Innholdsfortegnelse for Saturday, February 27, 2021 i Pretoria News Weekend

TSHWANE OWED R17BN City to disconnect meters and block prepaid customers RAPULA MOATSHE rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za MANY Tshwane residents, who are in trouble for owing the municipality R17 billion collectively for defaulting on payments of rates and taxes, have pleaded poverty. This comes after the metro announced this week that it would embark on a drive to recoup billions of rand it was owed by defaulting customers with effect from March 1. The announcement has since elicited anger among many residents, who took to social media to condemn the imminent move to collect debts. The City said it would recoup money owed to it by disconnecting conventional meters and blocking pre-paid meters of defaulting customers. City spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the blocking of pre-paid meters would be executed in such a way…

No easing of lockdown just yet PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has shied away from saying when the government would ease lockdown restrictions after the number of new coronavirus cases declined. But he said the National Coronavirus Command Council was meeting weekly and considering the issue, guided by science. “Shortly we will come out with the announcement (on) how we are managing the pandemic going forward,” Ramaphosa said yesterday. “We need to keep our eyes on the Easter period where people gather in large numbers.” Ramaphosa said he would be meeting with premiers and mayors in the next few weeks to assess the situation. Ramaphosa said they were talking to a number of manufacturers for the supply of vaccines in the country. This comes as the Cabinet welcomed the roll-out of the…

NO RESTRICTIONS ON CHILD Bushiri’s daughter to travel for treatment JONISAYI MAROMO African News Agency SELF-PROCLAIMED prophet Shepherd Bushiri is relieved after the Malawian government reversed an earlier decision blocking his 8-year-old daughter from travelling to Kenya for treatment, his spokesperson said. Malawian Bushiri, who fled to his home country from South Africa where he faces fraud and money laundering charges, has been anxious to get his ailing daughter Israella to Kenya, his spokesperson Ephraim Nyondo said. “The major concern for prophet Shepherd Bushiri was to have the kid taken to Kenya for further medical attention. That was his major preoccupation. Now that the government has given a nod to that, he is very happy,” said Nyondo. On Monday, Nyondo said the Malawian authorities had without any explanation…

HUMBLED BY SUPPORT Runner hits the road to aid needy learners ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za PRETORIA runner Themba Mathebula has accomplished the mission he set himself in December – to run more than 450km so pupils in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, could start the 2021 academic year with new school shoes. This runner with the big heart is overjoyed that he could help some of the disadvantaged pupils – not only with a pair of shoes, but also with sanitary pads to keep girls who need them in supply for a year. More than 1 000 learners in Bushbuckridge received the shoes and sanitary pads earlier this month from the #450kmRunForAPurpose campaign In December, social runner Mathebula completed the 450km in 12 days from Centurion to Bushbuckridge to raise funds for underprivileged schoolchildren.…

COVID FIGHT 52000 people in SA have been vaccinated SE-ANNE RALL se-anne.koopman@inl.co.za A TOTAL of 52000 people have been vaccinated in South Africa. According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, phase one of the country's vaccination program kicked off last week. He said this was the first priority. “To date, we have administered over 52 000 vaccine doses. Further doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be arriving in the coming weeks, reaching an initial total of 500000,” he said. Ramaphosa was speaking during a virtual meeting with the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) yesterday. He said in addition to the 12 million doses the country would be receiving through the Covax facility, the country had secured further doses directly from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. “Negotiations with other suppliers…

FLOWER POWER Mother of all festivals as ‘Fiesta Filipinas’ is celebrated virtually STAFF REPORTER LAST weekend it was the “mother of all festivals” as Philippine embassies around the world held a virtual celebration of the Ati-Atihan Festival Sinulog and Dinagyang. The event forms part of Fiesta Filipinas, a multi-format online series which aims to introduce the year-round Philippine festivals, culture and traditions to an international audience. Today it is the turn of the Panagbenga Festival, a flower festival celebrated in Baguio City, the “summer capital” of the Southeast Asian island nation, in February. To add a participatory element to the virtual event, the embassy in Pretoria sends out a curated box to those who have registered. This week it includes tropical fruit crisps, Mala-gos chocolate and Benguet coffee, and native…

