Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, September 20, 2020 i Sunday Independent

U I F UIF extension backed by Cosatu SAMKELO MTSHALI samkelo.mtshali@inl.co.za COSATU has backed the decision by the government to resume the payment of the Temporary Employer/Employee Benefit Scheme (Ters) tomorrow after it was halted a few weeks ago to clean up its system following allegations of fraud and corruption. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa also announced that the UIF Covid-19 Ters scheme would be extended until the end of the State of National Disaster as some companies were still struggling. The Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu, had in his report uncovered that hundreds of millions of rand had been paid to the wrong beneficiaries. The UIF Covid-19 Ters applications were halted two weeks ago to allow the Department of Employment and Labour and the UIF improve controls as directed by…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA HERITAGE MONTH: CULTURES AND THEIR FASHION When time and space and change converge, we find place. We arrive in Place when we resolve things. Place is peace of mind and understanding. Place is knowledge of self. Place is resolution.ABDULLAH IBRAHIM Musician Our diversity is what makes South Africa one of the most beautiful countries in the world. With 11 official languages, each culture embraces the essence of what it means to be an African through food, music, dance and fashion. | See more on IOL…

SAFETY Inquiry into RDM blast BULELWA PAYI A FORMAL inquiry is set to be launched into the cause of the explosion that killed eight people at Rheinmetall-Denel Munition (RDM) two years ago. The Department of Labour said it had decided to conduct a Section 32 hearing into the incident that took place on September 3, 2018, at the Macassar plant. Those who died in the incident included Jason Hartzenberg, 22, Jamie Haydricks, 24, Bradley Tandy, 19, Tris-ton Davids, 22, Nico Samuels, 41, Steven Isaacs, 51, Mxolisi Sigadla, 40 and Thandolwethu Manjayi, 27. The formal hearing will investigate whether the incident was due to negligence as well as compliance to Occupational Health and Safety. Provincial Chief Inspector David Esau said the inquiry also meant that it would be a public hearing.…

UCT Nehawu calls for Phakeng to go Vice-chancellor accused of being ‘opposed to transformation’ EDWIN NAIDU THE COUNTRY’S largest public sector union with 240000 members has called for the removal of the UCT vice-chancellor (VC) Mamokgethi Phakeng, over her perceived silence on racism and sexism on campus – and the university’s slow transformation process under her watch. “We must mobilise our members at UCT to go for the head of this VC who opts to be silent on these issues,” said Busobengwe Magadla, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Ikapa South Regional Chair, who has accused Phakeng of stymying the progress of black African academics. He said had it not been for the lock-down restrictions, Nehawu would have already embarked on protest action against Phakeng, whom he…

COMMENT CORRUPTION BLURS STATE AND PARTY LINES SIPHO MABASO The ANC Gauteng reaction to PPE metonymic corruption proves a blurring of party and state. It happened on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Two press conferences, one in the morning by the ANC Gauteng, and the other in the afternoon by the premier of the ANC-controlled Gauteng provincial government, to express one decision: the suspension – labelled “leave of absence” – of three ANC deployees to state institutions for up to a month, due to suspected corrupt practices, following reports by Sunday Independent on the probable manipulation of personal protective equipment (PPE) supply contracts to inappropriately benefit themselves and their close relations. Sunday, September 20, 2020, we await, still, the release of the ANC Gauteng Provincial Integrity Commission report of sanction on…

NHI We can’t punish the poor for the sins of a few SANELE NGCOBO NATIONAL Health Insurance (NHI) is aimed at creating a unified health system by improving equity in financing; reducing fragmentation in funding pools, and making healthcare delivery more affordable and accessible, eliminate out of pocket payments when individuals need to access healthcare service. Rich or poor, all South Africans will be guaranteed access to comprehensive quality healthcare services in line with Section 27 of our constitution. During the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa experienced unprecedented levels of corruption, mostly by politically connected criminals. The World Health Organization Director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus correctly described personal protective equipment corruption as murder. We have been reminded that some criminals are willing to steal even during difficult times, stealing money that…

What’s President’s excuse for Zim mess? ONE major weakness of president Jacob Zuma was that he lacked education. But an even greater malady was his aversion to reading. Perhaps the two are related: one cannot be inclined to read when one is unlettered. On that score we may perhaps forgive Zuma’s delinquency and go easy on him even though on that score he should not have been a president. The law, of course, will not forgive such perfidy. So, what would be the excuse for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s blunders, since he’s educated and undoubtedly lettered? Generally, lettered persons are more reflective of their decisions. So how come Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula decided to fly to Zimbabwe in an SANDF plane with ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and his entourage as if…

