Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, July 26, 2020 i Sunday Independent

TENDER The MEC’s wife, Diko and PPE contracts Loyiso Masuku and Khusela Diko’s friendship raises questions about R125m contract PIET MAHASHA RAMPEDI THE wives of the two men at the centre of a R125 million personal protective equipment (PPE) contract awarded to disputed Amabhaca King, Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko, are close friends who served as each other’s bridesmaid at their respective weddings. According to sources in the ANC and government, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko and Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku’s wife, Loyiso Lugayeni-Masuku are long-time buddies and political confidants who socialised together, often joined by their husbands. This raises questions about whether Lugayeni-Masuku and Diko’s personal relationship also played a role in the awarding of a controversial tender to Royal Bhaca Project. The company, whose sole director…

The Brief RECORD NUMBERS OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN EVERY GLOBAL REGION Almost 40 countries have reported record single-day increases in coronavirus infections over the past week, around double the number that did so the previous week, according to a Reuters tally showing a pick-up in the pandemic in every region of the world. The rate of cases has been increasing not only in countries like the United States, Brazil and India, but in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Bolivia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Uzbekistan and Israel, among others. Many countries, especially those where officials eased earlier social distancing lockdowns, are experiencing a second peak more than a month after recording their first. Reuters…

Workers dismissed over TERS ROLAND MPOFU AND KENNETH MOKGATLHE AS MOST employees threaten to down tools due to delays in Covid-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme TERS, the Department of Labour has placed the blame on the employers for causing the hold up by not providing the necessary documents required. UIF spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi denied that the fund was facing a backlog causing dire stress and suffering to millions of workers who have been affected by salary cuts and lay-offs due to Covid-19 lockdown. He said: “These issues are for the employer to resolve. We do indicate what the employer needs to do and provide emails where information can be sent. “We do not have backlogs in relation to applications where the information is valid and complete.” Last month, more than…

COMMENT INNOVATION KEY TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY DHESIGEN NAIDOO THE Mandela lecture by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was sobering. In the wake of an unprecedented global pandemic combined with the most difficult economic outlook since the Great Depression, he said that our greatest challenge in 2020 is inequality. South Africa is the second most unequal country in the world on the basis of the Gini Coefficient. The richest 10% own 71% of the wealth while the poorest 60% own only 7%. This income inequality is further segmented on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, urban vs rural location and levels of disability. When Mandela and his water minister Kader Asmal introduced the notion of water as a basic human right in 1996, they stimulated a global momentum that resulted in the…

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Accredited Inclusive Education degree through online learning Stadio’s School of Education and Humanities School of Education (formerly known as Embury) in Waterfall, Midrand, has announced the first intake for its new Bachelor of Education Honours (BEdHons) in Inclusive Education. This fully accredited postgraduate degree offered hopes to help build the critical voice of teachers, school management teams, and future education academics in shaping an education system in the country which is built on inclusivity, human rights and social justice. The new programme aims to prepare students for research-based postgraduate studies, with a specialisation in inclusive education. According to senior lecturer and programme coordinator Avivit Cherrington, it serves to consolidate and deepen a student’s critical application of inclusive practice and policy in the context of the local landscape. “There…

CRIME Thieves targeting courier vans STAFF REPORTER SINCE the beginning of the lockdown, many South Africans have taken up online shopping as an alternative to stepping out into shopping malls and risk catching a cold or something more serious. According to a recent Nielsen syndicated study on the impact of Covid-19 on consumer behaviour, 37% of South Africans are shopping online more. Unfortunately, this new normal has opened up new ways for criminal activities – with increased targeting of courier vans being recorded in the Mondeor and Johannesburg South areas, according to Michelle Pelser, the vice chairperson of Mondeor CPF (community policing forum). “Criminals are using this increased traffic to target these vehicles. In the last week there have been two incidents where delivery vans were robbed as they stopped…

