Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, August 16, 2020 i Sunday Independent

DISPUTE Employee takes Eskom to CCMA 20-year veteran claims he was overlooked for a top treasury position MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA and KARABO NGOEPE AN Eskom employee is demanding to know why the wife of Trevor Manuel, Maria Ramos, was part of the interviewing panel to appoint the power utility’s group treasurer. Mandla Maleka, who has been working at Eskom for 20 years, is also taking the company to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) after he was overlooked for a top position which he acted in for eight months and the job was given to “a white man with less experience” by the interview panel which included Ramos. Maleka is challenging the appointment of Richard Vaughan as the company group treasurer. Vaughan, a former Edcon group chief executive…

TRIBUTES FOR MABENA “I THOUGHT that the day my father’s heart would stop beating, mine would do the same.” These are the sad words of Bob Mabena’s daughter, Clementine Mabena at his funeral service yesterday. Bob, popularly known as “The Jammer”, died on Monday aged 51 following cardiac arrest. Clementine read out dedications from her siblings, each sharing their personal message to the late radio icon. Mabena’s death has sent shock waves throughout the country, and the few who attended the service spoke fondly of Bob, including former colleague and long-standing friend George Manyosi. Manyosi depicted a young Mabena who hailed from Atteridgeville and later became a superstar – a perspective he said had not been explored enough. He spoke about their mutual love of radio and music. “This is…

DISPUTE DA, Gauteng fight over City meetings LOYISO SIDIMBA THE Gauteng provincial government will square off with the DA at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) tomorrow to fight the party’s plans to resume City of Tshwane council meetings. Premier David Makhura, his executive council and human settlements, urban planning, co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Lebogang Maile are challenging the decision by the North Gauteng High Court to give the DA the green light to call council meetings while the provincial government appeals an earlier judgment that reviewed and set aside its invalid decision to dissolve the council in March. Makhura and his administration launched an urgent appeal of the decision by a full bench of the high court – Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo, judges Sulet Potterill and…

DISPUTE Lesufi battles defamation claim by AfriForum AMANDA MALIBA GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has said he is determined to legally defend himself in court following charges of defamation that are being brought against him by AfriForum and its CEO Karl Kriel. Lesufi has also served counter defamation charges against Afri-Forum and Kriel in addition to the filed notice from the department to defend the matter in court. The summonses served on Lesufi hinge on alleged defamation remarks he made at a press briefing last November, where he was to update the media on the 2020 School Admissions and Placement processes of learners at schools in Gauteng. In court papers seen by the Sunday Independent, AfriForum claimed that the MEC “elected to digress from the subject matter of the media…

COMMENT A call to arms for citizens to protect our rail infrastructure We have a class of criminals that have laid siege to our public property in a low-intensity civil war OUR country is under attack from syndicates of “barbarians”, who are a group of people that are engaged in wanton destruction of our rail network and other public assets. This wanton criminality is driven by a commercial and vengeful desire to loot our rail infrastructure, which is sold for material gain. The looting spree has become so brazen in its wanton destruction of our public property that if the vandals are not stopped by all means necessary, we will rue the day forever. If these criminal hordes are not destroyed, we will have no rail in the next few…

COMMENT Countering stigma and misinformation is part of the cure WHEN a 48-year-old South African school teacher in the City of Ekurhuleni tested positive for Covid-19 – although she was still asymptomatic – she immediately went into self-quarantine at home where she lived with her husband and two children. That ignited gossip from colleagues and friends. In the early morning hours on day 11 in isolation, she set herself on fire in her room after she couldn’t bear the stigma and misinformation about the virus from people whom she thought would support and empathise with her. Fortunately, her family managed to rescue her, according to media reports. But the scars from the fire flames from attempted suicide will be with her for the rest of her life. Similar stories –…

EDITORIAL Remembering the pain of Marikana TODAY marks eight years since democratic South Africa turned on its own citizens like the old apartheid order, killing 34 miners in cold blood in what became known as the Marikana Massacre. Forty-four people died, 10 in the run-up to the incident, sparked by the innocuous demand from the workers for a salary increase. On Thursday, former public protector Professor Thuli Madonsela said something profound when she delivered the inaugural Marikana Memorial Lecture. “What went wrong? Marikana happened because we forgot to remember. We forgot to remember our ugly, unjust past and the legacy it had left with us.” We forgot, now that we have a people’s government in place, the injustices and the gore of Sharpeville 1960 where 69 people were mowed down,…

