Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-06-05 i Pretoria News Weekend

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za Bunny the talking dog is baffling scientists and amazing her TikTok followers as they follow her amazing journey online. Have you ever looked into the eyes of your family pet and wished you could read their mind? Or perhaps, like most pet parents, you long for a way to tell your favourite furry friend just how much you love them. For Alexis Devine, a 40-year-old artist and jewellery designer based in Tacoma, Washington, it’s possible. Devine’s TikTok videos featuring her almost-2-year-old sheepadoodle named Bunny have received viral attention across multiple platforms. Using a selection of buttons with pre-recorded phrases, the shaggy-haired dog is able to push on them with her paws and convey her wants, needs and emotions. From adorable affirmations like “love you” to existential…

Sameer Naik sameer.naik@inl.co.za Aubrey Boshoga had looked forward to returning to his job as a flight attendant for SAA. The contemporary artist and socialite had in the past few weeks expressed his excitement to his family about returning to his old job. The 48-year-old would, however, never get the opportunity. In the early hours of Monday, Boshoga’s body was discovered outside his home in Observatory, Johannesburg. He had been stabbed several times. CCTV footage recovered showed a white car dropping off Boshoga’s battered and bruised body outside his home. While Boshoga’s murder is one of the hundreds that occur regularly in South Africa, his death has caused national outrage. That’s because it’s been suspected that Boshoga was murdered because of his sexual orientation. With his death suspected to be a…

Jonisayi Maromo SHE HAS been fondly hailed as South Africa’s latest woman crush on social media. At the same time, social media users have been in awe of Pan-African Parliament’s Barbara Rwodzi’s unwavering stance amid violent scuffles in the continental legislative body’s chambers in Midrand. Recounting her experience at the Pan-African Parliament, the Zimbabwe MP for Chirumhanzu said the fight for rotation of the leadership of the house was not over. “We are very optimistic as civil people of southern Africa that the African Union will make sure this issue is discussed so we see the end of it. “It is a rule and procedure for AU organs to follow geographical rotation. It just doesn’t make sense to me why the Pan-African Parliament struggles to follow that,” Rwodzi said in…

Reuters RESEARCHERS in South Africa are working on a potentially new method to deter rhino poachers and smugglers by using radioactive markers to make smuggled horns detectable at global ports of entry and less desirable to buyers. South Africa is home to the world’s largest rhino population but has battled poaching for decades. The rhino horn is one of the most expensive commodities in the world by weight, fetching tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram. Demand is mainly from Asia where rhino horns are believed to have potent medicinal properties and are also a symbol of wealth. The study, a collaboration between Wits University and a global team of scientists and funded by Russia’s nuclear agency, Rosatom, is not using radioactive material on the animals yet, but hopes to…

GOITSEMANG TLHABYE goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za EVEN with the impending adversity facing the South African Air Force (SAAF) due to stringent budget costs, newly-inducted chief Lieutenant- General Wiseman Mbambo is ready to hit the ground running. Mbambo yesterday told the women and men in blue: “Let’s get down to business; we have no time to waste,” shortly after he was handed the baton as the chief of the SAAF. He said it was time that the country looked to harnessing its own resources or face little to no chance of surviving in a highly competitive environ- ment. He said if anything, South Africa had to be strategic and be prepared to pay the highest premium to develop members of the force. “We understand the standard ecosystem cycle of the Defence Force and the…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za What do you do when you win the first race of the South African Cross Country Series after a few years’ sabbatical as a works team? You follow the team to the Sugarbelt 400 in KwaZulu- Natal with a handful of Ford Raptors to lend your support. But because it’s a Raptor, there needs to be an alternative route that involves as little of the national road as possible and some gravel thrown in for good measure. Which is what we did with five of Ford’s unique offroad vehicles to see how Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer and Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk in their FIA-Class Ford Rangers would follow up their previous success. Ford’s NWM Development Team of Bapi Rubuluza and Fanifani Meyiwa in…

The World Health Organization has created a new system to name Covid-19 variants to avoid misreporting and stigmatising nations where they were first detected. Al Jazeera reported that the UK, South Africa, Brazil and India variants, have now been given the Greek letters Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta according to the order of their detection. “The labels don’t replace existing scientific names, which convey important scientific information and will continue to be used in research.”…

