Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-08-16 i Pretoria News

FORMER president Jacob Zuma yesterday challenged the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria ruling setting aside his medical parole granted by then prison boss Arthur Fraser in December 2021. In the matter heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal, Zuma challenged the ruling ordering him to complete his 15-month prison sentence following his refusal to appear before the state capture commission chaired by the now Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Zuma, represented by advocates Dali Mpofu and Mantlheng Mphahlele, appealed before the bench led by justices Nambitha Dambuza, Tati Makgoka, Clive Plasket, Nolwazi Mabindla- Boqwana and Glenn Goosen. The former head of state was granted medical parole in September last year after serving two months of his 15-month prison sentence. He handed himself in on July 2021 after the Constitutional Court found him…

A MOTHER and son have been found guilty of giving false statements following an accident four years ago, the Hawks said. Ralph Mohlala, 23, and his mother, Silvia Mohlala, 55, were found guilty and sentenced at the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court on August 4. They were found guilty of manipulation of information during reckless and negligent driving on August 5, 2018, at Ohrigstad road between Hlabekisa and Matibidi. “It is alleged that in the early hours of the day in question, an accident occurred on the R533 Ohrigstad road. A Polo VW overturned with five passengers inside, three women and two men. Four occupants were injured. A case docket of reckless and negligent driving was investigated by Dientjie detectives. “It is further alleged that during the investigation, false statements…

THE abuse of animals, including the use of animals in circuses, came into sharp focus when the Ban Animal Trading South Africa organisation held a protest in Montana, Pretoria. The organisation promised that there were more protests were planned in Pretoria this week. Director Prathna Singh said current peer-reviewed research proved that animals were sentient beings who felt pain, had their own social structures, and their own way of living. “Given the information we now have on our fingertips, it is clear animals deserve the right to freedom and to live as naturally as possible, on their own terms, and not for human gain in terms of entertainment, clothing, research, food or any other way for profit. “The otherness of non-human animals does not give us the right to exploit…

FOR as long as I can remember, dating back to the late 1960s, it was a (tourist) attraction to see baboons along the roads leading up to Cape Point. Our visitors were always fascinated to see these animals lurking on the streets – cameras would just click away. Remember back then that residential dwellings were very sparse. These animals had freedom in the vast open tracks of land where they were able to roam and find their own source of nutrition. But 50-odd years down the lane and now it is us humans who are complaining that these beasts are becoming a nuisance, terrorising people in their homes, etc. They want to erect electric fencing to keep them out, some have been poisoned, shot at, and what next? We have…

No one has the right to level accusations against Iran over Friday’s attack on Salman Rushdie, 75, for which he is to blame after denigrating the world’s Muslims, the foreign ministry in Tehran said yesterday. The novelist, who has lived under a death threat for decades since enraging clerical authorities in Iran through his writing, is recovering after being repeatedly stabbed at a public appearance in New York state. In Iran’s first official reaction to Friday’s attack, ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said freedom of speech did not justify Rushdie’s insults against religion. His 1988 novel The Satanic Verses is viewed by some Muslims as containing blasphemous passages. “(Regarding) the attack on Salman Rushdie, we do not consider anyone other than himself and his supporters worthy of ... reproach and condemnation,”…

A Myanmar junta court jailed ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for six years for corruption yesterday, according to a source close to the case. Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since the generals staged a coup and toppled her government on February 1 last year, ending the country’s brief period of democracy. She has since been hit with a series of charges, including violating the official secrets act, corruption and electoral fraud, and she faces decades in jail if convicted on all counts. Suu Kyi was sentenced to “six years imprisonment under four anti-corruption charges”, said the source, who requested anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the media. She appeared in good health and did not make any statement following her latest sentencing, the source…

London: The UK’s drug regulator says it has approved an updated Moderna vaccine against the coronavirus that targets the Omicron variant as well as the original form. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said it had approved the vaccine for adult booster doses “after it was found to meet the UK regulator’s standards of safety, quality and effectiveness”. It was the first “bivalent” Covid vaccine to be approved by the British regulator. Clinical trial data had shown it prompted a “strong immune response” as the virus kept evolving. The World Health Organization warned in July the pandemic was “nowhere near over”. | AFP…

MILAN: An icon of Italian cinema, Gina Lollobrigida, will run for the nation’s Senate in next month’s elections after recently celebrating her 95th birthday. Lollobrigida plans to stand as an independent candidate in the city of Latina, south-east of Rome, for the Sovereign and Popular Italy alliance, which includes groups opposed to the government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi. The alliance calls for Italy’s exit from the EU. Lollobrigida previously ran for a European Parliament seat in 1999. The legendary actress starred in films with Sean Connery and Humphrey Bogart before embarking on a career in photojournalism. | Washington Post…

