Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-02-10 i Pretoria News

We love seeing South African designers flourish internationally, and Cape Town-born fashion designer Beverley Tim is one. Tim, the owner and creative director of her namesake brand, lives and works between South Africa and Dubai, and is making waves in the industry. We caught up with the designer, currently in Dubai, to find out more about her label. Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to go into fashion. After completing my Bachelor of Laws degree and working in corporate, I attained an advanced diploma in fashion, specialising in luxury, from Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion in Stellenbosch. I’ve also worked in corporate and in the fashion industry for a number of years locally and abroad. I believe that my corporate and creative experience adds something different…

Seven life terms and 83 years imprisonment – that is the sentence meted out to the graveyard serial rapist this week. Elvis Aaron Zulu, 40, from Pienaar, in Mpumalanga, was convicted on 22 counts, ranging from nine counts of rape, six of kidnapping, three of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three of pointing a firearm and one of possession of an unlicensed firearm. Zulu carried out a reign of terror between January 2011 and November 2014, in Pienaar, KaBokweni, next to the Kruger National Park. The court earlier heard the chilling accounts of his victims. After raping them, he invited members of his gang to also rape them. He especially had a preference for raping young virgins in a graveyard next to a school. One testified about her rape ordeal…

TSHWANE mayor Randall Williams, pictured, was yesterday part of the operation aimed at disconnecting services to defaulting clients and ripping apart illegal connections. Williams joined the MMC for Finance Peter Sutton together with various municipal officials “to once again lend my full support and drive our revenue collection campaign". He said: “We conducted the campaign in the inner city and in Pretoria West, where we largely targeted businesses that have repeatedly failed to pay the City for services rendered. “The various businesses, together with one government department, owed the City about R50 million for defaulting on their water bills. During the revenue collection drive, we also discovered that three properties that house a private school, a hair salon, hardware and scrapyards for cars were illegally connected.” In one building, the…

Study reveals health equity issue Improving surgical care for women in low- and middle-income countries is a global health priority. It’s also critical for sustainable development because of the critical role women play in macro-economic growth, community well-being, and as part of the health-care workforce. When the inequities and disparities in obstetric outcomes between world regions came to the attention of governments and multinational organisations, maternal health initiatives were started in regions with the highest maternal mortality rates, including sub-Saharan Africa. This has contributed to an almost 40% reduction in maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in the last two decades. But the outcomes of other kinds of surgery for women in Africa have remained under-examined. Women need equitable surgical care throughout their lives – not just during childbirth. In our…

The deadliest cholera outbreak in Malawi’s history has killed at least 1 210 people, while vaccines remain scarce and several other African nations reported outbreaks, the World Health Organization said yesterday. The southern African nation has been battling its worst cholera outbreak on record, with nearly 37 000 cases reported since March 2022. Confirmed cases have already been reported across the border in Mozambique, while the WHO said it had assessed the current risk of spread inside Malawi and to other neighbouring countries as “very high”. The WHO said that active transmission was now continuing in 27 out of Malawi’s 29 districts, with the country seeing a 143% increase in the number of cases last month compared to December. “With a sharp increase of cases seen over the past month,…

Nuclear-armed North Korea showcased its missile production muscle during a parade on Wednesday night, state media reported yesterday, displaying more intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) than ever before and hinting at a new solid-fuel weapon. The country has forged ahead with its ballistic missile programme, test-launching dozens of advanced missiles last year despite UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions. State media showed 11 Hwasong-17s, North Korea’s largest ICBM, which are suspected to be able to strike nearly anywhere in the world with a nuclear warhead. Eleven missiles could be enough to overwhelm current US missile defences, said the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. North Korea held the parade in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of its army. Leader Kim Jong-un attended with his daughter, who could…