UNITED STATES ByteDance files suit to stop TikTok, WeChat ban TIKTOK and its Chinese parent company ByteDance are making a fresh legal attempt to stop the impending end of the popular app in the US. In a lawsuit filed on Friday night against US President Donald Trump and the Department of Commerce, they are demanding, among other things, an injunction. A separate suit, to stop a ban on the Chinese app WeChat, was to be heard in a California court yesterday. According to decisions by the US government, smartphone users inthe US will no longer be able to download TikTok from tomorrow, and the app will stop working completely on November 12. TikTok has around 100million users in the US. Trump has dubbed TikTok a security risk, saying that Chinese…

Protest in UK as Covid-19 cases soar LONDON: Police in London clashed with protesters yesterday at a rally against coronavirus restrictions. Scuffles broke out as police moved in to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered in Trafalgar Square. Some protesters formed blockades to stop officers from making arrests and traffic was brought to a halt in the busy area. The “Resist and Act for Freedom” rally saw dozens of people holding banners and placards such as one reading “This is now Tyranny” and chanting “Freedom!” Britain would need to reintroduce some lockdown measures sooner rather than later, a leading epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, told the BBC. He said the country was facing a “perfect storm” of rising infections as people return to work and school. New cases almost doubled to 6000…

R65m virus lawsuit filed against church SEOUL: The metropolitan government in South Korea’s capital Seoul said on Friday it would seek 4.6 billion won (about R65million) in damages against a church for causing the spread of the Covid-19 by disrupting tracing and testing efforts. A fresh wave of infections erupted at a church whose members attended a large protest in downtown Seoul last month, becoming the country’s largest cluster in the greater capital area. The outbreak has driven triple-digit increases in daily cases for more than a month. The Seoul city government said it would file a lawsuit against the Sarang Jeil Church and its leader, Rev Jun Kwang-hoon, accusing them of disrupting coronavirus tests and providing inaccurate lists of its members which it said aggravated the latest epidemic. Reuters…

AFRICA THIS WEEK GETTING IT RIGHT IN LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica SIX months ago, we were herded into seclusion by the National State of Disaster and subsequent lockdown. From tomorrow, we will be the closest to where the lockdown found us on 26 March. What has been called the New Normal is upon us for good, but how ready is South Africa for this world in which information and communication technology (ICT) plays such a central role? One thing is certain: our current attitude towards ICT, Internet connectivity and the cost of data must be thoroughly revamped if not entirely jettisoned. COVID-19 reminded us that basic hygiene is the centre piece of staying alive. It exposed how much money we wasted travelling to meetings and conferences that can…

REAL NUMBERS MALULEKE IS DOING WHAT HE CAN TO STEADY THE BILLY CAN PALI LEHOHLA VAN ROOYEN’S is one of the many border gates between South Africa and Lesotho. It is a centre of activity. People move between Wepener in South Africa and Mafeteng in Lesotho. My older brother tells how the elders of Hermon in Lesotho once asked him to carry a billy can and buy tripe for them nearby after indulging in umqombothi. Expectations went into overdrive as they saw him coming back. But the expectations soon turned into huge disappointment when he told them that he could not find their delicacy. Nothing beats tripe after taking umqombothi. What made the dissappointment worse was that he had carried the billy can in a way that suggested it had…

TV HIGHLIGHTS FAMILY FEUD SA SUNDAY AT 6PM ON E.TV It is the penultimate episode and it’s the battle of the comedians. Steve Harvey is joined by top local comics as they compete for charity. Team SBWL is headed by Tats Nkonzo with Coconut Kelz, Mojak Lehoko, Tracey-Lee Oliver and Donovan Goliath. Team Tight Five is led by Nina Hastie with Celeste Ntuli, Ebenhaezer Dibakwane, Mpho Popps and Lihle Msimang. 72ND EMMY AWARDS MONDAY, 2AM AND 9PM, M-NET (DSTV 101) The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, but will be broadcast from actors’ homes across the US. Watchmen has an astonishing 11 nominees this year. Other shows expected to do well include Schitts Creek, Mrs America, Succession, The Good Place, Better Call Saul, Killing Eve, Little…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS BUSY WEEK FOR THE MESS THAT IS CSA It’s been a busy week for Cricket SA. Normally it would have been a busy week anyway, with the new season on the horizon. Even so, there is still a summer to look forward to with hope of some cricket to play? The players and coaches are training, so there must be some cricket that’s gonna get played? Even the national team’s fielding coach, Justin Ontong, was talking about strategies the Proteas want to employ, so there will be cricket right? Err, no. CSA continues to be very busy cleaning itself from the administrative mess it finds itself in. Thing is a lot of the people responsible for the mess are being tasked with cleaning it. Some of…

