Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-11-20 i Pretoria News Weekend

KRISTEN Stewart was “very naive” about fame during her younger years. The 31-year-old actress became an international star through her appearances in the Twilight movies, and Kristen admits she wasn’t fully prepared for what came her way. The Hollywood star, who played Bella Swan in the money-spinning film franchise, likened starring in the movies to going to “college”. And she thinks people developed a perception of her based on her on-screen character. Kristen – who starred in the films alongside Taylor Lautner and her ex-boyfriend Robert Pattinson – said: “Like, how fun for people to think they know you. Did you think I was going to do Twilight forever?” But Kristen admitted she can’t control what people think of her. She knows even a brief encounter can leave a bad…

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za Luxury social media influencer Sarah Langa has become a member of The Arts Club, an exclusive private member club in the UK. The South African beauty and fashion blogger is a social media star with over 607 000 followers. Last Friday she took to Instagram to post a glamorous selfie in a floor-length emerald green gown by Rich Mnisi with a thigh-high slit. The tagged location was “The Arts Club”. The club was founded in 1863 to provide a haven for anyone with formal or recreational ties to the arts, literature, and sciences. Through two world wars, relocations and renovations, it has continued to provide a place of hospitality and companionship to its members, even expanding its reach by opening its first international outpost in the…

Norman Cloete norman.cloete@inl.co.za AT THIS stage, it’s mere “speculation” that two siblings died from eating poisoned noodles, Mpumalanga police say. Last week, 9-year-old Thato and 13-year-old Keamogetswe Makofane were declared dead after being taken to a clinic. They had allegedly eaten two-minute noodles before school. Police spokesperson Constable Busisiwe Mthetewa said that in the absence of a post-mortem report, there was no evidence to suggest the noodles caused their deaths. “All we know at this stage, and according to the mom, is that was the first thing they ate that morning. We are still waiting for the results of the post-mortem. So, for now, we can’t confirm and it’s just speculation,” she said. Mthethwa said police could not immediately link the children’s deaths to the recent case of three Eastern…

A KEY characteristic of local government is the fact that it is the government at the grassroots. In other words, it is the government that is closest to the people. It should incorporate the local people in all its activities and serve as an intermediary between the people and the government. This will assist in giving residents a say in governing matters and is an important feature of South Africa’s democracy. An increase in voter apathy was evident by the low voter turnout for local government elections held on November 1. A staggering 38% of South Africans chose not to register to vote in local government elections and of the registered voters, only 48% cast their vote. A clear indication that South African citizens feel hopeless in changing the environments…

The decision by the High Court in Johannesburg on November 10 to order the extradition of Manuel Chang to the US is a victory for the rule of law in South Africa and the rule of international law in the combating of webs of corruption. I personally feel confirmed and justified in my many appeals and comments since January 2019 for Chang’s extradition to the US. My revelation in this paper on May 20, 2019 (“The Mozambique debt heist and its conmen”) alerted the South African government that the request for the extradition of Chang to Mozambique was a scam because Chang enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution at home, where the Constitution also prohibits the extradition of a national to any foreign country, including of course the USA, where Chang…

More than 100 000 people died from drug overdoses in the US during the 12 months ending in April, a leap of 28.5% on the year before, driven largely by opioids, data showed this week. “As we continue to make strides to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic, we cannot overlook this epidemic of loss, which has touched families and communities across the country,” President Joe Biden said. Opioids accounted for 75 673 of the 100 306 fatalities. Covid-19 killed around 508 000 people in the same time frame, according to Our World in Data.…

A recent case to come before the Pension Funds Adjudicator shows how important it is that a divorce agreement is worded correctly when it comes to splitting retirement fund assets between divorcing spouses. Since 2007, our financial legislation has followed the “clean-break” principle regarding a couple’s finances on divorce. This means that ongoing financial obligations – apart from the payment of maintenance, if part of the agreement – are avoided, and each partner can start life afresh through the immediate, and hopefully fair, splitting of the couple’s assets. While this is often easier said than done, and there may be various loose ends that may take months to finalise after a divorce, the law is clear on retirement savings: a retirement fund – and that may be a pension, provident,…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za SPRINGBOK captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick confirmed England’s worst fears last night when they told the media that they would indeed be playing for banished boss Rassie Erasmus. Big Test matches always have their sideshows during the build-up, notably clashes between England and the Springboks, but this week it has been off the scale. The Rassiegate saga went nuclear on Wednesday night, a few days after the Boks were overlooked in the World Player of the Year nominations, and there was the tragedy that befell the family of former Bok Jannie du Plessis. On that subject, Kolisi said that the drowning of Du Plessis’ infant son had been discussed by the players and they aim to do their best to win the game for…

MIHLALI BALEKA MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi says they’ll treat their league clash against Cape Town City with “a lot of respect and humility” as they'll not read too much into their last meeting in the MTN8 final. The Brazilians ended their hoodoo in the Wafa Wafa Cup last month after failing to clinch the title for 14 years. They beat City 3-2 in the final via the lottery of penalty shoot-outs after the game ended 1-1 in regulation and extra-time. The Chloorkop based club are keen on putting that triumph behind them and focus on consolidating their unbeaten streak and top position in the league when they visit City at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, this afternoon (5pm). “We are facing a very good team. Very organised.…