Jayapura: At least four people were killed yesterday when an earthquake struck the capital of Indonesia’s breakaway eastern region of Papua and crumpled a waterfront restaurant, officials said. The 5.1-magnitude quake hit south-west of Jayapura city at a depth of 22km, the US Geological Survey said. “A café collapsed and four people died there. It fell into the sea,” the Jayapura disaster mitigation agency said. Residents in Jayapura said people scrambled for safety, running from houses and shops when the quake struck. The country’s meteorological agency gave a higher magnitude of 5.2 and warned of potential aftershocks. | AFP…

LOS ANGELES: Burt Bacharach has died at the age of 94. The legendary composer – who worked on hits such as Walk On By and I Say a Little Prayer – died of natural causes at his Los Angeles home, his publicist has confirmed. Bacharach composed hundreds of songs in the 1950s to 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. He worked on many movie scores. He was an eight-time Grammy winner and won two Oscars in 1970, for the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid score and for the song Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head. He then took home his third Oscar in 1982 for Arthur’s Theme. | Bang Showbiz…

THE GOVERNMENT’S intention to declare the energy crisis a national state of disaster is not likely to spook investors and it may not result in the immediate end of load shedding. This is the view of Momentum Investments economist Sanisha Packirisamy who weighed in on the raging debate about declaring a state of disaster at Eskom. This comes after the weekend’s Cabinet lekgotla, which met to evaluate the legal requirements that should be met by the government before taking such a decision in a bid to help end crippling power cuts. Speaking to Business Report yesterday, Packirisamy said a state of disaster would likely speed up the time lines for any regulatory and legislative issues. However, Packirisamy said by doing so, a number of stakeholders might not actually get the…

SOUTH Africa’s growth prospects have been dimmed further as the output of both the mining and manufacturing industries – two of key sectors in South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) – contracted significantly in 2022. Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday said that mining production fell by 3.5% year-on-year in December 2022 following an upwardly revised 9.2% decline in November. According to StatsSA, December marked the 11th consecutive monthly output decline in the sector, leading to a total annual contraction of 7.2% in 2022 compared to the previous year. The export of bulk minerals along with other key commodities has been experiencing a volatile period due to elevated levels of load shedding and logistical challenges. According to the Minerals Council South Africa, insufficient rail capacity and inefficiencies will continue to…

Ramaphosa announces a raft of plans to tackle the energy crisis, including the appointment of a minister of electricity SOUTH Africa wakes up today under the national state of disaster declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address (Sona) in the Cape Town City Hall last night. The state of disaster, according to Ramaphosa, was aimed at addressing the energy crisis faced by the country as a result of ailing power utility Eskom. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has gazetted the declaration of the State of Disaster, “which will begin with immediate effect”. “The state of disaster will enable us to provide practical measures that we need to take to support businesses in the food production, storage and retail supply…

A former cash-in-transit security guard lost his R2 million lawsuit against G4S cash-in-transit service provider after he claimed the company labelled him a robber following a spate of robberies and attempted robberies. Bongani Maliza turned to the high court in the Eastern Cape, Mthatha division, to claim damages against G4S and its regional director, Kevin Govender. He said his good name and reputation was tainted during a conference call. Maliza worked for the company at the time, which in 2018 experienced a sudden spate of robberies and attempted robberies involving its cash-in-transit vehicle. According to Maliza, Govender defamed him during the conference call by saying “you are a robber and every staff member is afraid of you”. Maliza had meanwhile left the company following a disciplinary hearing against him regarding…

SENIOR Tshwane ActionSA PR councillor Sizwe Skhosana has been ousted from the party following allegations that he orchestrated a move to destabilise its council caucus. This makes Skhosana, who previously served as the party’s chief whip in council, the latest party member from Tshwane to be sent packing. Last year the party dismissed Abel Tau, who was Tshwane MMC for housing and human settlements and ActionSA provincial secretary in Gauteng. Tau was removed following sex abuse allegations levelled against him. He recently launched a political party called United Africans Transformation, which aims to contest provincial and national elections in 2024. Tau also announced that he had lodged an application with the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria to challenge “premeditated” outcomes of the hearing to oust him. Yesterday, Skhosana said he was…