EDITORIAL No hope for the SIU Covid-19 corruption probe PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa this week addressed the nation about the government’s plan on public schools following the growing concern about rising Covid-19 infections in schools. Teacher unions and learner representative councils have raised their concerns about the safety of teachers and pupils respectively. But what stood out in Ramaphosa’s address was the announcement that he had signed a proclamation that gives the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) the green light to investigate any improper and unlawful conduct around the procurement of goods and services relating to Covid-19 relief funds. There have been several reports of corruption and mismanagement of the relief funds. This includes but not limited to individuals pocketing UIF claims not meant for them, overpricing of goods and services, collusion…

CHINA Consulates close amid tension US accused of ‘violating diplomatic treaty’ by improperly entering Houston property SECURITY was tight outside the US consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu yesterday as staff inside prepared to leave, a day after China ordered it to close in response to a US order for China to shut its consulate in Houston. The tit-for-tat consulate closures have brought a sharp deterioration in relations between the countries, which have the world’s two largest economies. Shortly after the Houston consulate closure order took effect on Friday, a group of men who appeared to be US officials were seen forcing open a back door to the facility after Chinese diplomats left before a 4pm deadline to close. China’s ministry of foreign affairs said yesterday the action violated…

SPACE Russia denies accusations of weapons test RUSSIA dismissed US and British claims that it tested an anti-satellite weapon in space and declared on Friday that the accusations served to justify Washington’s own plans to deploy weapons in orbit. US and British officials claimed on Thursday that the July 15 test of an anti-satellite weapon signaled a continuing Russian effort to develop technologies that could threaten space assets of the US and its allies. The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations, saying in a statement that the July 15 experiment didn’t threaten any other space objects and complied with the international law. It described the claims as part of an “information campaign to discredit Russia’s space activities and its peaceful initiatives aimed at preventing an arms race in space”. Asked…

BRAZIL Thousands evicted in São Paulo JUSSARA de Jesus never thought that her family would live in a shack. But work as a hairdresser dried for up with Covid-19 in Brazil’s metropolis São Paulo. She couldn’t afford $150 (R2500) a month in rent for the small house where she and her three children lived. Three months ago, they were evicted. They moved to Jardim Julieta, one of Brazil’s newest favelas, or shantytowns. With more than 800 shacks of wood and plastic sheeting, there are already several thousand people living in what used to be a parking lot for trucks in one of the poorest areas of the city. “We didn’t even have the means to build a shack. We came with some plastic sheets,” De Jesus said. The growing number…

Poland quits violence against women treaty WARSAW: Poland will take steps next week to withdraw from a European treaty on violence against women, which the right-wing cabinet says violates parents’ rights by requiring schools to teach children about gender, the Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said yesterday. Zbigniew Ziobro told a news conference his ministry would submit a request to the labour and families ministry tomorrow to begin withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention. “It contains elements of an ideological nature, which we consider harmful,” Ziobro said. On Friday, thousands of people, mostly women, protested in Warsaw and other cities against proposals to reject the treaty. Reuters…

INNOVATION How to thrive in a time like this Creative, imaginative go-getters are people who can start, maintain a business, says entrepreneur and activist LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za “TRUE entrepreneurs are the ones who are going to thrive in times like these,” said Matsi Modise, an entrepreneur and activist. Modise believes entrepreneurs are the ones who are creative, imaginative, and are finding solutions to problems faced by their clients and this is the time, she says, to be innovative. The 35-year-old is the founder of Furaha Afrika Holdings, with subsidiaries including Furaha Solutions – a joint venture partnership with Workforce Holdings, a listed AltX-JSE company. She is also a founding member of SiMODiSA, an industry association whose mission is to accelerate entrepreneurship by collaborating with policy-makers to enhance the…

Mboweni assures government debt being contained SIPHELELE DLUDLA siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za FINANCE Minister Tito Mboweni has moved to reassure the country of measures to contain government debt amid concerns over the R5 billion loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB). Mboweni this week told Parliament that a National Treasury team was working tirelessly to deal with the ballooning public debt as the Covid-19 impact had put more pressure on the fiscus. He said that failure to contain debt, budget deficit and debt-service costs would damage long-term economic prospects as growth was now forecast to contract by 7.3 percent – the worst in 90 years. “The National Treasury assets and liability management team has revised the government’s financing strategy to minimise the effect of this deteriorating financial position on its stock of debt…

