Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-06-19 i Pretoria News Weekend

I CAN remember when being on social media was a hobby. A reprieve from the mundanity of our lives. We commented on our friends’ breakfast choices, were recommending new music and TV shows to one another and encouraging people who follow us to follow people we like. Social media was a space to share thoughts, pictures and videos. It was like a little community. While that may still be the case, some, mostly millennials and Gen Z, soon realised that social media could give them an opportunity to live their dream. One of success and all the trappings that come with it. Thulasizwe “Lasizwe” Dambuza was one of them. He harnessed the power of social media and turned himself into a success story. On his YouTube skits, where he takes…

Bang Showbiz Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen didn’t want to be the face of The Row. The famous twins launched their fashion brand when they were just 18 in 2006, and the former child stars have admitted they didn’t want it to be a celebrity brand. Ashley told i-D magazine: “We didn’t want to be in front of it, we didn’t necessarily even want to let people know it was us. It was really about the product, to the point where we were like: ‘Who could we get to front this so that we don’t have to?’” The Two of a Kind actresses insisted they were raised to be discreet. The sisters’ famous friends have praised the pair for how they’ve kept much of their lives out of the spotlight. Supermodel…

Naomi Jackson The publicity materials for Zakiya Dalila Harris’s debut novel, The Other Black Girl, describe the book as a literary mash-up of The Devil Wears Prada and Get Out. That sets the bar high with the promise of a cultural landmark – a novel that’s timely, hilarious, witty, mildly terrifying, emotionally textured and conversant on the social and political issues that black women face in the world and the workplace. Is the novel worth the hype? Yes. It should be at the top of your winter reading list. The story opens in the summer of 2018. Nella Rogers (see: celebrated Harlem Renaissance author, Nella Larsen) is in the second year of her job as an editorial assistant at Wagner Books. A University of Virginia graduate and the daughter…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za A PRETORIA teenager was forced to pay more than R20 000 to avoid being reported to police or have his naked pictures posted on social media. When his savings and pocket money eventually ran out, the 18-year-old, only identified as S, decided enough was enough. “I lived in fear because they said they were going to report me to the police for sexual harassment. I was terrified this would happen because I thought I did something wrong. Also, my parents have no idea about this.” The youngster told the Pretoria News that every time his phone buzzed, he broke out in cold sweat because he knew it was yet another demand for money. But last month when they once again demanded a payment, he realised he could…

James Mahlokwane james.mahlokwane@inl.co.za UNIVERSITIES in Tshwane have suspended contact learning and teaching to curb the spread of Covid-19. The University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology and Unisa said sit-in assessments were also on hold until further notice. Of these, Unisa has the least contact because of its distance-learning approach to education. The university alerted students that graduations and issuing of certificates would also not happen, for now. University of Pretoria spokesperson Rikus Delport said: “The country is now in the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the numbers, especially in Gauteng, have increased alarmingly in the past two weeks. “Given this context, and the university’s prioritisation of the health and safety of its students and staff, the executive has decided to suspend all contact classes. This include most…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za A ROW has erupted over the firearms summit planned by the DA to discuss the draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill, which would scrap self defence as a reason to have a gun licence. This comes after chairperson of the police portfolio committee, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, fired the first salvo at DA MP Andrew Whitfield, whom she accused of planning to convene a firearms summit. Joemat-Pettersson said the committee was concerned that Whitfield politicised the matter of firearms when the committee worked together without politicising matters they were seized with. In his response, Whitfield said he was unapologetic about hosting “this important summit” and stated it was urgent to convene the summit to generate awareness of the bill. The planned virtual summit will be held on Tuesday with civil…

MPILETSO MOTUMI THE SOUTH African Music Awards (Samas) have for the first time invited the public to vote for the Artist of the Year, a new category introduced in SAMA27. The voting opens on June 1. Any South African artist is eligible, provided they released a new body of work between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. Furthermore, the artist has to agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of the Samas. Voting will be managed by an independent company and the results will be audited by PwC. There will be no shortlist of nominees and the winner will be announced on the night of the awards, broadcast on SABC1. The Artist of the Year category joins the Record of the Year and Music Video of the…