RUGBY Jake has ‘no doubt’ that Carr can drive Bulls ASHFAK MOHAMED RYAN THE pending departure of Marco van Staden from Loftus Versfeld is set to result in a battle for his Bulls No 6 jersey – and Nizaam Carr has been given the first bite at it. Bulls boss Jake White, in announcing a much changed side yesterday for tomorrow's encounter against Eastern Province, conceded that his fight to keep Springbok flank Van Staden in Pretoria is over. The 25-year-old was in outstanding form last season, adding a powerful ball-carrying element to his renowned fetcher skills, as the Bulls charged to the Super Rugby Unlocked and Currie Cup titles. Had the Boks been able to play any Tests, Van Staden was sure to be part of the squad. But…

Unheralded SA footballers that played in Europe WHEN we think of South African footballers who had success in Europe, the likes of Benni McCarthy, Thulani Serero, Shaun Bartlett, Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune, and others come to mind. But South Africa historically had several names that featured across European leagues whose stints abroad went unheralded. Steve Mokone To date, the late Mokone is the only South African to have been on the books of Spanish giants Barcelona and also the first black South African to have played professionally in Europe. The man nicknamed the Black Meteor made his debut for the then South African black XI at the age of 16 and was reportedly on the radar of English club Newcastle United before his father dissuaded him from the move, encouraging…

QUICK READ EYE GANDY FELT ‘UNUSUAL’ WITHOUT HIS MAKEUP David Gandy admitted it was “unusual” for him not to be wearing make-up for his latest shoot. The 41-year-old supermodel was instructed by a group of children during a photoshoot to promote a children’s smartwatch, Neo. In a behind-the-scenes clip, he said: “There was no actual make-up applied to my face, which I thought was a bit unusual. It was probably the strangest event of my fashion career.” Gandy – who became a father for the first time to daughter Matilda in 2018 – was challenged to channel some of Disney’s best-loved characters, including Elsa from Frozen. The shoot was led by an 8-year-old photographer. | Bang Showbiz SIMPSON’S CREATOR DEFENDS WHITES PLAYING BLACKS MATT Groening has defended white actors playing…

EDITOR’S CHOICE The best Instagram chefs to follow for your food inspiration LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za INSTAGRAM can be used for many things, from catching up with friends to finding amazing meal ideas. The key is in knowing which accounts to follow for recipes that not only look but taste good too. These five Instagrammers offer a variety of meals and treats. Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen Van der Westhuizen, who grew up on a dairy farm in Mpumalanga, is South Africa’s first Michelin-starred chef. His parents ran a guest farm and catering service and as a child, he helped them prepare meals. Recently his restaurant JAN, in the south of France, earned its first Michelin star – a guarantee of fine dining quality. His Instagram is filled with delectable food…

QUICK READ NEW FACE FOR CROSSLAND OPEL’S facelifted Crossland compact SUV hits showrooms next week. Choose from two grades within three model derivatives kicking off at R324 900 for the Edition model with a 1.2-litre normally aspirated three-cylinder engine offering 60kW and 118Nm, and paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. The entry Edition trim grade also comes with a more powerful (81kW, 205Nm) 1.2-litre turbocharged engine, priced at R374 900 paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox. FORMER MOTOGP CHAMP DIES ITALIAN Fausto Gresini, a double 125cc world champion and MotoGP team owner, has died from the coronavirus aged 60, it was announced earlier this week. Gresini Racing tweeted “the news we would have never wanted to give, and that, unfortunately, we are forced to share with all of you. After…

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THIS FEATURE IS SPONSORED BY PSG WEALTH Credit or TFSA to pay for wedding? I’ve been saving into a tax-free savings account (TFSA) for three years. I am getting married, and I want to use these savings to cover the costs. Is this a good idea? I may need to use credit to fund my wedding instead, because I have only about R5 000 saved in a unit trust account, separate to my tax-free savings. Name withheld Jaanre Muller, a financial adviser from PSG Wealth Hermanus Portfolio Management and Stockbroking, responds: A TFSA allows you to invest a maximum of R36 000 per tax year, or R500 000 over your lifetime, irrespective of any withdrawals that you make. This means you cannot replace funds that you withdraw…

