Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, September 13, 2020 i Sunday Independent

LEGAL ACTION R35m ‘FRONTING’ SAGA Black businesswoman accuses Eastern Cape mogul of using her documents to win Covid contracts PIET MAHASHA RAMPEDI AN EASTERN Cape businesswoman has accused construction mogul Willie Greeff of “misrepresentation, fraud and fronting” after he allegedly used her company’s details to score multimillion-rand Covid-19 contracts from the provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. Thandi Tyibilika says Greeff listed her company, Skhothahla Construction and Investments, as one of the mandatory 30% small, medium and micro enterprise (SME) subcontractors as a ploy to qualify for a R35-million contract before dumping her. The Port Elizabeth-based businesswoman has laid a complaint with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and taken legal action against Greeff. The Eastern Cape government awarded Greeff’s company, Willie Greeff Trust (WGT), an emergency contract…

DIRECTIVE Staff expected to pay for leftovers LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za CHICKEN Licken employees are set to ruffle some feathers after they alleged they are made to pay for leftovers at the end of each day, since reopening after the lockdown period. An employee of the Krugersdorp, Mogale City branch of the chicken franchise, said this directive came from management of that branch. All this comes to light after a customer, Mohau Kgatlhe, was told on Monday, that his meal would take longer than the usual 10 to 15-minute time-frame, as “things are different here”, he was told. When Kgatlhe asked if these were new rules, he was told that the workers were now preparing food per order so that there was nothing left over. The worker, who couldn’t be named…

CORRUPTION Parliamentary leader accused of fraud AISHAH CASSIEM A CASE of fraud has been opened against the vocal parliamentary leader of the National Freedom Party (NFP) Ahmed Munzoor Shaik-Emam who stands accused of misappropriating party funds. NFP secretary-general Canaan Mdletshe said a case had been opened at Durban’s Umbilo police station. He said Shaik-Emam was also allegedly served with a notice to appear before the party’s disciplinary tribunal in July but failed to attend. The SAPS confirmed a case of fraud had been opened. SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said between last December and January this year, an amount of R1.2 million was allegedly defrauded from NFP party coffers. The docket has since been taken to a senior public prosecutor for a decision. However, Shaik-Emam, a founding member of the…

CAMPAIGN Putting South Africans first is not xenophobic AMANDA MALIBA THE executive director of the Freedom of Expression Institute, Samkelo Mokhine, has said while one cannot accurately indicate the motivation for such expectations in every case on the surface, it does not appear xenophobic when South Africans can point to certain instances and/or sectors where non-citizens are employed despite locals being able to fill those vacancies. Mokhine was responding to recent calls and a social media campaign that is calling on corporate South Africa to put South Africans first that was deemed xenophobic by some sectors of the media and community. He said this call to corporate South Africa to respect the law will get louder because of scarce resources and rising unemployment caused by the Covid-19 lockdown. “South Africans…

DEMOCRATISATION Making sense of chaos through Black Consciousness DR DAVID MOHALE ON THE 43rd anniversary of Steve Biko’s callous assassination at the hands of apartheid government security forces, South Africa annually commemorates important dates linked to significant events and impacts in our Struggle for liberation. Once again, we borrow Biko’s concept of Black Consciousness in our attempt to make sense of the economic, political and social chaos we are in. Biko was, first and foremost, a cultural activist for a simple reason that imperialism seeks to control the colonised by creating a sense of doubt in their own culture and being. Biko acknowledges for a black man to be truly controlled, he has to die spiritually; he has to lose his personality; he drowns in his misery; and he is…

POLITICS Court ruling a game changer Public land must serve a public purpose, including the ‘social initiatives’ of government BRETT HERRON PHANDO JIKELO African News Agency (ANA) OVER the past five years, an abandoned school building belonging to the government in the affluent Cape Town suburb of Sea Point has represented ground zero in the battle to unstitch apartheid-era town planning. The Western Cape provincial government wanted to sell the land to a private developer. But social justice activists demanded that it be used for social housing, specifically for people of colour who work in the area – whom the old Group Areas Act decreed should live miles away on the Cape Flats. In the 26 years of our democracy, nowhere in Cape Town has the state developed social housing in…

MISDIAGNOSIS Failure to see link between racism, dehumanisation DR BOIKAEGO SEADIRA THE first step towards solving the problem is to diagnose the problem, accept there is a problem and find a solution. The Clicks incident reminded me of how the 2019 “xenophobic” attacks were covered by the media. I recall how I questioned the angle that certain media houses chose to report on the cause of the skirmishes and how hell-bent they were to label what started as war on drugs and prostitution as “xenophobic attacks”. This “misdiagnosis” resulted in slanted reporting which projected South Africans in a bad light across the globe. The Clicks race issue reminded me of this skewed reporting and to question the thinking patterns and analysis of some “experts”, elites and “analysts” in this country. One…