PERSIAN GULF Iran accuses UAE of ‘treachery’ Threatens dangerous future after Israel deal THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made a “huge mistake” in reaching a deal towards normalising ties with Israel, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday in a speech furiously condemning what he called a betrayal by the Gulf state. The historic UAE-Israel diplomatic agreement announced on Thursday, which US President Donald Trump helped to broker, is seen as aimed at bolstering opposition to regional power Iran. In his televised speech, Rouhani warned the UAE against allowing Israel a “foothold in the region”. “They better be mindful. They have committed a huge mistake, a treacherous act. We hope they will realise this and abandon this wrong path,” he said without elaborating. He said the deal seemed aimed at…

SOUTH KOREA Moon extends olive branch to Tokyo SOUTH Korean President Moon Jae-in yesterday extended an offer of talks with Japan to resolve a bitter feud over wartime grievances as the nation celebrated the 75th anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II. In a televised speech, Moon said that his government has “left the door of consultations wide open” for Japan to settle a long legal and diplomatic dispute over compensation for Koreans who had been subjected to forced labour at mines, factories and other sites. Relations between the two countries sank to their lowest point in decades last year as they allowed their disagreements over wartime history to spill over into issues related to trade and military co-operation. The Japanese government…

Hague police arrest 27 for protest riots THE HAGUE: Police in The Hague arrested 27 people as rioting broke out in a low-income neighbourhood for the third night, with youths torching a storage building and throwing stones and fireworks at police on Friday night and into the early hours of yesterday. The unrest also spread to the city of Utrecht, local media reported. Both areas affected are home to many families of Moroccan and Turkish descent. Hague police said the arrests were made for offences including public violence, incitement and threatening behaviour. They followed more than 20 arrests for similar offences on Thursday night. The unrest began last week amid a stifling heatwave in the Netherlands and moves by water authorities in The Hague to prevent children opening fire hydrants…

CONSERVATION We must build new Africa on foundation of respect FOR quite some time, I have been wondering how we are going to redefine the way we interact with each other in this new world. Not just because we are in the midst of a pandemic, but simply because we cannot expect infinite growth on a finite planet. To believe that, you are either an economist or insane. I am also not just referring to the way we interact within the human species. We are a small, relatively insignificant part in the history of Earth but have managed to impact its delicate balance to the point that we are at risk of extinction. It is recognised that we are now in the Anthropocene Age – an era where human action…

Probe by Itac into steel safeguard duties DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE INTERNATIONAL Trade Administration Commission of SA (Itac) is investigating whether to extend duty on hot-rolled coil for another three-year term in response to the global steel crisis. Spokesperson Thalukanyo Nangammbi said while the investigation was ongoing, duties were maintained at 8 percent. “Once Itac completes its investigation it will make a final recommendation on whether the current safeguard duties should be removed or maintained, Nangammbi said. In July, ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa), Africa’s biggest steelmaker, said it had applied to Itac for an extension of the safeguards on hot-rolled products. Amsa said it submitted a new application for heavy beams manufactured at Highveld Structural Mill. Nangammbi said Amsa was the sole local producer of hot-rolled coil products and therefore…

BIZ 101 How to empower employees, delegate in small firms SMALL businesses often struggle to delegate or empower employees because of the owner-operator mindset. With remote working becoming common as a result of Covid-19, many are realising the necessity for a degree of autonomy and responsibility to generate real growth. Unfortunately, effective employee empowerment requires a holistic shift in the business’s culture from blind obedience to trust, clear communication and strategic delegation. Here are some tips to achieving it: Vision Employees need to see the bigger picture and feel invested in achieving a shared organisational goal to drive the business. Communicating the business’s strategic vision and ensuring employees understand how they can contribute makes them feel more than just a cog in the wheel. Structures Create clear management structures with…