FASHION Toast of the town trends again Rich Mnisi talks all things Beyoncé, local luxury brands and his latest collaboration JAMAL GROOTBOOM LOCAL luxury clothing designer Rich Mnisi has become one the biggest voices on the South African fashion scene. His signature polo neck sweaters from his Azania range have become a hotly sought-after item in any fashionsta’s wardrobe. He trends almost every week, proving he is the fashion industry’s toast of the town. The award-winning designer recently dropped another collaboration with Karabo Poppy Moletsane, a multitalented illustrator, street artist and graphic designer. We spoke to Mnisi about rise of local luxury fashion brands, Beyoncé wearing his clothes during her trip to South Africa for the Global Citizen Concert in 2018 and his latest collaborations. Why do you think South Africans…

TV GUIDE SUNDAY 26 JULY, 2020 Cricket: Test Series: England v Windies, Third Test, Day 3, 11.30am, SS2 Golf: PGA Tour: 3M Open, Day 4, 7pm, SS1, SS5, CSN Motorcycling: MotoGP: Grand Prix of Andalucia, Moto3, 10.45am, SS6; Moto2, 12.05pm, SS6; MotoGP, 1.30pm, SS6 Rugby: Aotearoa: Blues v Chiefs, 5.30am, SS1, CSN Soccer: Premier League: Goal Rush, 3.30pm, SS3; Premier League: Everton v AFC Bournemouth, 4.50pm, SS11; Southampton v Sheffield United, 4.50pm, SS12; Leicester City v Manchester United, 4.50pm, SS1; Chelsea v Wolves, 4.50pm, SS4; Newcastle United v Liverpool, 4.50pm, SS6; Crystal Palace v Tottenham, 4.50pm, SS7; Burnley v Brighton & Hove Albion, 4.50pm, SS13; West Ham United v Aston Villa, 4.50pm, SS9, CSN; Arsenal v Watford, 4.50pm, SS5; Leicester City v Manchester United, 4.50pm, SS8; Premier League Wrap, Goal…

Coach needs Juve to step up and take title in most difficult season in history THE current season has been the most difficult in Italian football history, Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri said yesterday as he tried to explain the Serie A leaders’ inconsistent form over the last month. Although they have a five-point advantage with three games to play, Juve have only won once in their last five matches and have kept their lead because rivals Inter Milan and Lazio have also slumped. Serie A is being completed in a hectic six weeks after a three-month novel coronavirus stoppage and teams are having to cope with high temperatures, late finishes and empty stadiums. “What mark would I give Juventus so far? A good one because this is the most difficult…

FOOTBALL Safa-PSL power battle leaves football in limbo PSL meeting tomorrow will decide how season unfolds MIHLALI BALEKA THE postponement of the PSL’s (Premier Soccer League) board of governors (BoG) meeting at the eleventh-hour on Friday meant that the 32 club owners had two extra days to refine their respective decisions about the resumption of football. It’s been four months since professional football came a halt, following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the conflict between the leaders of the beautiful game has been so brazen in recent months that the details pertaining to the resumption of the leagues have been sketchy. Everything looked promising at first. Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa pleaded with the South African Football Association (Safa) and its special member – the PSL – to…

EPL Leicester, Man Utd in final day Euro shoot-out THE race for the Champions League could hardly be tighter heading into the final day with two of the contenders facing off in a winner-takes-all match. Leicester are a point outside the top four but know that victory at home against Manchester United will guarantee Champions League football for just the second time in their history. For United a point will be enough to see them return to continental football but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will want to end the season with a win. In his pre-game press conference he insisted the side will continue with the attacking style that has served them well recently: “We want to go there and dominate the game – we wanted to get to this position…

MOPANI Contracts irregularly awarded Municipality did not advertise contracts KENNETH MOKGATLHE and MANYANE MANYANE THE Mopani District Municipality (MDM) in Limpopo irregularly awarded contracts to four companies without advertising them while senior supply chain management (SCM) officials also failed to disclose their business interests. Instead the municipality dished out more than R250million worth of water reticulation and borehole contracts to about five companies through a questionable method; of contractors even though it did not provide prices, fees and staff rates, according to an internal audit report for the 2017/2018 financial year. The beneficiaries included Selbu Construction, Lebp Construction, Mbanga Trading Enterprise and Zenobia Trading 242. Selby was awarded three tenders worth R90m for the reticulation of water at Joppie, Mawa and Ramotshinyadi villages, civil and construction works at Mametja Sekororo regional…