MAURITIUS Captain was searching for a signal THOUSANDS of people protested in Mauritius yesterday over the government’s handling of an offshore oil spill that has become the Indian Ocean island nation’s worst environmental disaster in years. New details indicate the Japanese ship that struck a coral reef in late July and leaked some 1000 tons of fuel oil near protected coastal areas had strayed miles off course because the captain wanted to move closer to shore so crew members could get a mobile phone signal to call their families. “The change of course could be related to the birthday celebration of one of the crew members,” said a report this week by the maritime authority of Panama, where the MV Wakashio is registered. It said preliminary investigations also suggested that…

UNITED KINGDOM Johnson defends Brexit change to avoid ‘carve-up’ BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson has strongly defended his government’s plan to override sections of the Brexit deal he negotiated with the EU, arguing that the EU has an “extreme” interpretation of the treaty that could jeopardise the UK’s future. In a column published yesterday in The Daily Telegraph, Johnson said the government’s Internal Market Bill is needed to end EU threats to impose a “blockade” in the Irish Sea which the prime minister asserted could “carve up our country”. The legislation, which the British government has conceded violates international law in places, has prompted fury within the EU and Johnson’s Conservative Party. British lawmakers are expected to debate it. With the government showing no sign of changing course, there are…

Iran ignores pleas, executes wrestler TEHRAN: Iranian state TV reported yesterday that the authorities executed a wrestler for allegedly murdering a man, after US President Donald Trump asked for the 27-year-old condemned man’s life to be spared. Navid Afkari’s case had drawn the attention of a social media campaign that portrayed him and his brothers as victims targeted over participating in protests against Iran’s Shia theocracy in 2018. The authorities accused Afkari of stabbing a water supply company employee in the southern city of Shiraz amid the unrest. The International Olympic Committee said it was shocked and saddened by the news of the wrestler’s execution, and that the committee’s president, Thomas Bach, “had made direct personal appeals to the Supreme Leader and to the President of Iran this week and…

RELIGION Work explores an ‘overlooked’ organisation LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za SINCE the early 1900s, the Manyano Women’s Church Organisation has been providing vital community service and activism through its churches but the women, identifiable through their bright red, black and white regalia, believe their roles have often been overlooked and reduced. A new book titled Mothers of The Nation by Lihle Ngcobozi sets out to change that perspective, exploring the work being done, other than praying, by this big women-only organisation. Ngcobozi said what compelled her to write about their cause was her grandmother who has been part of this church organisation since her youth. “I wanted to explore the organisation beyond the history of missionary imposition and colonialism. I wanted to find ways to think differently about the ways in…

OBITUARY Champion of justice for all Advocate George Bizos, who died at the age of 92 last week, stands in the pantheon of SA human rights lawyers and anti-apartheid activists, writes Keith Gottschalk THROUGHOUT his lengthy lifetime, he doggedly used the courts as his chosen terrain to fight back against a police state that blatantly violated the rule of law. His lifelong commitment to human rights left a legacy in South Africa’s Constitution and bill of rights. He knew that democracy was not a destination but a lifelong quest: eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. George Bizos was among many young white people who arrived in South Africa as refugees from Europe, only to find themselves forced to align themselves with the oppressed black majority against apartheid. This company…

NEGOTIATIONS Brexit brinkmanship: UK refuses to drop plan for treaty breach GUY FAULCONBRIDGE THE EU told Britain on Thursday that it should urgently scrap a plan to break their divorce treaty, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government refused and pressed ahead with a draft law that could sink four years of Brexit talks. The European Commission said it was stepping up preparations for a messy end to Britain’s departure from the EU, and that London would be committing “an extremely serious violation” of last year’s Withdrawal Agreement if it went ahead with proposed legislation. After emergency talks between commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic and Britain’s Brexit supremo Michael Gove, the EU said Britain’s proposal had “seriously damaged trust” which London must take steps to re-establish. Gove, one of Johnson’s most senior…

Clients in double deduction glitch will be repaid DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za CAPITEC Bank, South Africa’s fastest-growing bank, said on Friday it would reimburse some customers after double deductions due to a technical glitch by Nedbank. Capitec said there was no error on its side and the double deduction was caused by a technical issue on Nedbank’s systems which affected billing on point-of-sale terminals. “We take this very seriously and are working with them to rectify the error as quickly as possible. We have to follow a standard industry process, which can unfortunately take up to 24 hours. “We apologise to our clients for the inconvenience,” said the bank. It did not say how many clients were affected by the double billing,” Capitec said. “However, further investigations will need to be…

