Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-10-02 i Pretoria News Weekend

IT seems that Rihanna has slowly been processing what it really means for her to now be a billionaire. In an interview with The New York Times, the singer and businesswoman commented on her new financial status, explaining that she’s still getting used to it, reports Complex.com. She told Extra TV: “It’s tricky because it’s hard to even accept that’s where you’re at, because I know where I’ve come from. At the same time, it feels good to be able to inspire young women and boys, who, like me, come from humble beginnings, who come from parents who are immigrants or who are immigrants themselves, to be able to do this.” She echoed similar sentiments on the red carpet of her Savage X Fenty Vol 3 show. “You know, it…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THERE is still an urgent need to prioritise tuberculosis (TB) services and research despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, according to researchers who revealed that 2020 TB notification rates dropped to 50%. The Covid-19 pandemic has set the achievement of the UN’s TB eradication target back an estimated five years, according to researchers of the Immunology Research Group in the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (MBHG) of Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. In South Africa, there are approximately 500 000 new cases annually and TB caused nearly 60 000 deaths in 2019, according to the researchers. In 2020, TB services were restricted during the Covid-19 lockdown and there was also less access to transport, resulting in fewer people being tested and receiving…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za TV PERSONALITY Dr Musa Mthombeni clapped back at haters in his Twitter mentions after complimenting his wife, Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni. The newly-weds attended a wedding over the weekend and Liesl shared a photo taken by her husband. Dr Musa tweeted, gushing: “Goodness gracious, so vele vele you’re my wife.” But some tweeps were at odds with him complimenting his wife. One user, @Sgodorizer, replied: “Don’t try it, after some time her mind will tell her that she’s doing you a favour by being with you, that she deserves better and she’s actually the best you can do. Your good intentions will be the seeds of your demise.” To which @Lungi_Gabi added: “True. Once you put a woman on a pedestal she starts acting up. “Never validate her beauty,…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za TSHWANE Emergency Services is investigating the circumstances around the threat that a Centurion resident who reported a veld fire would be billed. “An investigation has been launched into the incident,” Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said. “I am hoping to get the full report soon.” Tracey Kensey, who lives in Mnandi, which mostly consists of smallholdings, said she did not call the fire brigade to attend to a fire at her property. As a member of the area’s neighbourhood watch, she received notification of a veld fire in the area. “I was concerned as there are Eskom lines and transformer boxes on that property and I wanted to prevent a disaster where these lines will be destroyed by the fire.” Kensey said she simply did…

Mashudu Sadike Deputy Tourism Minister Fish Mahlalela has announced the opening of a Dinosaur Centre at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State by the end of this financial year. The Godumodumo Dinosaur Centre broke new ground in 2019, funded by the department through its development fund in 2018, hoping to attract tourists from all walks of life. South African tourism has been struggling in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused havoc across the world. Speaking during his visit to the park on Sunday, as part of commemorating National Tourism Month, Mahlalela, said: “As a world class and state-of-the art interpretive centre, the project will serve as an iconic tourist attraction modelled on the narrative interpretation of the palaeontological, archaeological and geological…

Iran’s army planned manoeuvres this weekend near the Azerbaijan border despite strong criticism from Baku, state media announced. “The manoeuvres scheduled to start will involve armoured units as well as artillery, drones and military helicopters,” the army’s ground forces commander General Kioumars Heydari told the official IRNA news agency. He said they were “combat readiness exercises for the ground forces in this region”, but gave no details of where they would be held or how long they would last.…

Martin Hesse martin.hesse@inl.co.za The majority of complaints finalised by the Pension Funds Adjudicator in its financial year to the end of March were from people who had not yet received or had only partially received their retirement savings on leaving their pension fund. In its annual report released this week, the office of the adjudicator reveals that of the 10 940 complaints finalised in the 2020/21 financial year, 52.9% related to retirement fund withdrawal benefits. The delayed payment or non-payment of retirement benefits may be because of slack administration practices by the fund administrator, the documentation on a member being incomplete or out of date, or, more concerningly, because the member’s employer failed to pay over contributions to the fund or even failed to register the member with the fund…

Martin Hesse martin.hesse@inl.co.za The most recent Eighty20/XDS Credit Stress Report, which reflects the state of consumer debt in South Africa to the end of the 2nd quarter 2021, notes an alarming 32% increase in overdue payments on vehicle asset finance over the 12 months to the end of June, with a 17% quarter-on-quarter increase. Vehicle asset finance, the debt people have on their cars, accounts for just below a quarter of South African consumers’ R2 trillion worth of debt, according to the report. Half of the R2-trn debt mountain is mortgages, and the remaining quarter is made up of personal debt such as credit cards, personal loans and store accounts “South African households are clearly under pressure due the consequences of Covid-19, with many having lost their jobs or seeing…

