Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, June 28, 2020 i Sunday Independent

UNIVERSITY ‘Kid from Katlehong’ who is going places EDWIN NAIDU MATTHEWS BALOYI African News Agency (ANA) “I’M enjoying the moment,” said incoming vice-chancellor of Wits University Professor Zeblon Vilakazi on Friday. “When I formally take over it will be a different story, but having been deputy vice-chancellor for the past seven years, I’m more or less familiar, but know that stepping into the VC’s position, one cannot underestimate the gap between DVC and VC, I’m aware of it,” said the latest success from the East Rand. Google Vilakazi’s hometown Katlehong (dubbed place of success), one will find that it is also home to football hero Sibusiso Khumalo, rap star Kwesta, and Tshepang Motsieloa, politician, among others. The East Rand’s Benoni was put on the global map by Hollywood star Charlize…

CORONAVIRUS Medics in fear after deaths SIBONISO MNGADI HEALTH workers have halted the operations at Rietvlei Hospital, in Umzimkhulu, in southern KwaZulu-Natal demanding that the facility be sanitised after patients and nurses tested positive for Covid-19 this week. Nurses and doctors have stopped working, fearing that more staff may contract the virus. According to a worker who asked not to be named fearing reprisal, a patient who was admitted on June 16, tested position and subsequently passed away. The worker feared that the district hospital with over 200 patients could spread the infection in the rural area of Umzimkhulu if proactive measures were ignored. He added that two nurses who treated the patient also tested positive, but the ward in which the patient was treated had not been disinfected. He…

FACT BOX: THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING AND FILING A WILL ACCORDING to the director of the UP Law Clinic, Eddie Hanekom, there is no legal requirement for a will “to be read” at any specific time or in the presence of anybody, but Thabile Chikane has the right to see the will “because why would ‘they’ otherwise have given her the R2 000? She is entitled to see a copy of and if the other siblings refuse, then surely something is wrong”. “Even if there is no will and there are assets or belongings that were left behind by the deceased, family members are still legally obliged to report it to the Master of the High Court’s offices so a Deceased Estate file can be opened.” Hanekom said house disputes…

SASSA ‘Pend ing’ grant status setback Verification process slowing down payment LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za BHEKIKAYA MABASO African news Agency (ANA) BHEKIKAYA MABASO African news Agency (ANA) “DANKIE Ramaphosa!” screamed Mohapi Mlangeni in excitement as he stepped out of the Evaton Mall post office on Thursday afternoon. He was one of the few grant recipients who received his R350 Covid-19 grant from Sassa. The fund was created to assist unemployed South Africans who don’t qualify for any other support grant. But last week, following a court ruling, the grant will be extended to asylum-seekers as well. A move that economists have warned will set government back by a whopping R700million. Hundreds of hopefuls form long queues outside pay points such as the PostNet in Meadowlands, Soweto and in Sebokeng, in the…

INCOME Public servant probe LOYISO SIDIMBA PUBLIC servants will soon be allowed to supplement their income outside their employ just as the government announced that it is prosecuting over 1500 for doing business with their employer. Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu has referred 1544 state employees still doing business with the government by the end of February to the police for possible prosecution. “As it is a criminal offence for public service employees to conduct business with the state, the Department of Public Service and Administration had interaction with the SA Police Service to investigate confirmed cases with the aim of prosecuting offenders,” Mchunu said in a parliamentary reply to DA MP Michele Clarke. According to Mchunu, out of the 1544 public servants, 1111 were from provincial departments…

COMMENTARY WORDS ON WEALTH An ideal formula to satisfy a few Is Didiza doing anything to address anger at Land Act legacy? ONE OF the main problems that confronted the new government in 1994 was that Africans in three provinces were still engaging in semi-feudal production activities. Consequently, not enough Africans were prepared to become wage labourers in the mines and on farms at the wages offered. History tells us that Botha’s and Smuts’ South African Party (SAP) and the unionists who represented financial and mining interests largely agreed on the issue of a “native policy”. As a result, in an effort to solve the labour problems of the gold mining industry and maize farmers, Parliament passed the Native Land Act in 1913. This act was based on an “ideal formula”…

BLM PROTESTS A rude awakening for the ANC on issues of race DAVID LETSOALO THE intensity of the recent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, both internationally and locally, coupled with the avalanche of ongoing racism in South Africa, exposes the docility and denialist attitude of South Africa’s governing party, the ANC, on issues of race. The defects of the “non-racial” political dispensation in South Africa have become glaringly and painfully overt. The inhumane and unjust legacy of slavery, colonialism and apartheid, as a lived reality for black people, cannot easily be wiped away by fake notions of a “new” non-racial democratic society. It’s now a historical fact that the 1994 settlement predominantly served to maintain white privilege. The so-called rainbow nation is premised on the peace-hungry forgiveness extended to the…