MATSHELANE MAMABOLO THE interview was granted on the condition I ‘tread carefully’ on the personal questions. ‘He can be pretty sensitive,’ I was told. More forthright they should have said. Thomas 'Tommy Gun’ Oosthuizen has had "too much kak" from people who "don’t know me" to "give a f***". Fresh from having spent 10 months in jail, the former multiple boxing champion has decided to care only about himself, at least until he is fully back on his feet so as to be able to take care of his children. Such has been the amount of bad press he has received it is easy to forget just how talented a boxer Oosthuizen is - he boasts 28 wins from 33 fights. Mention his name and you are bound to have…

Clinton Moodley The Sardine Run, known as the planet’s largest biomass migration, has attracted many travellers to KwaZulu- Natal over the years. And now you can get a front row seat to all the Sardine Run action when you plan a holiday on the South Coast. Phelisa Mangcu, the chief executive of Ugu South Coast Tourism, said the Sardine Run is something everyone should see once in their lifetime. Mangcu said the shoals attracted hordes of marine predators, including shark species such as the copper, dusky, blacktip and spinner. Travellers may also see big game fish such as garrick and geelbek. If lucky, you could spot dolphins, whales, cormorants, gulls and terns. “We’re so fortunate that on the KZN South Coast, we get front row seats to the action, with…

Nosipho Nyide Winter is upon us, which means people will be stocking up on some warm drinks to enjoy during chilly days. While many South Africans know how to pair their wines, they might not be as informed when it comes to tea pairings. Jessica Bonin, a tea sommelier, has shared some ways people can pair their rooibos this winter. “Pairing tea with food allows one to experience enhanced flavours through the complementary elements of various ingredients. “It presents your palette with a new depth of taste brought about by a specific tea,” she said. Rooibos and chamomile Bonin suggests that tea lovers pair rooibos and chamomile with foods that are fruity or sweet. “Rooibos and chamomile have a woody, creamy and peachy taste with honey-floral undertones, which complements anything…

NTANDO MAKHUBU ntando.makhubu@inl.co.za THE SOUTH African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has stepped into the racism saga surrounding Cornwall Hill College in Irene, Centurion, to discuss transformation at the school. In a meeting this week, the two parties spoke about the role of the school, what had been done since the first reports of segregation and lack of diversity surfaced last year. The meeting also focused on ways in which the school could draw upon the SAHRC’s services and expertise as an independent third party. Executive principal Leon Kunneke said the school was “absolutely committed” to carrying out a participative and transparent transformation process. “We will therefore be drawing on the input from a variety of expert partners and consultancies in designing our transformation roadmap. “We aim to ensure that our…

GOITSEMANG TLHABYE goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za DEALING with the roots of bullying starts at the foundation phase. It was with that in mind that the Bizzy Beez Preschool is keeping the memory of the late Limpopo learner Lufuno Mavhunga alive. The school has painted the words #JusticeForLufuno and a call for an end to bullying, on Panorama Road in Centurion. Anna-Marie van Dyk, of Bizzy Beez, said they had decided to create the mural after the video of Lufuno, a learner at Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo, being assaulted by a fellow learner became public. Van Dyk said as a parent, she felt it was important to raise awareness about the issue of bullying instead of waiting for another child to die. She said the preschool wanted to stand in solidarity with the…

RAPULA MOATSHE rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za APART from the FF Ribeiro vaccination site at Sammy Marks Square, known for being frequented by high-profile people, there are other 17 facilities spread across Tshwane. Manned by both the City and the Gauteng Department of Health, the sites are in Zithobeni, Rayton Clinic, Eersterust Community health-care centre, Nellmapius clinic, Laudium community health care centre, Atteridgeville clinic and Weskoppies hospital. The others are Tshwane rehabilitation hospital, Kekana Gardens, Suurman clinic, Soshanguve Block JJ clinic, KT Motubatse clinic and Phedisong community health-care centre. This week, the Pretoria News team spent time at a site at the Laudium community health-care centre, which has been in operation since May 24. At the time, there were still at least 25 elderly people queueing to receive their life-saving injection of the Pfizer…

