Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-10-09 i Pretoria News Weekend

IT IS time we reluctantly admit that billionaires run the world. Yes, those unicorns who have been able to find a way to have more money and resources than the rest of the world. Who decide to journey to space because they want to and there’s no one to really tell them otherwise. That’s the power of billionaires. We are obsessed with them, the things they do with their money, the control they wield and the things they do to preserve their wealth. We follow their every move, avidly look forward to the many rich lists and wealth rankings that are published every year, detailing the extent of their wealth, even though we are aware only some of their earnings are listed. It’s partly why we also cannot get enough…

Buhle Mbonambi buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za Few would argue that the current season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) is the best in recent years – if not the best in the show’s history. The 11th season has been so chock full of drama, that missing an episode means missing out on the discourse around the show. After seasons that mainly dealt with who leaked a story about a dog dumped in an alleged kill shelter to a tabloid; a cast member allegedly sleeping with a former cast member and petty arguments about ice sculptors, this season is so good, one would think it’s scripted. However, it is not. If you aren't yet tuning into the show, which airs weekdays on 1Magic (DStv 103) at 7pm, I suggest you do so…

James Mahlokwane james.mahlokwane@inl.co.za WHEN members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department in Akasia responded to and subsequently stopped a land invasion in Soshanguve, it was just another “day in the office” for them. However, their efforts saved hundreds of jobs and lives, and for that, they were awarded a certificate of appreciation by the NGO which has been leasing the land from the City. Dream Team Foundation chief executive Julia Mashele said she chose to show appreciation to the officers because they went to work without knowing their efforts had saved the lives and jobs of many people. Mashele has a long-term lease with the City of Tshwane and runs the NGO that deals in farming and bakery skills development. It also has a drugs and aftercare intervention programme for…

With Maybach turning 100 this year, the carmaker has decided to mark the occasion with two “Edition 100” models, based on the S-Class saloon and GLS luxury SUV. Mercedes-Maybach plans to build just 100 of each, which means that exclusivity is guaranteed. The Mercedes-Maybach S680 4-matic saloon comes with the grandest engine of them all – the firm’s 6-litre twin-turbo V12 that produces 450kW. But this car is perhaps best enjoyed from the noise-insulated rear compartment, boasting individual reclining seats with massage function. |…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za EXPECT some fireworks from the Bulls in tonight’s clash with Cardiff (8.35pm SA time kick-off) as they look to reignite their United Rugby Championship campaign after two defeats in Ireland. Bulls coach Jake White made a number of changes to his team, which lost 34-7 to Connacht last week, and some of it has to do with who is available to play; the rest is due to the quick 4G synthetic surface at Cardiff Arms Park. David Kriel, Madosh Tambwe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Embrose Papier will add serious pace to the backline, and White said he had been intending to bring in another Blitzbok star in Stedman Gans at outside centre, but a tight hamstring has kept him out. “Again, this 4G pitch is quick, really quick.…

| Reuters OUTGOING Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley said he had rejected a higher bid than the one that led to the Premier League club being taken over by a Saudi Arabia-led group on Thursday, but believed he had acted in the best interests of the club. Newcastle were bought by a group comprising Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media, ending years of uncertainty, to the delight of fans. Ashley, the owner of a sportswear chain alongside other businesses, had long ceased to be a fan favourite over what most saw as a lack of investment. The club were relegated twice during his 14 years in charge before immediately bouncing back. "I would like it to be known that I received a…

Clinton Moodley More travellers are trying to find incredible Instagram-worthy backdrops to take their travel shots. Fortunately, you do not have to travel far to capture swoon-worthy images for your Instagram. Here are luxury hotels to visit to strengthen your Instagram game. The Silo Hotel, Cape Town Known as Cape Town’s most exclusive luxury hotel, The Silo Hotel boasts some of the finest decor and backdrops. Described as a “celebration of art, style, architecture and design”, travellers are spoilt for options, whether it's at their pool or hotel room bathroom. Located at Silo Square, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The Oyster Box, Durban The Oyster Box is an award-winning hotel famed for its curry buffets, high teas and its dramatic decor throughout the hotel. And there are endless picture backdrops to…

Bang Showbiz GEORGE Clooney has quipped that he regrets his kids being bilingual. The Hollywood star’s 4-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander – who he has with his lawyer wife Amal Clooney – can speak fluent Italian, but the Tender Bar director has confessed that there is a “flaw in our logic” as the couple’s language skills aren’t at the same level as their brood. Speaking to E! News’ Daily Pop, he laughed: “They speak fluent Italian, but Amal and I do not. That's a flaw in our logic, right there.” Meanwhile, one positive to come out of the Covid-19 lockdowns was the 60-year-old actor-director’s son and daughter not interrupting him on set. He said: “Usually, the kids show up and ruin a take.” Earlier this week, Amal, 43, joked…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za Owning a Dolce & Gabbana suit will set you back at least R45 000. For the average Joe though, that’s a steep price to pay. Of course that’s just a drop in the ocean for the person, in this case a company, which recently purchased a virtual D&G suit for $1 199 916.01 (about R18 million) at an online auction. The suit was bought by London-based e-commerce firm Boson Protocol which now owns the original digital file showing an electronic video of the suit, worn in the clip by a faceless silver mannequin. It is woven with 72 embroidered glasswork pieces, with both Murano glass and Swarovski crystal in a multitude of different designs and the base contains 100% silk. The firm, co-founded by Justin Banon…

