Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, November 15, 2020 i Sunday Independent

FUGITIVES Bushiris’ great escape ‘Prophet’ and his wife fled a week after they were granted R200 000 bail MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA CONTROVERSIAL self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, fled South Africa for Malawi through one of the borders after allegedly bribing Home Affairs officials. This follows the drama at Waterkloof Air Force Base on Friday when Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera was accused of trying to smuggle out about 30 people who are believed to be members of his advance team that arrived in South Africa first. One senior government official yesterday confirmed that Chakwera’s presidential jet was grounded for hours at Waterkloof after there was a problem with his suspicious passengers. “Although we got an anonymous tip that Bushiri was one of those suspicious passengers, he wasn’t there…

PANDEMIC Joblessness trigger for depression, suicide AMANDA MALIBA and MANYANE MANYANE A RECRUITMENT agency boss has warned that the number of jobless South Africans increasing by 7.5% recently to 30.8%, the official figure recorded for the third quarter, may spawn effects such as mental illness and depression. As job scarcity worsens due to months of lockdown regulations amid the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 20 000 lives in South Africa and 747 000 infections since its outbreak in late 2019. Founder and chief executive of CV Desk Mokgaetjie Mboyane says the statistics are cause for concern as they may be linked to increased suicide attempts and rising cases of depression, as job scarcity worsens in the country. Jobless figures rose from 2.2million to 6.5million, according to the Quarterly…

CONGRESS Msimanga elected DA Gauteng leader MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za NEWLY-elected DA Gauteng provincial leader Solly Msimanga is determined to grow the party’s supporters in the province ahead of the local government elections next year. Msimanga was elected the Gauteng chairperson during the party’s provincial congress yesterday. During the by-elections this week, the DA suffered a big blow after losing nine seats nationally, majority in Gauteng, three in Joburg. “It is a great honour to have been elected by majority of the delegates in Gauteng, and we are looking forward to working with them and saving them. We also want to attract people to the DA for the 2021 elections and beyond,” he said. Msimanga, a former mayor in the City of Tshwane, was elected the party’s chairperson in Gauteng. “Democrats,…

FACT BOX – STATEMENT IN HIS Facebook statement, Bushiri claims “there have been clear and evident attempts to have myself, my wife and my family killed and despite our several attempts to report to authorities, there has never been state protection. “These attempts have been heightened with recent spates of arrests and detentions that we felt the only way for us to clear our names before the law is to ensure that our lives are preserved. My wife and I believe in our innocence but this cannot be proved if our lives are not preserved. We have to be alive to testify to our innocence.” Bushiri said it was shocking that it was him who, in 2018, “opened cases of extortion and intimidation against the officers who are, today, investigating,…

VALNERABLE Solidarity Fund does good work STAFF REPORTER WhILE violence is widespread and affects all levels of society in South Africa, women, children and people with disabilities, as well as the elderly, are identified as groups which are the most vulnerable. A surge in GBV cases prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to refer to it as “another pandemic”. This necessitated the need for an organisation such as the Solidarity Fund – which was created as a response mechanism to the deepening humanitarian crisis brought about by Covid-19 – to enable organisations to do more and reach more people. Police Minister Bheki Cele reported that there were 3 860 GBV-related calls to the National GBV Command Centre hotline between March 27 and September 21, compared with 393 between January 1 and March…

VOTING Disgruntled Emfuleni residents boycott by-elections MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za ThE dysfunctional and bankrupt Emfuleni Local Municipality held its by-elections on Wednesday that were characterised by a poor voter turnout. Many residents, who have for many years battled dismal service delivery, or the lack of it, boycotted the polls. The ANC managed to retain wards 21 and 43, and defeated the DA in Ward 16. EFF Sedibeng regional command team chairperson, Isaac Khithika, said Emfuleni’s service delivery problems and corruption scandals had an impact on the overall results. “We believe the scandals and poor service delivery impacted on the voter turnout and overall results,” he said. DA caucus leader in Emfuleni, Edward von Bodenstein, said it was disheartening that the lives of the residents in Emfuleni were being affected negatively as…