OPINION ONLY A PROBE OF BULLY CLAIMS WILL HELP UCT EDWIN NAIDU FRAGILE peace has broken out at UCT after weeks of high-drama involving its pantomime vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng against the respected ombud Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa, over the annual report which reflected the views of staff members who labelled their boss a bully. But it will prove to be short-lived tranquillity because the university council has merely put a plaster over a boil through its kumbaya media statement that doesn’t quell the noise. Firstly, it must be noted that Phakeng took offence at being called a bully and wanted to censor the ombud’s report through litigation. Secondly, the council including, complicit current chairperson, Babalwa Ngonyama, and predecessor Sipho Pityana, both, along with council, failed to act on the report. For a…

The Brief CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE THEIR SAY ON 5G TOWERS THIS week a social media campaign purporting to be from DearSA called on South Africans to have their say on a policy to install 5G towers on private properties. DearSA says the policy gives mobile networks and other licensees the right to select, enter and use public or private land for the deployment of their network infrastructure. The site says the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has gazetted a new policy on the deployment of communications networks in South Africa. The entity describes itself as platform through which South Africans can shape policy decisions by the government before it becomes law. “It saves citizens the cost and time of challenging laws in the courts…

EFF celebrates 7 years , spells out its ambitions Our fight is for the return of the land, as a pan-continental movement championing economic freedom FLOYD SHIVAMBU BHEKIKHAYA MABASO African News Agency (ANA) TODAY the EFF turns 7 years old. When the EFF was founded, many doomsayers thought it would not exist for a very long time. The EFF is however the most important weapon in the hands of poor and black people. Whenever people encounter racism in communities and in the workplace, their first solution is the EFF, and the entire racist establishment knows that the EFF is intolerant to racism. The EFF has also become an important shield for workers who face unfair labour practices in workplaces. At Wits University, Johannesburg and Unisa, Tshwane, thousands of workers…

COMMENT A baobab has fallen Mlangeni was a selfless Struggle veteran who served our nation with integrity PROFESSOR HLENGIWE MKHIZE WHERE do I begin to reflect on such a rich life? A life we should all wish to lead. As the June and Andrew Mlangeni Foundation, we have lost a father, a comrade, an adviser, and a fountain of wisdom. We wish to pay our special tribute to the fallen giant, and extend our deepest condolences to Baba Mlangeni’s family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during these trying times. Bab’ Mlangeni was compassionate, humane, passionate about his golf and committed to transforming the community in which he lived in. Isithwalandwe, as the recipient of the highest honour awarded by the people of South Africa, through the ANC,…

TURKEY Row over Hagia Sophia conversion TURKEY and Greece criticised each other yesterday after the first Muslim prayers were held at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia since its reconversion to a mosque. The foreign ministry in Ankara condemned Athens for its “hostility towards Islam and Turkey”. It rebuked Greece for “provoking public opinion,” and said the Turkish flag was set ablaze in the city of Thessaloniki, according to ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy. Already fraught relations between the neighbouring Nato members have deteriorated since Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree reconverting Hagia Sophia, a museum for 86 years, to a Muslim house of worship. On Friday, as Erdogan attended prayers at the Unesco World Heritage site, church bells tolled in mourning and flags flew at half-mast across Greece. Built by Byzantine emperor…

RUSSIA Protest against arrest a challenge to the Kremlin TENS of thousands of people marched yesterday across the Russian city of Khabarovsk on the border with China to protest against the arrest of the regional governor on murder charges, continuing a wave of protests that has lasted for two weeks in a challenge to the Kremlin. Sergei Furgal has been in a Moscow jail since his arrest on July 9, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has named an acting successor. Protesters in Khabarovsk see the charges against Furgal as unsubstantiated and demand that he stand trial at home. “People are offended,” said Dmitry Kachalin, one of the protesters. “I think people take to the streets because their vote in the 2018 election was taken away.” Unlike Moscow, where police move…