BIZ 101 Keeping your business books in order is always vital BEN BIERMAN BOOKKEEPING is a necessary evil for all businesses because without it there is a risk of hitting major cash flow crunches, financial red flags or wasting company money. Good bookkeeping is also key to preparing and completing accurate tax returns. Here are some tips for keeping your business’ books in order: Records Maintain at least three sets of financial records – a cash book; sales invoice book; and a purchase invoice book to know your income and expenses. By law, businesses are required to keep their records for 15 years as the SA Revenue Service can ask to examine them at any time, should something not add up or seem suspicious. Back-up Keep all documentation such as…

CINEMA For movies, it’s go big or stay at home ALYSSA ROSENBERG MELINDA SUE GORDON Warner Bros. Entertainment AP I CAN’T tell you whether or not you should see Tenet, the new spy thriller from Christopher Nolan out this week, in a movie theatre. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the decision was easy: go to good films and wait for anything lesser to pop up on a streaming service. But that was then, but now the calculus of risk and reward has become so personal and complicated that it’s impossible to do the maths on behalf of anyone else. What I can tell you is: Tenet is not a great movie, though it is a useful illustration of the power of seeing a movie in a cinema. And the debate over…

CYCLING Andersen takes 14th stage for Sunweb DENMARK’S Soren Kragh Andersen timed his effort to perfection to win the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a 194.5km ride from Clermont-Ferrand yesterday. The Team Sunweb rider attacked with just under three kilometres to go and never looked back as Slovenian Luka Mezgec took second place and Italian Simone Consonni came home third, 15 seconds behind. Slovenian Primoz Roglic retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey ahead of today’s 15th stage, a 174.5km mountain trek ending up the Col du Grand Colombier. Triple world champion Peter Sagan regained some ground on points classification leader Sam Bennett when he finished fourth after the Irishman was dropped early on and could not fight for victory in the finale. Meanwhile, Romain Bardet suffered a small…

TV GUIDE SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER Athletics World Athletics Continental Tour, Silver, - ISTAF, Berlin, 4pm, VR3 Cricket ODI Series: England v Australia, Second ODI, 1.30pm, CRI Cycling Tour de France, Stage 15: Lyon-Grand Colombier, 175km, 12.15pm, GSD, VR1; Tirreno-Adriatico, Stage 7: Pieve Torina-Loreto, 1.10pm, VR2 Golf PGA Tour: Safeway Open, Day 3, 12 mid-night, GOL; Asian Tour; Shinhan Donghae Open, Day 4, 4am, GOL; European Tour: Portugal Masters, Day 4, 2.30pm, GOL; LPGA Tour: ANA Inspiration, Day 4, 8pm, GOL Motorsport MotoGP: Grand Prix of San Marino, Moto3, 10.45am, ACT; Moto2, 12.05pm, ACT; MotoGP, 1.30pm, ACT; NASCAR Cup Series: Federated Auto Parts 400, 1am, MSP; DTM: Nürburgring, Qualifying 2, 10.40am, VR3; DTM: Nürburgring, Race 2, 1.15pm, VR3; Formula 1: Sunday Grand Prix, Mugello, Tuscany, 1.30pm, MSP; Grand Prix, Main Race,…

CRICKET Sascoc not preparing a green wicket for CSA STUART HESS SASCOC has sought to allay any fears that it is taking over Cricket South Africa, stating that it is attempting to assist the underfire cricket body. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s acting president Aleck Skhosana wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council yesterday outlining the reasons why the Olympic body felt it had to step in to assist CSA. Skhosana also emphasised that Sascoc’s attempts to establish a task team to investigate CSA, should not be viewed as a government takeover of CSA. “The task team will remain accountable to the Sascoc Board and the Members’ Council of Cricket South Africa once its findings and recommendations are made,” wrote Skhosana. The Members Council is CSA’s…

Full 2021 tour schedule: ■ Saturday 3 July: British & Irish Lions v DHL Stormers – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town ■ Wednesday 7 July: British & Irish Lions v South Africa Invitational – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth ■ Saturday 10 July: British & Irish Lions v Cell C Sharks – Jonsson Kings Park, Durban ■ Wednesday 14 July: British & Irish Lions v South Africa A – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit ■ Saturday 17 July: British & Irish Lions v Vodacom Bulls – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria ■ Saturday 24 July (first Test): Springboks v British & Irish Lions – FNB Stadium, Johannesburg ■ Saturday 31 July (second Test): Springboks v British & Irish Lions – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town ■ Saturday 7 August (third Test): Springboks v…