GOITSEMANG TLHABYE goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za FORMER Idols runner-up Botlhale Phora is taking the music scene by storm, putting Setswana music on centre stage with the release of his EP titled Sonoblomo (Sunflower). Phora, born and bred in Ga-Rankuwa, who took third place in the 2017 edition of South African Idols, said he started off to write and create his first album as a solo independent artist during the lockdown. This is also the first release under his record company, Power Vow records, started in 2018 in partnership with Kingdom Entertainment. He decided to change to Setswana music after complaints from fans who were upset that Nguni music dominated at the expense of South Africa’s other official languages. “I checked and realised that other than Press and Afrosoul trio Encore, there really aren’t…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za MY FATHER had a Peugeot once, no I lie, he had two. Nothing flamboyant, just regular 404 station wagons (before they became “estates”) back to back that did duty as family transport, towed a caravan across the length and breadth of Namibia and South Africa and hardly had any problems at all. It had a simple four-speed column shift and for some reason the door lock pointed upwards when locked, which was its only French quirk. Peugeot then left the country and on their return had a rather on-off relationship with customers despite some good-looking models in their inventory. That changed recently when they became part of the Stellantis group that also owns Citroen and Opel. There’s a determined drive by the South African arm…

Speaking truth to the youth of today IT WILL be 45 years ago on June 16 that the youth of Soweto marched from Morris Isaacson High School and Naledi High School to Orlando Stadium. They didn’t make it. The apartheid police killed them. Those young people made history. George Floyd was strangled to death by a white policeman’s knee last year. He too made history. The blood of the youth of 1976 watered the tree of liberation, so did Floyd’s. His death gave impetus to the greatest movement against racism in the US – Black Lives Matter. The Soweto martyrs gave birth to the greatest international movement of solidarity against racism in history – the anti-apartheid movement. The long struggle for freedom African-Americans were emancipated from slavery in 1865. A…

MIHLALI BALEKA KAIZER Chiefs’ Absa Premiership top eight fate is in their hands. They must beat TS Galaxy in their last league game this afternoon at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, to achieve that feat. A fortnight ago Chiefs appeared down and out. They succumbed to recently relegated side Black Leopards, keeping the gap between them and the eighth-placed Galaxy to five points ahead of the penultimate round of the season. The loss to Lidoda Duvha had dire consequences for Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt who was dismissed two days later, following the team’s turbulent outing in domestic football. Hunt’s assistants Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard were appointed as interim coaches. The duo sat for their first game in charge against Golden Arrows at home on Wednesday. The hoodoo of…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za Red Bull KTM had their best weekend of the 2021 season last Sunday at the Italian Grand Prix, and South Africa's Brad Binder's week was not too shabby either. After finishing fifth for the second time of the racing calendar - and it could have been better had his racing suite's airbag not deployed early in the GP - Binder and the team announced that the 25-year-old rider will remain with KTM for a further three years. That is fantastic news for his fans, as it will certainly afford Binder the opportunity to grow as a team, develop their machinery together, and build on their success while learning from their failures. To phrase it in pop-culture vernacular: It's on, it's on like Donkey Kong. Moreover,…

Clinton Moodley The Houghton home of Nelson Mandela has been converted into a swanky new hotel called Sanctuary Mandela. The luxury hotel is set to open in July 2021. The boutique residence with nine curated rooms will celebrate the late South African president. There will also be spaces for reflection, healing and thought-provoking experiences inspired by his life. Mandela, hosted the likes of former US president Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama at the property, which later became the headquarters of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and will feature curated exhibits. Each of the rooms commemorates Mandela’s many names. The rooms come kitted with modern comforts like wi-fi, twin or a king-size bed, flat-screen TV, aircon and shower facilities. There is also a Presidential Suite that boasts 54sqm of space. Jerry…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za Winter can be one of the most difficult seasons in which to try to lose weight but with a little bit of determination can be the most rewarding time of the year to get into shape. For Hollywood stars there is always the pressure to look your best. In recent times, celebrities have been vocal about being body-shamed by fans and peers but at the same time many celebs continue to work hard to stay fit and healthy. Actress Raven-Symoné from That’s So Raven fame is the latest Hollywood celeb to share her weight loss journey with the world, after losing over 17kg. She posted her success in a video on Instagram. While on a road trip with her wife Miranda Pearman-Maday, she told fans: “Pounds down.…