In their Rugby Championship defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Lukhanyo Am was more than just the Springboks' standout player. He was also the epitome of what the Boks should strive to become - consistent. At the weekend, the Boks suffered a 35-23 defeat to New Zealand after beating them in Nelspruit the week before. It was a reverse that the Boks deserved. From dubious decision making to uncharacteristic errors, especially on an individual front, there was no reason to believe the South Africans were deserved winners. They certainly had the chances to do so, but they didn't take them. There was disruption early on when the outside centre was moved to right wing after Jesse Kriel sustained a concussion. And boy, did Am stand up to the…

TRANSCEND Residential Property Fund raised its distribution per share by 8.8 percent to 27.43 cents in the six months to June 30 compared with the same time last year and declared 100 percent of the amount as an interim cash dividend. The full dividend payout is significant because in the past two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many listed property companies have been holding back some of their distribution as a buffer against market uncertainty. Last month, Emira Property Fund, which owns 40.69 percent of Transcend, made a general offer to acquire all the shares in the group that it does not already own at R5.38 per share, to de-list Transcend and consolidate it with Emira. Transcend’s share price was unchanged at R6.09 yesterday…

TRANSPORT Minister Fikile Mbalula and the Road Accident Fund (RAF) are expected to be hauled before court over a government gazette notice issued last month making it very difficult for foreign nationals to lodge a claim if they were in a vehicle accident. It was announced last month that road accident victims who lodged a claim must issue proof that they were legally in the country at the time of the accident. In terms of the notice, foreigners who lodge claims must provide documentary evidence that they are legally in the country, together with their RAF claim forms. If not, their claims will not be considered. Zimbabwean national Adama Mudawo is expected to approach the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on September 7 to ask that the notice be reviewed and…

A robber is being held liable for the premeditated murder of his partner in crime, despite the fact that he did not pull the trigger himself. The partner was shot and killed by a police official in self-defence. A judge sitting in the Mpumalanga High Court said both robbers knew exactly what they were getting themselves into when they decided to overpower two police officials who had transported them in a minibus that day. Acting Judge Johannes Roelofse said the two robbers knew their actions could lead to bloodshed, yet they went ahead with overpowering the SAPS officials to get their service pistols. Thus, he said, they should have expected to face the consequences. Johannes Walter Ratau and Tony Lipson Madutela were being detained by police at the time and…

‘Strong on abstract rhetoric, but little firm ground beneath its feet’ THE parliamentary sovereignty empire that characterised the pre-democracy era may be dead, but its ghost refuses to lie down. In the past two months, two relics, the National Assembly and the governing ANC, have become prominent, incanting their slogans of virtue. The National Assembly claims to be true to its constitutional mandate as an institution “elected to represent the people and to ensure government by the people under the Constitution” through the ANC as a bond of “building better communities together”. They are strong on abstract rhetoric but have little firm ground beneath their feet. The current process in the National Assembly of amending the Electoral System displays one genuine breakthrough: once the proposed amendments become law, for the…

THE government has a responsibility to modernise its DNA capabilities to ensure that the 17 bodies that remain unidentified following the floods that hit KwaZulu-Natal and North West, are returned to their loved ones. Four months ago, floods ravaged the two provinces, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people. While the government should be commended for the hard work that saw several of the deceased returned to their families for a dignified send-off, other families were not so lucky. It emerged this week that 17 bodies of flood victims were still unaccounted for. In KwaZulu-Natal, families in Mariannhill, kwaNdengezi, and Ntuzuma are still hoping to bury their missing family members. Finding the bodies of these family members would help them get closure. It is traumatic enough to lose a…

Egyptians voiced outrage yesterday over reports that firefighters and paramedics took over an hour to respond to a blaze that tore through a Coptic Christian church and killed 41 people. Grief has spread over Sunday’s fire among Copts, the Middle East’s largest Christian community, which makes up at least 10 million of Muslim-majority Egypt’s population of 103 million. But many other Egyptians have also voiced outrage over the disaster in the now scorched Abu Sifin church, located in the greater Cairo neighbourhood of Imbaba. As debate flared on social media, one Twitter user charged that the reportedly slow response time “is not just negligence, it’s complicity”. “My cousin’s children died,” video creator Moha El Harra said in a widely shared online livestream after the blaze, which was blamed on an…

London: More than 20 000 people have been detected crossing the English Channel from France in small boats so far this year, government figures show. The Ministry of Defence on Sunday said some 607 were detected the previous day, the third time the total has topped 600 since the start of 2022, dpa news agency reported. It takes the provisional total for the year to 20 017. There were 28 526 crossings detected in 2021. By this point last year, just over 11 300 crossings had been made. There have been 3 618 crossings detected in August so far, with 1 694 in the past week, according to the Ministry of Defence. | IANS…

