Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-04-29 i Pretoria News Weekend

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are “excited” for Bad Boys 4 as filming continues. The two actors are on set working on the fourth film in the buddy cop franchise and revealed they are both feeling hyped for the upcoming movie. Appearing remotely at CinemaCon, Smith said: “We’re hype, we’re excited.” He apologised for the duo not being in Las Vegas in person, but Lawrence was quick to interject. Noting they’re four weeks into filming the new movie, he quipped: “We’re not sorry we couldn’t be there." Smith joked: “We glad we not there because we here and they’re paying us to be here.” Smith and Lawrence are reprising their roles as detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey, while Vanessa Hudgens, Paola Nunez and Alexander Ludwig are all returning after…

JUDGE Tshifhiwa Maumela, who presides over the slain soccer star Senzo Meyiwa trial, is one of two judges facing suspension for allegedly failing to deliver a series of judgments within a reasonable time. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has recommended the suspension of judges Maumela and Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi pending the outcome of an inquiry into their alleged failure to deliver a series of reserved judgments. In a statement released yesterday, the commission said it had advised President Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend the two judges due to the seriousness of the complaints. The JSC decided to advise the president that it was desirable that judges Maumela and Mngqibisa-Thusi be placed on suspension pending the outcome of tribunal processes. The JSC, however, said the suspensions should be with certain conditions, which included…

THE COHORT of graduates from the University of Pretoria’s 2023 Autumn Graduation have been urged to keep listening, learning, and to try to open new paths as they step into their future careers. The university’s graduation ceremonies will run until May 16, with 11 908 qualifications to be conferred. Among the recipients was Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university. Ghebreyesus is known for his leadership of several international health initiatives that have ensured the foregrounding of critical health concerns on global development agendas. He has filled the role of chairperson of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, while also championing country leadership as chairperson of the Programme Co-ordinating Boards for UNAids. He…

ELECTRIC cars or EVs if you will, are here to stay and whether you love them, hate them or are indifferent the next few years will see a radical change in car ownership and driving habits. Electricity and South Africa is a bit of an anomaly considering Eskom’s inability to keep the lights on with the varying stages they continue to torment us with and threats that things will get even worse in winter, new minister notwithstanding. A logical consequence is that those who can afford it are going off-grid and despite the increasing number of public charging stations around the country, in an ideal world you want to plug your EV in at home because it’s still a bit of a mission to make the detour. Most owners I’ve…

The chances of Siya Kolisi leading the Springboks at the World Cup have risen significantly after he underwent surgery on his injured knee yesterday. A source close to Kolisi confirmed the operation had been undertaken in Cape Town, with a view to ensuring the 31-year-old has the best chance of making it to France in September. “Siya has been consulting specialists all week and the consensus is that if he has the surgery now, he is likely to be available for the World Cup,” the reliable source said. Kolisi’s wife, Rachel, confirmed in a tweet yesterday that her husband had undergone an operation (on Friday). She said Siya could not receive his National Order of Ikhamanga award because “he is in hospital for surgery on his knee”. The award is…

According to some of the headlines after Manchester City’s crushing defeat of title rivals Arsenal this week, the sky blue ribbons can already be fastened to the Premier League trophy. Their 4-1 thrashing of the long-time leaders at The Etihad wrenched control of the race out of Arsenal’s hands and put City firmly in control of their destiny. But City boss Pep Guardiola is too long in the tooth to assume a fifth league title in six seasons is now a formality. The reaction to City’s victory in the so-called title decider was understandable. It was their seventh successive league win and it left them two points behind Arsenal with two games in hand, having trailed by eight not long ago. Victory for a relentless City at Fulham tomorrow will…

When Kevin Lerena stepped into the ring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London a few months ago, it was a dream come true. The 30-year-old southpaw from Johannesburg had given up his dominance in the cruiserweight division to try to become a world-famous heavy-weight – a seriously difficult task, as he wasn’t the biggest boxer around at 1.85m and 106kg. In comparison, his opponent last December, British champion Daniel Dubois, towered over him at 1.96m and weighed in at 110kg as they went toe-to-toe for the WBA (Regular) heavy-weight title. In addition, it was on the undercard of the massive Tyson Fury v Derek Chisora WBC heavyweight title bout, which Fury dominated until the referee stopped the action to end Chisora’s suffering in the 10th round. But that didn’t…