STARS TANYA OBREZA ARIES (MARCH 21 – APRIL 20) You finally reap the rewards for having lived a little more frugally. This week improved finances should allow some small indulgences, and a quick break isn’t out of the question. If looking for love, you may be taken by surprise while gazing in another direction. TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 20) Foresight has it’s place when it comes to success; but this week finds you trying to second guess the future. End result? A whole heap of ill-founded conclusions – some of which are just plain wrong. For now, leave prophecy to the psychics. GEMINI (MAY 21 – JUNE 21) Being different sometimes involves taking risks – and this week the planets dare you to do just that. Romance – possibly…

Barca uproar following total humiliation against Bayern THE Spanish media showed no mercy to Barcelona after their epic 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, calling for huge changes at the club after a night that will be difficult to erase from their memory. “Historic humiliation”, cried the cover of Barcelona-based newspaper Sport, adding: “A ridiculous Barca suffered its biggest defeat in Europe, ending a lamentable season without a trophy for the first time in 12 years.’ Daily Mundo Deportivo described the defeat on its cover as “A shameful end to an era”, also declaring that coach Quique Setien would be immediately sacked as coach and that president Josep Maria Bartomeu would call an election imminently. National newspaper AS used the same headline as Sport, adding: “The…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS ANOTHER COMMS FAIL CRICKET South Africa’s Communications Department continues to find new ways to embarrass itself. Somehow, the department seems to have forgotten its actual job – communication. Another example flowed from the Afrikaans weekly Rapport which reported last week on the continuing absence of the forensic audit report regarding Thabang Moroe’s alleged misconduct. The publication wanted to know some specifics related to the reasons why the report hadn’t been released five weeks after CSA’s president, Chris Nenzani, said action could be taken against Moroe and should be done so urgently. Seeking clarification, Rapport received the following response from CSA’s Communications Department: “There is no guarantee that that won’t lead to another question from you.” Well it’s a journalist’s job to ask questions and if those…

SOCCER Chiefs take charge again AmaZulu draw with Baroka in relegation battle MINENHLE MKHIZE KAIZER Chiefs’ victory over Polokwane City yesterday offered a glimpse of a championship side. It is rare for a team that is two goals down – with 20 minutes to go – to bounce back and secure full points. A draw would have been a great comeback for the Glamour Boys but to win was impressive. With their close rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, struggling to find rhythm, Amakhosi’s 3-2 victory put them firmly back in the driving seat to secure the Absa Premiership trophy. Before yesterday’s Loftus Versfeld tussle, Chiefs had looked like they were uncomfortable in the leader’s hot seat. But it changed in the final six minutes of the game against Rise and Shine,…

Dikos worked ‘behind my back’ – Masuku PIET MAHASHA RAMPEDI CORRUPTION EMBATTLED Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku has told the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigators that the Dikos abused his trust by bidding for a R139 million Royal Bhaca personal protective equipment (PPE) contract in his department without his knowledge, sources said. According to people familiar with Masuku’s submission to the unit this week, the suspended ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) member said businessman Thadisizwe Diko and his wife, President Cyril Ramaphosa spokesperson Khusela Diko, worked with senior officials behind his back. He said they failed to disclose Royal Bhaca had been replaced by Ledla Structural Development when he confronted them about the controversial contract. Masuku and the Dikos were grilled by Gauteng SIU investigators at the unit’s head…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA TIKTOK STAR MATTHEW J POWER ON BEING A DANCE SENSATION A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroadTHEODORE ROOSEVELT American statesman, politician, conservationist, naturalist The TikTok “SpiritsUP Battle” in collaboration with IOL has been taking over Mzansi. Split into four categories #DanceUP, #SwagUP, #HumourUP and #SportsUP, local TikTok creators have been showing off their talents in the hope of winning a R5 000 online voucher. | IOL…

MURDERS Marikana prosecutions concerns LOYISO SIDIMBA THE slow progress of prosecutions of police officers charged with the murders of 34 mineworkers people in Marikana eight years ago should not be blamed on the Covid-19 pandemic. The call was made by nonprofit, faith-based organisation Bench Marks Foundation, which stated that the Covid-19 crisis was no excuse for the lack of progress on prosecutions of police officers responsible for the mineworkers’ deaths. “Time and again, organisations such as ours have warned of the need for justice in the Marikana Massacre to be seen to be done. That we have reached yet another anniversary without any concrete progress in the matter is indicative of our government’s uncaring attitude towards the people they represent,” Bench Marks Foundation chief executive John Capel said this week.…