Jaguar Land Rover will start testing its new fuel cell powertrain technology with a hydrogen-powered Defender prototype later this year. The company’s Project Zeus programme forms part of JLR’s plan to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036 and is a core part of the “Reimagine” strategy unveiled by CEO Thierry Bolloré earlier this year. Fuel cell electric vehicles will be “complementary to battery- electric vehicles” in the new-era product line-up. Project Zeus is being run in partnership with Delta Motorsport, AVL and Marelli Automotive Systems…

Mark Smith, Jako Volschenk and Meshach Aziakpono African countries are experiencing an unprecedented level of unemployment among young people. The unemployment numbers are expected to increase, given the booming youth population in Africa. For South Africa, more than 60% of unemployed people at the start of this year were aged 15-34. The South African economy has consistently underperformed over the past decade, with growth in real GDP per capita declining since 2011. While South Africa experienced political emancipation in 1994, the population still suffers from high inequality. The country’s Gini coefficient (showing income inequality) stood at 0.63 in 2015 – one of the highest in the world. South Africa is desperate for a more dynamic, employment-intensive and innovative growth trajectory – even more so after the Covid-19 pandemic. A…

JUST as the government is trying in various ways to incentivise positive financial behaviour, such as saving, you could do this within your own family. Your children have time on their side; an appropriate savings vehicle could show them the power of compounding – and more so when these funds are not eroded by taxes. Enter the tax-free savings account (TFSA). TFSAs, introduced in 2015, are a government initiative to encourage South Africans to save for the long term. But can you open one for your child? “Yes,” says the South African Revenue Service (Sars), “parents can invest on behalf of their minor children.” And this applies to other adults, including grandparents. “Any person can open a tax-free account for a minor child.” With a TFSA, none of the regular…

WHY, if you’re a long-term investor, is it better to diversify among higher-risk assets than simply put all your eggs in a low-risk, stable investment? Last year in March, when Covid-19 was starting to spread around the world, but before the markets plummeted at the end of that month, Dr Adrian Saville, then chief executive of Cannon Asset Managers, wrote an article, “An investment cure for coronavirus: the diversification premium.” It was a warning to long-term investors not to sell off their higher-risk investments in favour of less risky ones, but to ensure that they were well diversified to weather the approaching storm. “Selling everything ‘risky’ in times of stress to crowd into a ‘safe asset’, such as cash or bonds, may not be as rational as it seems at…

HISTORY awaits Kaizer Chiefs if they beat Wydad Casablanca over the two-legged CAF Champions League semi-finals. That’s why vice-captain Willard Katsande is banking on the internationals in the team to help them reach the promised land – the final. Despite being the most decorated club in domestic football – having won 93 trophies – Chiefs have enjoyed little success in continental football. They won only the Nelson Mandela Cup (also known as the Africa Cup Winners’ Cup), in 2001. This time Chiefs broke their record in the Champions League. They reached the group stage, knockout stage and semi-finals for the first time. And they are targeting the milestone of playing in the final as well. But they’ll have to get past a successful Wydad side in…

JAKE White’s return to South African rugby has made the game stronger in this country. It is good to have the 2007 World Cup-winning coach back in South Africa and while the Bulls have been the biggest beneficiaries, the Springboks are also healthier because of White. White’s rugby intellectual capital made the Brumbies in Australia winners again, won Montpellier their first ever European title and also put silverware in the trophy cabinet of Japanese club Toyota Verblitz. But it has been his impact at the Bulls that has been the strongest reminder of the coaching qualities that won him a junior World Cup with the baby Boks and the ultimate title of the World Cup with the Springboks in 2007. White, whose journey post the Springboks job…