PRICE HIKES Consumers ‘powerless’ MERVYN ABRAHAMS and JULIE SMITH SOUTH African consumers are struggling with the spiralling costs of goods and services across the board: electricity, water, rates, transport, fuel, food, rent, school fees, school clothes, shoes, stationery, scholar transport, insurance costs, debt servicing costs, data and airtime costs. They are essentially powerless in the face of this price onslaught. Conditions in households have worsened with the Covid-19. Jobs have been lost, wages cut, and money must spread further. Government agencies, municipalities, public associations and businesses are preparing to increase the costs of goods and services they provide. Each entity sets its tariff based on its own calculation of the revenue it needs. They also set their tariff increases in a vacuum, not considering the combined impact of price hikes…

COMMENT PANDEMIC Social sciences, humanities equally at heart in fighting crisis CRAIN SOUDIEN TOMORROW marks 339 days of lock-down in South Africa. While almost 1.5 million people have been infected by Covid-19 and 50 000 have succumbed to the virus, the arrival of the approved vaccines in the country have also brought a ray of hope and to date almost 40 000 people have been vaccinated. Undoubtedly, the effects on the country have been devastating with unemployment rates reaching their highest level since 2008. Yet, there has also been almost unanimous acceptance that science is the kingpin on which our recovery will be based. That South Africa has fared better than expected can equally be attributed to the fact that science has been at the heart of its response. Globally, virologists,…

NOMZAMO MBATHA’S COMING 2 AMERICA DEBASHINE THANGEVELO NOMZAMO Mbatha is another success story of a South African actress making waves in Hollywood. We should be most proud of this growing trend. Although Charlize Theron has set a benchmark few can match, Tinseltown’s warm embrace of Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad), Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer) and Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars) is a win. And award-winning actress Terry Pheto will attest to the cut-throat nature of the industry following her short-lived stint on the long-running soapie The Bold and the Beautiful several years back. When Mbatha took that leap of faith at the end of 2019, many felt she was chasing a pipe dream. She felt otherwise and proved it by landing a major role in Coming 2 America, the sequel to…

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE MATRIC RESULTS? After a difficult year for matrics, the results of the Class of 2020 are down by 5% compared to last year. The matric results dropped from 81.3% in 2019 to 76.2% in 2020. Students and teachers still hoped that all the extra work they did would deliver the same results as the previous year. A critic of the matric exams, former University of the Free State vice-chancellor Jonathan Jansen, once said SA’s disregard for competence is illustrated by the way government policies have dumbed down the school system since the 1990s. “We created a watered-down mathematics stream for those who, we were told, could not do maths,” he said. “We gave legitimacy (and a university-entrance point) to life orientation when, in the past, guidance…

PANDEMIC Concern over prison Covid-19 stats SIYABONGA KALIPA siyabonga.kalipa@inl.co.za A PRISONER rights organisation has expressed dissatisfaction over the numbers of inmate Covid-19 infections and deaths in the province. Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said they have since stopped releasing statistics of their facilities, but they now release them regionally. The statistics Nxumalo shared are of those who were infected with Covid-19 from March last year until February this year. South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights spokesperson Miles Bhudu said they currently rely on what Correctional Services tell them because they are the ones who have access to the centres. “We must accept and concede whatever they tell us because we can’t prove them otherwise and they are not working with any external stakeholders,” he said. He said…

INNOVATIVE Complex math no match for this bright spark REAGAN SQUIRE A GRADE 12 pupil has created his own “calculator’’ app that solves intricate maths problems. Milnerton High School pupil Raphael de Sousa started the project during lockdown. “I felt like I spent a large amount of time checking answers once I've done them. “I realised that a computer could easily do it. “And then I started expanding my coding knowledge and started building the algorithms,“ he said. “Originally I thought I could design it for teachers to check their memos. “Eventually I decided that I should make it for students to be able to check their answers.” The application, called Delta, is a maths, physics and chemistry calculator used to create memorandums to complex problems. “I know that millions…