LABOUR SANDF reservists owed money Probe cleared force members of allegations of defrauding the state AMANDA MALIBA FORMER SANDF reservists are desperate to be remunerated after money was deducted from their salaries for one year on the grounds they were “defrauding the state”. Employed under the department’s Military Health Services, their salaries were cut in half from May 2017 to May 2018, although their working hours remained the same. An internal investigation, together with the military’s ombudsman, recommended that they must be reimbursed, as they were innocent. Yet two years after the investigation was concluded, 39 of the 45 affected workers are still unemployed and they have not been refunded. They also claimed they were promised permanent jobs. Ten of the affected employees shared their experiences of being cash-strapped and…

Tracing ‘disappeared’ victims DON MAKATILE If you consider the vicious nature of apartheid, declared a crime against humanity by the UN, it is not rocket science to factor in the possibility that victims could have been dumped in the sea. This act, called “disappearing”, has never been widely explored in literature on the vile nature of apartheid but investigative journalist and non-fiction writer Michael Schmidt brings it out into the public discourse with his new book, Death Flight. From 1979 to 1987, the apartheid military operated Delta 40 which ultimately morphed into the Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB) of the ruthless killer Ferdi Barnard. At the heart of D40 and its Operation Dual is Major Neil Kriel who gasses himself to death in his car in July 2018, after 40 years…

COMMENT MARIKANA MINERS HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN BISHOP JO SEOKA IF history had taught us anything at all, there would be life lessons aplenty for us to prevent a repeat of doom after doom laying waste to lives. The Marikana Massacre of August 10-16 in 2012 is a case in point. As that massacre shows, history has the rude habit of repeating itself. Sadly, with each tragic episode, the nation is expected to recoil back to business as usual as though no scar has been inflicted on its psyche. A blood stain on the conscience of our newfound democracy just lies there for survivors left to their own devices. It is now eight years since the doomsday that claimed lives of innocent mine workers whose death penalty was a demand for…

EMPLOYMENT OPIONION Foreign lawyers stalled in SA SA needs to overhaul legal framework to allow expatriate attorneys to practise locally SEVERAL South African doyens of law have represented clients in other parts of Africa. These learned colleagues of the robe and the bar are, among them, George Bizos, an advocate and a Senior Council (silk) who represented Zimbabwe opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai then allegedly accused of planning a military violent takeover of the government of then president Robert Mugabe. True to his law astuteness, advocate Bizos proved the allegation to be a honey trap and that Tsvangirai had actually been lured and words put into his mouth by an agent provocateur during a hotel recording. Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, also a silk fought the battles of the opposition…

COMMENT Corruption is infectious Is the ANC capable of self-correction? JUST as the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be easing its grip on South Africa, yet another pandemic has raised its ugly head – one of corruption. The people of our country should not be lulled into believing that this is a new phenomenon, cultivated by the pandemic. Instead, it is a case of Covid-19 having brought to the surface the scourge of what has become an endemic manifestation of corruption under ANC rule. The witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth chanted “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble”. Indeed, the cauldron is bubbling in our beautiful country – and there is trouble and that trouble is corruption and the ANC. For too long the ANC has held massive electoral…

The People Women’s rights advocate injured in attack KABUL: A prominent women’s rights advocate and member of the Afghan team tasked with negotiating with the Taliban sustained minor injuries in an attack in Kabul by unknown gunmen, officials said yesterday. The attack on Fawzia Koofi, pictured, was described as an assassination attempt and was condemned by Afghanistan’s president as well as senior politicians involved in the peace process. A spokesman for the insurgent Taliban denied any involvement. Koofi posted on her Facebook page that her right arm was injured, but “thankfully not a life-threatening injury!” A government team is set to start long-awaited peace negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar’s capital, Doha, in coming days. | Reuters…

LEBANON Calls for credible probe into Beirut explosion A SENIOR US official called yesterday for a “thorough, transparent and credible” investigation into this month’s Beirut port blast that killed 172 people and injured 6000. “We can never go back to an era in which anything goes at the port or the borders of Lebanon that had to contribute to this situation,” David Hale, US under-secretary of state for political affairs, said. The August 4 blast, which the authorities say was caused by more than 2000 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been unsafely stored at the port since 2013, killed about 180 people, damaged swathes of the city and left more than 300000 homeless. Some 30 people remain missing. “Every sovereign state controls its ports and its borders thoroughly and…