REPORT UCT failed black professor – report Anger from student activists aggravated psychological problems EDWIN NAIDU SOPHIA STANDER An explosive report says the top leadership at the University of Cape Town failed to heed the signs of mental illness which apparently resulted in the death of scientist Bongani Mayosi. The report indicates then-newly incumbent vice-chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, her predecessor Dr Max Price, line manager Lis Lange, colleagues and students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) collectively failed to detect the distress shown by Mayosi, whose optimistic plans as dean to take the Faculty of Health Sciences to another level were tragically ended by his death. Mayosi, 51, was hailed as one of the best examples of black excellence and a symbol of transformation at UCT, but his death…

FREEDOM Leave South Africa’s maligned Chief Justice alone KLAAS MOKGOMOLE and MMAMALEMA MOLEPO BY MERELY expressing his religious views that do not infringe on nor advocate incitement to cause harm on others, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has had many insults hurled at him. According to some, he should “shut up and focus on judgments”, is a disgrace, ignorant, a complete and utter mess and should step down! All this for practising his constitutional right to “criticise the policies of the government and suggest that change may be necessary”, as said in his own words. It is only natural that we disagree with those who hold opinions that differ from ours. However, this does not allow us the right to stick a sock in their mouths. South Africa’s diverse nature already…

UNITED STATES Trump says he is remaining in Washington to protect law, order WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump cancelled a weekend visit to his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey saying he was staying in Washington “to make sure law and order is enforced”. “The arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe – and these people will be brought to justice!” Trump pledged to take a hard line on anyone destroying or vandalising historical US monuments and threatened to use force on some protesters, as activism against racial injustice swept the country. Trump said he signed a “very strong” executive order protecting monuments. A text of the order says the federal government will…

BOOK Pedigree storytelling at its finest LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za “I WAS partly raised by my grandmother, Shinana Thembani of the Madiba clan, who remains one of the most exceptional storytellers I have ever come across. “Though she raised us in a village, we never sat around the fireside in the evenings to listen to stories, as is common in the cultures of other traditional communities. Her storytelling was spontaneous,” writes Siphiwo Mahala in his opening to his latest offering, Red Apple Dreams & Other Stories. Mahala is one of our finest writers and an excellent exponent of the short story genre. He is the author of When A Man Cries (2007), which he translated into isiXhosa as Yakhal’ Indoda (2010), and the short story collection African Delights (2011). Red Apple…

LOCKDOWN Restaurants open tomorrow under strict rules LETHU NXUMALO PATRONS will tomorrow be allowed to put aside their masks and enjoy their favourite meal at their restaurant of choice. But some who have been happy ordering in since restaurant food delivery was permitted, said they would not be setting foot inside a restaurant. Dineplan, a reservations software company, conducted a restaurant survey recently designed to assist businesses to prepare for the return of their customers who have missed casual and fine dining. More than 3 000 diners from across the country took part. The survey revealed that more than 1 000 participants were ready to eat out within the next month while almost 2 000 said it would be an option they would consider within 60 days. Only 33 people…

CELEBRITY No slowing down in making music With ‘Wanna Be’, Holly Rey is ready for the next phase of her career BUHLE MBONAMBI HOLLY Rey has made the most of the lockdown. She launched a cooking series on Instagram with her sister, Mimi; announced being a signee at Black Coffee’s Soulistic Agency; had a virtual lockdown performance, released a single and now has dropped the music video of said single – Wanna Be. When I called her, it was the eve of her releasing Wanna Be. I caught her as she was preparing for an episode of her cooking series, while also planning her music video. And yet even with all that creativity around her, she was struggling. “I’m used to being on the road, performing and meeting fans. “This…

WIMBLEDON TENNIS CLASSICS THIS should have been the first week of tennis’ biggest event, The Championships at Wimbledon. With this year’s tournament cancelled, Stuart Hess looks back at his five favourite matches. RAFAEL NADAL VS ROGER FEDERER, 2008 FINAL (Nadal won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7) THIS match was so good it has a whole book dedicated to it. In Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, author L. Jon Wertheim writes about that encounter that it was “essentially a four-hour, forty-eight-minute infomercial for everything that is right about tennis — a festival of skill, accuracy, grace, strength, speed, endurance, determination, and sportsmanship.” Rarely have two athletes delivered their best at the same time on the highest stage like these two legends did that Sunday…