Britney Spears is reportedly considering following in the footsteps of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Toxic hitmaker is reportedly considering the move amid her battle against her conservatorship. According to the Mirror, a source said: “Britney was touched when hearing about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah. “She saw some clips and loved how it was done. She has had a lot of interview requests but has her sights set on Oprah – and Oprah and her team are on board for Britney to do an interview.” It comes as Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, petitions to end her conservatorship after 13 years. The filing reads: “Recent events related to this conservatorship have called into question whether circumstances have changed…

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za New York-based celebrity stylist Samantha Brown said in an interview with Insider that the 1970s will be making yet another return to fashion this year, and it’s no surprise the trend is encompassing decor now too. From shag rugs to patterns covering every stitch of fabric, 1970s inspired decor is back in a big way with its warm and cheerful aesthetic that is bringing life back into our homes. How to get the 1970s decor look: Pattern Patterns form a huge part of this trend. From groovy 1970s florals to diamond check and bold, cartoonish illustrations, it’s definitely a look made to stand out. Some opt to allow one print to shine at a time, but the “power clashing” of contrasting prints is also popular. To…

Ntando Makhubu ntando.makhubu@inl.co.za TRYING to break the amniotic sac inside the womb with a sharp object or wire is a prevalent way women conduct illegal and unsafe abortions in South Africa. Other objects used include an unbent wire clothes hanger or knitting needle, while another method involves pumping toxic mixtures such as chilli peppers and chemicals into the womb. These methods are among the many used by women of all ages, which also account for numerous deaths annually. The termination of a pregnancy by a person without the necessary skills, or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards – or both – is also prevalent in this country, although abortions are legal for women less than 13 weeks pregnant. “Unsafe abortions are a public health crisis, and until things change…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za DR Wallace Mgoqi, who is an advocate and the chairperson of AYO Technology Solutions, is among the people who have been nominated to become the country’s next chief justice. In September President Cyril Ramaphosa asked the public to make a nomination for the position which would have been left vacant by outgoing Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. The Restoration Foundation, a group formed by Christians from different backgrounds, has nominated Mgoqi to the top judiciary position. “We have no hesitation in nominating and recommending Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi to be appointed by the President as South Africa’s next chief justice,” reads the foundation’s nomination. “He has been actively involved with the law for more than 35 years.” Mgoqi holds BA social science and LLB degrees, postgraduate qualifications from…

As WE mark World Teachers Day on October 5, it is opportune to reflect on the challenges and the opportunities facing those entrusted with the task of guiding the next generation. Teaching children is a great privilege. “Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is education and training of children,” state the Baháí Writings. Teaching is a noble profession deserving our very high esteem. But in many parts of the world, the value of teaching as a profession has declined. Although attempts are being made to improve the situation by such means as increased pay, there are many challenges that need to be addressed. One such challenge is that the moral authority of teachers as respected members of the community is…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za WHILE unmarried fathers are now able to register their children under their surname without the mother’s consent, this does not mean they can automatically alter the details on an existing birth certificate. This is a process provided for in separate sections of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, the Centre for Child Law explained. Last month, the Constitutional Court handed down a judgment which declared Section 10 of the act invalid and not in line with the Constitution. The section previously did not make provision for a child to receive their father’s surname or details of their father on their birth certificate without the mother’s involvement in cases where the mother is deceased, has absconded, is undocumented or cannot be located. Since then, the Centre for Child…

SOUTH African motorists and commuters are already buckling under the pressure of record fuel prices, but further hikes are looking likely for the coming months unless the international oil price surge loses steam. The price of Brent crude oil jumped to $80 (about R1 200) on Tuesday for the first time in almost three years. This comes on the back of expectations for surging demand and concerns about supplies as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic crisis. At this stage it’s not clear how South Africa’s October fuel prices will be affected.…

Shabana Basij-Rasikh In the photo, shared on Twitter, the Afghan boy faces the camera, his expression calm, his eyes upon us. He holds a sign hand-written in Dari, one of the national languages of Afghanistan. It reads: “I am not going to school without my sister. I support my sister. #WeAreEqual.” Other boys, other families, and the pictures circulate: Afghan brothers making their stand on social media, affirming their sisters’ right to attend school now that the Taliban has announced that boys in grades 7 to 12 – boys, but not girls – may return to their classes. Saturday will mark two weeks since the reopening of the boys’ schools. To my knowledge, during that time, not a single girl has openly attended primary or high school in any city…

A German woman fled before the opening of her trial this week on charges of aiding and abetting mass murder in a Nazi concentration camp during WW II, a court spokesperson said. Irmgard Furchner, 96 is accused of having contributed as an adolescent to the murder of 11 412 people when she was at the Stutthof concentration camp between 1943 and 1945. Furchner is the latest in a series of nonagenarians to have been charged in what is seen as a rush to seize the final opportunity to enact justice for the Holocaust victims. |…