Child pornography studio found in Rio RIO DE JANEIRO: Police in Rio de Janeiro arrested a German in the Brazilian city after finding a child pornography studio. According to the news portal G1, police arrested a 73-year-old man in a forested area. The studio was found after a mother of two victims, girls aged 12 and 14, went to the police. The studio was set up in the man’s house, a police report said, adding that filming took place in three different rooms in which the officers discovered see-saws, swings and costumes. The police also found children’s toys and several “sadomasochistic objects used to film children and young people”, as well as 30000 recordings of child pornography. The police are also investigating who the buyers of the videos were. The…

US and Poland sign defence pact WARSAW: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw yesterday where the two discussed a new defence agreement and their support for the people of Belarus. The defense pact, agreed last month, will see the number of US troops in Poland increase to at least 5500. It will cost Poland about $134.79 million (R2.3billion) more a year. The deal also involves the development of expertise for Polish forces in the areas of reconnaissance and command, with the possibility of more US forces coming to Poland in case of an increased threat. Poland’s Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak was quoted by state news agency PAP as saying the country would be able to quickly increase the number of US troops…

AFRICA THIS WEEK FIRM MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR OIL SPILL VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica SOMEBODY must get tough on Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), the Japanese company that operates MV Wakashio, for the oil spill that threatens the floundering livelihood of Mauritius. MOL operates the ship that hit a coral reef in Mauritius on July 25, on behalf of an associate company of Nagashiki Shipping Company Ltd Mauritius, one of Africa’s most prosperous countries, relies 75% on the services industry – with (marine) tourism and fishing-related activities at the heart of its revenue mix and its journey to being Africa’s most attractive and easiest place to do business. Mauritius estimated the contribution of tourism last year at 63billion rupees (nearly R30bn), with Covid-19-induced losses of foreign exchange in June and last month…

REAL NUMBERS Indlulamithi: furthering political economy discourse PALI LEHOHLA INDLULAMITHI has taken the South African political economy discourse a step further. In July, Indlulamithi convened a session to look at what was emerging from the public discourse. Six documents were looked into. The Indlulamithi scenarios were conceived in 2015 and launched in 2018 by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the presence of his predecessors, Kgalema Motlanthe and Thabo Mbeki. One of the six Indlulamithi scenarios is isibujwa – a “business as usual” situation of the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer. The other is gwara-gwara where the country loses direction with mounting corruption, lawlessness and wanton acts of violence. Then there is nayi le walk, where the country experiences a high growth rate, poverty reduction and a decline in…

TV HIGHLIGHTS PLAYING WITH FIRE SUNDAY AT 8.05PM, M-NET (DSTV CHANNEL 101) WRESTLER-turned-actor John Cena stars in this funny family comedy. When an elite firefighting team rescues three siblings, they face a task that they are not ready for: babysitting. STATION 19 MONDAY AT 7.10PM ON M-NET CITY (DSTV CHANNEL 116) In this season premiere of this fast-paced drama, a car crashes into Joe’s Bar. The team fight to rescue their fellow crew mates and others before its too late. Executive producer is Shonda Rhimes. SUNDAY | AUG 16 SABC1 06:00 Teenagers On A Mission 07:00 Siyakholwa 07:30 Bonisanani 08:00 Imvelo 08:30 Gospel Avenue 09:30 Skeem Saam Omnibus (R) 12:00 Uzalo Omnibus (R) 14:30 Soccer Build Up 15:00 Laduma 17:30 Gospel Unplugged 18:00 World Of Dance 19:00 Xhosa/ Zulu News…

Bright future for NZR’s Aotearoa NEW Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa season ended yesterday when the Otago Highlanders beat the Wellington Hurricanes 38-21 in Dunedin, although there is the distinct possibility the domestic-only competition could return next year. The match was supposed to be the penultimate encounter of the tournament. A fresh outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Auckland this week, however, forced the government to impose a lockdown on New Zealand’s largest city and the cancellation of today’s Auckland Blues match with the Canterbury Crusaders. The Crusaders had already won the title before this weekend’s fixtures. The Blues said this week they had sold out the game, the second time in their four home matches they had reached the capacity of available tickets. All the other teams also reported increased…