SOMALIA Parliament ousts prime minister MOGADISHU: Somalia’s parliament ousted Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire in a no-confidence vote yesterday, the speaker of the House said, due to criticism of his efforts to tighten security in the country. The vote also followed a dispute over the timing of a national election. Lawmakers voted 170-8 to remove Khaire from office, parliamentary speaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman said. Khaire, a former oil company executive, was not immediately available for a comment. President Mohamed Abdullahi said in a statement carried on state radio he had accepted the decision of lawmakers to remove Khaire, citing the need to preserve the unity of the various arms of government. “He will soon appoint a new prime minister,” said the statement on the radio’s website. Reuters…

Arrests after assault at Covid-19 centre NEW DELHI: A 14-year-old girl undergoing treatment at a Covid-19 medical centre in New Delhi was sexually assaulted by another patient in the facility, police said on Friday. The accused, 19, and another man who reportedly filmed the incident at the centre in south Delhi, have been arrested, police chief Jatin Singh said. The crime took place last week at the facility – India’s largest Covid-19 treatment centre with 10000 beds – but came to light via local media reports on Friday. The girl and the accused were admitted to the centre with mild symptoms of Covid-19. In her complaint, the victim said she was assaulted in the bathroom area and that the other man filmed the assault on his mobile phone, the Hindustan…

COVID-19 LOANS South Africans should accept that the IMF is neither their worst enemy nor their saviour DANNY BRADLOW THE government has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for $4.2 billion (R70.4bn). The money would come from a facility that provides financing to countries facing an urgent balance of payment needs, without the need to have a full-fledged programme in place. The IMF’s managing director says this means the recipient can spend the money freely but should keep the receipts. Nevertheless, reports that South Africa has been negotiating a letter of intent with the IMF suggests that at least part of the financing will be linked to tougher IMF conditions. The letter sets out the policies that it intends to implement in order to correct its macro-economic problems. The IMF…

Offices poised to survive beyond the virus EDWARD WEST IT IS premature to believe the office is dead. Analysts say that there would probably be less demand for office space as Covid-19 had forced millions of employees to adapt and work from home. They say people across the world were now working on their kitchen table or sofa, using email and conference calls to communicate with colleagues and clients. The use of videoconferencing services such as Microsoft Teams, or Zoom has rocketed. But Schroders head of real estate research Mark Callender said the need to comply with rules on physical distancing meant companies were unlikely to cut office space as soon as lockdown rules were relaxed, and they might even need more office space per person. Callender said the real…

BIZ 101 Ways to add supplementary revenue to your business COVID-19 has taught businesses that the diversification of revenue streams is crucial to long-term commercial sustainability. Not relying solely on one product, market or service spreads and reduces the risk of failure significantly. After all, you never know when one of these streams will suddenly stop flowing – or be blocked – amid a new iteration of lockdown regulations. For business looking to mix things up and diversify, herewith are five tried-and-tested ways to create additional revenue streams: Products There are always add-on products and services that can forge a new stream of revenue. A simple example is how a yoga studio can add the sale of exercise mats and workout clothes to their portfolio. Examine your current service offering…

STARS TANYA OBREZA ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20) When individuals are drawn to each other, the energies can occasionally be unstable. The right balance for love or friendship to bloom often takes patience. Should you need to applaud another’s good fortune, please do. Your support matters, especially this week. TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 20) While the rest of us are trying to cope with our tedious lot, you’re spared similar frustrations. Money looks plentiful, which makes a welcome change from recent cash embarrassment. Spend up while the going’s good. Right now, too, there’s much to be said for team effort. GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 21) Often, your best ideas remain dormant in your imagination. Not so now. The cosmos offers you blue skies and boundless horizons. Some…

TENNIS WTA ready for heavy hits in new normal THE WTA has a strategy in place to cope with the financial strain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic but chief executive Steve Simon thinks the elite women’s Tour will not return to any semblance of normality before 2022. The WTA, which has lost a big chunk of tournaments since the forced shutdown in early March, will finally resume after a five-month break with the Palermo Open from August 3. All of its tournaments in China this year were cancelled on Friday after the country’s sports ministry said it would not host any international events this year apart from 2022 Winter Olympic trials. “The WTA is no different than any other business in this world and everybody’s been affected financially by this,”…