GOLF Tiger lost in the rough at windy Winged Foot TIGER Woods was disappointed but focused on the future after missing the cut at the US Open following a second-round 77 on Friday. After carding a respectable three-over on Thursday, Woods struggled mightily as Winged Foot got firmer overnight and the wind picked up, mixing five bogeys and two double bogeys with a pair of birdies to finish 10-over for the tournament. Woods hit just five fairways on Friday, not nearly enough to be competitive given the course’s long, nasty rough. “On this golf course it’s imperative that you hit fairways, and I did not do that,” he said. Despite missing the cut at a major for just the 11th time in his career, the reigning Masters and Zozo Championship…

CYCLING Pogacar in driving seat for Tour win SLOVENIA’S Tadej Pogacar was poised to win the Tour de France after claiming the overall leader’s yellow jersey from compatriot Primoz Roglic in yesterday’s penultimate stage, a 36.2-km individual time trial between Lure and La Planche des Belles Filles. The 21-year-old won the solo effort against the clock as Roglic, who had started the day with a 57-second lead in the general classification, cracked in the uphill section, a 5.9-km climb at an average gradient of 8.5%. “I don’t know what to say, it’s a dream,” said Pogacar, who now leads second-placed Roglic by 59 seconds ahead of today’s final stage, a largely processional ride to the Champs Elysees in Paris where only the final sprint is contested. “Getting the yellow jersey…

SPRINGBOK SHOWDOWN DRAFT SQUAD: Props: Frans Malherbe, Thomas du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Lizo Gqoboka, Ox Nche, Marcel van der Merwe, Ruan Dreyer, Dylan Smith, Carlu Sadie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Luan de Bruin, Sti Sithole, Nathan McBeth, Mzamo Majola, Johannes Jonker, John-Hubert Meyer. Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi, Scarra Ntubeni, Dylan Richardson, Johan Grobbelaar, Schalk Erasmus, Fez Mbatha, Dan Jooste. Locks: Jason Jenkins, Marvin Orie, Oupa Mohoje, JD Schickerling, Emile van Heerden, Le Roux Roets, Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden, Salmaan Moerat, Sintu Manjezi, Walt Steenkamp, Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruan Vermaak, Ruben Schoeman. Loose Forwards: Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Arno Botha, Marco van Staden, Nizaam Carr, Jaco Kriel, Ernst van Rhyn, Celimpilo Gumede, Jaco Coetzee, James Venter, Junior Pokomela, Phepsi Buthelezi, Thembelani Bholi, Vincent Tshituka, Elrigh Louw, Jeandré Rudolph, Juarno Augustus,…

NATION Broke post office may not afford salaries LOYISO SIDIMBA loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za In court papers, the fund maintained that its budget was R744 million below the projected R922m and this has declined by R534m compared to last year. The post office indicated that only 55 of its 1416 branches were profitable during the Covid-19-enforced national lockdown and had a combined revenue of R125m – about half of its budgeted amount. Staff salaries cost R1.2 billion, which was nearly two thirds of its expenses. “Despite the risks in not paying creditors, the post office has done everything it can to continue to pay employees’ basic salaries, even if it cannot afford all fringe benefits especially medium-to-long-term ones such as pension fund contributions,” reads Judge Kubushi’s ruling handed down this week. The fund…

LIFE ESIDIMENI Claimant verification in spotlight ROLAND MPOFU THE verification process by the Gauteng provincial government into the payments of the Life Esidimeni families is in the spotlight once again as several beneficiaries said their claims have been wrongfully declined. Johanna Silinda said she submitted a claim on behalf of her brother Moses Mabona in August last year because they had been struggling to get his ID which he lost when he was moved from Life Esidimeni Waverley Care Centre to Shaamah House in Culinan in Pretoria. Silinda said the ID problem goes back to 2001 when her brother, who was mentally unstable, was hit by a car and hospitalised and gave the police a wrong name, Joseph Mabena. “Finally during 2013, I set my eyes on my brother at…

BOOKS A portrait of transition Reflects issues faced by women at a critical time LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za “THROUGHOUT your whole life, I have been keeping this secret from your father.” Karabo’s dying mother’s voice rose slightly. She opened her half-closed eyes wide as she forced out her next words: “YOUR FATHER IS NOT YOUR FATHER!” The fiction novel Sperm Donor is set in Soweto at the beginning of democratic South Africa. This is during Nelson Mandela’s tenure as the first democratically elected President of the country in 1994. The story narrates the trials and tribulations of a young African couple residing in Johannesburg’s predominantly black township, faced with a problem of conceiving their first child after three years of marriage and trying. The new country, however, presents its own solutions…