Tail Piece MUGELLO TO HOST FERRARI’S 1 000TH FORMULA ONE RACE FORMULA one will salute Ferrari’s contribution to the sport as the team prepares for their 1 000th race, today’s Tuscan Grand Prix. The Scuderia are being honoured at the Mugello circuit, owned by the team, where F1 has never raced before. Ferrari will reach 1 000 grands prixs, having competed in the sport since F1’s inaugural season in 1950. Their records reflect the status they have achieved and their longevity, compiling 16 constructors’ championships, 15 drivers’ titles, 238 wins and 228 poles. Struggling this season, down on power and sixth in the championship is not how they would like to mark their achievement, but they have entered into the spirit of the affair. Both cars this weekend will race…

DISPUTE Battle for RAF millions KARABO NGOEPE and MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA THE cash-strapped Road Accident Fund (RAF) is being brought to its knees by unscrupulous individuals who want to enrich themselves at the expense of claimants, that is according to RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo. This comes after another gruelling court battle against creditors who had attached movable properties belonging to the organisation. RAF has been in and out of court in the past few months on various matters which include a panel of lawyers challenging its new business model of wanting to settle claims within 120 days without litigation. In the midst of that, creditors have been circling the organisation and dragging it to court and seizing its assets to effect payments on monies owed. The Pretoria High Court on…

BOOK FAIR Make structural reforms or face ‘revolt’ BULELWA PAYI WHILE South Africa is faced with prospects for future economic growth, the country urgently needs to deal with poor “incompetent” governance issues and high levels of corruption. This was the view of Dr Jakkie Cilliers, founder of the Institute For Security Studies and author of Africa First! Igniting A Growth Revolution. During a virtual discussion at the South African Book Fair, Cilliers said unless structural reforms were made, the ruling party could be faced with a “revolt’ that could force a crisis that would necessitate change. “There’s also a view that if the ruling party loses Gauteng in the upcoming election in 2024, and is currently not in control in the Western Cape, the country’s political landscape will change. Labour,…

RECOGNITION Undertakers threaten strike action ROLAND MPOFU UNDERTAKERS are threatening to go on strike, saying all members of 17 black funeral associations and forums would be non-operational in all provinces from tomorrow. According to the co-ordinator of the Unification Task Team, Peter Matlatle, the association has given notice to the National Health Department that its members will embark on a national strike starting from tomorrow that will affect all hospitals across the country after failing to reach an agreement on the outsourcing of mortuary facilities owned by black funeral undertakers to be recognised and legalised amid the Covid-19 lockdown. “For many years, this industry has engaged government officials on different levels and spheres, as far as industry regulations are a concern. “But those noble efforts fell on deaf ears, and…

THIS IS THE RESPONSE FROM OPULENTIA AND EMFULENI MUNICIPALITY THE municipality this week confirmed that the contract was under scrutiny. Spokesperson Stanley Gaba said this was as a result implementing the financial recovery plan – an eight-pillar turn-around action plan endorsed by the Gauteng provincial government to improve the financial performance and service delivery of the municipality. “The current accounting officer (Lucky Leseane) instructed the internal audit and legal departments to review the procurement process undertaken for insurance brokerage services. “We can confirm that the internal legal department has filed a report advising the municipal manager on the matter. Taking note of all the issues raised in the report, Mr Leseane has referred the matter to the internal audit department for verification and auditing purposes. “A report will then serve…

COMMENT BIZOS TAUGHT US WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD SELLO MOKOENA I GOT to know the iconic human rights lawyer and activist advocate George Bizos – who died on Tuesday, aged 92 – at the Nelson Mandela Foundation as I attended forums and dialogues designed to deepen humanity’s understanding of the values and the legacy of his friend of more than 65 years Nelson Mandela. Thus, as eulogies to Ntate Bizos flood, I would like to pass my condolences to his family and to reflect on his legacy as a great human rights lawyer who ranked among the great lawyers of Africa and the world. I am reminded of the words of Uncle Bizos at the launch of the latest book about Madiba, Dare not Linger: The Presidential Years, which…

STATISTICS SA Agriculture sector shows good growth NATHAN ADAMS nathan.adams@inl.co.za THE agriculture sector was lauded as showing positive growth in the economy, but it is the citrus farmers and export agents who have added the most juice to the positive outlook. The latest release from Statistics SA showed gross domestic profit was in decline, but the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors realised some growth. The citrus sector is a big component of the province’s agri-economy, and Western Cape MEC for Agriculture Ivan Meyer said: “Citrus exports are performing exceptionally well with the year-to-date export volumes already 13% more than the 2017-2019 average, with apple exports 7% higher.” There is even more good news for citrus growers as the Philippines is now open to trade after more than a decade. Justin…