Alyssia Birjalal alyssia.birjalal@inl.co.za South African comedian Trevor Noah has scored a nomination in the Male Star of the Year category at this year’s Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards. The third annual awards announced the nominees on Wednesday, with Noah going up against RuPaul Charles, Stanley Tucci, Guy Fieri and Phil Rosenthal in the category. Trevor’s The Daily Show also recently won an MTV Movie and TV Award and 13 Webby Awards, including Best Host or Personality and Video Remixes/Mashups. He took to Instagram to share the news. “When your friend passes you a note that says The Daily Show just won an MTV Movie and TV award and not one not two, but 13 at The Webby Awards. Is this real life? “Wow ... A sincere thank you to…

Audi is the first car manufacturer to fight for overall victory in the famous Dakar Rally with an electrified powertrain, thus also heralding an energy revolution in cross-country rallying. Audi Sport has succeeded in recruiting three illustrious driver teams for the ambitious project. Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist (Sweden), Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (France) and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (Spain) will compete for Audi in the world’s toughest rally from January 2 to 14, 2022.…

Apology or no apology? This is the question that President Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to Rwanda left. Macron led a formal state visit to Rwanda with the intention of apologising to the country for the French involvement in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The apology was not a formal one, meaning that this was nothing short of a diplomatic slur aimed at restoring French relations with one of the fastest growing economies of the East African region. The apology was not formulated in a way that would acknowledge three main features of a true apology: (1) it did not acknowledge the actions taken and resulting pain inflicted on the people of Rwanda; (2) it did not provide any action plan for how France will right the wrong; and (3) nothing…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za FF1 travels to its second street track in as many weekends, with the teams gearing up for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit. Here we look at three factors ahead of the race, and one concern. Silver Arrows in a fight Mercedes had a terrible afternoon last Sunday at the Monaco GP. Defending world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton’s strategy was wayward and resulted in him finishing eighth, while teammate Valtterri Bottas didn’t even complete the race after a faulty wheel-nut refused to come off during a pitstop. The team doesn’t seem to be in a happy place right now, especially with media reports coming in from Europe that Bottas will lose his seat to Brit George Russell at the end of the season. The…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za PEAKING at the Tokyo Olympics is what it’s all about, but Ruswahl Samaai will be looking to turn up the heat at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands tomorrow. The 2017 world championship bronze medallist has a massive personal best of 8.49m, but has been building up to Japan slowly but surely during the South African season. Samaai’s season’s best is 8.16m, which he produced in winning the national title in Pretoria in mid-April – but that is not the best effort by a local athlete in 2021. That honour currently belongs to Cheswill Johnson, who jumped 8.26m in February, which places him in joint-10th position on this year’s world list – with Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou on top with a huge 8.60m he jumped in late May.…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za THE Sharks travel to Emirates Airline Park today to face the Lions (kick-off 4pm), and one could argue that the Joburgers will be marginal favourites to claim their second victory of the Rainbow Cup South Africa. Here are three reasons why. They live off change It is a much changed Sharks outfit that will play this weekend compared to the side that beat the Lions 34-26 in Durban last month. Up front the powerful duo of Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit have been swopped out for Ntuthuko Mchunu and Wiehahn Herbst. The same is true of Ruben van Heerden, although the Durbanites will field JJ van der Mescht in the starting XV. There is no Siya Kolisi, or Sikhumbuzo Notshe – who is injured – nor…

HERMAN GIBBS WHEN Atlético Madrid were recently crowned kings of Spanish football for the 11th time, Quinton Fortune had memory flashbacks to his glory days when he played in the famous team that won the La Liga title in 1996. Most South African footy fans will know Fortune, a former 46-times capped Bafana Bafana midfielder as a seasoned Manchester United player under the watch of iconic manager Alex Ferguson. During his stay at Old Trafford, Fortune was part of squads that won three Premier League titles. However, before his stint in English football, Fortune became the first South African to play in La Liga. He arrived in Spain in 1996 and remained there until 1999. He played mostly for the Atlético reserve team, but he was capped six times for…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za Packing a suitcase is not everyone’s strong suit. Some travellers leave their packing for the very last minute to avoid dealing with it. When I first started packing my suitcase, I found the task almost impossible. I didn’t know what to take with me and what to leave behind. I ended up overpacking and incurring additional baggage costs in the process. I soon found out that packing is an art and requires time and effective planning. Here are some tips I've learned along the way: Label your suitcase The first thing travellers should do is label their suitcase. This could be a distinctive luggage tag, a colourful ribbon or anything that can easily identify that the bag is yours. There may be another traveller with the…