MOTORSPORT Fabio snatches pole with inches to spare FABIO Quartararo clinched a second consecutive pole position for Petronas Yamaha at the Andalusian Grand Prix in Jerez yesterday, while Repsol Honda confirmed defending champion Marc Marquez would not be risked as he recovers from a broken arm. Frenchman Quartararo finished with a time of one minute 37.007 seconds and will start at the front of the grid today. Yamaha’s Spaniard Maverick Vinales set a faster time but saw it scrapped because he exceeded the track limits by inches at turn seven. Francesco Bagnaia of the Pramac Ducati team completes the front row, while his Italian compatriot and former champion Valentino Rossi made it a good day for Yamaha by clinching fourth on the grid. Marc Marquez, who was declared fit to…

GOLF Lee will not travel to US PLAYERS, caddies and other essential golf personnel entering the United States for a PGA Tour event no longer must quarantine for 14 days. Officials in the White House made the decision on Friday, and players were notified late in the day in an email, multiple outlets reported yesterday. The email stated that players and support personnel won’t be subject to the quarantine because the PGA Tour requires rigorous testing for Covid-19 and takes other health and safety precautions. The change allows players to enter two of the biggest events of the abbreviated season: the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational in Memphis, which begins Thursday, and the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco the following week. Lee Westwood, a former World No…

POLITICS North West municipality audit results a ‘disgrace’ KARABO NGOEPE and MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA MUNICIPALITIES in the North West province are a disgrace. That is according to Premier Job Mokgoro, who says the auditor-general’s report requires drastic measures to turn things around. In an interview with the Sunday Independent this week, Mokgoro said something needs to be done at all 22 municipalities in the province to ensure citizens reap the full benefits of having voted for their government. “We have 22 municipalities and as seen in the recent audit outcomes report, our municipalities are a disgrace. “I’m not pointing the finger at municipalities but I’m pointing the finger at all of us. We need to step up and make sure we turn around the situation,” he said. According to the…

VALUE Probe into R120m Free State website project LOYISO SIDIMBA A NEW investigation will be launched to determine whether the Free State provincial government received value for the almost R120 million it was billed for its integrated website by a company with no track record. The move by the provincial government follows a probe by Public Protector Busi Mkhwebane into circumstances that led to the Cherry Ikamva Juggernaut joint venture being awarded the contract to develop and maintain the website. Mkhwebane recommended that the provincial government appoint an ICT specialist to conduct an audit to determine whether the provincial government got value for money for the integrated website. She also recommended that the provincial government provide training in public procurement processes and procedures for supply chain management officials and members…

Delay in UIF Ters payment UIF spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi said there were a variety of reasons for the delays, but these are the upper most reasons: ◆ The employer indicates that the salary received during the shutdown period is more or equal to the normal salary. When you apply for the benefit, the employer should indicate if he/she will be paying a portion or not paying at all. If he/she pays the portion, then our top-up should not be more than R6 700, which is the maximum UIF payment. So, if the employer reflects the salary he’s going to pay during lockdown as R6 700 or more; then UIF cannot pay. The reason will be given on the payment schedule. ◆ Invalid ID – this means the ID might be…

ACADEMIA Universities’ staffing inequalities Majority of black academics hold junior posts compared to their white colleagues EDWIN NAIDU African News Agency (ANA) TRANSFORMATION throughout the country’s tertiary education sector is going at a disgracefully slow pace, still reflecting shocking apartheid-era patterns with black academics in the majority in lower-level posts while white academics rule the roost in senior posts. White South Africans are holding the plum senior lecturer and professor posts while blacks are junior lecturers or lecturers, according to a recent study, which also showed that male staff are dominant in senior posts, but females are prevalent in junior roles, while academic leadership at universities is largely dominated by white and male academics. White females are the most overrepresented group at universities, making up 25.3% of the academic staff…