COMMENT SPOKESPERSONS SHOULD RESPECT MEDIA THEMBA SEPOTOKELE IN HIS seminal book, The Blair Years, former journalist and broadcaster Alastair Blair narrates how he reluctantly accepted the top job in number 10 Downing Street as Tony Blair’s press secretary and spokesperson for the leader of the Labour Party after he became British prime minister. A controversial figure in the British government and media, Campbell cited his explosive temper and his misgiving about some sections of the British media and political commentators, who he confessed not having an ounce of respect for because he believed they had changed for the worse. It is because he believed that politicians devoted much of their time and energy in dealing with people and saw their roles as not to impart information and fuel debate, but…

By purging graft,ANC will return to founding values EDWARD SENZO MCHUNU THE formation of the ANC in 1912 came as a beacon of hope for many black South Africans as well as other peace and justice loving people in the country. It declared that its aim was to bring all indigenous Africans together as one people, to defend their rights and freedoms, and fight against the atrocities of colonialism. Throughout its 108-year lifespan, the party’s constant message has been themed around liberation – of the oppressed majority by the various white minority oppressor regimes throughout the years, dating back to the days when the African people fought against the British and Boer colonisers. Post the 1994 first democratic elections, discussions on liberation got a new consolidated meaning, with the liberators…

COMMENT BE WARY OF ELEMENTS WHO INCITE VIOLENCE BONGINKOSI DHLAMINI MEDIA professor and author Jane Duncan, in her book Protest Nation, argues that South Africa has become infamous for its protests, which often take violent turns. In the same book, she also makes a defence for the right to protest as a legitimate form of democratic expression against state forces which would want to suppress this right. The latter argument is one that I can understand and fully agree with, as protesting can, and often does, prove effective in bringing the nation’s attention towards many of our social ills such as racism, gender-based violence, corruption among others. This week our nation’s attention was caught in a furore over the racist online advertisement from the Clicks beauty retailer which exemplified racism…

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. Bizos leaves imprints on the sands of time I WAS deeply saddened to hear of the passing of advocate George Bizos, a most outstanding and dedicated patriot who served our country with unswerving commitment. He stands out as a giant among those whose contributions have served and continue to serve us in our struggle to build a nation out of scattered hopes and lofty aspirations. His death will serve to remind many of a legal colossus, who left his imprint on our country. South Africa is now bereft of one of its longstanding, founding heroes and his passing is a tremendous loss to the national community. We should be…

ANTARCTICA Continent Covid-free but can it stay that way? AT THIS moment a vast world exists that is free of the coronavirus, where people can mingle without masks. That world is Antarctica, the only continent without Covid-19. Now, as nearly 1000 scientists and others who wintered on the ice are seeing the sun for the first time since April, a global effort wants to make sure incoming colleagues don’t bring in the virus. From the UK’s Rothera Research Station off the Antarctic peninsula that curls toward the tip of South America, field guide Rob Taylor described what it’s like in “our safe little bubble”. In pre-coronavirus days, long-term isolation, self-reliance and psychological strain were the norm for Antarctic teams while the rest of the world saw their life as fascinatingly…

‘Beloved reggae legend’ dies in hospital NEW YORK: Toots Hibbert, pictured, one of reggae’s founders and most beloved stars who gave the music its name and later helped make it an international movement through such classics as Pressure Drop, Monkey Man and Funky Kingston, has died. He was 77. Hibbert, frontman of Toots & the Maytals, had been in a medically-induced coma at a hospital in Kingston since earlier this month. He was admitted in intensive care after complaints of having breathing difficulties and was awaiting results from a Covid-19 test after showing symptoms. Hibbert’s illness came just weeks after his last performance, on a national live-stream during Jamaica’s Emancipation and Independence celebrations last month. AP…

Summons for head of Facebook India NEW DELHI: A panel of lawmakers in New Delhi have summoned Facebook’s top executive in India to answer allegations that it did not properly apply hate speech rules and policies, which had contributed to riots that rocked the city in February. The Delhi assembly committee, which is looking into the communal riots in Delhi that left at least 50 people dead, said in a statement yesterday that it had asked Facebook India head Ajit Mohan to appear before it on September 15. Facebook India did not respond to a request for comment. The social network is under political scrutiny, in its biggest market by users, after the Wall Street Journal reported in last month that one of its employees had opposed applying hate speech…

