. The following countries are among those that have reported variants among their populations. AUSTRALIA has several cases of the variant from Britain and at least one case of the variant found…

INDIA Endangered Ganges River dolphin beaten to death POLICE from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh arrested three men yesterday who were seen beating a rare Gangetic (Ganges River) dolphin in a video. The gruesome act on New Year’s day, which was recorded by a local person, went viral on social media. People can be seen beating the dolphin with axes and rods as the mammal bleeds to death in the video. The person making the video can be heard saying: “You killed the mammal without any reason.” It seems that the locals mistook the rare aquatic mammal for a deadly fish. “The dolphin was found dead by a forest department official and a close inspection of the body revealed multiple physical injuries,” read the preliminary report registered by…

UNITED NATIONS Power struggle leaves human rights body without a leader RUSSIA and China are opposed to a candidate from Fiji seen as a staunch human rights defender to lead the top UN rights body, diplomats and observers say, creating a deadlock just as the US may seek to rejoin the forum it quit in 2018. The Human Rights Council presidency rotates annually between regions and is usually agreed by consensus. The impasse means the council, the only intergovernmental global body to promote and protect human rights worldwide, is set to resume work in Geneva next week with no leader for the first time in its 15-year history. While its decisions are not legally binding, they carry political weight and can authorise probes into violations. The infighting points to a…

CRICKET Baartman and Dupavillon called up for Pakistan tour STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za OTTNIEL Baartman’s control ultimately earned him a spot in the Proteas Test squad for the short series in Pakistan, although his overall figures this season suggest his call up might be premature. Baartman, 27, a right arm seamer born in Oudtshoorn, who moves the ball away from the right handed batsman, is widely admired, but his selection for South Africa is somewhat surprising given his numbers for the KZN Dolphins this season. His seven wickets - which sees him tied for fifth highest wicket-taker at the franchise this season in the Four-Day series - wouldn’t indicate someone who’ll be a threat at Test level. However chairman of selectors Victor Mpitsang, who would have seen a lot of Baartman…