ANTIRETROVIRALL 8-week injection on cards LESOG MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za Women will soon be able to take one injection with an anti-retroviral (ARV) every eight weeks to prevent hIV infection. This follows Wits University announcing a major breakthrough in hIV prevention according to the result of a study conducted by the university. The study was conducted on more than 3000 hIV-negative women in seven countries in Africa over a 48-week period. The initial results from clinical trials were released by the hIV Prevention Trials Network. Wits research Professor Sinead Delany-Moretlwe said as a country, South Africa needed to prevent new infections if it was to sustain the current response to those living with hIV. “We recognise that we cannot treat our way out of the epidemic. “As a country, we cannot afford…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA Lockdown causes slowdown of water projects The Covid-19 pandemic has put a spanner in the works of projects to improve KZN’s water system, with a lockdown loss of R12 million to Umgeni Water. It means some municipalities will have to wait longer to connect to bulk potable water infrastructure. If societies change and progress at a low pace, why the need for so much rush and neglecting of what really matters in our daily lives? Slow down and enjoy life... Because it is certainly and unexpectedly short...” rodoLfo peon…

COMMENT Easier for the West to vilify Russia than attempting to build bridges IT WAS always going to result in more brinkmanship. The saga of Alexei Navalny, popularly known as a fierce anti-Kremlin critic and anti-corruption campaigner, is a script in a choreographed diplomatic row. On August 20, Navalny took ill while travelling by plane from Tomsk in Siberia to Moscow After an emergency landing in Omsk, another Siberian city, Navalny was rushed to a local hospital where he fell into a coma. Two days later, his family and close circle of friends elected to have him transferred to a health facility in the German capital, Berlin for emergency treatment. In Berlin, doctors soon claimed Navalny appeared to have been poisoned. The global Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons…

E-BOOK Reimagining education in a post-Covid scenario EDWIN NAIDU TWO South Africans have contributed to a ground-breaking first global book on solutions for reimagining education in a post-Covid scenario which makes some far-reaching proposals aimed at radically reshaping the post-pandemic learning landscape. These include creating a new system, putting a hold on examinations for a year, training teachers on social and emotional learning to ensure that they are trauma responsive and realigning the school calendar to prepare children for an uncertain future. Robyn Whittaker, the stakeholder engagement lead for Partners for Possibility initiative enabling social cohesion through partnerships involving school principals, and Gail Mac-Millan, a member of Symphonia for South Africa’s monitoring and evaluation team, both contributed to the e-book Education Disrupted, Education Re-imagined: Thoughts and Responses from Education’s Front-line…

COMMENTARY Covid-19 intensifies challenges facing inmates EDWIN NAIDU TWENTY-two years after the late former president Nelson Mandela on June 25, 1998, said, “the way a society treats its prisoners is one of the sharpest reflections of its character” – South African prisoners are nowhere near being given the rights-friendly treatment aimed at setting them on a path to rehabilitation. “Sealed off from exposure to international influences and trends, hidden from the media; and steeped in a militaristic and security perspective and training, our country’s prisons were in all these respects like the apartheid system itself, only more intensely so. “We have inherited a system ill-equipped to serve the needs of a democratic society founded on a culture of human rights,” said Mandela at the time. More than two decades later,…

The People Thai king calls for national unity after protesters turn their backs on royal motorcade BANGKOK: Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn told well-wishers of the importance of unity as he marked the opening of a new railway line yesterday, after thousands of protesters had turned their backs on his motorcade as it passed through central Bangkok. About 2500 demonstrators had gathered at the capital’s Democracy Monument in the latest of months of protests against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, demanding changes to the constitution as well as reforms of the monarchy. The protesters draped the centrepiece of the monument, which has become a rallying point for the protests, in a cloth covered in grievances and insults. “Dictatorship be destroyed, democracy shall prosper,” shouted protesters who scaled the three-metre structure. As the…