CHIEF JUSTICE ‘In the name of Christianity, shame on you’ LOYISO SIDIMBA PRESSURE continued to mount on Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng yesterday to apologise and retract his pro-Israel comments on the eve of annexation of more Palestinian land. Former deputy justice minister Johnny de Lange described Mogoeng’s comments as totally ignorant of the injustices and suffering of Palestinians. “And then he tells us he does this in his personal capacity in the name of Christianity. In the name of his religion he is prepared to whitewash the state terrorism of the Zionist Israeli state. Shame on you Chief Justice,” De Lange said. In an open letter, Howard Law School Professor Ziyad Motala said Mogoeng’s conduct was even more troubling as he is Chief Justice. “As I further understand judicial ethics,…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA RATIONAL VS FAIR : TOBACCO BAN Let’s face it. We are interested in evidence which we believe denies the allegations that cigarette smoking causes diseasePHILIP MORRIS THE North Gauteng High Court on Friday dismissed the legal challenge by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita), as fellow industry heavyweight British American Tobacco SA (batsa) said it was blindsided by the Western Cape division’s decision to delay hearing its parallel challenge until August…

COMMUNITY Anger over destruction of gym AMANDA MALIBA A philanthropist’s efforts to afford his disadvantaged community access to a gym came to nought after the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers raked the open-air community gym to the ground recently. Tumelo Masite alleged that members of the JMPD destroyed the gym he built in Tsutsumani, Alexandra, allegedly on the instructions of the local councillor, Tefo Raphadu, who declared the structure illegal despite having given the project the green light earlier. Masite showed the Sunday Independent a letter of acknowledgement and support for the gym project from Raphadu, and said, based on that letter, he proceeded with the construction of the gym. “After issuing that letter, Tefo visited the place where we intended to build and verbally said we could build…

BENEFICIARIES Workers in dark on dividends DON MAKATILE WORKERS at a ferrochrome company in the West Rand who had a 10% shareholding in the business find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place as dividends have been abruptly stopped with no explanation from management. Mogale Alloys, operating from premises in Krugersdorp (now Mogale City) created a trust in which the workers were to own a B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) stake in the company and for which the beneficiaries were to be paid over eight years. The contract has been violated in a breach of fiduciary duty by the trustees, who are now claiming the company is under business rescue. The company, initially known as Palmiet, was sold and underwent name changes in no less than three transactions.…

JOURNALISM How Covid-19 adversely affects women in media EDWIN NAIDU AWARD-winning journalist from Botswana, Yvonne Mooka, quit her job at the end of February, packed her bags, and was ready to embrace a new challenge in London – but the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent travel ban put paid to her plans. “An international media organisation offered me a job, among other organisations, and I made up my mind that I was going to go for it, which we agreed on. “Then Covid-19 hit the globe and borders were closed just before I could travel,” she said. Mooka, a journalist for the past decade with Botswana Guardian and The Midweek Sun, said: “Covid-19 is the news of the century. Coronavirus is here to stay. It’s not about to disappear anytime soon,…

COMMENT UN OFFICIALS PLEDGE TO BRING END TO RACISM SENIOR UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS *NAMES BELOW A DESPERATE yearning for a long-departed mother. Reaching deep from the bowels of fragile humanity. Grasping for breath. Begging for mercy. The entire world heard the tragic cry. The family of nations saw his face pounded against the tarmac. Unbearable pain in broad daylight. A neck buckling under the knee and weight of history. Clinging to life. Yearning to breathe free. Till his last breath. The past few weeks of protests at the killing of George Floyd in the hands of police, have left us all outraged at the injustice of racism that continues to be pervasive in our host country and across the world. Not enough can be said about the trauma and inter-generational…

MAYOSI COMMENT Report into academic’s death exposes varsity ethos VUYISILE MSILA THE Fallist Movements in 2016 demonstrated the inequalities in our society and universities. Many people haggled over the meaning of higher education in a transforming society. Role-players fought, still unsure whether they wanted transformation or decolonisation in campuses. Universities were slowly, in an unintended way, promoting the necessary debates in society on the objectives of higher education. Higher education institutions were doing what they were established to promote: the sharpening of minds for the betterment of society. Of course, several harangued the students for bolstering movements that would undermine standards and introduce new cultures that are inimical to global best practices. The calls by students meant “dropping the bar” as they intensified the calls for massification and decolonisation. The traditionalists…