Kyiv: Russia’s plan to hold a referendum in Ukraine’s separatist Donetsk region, where it is seeking to gain control, is at an advanced stage, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said yesterday. In the Donetsk region, “it is likely that Russia is in the advanced planning stages to hold a referendum, though it is unclear if the final decision to go ahead with a vote has yet been taken”. Russia initially said it aimed to take control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine when it invaded the country in February. Together, the two areas make up the Donbas, previously controlled by Russian-backed separatists. Moscow’s troops have so far gained control of Luhansk, but have not yet taken Donetsk, where battles continue. | IANS…

Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he will investigate reports that his predecessor, Scott Morrison, secretly assumed three roles in the ministry. Morrison became joint minister for the health, finance and resources portfolios in the two years before he lost power in May. Albanese said he would seek legal advice about the decisions, calling them “unacceptable”. The former prime minister has declined to comment. Yesterday, Governor-General David Hurley confirmed he had signed an “administrative instrument” that had allowed Morrison to secretly take on the portfolios. It was “consistent with section 64 of the constitution”. But Albanese, law experts and Morrison’s former colleagues have criticised the secrecy surrounding it. Even some ministers were reportedly not aware they were sharing portfolios with the former prime minister. Morrison used his powers to…

The last stage of the Uefa Champions League qualifying marathon kicks off tonight with three clubs who have already got their hands on the trophy eager to grab one of the last six group slots and the cheque that goes with it. Benfica, who won the European Cup in 1961 and 1962 and have reached the final five times since then, face Dynamo Kyiv. While Eagles coach, Roger Schmidt, worries whether Alex Grimaldo will recover from a dizzy spell that forced him off in Saturday’s 1-0 league win at Casa Pia, the Ukrainians made clear they have weightier concerns. The game will be in Lodz, where Dynamo are in exile following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When the squad returned to training in Poland after winning in Austria to eliminate Sturm…

The Premier League celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday, marking three decades that has seen English club football transformed into the world's leading sports entertainment product. In 1992, the top clubs broke with 104 years of tradition by splitting from the Football League and controversially creating a 'super league' which would keep its own income rather than sharing it with the clubs across all four divisions of the professional game. The move only became a reality because it was backed by the governing FA - a decision that was viewed as a betrayal by many of the smaller teams - and by domestic TV companies viewed with suspicion by sceptical fans. Rupert Murdoch's Sky TV then secured the rights and set about heavily promoting the league, which since its inception has…

THE BUSINESS community will step in to help Eskom safeguard its infrastructure, as well as provide the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) with the skills it needs to successfully prosecute those involved in State capture. This comes after business leaders met on Friday to discuss how to take forward a request – made two weeks ago by Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter – for help in protecting Eskom’s equipment from sabotage and theft. Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) yesterday said business was concerned about electricity supply, because rolling blackouts made doing business expensive, if not impossible. The theft of cables, overhead lines, transformers and conductors cost Eskom about R2 billion a year, hampering the power utility’s ability to provide a service. BLSA chief executive Busi Mavuso said they had…

Heidi Klum has quipped that the secret to her youthful appearance is “sucking” her husband’s “young blood”. The 49-year-old German supermodel – who has children Leni, 18, Henry, 16, Johan, 15, and Lou, 12, with ex-husband Seal – was asked for her anti-ageing tips and joked that drinking her 32-year-old musician spouse Tom Kaulitz’s claret is the reason behind her ageless complexion. She laughed: “I suck his young blood, it’s what I’m doing. Like a vampire.” The former Victoria’s Secret Angel insisted life is too short to worry about sticking to strict beauty regimens – but said applying sun protection is a must. She told E!’s Daily Pop: “I feel like we’re never gonna be as young as we are right now, so we might as well live right now.…

THE 36-YEAR-OLD man arrested in connection with the murder of IT entrepreneur Hillary Gardee is believed to have confessed to police. According to reports, during his confession Hlabirwa Rasie Nkuna from Kanyamazane had told police that he was acting alone when he killed Hillary. He reportedly confessed to using his Facebook account to prey on unsuspecting women and luring them to their deaths, which were hallmarks of a serial killer. Nkuna yesterday abandoned his bail application when he appeared in the Delmas Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga. According to provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, Nkuna was arrested last Thursday following information that he was involved in the murder. “The suspect is facing various charges, including four counts of murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition, kidnapping and robbery with…

Two men, identified by police as Klaas Muvhalo, 50, and Thabo Thlako, 36, have died, while a third man is fighting for his life in hospital after consuming a “soft drink” received from an unidentified motorist in Limpopo. “The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has ordered full investigations into the deaths of two men who died [on Saturday morning] and the third admitted in hospital. “This after they allegedly consumed the substance offered to the surviving victim by an unknown motorist last Thursday,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo. “It is reported that the survivor, 55, was among job-seekers in Rabe Street at about 9am in Mokopane when an unknown man driving a white motor vehicle stopped next to them and asked him if…