PROUDLY SA Umqombothi, the potential of sorghum TSHEPISO SEOPA AS CHILDREN we used to dance to the sounds of Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s hit song Umqombothi, the magical African beer. Little did I know that one day I would leave a comfortable corporate job and move back to the heart of the rural Eastern Cape to cultivate the crop behind this African brew Chaka Chaka sang about. The years I have spent cultivating sorghum and helping local communities to turn their farming efforts into lucrative businesses has taught me a lot about sorghum as an indigenous crop. Sorghum is a part of our proud heritage as Africans. We use it to prepare traditional beer for big occasions and social gatherings, and jubilant events like weddings. At times, the brew is used…

Shoddy police work in crime-ridden Meredale MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za THE police have confirmed they were investigating a case of “common robbery” following a story last Sunday where we reported that a gang of robbers were caught on CCTV after scaling a wall and entering the premises of a house in Meredale Extension 2. Gauteng police spokesperson, Kay Makhubela, said: “The case is under investigation and the police will follow all information.” Last week, the Sunday Independent reported that several incidents of attempted robbery and break-ins besieged the area for some time. Video footage shows a gang using two vehicles at different times – a white Toyota sedan Etios (registration number HL 91 LN GP) and a maroon Toyota 4x4. Investigations revealed that the Toyota sedan was owned by one E…

PANDEMIC Domestic worker salaries took knock – report BULELWA PAYI bulelwa.payi@inl.co.za AS THE country reopens the economy and enters a new normal, a radical rethink is needed on how domestic workers are paid. This is one of the recommendations of the SweepSouth’s report on pay and working conditions for domestic work in South Africa. The report paints a grim picture of the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of women who clean homes and offices. The study found domestic workers’ earnings declined to sometimes below the minimum wage while their monthly spending expenses increased by 34% to R4225 per month. Despite an increase in financial responsibility, workers saw their earnings drop from 63% earning more than R2500 per month before the pandemic, to 75% after the pandemic onset and lockdown.…

COMMENT VOTE NOW, DON’T LET STATUE OF LIBERTY DOWN BISHOP ROBERT H KELLEY III LIKE the typical last-minute Christmas shopping rush which will enter full swing in less than 90 days, the latest rush that is happening involves the search for unclaimed votes by the Democratic and Republican Parties. It might seem crazy, but the fact remains that in this upcoming presidential election there is a real opportunity for the Democrats to gain power through some of those 7.5 million American citizens – many of them Democrats – living abroad. It would be sad for the Joe Biden/ Kamala Harris ticket to miss this opportunity and not to be guaranteed the privilege of sitting under the White House Christmas tree after November 3 all because they lobbied for overseas American…

Use proven writers, not politicos MANDLA MALEKA IT’S A disturbing observation that the quality of journalistic prowess of the ilk of Piet Rampedi and Mzilikazi Wa Afrika is overshadowed with contributing articles from political office bearers – Floyd Shivambu from the EFF, Senzo Mchunu from the governing party, IFP’s MPL in Gauteng Bonginkosi Dlamini, Sadtu’s Mugwena Maluleke (which is affiliated to Cosatu, ANC-aligned), Yonela Diko from Minister Sisulu’s Communications department, Brett Herron of the Western Cape’s Provincial Legislature, and other contributing writers of a number of interest groups. I make this observation over a number of publications of the Sunday Independent. Let your crème de la crème journalists dazzle us with their proven prowess in lieu of political self-interest groups that irritatingly flood our rather superior informed psyche and reading…

OUR NATIONALITY IS BEING THREATENED THABISO M MOHLABENG THE most important role of the government is to protect its citizens from national security threats. This means creating a strong system for defence, both at home and abroad. South Africa should continue to act as a formidable defender of freedom and a staunch supporter of freedom for its citizens and also for our neighbouring countries. It is important to have a properly funded and functioning military in our nation. It is government’s responsibility to ensure that the Department of National Security budget reflects the threats we face. We must be prepared to fight threats not only from traditional nation-states, but also determined groups of terrorists, like Islamic State (IS), al-Shabaab, and al-Qaeda, who seek to wreak havoc upon South Africa and…