AFRICA THIS WEEK THE TIME FOR COSMETIC FIXES IS OVER VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica FORTY-three years ago, this weekend, Bantu Stephen Biko was assassinated by apartheid police. He was only 30. South Africa, so far, has dishonoured his legacy: black consciousness. This is tragic for a country whose population is over 90% black, with a governing party founded to defend the rights and freedoms of black people. The Clicks/Unilever booboo – white supremacist stereotyping of hair – marked the anniversary of the death of the high priest of black consciousness by exposing how racialised the South African economy still is. The advert would still be offensive in an economically egalitarian society, but our current anti-black, anti-poor economic inequality just gave it more bite and stench. How did we end up with…

REAL NUMBERS STATE OF ANC WILL DISAPPOINT LEMBEDE PALI LEHOHLA MAY 2004 was poised for better outcomes in South Africa. Former president Thabo Mbeki led a celebratory victory party at the Union Buildings after he, late president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu had presented a compelling case for South Africa to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The economy was growing at 5 percent and unemployment had dropped from 30 to 22 percent. 2010 came and departed. Fast forward a decade later and ask what South Africa has done with its glorious legacy of struggle. What does the passing on of advocate George Bizos in the past week mean for us? Bizos, one of the most decorated human rights lawyers the world has ever known, must be worn…

TV HIGHLIGHTS I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH KWAITO MONDAY AT 9PM, SABC 1 The two-part documentary follows hip hop pioneer Enzo Tema, who used to look down on Kwaito finds himself feeling nostalgic, realising the amount of love he has for the music genre. A range of views are explored as Tema travels to numerous destinations interviewing legends and industry peers. INCONCEIVABLE THURSDAYS AT 8PM, M-NET In the third episode, Marieke (Anel Alexander) continues trying to help her friend Rachel (Carine Rous) undo the crime she committed after delivering a stillborn baby girl. David puts his back out and Sisanda and Wesley are roped in to help Natalie. Sisanda saves the day, which throws fuel on Natalie’s attraction to him. SUNDAY | SEP 13 SABC1 06:00 Teenagers On A Mission…

FORMULA ONE Hamilton, Bottas one two as Mercedes rule MERCEDES’ Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton took pole position for today’s first Tuscan Grand Prix at Italy’s Mugello circuit yesterday with teammate Valtteri Bottas joining him on the front row. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen qualified third with teammate Alexander Albon fourth. Charles Leclerc kept Ferrari’s head up for their 1 000th world championship Grand Prix, qualifying fifth at a track owned by the Italian team. Sebastian Vettel will line up 14th in the other Ferrari. The pole was the 95th of Hamilton’s career and seventh in nine races this season, continuing Mercedes’ 100% record in qualifying. Bottas had every right to be disappointed, after lapping fastest in every practice session and then being denied a chance to go faster when…

FEATURE Film director extraordinaire Roets, the real McCoy of South Africa’s sports exposure over decades HERMAN GIBBS Supplied Supplied KOOS Roets, the highly acclaimed film director and producer, has over the years contributed generously to the exposure of sport in South Africa. Roets is celebrating 60 years in the film industry, and there is no sign of sagging energy levels as he is still in demand as a director, both from local and overseas companies. An American movie company recently appointed him to direct two sports movies which will be shot in South Africa over the next year. One of the films will be premiered in Hollywood in the first quarter of next year. Over a career spanning six decades, the Free State-born and bred Roets, has worked on more…

SOCCER Leopards remain in PSL hunt MIHLALI BALEKA BLACK Leopards’ bid to remain in top flight football next season remains on track after bagging six points in two matches, following their 3-1 win over neighbours Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the promotion/relegation play-offs at Bidvest Stadium yesterday. In their first match they beat Ajax Cape Town 1-0. Lidoda Duvha will believe that they have what it takes to become the second successive topflight side to win the play-offs. Last season, Maritzburg United used the same route – of winning the play-offs – to remain in the Premiership, and this term they punched above their weight and finished in the top eight. What was key for the Team of Choice was keeping the same technical team, despite losing some playing personnel. So…

INJURY TIME STYUART HESS EMOJI’S DESERVE BETTER “You deserve better than this my King (heart break emo ji)” “The beautiful Gold Faithful Deserve Better (heart break emoji)” Those were a pair of tweets, thrown out into the universe by Kaizer Motaung junior moments after Chiefs had choked and dropped the Premier Soccer league title into the laps of Mamelodi Sundowns. What was the point of all that? CSA LOTS GIVES OF LAWYERS WORK Thabang Moroe has taken Cricket SA to court. Nassei Appiah too, while Clive Eksteen is in the midst of processes with the CCMA. And then CSA come out on Friday morning - at 1am! - with a statement mentioning how it will “take legal advice regarding the basis on which Sascoc has sought to intervene in the…