COMMENT WARY OF DIABOLICAL VACCINES SAM DITSHEGO WHEN I began to sound a warning about the fake pandemic that was going to be used to implement Bill Gates’ diabolical vaccination plan and micro-chipping, my detractors thought I had gone bonkers. I said PAC founding president Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe and the PAC fought against the carrying of passes in 1960, and we are going to carry those passes on our bodies in the form of microchips. Vaccination trials sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are going on at Wits University or Bara right now. About four years ago, responding to an article by professors Glenda Gray, Linda Gail Bekker, Drs Fatima Patel and Mookho Malahlela, I wrote in The Star newspaper quoting one of the doctors who said there…

LETTERS Email: scribe@inl.co.za (no attachments). All letters must contain the writer’s full name, physical address and telephone number. No pen names. Parliament must remove chief justice THE recent utterances by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng on South African foreign policy with regard to the issue of Israel and Palestine was very unfortunate. He did the most despicable thing no one could ever imagine. The man is a chief justice and as such he is expected to understand better. Bringing his religion to the issue that has more to do with human rights was a shame and disrespect to the constitution which he is a chief guardian of. He must not try to Christianise the country as the Constitution embraces all religions and not just Christianity. If he was really honourable in…

The People Macron to visit Putin for talks in Russia PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday he would soon travel to Russia for more talks with his counterpart Vladimir Putin. Macron and Putin held a video call on Friday. Macron has called for Europe to re-examine its strategic partnership with Russia, saying that a policy of defiance towards Moscow in recent years had failed. | Reuters ‘The Graduate’ author Charles Webb has died, says friend LONDON: Charles Webb, a lifelong non-conformist whose debut novel The Graduate was a deadpan satire of his college education and wealthy background adapted into the classic film of the same name, has died. He was 81. Webb died on June 16 in Eastbourne, England, of a blood condition, said his friend Jack Malvern, a…

PANDEMIC A ‘finite’ medical workforce in jeopardy DOCTORS in Nigeria have gone on strike, demanding face masks and pay that reflects the rising risk. Hospital staffers in Guinea-Bissau had to shutter a treatment ward after nearly everyone on the floor got sick. Nurses in Cameroon are working through fevers – even dodging tests – because they can’t afford to lose a shift’s wages. The coronavirus pandemic has tightened its grip on much of Africa, where reported cases have more than tripled over the last month, jeopardising overstretched medical teams as the need for care soars. From the pandemic’s early days, leaders across the continent urged prevention and took aggressive action – sealing borders, tracing contacts and building extra isolation wards – asserting that many places lacked the resources to withstand…

MUSIC Bringing listeners closer to God Singer’s new album own work and collaborations of gospel tunes AMANDA MALIBA FACEBOOK SINGER, songwriter and producer Nqubeko Mbatha is gearing up for the release of his much-anticipated album later next month. And in preparation for that big occasion, the singer has recently released a single from the 11 track album titled Friendship with Jesus, a remake of an old song that aims to remind people of a relationship they have with their god. The importance for Mbatha of such a song during this depressive global coronavirus pandemic time is to serve as a reminder to everyone who will hear it of how much closer God is to us now. “And that He is there to help and be a friend until we get…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RESTAURANTS We have higher quality conversations in restaurants than at home. It’s as though we rise to the occasion by selecting worthwhile, less mundane subjects to discuss when eating out, just as we dress more carefully MIMI SHERATON After weeks of lockdown and physical distancing, what does the future hold for South African restaurants? The coronavirus has not only been a harmful public-health crisis, but it has also been the restaurant industry’s greatest challenge to date.…

OPINION Toxic legacy of colonisation, slavery and the ‘great dying’ of 16th century MARK MASLIN AND SIMON LEWIS THE TOPPLING of statues at Black Lives Matter protests has powerfully articulated that the roots of modern racism lie in European colonisation and slavery. Racism will be more forcefully opposed once we acknowledge this history and learn from it. Geographers and geologists can help contribute to this new understanding of our past, by defining the new human-dominated period of Earth’s history as beginning with European colonialism. Today, our impacts on the environment are immense: humans move more soil, rock and sediment each year than is transported by all other natural processes combined. We may have kicked off the sixth “mass extinction” in Earth’s history, and the global climate is warming so fast…

Leisure industry eases open under strict rules GEORGINA CROUTH TOURISM MINISTER Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane HAS SAID THAT Restaurants, bars, casinos, cinemas, conference venues and other hospitality sites would be allowed to reopen from tomorrow but leisure travel could still be prohibited. under the updated Kubayi-Ngubane SAID level 3 regulations would put no limitations on the number of guests a restaurant or casino can accommodate, but conference venues would still be required to limit their guests to under 50. The regulations will be gazetted tomorrow. The Restaurant Association of South Africa (Rasa), which had earlier sent the Tourism Department a legal letter demanding clarity on the regulations, welcomed the move. Kubayi-Ngubane TOLD a live-streamed media briefing that no alcohol would be consumed on-site, and buffets remained strictly outlawed. However she encouraged South…