While many analysts and investors see reason to be cautious at the moment, we see things differently. We believe the current environment is conducive to good investment opportunities and that the recovery we are seeing is not a normal recovery. We are particularly excited about the opportunities in the areas of growth stocks and recovery stocks and the availability of free cash flow – all of which make for an extremely unusual environment for recovery. There were a lot of interesting growth themes simmering below the surface pre-Covid, which have been massively accelerated as a result of the pandemic – many of them unexpectedly so. This is one of the reasons the world is never going to return to “normal”. Normally in a recession environment, small businesses fail and consequently…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za JP Duminy said he was “very optimistic” about the Proteas’ chances at the T20 World Cup, citing the self-belief among the players as a primary reason. Duminy was roped in as a “strategic consultant” following Enoch Nkwe’s resignation as the national team’s assistant coach. Nkwe has still not publicly explained why he resigned ‒ just days before the South African men’s team’s tour to Sri Lanka, with Cricket SA saying it would conduct an inquiry into Nkwe’s concerns about the team’s culture and environment. Proteas limited overs captain, Temba Bavuma, met privately with Nkwe, but didn’t reveal details of that discussion. Duminy, and Justin Sammons ‒ a batting coach currently employed by North West but who previously worked with several Proteas players in the Gauteng team ‒…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za People who chase sunsets go out of their way to find the perfect spot for that Instagram-perfect golden hour. Weddings are planned around such spots. Instagrammers tend to forget that golden hour strikes twice a day. It’s just that the early slot might be a bit more challenging for those who are not morning people. While many prefer sunsets over sunrises, there is something truly magical about watching a day waking up with the sun. For me, sunrise signals the beginning of a new day and there’s something very special about feeling the warmth of the first morning rays on your face. As a person who enjoys early morning walks, I love watching the sky gradually change colour from cool blues into warm yellows and oranges.…

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za Luxury is no longer about the price – it’s about the value it brings to your life. From gourmet food experiences to travel itineraries devoid of tourist traps, when it comes to luxury, Gen Zers view things quite differently from the generations before them. Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is the post-millennial generation. The oldest in this group are just about graduating from college and are already joining the workforce. Although they are young, they are a massively diverse generation and a rapidly expanding group of employees, consumers and voters set to spread their influence in all sectors ranging from film and television to fashion, politics and everything in between. Gen Z is steadily moving into a position of having significant buying power, making…

Kennedy Mudzuli kennedy.mudzuli@inl.co.za MOST people dislike living next to a tavern because of the noise, but for DJ Msoja SA this has proven to be a blessing. Born Tshepo Malope and a former resident of Hammanskraal, his family relocated to Mpumalanga in 2007. “Since then we have lived near a tavern, where the music was too loud every weekend. I got used to the loudness and started enjoying it. In fact, I felt peace,” DJ Msoja SA said. “That was when I realised that music was a healer. In the genre that I produce, the purpose of it is to make listeners change their mood to epic.” And then DJ Msoja SA was born, at Thokoza in KwaMhlanga to be precise. “I started this musical journey back in secondary school.…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE hospitality industry is expecting a bumper wedding season after President Cyril Ramaphosa eased the country to lockdown alert level 1 and more people get Covid-19 vaccines. As the traditional summer wedding season begins, the easing of restrictions on gatherings could provide a honeymoon for the industry, said Robyn Christie, a hospitality adviser. “Newly vaccinated couples are queueing up to walk down the aisle, and this stimulus for business brings pressure to deliver on long-deferred bridal dreams and Champagne expectations,” she said. Boutique wedding venues, hotels, caterers and honeymoon destinations are shaking off the limitations on how many people may attend functions. With the maximum number of people permitted to gather indoors increasing from 250 to 750 and the maximum allowed to gather outdoors having increased from…

After being in the spotlight for firing three test missiles into the east coast sea last month and alarming its neighbours, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said he was willing to reopen the inter-Korean hotline early this month. KCNA reported this week that Kim had expressed his intentions to ensure the North and South’s communication lines were restored and he criticised the US for “touting diplomatic engagement”. North Korea cut its hotline with the South in early August in protest against joint South Korean-US military drills.…

Not that long ago, “financial advice” was essentially a euphemism for the aggressive selling of financial products by life insurers. You went to an adviser or broker if you wanted to invest or take out an insurance policy. The adviser chose a product out of the limited range available, convinced you that it was right for you, and you signed on the dotted line. The dotted line, in the case of investment products, was a contract that bound you to contribute a specified amount over a specified term. This business model enabled the life company to offer the adviser, who had some product training, but needed very little in the way of financial qualifications, a lucrative commission based on the whole amount contributed over that period, which was a huge…