Tropical Storm Iota hits Central America GUATEMALA CITY: As Tropical Storm Iota barrels toward Central America, at least eight people were killed or reported missing in a landslide in Guatemala, authorities said yesterday, in the latest disaster triggered by this year’s unprecedented hurricane season. Iota is expected to intensify to hurricane strength or just short of it by the time it smashes into the jungles of the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday, even as Central America is still recovering from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Eta two weeks ago. Eta sparked floods and mudslides that killed scores of people across a huge swath of terrain stretching from Panama to southern Mexico, killing and burying alive dozens of residents. Reuters…

National lockdown in Austria confirmed VIENNA: Austria will introduce a national lockdown on Tuesday in a bid to bring its soaring coronavirus infections under control, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said yesterday, confirming an earlier Reuters report based on a draft government decree. Non-essential shops will close and the current curfew from 8pm to 6am will be expanded into an all-day requirement to stay at home, with specific exceptions such as shopping for essentials or exercise, Kurz confirmed. People should work from home wherever possible, he added. The current lockdown is due to last almost three weeks until December 6. Reuters…

NON-FICTION Boldly going to ‘The UnXplained’ SA-loving William ‘Captain Kirk’ Shatner hosts gripping new series EDWIN NAIDU WHEN you’re on the History channel, you’re likely to quip “here comes the dinosaurs” but it would be unfair to dismiss William Shatner, the evergreen 89-year star of iconic sci-fi series Star Trek as a has-been. He’s still got the vooma – and has a sculpted memory that reminds him daily of South Africa. Shatner hosts and is executive producer of the gripping non-fiction series The UnXplained, (forgive the spelling, not a strong point for Americans which can be blamed on departing Trumpism) which seeks to provide viewers with credible answers to questions about mysterious phenomena. Interviewed via Zoom while he was tucking into a sandwich for breakfast last Monday, Shatner, who is…

CULTURE Memories of food offer insights into Mozambique’s liberation JONNA KATTO JONNA KATTO WE don’t just taste food. Aromas, visual images, sounds and touch are equally part of our eating experience. Food also evokes feelings. We can experience it with joy but also with displeasure. This sensorily evocative power of food makes it an important site for remembering the past, which in turn influences our relation to food in the present. Food was not my main focus when I set out to conduct research on women ex-combatants’ lived experiences of the Mozambican liberation struggle in northern Niassa province. Yet, food and cooking continually came up in my life history interviews with them. The Mozambican liberation struggle against Portuguese colonial rule was mainly fought in the northern bush thickets. Led by…

Telkom’s mobile business grows DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE MARKET this week cheered the growth in Telkom’s mobile business during the six months to September as the group said it was looking to unlock shareholder value through looking at third party investors at Gyro, its mast and towers business. Telkom said it was clearly South Africa’s third largest mobile operator based on service revenue after mobile customers surged 19 percent to 13.7 million during the period helping to cushion the hefty decline in fixed voice revenue as more people worked from home. Chief executive Sipho Maseko said Telkom Mobile had performed exceptionally well, despite the negative impact of the national lockdown on parts of the business. “Telkom’s decision to invest in infrastructure ahead of demand enabled us to meet the surge…

BIZ 101 Tips for your business to ring up the sales on Black Friday BLACK Friday, a global shopping phenomenon celebrated on the fourth Friday of November, unofficially marks the start of the holiday shopping season with stores offering massive discounts and sales to eager consumers in hunt of a good deal. In 2019, Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases hit the R6 billion mark. For small businesses that have borne the brunt of the Covid-19 economic depression, Black Friday may offer a chance to recoup some of the lost revenue from the past eight months. It may provide a marketing opportunity to reach new audiences, paving the path for returning customers. Here are tips to make the most of this Black Friday: Numbers If not careful, excessive discounts can…