The fear of the unknown for first-time travellers can sometimes deter them from exploring the beauty the world has to offer. First-time international travel can seem stressful and make one feel anxious. However, the bliss and joy that comes with travelling is worth the fuss. According to Sadudee Sangnil, director at The Tourism Authority of Thailand in London, tourism has evolved substantially since the pre-pandemic years, and with some careful planning and a bit of research, you can make sure your maiden voyage is glitch-free and postcard-perfect. Here are 5 tried-and-tested travel hacks that will make sure your getaway runs as smoothly as possible. Time is your best friend According to Sangnil, the best way to take the stress out of your first-time travel experience is to book your flights…

Succession has returned for its fourth and final season, giving the show’s fans one last opportunity to watch the kids of the wealthy Roy family desperately try to gain the approval of their media mogul father by any means necessary. I’ve watched every episode. But at one point, I started to wonder: Where’s the appeal in watching obnoxious, pampered, backstabbing siblings? Inspired by the family of Fox Corp chairperson Rupert Murdoch, with themes and a premise pulled from Shakespeare’s King Lear, Succession tells the story of an ageing patriarch who must decide which of his four children will replace him at the top. It’s easy to assume that much of the show’s appeal lies in its playful critiques of right-wing media and the billionaire class. But in my view, the…

On April 22, the world commemo -rated Earth Day, which is observed annually to remind us to be mindful of our environment and play our part in saving the planet. The theme for this year was “Invest in our Planet”. To commemorate the day, Maxhosa Africa staged a fashion show to launch its Autumn/Winter 2023 collection. “Producing sustainable fashion is important because I am human and must contribute to the world to make it a better place. Therefore, as you grow as a business, you get to impact how you make your garments and how it affects the environment. “Studying textiles gave me an in-depth understanding of the impact the clothes we wear have on our planet,” says Laduma Ngxokolo, founder of Maxhosa Africa. Supporters of the brand, Mzansi celebrities…

Over the past weekend, some of the country’s top fashion designers showcased their spring/summer 2023 collections at South African Fashion Week. A look at our favourite accessories to come out of the shows and one thing is for sure: this summer will be all about colour. Bold colourful earrings are set to be one of the biggest trends this spring and summer. Definitely a look we can get behind. At the Juanie show, we saw long aqua-blue perspex earrings on all the models while Michael Ludwig used oversized ruffled fabric earrings to add pops of vibrant colour to his collection. Another designer who used bright-toned earrings was Munkus. We love the orange squiggle-looking ones. When it comes to sunglasses, once again, it’s the colour-framed sunnies that stood out the most.…

BORN into a silent world, little Zelmari Maree heard the sound of her parents’ voices for the very first time at the age of nine months after undergoing successful cochlear implantation that has changed the course of her development forever. Now, just a few months later, she is a chatty baby girl who demonstrates utter delight in responding to the noises that fill the new and engaging world around her. According to Dr Jacobus Terblanche, an ear, nose and throat surgeon practising at Netcare Kuils River Hospital, a cochlear implant is a small electronic device which helps deaf or severely hard of hearing people recognise sound by working around the damaged part of the inner ear so that sound signals can reach the brain. Zelmari’s mother, Elsje Maree, said…

There’s change brewing at Jaguar Land Rover. Not only is the Tata-owned British premium carmaker rebranding itself as JLR as it embarks on an ambitious electric car strategy, but the way we label its products is also set to change in the not-too-distant future. At a press conference, JLR CEO Adrian Mardell said the company was moving to a “House of Brands” approach that would amplify the unique character of each of its brands, namely Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar. But where does this leave the actual Land Rover brand, you might ask? According to JLR’s chief creative officer Geery McGovern, Land Rover is set to become a “trust mark” for the Ranger Rover, Discovery and Defender brands, Autocar reported. “The reality is Range Rover is a brand and…