Rege-Jean Page found it “overwhelming” watching his steamy Bridgerton scenes. The actor – who played Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings in the hit Netflix period drama – admitted neither he nor his family were “sufficiently prepared” for the awkwardness of seeing the racy moments on screen. He told The Hollywood Reporter: “It was overwhelming. But I think people were looking to be overwhelmed.” Naturally, his family didn’t enjoy the scenes as much as the public, but they were able to set any awkwardness aside because of the success of the show. “My family doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by my backside, specifically, too often, but they’ll take it on this occasion because everyone seems to be terribly happy.” Rege-Jean also discussed his new-found sex symbol status, insisting he didn’t think…

Rapula Moatshe rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za THE ONGOING investigation into the multimillion rand illicit trade in duty-free alcohol by several diplomats in South Africa is not only targeting implicated individuals from the African continent. Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela said diplomats from outside the continent were also suspected of abusing their diplomatic privileges. Because of the investigation, Monyela didn't name the regions where the suspects came from. “Just to emphasise that the diplomats involved are not only from the African continent, other regions are also affected,” he said. This was in response to questions by the Pretoria News regarding a group of Malawian and Basotho diplomats who were recently booted out of the country for engaging in the illicit trade of duty-free alcohol. Monyela said: “As we said in…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE EFF has rejected a revised land expropriation position by the ANC, saying if no agreement was reached a “much more radical and decisive mechanism” should be found to address the question. The party said so yesterday when the ANC tabled its revised position on the amendment of the Constitution to allow expropriation without compensation. This after the parties held bilateral meetings to find common ground on the bill that required it to be passed with a two-thirds majority by the National Assembly. The ad hoc committee has been given until the end of August to submit its report for consideration by the National Assembly after previous deadlines were not met. In his presentation, ANC MP Cyril Xaba said their amended position flowed from bilateral discussions with…

Goitsemang Tlhabye goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za THE State Theatre has kicked off its annual Youth Expressions Festival to honour not only the young people of 1976, but all those who continue to face insurmountable challenges. Under the theme of: “The year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Growing youth employment for an inclusive and transformed society”, the festival kicked off on Youth Day and will run until June 30. The theatre’s Thabiso Qwabe said the festival was a celebration of the youth’s creative spirit that remembers the past, while reflecting on today and interrogating the hopes of tomorrow. Qwabe said the youth of 1976 had the drive and energy to make a difference and challenge the norms, and this was what today’s youth were still doing by trying to find ways to overcome their challenges.…

PRITESH RUTHUN pritesh.ruthun@inl.co.za With 441kW of power and 800Nm of torque on tap from a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre petrol V8 engine, the recently introduced Audi RSQ8 is hardly what we'd call under-powered. In fact, it’s enough oomph to shunt this two-tonner behemoth from a standstill to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 306km/h if you tick the right options boxes. It’s so much power in fact, that our test unit could not seem to contain it, shutting itself down on several occasions, going into a "Safe CP" mode during our evaluation period (more on this later). Remember the Audi RS6 Avant? That was the car you had to buy if you needed loads of space and you wanted to travel very quickly with lots of grip;…

Leading F1 team McLaren Racing will enter a team in the electric Extreme E off-road championship from next year. Racing boss Zak Brown said: “McLaren has always been at the forefront and never afraid to push new boundaries”. Extreme E currently features nine teams, who must use identical 536bhp electric spaceframe SUVs. Each team must run a single car for a male and female driver who swap at the midway point of each race. Brown said the new project “will complement and help support all our programmes”.…

The enigma of the Western crusade against Ethiopia One thing that has been most incomprehensible for many Ethiopian observers, activists, and politicians is the barrage of one-sided criticisms coming from Western capitals since the eruption in November of an armed conflict between the federal government and the TPLF’s (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) controlled northern region of Tigray. The criticisms were followed by the implementation of various sanctions that elevated the surprise to the level of utter consternation. The deep differences over the direction of the country under the reformist leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed constitute the underlying causes of the conflict. The immediate cause of the war, however, was the surprise attack of TPLF militia forces on the national defence forces stationed in Tigray. The Ethiopian government launched an…