The Good Read Time to smell the coffee: Carter has Wilkinson in back pocket MARK KEOHANE BACKPAGEPIX CLIVE Woodward must have taken a few knocks during his playing days. How else does one explain his choice of Jonny Wilkinson over Dan Carter as the best ever flyhalf? Woodward’s conclusion in itself is a contradiction following his appraisal of both players. Woodward, who played for England and coached England and the British & Irish Lions, is obviously biased but come on Sir Clive, Jonny never came close to the fabulous all-round skills of DC. Wilkinson was a fantastic player and among the most influential of his generation. He was for a long time the pulse of England’s success and his career highlight was winning England the World Cup in Australia in…

Milan v Man Utd lights up Europa League last 16 draw SEVEN-TIME European champions AC Milan have been drawn to play Manchester United in what is the standout tie in next month's Europa League round of 16. Ajax Amsterdam, the four-time European champions, will take on Swiss club Young Boys, while Arsenal face Greek side Olympiakos and Tottenham Hotspur, the third English club to reach the last 16, will tackle Dinamo Zagreb. Slavia Prague's reward for knocking out Leicester City is a two-legged tie against Scottish champions-elect Rangers. European debutants Granada of Spain will face Norwegian club Molde while AS Roma face a tough tie against seasoned European contenders Shakhtar Donetsk. Three-time semi-finalists Villarreal take on Dynamo Kiev. No German or French clubs made it to the last 16. The…

CRICKET Titans tumble, Warriors reach T20 play-off STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za HollywoodBets Dolphins 151/6 (Miller 49*. Ngidi 3/21) Multiply Titans 144/6 (Galiem 45. Frylinck 2/26) Dolphins won by 7 runs THE Warriors will meet the Lions in the play-off of t he Betway T20 Challenge this afternoon after a tense final round-robin match saw the Dolphins eliminate the power-packed Titans. The team from Tshwane’s woes with the bat continued yesterday, in what for them was a virtual eliminator. Their top order has struggled throughout the competition, and yesterday they threw the experienced Grant Thomson into the mix to try and solve a problem that has seen them use Henry Davids and Theunis de Bruyn without success earlier in the round-robin stage. Once again, the Dolphins adapted magnificently to conditions with their…

QUICK READ CHARLIZE EYES LESBIAN REBOOT CHARLIZE Theron would love to make a lesbian Die Hard reboot. The 45-year-old actress recently responded to a fan on Twitter pitching her for a genderswopped remake of the 1988 Bruce Willis blockbuster which would see the lead character “on a rampage to save her wife”, and now she’s confirmed she’d definitely be interested. She told Vanity Fair: “Yeah, I mean, it’s a great idea. That’s why I replied on Twitter. Because I just thought that was kind of brilliant. I was like, ‘This person needs to start pitching. That’s a great idea’. And the fact that it would be two women, I was like, ‘Yeah, sign me on’.” Theron was recently announced for The School for Good and Evil. She and Kerry Washington…

QUICK READ AIMING HIGH ALPHATAURI’S new driver Yuki Tsunoda says he is aiming to be “the first Japanese driver to win a race in Formula 1”. The 20-year-old, who replaces the Russian Daniil Kvyat in the AlphaTauri stable, is the first Japanese driver to compete in Formula 1 since Kamui Kobayashi in 2014. The diminutive Tsunoda – he is 1.59m tall – was named FIA rookie of the year in December after finishing third in his debut season with British team Carlin in the Formula 2 championship. He has set his sights on making an even bigger impact in F1. TEARS OF JOY JUSTIN Bieber says he got emotional when he saw his new custom Rolls-Royce for the first time. The singer had been looking forward to it for three…