The lives of at least three matriculants, two in KwaZulu-Natal and one in Gauteng, have come to a standstill after their matric results were released with missing marks more than three weeks after the matric results were announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. The parents of these matriculants from the Class of 2022 said their problems went unresolved by the respective Departments of Education. Concerned parent Angeline Anderson, whose daughter Tamia Anderson was in matric at Randpark High School in Randburg last year, said she has been trying to get her daughter’s 2022 NSC results transcripts after they were misplaced by the department. She said she had been to various district offices to have the results issued to her, but nothing had worked. She said her child was now…

International news was recently dominated by what has been termed the Chinese balloon saga. On Saturday, February 4, US president Joe Biden ordered the American air force to shoot down an unmanned Chinese airship intended for civilian use. The balloon had been flying in US airspace. The airship was shot down just off the coast of South Carolina. Chinese authorities have indicated the entry of the unmanned airship into US airspace was unintended and was for civilian purposes. The airship was conducting research of a mainly meteorological nature and, having been “affected by the westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course”. The Chinese foreign ministry emphasised that “China always acts in strict accordance with international law and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity…

Like other businesses across Cuba, Nel Paradiso is grappling with a worker shortage amid unprecedented levels of people fleeing the island nation. In just over a year, the central Havana restaurant has seen 50 employees leave. “There wasn’t enough time to replace the personnel,” said hiring manager Annie Zuniga, 26. After being forced to close its doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Nel Paradiso had been open for only two months when Nicaragua, an ally of Havana, abolished visa requirements for Cubans. That move in November 2021 kicked off the island’s largest exodus since the Communist regime came to power over six decades ago. “Nicaragua’s opening was a blow … from 50 workers, in one week we were left with 30,” Zuniga said. Of the 60 employees recruited during the…

London: The Church of England’s governing body yesterday endorsed plans to let priests offer blessings to same-sex couples, after hours of acrimonious debate highlighted deep Anglican divisions on the issue. The Church’s General Synod – comprising hundreds of elected members – backed the proposals by a wide margin. A total of 250 bishops, clergy and laity supported the reforms, while 181 opposed them and 10 abstained, at a vote held at the Synod gathering in London. The plans will not change rules banning Anglican priests from officiating at same-sex weddings. Synod members supported an amendment endorsing that stance, while also voting in favour of the proposal to allow blessings for civil marriages in a church. | AFP…

New Delhi: Thousands of people turned out in protest outside municipal government offices in the central Chinese city of Wuhan over major cuts to their medical benefits. Video clips on social media showed a large crowd of older people gathered in rainy weather outside the gates of the city government compound, with police linking arms to prevent them from approaching the gates. The protest came after warnings from the central government in Beijing that it won’t be bailing out cash-strapped local governments, whose coffers had been drained by three years of President Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy, which ended in December last year. | IANS…

Tokyo: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos hailed new defence and other deals signed with Japan in Tokyo yesterday, as the nations seek to deepen ties, including on security in response to growing Chinese military pressure. The countries agreed on measures to speed up military deployments for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. They also signed several other deals, from infrastructure loans to co-operation on agriculture and technology. “Our strategic partnership is stronger than ever,” Marcos said following talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Marcos’s trip comes a week after the Philippines announced a deal giving US troops access to another four bases in the country. Japan, which invaded and occupied the Philippines during World War II, has recently inked similar deals with Britain and Australia. But for now, the leaders are…

ON A super-tight budget and need to eat cheaply? Here are some simple recipes to make when you are low on groceries. Crème brûlée Ingredients ½ cup vanilla ice cream 1 egg yolk 1 tbs sugar Method Preheat the oven to 160˚C. Melt the ice cream in a microwave until liquid then add the yolk and combine (ensure ice cream isn’t hot or the egg will scramble). Pour the mixture into a ramekin. Pour hot water into a baking pan to create a water bath and sit the ramekin in the pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Before serving, caramelise the sugar in a non-stick pan over low-medium heat and immediately pour it on top…