FOREX Businessman facing liquidation has party NATHAN ADAMS African News Agency (ANA) BUSINESSMAN JP Paulsen threw a party this weekend as his lawyers prepared to appeal the Gauteng High Court’s decision to liquidate his JP Markets online foreign exchange trading company. Paulsen posted videos on his Instagram page after the court froze R2.58 billion in his company’s bank accounts. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has not ruled out the possibility of criminal charges against the chief executive of JP Markets, which is expected to be liquidated. The Gauteng High Court this week approved the Financial Service Conduct Authority’s (FSCA) application to have JP Markets liquidated, its assets to remain frozen and to work with the NPA. Paulsen is optimistic that justice will be served. In June, the company’s trading licence…

CRIME Gangs caught on cameras Criminals are seen jumping over a wall while children are heard screaming MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za CCTV footage has emerged showing armed robbers running amok and breaking into homes in Meredale Extension 2, south of Johannesburg, in what residents say is the latest campaign of terror launched by criminals in the area. It shows a gang in two cars – a white Toyota sedan Etios (registration number HL 91 LN GP) and a maroon Toyota 4x4 – jumping off the getaway cars, scaling walls and trying to force open the gates as they wield sharp objects, including a crowbar. An investigation shows that the Toyota sedan is owned by one E Nyathi of Clayville near Tembisa in Ekurhuleni and is used by Masana Driving School in…

BOOK A glimpse of history from notes DON MAKATILE THE period leading up to the first democratic election in April 1994 must be the bloodiest in the history of South Africa. Philippa Garson, a young white journalist at the time, was there – at the coalface of the bloodletting. In recounting some of her experiences and brushes with near-death, she brings to the fore the gore upon which this beautiful country was founded. All those who spoil for a fight must read this book to get a glimpse of how far we’ve come and why a civil war isn’t such an attractive option. (Black) people died in their numbers in such horrendous incidents as the Boipatong Massacre; they died in big numbers in such small towns as Wesselton in Mpumalanga;…

REPORT Emfuleni’s irregular tender Short term insurance contract was double the monthly amount that an approved service had tendered KARABO NGOEPE EMBATTLED Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has been hit by yet another scandal of financial mismanagement following the appointment of a company to provide short term insurance. The company, Opulentia Financial Services, was appointed in February for 18 months at a monthly cost of R3.6 million, inclusive of VAT. Two months into the contract, complications are said to have arisen with the deal, and that led to closer scrutiny. In April, the municipality’s legal services handed a report to the municipal manager advising him to cancel the contract as it does not serve the municipality. According to the sources and backed by the legal services report, Opulentia was appointed on…

WATER Minister asked to give update on probe SAMKELO MTSHALI WATER and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is expected to meet Police Minister Bheki Cele over the slow pace of the investigation into suspended Amatola Water Board chief Vuyo Zitumane after the interim board laid criminal charges. Zitumane was placed on precautionary suspension in April following allegations that she had overseen the manipulation of supply chain management processes and the awarding of tenders at inflated prices in relation to R230 million in drought relief funds set aside for projects to harvest rainwater, utilisation of water tankers and the drilling of boreholes. A letter addressed to Sisulu by the interim chairperson of the Amatola Water Board, Mzi Malotana, said that four months had lapsed since the charges against Zitumane had been laid…

POLITICS EFF calls for president’s removal Claims Ramaphosa, ANC disastrous for the economy FLOYD SHIVHAMBU Siyabulela Duda THE election of Cyril Ramaphosa as president of South Africa will go down as the most disastrous political and economic reality to ever define South Africa since the superficial end of political apartheid in 1994. All indications and real data and numbers point to the fact that Ramaphosa is incompetent, incapable and presiding over the most incompetent, directionless and patently dangerous bunch of people he calls ministers. When he was elected president by the National Assembly in 2018, the unemployment rate in South Africa was 26.1%. More than 8.8 million people – mainly young, willing and ready to work – were unemployed. It was obvious from the beginning when Ramaphosa announced in his…

COMMENT CLEAR MESSAGE TO RENEWED WATER BOARDS YONELA DIKO ONE of the critical and necessary traits for any leader, whether it’s in the political arena or in the market place, is an inquisitive mind. This is no more important than for ministers, whose decisions are consequential for millions of people. Information becomes the very life of those decisions. A minister of water and sanitation may visit a Beyers Naude Local Municipality or any of the seven municipalities under the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, and enquire how many litres each of the municipalities uses per day, do the dams that feed the municipalities have enough water and for how long, what is the percentage of households with tap water access, and what are the current projects under way to meet water…