REAL NUMBERS Can virus awaken the science of long-term planning in South Africa? CORONAVIRUS (Covid-19) has awakened the reality that the world can change more abruptly than could have ever been imagined. Until the eve of the pandemic, technological changes were seen as the prime mover and disrupter par excellence. They embossed the stamp of authority that long-term planning was not helpful. Even in the glare of the Sustainable Development Goals, heavy lifting remained a necessary condition and key success factor to stimulate fossilised policy positions to move from short termism towards long-term planning. The mysterious paradox is that the pandemic has put advocates of structural adjustments and medium-term frameworks to deep shame as the gods of development theory and practice. The Indlulamithi Scenarios for South Africa hold hope to…

STARS Aries (March 21 - April 20) With Mars dozing in your sleepy 12th house, your energy could be flagging. Be gentle with yourself this week, so no bingeing at work or play. You’ll be most productive when you listen to the gentler cues of your body, soaking in a hot bath or taking an afternoon off. Taurus (April 21 - May 20) If you can placate rather than push, you’ll be fine. Unfortunately, you’re in a stubborn mood and not really open to others’ suggestions. This week asks that you resolve any emotional issues. A tough ask, considering what’s been happening. Gemini (May 21 - June 21) Just when you need help, along comes a planetary ally or two. Not a moment too soon. Once you realise that not…

F 1 Hamilton hammers Ecclestone FORMULA One champion Lewis Hamilton condemned Bernie Ecclestone for “ignorant” comments about racism after the sport had distanced itself from the 89-year-old former supremo. Ecclestone had earlier told CNN in an interview that “in lots of cases, black people are more racist than what white people are.” Formula One, whose chairman Chase Carey announced on Thursday a personal donation of $1 million towards a foundation to promote diversity in the sport, responded with a stinging statement. “At a time when unity is needed to tackle racism and inequality, we completely disagree with Bernie Ecclestone’s comments that have no place in Formula One or society,” it said. “Mr Ecclestone has played no role in Formula One since he left our organisation in 2017, his title Chairman…

INJURY TIME IT TOOK 233 YEARS FOR MCC TO WAKE UP STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za OH LOOK, WOMEN CAN TOO... It took 233 years (233!) but the Marylebone Cricket Club finally has a female president. Clare Connor, the former England captain, was named to that position last week, replacing Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka. The MCC were about as male and stuffy, uppity English as you could get. No one with any sense of style would agree to that horrible red/yellow/stripe rubbish that is the club’s colours. If the 233 isn’t enough to shake you about the male domination at the club, consider this – it took until 1998 for 70% of MCC to vote to all female membership. Oh well at least they can claim they managed it before the…

CRICKET Cricket set to lift the covers STUART HESS CRICKET SA may yet go ahead with its charity three-team special in the next few weeks after getting government approval to resume playing and training on Friday evening. The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture approved cricket’s resumption along with tennis, swimming, rock climbing, angling, canoeing and gymnastics. “These Sport bodies have submitted their plans, indicating their state of readiness and their commitment to adhere to stringent health protocols that they will implement in accordance with the prescribed regulations and directions,” read a statement from the ministry. “The sport bodies are urged to take note of and implement the comments from the Health authorities, as applies to each of them.” Cricket SA was admonished by Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa after announcing…

DREAM ‘Hard work’ paved way for Khumalo’s rise to the top MIHLALI BALEKA THE frenzy that greeted South Africa when they won the bid to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup motivated a certain youngster to “dare to dream” at Arcadia Shepherds FC. That the global showpiece would be his springboard to European football was not in his immediate plans. Bongani Khumalo was 17 in 2004 when South Africa were awarded the rights to host the biggest football event six years later, but such was the hype that Khumalo told himself the opportunity of representing his country on home soil couldn’t be missed. After completing matric at Clapham High School in 2004, Khumalo joined the University of Pretoria in the then National First Division, making 50 appearances and scoring five…

SOCCER Fergie gives Dalglish the thumbs up FORMER Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson sent a text message to congratulate old rival Kenny Dalglish after Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a top-flight title by winning the Premier League on Thursday, the former Liverpool boss has said. Both Scots are icons at their former clubs. Ferguson managed United from 1986 to 2013 and famously declared he wanted to knock Liverpool of their perch, The manager, who many consider to be the best the beautiful game has ever seen, led his team to 13 Premier League trophies, five FA Cups and two Champions League titles. Dalglish, who first played for and subsequently managed Liverpool, won three European Cups, eight First Division titles and two FA Cups during his time at the club.…