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. Clicks protests did not go far enough ONCE again racism has reared its ugly head. This time in the form of a racist advert by Clicks. The advert portrayed black hair as dry and damaged and white women’s hair as normal. The advert was insensitive, demeaning and racist. Whites have practised the abhorrent apartheid policy in South Africa for generations. It discriminated against other races, stripping them of their dignity and gave whites a false sense of superiority over other races. Today, in our democratic country, apartheid has been abolished but some whites have not shed their apartheid mentality as evidenced by the architects of the hair advert. I…

VATICAN CITY Pope seeks to ‘liberate’ Virgin Mary from Mafia mobsters POPE Francis is giving his blessing to a new Vatican think tank that is seeking to prevent the Mafia and organised crime groups from exploiting the image of the Virgin Mary for their own illicit ends. The Vatican’s Pontifical Marian Academy launched the think tank on Friday at a conference titled “Liberating Mary from the Mafia”. It was a reference to the historic relationship between the Italian mob and the Catholic Church, and the popular displays of Marian devotion by mobsters in Italy and beyond. In a message from the pope read out at the conference, held at Rome’s Museum of Civilizations, Francis said the religious and cultural image and patrimony of the Madonna “must be preserved in its…

Ethiopia files terror charges against activist ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia has filed terrorism charges against a prominent media mogul and opposition politician from the Oromo ethnic group, Jawar Mohammed, pictured, the attorney general’s office said yesterday. Jawar, founder of the Oromiya Media Network and a member of the Oromo Federalist Congress party, was arrested in June amid the widespread unrest that followed the assassination of Oromo musician Haacaaluu Hundeessaa. Jawar and 22 other activists, including Oromo opposition leader Bekele Garba, face charges relating to the violation of anti-terrorism laws, telecom fraud laws and firearms laws, the attorney general’s office said on social media. Those charged include journalists and scholars. Reuters…

2 dead, 14 wounded at party in New York ROCHESTER: Gunfire at a backyard party killed two people and wounded 14 others yesterday in Rochester, New York. As many as 100 people were at the gathering when the shooting started before 12.30am, acting Police Chief Mark Simmons told reporters. Before the police responded, they were not aware of the party and had received no complaints about noise, he said. Police were trying to piece together who opened fire and why. Simmons said it was too early to say whether more than one person was shooting or whom the intended targets might have been. A man and woman, believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, were killed, Simmons said. Their names weren’t released. He said no suspects were…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA TREVOR NOAH – COVER STAR We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.TREVOR NOAH comedian South Africa’s very own comedian Trevor Noah, has graced the cover of yet another international magazine. The “Wall Street Journal” interviewed Noah and made him their cover star of their September issue in celebration of his fifth anniversary as host of “The Daily Show”.…

Woolworths rethinks as FBH sales drop, online sales soar DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za WOOLWORTHS is in the process of fixing and repositioning its fashion beauty and home (FBH) business. The group said it would refocus the business back to basics and open itself to understanding the needs of its customers more. Chief executive Roy Bagattini this week said the process would involve a strategy to identify lower hanging fruits in the near term as annual sales declined 10.7 percent due to Covid-19 disruptions. It said the business recorded a 24.1 percent decline in sales during the second half of the year ended in June, severely impacted by the closure of stores in South Africa. The unit’s operating profit tumbled 59.5 percent to R683 million, resulting in an operating margin of 5.5…

SOCCER Captain Fantastic keeps going Kekana’s legendary status not enough as he seeks more glory for Sundowns MINENHLE MKHIZE BackpagePix SEVEN league titles - CAF Champions League, CAF Super Cup, two Nedbank Cup crowns and two Telkom Knockout triumphs - indicate the kind of success that Hlompo Kekana has enjoyed throughout his time as a professional football player in South Africa. The Mamelodi Sundowns skipper will go down as one of the most decorated captains for the Brazilian. He has, undoubtedly, attained the status of legendary captain. His age suggests that Kekana is at the twilight of his career but he is maturing like wine. The burning desire to win more silverware is still intact. He remains humble and chooses to speak as a team man that about…

PREMIER LEAGUE Werner ready to extinguish Reds fire LIVERPOOL will get the first test of their title defence this weekend when they face big-spending Chelsea at Stamford Bridge today. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea side have spent almost 200 million pounds on new players, including Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. Werner was a target for Liverpool in the summer before he decided to join Chelsea and the German believes his new side has the ability to upset the champions. “They won the league last year and they have the same team as last year, so they will be as strong as last year,” Werner told Chelsea’s website. “So it will be a really good challenge for us to see how far we are. Werner impressed in the win at Brighton and said…