FICTION A social climber with a secret BOOK: White Ivy AUTHOR: Susie Yang PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster REVIEWER: Leland Cheuk PRICE: R494 on Loot.co.za FROM The Great Gatsby to The Talented Mr. Ripley, novels about social climbing and high society never seem to go out of style. Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth is a classic of this prolific category, and Susie Yang’s debut novel, White Ivy, so echoes Wharton’s best-known book that even the protagonist’s name, Ivy Lin, sounds like Lily Bart. Like Wharton’s famed débutante, Ivy aims to marry into wealth. Desperate to escape her abusive Chinese immigrant parents, Ivy targets Gideon Speyer, a blond-haired scion of New England blue bloods whose every move signifies to her success and higher breeding. In an effective early scene, at Gideon’s…

MOTOGP Morbidelli’s bid for top spot rewarded ITALIAN Franco Morbidelli clinched his second pole position of the season for Yamaha at the Valencia Grand Prix yesterday. Morbidelli posted a fastest lap time of one minute 30.191 seconds and will start from the front of the grid, ahead of Jack Miller of Pramac Racing. Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami will begin today’s race from third on the grid, his third successive front row start. Championship leader Joan Mir, who will clinch the title with a podium finish today, will start from 12th, one spot behind contender Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha. Alex Rins’ title aspirations were dealt a blow as he failed to make it into the second qualifying session. Seven-times premier class champion Valentino Rossi of Yamaha, who was cleared to race this…

GOLF Joburg Open set for tee-off in bio-bubble MICHAEL OAKLEY Supplied NEXT week, Randpark’s Firethorn golf course will host the Joburg Open, the first Joburg Open since 2017 but more importantly, the first taste of international golf on South African shores since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world. Some 156 golfers and their caddies from around the world will descend on the beautiful course from Thursday to Sunday as they vie for their share of the R19.5 million prize fund. But to pull off this co-sanctioned event between the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour has been a feat of monumental effort. Yesterday, commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, Thomas Abt, City of Joburg director of events and tournament promoter, Bongi Mokaba and MEC for Community Development, Margaret Arnolds went through…

FORMULA ONE A Stroll as Lance’s tyre switch key to first pole CANADIAN Lance Stroll celebrated an astonishing first Formula One pole position for Racing Point in a crazy weather-hit Turkish Grand Prix qualifying yesterday. The 22-year-old Racing Point driver’s shock result on the slippery surface ended a run of 14 successive poles for dominant champions Mercedes dating back to last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Mercedes never looked in contention while Stroll, whose father Lawrence owns the team, stepped up when it mattered as Racing Point made the right call to switch from wet to intermediate tyres. Stroll, who has come back from missing a race and testing positive for Covid-19, will be the first Canadian to start on pole since 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve. “I can’t put…

ESCAPE ARTISTS COURT Fractious political battles over Magashule ZINTLE MAHLATI Supplied ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s comments after his appearance at Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on corruption charges signals fractious political battles ahead of the party’s national general council (NGC). This was the view of political analysts yesterday after Magashule threw down the gauntlet at the ANC. Professor Somadoda Fikeni from Unisa said Magashule’s speech was part of a known political playbook used by politicians who were facing corruption allegations. “There is a particular pattern now that I could say has become a rule book. When prominent political figures are facing serious legal issues regarding corruption, the first thing is to weaponise and politicise it by invoking their own factional base. “The second one is to say this is a…

CORRUPTION It’s a witch hunt, says Magashule The Radical Economic Transformation faction has been lobbying for interventionist policies. “The policy conference is where you assess the strength of leadership. It is not where you change leadership, but test the waters of the strength that you have in the party,” Mathekga said. And the consequences for the country, from a divided governing party, Fikeni said last week’s by-elections offer a small signal of the grip the ANC still has on the nation. “From local government by-elections, it means everything that happens to the ANC is still of national concern because it is still an established party that has not seen a strong opposition to dislodge it,” he said. Following the administrative part after Friday’s court proceedings, it was a political showground…