Some of us are familiar with the planned two-pot retirement system instituted by the government as a release from economic pressures, which will allow for limited withdrawals of up to a third of our retirement funds from March 2024 to access retirement savings and to cope with challenging life events. However, such financial decisions made in haste and without the proper financial advice could impact not just this month’s worries – but the future financial health and the legacy you leave behind for your loved ones. The cumulative effects of the rising cost of living, the recent ninth increase in the interest rate in just two years, and the continual impact of the load-shedding crisis are all taking their toll on South Africans, with additional financial impacts notable globally. We’re…

While next weekend’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final at the same venue is a separate matter, Bulls coach Jake White believes his team can gain a lot of value out of tonight’s Currie Cup clash against Western Province at Cape Town Stadium (6.30pm kick-off). White opted to pick a strong side yesterday, filled with Springboks such as Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cornal Hendricks, Johan Goosen and Marco van Staden mixed with a number of promising youngsters. In contrast, WP boss John Dobson selected a regular side that has done duty in most of the Currie Cup games, and rested his star Stormers players for next weekend’s play-off against the Bulls. It is an intriguing battle of wits ahead of the big showdown next weekend, and it is worth a shot for White to…

The Lions toppled the defending champions Pumas at Emirates Airline Park last night thanks to an efficient defence that shut out countless attacks by the men from Mbombela, with the final score of 26-10 being a drubbing despite the Pumas having had most of the ball. The home team was also clinical when they got their rare opportunities to score and their three first-half tries stemmed from counter-attacks. The Lions were particularly effective at stopping the Pumas’ maul but mostly it was a case of the Nelspruit team being unimaginative with the abundance of possession they enjoyed. The Pumas had little problem taking the ball through multiple phases but their bash-bash-bash tactics were easy to defend. In what would be the pattern of the game, the first 10 minutes belonged…

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc grabbed his third consecutive pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a nerve-jangling, red flag-interrupted qualifying at Baku yesterday. Leclerc and Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen had posted identical times in the top 10 shoot-out before Leclerc produced a magical flying last lap to head the grid for tomorrow’s race. Verstappen, edged out by less than two-tenths of a second, leads his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 15 points in the world championship going into the fourth race of the season. Perez will start on the second row in Baku with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, fourth in qualifying, keeping the Mexican company. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton came fifth to fill the third row with fellow veteran Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin. For Leclerc, this…

In recent years, the fitness industry has seen a significant rise in popularity, with more and more people looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. With the help of Google search data, Bulk.com fitness experts analysed which fitness and diet trends are the fastest growing in popularity this year. 12–3–30 workout The 12-3-30 exercise involves walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes at 3 miles per hour (4.8km/h) with an incline of 12. Since 2022, there has been a 140% rise in search volume because of this viral trend, which first gained popularity on TikTok and then spread. The exercise has received high praise from many fitness enthusiasts for its effectiveness in boosting endurance, building strength, and burning fat. 75 Hard Challenge Another TikTok fitness fad that Andy Frisella, an author…

Bail has been denied for one of the men accused in the ongoing murder trial of the late SA soccer player, Senzo Meyiwa. Bongani Ntanzi appeared in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria yesterday morning. He claimed that he had been at work the day Meyiwa was gunned down and put forward his bail application in October last year. Judge Audrey Ledwaba said it wasn’t in the interest of justice to grant him bail. Judge Ledwaba added that Ntanzi hadn’t provided exceptional circumstances that supported his bail application. Ntanzi is one of five suspects in the matter. The others are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifokuhle Ntuli. They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, as well as possession of ammunition.…

WHEN Ndavi Nokeri was crowned Miss South Africa on Women’s Day last year, she vowed to make education her focus during her reign. This led to the 24-year-old beauty queen starting the Ed-Unite campaign, where she seeks to help “equalise the playing field” by ensuring equal education for all – regardless of colour or economic status. In a bid to put the educational campaign in the spotlight, Nokeri this week started an educational audio-visual podcast. Every weekly episode is set to have a different theme, and Nokeri will use the platform to hold conversations with experts in the education sector to help pupils and their parents or guardians receive the decision-making information they need. “The podcast series ensures that we can reach every corner of the country, and as someone…