Sameer Naik sameer.naik@inl.co.za EXCESSIVE abuse of alcohol by South Africans has contributed to the shocking rise in high blood pressure rates. High blood pressure (hypertension) rates in South Africa and Africa have rocketed, with the continent becoming the epicentre of the disease. High blood pressure rates in Africa have climbed by more than 30% in the last decade, with an estimated 31% of men and 36% of women in South Africa being affected. It is the single biggest cause of premature death globally. While several factors have led to the shocking increase, the abuse of alcohol is one of the driving factors. Most recently, the World Health Organization (WHO), which produces global alcohol and health status reports, released its latest report – which shows that on average, South Africans over…

SERVING humanity is a source of honour, of meaning, and joy in life. Besides the positive results for those helped, serving others, with pure intentions, also immensely enriches our own lives. We can each play a positive role in building a happy family, a better community, a unified nation and a peaceful world. It is through serving others that the essential principles of social integration, including love, compassion, tolerance, understanding, sacrifice, humility, and commitment to justice can be manifested in society. Serving others, not only provides immediate benefits to the community, but also creates bonds of solidarity and common purpose among those involved. The Bahá’í Writings emphasise the importance of serving humanity, noting that “the honour and distinction of the individual” consist in being “a source of social good”, and…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za THE countdown to the Miss SA 2021 grand finale has officially begun, with just seven days left before 10 hopeful young women walk the runaway for a chance to take home the coveted Miss South Africa title. The contestants, Bianca Bezuidenhout, Jeanni Mulder, Catherine Groenewald, Cheneil Hartzenberg, Lalela Mswane, Kgothatso Dithebe, Tiffany Francis, Kaylan Matthews, Moratwe Masima and Zimi Mabunzi, who are from various parts of the country, say they are looking forward to sharing a stage and representing their home towns, ideals and visions for the Miss SA brand, if they win the pageant. Next weekend, for the second consecutive year, the pageant finale will be held in Cape Town, at the GrandWest Arena, and to the delight of patrons as the Entertainment Arena will be…

Willem van de Putte willem.vdputte@inl.co.za ALFA Romeo has a long and proud history in South Africa and at one stage we owned more Alfas than any other country outside of Italy. Things went a bit pear shaped after that, but now that the famous brand falls under the Stellantis Group, there’s a renewed energy and that can only be a good thing. A bit like the recently updated Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV that have won numerous accolades around the world. The Italians have tweaked the interior of the pair that share the same platform with upgraded connectivity to their 3D Nav 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. There’s a host of features such as automatic high-beam assist, active blind spot assist, forward collision warning,…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za STORMERS head coach John Dobson says an 80-minute performance will be needed in their United Rugby Championship match against Edinburgh today. It is something that’s been lacking in the Cape side’s first two games in the European competition, with strong starts turning into disappointing results. Against Benetton in Round One, the Stormers squandered an early second half 11-point lead – to lose the game 22-18. Against Munster last week, the Stormers went down 34-18, after a superb opening-half performance was replaced by a second-half slump. Producing an 80-minute performance is something that has been an issue for Dobson’s side at times in recent years and, while it’s still early days, the team will want to hit their stride as soon as possible. “We have shown glimpses of…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za Those yearning for a beach holiday with all the luxury amenities may have to secure their summer booking now. With a huge demand for beach properties in South Africa, travellers can fork out anything from R10 000 to R60 000 a night. Luxury travel expert Helen Untiedt said wealthy travellers don’t mind splurging on high-end beach properties in South Africa, some spending as much as R1 million on beach escapes. She said some travellers book accommodation for up to a month. “South Africa is home to many beach properties, but most are booked months to a year in advance. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the demand. People love the fact that they can stay in a modern and comfortable property with the beach right…

Sunny Fitzgerald Healthy marine ecosystems are essential for human well-being, and millions of people around the world rely on coral reefs for food, protection, recreation, medicine, cultural connection and economic opportunities. So the decline of coral reefs is not just an ocean-lover’s issue; it’s a global problem that requires collaborative action. “The situation with coral reefs is quite alarming,” said Titouan Bernicot, founder of Coral Gardeners, a coral restoration collective in Moorea, French Polynesia. Studies have found that live global coral coverage has declined by 50% since the 1950s and is expected to decline by about 70 to 90% in the next 20 years. Danny DeMartini, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Kuleana Coral Restoration, a non-profit organisation in Hawaii, said multiple stressors are overburdening corals. “There’s an ecological…

Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek recently met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate at the world premiere of No Time To Die in London, and revealed how he approached talking to the British royals. He said: “For me, I just try to treat them like I would anybody else. I’m sure a dose of normality is probably something that is quite refreshing to them.” He previously met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the BAFTAs, and Malek always tries to ask them about themselves and their family whenever their paths cross, reports femalefirst.co.uk. He told Entertainment Tonight: “I remember we were at the BAFTAS, and I met them and they have a lot of questions to ask you. “But it is nice to just say, ‘How…

NOKWANDA NCWANE nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za IN ORDER to bridge the gap in the supply of snails for consumption and beauty products in South Africa, three Centurion men, who started farming with snails during the first lockdown last year, now have more than 1.5 million molluscs. CSC Heliculture owners Christiaan Jooste, Stephan Pretorius and Coenie Espach started the business last year during the first hard lockdown. The company is named from their initials. “The idea came about during a braai, and Coenie mentioned it, but we didn’t take him seriously. Two months after that, we started small with 500 breeders in Stephan’s garage, and from there the business grew into what it is today,” Jooste said. The partners said they did not have land to farm and had to check what they could…

Editors Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov yesterday won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their fight for a free and independent press in a major boost to journalists amid increasing pressures on freedom of expression around the world. Berit Reiss-Andersen, chairperson of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, praised the journalists from the Philippines and Russia for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which she called “a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”. Reiss-Andersen also alluded to the rise of authoritarianism and fake news around the world. “Giving the Peace Prize to two very courageous outstanding journalists who have proved excellent in their profession really illustrates what it means to be a journalist and how you exercise freedom of expression even under the most difficult and destructive circumstances,” she said. In…

Mashudu Sadike mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za IMAGINE dancers in cultural attire stomping the earth, sending dust into the air, drummers pounding cowhide drums to African angelic voices singing to the beat in an open field, evoking spirits. These are scenes of Kharitshine (Venda for let’s dance), a 13-episode documentary series about cultural dances that covers all 13 South African ethnic groups. Kharitshine, having aired for the first time on SABC2 last Tuesday, aims to investigate the hidden meaning of each traditional dance. The story is told through a contemporary artist or group who have based their music on a cultural dance. The artists embark on a journey to find out and share knowledge on how this traditional dance had originally been performed, and why. The documentary series displays pride in all South African…

NOKWANDA NCWANE nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za TO SHARE hope and spread joy to South African health-care workers, the Hopetober campaign has embarked on a tour of various hospitals across the country. Sponsored by Adcock Ingram OTC, the campaign used a double-decker open-top bus carrying five talented vocalists singing to the staff, patients and visitors. The initiative debuted in 2020 and encouraged South Africans from all walks of life to restore hope through acts of kindness. The campaign began in Cape Town on September 28, followed by Durban on October 1 and Joburg four days later. The bus had five vocalists who sang from the upper level. The singing stars included the legendary award-winning Vicky Sampson, as well as MC Mortimer Williams, Nicole Capper, Craig Urbani, Leah van Niekerk and Lelo “Ramelo” Ramasimong. The…

Jason Woosey jason.woosey@ inl .co.za Following the unveiling of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L earlier this year, the US carmaker has pulled the covers off the standard-wheelbase version. Built around a new architecture, the fifth-generation Grand Cherokee also brings new technologies to the fold, including a plug-in hybrid powertrain option. But although it is more luxurious than before, Jeep says it is still something of a trail master, and buyers can choose from three 4x4 systems, namely Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II, all equipped with an active transfer case. Another boasting point is the sway bar disconnect that delivers improved articulation and traction over rocks and other rough terrain. Furthermore, the Trailhawk model comes with a Selec-Speed Control system for managing vehicle speed in low-range. For the…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos believes that it will be important to control their away match from the onset against Ethiopia in the first leg of their back-to-back 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers at Bahir Dar Stadium, this afternoon. Bafana have been impressive in the World Cup qualifiers so far. They are at the summit of the standings in Group G with four points, thanks to a goalless draw away to rivals Zimbabwe and a 1-0 victory over Ghana at home last month. Ethiopia, though, are expected to pose a different threat to Bafana, given the fact that the latter failed to beat them in their last two meetings. That draw and defeat in 2013 ensured that Bafana failed to book their spot in the 2014 World…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za Six Senses Belize, scheduled to open in 2025, is already among the most anticipated hotel openings of the decade. The 5-star property spans two areas featuring a remote private island and nearby Secret Beach. Set within a 1 800 ha protected marine reserve, it offers guests world-class amenities between the Central American jungles and the Caribbean Sea, just a few hours from the US. One of the most alluring is Secret Beach, just up the coast from San Pedro on Ambergris Caye and a five-minute speedboat ride from the island. Dubbed the resort’s “activity epic centre”, it features the Longhouse, an Experience Centre and dive centre with many activities and water sports. There’s also a boutique, café, deli, wine shop, outdoor Cinema Paradiso and over-water restaurant. Secret…