HEALTH Africa’s research capacity is growing amid pandemic SAM KINYANJUI and SHARON FONN THE Covid-19 pandemic has put global emergency preparedness under sharp scrutiny. It’s also placed national health systems’ capacity to predict and respond to major emergencies under the microscope. Much of the response to the pandemic is focused on testing, case management and control measures such as personal hygiene, quarantine and social distancing. But in most African countries, these measures are not backed by reliable context-specific data. Instead, depend largely on epidemic curves from China and Europe; these appear to differ from those in sub-Saharan Africa. Governments and stakeholders are desperate for accurate, real-time data on the pandemic’s progress to inform intervention strategies. The scarcity of medical and laboratory resources because of increased global demand, along with international…

COMMENT Prisoner 837/63 remembers prisoner 467/64 GABY MAGOMOLA THE passing of Ntate Andrew Mlangeni has been described by many as the end of an era dominated by the influence of The Rivonia Trial leaders. I would rather we describe it as the beginning of a period of moral renewal and revival characterised by clean governance in both the public and private sector. That is what our revered leader, the man of integrity and high moral standard, preached and exemplified. Let us start at the beginning. The prison number of a detainee is what we were reduced to and what becomes your identity on Robben Island. That is what it all amounted to in jail terms in the 1960s; you were referenced by your prison number by the captors who stood…

COMMENT PROTECT SA INDUSTRIES TO BOOST ECONOMY OMPHILE MAOTWE THE coronavirus has disturbed the rhythm of our existence and our being. It has forced us to reimagine ways of engaging the struggle. Despite the havoc that the pandemic has wreaked in our country and the world at large, the revolutionary does not stop fighting mainly because the conditions that make oppression possible still exist. I want to discuss industrialisation. The simplest definition of industrialisation is that it refers to the creation of capacity to turn raw materials into large-scale production to produce final goods and services. Industrialisation undoubtedly contributes to economic growth and employment. It is the very industrialisation that brings down drastically the scale of inequality, and if implemented correctly with proper regulations, it will bring high levels of…

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. Buccus seems confused or ignorant about India IMRAAN Buccus in his article, (“Covid-19 has shown that an effective state is not a luxury, it’s an urgent necessity”, Sunday Tribune, July 19), seems very confused or ignorant about India. India had a socialist government under the Congress Party, especially Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved more in five years than they did in 50. Indira Gandhi’s socialism ended in an absolute debacle. And both she and her father were autocrats. In fact, the Western media often called Nehru a benign autocrat. The state was strong, but ineffective. Especially Indira’s emergency did not go well with the…

The People Trump occasionally regrets his tweets WASHINGTON: US president Donald Trump says he sometimes has regrets over what he posts on Twitter, admitting his use of the platform can be impulsive and might benefit from moving more cautiously. “Too often,” Trump said, when asked during an interview with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy if he ever had second thoughts about what he posted. Trump added that it was not his own comments online that he viewed as being the problem, but when he retweets fan accounts. “Almost always it’s the retweets that get you in trouble,” Trump said. He admitted he does not always carefully vet people he retweets. Trump has at times retweeted accounts that seemed to belong to conspiracy theorists and racists. dpa…

Book tells of ‘turmoil’ among Britain’s royals LONDON: A new book on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex lays bare the turmoil in the House of Windsor before the pair walked away from senior roles in Britain’s royal family. The first instalment of a serialised version of the book Finding Freedom, which appeared yesterday in the Times of London, underscored the hurt feelings caused by Harry and Meghan’s decision to go into self-imposed exile. The book’s authors are Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. Before the book’s release, Harry and Meghan issued a statement denying taking part in the publication. “This book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting”, their statement said. AP…

3 dead after aircraft crashes into building ESSEN: Three people died yesterday when an ultralight aircraft crashed into a residential building in northwestern Germany, a spokesman for the police said. The identity of the dead is unclear, including whether the pilot is among them. There would have been room for two people on the plane. The plane crashed into the roof of the building that contains five flats in the town of Wesel, in the Lower Rhine region; the roof then caught fire. The plane probably took off from Marl airfield, the spokesman said. The smallplane civilian airfield is located not far to the east of the town where the crash took place, also in the state of North Rhine Westphalia. dpa…