Chinese carmaker BYD has pulled the covers off a new affordable electric car that could take its home market, and even the world, by storm. While electric cars are hardly taking off in load-shed South Africa, they are surging in many other parts of the world but one obstacle remains: most of them are really expensive. Although the idea of a compact electric car is not new, BYD believes its Seagull city hatchback will take the Chinese market by storm and analysts are predicting that it will soon become the country’s best-selling vehicle. Unveiled this week at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Seagull is set to be priced between 78 000 and 95 800 Chinese Yuan, which equated to R207 000 to R251 000 at the time of writing. Measuring…

When financial experts talk about inflation, they normally refer to CPI inflation – that is, the year-on-year increase (or decrease, when it’s deflation) in the Consumer Price Index. The index measures the costs of goods and services for consumers, and it is determined monthly by Statistics SA according to a methodology that is widely used by countries around the world to track their inflation rates. It’s worth exploring, because, as we shall see, the CPI rate, which forms the basis of many economic and financial calculations and is a major factor in the SA Reserve Bank’s interest rate decisions, may not be the best figure to rely on when it comes to your personal financial decisions. According to Stats SA’s publication, “CPI Sources and Methods”, available on its website, researchers…

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane said an “honest conversation” with chairman Daniel Levy had paved the way for an encouraging 2-2 draw with Manchester United that helped stem a rising tide of discontent among the club’s supporters. An open revolt by Spurs fans intensified following last weekend’s humiliating 6-1 loss away to Newcastle, with the hosts scoring five times during the opening 21 minutes of a defeat that cost interim head coach Cristian Stellini his job. Levy consulted Spurs’ players committee, understood to comprise captain Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Kane. Stellini had only been in charge for four games since Spurs parted company with former boss Antonio Conte, who publicly labelled his squad as “selfish players” after they squandered a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 at bottom-of-the-table…

The SHARKS kick off the second half of the Currie Cup when they host Griquas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park at 1.30pm today. Joey Mongalo’s men enjoyed a thrilling victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last week and three players have been rewarded with call-ups to the United Rugby Championship squad that is preparing for next week’s visit to Leinster. Promising lock Corne Rahl, hooker Fez Mbatha and flank James Venter will travel to Dublin for the quarter-final. For today’s game, Kerron van Vuuren replaces Mbatha, Ockie Barnard moves into Rahl’s position, with Reniel Hugo partnering him at lock, and Thembelani Bholi is in for James Venter. The backline remains intact aside from full-back, where Thaakir Abrahams comes in for Nevaldo Fleurs. Both sides come off important wins last weekend and…

DEFENDING champion Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare before beating Emil Ruusuvuori in three sets to reach the Madrid Open third round yesterday. World number two and US Open champion Alcaraz fought back to see off the 41st-ranked Finn, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. “It was really tough. I would say I was about to lose," said Alcaraz who famously defeated Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in Madrid last year. Alcaraz, fresh from defending his Barcelona title last weekend, will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the last 16. The 19-year-old Alcaraz hit 10 aces in his 36 winners but was forced to save nine of 11 break points in the 2hr 16min clash. Five of those came when he was 3-2 down in the second set. “It was…

Safety is a top concern for those travelling solo across the globe, as it can be difficult to feel secure. However, there are steps you can take to mitigate these risks, such as choosing well-reviewed hotels and taking advantage of resources like travel apps and online forums to connect with other solo travellers. “How putting a couch up against my hotel door possibly saved my life,” wrote a TikTok user as she shared her harrowing experience of a hotel stay that turned into a nightmare when someone attempted to enter her room. This user recounted the terrifying incident in a video, urging others to take their safety seriously when travelling alone. She had checked in at midnight at a busy travel hotel, and many were checking in late at night.…

It’s a celebration! Airlink’s entry into the SA-Kenya market now provides greater choices for business and leisure travellers flying between the two major regional markets. Additionally, Airlink has designed its new service schedule to ensure the best connectivity via its Johannesburg hub. This includes flights to and from various destinations within South Africa, as well as across Southern Africa and around the world via Airlink's network of partner carriers, which includes several leading long-haul global airlines. Airlink CEO and managing director, Rodger Foster said: “We are excited to add Kenya to Airlink’s comprehensive sub-Saharan route network. It is an important, but under-served, route between two major economic hubs and which, from 2019 to today, offered no competition. ‘’Airlink’s entry on the route should be seen in the context of efforts…