FRUITS OF THE VINE 5 SA wine estates to visit CLINTON MOODLEY CLINTON MOODLEY Theescombe Estate Wine Theescombe Estate Wine is Port Elizabeth’s only wine farm. Owner Sandra Futter makes the experience all the more worthwhile with her engaging storytelling. Travellers will enjoy a tour of the vineyards, learning about winemaking and partake in a tutored tasting with a cheese platter. Tastings start from R230pp. Call 073 889 6663. Abingdon Wine Estate Set in the KZN Midlands, Abingdon was the first farm to produce a certified estate wine from KZN grapes with their maiden vintage in 2007. The 3ha farm, bought by Ian and Jane Smorthwaite in 2000, produces certified single vineyard estate wines from 100% KZN grapes. They offer six wine options, including Abingdon Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Chardonnay 2018,…

EDITOR’S CHOICE Stay Emdoneni Lodge is located in Hluhluwe, around 2 hours and 40 minutes from Durban. The lodge offers chalet and rondavel-style accommodation. There is a honeymoon suite available for those who want added privacy and something more luxurious. Rooms come with a desk, tea and coffee-making facilities and a large bathroom. There is no TV in the room, but there is wifi available. Travellers can visit Zululand Cat Conservation Project, enjoy spa treatments or laze by the pool. Located at Emdoneni Farm, District Road 123 in Hluhluwe. Visit http://www.emdonenilodge.com/ Dine Two4One Kitchen and Bar in Cape Town is a first of its kind restaurant concept in South Africa. All main dishes are available all day, every day at two meals for the price of one. Chef Yannick Muamba…

WORDS ON WEALTH Minister treads fine line between give and take MARTIN HESSE MOST middle-class South African consumers will view Wednesday’s Budget speech positively: the Finance Minister did not announce any new taxes and, if their income increased by less than 5%, they will enjoy a decrease in their annual income tax bill. However, spare a thought for people surviving on social grants, and for employees in the public sector, who may not be quite as enamoured by what the Minister had to say. André Wentzel, solutions manager at Sanlam Retail, says the above-inflation personal tax relief of R2.2 billion is particularly positive. “Many were expecting the worst when it came to tax increases, given that we currently have the largest tax shortfall on record. We applaud the government’s considered…

QUICK READ Warning THE Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) warns against dealing with two entities that are operating without a licence and are illegally using the names of well-known companies to attract business. The first calls itself Stanlib Multiple Investment and purports to be affiliated with Stanlib, using the website address https://stanlib.co.page/ to solicit investments. Stanlib says it has no knowledge of Stanlib Multiple Investment and has no association with the company. The second is a group operating on Facebook and WhatsApp claiming to be affiliated with Avbob Mutual Assurance Society. It lures clients to invest with the promise of doubling their money. Avbob has confirmed that the Facebook and WhatsApp profiles do not belong to them or are affiliated with any part of their client offering.…

MEDIA ENCA ’gives middle finger to black people’, say critics JONISAYI MAROMO CIVIL rights movement #NotInMyName yesterday descended on television news channel eNCA in Joburg North in protest against alleged racism by one of its journalists. This after the channel’s senior journalist, Lindsay Dentlinger, asked a black member of Parliament to put on a mask in line with Covid-19 rules before a live interview minutes after a white politician was allowed to go mask-less, creating a furore. The channel has defended Dentlinger against the broad backlash triggered by the interviews she conducted outside Parliament on Wednesday to get political parties’ reaction after Finance Minister Tito Mboweni tabled the 2021 national Budget. “We are standing here outside eNCA studios in Hyde Park, demanding accountability and action from the management after the…

CRIME Harsh sentences for GBV perpetrators hailed GOVERNMENT has welcomed the heavy jail sentences handed out to perpetrators of gender-based violence. This comes after convicted murderer Dumisani Mkhwanazi was yesterday sentenced by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to 31 years in jail for the murder of his niece Palesa Madiba. Earlier this year, Mkhwanazi was found guilty of killing the University of Johannesburg student on August 12, 2013, after Madiba was last seen at her friend's home in Phiri, Soweto. The young woman's remains were found buried in a shallow grave at the Mkhwanazi home in 2015. Mkhwanazi was sentenced to 20 years for murder, three years for theft of a cellphone, eight years for defeating the ends of justice, ten years for the possession of an unlicensed…

