Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-09-04 i Pretoria News Weekend

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za When we see our favourite celebrities on the red carpet, we’re only seeing the end result, the final package of what a team of people have spent weeks putting together. Just as movie directors are the creative geniuses behind a successful film, stylists are the architects of those unforgettable red carpet moments. Los Angeles-based stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, the style duo known simply as Wayman + Micah, are the dynamic team behind styling some of Hollywood’s A-listers. The formidable duo joined forces in 2013 and have since dressed stars like Tessa Thompson, Kiki Layne and Kelly Marie Tran. While stylists used to be the faceless, and often nameless, creatives who blend into the background, Wayman + Micah are very much in the foreground of the…

Sameer Naik sameer.naik@inl.co.za THABISILE Sethaba has faced a battle that millions of South Africans are very familiar with. With her family battling financially, Sethaba had to take the heartbreaking decision to walk away from her business information diploma course at the Tshwane University of Technology as she was unable to pay her tuition fees. “I joined the Tshwane University of Technology to study for my business information diploma, but like so many of South Africa’s youth, I wasn’t able to complete my degree due to financial reasons,” says Sethaba. It’s a reality that millions of South Africans continue to face. Despite the setback, however, the 29-year-old from the tiny township of Kwa-Thema in Gauteng refused to give up her dream of a career in information and communication technology (ICT). So…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za BABY Milané Grobler, who has been fighting Covid-19 for the past two weeks, as reported by the Pretoria News Weekend last Saturday, has lost her battle. The baby’s organs simply failed, and she died at the Life Midmed Hospital in Middelburg on Tuesday night. Her distraught parents, Adela Malan and Christo Grobler, thanked the doctors and the public who relentlessly prayed for her recovery. They did not want to speak to the media during this difficult time, other than to say that their daughter fought a brave battle. Her funeral was held yesterday. A week ago, Malan said she was looking up to God as her child was in His hands. She also wanted people to take Covid-19 seriously, as Milané’s case proved that “no one was…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za ZAKES Bantwini has brought the Osama release date forward following a global excitement around the song. Last month, the Bang Bang Bang hitmaker topped the Twitter trends list after a video of him playing Osama at one of DJ Shimza’s Kunye events went viral. Fans started to declare it the “anthem of the year” even though there was no release date yet. Following this, Zakes announced that the song was set to release on September 17. However, due to the demand for the song globally, he decided to move the date forward. Taking to his Instagram page this week, the Nomathemba singer said Osama would drop on September 10 along with videos of partygoers across the globe including Spain, Portugal, Kenya, Switzerland and the UK…

AS WE observe International Literacy Day on September 8, it is timely to look at the importance of education for advancement of individuals and societies. Education is a human right and is key to the empowerment and progress of both individuals and communities. However, according to Unesco statistics 774 million people (15 years and older) still cannot read or write, and among these two-thirds of them (493 million) are women. And among youth, 123 million are illiterate of which 76 million are female. While education is crucial to the development of each individual’s potential, it is also a necessity if an individual is to enjoy the full range of human rights. The Bahá’í Writings state that, “Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its…

Mashudu Sadike masudu.sadike@inl.co.za A FOUNDATION to champion the needs of poor people has been established in Limpopo to honour the legacy of Struggle hero General Ike Maphoto. The Ike Maphoto Foundation’s (IMF) main aim is to commence dialogue with national and provincial governments for the underprivileged rural group. Struggle veteran Maphoto, also known as Bra Ike, died in 2019. Speaking to the Pretoria News, IMF chief executive Sello Samuel Maphoto, who is Bra Ike’s nephew, said the foundation was established earlier this year. “The goal and purpose of the foundation is to continue with the legacy of General Ike Maphoto and implement his ideas towards rebuilding South Africa . “To mention a few, it includes assisting students to access tertiary institutions, to lobby funds for community projects, and to…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za Good news for sports fans – the Gauteng Sport Awards are back. Sport personality of the Year; Sports Woman of the Year; Disabled Sport team of the Year; and Sport Journalist of the Year are some of the 19 categories announced in the upcoming Gauteng Sport Awards scheduled for October. The 10th edition of the prestigious awards was launched earlier on SABC’s Sport @ 10 programme, officially opening the 16-day nomination period. The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation has announced that, until September 17, Gauteng residents and sporting bodies can nominate provincially based athletes, teams and officials in the 19 categories. Nominees can only be chosen for their top performance or achievements during the period between August 1, 2020, and September 5 this year.…

