Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-05-21 i Pretoria News Weekend

I met Benjamin Sithole a few years ago. He was the leader of the Woodlane Village Residents’ Committee. Woodlane Village, also known by some as Plastic View, is an informal settlement in the east of Tshwane, adjacent to the Moreleta Park Church and opposite the Woodlands Boulevard Mall. A site of contest for more than 15 years, the High Court and then the Supreme Court of Appeal, ruled that people could stay on this site, and that the City had to find solutions that would include all those who lived here. Benjamin was a gentle activist of the people. It was his gentle nature that most endeared him to me. And yet, this was not to be mistaken for weakness. Behind this posture was a man of great resolve and…

PRAISE and congratulations poured in this week when SABC 2 veteran journalist and media personality Leanne Manas was honoured with admission as a Knight to the French National Order of Merit by the French government. Manas’ achievement even drew the reaction of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who said on Twitter: “Warmest congratulations to Leanne Manas on being honoured as a Knight of the French National Order of Merit for her immense contribution to journalism, media and charitable causes.” While scores of people remembered how they grew up in front of the TV and watching Manas and the late Vuyo Mbuli, Ramaphosa told the nation that he was looking forward to many more informative and inspirational mornings from her and her team. The French ambassador to South Africa, Aurélien Lechevallier, presented the…

Lira is well and on her way to a full recovery. The world-renowned singer and songwriter took to her Facebook page on Friday to give her fans an update on her recent health scare. Lira suffered a stroke, which resulted in loss of speech, while she was in Germany, where she was scheduled to perform. In her post, the Feel Good hitmaker thanked her fans for their “overwhelming love, support and prayers”. “I am recovering well. Physically I have been unaffected, I am strong and healthy. The stroke has unfortunately affected my speech, however, I am making lots of progress every day,” said Lira. “I will be taking some time to focus on my recovery. Please keep your prayers coming, I can’t wait to be back soon. All my love.”…

The Office of the Public Protector is established by section 182 of the Constitution and its mandate is to: investigate any conduct in state affairs or in the public administration that is alleged or suspected to be improper; report on that conduct; and to take remedial action. In terms of the constitutional court judgement of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) v the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) and others (2016), it was declared that the remedial actions are not merely recommendations that can be ignored. They are binding. In hindsight, perhaps this interpretation gives the public protector too much power? In terms of the Office of the Public Protector’s annual report for the 2019/2020 financial year, it has conducted 237 outreach programmes and with a budget of R181…

To ease the financial blow dealt to consumers during the early stages of the pandemic, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) slashed interest rates. It made a difference for those who had entered into contracts with variable interest rates – lower interest rates resulted in lower debt repayments for things like mortgage bonds and vehicle financing agreements. Now, with many aspects of daily life returning to some semblance of reimagined normal, and rising inflation, the interest rate must follow suit. So, in November, and again in January and March this year, the SARB increased the repo rate (the bank lending rate) by 25 basis points (bp) each time – in line with the goal to restore it to a pre-pandemic level of 6.50% by the end of 2024. This week,…

Some people still regard trusts as mechanisms to save tax. For example, they structure trusts as “independent contractors” to avoid being subject to employees’ tax on providing personal services and claim deductions for other expenses through the trust that they would otherwise not be able to claim if they were directly employed. People attempt to use the conduit principle to distribute income generated in the trust among beneficiaries (typically minor children) to reduce or avoid tax on such income. People even attempt to extract profit from their own companies into trusts by providing a “service” to their companies. Government has, since 2009, introduced stronger anti-avoidance measures regarding employees’ tax. This may have unintended consequences for some trust structures. A “personal service trust” is one which provides services such as consulting,…

THE South African Football Association’s (Safa) elective congress set for the Sandton Convention Centre on June 25 has enjoyed saturated media coverage as presidential hopefuls pull out all the stops in the public domain to win support. Nominations have closed and Safa will name the candidates at a later stage. However, it is an open secret that four names have reached Safa’s Governance Committee which is headed by Dr Victor Mogajane. The unconfirmed nominations are Safa president Danny Jordaan, Safa vice-president Ria Ledwaba, University Sport SA president Nomsa Mahlangu and Safa Tshwane president Solly Mohlabeng. According to Mogajane, the Governance Committee will oversee the preparations and scrutinising of the candidates for the elections. “We (the committee) are here in an advisory role in assisting Safa to ensure that we adhere…

Trains are an excellent way to travel the world, taking you through spectacular scenery that is often inaccessible by other modes of transport and at a pace that allows you to take in the view. Booking.com shares a list of stunning train destination landscapes. Darjeeling ‘Toy Train’, India The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway rumbles through the misty mountains with a shrill whistle and plumes of steam and smoke billowing from its coal engine. This locomotive, known as the ‘Toy Train’, has been transporting tea and passengers up the steep inclines of the Lower Himalayas since the late 1800s; an engineering feat at the time that still impresses today. The blue carriages skim buildings and traffic by inches along the old Hill Cart Road as it travels from Darjeeling to Ghum, India’s…