tv guide TODAY Cricket: Pakistan Super League: Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, 10.45am, ACT; Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, 3.45pm, ACT; Paytm Test Series: CSA T20 Challenge, Playoff: 2 v 3, 2.15pm, CRI; ANZ Bank Women’s ODI Series: New Zealand v England, Third ODI, 11.50pm, CRI: Golf: WGC: World Golf Championships, The Concession, Day 2, 12 mid-night, GSD, World Golf Championships, The Concession, Day 3, 7pm, GOL; PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open, Day 3, 10pm, VR1 Motorsport: Supercars Championship, Repco Mt Panorama 500, Race 1, 5.50am, MSP; FIA Formula E Championship: Qualifying Round 2: Diriyah, 2.45pm, MSP; FIA Formula E Championship: Round 2: Diriyah, 6.30pm, MSP; FIA Formula E Championship Wrap, 8pm, MSP Rugby: Guinness Pro14: Edinburgh Rugby v Scarlets, 1.55pm, RUG; Zebre Rugby Club v Dragons, 7.10pm, VR2; Six…

RUGBY Sharks go with sidelined but familiar faces MIKE GREENAWAY THE Sharks team to play Griquas tomorrow in a Preparation Series match at Jonsson Kings Park shows little resemblance to the side that played in the Currie Cup final a month ago but there are still plenty of familiar faces. The front-line players that did heavy duty in the Currie Cup have been placed into a conditioning squad and will not see action until the third or fourth of the four matches that the Sharks will play in this series. The players on duty this weekend are those that saw little action in the Currie Cup because they were either injured or on the fringes of selection. Thus we see key players in hooker Kerron van Vuuren back in the…

YOUR STARS Barbara Kiselev IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY No question you’re on the way, changing things for the better. It’s all about a little self- belief, and a large dose of confidence. This new year see yourself in a new light, and pursue those dreams you always held off. Aries (21 March-20 April) This week you’re getting it right. You don’t even have to try, it all comes easy. Of course you laid the groundwork, and it all comes into play now. Stay the course, you are on your way to success. Taurus (21 April-21 May) A good time to change your mind, change your path. This is a week of challenges, see that you’re ready. With a new way of doing things, you’re onto a good thing, you…

IMAGE ‘Zoom face’ scrutiny fuels boom in ‘nips and tucks’ SACHA VAN NIEKERK IF YOU’VE been thinking about getting Botox or a brow lift, you aren’t the only one. “Zoom face” has everyone analysing their facial features to the point of being driven to cosmetic surgery. “Zoom face” is a new term we’ve been hearing more of the deeper into lockdown we venture. Last March, companies across the globe closed their doors, sending employees home to continue their work. And, just like that, sweat sets became our new power suits, the couch became the perfect office space and Zoom calls were our gateway to access the world outside our quarantine bubbles. It sounds like an ideal situation, being able to sink into the couch cushions, cross-legged and comfy in your…

SPICY SUV GTI power for new Volkswagen Tiguan JASON WOOSEY jason.woosey@inl.co.za WITH the world’s vehicle buying public leaning more and more towards SUVs, it makes sense that a company like Volkswagen, which is renowned for its performance hatchbacks, also adds a fair amount of spice to its SUV line-up. While we’ve already seen the first-ever R version of the Tiguan, which shares its 235kW heart with the new Golf R, the company has just revealed another high-performance SUV variant, which will slot between the regular Tiguan models and the R. The new Tiguan 245 PS 4Motion, as it is badged in Europe, borrows its 2-litre turbopetrol engine from the eighth-generation Golf GTI. The motor produces 180kW (which is 245 PS - the German word for horsepower, hence the badging) and…

5 REASONS TO ADD SEYCHELLES TO YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET LIST 1 It exudes romance Nothing says romance like a private, remote island getaway that has you waking up to tropical sunrises and taking walks hand in hand on powdery, white sands surrounded by azure waters. There are no better beaches to experience this than the ones in Seychelles. This archipelago is home to world-famous beaches boasting sparkling water and incredibly lush backdrops of forests and dramatic boulders. 2 Adventure paradise With 115 islands making up Seychelles, there's lots of adventure to experience. On Mahé, immerse yourself in the diverse culture of Seychelles. On Praslin, other than breathtaking scenery, visit the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, a Unesco World Heritage Site that is home to the famous coco de mer palm…