RUGBY Bok Showdown an ‘exciting prospect’ WYNONA LOUW A 93-man draft squad for the Springbok Showdown in Cape Town on October 3, featuring a large number of World Cup winners alongside Blitzboks and Junior Boks, was announced by SA Rugby yesterday. The squad is comprised of locally based players only, with 32 of them capped Springboks while 13 of the inclusions lifted the trophy with Siya Kolisi when South Africa won the World Cup in Japan last year. The technical team will whittle down the number to 50 and then split it into the two groups – a Green team and a Gold team – for the fixture scheduled for Newlands in a fortnight. Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick will coach the Green squad with Rassie Erasmus as team commissioner,…

TSWAING Dissolved council fights back NW provincial government taken to court MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za THE Tswaing Local Municipality in the North West has taken the provincial government to court over the decision to place it under administration, which it said amounted to “unlawful intervention”. In its court papers filed at the North West High Court in Mahikeng, the municipality sought an order setting aside acting MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Boitumelo Moiloa’s decision to take full control of the municipality under Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution on August 3. The provincial government took full control after Tswaing’s finances failed to improve a year after it was first placed under administration due to its failure to fulfil its obligation to the residents. Moiloa subsequently appointed Moatlhodi…

REMEMBRANCE Mourning a lost friend through poetry LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za AUTHOR Maruping Phepheng wrote the book, Ashes and Fractured Moments under very difficult circumstances because the book was a dedication to his late friend Moses Mtileni who meant a lot to him. Phepheng, who was born in Christiana, North West, has published eight books thus far – five novels, a book of short stories, a children story, and his latest offering, Ashes and Fractured Moments, which is a collection of poems. Phepheng said he lost a friend, Moses Nzama Khaizen Mtileni, in the winter of 2019. Mtileni, who was a poet himself, died at the age of 36 after he was shot by armed men during a robbery at his home in Tembisa. “I needed an avenue to give voice…

DEATHS Drop in number of deaths SIYABONGA MKHWANAZI HEALTH Minister Zweli Mkhize has indicated there has been a drop in the number of people who have died of natural causes outside hospitals than tested positive for Covid-19. Mkhize’s comment comes after the Medical Research Council said there were more than 33 000 excess deaths. But the minister said this week the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) had conducted tests on people who had died of natural causes when their Covid-19 status was unknown. In its report, the NHLS said out of the tests conducted few had died of Covid-19. “The NHLS informs us that there were 86 tests performed on deceased persons to date, of which 13 tests were positive,” said Mkhize. The minister was responding to written questions from…

FLAWS Questions surrounding administration of Emfuleni MANYANE MANYANE AND KARABO NGOEPE THE placing of Emfuleni Local Municipality under administration has raised various questions regarding the real motive behind it and the interpretation of the law. Sources within the municipality and analysts have raised questions regarding how the matter was handled and further questioned why the council has not been dissolved. Gauteng MEC for Human Settlement and Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Lebohang Maile placed the embattled municipality under administration this year and instructed the chief financial officer, municipal manager and supply chain manager to report to the administrator before taking decisions. But that directive has been met with resistance, with many believing that was due to flaws in the application of the administration. Administrator Willy Bhila was appointed in…

POLICING Anger over handling of cases by SAPS Moroka AMANDA MALIBA amanda.maliba@inl.co.za MOROKA, Soweto, residents marched to Moroka Police Station on Friday morning to hand over a memorandum of grievances against the station, including allegations that a child rapist posted bail because of police ineptitude. In the memo, the residents complained about the failure of the police to take criminal cases opened at the station seriously, their failure to respond on time to emergencies, and that a rape suspect was given bail after his case was struck off the roll due to incomplete statements submitted by two police officers from the station. Residents said the rape involved two minors, aged 15 and 14, who were allegedly violated by a 37-year-old man after he promised to involve the children in a…

DIVERSITY Defining the new blackness Steve Biko’s understanding of it has been distorted SANDILE MEMELA PILAR OLIVARES Reuters THE most depressing feature of the commemoration of Steve Biko’s death is neither the monotonous programme nor the predictable political tensions that it unleashes among claimants to his legacy. Both reveal the inability of self-appointed heirs to update his Black Consciousness philosophy to make it relevant to post-apartheid realities where so-called black people have splintered to different classes and groups. It is imperative that the 43rd anniversary of Biko’s death begins to push society towards a new state of blackness that acknowledges that black people have never been, or will be, a homogeneous group. The tendency of a few exponents of Black Consciousness to label fellow human beings as “sell-outs” – because…