MOTOGP Vinales ups game to grab pole position YAMAHA’s Maverick Vinales took pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, edging out Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller in a closely contested qualifying session in Spielberg yesterday. Vinales did not set the fastest time in any of the four sectors at the Red Bull Ring but his time of 1 minute and 23.450 seconds was enough for his first pole since the Australian Grand Prix last year. The Spaniard was 0.068 seconds faster than Miller while world championship leader Fabio Quartararo of Petronas Yamaha completes the front row. Andrea Dovizioso, who made headlines before the qualifying session when his manager confirmed he would not be renewing his deal with Ducati next year, will start fourth on the grid while KTM Factory Racing’s Pol…

CRICKET Well rested Rabada excited for Dubai IPL STUART HESS AFTER almost six months of lockdown Kagiso Rabada is keen to get back to playing once more, with the Indian Premier League providing the first opportunity for him to get some competitive cricket under his belt. Rabada admits he needed the break that the Covid-19 lockdown provided. “I really, really enjoyed it. It’s been five years of non-stop cricket, so I loved being home. To be honest I was in no rush to get back. But we are also sportsmen, and we are always competitive and once you get back into it those juices flow naturally,” said the 25 year old fast bowler. Rabada has packed a lot of cricket into the last six years since making his international debut…

The Brief THE ROYAL FAMILY LEADS COMMEMORATIONS ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF VJ DAY THE Prince of Wales led a two-minute silence at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as part of a service of remembrance yesterday. A message from the queen thanked those “who fought so valiantly”. VJ Day – or Victory over Japan Day – on August 15, 1945, ended one of the worst episodes in British military history, during which tens of thousands of servicemen endured the brutalities of prisoner of war camps. It is estimated there were 71 000 British and Commonwealth casualties of the war against Japan. More than 2.5 million Japanese military personnel and civilians are believed to have died over the course of the conflict. The fighting in Europe had ended in May…

MUSIC Trumpeter inspired by his stud ies Mater’s thesis leads to debut album, creation of the Umgidi Ensemble AMANDA MALIBA DECORATED trumpeter Ndabo Zulu was among the Sama award recipients last week, walking away with a total of three gongs under the Newcomer of the Year category, the Best Jazz Album and Best Duo/Group of the Year categories. The awards come in the light of his debut album Queen Nandi: The African Symphony that features heavyweights such as Nduduzo Makhathini, including vocalist Zoë Modiga, which created an ensemble like never before, worthy of the awards. “The album was actually my Master’s thesis, although the final product wasn’t my initial research topic,” he explained. Originally, Zulu was tasked with the assignment of writing music that would be played by two contrasting…

EMPLOYMENT City in ‘dodgy’ contracts debacle Former board, directors’ actions likely to clash with current leadership, source warns KARABO NGOEPE AND MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA HELEN Botes, the chief executive of the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), and the company’s chief financial officer (CFO), Imraan Bhamjee, are facing accusations that their employment contracts with the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) are not valid, or even legal. Botes contends she has a five-year fixed-term contract with JPC, which came into effect on October 1, last year. On October 17 last year, Bhamjee received a letter signed by Botes congratulating him on the board converting his employment to permanent, with effect from November 1 the previous year. However, the city’s head of group governance, Rajendra Pillay, told the Sunday Independent both these senior executives’ employment…

REPORT UCT transformation questions Report shows black Africans remain in the minority in the university’s executive teams EDWIN NAIDU TRACEY ADAMS African News Agency ANA AMID on-going tension over the controversial leadership of Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, vice-chancellor of UCT, is a constant unsubstantiated suggestion of an anti-transformation force on campus – but the university’s 2019 report on change shows that the problem may reside with nobody but Phakeng and her executive team. The Transformation Report 2019, which also raised concerns about people being silenced when they raised challenges around transformation, has also lifted the lid on the fact that several of the drivers of transformation had resigned in the absence of appreciation of their efforts. The report sketches a rosy picture of Phakeng and her executive talking up UCT’s African…