A WOMAN seeking admission as a student at the University of Venda has blown the lid off what seems to be an admissions scandal that has rocked the Limpopo institution this week. The woman, whose Twitter handle is Mimz, but whose full name is known to the Pretoria News, took to WhatsApp on Wednesday expressing her disgust at a person purporting to be a university official. She shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages of the purported official asking for R3 500 so they could “fast-track” her admission. She wrote: “Applying to the University of Venda only to receive these texts, I am shocked and disgusted by the corruption in this country.” The conversation was apparently initiated by the person allegedly trying to extort money from her, asking if she needed assistance…

Hopes were fading yesterday for rescuing survivors of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, which has killed over 19 000 people in one of the deadliest tremors in decades. Bitter cold has hampered the four-day search of thousands of flattened buildings and the 72-hour mark that experts consider the most likely period to save lives has passed. Relatives were left scouring body bags laid out in a hospital car park in Türkiye’s southern city of Antakya to search for missing relatives, an indication of the scale of the tragedy. “We found my aunt, but not my uncle,” said Rania Zaboubi, a Syrian refugee who lost eight members of her family, as other survivors sought loved ones’ bodies among the corpses. The 7.8-magnitude quake struck as people slept early Monday in…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said yesterday he had heard from several EU leaders at a summit that they were ready to provide Kyiv with aircraft, hinting at what would be one of the biggest shifts yet in Western support for Ukraine. His remarks came amid signs during a European tour that countries were closer to lifting one of the main taboos in military aid for Kyiv since Russia’s invasion last year. Western countries that have provided Ukraine with arms have so far refused to send fighter jets or long-range weapons capable of striking deep inside Russia. But the mood appears to have begun to shift during Zelenskiy’s European tour. Zelenskiy called for tighter sanctions on Moscow and punishment for Russian leaders responsible for the attack on Ukraine nearly a year…

New Delhi: Twitter CEO Elon Musk yesterday said the micro-blogging platform was facing “multiple internal and external issues simultaneously” and would be “fully back on track later tonight”. Twitter suffered a massive outage when several users globally, including in India, reported having issues while posting a tweet and sending direct messages. Users likely scheduled their tweets for reporting the issues as they were not able to post it immediately. According to the outage monitor website DownDetector, over 59% of people had reported problems while using the application, 32% while using the website, and 9% with server connection. | IANS…

Mogadishu: The UN and its partners, along with Somali state and federal authorities, announced that humanitarian groups are seeking $2.6 billion (R46bn) to assist 7.6 million people as the East African nation is currently under the grip of the longest and most severe drought in its history, following five consecutive poor rainy seasons. Nearly half of the population, 8.25 million people, need immediate help and protection from the drought that has devastated Somalia. Unless humanitarian assistance is sustained and rainfall is sufficient, famine is a possibility between April and June, officials said. It is the worst drought in four decades. | IANS…

THERE can be no beans about it – women’s sport worldwide, and in South Africa, is busting through the glass ceiling, shattering any preconceptions and cutting deep into the psyche of the public at large. It has been witnessed in cricket, where the women’s game is watched intently, with the Proteas women adored by many. It can be seen in the success of Wafcon champions Banyana Banyana; and the massive success of 2022’s Women’s European Championship. SA Rugby, meanwhile, are putting in a concerted effort to uplift the game here for women in the hopes of catching up with the Home Unions, who regularly sell out their games in Europe. Netball in South Africa wants in and the Netball World Cup that will be hosted in the country in 168…

SUNE Luus must be blessed with an abundance of patience. Despite being the Proteas captain across all three formats for over two years, and marshalling her team’s progress to a World Cup semi-final, she is still made to feel like she is simply keeping the seat warm. But today at Newlands that is all about to change. Luus will lead the Proteas in the opening game of the Women’s T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka. It is a seminal moment in South African sports history. And Luus fully understands its importance. “It's quite massive. I don't think we quite realise what we already achieved without playing the game. I think it’s going to be awesome just seeing everyone coming out,” Luus said. “I think apart from the cricketing things and…