PANDEMIC ‘New normal’ infringes on rights SAM DITSHEGO BHEKIKHAYA MABASO  African News Agency (ANA) Judges should uphold principles of the Constitution ON SEPTEMBER 14 US District Judge, Honourable William S Stickman IV, declared Covid-19 regulations unconstitutional in a civil matter between Pennsylvania residents of County of Butler and Defendants, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas W Wolf and Secretary of Health Rachel Levine. If there is going to be an appeal it will be heard next year and it will not overturn a federal judge’s ruling. In his conclusion, the judge said he recognised that the Defendants’ actions at issue were undertaken with the good intention of addressing a public health emergency. But even in an emergency, the authority of the government is not unfettered. The liberties protected by the Constitution are not…

EDITORIAL Don’t forget lockdown lessons THE risk-adjusted easement to level 1 that comes into effect at midnight today will bring about some normality, with many going back to work, but we must not throw caution to the wind. The virus is still around, and there is no vaccine yet. It is still killing people. Some countries like the Czech Republic and Bulgaria saw higher numbers last month than they did when they first went into lockdown. The UK is seeing a resurgence of Covid-19 and France, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands are also dealing with a second wave. France registered 10593 new cases on Thursday, the highest it has recorded since the virus reached its shores. South Africa has not reached the level of infections and fatality rates seen in…

IRAN Revenge vowed for top general’s killing Trump warns against retaliation and an alleged plot to assassinate US ambassador to SA THE chief of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened yesterday to go after everyone who had a role in a top general’s January killing during a US drone strike in Iraq. The guard’s website quoted General Hossein Salami as saying, “Mr Trump! Our revenge for martyrdom of our great general is obvious, serious and real”. US President Donald Trump warned this week that Washington would harshly respond to any Iranian attempts to take revenge for the death of General Qassem Soleimani, tweeting that “if they hit us in any way, any form, written instructions already done we’re going to hit them 1000 times harder”. The president’s warning came in response…

LEBANON Firework cache found at port LEBANON’S army said it had found 1.3 tons of fireworks during a search of Beirut port, which was devastated last month in a huge blast that was blamed on a large quantity of chemicals kept in poor condition. The army said in a statement, released on its website on Friday, that 1320kgs of fireworks were found in 120 boxes in a warehouse at the port. It said army engineers disposed of them. The blast at port destroyed a swathe of central Beirut, killed at least 190 people and injured more that 6000 people. Nine people remain missing. The blast was blamed on 2750 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate kept at the port for years in poor condition. Lebanon’s army said earlier this month it…

INDIA Journalist accused of espionage POLICE in India’s capital city said they had arrested a local freelance journalist on allegations he was passing “sensitive information” to Chinese intelligence officers. In a statement yesterday, the Delhi police said 61-year-old Rajeev Sharma was arrested earlier this week and officers had seized some confidential documents related to the Indian defence department from the his residence. One Chinese woman and her Nepalese partner were also arrested for allegedly supplying Sharma with “huge amounts of money” for “conveying information to Chinese intelligence”. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours. Reuters could not immediately reach any of the three individuals, who are under arrest, or their lawyers. “On interrogation, Rajeev Sharma has disclosed his involvement in procurement…

RECOVERING NAVALNY INSTAGRAM AP…

Spar Group has felt hard lockdown impact SANDILE MCHUNU sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za THE SPAR Group in southern Africa felt the impact of the hard lockdowns and restrictions imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the region, with sales improving a mere 4.8 percent during the 48 weeks to end August from 12.4 percent the prior year. Spar said on Friday that its overall sales increased to R112.04 billion from R99.67bn last year. It said the core Spar business recorded an 8.7 upswing in sales with like-for-like up 7.5 percent and internally measured price inflation increasing marginally to 4.6 percent. It said the performance reflected the impact of the pandemic in the region. “Turnover for the six months to end March had reported a 7.8 percent increase, while the subsequent five months…

BIZ 101 Consumer spending trends beyond Covid-19 BEN BIERMAN MOST BUSINESSES have been allowed to operate with strict hygiene and social distancing regulations since the country has relaxed the national Covid-19 lockdown. They have realised an uptick with the Yoco Small Business Recovery Monitor saying that turnover has risen to 94 percent of pre-lockdown levels. But experts predict that spending patterns may take as long as two years to return to pre-pandemic levels. Here are some of the trends for businesse to adapt to the new normal. Digitisation Most people have adopted online shopping to avoid contact. This has meant that businesses needed to ramp up their digital presence to compete. So ensure your website and social media are up to date, easy to navigate and include an e-commerce element.…