POLITICS EFF, Sasco fight for student body control TSHEGO LEPULE WHILE Covid-19 has forced universities to take learning out of the classroom and into the digital space, so was the case for electioneering for student body representation. The EFF’s Student Command has been duking it out with its fiercest rival, the ANC’s South African Congress (Sasco) to either retain its hold on the campuses it controls or win support where it had little or none. The following results have emerged from elections over two months: • UCT – EFF retained majority. • Wits University – Sasco. •University of Stellenbosch – Independent Xola Njengele. • University of KwaZulu-Natal – Sasco. • University of Pretoria – Sasco elected its first female president. • University of Limpopo – EFF also elected its first…

HOW TO APPLY THE Solidarity Fund’s one-off grants available for community-based organisations range from R50 000 to R250 000. categories:  prevention – Programmes that focus on safe spaces; counselling; positive parenting; skills development and economic empowerment; addressing gender norms; and sexual and reproductive health and rights. response – Providing trauma counselling; maintenance of shelter services; programmes to improve access to emergency response; support and capacity-building for community caregivers; access to protection services. access to Justice – Provision of non-profit and/or free legal and paralegal support services or support to victims in the criminal justice system. how to apply: Apply via WhatsApp by sending the word “Hi” to 060 053 5502. Applicants will be able to read all about the call and apply directly. Applicants can go to www.solidarityfund.co.za to get…

FUNERAL ANC region rocked by divisions SAMKELO MTSHALI PREMIER and ANC provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala yesterday in his eulogy for the late KZN provincial legislature deputy speaker Mluleki Ndobe, called for an end to divisions that have rocked the ANC’s harry gwala Region. Following a tribute to Ndobe who passed away last Friday, Zikalala said that Ndobe, “a real democratic”, had never sought to be popular at the expense of the ANC and had been intolerant of ill-discipline. Zikalala touched on the charges that Ndobe had faced after allegations that he had been involved in the 2017 murder of former ANC Youth League secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, who also hailed from Umzimkhulu. The charges were provisionally withdrawn last year as there was insufficient evidence. he said the perceived rivalry between…

EDUCATION A FEAR OF TACKLING RACISM? EDWIN NAIDU PARLIAMENT’S Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology must be commended for its swift decision to conduct an oversight Inquiry into the administration and management of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), particularly claims of nepotism against its head, Randall Carolissen. The allegations of maladministration and corruption were brought to the committee by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu). Of the long list of alleged irregular appointments, nine people alleged to have been appointed irregularly include the Administrator’s former schoolmate, a former university mate, a friend of the Administrator’s brother, a friend’s daughter , a friend of Carolissen’s wife, and a friend’s nephew. This is wrong if the evidence supports the claims. Just as Nehawu has valiantly…

EDITORIAL Give Cele book on crime prevention for Christmas SOUTH Africa’s latest crime statistics show a dip because of the hard Covid-19 lockdown. Even better news is that Police Minister Bheki Cele appears to have solved the country’s crime woes by pinpointing a common culprit – alcohol. So is the answer to crime to lobby for a prohibition? What about the 10% spike in home burglaries and the 60% spike in cash-in-transit robberies, can drunks be blamed for that too? Yes, alcohol abuse is a concerning contributor to violent crimes and weighs heavily on society but this ties into deeper social and economic issues that need to be addressed. Releasing quarterly crime figures without tackling serious underlying causes is tantamount to releasing mere statistics to placate public opinion. Statistics mask…

ETHIOPIA Tigray conflict widens as imagery shows ‘massacre’ of civilians TWO airports in Ethiopia’s Amhara state which neighbours Tigray where federal troops are fighting local forces were targeted by rocket fire late on Friday, the government said, as an 11-day conflict widened. The airport in Gondar was hit while another rocket aimed at the Bahir Dar airport missed the target, the government said. The ruling Tigray party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), said the Tigray Defence Forces conducted missile strikes in military bases in Bahir Dar and Gondar in retaliation for air strikes by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s forces in various parts of the state. “As long as the attacks on the people of Tigray do not stop, the attacks will intensify,” Getachew Reda, a spokesperson for the TPLF,…