WHEN the founding father of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid, was asked about the future of Dubai, he said: “My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel …” South Africa’s National Youth Commission Act defines “youth” as people from 14 to 35 years. This group constitutes more than a third of the population of South Africa (34.7%). Millennials (people in their mid-20s to age 40) in the US control only 7% of the wealth. At a similar age, the Baby Boomers (now in their late 50s to age 75) controlled 21% of the wealth. Only 11% of millennials were found to have a “relatively high level”…

THIS week saw the launch of a new bank in South Africa: Access Bank South Africa Limited, a subsidiary of Access Bank plc, after the parent company earlier this year acquired a controlling stake in Grobank, which served the agricultural sector. Based in Nigeria, Access Bank plc is a full-service commercial bank that employs 28 000 people, with a network of more than 600 branches and service outlets spanning 12 countries on three continents and serving 31 million customers. Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange since 1998, the bank has four business segments: retail, business, commercial and corporate. At the launch, Access Bank chief executive Herbert Wigwe said the South African Development Community region represents the strongest economy on the African continent. “This means that Access Bank SA is firmly…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s last Test series win away from home came in New Zealand. Four years later, the two teams find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum as far as success is concerned. While the New Zealanders sat and watched the rain fall in Southampton yesterday, at least they were in the World Test Championship final. The South Africans, meanwhile, dodged the rain in St Lucia, but a series against the West Indies, ranked ahead of the Proteas before this series, lacks the lustre of a championship final. The opposite directions in which the two teams have gone reflects the differing attitudes in the two countries. New Zealand doesn't have the playing resources that South Africa has. Certainly an argument could be made that New Zealand’s…

Vuyolwethu Fundam Vuyolwethu.Fundam@africannewsagency.com Alcohol can be used in some unusual but intriguing ways. And if you need some pampering, then why not take one of these boozy spa treatments from around the world. Champagne pedicure manicure at SOHO NYC Salon, Cape Town, South Africa Champagne and other products that contain grapes, grape seeds, or grape-seed oils form part of a champagne pedicure process. Bubbly is said to help with age spots and can also work as a natural exfoliant for pedicures or manicures. At the SOHO NYC salon, the signature champagne mani or pedi is offered as an add-on service, provided that you do shellac or SOHO gel mani or pedi. Shellac or SOHO gel mani or pedi starts from R395, and the add-on service goes for R265. The Four-Hand…

Margot Robbie, 30, is taking a break from social media. The Birds of Prey star took to Instagram to post a picture of herself and some friends celebrating the success of Pretty Young Woman – produced by her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment – and revealed that she will be stepping back from her social media platforms for the time being. “Jumping off social media for the time being – check out @luckychapentertainment if you’re interested in what we’re up to, otherwise ciao for now! (sic)” Margot didn’t state why she’s taking a social media break, but the star isn’t a frequent poster online and regularly takes weeks or even months to update fans on her life. The actress also doesn’t like sharing too many details about her private life, and…

Tanya Waterworth tanya.waterworth@inl.co.za AN INTERNATIONAL manhunt for a suspected killer from Durban may have come to an end as a man believed to be Dylan Dean Taljaard, 25, has been picked up by authorities in Uruguay. Taljaard has been on the run since 2016 when he left the country. He was the lead suspect for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Shannon Roberts. Both Roberts and Taljaard were 18 at that time. In August 2018 a warrant for his arrest was issued and he was placed on Interpol’s most wanted or “Red List”. Roberts’s body was found dumped in the dense bush along Doonside Beach in November 2014. It was reported at the time that she had sustained stab wounds to her body. Shannon’s adoptive father, Gavin Roberts, who is based…