Tail Piece UN RIGHTS EXPERT URGES UN TO PREVENT ANNEXATION A UN rights investigator urged the EU on Friday to consider measures to prevent or punish any Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a few days after more than 1 000 European lawmakers made a similar call. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres added his voice to the matter on Wednesday, calling on Israel to abandon annexations of settlements in the West Bank, warning this threatened any chance of negotiated peace with the Palestinians who seek statehood in the territory. | REUTERS…

QUARANTINED IN PRISON ‘We are not seeing a doctor’ KARABO NGOEPE AND MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA AS THE country tries to deal with the high rate of Covid-19 infections, prisoners who have tested positive say they have been left to die. Sunday Independent this week spoke to two inmates who said after testing positive, the only thing done for them was to move to a single cell. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the pair said they have been thrown in a dark hole and left alone. “The treatment we are receiving, it’s like we are the ones who brought it here. I’m in isolation in a room that has no windows, its freezing and we are not getting medication. We are not seeing a doctor,” said one inmate. “We are not…

LABEL HERE Chikane family home feud Sister alleges brothers sold family home without having consulted her AMANDA MALIBA ANTOINE DE RAS African News Agency (ANA) BHEKIKHAYA MABASO African News Agency (ANA) AN UNEMPLOYED and destitute Soweto mother of three is accusing her two brothers, one of whom is a struggle veteran the Reverend Frank Chikane, of rendering her homeless, although the family home in Tladi, Soweto, was left to all her siblings including herself, she says. Thabile Chikane says she is the third-born daughter of the late James Mashi and Sophania Erenia Chikane among six other siblings, who include the Reverend Chikane and their last born brother Kgotso Chikane, said to be the new owner of the family home that he bought in 2004 at market value, according to the…

TECHNOLOGY Advancing digital evolution in education EDWIN NAIDU TECHNOLOGY giants Vodacom Business Global and Microsoft South Africa have teamed up in what has been hailed as a first partnership of its nature to provide ubiquitous access to continuous, connected digital learning for South Africa’s education institutions, educators and learners through their Connected Digital Education initiative. The initiative, which has already seen more than 231000 schools sign up, was launched to cater for the urgent need for affordable online learning solutions that meet the educational needs of learners through connectivity, collaboration, communication and educational tools and resources, while also considering the long-term need to transform the education sector. “As a company with a purpose to connect for a better future, we are leveraging our ongoing partnership with Microsoft to provide educational…

SUICIDE Family’s agonising wait for news of death of missing son Police filing bungle blamed for two years of searching and heartache DON MAKATILE Why were the internal police processes not followed with my childRachel Mothubakgang Mother A DISTRAUGHT Kagiso, Mogale City, family is upset it has to suffer another undetermined waiting period before the body of their missing son, who was buried as a pauper, can be released to them for a proper burial. When he died in 2018, apparently from a suicide, Aubrey Wanda Mothubakgang, then 22, had personal details on him – his ID, home address and next of kin. But thanks to apparent police bungling in the simple matter of entering these details on the database, Mothubakgang remained “missing” for two years – from May 2018…

COMMENT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS MUST APPRECIATE THEIR ROLE IN SA OUPA SEGALWE THE cliché goes that local government is at “the coalface of service delivery”. This suggests that government efforts to tackle poverty and underdevelopment, essentially to change the lives of the previously disadvantaged for the better, must largely take place at municipal level. Sadly, some municipalities are seemingly failing to grasp this concept. In one of the 35 investigation reports released last week, Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane laid bare gory details of how a rural community in the outlying areas of the North West was strung along by the Mahikeng local municipality regarding the construction of a tarred road which was to have changed their lives for the better. The R4.8 million project would have seen the 3.1km of…

LABEL Remain true to history, yourselves Black authors don’t need white affirmation in form of awards SANDILE MEMELA THE recent announcement of an exclusive all-white list of award winners with white judges of a white company has provoked much negative black reaction. Big names in the literary industry like Niq Mhlongo, Fred Khumalo, Cynthia Jele, Nokuthula Mazibuko-Msimang, Victor Dlamini, Sabatha-Mpho Mokae, Athol Williams, among others, have criticised and condemned the list of nominees, winners and judges. Some white progressives, including the winners, are not excited either. It is sad that there are not enough black voices to express disappointment at this development. There are far too few voices that think black writers who have been overlooked by untransformed white companies deserve what they get. Their voices are muted and condemned…