MOTORISTS WITH expired licences can breathe a sigh of relief for now. This follows the recent announcement by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula that all driving licences, including temporary ones and PDPs, which expired between March 26 last year and August 31 this year will still be valid until March 31 next year. However, there are concerns that the measures announced to alleviate the situation might not be implemented properly by the new deadline. The AA said: “Our concern is that many motorists may be stranded without the necessary renewals.”…

Following its tenure on the UN Security Council and as rotating chair of the AU, South Africa will have to continue to engage in the conduct of strategic geopolitical power diplomacy if it is to regain the “punching above its weight” momentum on the international scene it once enjoyed. The challenge here continues to be compounded by a global pandemic in the form of Covid-19 and South Africa’s weakened domestic economic predicament. If the country does not act decisively, it will find itself in a disadvantageous diplomatic position on the continent and internationally for years to come as the ground continues to shift beneath its feet. This is because of the unfavourably aligned global balance of forces working against progressive internationalism and how this anti-progressive alignment is unfolding on the…

WHILE pension benefits make up the largest portion of total unclaimed financial benefits in South Africa, there are also life insurance companies with unclaimed insurance and investment benefits on their books, as well as unclaimed benefits in the Guardian’s Fund, which houses assets inherited by minor children. u Retirement fund benefits: The best place to start is the FSCA’s search page on its website, www.fsca.co.za. There is a link to the search on its home page. Alternatively, you can SMS a query with the identity number of the person about whom you are inquiring to 30913. For general inquiries, SMS 30766 or call 0800 20 3722 toll-free. u Life insurance and investment benefits: The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (Asisa) estimated that, in 2019, there were unclaimed assets…

LOOKING at the high number of cars on the road that cost more than half-a-million rands and the many that cost more than a million, either there are a lot more wealthy South Africans than income tax statistics indicate or, as I suspect, many people are paying a lot more for their vehicles than would be prudent on their income and are pretending to be wealthier than they actually are. A current TV ad by insurer DialDirect distinguishes between two types of drivers: those who drive irresponsibly and cause “dings”, and those who get back “ching” by driving carefully and who pose less of a risk for the insurer. I reckon the distinction can be extended to how responsible or irresponsible people are with their finances, and I have a…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za There’s nothing more disappointing than visiting an establishment that oversells its property. If you are slapping the word “luxury” on your travel accommodation – you better back it up with lush experiences. I’ve checked into many 5-star properties in recent years. Some pulled out all the stops to make my stay memorable, while other well-known hotels and lodges offered nothing but a lacklustre experience. While luxury travellers have different preferences when checking into 5-star properties, they all have one thing in common: they want an unforgettable experience with all the fancy trims. Luxury travel expert Helen Untiedt said people splurge on these experiences and deserve everything to be top-notch. The co-founder of Perfect Hideaways said 5-star properties need to up their game to provide travellers with an…

The Westworld actress is one of several women to have accused her former fiancé, Marilyn Manson, of sexual assault and she has shown her disgust for rapper Kanye West, bringing the shock rocker out on stage at his Donda listening party last week. In a video shared to her Instagram account of her and collaborator Zane Carney’s Evan + Zane gig at Los Angeles’ Bourbon Room over the weekend, the 33-year-old star performed a cover of the New Radicals track You Get What You Give, which famously namechecks Manson and says he needs his ass kicked. Introducing the song, she said in the video: “I’ve been saving this but it seems like the appropriate time.” And during the Manson line, Evan raised her middle finger in defiance, prompting cheers from…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za AFTER almost nine years of battling to have her turbo 4x4 fixed properly or replaced or the purchase amount paid back to her, the owner of the car is a step closer to receiving justice. Wilhelmina Barnado, the owner of the GWM Steed 5 2.5 4x4 – a four-wheel drive turbo – was very excited when she bought her dream car for R215 000 at a dealership in 2012. But the dream turned into an extended nightmare. The vehicle would not turbo as it should, had oil leaks, smoke poured out of the engine, and the mounting that carried the vehicle was cracking, among many other problems. Barnado took it back to the dealership at least eight times but, as one or two problems were fixed, more…