DEBATE COMMENT Covid-19 is a reality accord ing to who? There is no consensus that it is a deadly disease, claims the writer, citing an agenda by the global elite ‘to usher in a one world government’ DEPUTY President of the EFF Floyd Shivambu writes in the Sunday Independent of August 9 that: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a reality that will redefine world history and narratives of exactly what is happening in the world. “While there is a global consensus that Covid-19 is a deadly disease which has led to lockdowns in virtually all parts of the world, there is still no commonly accepted solution for what is to be done to contain and eliminate it.” But the Covid-19 pandemic is a reality according to whose definition? Shivambu…

BLM OPIONION Remorseless racism is ripping apart our society THIS week, a self-confessed branch leader of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was sentenced to six months imprisonment by a court in Virginia, US, after he was found guilty of deliberately driving through a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters in June. Harry Rodgers, 37, was remorseless to the end. He was convicted on six counts of assault, destruction of property and failure to stop at the scene of the accident. Recently, a Black Lives Matter (BLM) street mural outside the Trump Tower in New York was vandalised with red paint poured over the letter “V” in “Lives”, leaving the word altered to read “Lies”. The suspect was seen fleeing the scene and never arrested. But he had managed…

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. Constitution upholds freedom of worship THE high court application to silence the Islamic call to prayer, is a crass act of religious intolerance that should not be entertained in our democracy whose Constitution guarantees freedom of worship. We fought a virtual civil war to eradicate intolerance. We must not allow anyone to codify us because of our religious convictions and practises. Religious intolerance is a global constant. In an era of turbulence and uncertainty, interfaith action and tolerance may serve as an important antidote to a religious clash of prejudices. Any form of emerging religious fascism that rears its ugly head using stealth and deception must be eradicated before…

ANNIVERSARY Queen pays tribute to Allied nations’ forces on VJ Day BRITAIN’S Queen Elizabeth paid tribute to the sacrifice of soldiers on the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, which marks victory over Japan and the end of World War II, as she recalled the anguish of the war and joy of its conclusion yesterday. Japan signalled its intention to surrender on August 15, 1945, after atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US. Elizabeth, 94, said she would never forget the jubilant scenes and overwhelming sense of relief at the end of the war. “Amongst the joy at the end of the conflict, we also remembered, as we do today, the terrible devastation that it brought, and the cost borne by so many,” she said in a…

Thousands of Britons f lee holidays in France LONDON: Thousands of British tourists beat a hasty retreat from France, packing out planes, trains and ferries to return to the UK by yesterday to avoid a mandatory 14-day quarantine at home. On Friday, many British travellers in the country opted to cut short their vacations to meet the 4am Saturday deadline that had only been announced the night before. Anyone arriving back from France thereafter must self-isolate at home for two weeks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The exodus was prompted late Thursday when the British government took France off a list of nations exempt from traveller quarantine requirements because of a sharp rise in new coronavirus infections there. AP…

Leaking ship off Mauritius breaks up JOHANNESBURG: The grounded ship that leaked tons of oil near protected areas off the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius has split apart, officials said yesterday, with remaining fuel spreading into the turquoise waters. Photos posted on social media by the official clean-up effort with support of the environment ministry show the ship in two pieces, “and the tugboats are already at work”. Oil barriers were in place and a skimmer ship was nearby. Most if not all the remaining 3000 tons of fuel had been pumped off the ship in the past week as environmental groups warned that the damage to coral reefs and once-pristine coastal areas could be irreversible. The MV Wakashio struck a reef on July 25 and its hull began…

COMMENT ANC’s corruption tactics and strategies The ruling party seems to have a document dealing with the unsaid TO KNOW something of the ANC “strategies and tactics” discussion document, you don’t have to be a serial ANC elective-conference junkie, like some of us. Pulled out to be dusted and spruced up at every elective conference, the document is intended to unmask the global and national “balance of forces”, laying bare the extent to which these injure or advance the onward march of the national democratic revolution. But today, I wish to introduce you to the other strategies and tactics document, the one that is unheard of, the one less written about, and even less spoken about. If the written document functions as the yin, the unwritten one functions as its…