Halle Berry admits that directing ‘Bruised’ was the hardest challenge of her career. The star makes her debut behind the camera in the sports drama flick, where she also plays a disgraced MMA fighter who decides to return for an unsanctioned bout, and admits that she felt like it was a triumph against the odds to helm the movie. Speaking at a Hollywood screening, Halle told The Hollywood Reporter: “I don’t know how I did it. I was on some adrenaline… I was on a high. “I had to get this out of my body and so I had to do it. I just had to keep going day after day and I was energised by it, I was ignited by (it) and I was refusing to be told ‘no’.”…

IN EARLIER times gemstones, along with gold and silver, were used as a form of money because of their universal value. Today, they are purchased because of their Vedic properties, as well as to secure savings from the fluctuating value of money. With the right knowledge some gemstones can be good investments too. Pawan Gupta, the director of PP Jewellers, and Rohan Sharma, the managing director of RK Jewellers, share a list of the top six gemstones that are expected to rise in value: Pink Diamonds The pink diamond is an exclusive and natural diamond that is trending among celebrities. According to the Argyle Diamond Mine, a pink diamond can cost as much as 20 times the price of a similar white diamond. British news service The Telegraph reported that…

Mashudu Sadike mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za POACHING has become a major concern at the Kruger National Park. The 2-million hectare facility boasts a range of wild animals and stretches from the north of Mozambique to Limpopo, going south to Mpumalanga. It is fenced to cater for the big five – lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. However, the rhino numbers have started dwindling and are near extinction because the animal’s horn is believed in the world’s eastern countries to be of use for medicinal purposes and as an aphrodisiac. But the rhino and elephant, because of their tusks, are not the only animals under threat from poachers, who enter the facility by cutting the surrounding fence to shoot or set up wire snares to trap the animals. In fact, wire snares are the…

SINCE the ushering in of democracy in 1994, South Africa has had one-party dominance, namely the ANC. This is similar to the National Party’s hegemony, which dominated the political landscape after 1948 during the apartheid era. The advantage of the ANC was that of being a leading liberation movement during the Struggle for freedom in South Africa. It has been able to solicit votes from most of the electorate (in particular black voters from townships and rural dwellers) via its track record of liberation Struggle as opposed to that of service delivery. From 1994 to 2011, the ANC managed to take the lead in many urban centres (except in the City of Cape Town). For the first time in 2016, the ANC lost three metropolitan municipalities: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan,…

A couple of US tourists who broke into Rome’s 2 000-year-old Colosseum to enjoy a cold beer with a view have been hit with a hefty fine, police said this week. The pair, aged 24 and 25, had climbed up to the second ring of the ancient gladiator arena at dawn on Monday, but were spotted by an early riser in the Italian capital, who alerted the police. They admitted to having broken in to drink a beer, and were given an E800 (R14 000) fine, a police spokesman said, without providing any more details.…

If you’re looking to be your own boss by becoming a business owner, there is a persuasive argument for buying into a franchise rather than striking out on your own, but it’s important to do your homework before signing on the dotted line. Franchising has long been a popular route to entrepreneurial success in South Africa, with over 800 franchise systems operating through 48 000 outlets in the country. In a country rife with unemployment, the sector employs close to 500 000 people and its contribution to the local economy is 14% of GDP, according to the latest survey by the Franchise Association of South Africa. While local franchising has strength in numbers, the sector struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic and is only now beginning to stabilise. Franchising has a…

The removal of trustees is always a delicate matter, especially in a testamentary trust where the testator or testatrix handpicked the trustee(s). It was held in the Gowar v Gowar case of 2016 that the court’s power to remove a trustee must be exercised with caution – it should consider whether the trustee’s conduct endangered the trust assets or its proper administration. Conflict between trustees or between trustees and beneficiaries is, therefore, not sufficient reason for a court to remove a trustee. The overriding factor is the welfare of the beneficiaries and the proper administration of the trust and its assets. Relationships between trustees In the McNair v Crossman case of 2019, the court held if the relationship between co-trustees has broken down to the extent they no longer have…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za AFTER a “well deserved” break, AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy believes that his side will be re-energised ahead of their game against Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium today (3.30pm). AmaZulu have so far had a mixed 2021/22 season. They lie eighth in the league with three wins after 10 games. They have performed well in the CAF Champions League, overcoming Nyasa Big Bullets and African giants TP Mazembe to advance to the group stage of Africa’s premier cup competition. Against Stellies, AmaZulu will face a stern test as the Western Cape side remain unbeaten in the league this season along with runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. “We had some tough matches. After our win against Cape Town City, the break came at the right time, allowing players…