NOKWANDA NCWANE THE Covid-19 pandemic has shone a much-needed spotlight on the country’s lack of mental health resources and facilities – and a chance to show collective will to broaden the reach of psychiatric services. Dr Marion Morkel, chief medical officer at Sanlam, said in 2020, mental health accounted for 19% of Sanlam’s disability claims – up 11% from 2019. “The increase is consistent with findings that Covid-19 has caused a global mental health crisis. Lockdowns and loss have magnified depression. In an unequal society like South Africa, the virus laid bare an existing mental health-care service gap, and the shocking public health crisis in the country,” she said. “We expect to see an increase in mental health-related claims, not only as a primary diagnosis, but as an existing…

Why is South Africa always Number One? Because it excels in tournaments no country ever wants to win. The most unequal society in the world. The rape capital of the world. The leader in corporate criminality in the world. And now, the highest rate of unemployment in the world. “The path of least resistance is the path of the loser,” wrote HG Wells. Could it be that South Africa is cursed with a political and economic elite that lacks vigour, commitment, and determination in addressing the country’s problems? You might start thinking that way if you are one of 12 million unemployed workers that constitute 44.4% of the total labour force (expanded definition). You might have heard various government officials and captains of industry talking about their programmes for job…

Chad’s former head of state, Hissène Habré, has died at the age of 79 while serving a life sentence in Senegal following his conviction for war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture. Habré was tried by a specially constituted tribunal set up by an agreement between the AU, Senegal and Chad. Staffed mostly by local judicial professionals, it investigated crimes committed in Chad from 1982 to 1990 while Habré was in power. Tribunal investigators travelled to Chad four times and collected thousands of interviews which informed Habré’s prosecution and 2016 conviction. The tribunal was unprecedented. It represented Africa’s first locally produced international criminal law, its first application of universal jurisdiction, and its first judicial challenge to a former dictator’s quiet retirement. Habré’s trial and conviction were significant and legally innovative…

MOST of us agree to the terms and conditions of legally binding contracts without fully immersing ourselves in the details. You could be signing your life or money away to an organisation without realising it. Yes, that is something of an exaggeration, but it’s not far from the truth. Many of us agree to web-based services that clearly state in the Ts and Cs that they will be selling our data. And what about those cookies we keep accepting? The same goes for any financial policy: there are essential clauses of which you need to be aware, otherwise, without realising it, you will be fighting for a payout for which you do not qualify, all because you did not read the fine print. And not only read it, but understand…

Clinton Moodley Sindile luxury tented camp at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in Paterson, a small town in the Eastern Cape, is named after the matriarch of Shamwari’s leopards. Sindile, meaning survivor in isiXhosa, pays homage to the leopardess that survived numerous maulings by lions to raise her five litters of cubs. Sindile offers nine premier luxury tents with stunning views of Bushman’s River and surrounding plains. Each tent can accommodate two people. The tent is kitted with wi-fi, air conditioning, a private minibar, a coffee machine, an outdoor shower, an en suite bathroom, and a private deck with a heated plunge pool and lounging area under a pergola. Rates start from R8 000 a person a night, including two game drives and all meals. Visit www.shamwari.com/ our-lodges/sindile/…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za The Constitutional Court has ordered the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to hold local government elections on any day between October 27 and November 1 this year. The Constitutional Court dismissed the urgent application made by the IEC. The IEC last month filed an urgent application in the Constitutional Court seeking to postpone the 2021 local government elections. The Concourt further instructed the IEC to hold a special voter registration weekend – the date of which must be announced within three calendar days of the order, handed down yesterday. “The Commission must, within three calendar days after the date of this order, determine whether it is practically possible to hold a voter registration weekend with a view of registering new voters and changing registered voters’ particulars on…