Joe Public now largely black-owned LEADING advertising, brand and communications group, Joe Public United, has announced that 60% of the company has been acquired by black shareholders. This deal is a significant milestone in the local advertising and marketing industry, as it results in Joe Public United now becoming the largest majority black-owned, independent agency group in South Africa. The transaction sees three senior agency executives Khuthala Gala Holten, Xolisa Dyeshana and Mpume Ngobese acquiring 26% through a newly created company, Ikamva Lakusasa and 100% black-owned private equity investment company, Senatla Capital, buying 34%. In line with its mandate, Senatla Capital has funded a substantial portion of the acquisition by Ikamva Lakusasa. Gala Holten, managing director of Joe Public, who also forms part of Ikamva Lakusasa said: “Xolisa and I…

AFRICA THIS WEEK TUNISIA SHOWS HOW WE SHOULD BE INNOVATING VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica EVEN while battling political turmoil within the ruling coalition, Tunisia has come out tops in its adaptability to the Covid-19 outbreak. British research publishing firm, the Oxford Business Group (OBG), gave the country a lot of credit in its report, “Tunisia Covid-19 Response Report”, conducted in collaboration with the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency. It should make several countries, particularly African, double their efforts to build and implement a fit-for-purpose technology and innovation policy framework. OBG tracks Covid-19’s economic impact on countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. It studies what actions governments and private businesses are taking to minimise the damage. The report on the north African country quotes stats from the National Institute…

REAL NUMBERS What would Mlangeni think of the state of our democracy? ON WEDNESDAY, South Africa bowed in pain as Andrew Mlangeni, the last surviving Rivonia trialist, passed on a month after he celebrated his 95th birthday. In a different country, Mlangeni and his ilk would be celebrated the same way that Italians still remember Horatius Cocles’ legendary defence of Pons Sublicius Bridge in ancient Rome. Former president Thabo Mbeki told the ANC’s elective conference in Polokwane that the party needed to pay tribute to its past leaders, activists and comrades-in-arms who had passed on. Mbeki counted among others, Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba, Wilton Mkwayi, Ray Simons, Adelaide Tambo, Eric Molobi, Dumisane Makhaye, Edgar Ngoyi, Norman Mashabane, Frans Mohlala, Yasser Arafat and many others. He was aware that despite the…

TV HIGHLIGHTS FORGED IN FIRE: BEAT THE JUDGES MONDAYS at 9.10pm, History ( DStv 186) PREVIOUS Forged in Fire champions return to the forge for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to square off against the Forged in Fire masters in the highest stakes forging competition yet. The challenges require higher skills sets and there are more tests to pass. A VERY BONANG YEAR SATURDAY at 6pm, SABC 1 Fans get to join Bonang on her ‘global expansion’ as she journeys from Prague to London, Manchester, New York and Los Angeles and back to South Africa, getting an insider glimpse into her daily life and being upfront at larger-than-life events.…

SOCCER Oval ball to round ball pays off Cherries right medicine for Ex-Bok doctor JACQUES VAN DER WESTHUYZEN jacques.vdwesthuyzen@inl.co.za www.afcb.co.uk In the space of two weeks in November 2015 Dr Craig Roberts swapped the Springboks and rugby union for Bournemouth football club and the English Premier League. Who, you ask, is Dr Roberts? He’s the man who looked after the Springbok players as team doctor between 2008 and 2015 and served under coaches Pieter de Villiers and Heyneke Meyer and featured at two Rugby World Cups. Roberts’ last match as the Boks’ team doctor was on October 30, 2015 - the team’s bronze medal game against Argentina at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England - and two weeks later he was working with the players at AFC Bournemouth…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS HOW NOT TO COMMUNICATE So Cricket South Africa have struggled with, well, with everything lately. So when you’re copping it from all sides, you want to get your message right. Cricket SA has a six-person communications department overseen by the Chief Commercial Officer. Because that’s not enough, CSA reckoned on bringing in a PR agency to help with its communications. That PR agency then went, ‘Whoa, need some help here,’ and brought in a chap who lists among things he can do that he’s an “entrepreneur, speaker, investor and strategic adviser”. Cool. All of that, so that last Thursday, CSA could release a 102-word statement, that said it had received a report from forensic auditors about the suspended chief executive, Thabang Moroe, it would use said…