The new age of social media has made it easy for a person to be “famous” in South Africa without being traditionally talented, creating the rise of many celebrity faces at a fast pace that sometimes we as the public cannot keep up with. Talent may have been what landed people in the spotlight in the past, but I have begun to notice a shift in the entertainment industry. It seems many are able to make it without being talented in sports, singing, acting, presenting or dancing. People are now becoming famous for simply being brand magnets. Brand value has become the new commodity. Being able to attract audience numbers is the new drawcard and the way to take your career to the next level. I spoke to Yonwaba Pangeni,…

DearSA has launched an online public participation campaign on the proposed Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill. The legislation seeks to penalise parents who fail to send their children to Grade R. The organisation launched the campaign on Thursday following a call by Parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education inviting stakeholders and interested individuals to comment on the bill. The group said the portfolio committee explained that the bill’s purpose was to amend the South African Schools Act and the Employment of Educators Act to ensure that systems of learning were put in place to give effect to the right to basic education as enshrined in the constitution. In that, the bill seeks to make attendance of Grade R compulsory, and provide for system improvements regarding the admission of pupils to…

Lebanese voters are signalling a desire for change, with Hezbollah and its allies losing ground across the country in a parliamentary election. Just as the recent election in Northern Ireland brought a boost for the non-sectarian Alliance Party, Lebanon’s election saw significant gains for political representatives untethered to sectarian politics. Like Northern Ireland, Lebanon’s political system is set up to share power. Its new parliament will have various sectarian blocs, revolving around Hezbollah and rival party, Lebanese Forces, and a sizeable non-sectarian group campaigning on economic issues, social justice and accountability. Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Shia-based party, emerged in 1982 largely in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. It gained prominence after the end of Lebanon’s civil war (1975-1990) and its share of parliament seats started rising in the 2000 elections.…

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has issued a statement assuring Ubank customers that their deposits remain safe while the bank is under curatorship. On May 16 the Minister of Finance, in consultation with the Prudential Authority (PA), placed Ubank under curatorship with immediate effect. This was done to help protect Ubank’s customers and the financial services sector while the bank finds a potential investor to restore its capital position to an acceptable level as required by the PA. The FSCA assures Ubank customers that the bank remains open for business as usual. This means that you will continue to have access to your money and other services offered by the bank in the ordinary course of business. There is no need to withdraw your money from the bank. “Customers…

AND then there was one! The final day of the DStv Premiership season this afternoon might determine the last two teams that will join Mamelodi Sundowns in continental football next season. On another day, the two teams that would have finished second and third after match-day 30 today would secure their CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup spots next term respectively. But that might not be the case, given that Orlando Pirates were playing in the Confederation Cup final last night, while they are still within touching distance of finishing third and qualifying for the same competition next season. Be that as it may, the top of the table clash between champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Royal AM at the Chatsworth Stadium will not serve as a dead rubber. There’s…

WORLD championship leader Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in yesterday’s second free practice ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Monegasque driver was quickest in one minute and 19.670 seconds to outpace Russell by a tenth of a second and seven-time champion Hamilton by two-tenths as Mercedes, with an extensive upgrades package, rediscovered their pace. Local star Carlos Sainz was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull and another Spaniard two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Alpine. Sergio Perez was seventh in the second Red Bull ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel in a heavily-revised and resurgent Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon in the second Alpine and Mick Schumacher of…

WE’VE heard the expression, “it’s in the bag”, which generally refers to success. However, for some women “it’s in the (luxury) bag”, and that means something a little different. Owning a high-end luxury bag is a symbol of success. The quilted Chanel casually hanging over her shoulder tells the world: “I’ve made it!” A woman walking into a room with a Birkin on her arm is like a man pulling up at a venue in a Bentley. What’s “in the bag” really doesn't matter as much as the bag itself. While some women can afford to spend R50k on a Louis Vuitton Monogram Alma or R30k on a Bottega Veneta Jodie Mini tote, others will either have to spend a year paying off a huge credit card bill to own…

THE Southern Africa Agricultural Initiative (Saai), an organisation that protects the rights and interests of family farmers, has voiced its opposition to elements of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill. It said it promoted a legalised and carefully regulated cannabis industry that boosted economic growth while curbing harm. In September 2018, the Constitutional Court made room for Parliament to rectify “constitutional defects” in 24 months, but 44 months later that still has not been done. The bill makes matters even worse by criminalising practically all commercial activities and at the same time “authorising” general “commercial activities” related to cannabis. This contradiction creates confusion that undermines the rule of law, according to the organisation. While the recreational use, consumption, and cultivation of cannabis by adults in private have been legalised under…

A LAWYER who was dragged out of a hair salon and thrown into a police vehicle is claiming more than R70 million in damages from the SAPS. The woman, who is not identified as she suffered a miscarriage following her hair-raising experience, claimed R59 575 000 in damages. This included damages for her miscarriage, for which she blamed the police. She also claimed R16m for loss of income, saying she was so traumatised she could not continue with her law practice. The woman’s ordeal started on Saturday, June 30, 2007 – four days after she got married. Her husband accompanied her to a hair salon and waited for her there. As she was being treated under a hair dryer, two policemen came into the salon. Her husband was standing at…