Kennedy Mudzuli kennedy.mudzuli@inl.co.za MUSIC producer and DJ Patrick Mduduzi Ntuli has come a long way since his parents bought him a computer at the age of 12, which he used to learn about the craft. Now known as DJ Skhu, the Mpumalanga-born star has been deejaying in clubs and parties. From his home studio, he has produced numerous singles and worked with the likes of DJ Choice, Caiiro, DJ Lucco, K-Sugar, Magnetic Point, Leon Lee, Nokwazi, Trade Mark, Xoli M, Drum Pope, Bobsta, Nqobzen Hunters and DJ Edit SA. “I first knew when I was 12 that I wanted to learn music. However, I could not afford any expensive instruments. Luckily, my parents bought me a computer. “From there, I started learning music software such as Reason and Fruity Loops…

kaizer Kganyago When the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) introduced its 24-hour whistle- blower hotline in 2018, the purpose was to ensure the anonymity of the person’s integrity in the whistle- blowing process and an independent audit, after tip-offs of the alleged crimes. The hotline, which is managed by an independent organisation, handles all allegations of corruption, malpractice, malfeasance and mal- administration in the affairs of govern- ment departments, municipalities and state-owned entities. It also handles allegations of corruption against SIU members and investigators. Whistle-blowers have an option of sending tip-offs anonymously. Within the SIU, there is a case assessment committee which deals with the allegations of corruption received from whistle-blowers. The committee evaluates whether allegations received fall within the scope of the SIU mandate as enshrined in the Special…

Martin Hesse FINANCIAL benefits that remain unclaimed by their rightful recipients are part and parcel of the financial landscape in most countries, but South Africa has a particular problem in this regard, which stems back to the apartheid era and migrant labour in our industries, particularly on the mines. In a recent media presentation, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) updated journalists on, among other things, the position regarding unclaimed pension benefits, and outlined a proposal to have a centralised fund in which to house the money. Takalani Lukhaimane, the manager of conduct supervision of retirement funds at the FSCA, said that at the end of the 2019 financial year the retirement industry was sitting on R44.9 billion of unclaimed pension savings belonging to more than 4.5 million people.…

FAMILY members sometimes face a dilemma when a decision has to be made about a loved one whose circumstances prevent him or her from making an informed decision regarding medical treatment. In some cases, a family can be left with enduring questions and feelings of guilt after making a decision on whether or not a loved one should be kept on life support. To save your family from the emotional trauma of having to make that call, you can have a living will drafted and duly signed. A living will is a written instruction that outlines your wishes about future medical treatment. For example, if you are in a coma and there are no reasonable chances of recovery, a living will could state whether or not you want to be…

CRISTIANO Ronaldo made his emotional return to Manchester United this week. At 36, Ronaldo still plays at a higher level than most elite players are able to deliver. In him, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has an almost certain incoming stream of goals and United fans can be relieved that their club will no longer have to rely upon the inconsistent Anthony Martial to do the work upfront. The loss of Ronaldo for Juventus would be difficult. He was their best attacking threat and could have helped the club reclaim the Serie A following their frustrating form last season. It was evident that things were strained between Ronaldo and Juventus in the Old Lady’s Serie A opener against Napoli which ended in a 2-2 draw. Ronaldo, who is always keen…

FERRARI drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz led one-two at the top of the practice timesheets after a stoppage-hit opening day at the first Dutch Formula One Grand Prix in 36 years yesterday. Red Bull’s home favourite and title contender Max Verstappen, with tens of thousands of orange-shirted fans packing the grandstands, was second in the morning session and then fifth in the afternoon. Mercedes’ seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is three points clear of his Dutch rival, was fastest in a red-flagged and disrupted opening session before his car broke down in the second. “I just lost power and so they told me to stop,” said Hamilton. “It’s not the end of the world. “It’s been a beautiful day, it's amazing to see the crowd, so many…

Travel Reporter WOMEN do it all. They juggle demanding careers, take care of households and provide a support system to their near and dear ones. Sometimes a break is necessary, away from the partner, kids or family. A girls’ weekend offers that and more – with wine and girl-talk the order of the day. Shaun Lamont, managing director of First Group Hotels and Resorts, shares the benefits of taking a girls’ trip: It’s good for your health “At least 22 studies have shown that having social support decreases the heart-racing, blood-pressure-boosting responses that humans and other social animals have to stress, and the hormones it sends surging,” Lamont said. He said when oxytocin levels were high, reactions to stress were dampened. “Stress is less likely to do the kind of…