EDITORIAL Hair ad blunder proves lack of transformation AS UNILEVER prepares to sponsor 10000 sanitary pads and has ephemerally withdrawn its TRESemmé products from the shelves to atone for the deeply offensive advert that appeared on the Clicks website, this is a perfect time for retailers to go on a navel-gazing exercise. The racist advert which described black women’s hair as dull, damaged, dirty and frizzy would not have seen the light of day if the advertising industry were transformed. The tendency of silencing many black voices in the boardroom leads to such public relations disasters that betray deep-seated prejudices from those who think that it’s only straight hair that matters, and anything else is either wrong or inferior. A lot has been said about the EFF’s violent protests, and…

UNITED STATES More than 500000 flee fires Oregon’s best firefighting choppers are in Afghanistan as state fears mass fatalities DIMINISHING winds and rising humidity helped firefighters battling deadly blazes in Oregon and California, but with dozens of people still missing, the authorities in both states feared that the receding flames could reveal many more dead across the blackened landscape. Oregon’s emergency management director said officials were preparing for a possible “mass fatality event”. In California, smoke that painted skies orange also helped crews corral the state’s deadliest blaze of the year. The smoke helped blocked the sun, reducing temperatures and raising humidity, officials said. Nine people have been confirmed dead in California since lightning-caused fires that started weeks ago fused into a monster blaze that largely destroyed Berry Creek, a…

AFGHANISTAN Peace talks with Taliban under way DOHA: The Afghan people were looking to the government and the Taliban to achieve peace at historic talks in Qatar, officials said at the formal opening of the negotiations yesterday. “We have come here with the goodwill and good intention to stop the 40 years of bloodshed, and achieve a countrywide and lasting peace,” the chairperson of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, said in Doha. The government delegation called for a “humanitarian ceasefire” while the militants said they wanted an “inclusive Islamic system”, and the release of at least 8000 more Taliban prisoners. Thousands have already been released in the lead-up to the talks. The head of the Taliban delegation, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said the US must remain committed…

Bahrain, Israel in new diplomatic deal WASHINGTON: Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in agreeing to normalise relations with Israel on Friday, a move forged partly through shared fears of Iran but one that could leave the Palestinians further isolated. US President Donald Trump posted the announcement on Twitter after he spoke by phone, according to the White House, to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A month ago, the UAE agreed to normalise ties with Israel under a US-brokered deal scheduled to be signed at a White House ceremony on Tuesday and hosted by Trump, who is seeking re-election on November 3. Reuters…

READING Re-imagined, virtual book fair LESEGO MAKGATHO A BOLD and exciting Pan African collaboration started this week at the South African Book Fair which took place as a virtual three-day event, due to lockdown regulations. The initiative aims to create a collaborative and co-ordinated approach towards increasing the promotion of local, African-owned and controlled book production industries as well as the exchange of writers, illustrators and storytellers on the continent’s national book fair platforms. “Africa’s stories are the new gold and are potentially a significant wealth generator for the continent,” said Elitha van der Sandt, chief executive of the South African Book Development Council. “When the Covid-19 pandemic struck and we had to quickly re-imagine how to present our national book fair in the virtual space, we began thinking about…

‘Even if repo rate cut, no more than economic Band-Aid’ SIPHELELE DLUDLA siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE COUNTRY’S cash-strapped consumers would look to the SA Reserve Bank (Sarb) for a further easing or maintenance of monetary policy to protect them from the deteriorating state of the economy. Experts have hinted at the possible easing by the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (PMC) in order to provide liquidity into the economy and relief as Covid-19 continue to put more pressure on the consumers. Investec’s Kamilla Kaplan said there was an expectation that the MPC would keep the repo rate unchanged at 3.5 percent. Kaplan said though consumer price inflation (CPI) was forecast to increase back towards the midpoint of the target range next year, supporting the argument for an unchanged repo rate. “CPI inflation…

Former employees claim Cricket SA ‘misled and continues to mislead Parliament’ FIVE former employees of Cricket South Africa (CSA) have accused the organisation of lying and being unethical. In a six-page letter addressed to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), the five – former head of sales and marketing, Clive Eksteen, former chief operating officer Nassei Appiah, the former senior manager of finance, Ziyanda Nkuta, the former manager for procurement Lundi Maja and Appiah’s former PA, Dalene Nolan – claim that their dismissals were “unfair and unlawful”. Eksteen, who was fired in June, is taking CSA to the CCMA, while Appiah was fired in August. The other three were dismissed in December last year. “Our concern is that Cricket South Africa has, through various officials, misled and…