RECOMMENDATIONS Panel directive to university EDWIN NAIDU THE panel investigating circumstances leading to the death of Professor Bongani Mayosi says it has no hesitation concluding, from the testimony presented, that the eruption of the #FeesMustFall protests a few days after he took up the post as dean was the single most influential factor directly and indirectly affecting his deanship. “He was not granted a chance to settle down to try out the plans for the faculty that he had so enthusiastically envisioned during his sabbatical and immediately upon his return,” the report adds. But in assessing the tumultuous period before Mayosi took his own life, the panel also made several recommendations aimed at addressing a number of concerns on campus. These included: 1. A compulsory immersion programme in diversity sensitivity…

OPINION SA’s foreign policy is in line with values of our democracy As a citizen, Chief Justice Mogoeng has every right to express his views ZANE DANGOR The judiciary should ensure that foreign policy is in line with the values of our Constitution THE Jerusalem Post of June 24, 2020, carries a story suggesting the Chief Justice of South Africa, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, differs with the official foreign policy stance of the government of South Africa in the Palestine/Israel situation. The Jerusalem Post alludes to a statement by the Chief Justice at a webinar that he is bound by the decisions of the government, but that as a citizen, he has a right to differ with the foreign policy position of South Africa. An excerpt of the…

EDITORIAL Courting controversy ON TUESDAY, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng participated in a webinar hosted by The Jerusalem Post in which he made very unfortunate statements that ruffled feathers, among which was that “anyone who curses Israel will invite similar wrath to themselves”. The discussion, moderated by the editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, Yaakov Katz, also featured South Africa’s chief rabbi Warren Goldstein. Now anyone with a passing interest in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will know that in the eyes of South African Jewry, as represented by Rabbi Goldstein, Palestine does not exist. Of course, the South African constitution, that Justice Mogoeng never misses the opportunity to extol, has guaranteed him freedom of expression. But it is worrying that the head of the justice system can be so blind to the injustice…

COVID-19 EU narrows down its border list US unlikely to make the cut EU envoys were close to finalising a list of countries whose citizens would be allowed to enter Europe again, possibly from late this coming week, EU diplomats confirmed yesterday. Americans are almost certain to be excluded in the short term owing to the number of US coronavirus cases. The envoys were expected to have narrowed down yesterday the exact criteria for countries to make the list, which include the way the spread of the virus is being managed. Another key condition was whether the country had a ban on citizens from European nations. The number of cases in the US has surged over the past week, with a high of 45 300 confirmed new daily infections just…

Morocco denies claim it spied on activist RABAT: Moroccan authorities said they “categorically reject” an Amnesty International report claiming the government used surveillance software to spy on the phone of a prominent journalist and activist, Omar Radi. Amnesty said forensic analysis it carried out on the cellphone of Omar Radi indicated that it had done so. Moroccan authorities rejected Amnesty’s “baseless allegations”, saying the report served agendas motivated by hostility against Morocco and competitors. Amnesty’s local director, Mohamed Sektaoui, was summoned by authorities on Friday and asked to provide evidence “as soon as possible”, authorities said. Radi was questioned by the police on Thursday on suspicions of receiving funds linked to foreign intelligence services. He dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous”. Radi was arrested last year after a tweet that defended…

SECURITY Beast hangs up his boots for business SIBONISO MNGADI DURBAN’S reigning rugby World Cup champion Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira has moved from defending the Springboks’ try to protecting society – as the leader of a security company. Beast, as he is affectionately known, has opted to join the corporate world as chief executive of Umlindi Security, his new company after a storied career on the rugby field. He announced his resignation from international rugby after winning the World Cup with the Boks last year. He had hinted a move to continue his remarkable rugby career outside South Africa. However, he said after the World Cup he reached the pinnacle of his career, and with the Covid-19 pandemic causing all sorts of problems he had to think beyond the rugby field.…

AFRICA THIS WEEK WE BERATE TAXIS WHILE TRIPPING ON INDIFFERENCE VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica IT IS HARD to fake character. The latest taxi strike exposes our hypocrisy as a nation that is anti-poor to the core. Commiserations to the commuters left stranded and for whom taxis are the only means of travel, and to whoever suffered loss due to the isolated incidents of violence and destruction of property. As a nation, we are worthy of condemnation for ignoring the taxi industry for so long and for our double standards. Let us get the numbers out of the way. Estimates by Transaction Capital are that 66% of public transport trips to work and 70% of trips by individuals to educational institutions use minibus taxis, in all more than 200 000 of them.…