QUICK READ Grants As announced in Wednesday’s Budget speech, the government’s social grants will increase only slightly for the 2020/21 tax year, although the special Covid-19 social relief of distress grant has been allocated R2.1 billion to extend it until the end of April. Old age, war veterans’, disability and care dependency grants increase by 1.6%, from R1 860 to R1 890 a month. The grant for people over 75 increases from R1 880 to R 1 910. The foster care grant increases by 1%, from R1 040 to R1 050, and the child support grant increases by an inflation-related 3.4%, from R445 to R460. Sars In line with announcements made by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in Parliament on Wednesday, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will establish a separate…

RANDS & SENSE Your greatest asset is being able to earn GAVIN VAN DYK Freepik.com IT’S a new year and an exciting time if it coincides with starting a career. Earning your first pay cheque is exhilarating, but at the same time it is easy to fall into the habit of spending it all. Spending your entire salary each month and buying things on credit can be a slippery downward spiral into the dark world of debt. By following some basic laws of finance, you can achieve financial peace of mind and a more gratifying life. For most youngsters who are entering employment for the first time the most important financial asset for a long time is likely to be their ability to earn an income. This potential for future…

Independent on Saturday INSIDER EDITOR | Buhle Mbonambi PRODUCTION EDITOR | Tanya Fynn EDITORS PERSONAL FINANCE | Martin Hesse TRAVEL | Clinton Moodley MOTORING | Jason Woosey and Pritesh Ruthun OPINION | Siyabonga Mkhwanazi BUSINESS | Sechaba Nkosi BIZTECH | Wesley Diphoko BRANDSTORIES | Linda Zakas DESIGN TEAM Dominique Owen Mallory Munien Mark Bechard Nalane Walker EXECUTIVE EDITORS LIFESTYLE | Nelandri Narianan POLITICS | Ricky Naidoo SPORT | Ian Smit PRODUCTION | Renata Ford CONTENT MARKETING | Keshni Odayan SALES | Charl Reineke…

QUICK READ FAKE NEWS ABOUT DISEASES A NETWORK of women’s groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo says one of the biggest challenges in preventing the spread of Ebola and Covid-19 is tackling misinformation about the diseases and related vaccines. “Fake news and misinformation about Ebola, Covid-19 and the vaccines that can curb them, is rife and there is a lot of mistrust within communities,” Yakubu Mohammed Saani, country director of ActionAid DRC, said. | African News Agency (ANA) EDUCATION ‘ON HOLD’ IN CAR THE UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) said it is “extremely concerned” about the impact of the recent escalation of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) on the education of hundreds of thousands of children across the country. “Only a few months after returning to school following…

QUICK READ PUSH FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES THE government of Singapore has made its ambitions clear to phase out internal combustion (ICE) engine vehicles for electric vehicles by raising petrol duties. During the Budget speech on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the fuel hike, to encourage Singaporeans to reduce carbon emissions in their bid to phase out ICE vehicles by 2040. | African News Agency (ANA) INCREASE IN CHILD REFUGEES ALMOST 2 600 unaccompanied child refugees from Africa arrived in dinghy boats on the shores of the autonomous Spanish territory of Canary Islands last year, CNN reported this week. This number was three times higher than in 2019. Most of these children embark on the perilous journey with strangers. Their parents pay for the boat. For them, it’s…

QUICK READ Japan JAPANESE Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as the country’s first inister of loneliness to its cabinet this month. Last year there was a surge in suicides in Japan for the first time in 11 years, particularly among women, according to BBC News, Tokyo. About 879 women died by suicide in October 2020, a 70% increase compared with the same month in 2019. Suga said many people are not coping with isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. | African News Agency (ANA) New Zealand AIR New Zealand has announced that it is ready to trial the digital vaccination travel pass developed by the International Air Transport Association on flights between Sydney and Auckland from April. The travel pass allows travellers to create a digital health wallet…