A CALL has gone out to the public to visit museums to support and safeguard them as they play an important role in preserving different cultures. International Museum Day was commemorated worldwide on Wednesday – as it has since 1977. In marking the day, the City of Tshwane said the arts and heritage sector was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. “Museums have in general seen a decrease in the number of visits. Through our activities to mark International Museum Week, we are encouraging residents to reawaken their interest in our museums. “It is important that we support and safeguard our museums, as they play an important role in preserving our different cultures,” the city said. It said museums were also instrumental in preserving artefacts and other…

TWO Pretoria beauties who made it into the 2022 Miss South Africa beauty pageant are all about creating platforms for thought leaders to share their knowledge and providing empathetic service-driven leadership to their communities. Miss South Africa Organisation announced its top 30 finalists for this year’s edition on Monday. Among them are two women from Pretoria. Mamelodi resident Pearl Ntshehi, 25, who also made the top 30 last year, said she was taking part once again as she had grown immensely from being part of the pageant. Ntshehi, a candidate attorney, said she was returning with even greater certainty with regards to the legacy she wanted to leave behind and with more confidence in her own voice. “As Miss South Africa, I will instil this certainty and confidence in the…

Having returned to the spotlight over the past month or so through some headline-grabbing social media antics, Gigi Lamayne is turning her focus to music with the release of her latest album, Set In Stone. The album, which she’s been teasing for several weeks now, features the likes of musical heavyweights Big Zulu, Makhadzi, Busiswa, Kid X and Phantom Steeze. Last week, the Fufa hitmaker announced that she was one of the new African ambassadors for Fenty Beauty and Skin, billionaire musician and entrepreneur Rihanna’s beauty and skincare range, after the pop sensation announced that it would be launching in eight African countries by the end of May. “Guess who’s part of the Fenty family???? Excitement!! Rihanna @fentybeauty @fentyskin are coming to Africa so South Africa I’m your pilot! Official…

The basic education sector continues to improve access and inclusivity in schools across the country. Today we have more learners who leave the system with a qualification such as the National Senior Certificate. Although some of these learners enter TVET colleges and universities, and succeed in obtaining a degree, most of them still find themselves in the long queue of unemployed graduates. The key question that must be answered is: Why is it that our graduates still face unemployment? South Africa’s education system needs to undergo drastic changes to produce leaders who can drive the economy and address structural unemployment. The current trajectory taken by the Department of Basic Education is not sustainable. There is a general fear of mathematics and science in the basic education sector. The number of…

Living in a country as culturally diverse as South Africa, one witnesses the different types of relationships there are. Gone are the days where only marriages in the traditional sense exist. Unmarried couples in a permanent life partnership (whether by way of agreement or tacitly) may be entitled to certain rights which are enjoyed by married couples. On December 31 last year, the Constitutional Court handed down a judgment (the “Bwanya judgment”) which saw a development in the succession and maintenance laws, particularly in respect of unmarried heterosexual couples. Jane Bwanya and her partner (the deceased) had been in a committed romantic relationship and enjoyed the “reciprocal duty” of support. Bwanya’s partner provided for Bwanya in terms of care and emotional support. The couple intended to get married, but Bwanya’s…

Last week I focused on people defrauding their insurance companies by various means. Today I turn to questionable and unfair practices by insurance companies, as revealed in the annual report for 2021 of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (Osti), which was released this week, together with the annual report of the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance. The report highlights a worrying trend in car insurance: an increasing pressure on you, the policyholder, to prevent loss or damage to your car by taking “reasonable precautions”. Comprehensive vehicle cover is designed to compensate you financially for, among other things, damage to your car as a result of an accident, whether you were at fault or not. “Fault” in this context refers to your negligence: you misjudged the distance between your car and the…

WILLIE le Roux is one of the most maligned players in the Springbok set-up. When he first entered the international arena, fans were excited by his unpredictability and skills that he brought to the side under Heyneke Meyer, which he had showcased for years at Boland, Griquas and the Cheetahs. In fact, he was even nominated for the then-IRB Player of the Year award in 2014, but in recent seasons he has been criticised for kicking the ball away at inopportune times and for various handling errors in particular. But there is no doubt that Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber back him to the hilt – and that was proven again ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, when he actually told the…

West Ham’s game against Brighton this weekend will be the last in the career of their club captain Mark Noble. The 35-year-old may be the last of a dying breed called the ‘one-club man’ and is a Premier League legend in his own right even though his name will not come to the minds of many when they think of the term. He retires as the longest serving one-club man across Europe’s top five leagues. Along with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane, Noble must also go down as one of the great leaders of the Premier League era even though his trophy cabinet may not be laden with silverware. Noble bows out as the Premier League’s longest serving player and has amassed almost 500 league…