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will today meet with the teacher unions ahead of her announcement later in the day on whether schools should be closed during the third wave. Motshekga’s meeting with the unions comes as some parties have been putting pressure on her to shut down the schools. The National Professional Teachers Union of SA yesterday confirmed it would meet with Motshekga today. Executive director for Naptosa Basil Manuel said teachers on the ground were panicking. “The reality is that our members are panicking, and we can’t ignore the panic,” said Manuel. He said they were meeting with Motshekga to discuss the roll-out of the vaccine, but the issue of the third wave would come up. “The main issue is going to be the vaccine. Hopefully, we will…

The diversity of colour and culture in the human family is what makes the world a more beautiful place in which to live. Differences are not only in the human family, they are apparent throughout the whole of nature. For example, a beautiful garden is made of flowers of different colours, charm and beauty and shrubs and trees of different types and sizes. According to the Baháʼí Writings, “the diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord” and emphasising that “if you meet those of different race and colour from yourself, do not mistrust them and withdraw yourself into your shell of conventionality, but rather be glad…

Samkelo Mtshali samkelo.thulasizwe@inl.co.za DESPITE King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s naming as the rightful heir to the Zulu throne, the Zulu royal family continue to be besieged by squabbles around the succession for the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu with some members of the family opposed to the new king’s nomination. In the latest row, the family have been as loggerheads on the vital cleansing ceremonies for the late King Zwelithini, which include a ceremony for his widows to set aside their mourning dresses, and a hunting ceremony in which the new king is supposed to partake, following which his late father’s shield, spears and guns would be cleansed. Yesterday the Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, said they were concerned some members of the royal family…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za AFROPOP singer and guitarist Zahara is not about to let trolls rain on her parade, and has hit back at one who tried to do so. The Loliwe hitmaker recently shared on social media the visuals of her latest single, Nyamezela. While Zahara took to social media to celebrate the release of her powerful music video, one Twitter user, who goes by the name Vuyela Madela, took it upon himself to tryto ruin her special moment. “Only 77 comments after 12 hours, I wonder what happens to artists’ popularity once they leave TS records,” commented the user. But Zahara would hear none of it. “And you have 84 followers since 2012? hehake bethuna,” hit back Zahara. Zahara left her former record label, TS Records, in 2016 following…

The unemployment rate continues to climb this year, reaching 32.6% in the first quarter – the highest rate on record. Officially there are more than 11 million unemployed people, of which the youth bear the brunt of the economic stagnation with an unemployment rate of 63.20%. This is a massive problem that cannot be solved by government alone and requires a social compact that involves communities, labour, and the private sector. The government does have a responsibility to take a lead, but it needs to mobilise all relevant social partners. Central is the need to push for the reorientation of our education system to focus more on improving system outcomes. For a long time, our main focus has been on opening the doors of learning and improving literacy levels. As…

Israeli politics is entering a new chapter. After inconclusive elections in March, a politically diverse coalition has formed to end Benjamin Netan- yahu’s 12 years as prime minister. The eight-party coalition is led by right-winger Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid. The two will take turns as prime minister, with Bennett taking the first period of two years. For the first time, an Arab party will be included in government, with Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party joining the coalition. The Bennett-Lapid government could open a new period for Israel. However, it might not be so promising for the Palestinians of the occupied territories. The coalition’s political diversity will pose a challenge for working together. With Labor and Meretz on the left and Yamina, New Hope and Yisrael Beiteinu on the right,…

Martin Hesse DIVERSIFICATION has been called “the only free lunch in investing”. So how does it work and how does it benefit you? “Spread your bets.” “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” The benefits of diversification have long been known to mankind, as these well-used phrases confirm. Yet how often do we hear of people losing their entire life’s savings through a single failed investment? While on the face of it the concept is simple enough, to structure a well-diversified portfolio requires some effort and thought. There are different ways of diversifying your investments, depending on your investment goals and time horizon. Higher-risk investments, such as equities and listed property, are necessary in a long-term portfolio for achieving above-inflation growth. However, the risks associated with these asset…