THE announcement of Xavi as the new Barcelona manager has given the Blaugrana something to celebrate for a change. The Camp Nou-based side are arguably at their worst point in modern history, created through years of financial mismanagement behind the scenes. The return of Xavi as a manager was the first major move made by Joan Laporte in his second stint as club president. Xavi will be tasked to rebuild Barca to its former glory but it will be a slow process. It is also a gamble for both the club and the manager. While Xavi’s genius as a footballer was well documented, top footballers generally do not make good managers, though there are exceptions to this rule. The reason for this is that things come so naturally to generational…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za THE Titans entrenched their dominance over their hosts Western Province on the second day of the Four-Day Domestic Series match at Newlands yesterday. Resuming on 374/4 overnight, the visitors extended their first innings to 647/7 declared with Jiveshan Pillay (113 not out) and Ayabulela Gqamane (117 not out), both striking undefeated centuries in an unbroken 199-run partnership for the eighth wicket. It was a tough outing for the inexperienced WP attack with only left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds (3/151) managing any meaningful success in his marathon 51-over spell. Debutant Kieran Kenny (2/97) was unable to add to his maiden two first-class wickets from the previous day. Faced with this mammoth task, WP lost debutant opener Gavin Kaplan (12) cheaply to former Proteas off-spinner Simon Harmer. Province, though,…

Buhle Mbonambi buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za Fashion historians have noted how important a role designers played in the wake of World War 2. With the world needing a bit of joy and upliftment, designers like Christian Dior came to the fore and changed the world of fashion forever. He launched the New Look in Paris, returning women’s fashion to an overtly feminine silhouette. It was groundbreaking and injected a new style that the world soon fell in love with. There was hope and a lust for life after a time of death and despair. The past 20 months have been filled with death and despair. And fashion, more than anything, is what allowed us to look beyond the hopelessness of Covid-19. That is the power of fashion and it’s even more prevalent this…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A JUDGE has considered better quality of life and opportunities in a foreign country in her decision to rule against a father who sought to oppose his minor daughter’s imminent emigration with her mother. Judge Fiona Dippenaar presided over an urgent application brought to the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, by a mother identified as AK and father LKG. After a relationship that started in 2014, AK and LKG separated in March 2019. Their daughter, identified as A, was 5. AK got married in September 2020. They also have a 4-month-old baby. The family was in the process of relocating to New Zealand. LKG opposed the move on the grounds that it would severely prejudice his relationship with his daughter. AK said she resorted to launching the…

Two billion people live in countries where development outcomes are affected by conflict and violence. By 2030, up to two-thirds of the world’s extreme poor could live in these fragile regions. Because of the security risks and the weakness of state institutions, it is challenging to provide essential services, such as water and education. The citizens of volatile regions often play an outsize role in directly financing essential public goods and services. Little is known, however, about how informal revenue generation works in practice and the implications it may have for both development and state building. To better understand informal public finance in fragile contexts, we conducted two pieces of research in Gedo in southern Somalia, where the state taxation system is extremely weak. We found that most households step…

Hundreds of Iraqis who had camped for weeks at Belarus’s freezing borders with the EU checked in for a flight back to Iraq on Thursday, the first such flight in months amid a stand-off between the West over Minsk over the fate of migrants. It was not immediately clear if the repatriation flight was a sign the crisis was easing, or just a temporary reprieve Belarus denies fomenting the crisis but says it can help resolve it only if the EU lifts sanctions it imposed after a crackdown on protests last year. |…

martin hesse martin.hesse@inl.co.za While the worst of the pandemic appears to be behind us and the economy has, in GDP terms, bounced back relatively strongly since plummeting last year, life for South African consumers is far from back to normal, as a number of surveys attest. For the average consumer, income levels are down, savings are down, and debt levels have risen – and yet many expect to extend their credit to cash in on Black Friday deals next week. A recent study by the National Credit Regulator indicates consumers are struggling to repay their short-term debt. The study showed credit cards were the type of credit most used (23%) by consumers to extend their debt, and the reason most cited was “late or missed payments” on unsecured credit transactions,…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za AB de Villiers’ Instagram post announcing his retirement had just three words imprinted on it. It all said the same thing, but the message was supremely powerful. It was simply “Thankyou” in three languages. The first was in English, of course, followed by “Dankie” in his native Afrikaans. But it was the third that had the biggest impact. De Villiers had scripted “Dhanyavaad” in Hindi. It spoke volumes of the respect the former Proteas captain has for the Indian public. It is their fanatical passion for the game that led to the creation of the “Mr 360” which transformed De Villiers’ life in a manner he could hardly have ever imagined whilst playing in the back garden with his brothers in Bela Bela all those years ago.…

MARK KEOHANE RASSIE Erasmus’s Springboks have achieved great things since 2018, winning the World Cup in 2019, beating the All Blacks in New Zealand, beating England in a home series and winning the British & Irish Lions series in 2021. But Erasmus’s greatest achievement is the transformation of the Springboks because he is the first coach of the Springboks to have crushed the stereotype of how transformation had been applied. Erasmus, in the craziest of rugby weeks, was on Wednesday evening banned for the game for two months with immediate effect. World Rugby had charged Erasmus with bringing the game into disrepute for his criticism of Australian referee Nic Berry in a 62-minute video that highlighted Berry getting 26 decisions wrong in the first Springboks Test against the British &…