AUDIO BOOKS Books for driving pleasure KATHERINE A POWERS CROOKED HALLELUJAH KELLI Jo Ford’s remarkable debut, a novel in the form of artfully linked stories, is set in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and in northern Texas. It follows the lives of four generations of Native American women from the mid-1970s into the near future. The women share an unfortunate propensity to become involved with ne’er-do-well men. The two older women, Granny and Lula, find succour in the rigidly fundamentalist Holiness Church, while Lula’s daughter, Justine, drifts off after being raped at 15 by a man she had catastrophically misjudged. Justine and her daughter, Reney, are the central characters, their lives tough, their choices often foolish, but they are resilient. The book, sparely written, is vivid with a sense of…

TV GUIDE SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER Cricket: Vivo Indian Premier League T20: Delhi Capitals v Kings XI Punjab, 3.50pm, CRI Cycling: Tour de France, Stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie-Paris Champs-Élysées, 122km, 3.35pm, VR1, SSM Golf: US Open: Day 4, Early Coverage, 2pm, GOL; Day 4, Main Feed, 7pm, GOL; LPGA Tour: Cambia Portland Classic, Day 4, 10pm, VR4 Motorsport: MotoGP: Grand Prix Emilia-Romagna, Moto3, 10.45am, MSP; Moto2, 12.05pm, MSP; MotoGP, 1.30pm, SSM, MSP; FIM Superbike World Championship, Catalunya SBK Superpole Race, 10.45am, ACT; FIM Superbike World Championship, Catalunya SSP Race 2, 12.15pm, ACT; FIM Superbike World Championship, Catalunya SBK Race 2, 1.30pm, ACT; FIM Superbike World Championship, Catalunya SSP300 Race 2, 3pm, SSM, ACT (3.30pm); NASCAR Cup Series: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, 1.30am, MSP; Supercars Championship, Repco SuperSprint, The Bend, 4.30am,…

MOTORSPORT Vinales in pole after duel ends with careless mistake YAMAHA’S Maverick Viñales took pole position for today’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a dramatic final qualifying session on Saturday in which Pramac Racing’s pace-setter Francesco Bagnaia was penalised for exceeding track limits. Viñales, whose all-time Misano lap record set before last week’s San Marino race was then erased by Bagnaia during the third free practice, blazed the circuit during the final qualifying session to set another new mark of one minute, 31.077 seconds. The 25-year-old Spaniard - who also took pole last weekend - went 0.076 seconds faster than Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller, while Petronas Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo completed the front row. Bagnaia will now start fifth after the Italian touched the green while coming out of the…

SOCCER Can Bafana get Saints blessing? Upcoming friendlies are ideal time to blood uncapped overseas youngsters MIHLALI BALEKA southamptonfc.com/ KGAOGELO Chauke. That’s one of the names that should be at the top of coach Molefi Ntseki’s selection list as Bafana Bafana prepare to return to competitive football early next month, following a year-long hiatus. South Africa will clash with Southern African neighbours Namibia and Zambia in back-to-back international friendlies on October 8 and October 11 away at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek and home at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg respectively. But with players from the domestic league all expected to be available, considering that it’s pre-season after the season concluded on September 12 and the new term expected to commence after the international break, Ntseki should have a…

Fans trickle back to English football CARLISLE United became the first English club to welcome back fans for a league match yesterday as they took on Southend United in a League Two clash at their Brunton Park stadium. Up to 1 000 fans were permitted for the lunchtime kick-off, with Carlisle one of eight clubs to take part in a government pilot scheme to allow fans back into stadiums. Fans have not been allowed in the English Football League (EFL) or Premier League since the resumption of action in June following a three-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Two Championship (second tier) games were allowing 1 000 fans yesterday with Norwich City hosting Preston North End and Middlesbrough taking on Bournemouth. However, a recent rise in Covid-19 infection rates…

RUGBY Kings abdicate into liquidation as SA Rugby pulls plug WYNONA LOUW The Southern Kings company has been placed into voluntary liquidation, SA Rugby announced yesterday. The shareholders - SA Rugby and the Eastern Province Rugby Union - took the decision to secure the longer-term financial future of rugby in Eastern Province “in the face of an accumulated deficit of R55m, and with zero income in prospect for the remainder of 2020”, the statement added. “The hard fact is that the Kings are insolvent, with significant debts and zero assets and it would have been reckless of the board to continue to trade,” said Mr Andre Rademan, chairman of the board. “Its continuation would have required loans from the EPRU and loans additional to the R45m that the company already…