Game launches line of cheap clothing to up profitability DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za AILING retailer Game has entered the essential clothing category as part of its efforts to return to profitability. On Friday, Game launched Stylessentials, a new line offering cheap clothing. Game vice-president Andrew Stein said Stylessentials was a step towards meeting a need for customers who were actively seeking value alternatives for essential items like clothing during turbulent economic times. “We have identified a gap in the market for seasonally-relevant casual wear that is designed with the South African consumer in mind – and have taken into account customer feedback and market trends in this regard,” Stein said. “Importantly, this range will be size-inclusive and focused on providing comfort and value, while ensuring our customers look and feel their…

CELEBRITY Mixing her flair into ‘The Soup’ Comedian serves up sarcasm DEBASHINE THANGEVELO JADE Catta-Preta is the new host of The Soup on E! Taking over from Joel McHale, the comedian and actress is the perfect fit for the show. If you’ve never watched The Soup, it covers various pop culture and television shows of the week but does so with plenty of sarcasm and razor-sharp commentary. The latest promo of the show hilariously captures Catta-Preta dressed up as various well-known TV characters. During a recent interview, the 36-year-old celebrity revealed: “Oh man, it was so fun. I love to play dress up. I grew up in São Paulo, Brazil and, as a very little kid, it was one of my favourite things to do. It was the time when…

Klopp gets the nod as Premier League’s best of the best LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen Klopp was named the Premier League’s Manager of the Season yesterday after leading the Merseyside club to their first top-flight title in 30 years. Klopp’s Liverpool side won 32 of their 38 league fixtures and amassed a club-record 99 points to seal the title with seven games to spare. Klopp, 53, beat Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers and Sheffield United coach Chris Wilder to the award. The German won the Manager of the Month award five times last season, surpassing Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s four from the 2017-18 campaign. Klopp had been named League Managers’ Association (LMA) manager of the year last month. Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who provided 13 assists…

TV GUIDE TODAY Cricket: Test Series: England v Pakistan, Second Test, Day 4, 11.30am, SS2 Cycling: Criterium du Dauphine, Stage 5: Megève-Megève (153,5km), 3.10pm, SS12 Golf: US Men’s Amateur Championship, Day 4: Semi-finals, 1am, CSN, SS5; LPGA Tour: Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, Day 4, 1pm, SS8, SS13; European Tour: Celtic Classic, Day 4, 3.30pm, SS5; PGA Tour: Wyndham Championship, Day 4, 6.30pm, SS1, CSN, , SS5 (8pm) Motorsport: MotoGP: Grand Prix of Austria, Moto3, 10.45am, SS5; Moto2, 12.05pm, SS5; MotoGP, 1.30pm, SS5; Supercars Championship, BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown, Race 14, 5.35am, SS6; Supercars Championship, BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown, Race 15, 7.45am, SS6; FIA Formula 2 Championship, Round 6: Race 2, 11am, SS6; Formula 1: Sunday Grand Prix, Spain, 1.30pm, SS6, SS1; Spanish Grand Prix, Main Race, 3.05pm, SS6,…

F 1 Hamilton’s qualifying hot streak continues FORMULA One championship leader Lewis Hamilton clinched a record-extending 92nd career pole position in a Mercedes front-row lockout with teammate Valtteri Bottas at the Spanish Grand Prix yesterday. Six-times world champion Hamilton has won for the past three years at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona and he was quickest in all three phases of qualifying on another hot afternoon. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Hamilton’s closest challenger in the standings, will start in third place with Mexican Sergio Perez lining up fourth for Racing Point on his return after missing two races due to COVID-19. “Physically it’s tough,” Hamilton, who will be making his 150th career front-row start, said of the heat. “It’s the fastest we’ve ever been round here so the forces…

PSL Sundowns’ title charge faltering following another dismal draw MIHLALI BALEKA Pitso Mosimane BUCKLE up, folks, it’s going to be a bumpy road to the finish line. This pretty much was evident after Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns did little in their strides to close the gap at the top - after their draw with Highlands Park on Friday. After the final whistle went off at Dobsonville Stadium with the Brazilians tied on 1-1 with the Lions of the North, Pitso Mosimane’s charges climbed to 46 points, three behind top of the table occupants Kaizer Chiefs. This was rather an uncharacteristic return for the Brazilians who’ve now failed to secure a league win since the resumption of the domestic season – having played a goalless draw with Orlando Pirates in the…