The community of Rama City in Pretoria is today taking their fight for basic infrastructure developments and title deeds to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. Community leader Sinah Mothapo said they were prepared to stand up for themselves and fight for their right to basic infrastructure. She said they were unhappy because the rollout of infrastructure to this community of about 3 000 households had suddenly stopped. “The area is rezoned and has been approved by the government, and already more than 2 500 RDP houses have been built and allocated to beneficiaries. The community is awaiting letters that represent ownership until they receive their title deeds.” Mothapo said basic services such as sewers, water and electricity were being rolled out, and the community was benefiting from the projects in…

POLICING in the Western Cape, and the stand-off between Premier Alan Winde and Police Minister Bheki Cele over who should control the SAPS in the province, has once again erupted into a war of words. Both Action Society and the DA are publicly campaigning for Cele’s removal from office. The Constitution assigns control of the SAPS to the national, and not provincial, government. Since 2000, the SAPS has been led by eight police chiefs. Almost all of them have been political appointments, and the first seven have all either been dismissed or resigned as a result of impropriety. In an attempt to improve policing, the Western Cape government has established its own Leap programme, which augments the SAPS, and appears to have been relatively effective. However, Premier Winde confirmed recently…

Deputy President William Ruto, who painted himself as a champion for Kenya’s poor, was declared winner in the country’s presidential election yesterday, defeating veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga. But the announcement was enmeshed in controversy just minutes before, when four electoral commissioners said they would not stand by the results because of the “opaque nature” of the process. And the contest was extremely close. Ruto, 55, won 50.49% of the vote, compared with 48.85% for Odinga, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The new president will succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has served his two-term limit. The results came after nearly a week of tension-filled waiting across this nation, where past elections have been followed by deadly violence many Kenyans hoped to avoid this year. What happens next…

The Taliban and their supporters waved the group’s black and white flag on the streets of Afghanistan yesterday to celebrate a year since they marched into the capital and took power. In the 12 months since the US’s chaotic withdrawal, some Afghans have welcomed improved security but struggled with poverty, drought, malnutrition and the fading hope among women that they will have a decisive role in the country’s future. Some men fired into the air in Kabul and a few hundred people, including supporters, fighters, and officials gathered at the square in front of the US Embassy to mark the day. They held banners including the slogan “death to the US”. In a ceremony attended by Taliban government ministers, acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said their rule had brought…

Jerusalem: Several suspects have been detained in Israel in connection with a multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency money laundering scheme to defraud the French treasury, police said yesterday. A probe focused “on the suspicion of a large-scale fraud against the state treasury in France that was carried out from Israel”, an Israeli police statement said. It allegedly involved the theft of millions of shekels “and the laundering of the funds by converting them to cryptocurrency”. Three people were arrested and others detained for questioning on suspicion of money laundering and tax offences, said police, who did not disclose the suspects’ identities. | AFP…

Bukavu: Burundian troops began deploying yesterday in troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to help enforce a peace initiative backed by a seven-nation regional bloc, the DRC’s army said. The contingent, comprising “a large number of soldiers”, is under the command of the DRC forces and stationed at a training facility in the Uvira area. The Burundians and their DRC counterparts “are tasked with hunting down all foreign and local armed groups to restore peace” in eastern Congo, it said. In June, it was decided to set up a regional force that would work with the DRC’s army to quell an estimated 120 armed groups roaming the east of the country. | AFP…

The Premiership’s return has been filled with shock results, goals and a few sides emerging as early surprise packages. It may have taken a while for some of the league's big-hitters to catch fire but a run of of three games in under 10 days has forced a rapid adjustment period, which has had dire consequences for some. Here, Smiso Msomi takes a look at the talking points from matchday 3. 1 The Brazilians set the bar Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns recovered for their midweek defeat in empathetic style as they trampled Kaizer Chiefs and reminded the Soweto giants of the bar they will have to match and exceed as they look to reclaim domestic glory. The Brazilians were classy in all departments, outplaying Amakhosi at a packed Loftus Versfeld.…

Canan Moodie has kept his spot in Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s 34-man squad for the Australian leg of the Rugby Championship. The Boks face Australia in Adelaide next week Saturday and Sydney a week later on September 3. Stormers No 8 Evan Roos is the big omission from the squad after making his Test debut in a much-changed line-up against Wales in July. Nienaber, though, said he would make changes to the squad for the two Tests against Argentina in Buenos Aires and Durban, with the goal of expanding their depth ahead of the World Cup in France next year. “We have been working with a large group of players for the last few months and we believe this will pay off in the long run as we look to…