BIZ 101 How to care for Covid-19 positive staff CHANCES of employees contracting coronavirus (Covid-19) have risen alongside the increasing numbers of positive cases in South Africa as more return to work. Businesses, therefore, need to be prepared for this occurrence. Below is a simple guide in the event of an employee testing positive; (please note, this is not a complete guide). Compliance Ensure the business is health and safety compliant: The government has provided rules for businesses under the various levels of lockdown. Health and physical distancing protocols include minimising the number of employees at the workplace at any given time and providing personal protective equipment like masks and hand sanitisers that contain at least 70 percent alcohol. Screening Screen employees daily for symptoms through a survey or temperature…

TV HIGHLIGHTS Sunday, June 28 The Naked Wanderer: M-Net Premiere at 8.15pm (Comedy, romance) Dumped by girlfriend Jasmine and sponsored by media scoundrel Brian King, desolate Jake walks all-but-naked up Australia’s Indian Ocean coast for charity, in the hope his worthy gesture will win back Jasmine. But then he meets mesmerising backpacker Valerie. Monday. June 29 McDonald & Dodds: BBC BRIT at 8pm There’s a new detective in town. Newly arrived in Bath, highly ambitious Londoner DCI McDonald take the city’s police force by storm. But when she’s partnered with veteran Sergeant Dodds, the unlikely pair quickly lock horns. Together they investigate intriguing crimes. From the secret lives of the rich and entitled, to the undercover world of addiction treatment clinics, McDonald and Dodds come to realise not all is…

TV GUIDE TODAY Golf: PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Day 3, 7pm, SS5, CSN, SS1 Motorsport: Supercars Championship: Sydney SuperSprint Race 1, 7.10am, SS6; NASCAR Cup Series: Pocono Organics 325 in partnership with Rodale Institute, 9pm, SS6 Rugby: Aotearoa: Blues v Highlanders, 9am, CSN, SS1 Soccer: Premier League: Aston Villa v Wolves, 12.30pm, SS3; Emirates FA Cup, Quarter-final: Norwich City v Manchester United, 6.25pm, SS3; SkyBet English Football League Championship: Leeds United v Fulham, 3.55pm, SS3, SS1; Serie A: Brescia v Genoa, 5.05pm, SS9; Cagliari v Torino, 7.20pm, SS9; Lazio v Fiorentina, 9.35pm, SS9; La Liga Santander: Athletic Bilbao v Mallorca, 1.55pm, SS7; Celta Vigo v Barcelona, 4.55pm, SS7; Osasuna v Leganes, 7.25pm, SS7; Atletico Madrid v Alaves, 9.55pm, SS7 TOMORROW Golf: PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Day 4, 7pm, SS5, CSN,…

TENNIS Support for Wuhan Open not to be aced by COVID-19 WHEN the WTA announced a provisional list of tournaments for the remainder of a season that will be forever defined by the COVID-19 outbreak last week, one name above all stood out - the Wuhan Open. It was in the central Chinese city, the home of China’s first Grand Slam champion Li Na, that the novel coronavirus first emerged before spreading to the rest of the world, forcing the suspension of professional tennis in early March. Wuhan has accounted for the majority of China’s coronavirus deaths to date and the city was subject to one of the strictest lockdowns in the world for 76 days. “To go through that, to overcome that, I think it’s huge,” the tournament’s co-director…

SOCCER Man United lack funds for transfers MANCHESTER United have likely taken a bigger financial hit from the COVID-19 pandemic than their rivals and it is unclear what funds will be available to sign players in the next transfer window, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said. United withdrew their annual financial targets in May after losing about 23 million pounds ($28 million) in quarterly revenue due to the season being temporarily suspended because of the coronavirus crisis. The Premier League restarted this month but fans have been barred from attending games, and Solskjaer said United, who also have 429 million pounds in debt, would adopt a cautious approach to spending. “We’ll have to take a big look at things ourselves to see how hard we’ve been hit,” Solskjaer told reporters…

Blues hold off hardy Highlanders THE Auckland Blues made it three wins out of three in Super Rugby Aotearoa with a 27-24 victory over the Otago Highlanders at Eden Park yesterday. The Highlanders took the contest down to the wire, but the Blues held on to top the table on 12 points, seven ahead of their opponents and the Canterbury Crusaders, who play the Waikato Chiefs today. “The Highlanders had some good fightback in the second half,” said Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu. “A couple of years ago, or even last year, we weren’t able to hang on and show composure, and I’m proud of the fact that we managed to do that now.” The Highlanders had battled back from a 22-10 half-time deficit and could have tied up the scores…