Police break up anti-lockdown rally MUNICH: German police fired a water cannon during an antilockdown rally in Frankfurt yesterday. About 600 people from the loosely organised Querdenker movement that opposes the government’s measures to halt the rise in coronavirus infections took to the streets in Frankfurt. A police spokesman said the rally was broken up after protesters repeatedly disregarded rules on wearing masks and keeping a distance from each other. Meanwhile, leading politicians said any quick relaxation of the country’s lockdown was unlikely this month. Germany has imposed measures dubbed a “lockdown light” to rein in a second wave of the pandemic. While restaurants are closed, schools and shops so far remain open. Reuters REUTERS…

LITERATURE Debut novel wins award LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za “IT’S surreal to be honoured with something so meaningful for the writing community. I can’t help but be overwhelmed with validation. I’m stoked beyond words,” said Phumlani Pikoli following his win of the K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award. The multidisciplinary artist was recognised as the winner of this year’s K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award in a (virtual) ceremony at the South African Literary Awards (Sala). This honour is bestowed on first-time novelists aged 40 and under. Pikoli joins Zukiswa Wanner, Panashe Chigumadzi, and Nthikeng Mohlele, recognised for their debut novels. This award is a recognition of the impact Pikoli’s debut novel Born Freeloaders has had since it was launched in October 2019. First published in 2019, the coming of age…

SHIMZA CELEBRATES SCOTCH BRAND PARTNERSHIP AMANDA MALIBA FOR DJ Shimza, real name Ashely Raphala, making an impact in his birthplace Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, is more than just about his celebrity status but it is about leaving a lasting mark in the lives of those he has spent time with while growing up. The DJ turned entrepreneur has been active in philanthropy work within the township and this week he celebrated his partnership with international scotch brand Ballantine’s as the face of their new campaign: “There’s No Wrong Way” – in Tembisa. The bubbly personality invited a handful of guests to his hangout spot dubbed The Hang Awt 1632 in the township, to celebrate this prestigious partnership. Speaking to the man of the moment, he said: “I have always stayed true to…

AFRICA THIS WEEK WITH TRUMP OUT, WORLD CAN GET BACK TO BUSINESS VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica THREE days before the meeting of the General Council of the World Trade Organisation, it was curiously postponed. The meeting was supposed to consider the appointment of the next WTO director-general, but who would dare hold such a critical meeting while President Donald Trump was throwing his toys about, over his election defeat? The election of Joe Biden bodes well for the first female WTO director-general. And she is African. Ambassador David Walker, the chairperson of the General Council said the council’s decision was due to “the health situation and current events”. “I am therefore postponing this meeting until further notice during which period I will continue to undertake consultations with delegations,” he added. Just…

REAL NUMBERS Farewell to a committed civil servant who served with distinction THE PASSING of Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu is a race won by one who was not about to decelerate as he headed towards the finish line. Makwetu was full throttle when the inevitable visited him. I once wrote that Makwetu served his country well. He gave corruption a name - corruption. He responded by conveying his gratitude for the words of support and encouragement. He said we will certainly reconnect in the field as we pursue the constitutional goals of transparency and accountability in whatever station we move to. Take care and kind regards. To step up on the promise, my colleagues, planning to host 25 years of local government practice jointly with Salga, asked me to invite him.…

TV HIGHLIGHTS THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS 2020 Monday at 2am (or 9.30pm) on E! (DStv 124) Get ready for a sensational awards experience with host Demi Lovato. Covering more than 44 categories, viewers will be sure to see some of their favourite stars getting the recognition they deserve. There are some new categories this year, including New Artist of 2020, Collaboration Song of 2020 and Soundtrack Song of 2020. UTOPIA Streaming on Amazon Prime A group of young adults who meet online gets a hold of a cult underground graphic novel, which not only pins them as a target of a shadowy deep state organisation, but also burdens them with the dangerous task of saving the world.…

STARS Aries (March 21 – April 20 You remained calm and did your best. No one could possibly have asked for more. This week, you start to make up for lost ground. One hint: work on your presentation. It’s all in the way you tell it and sell it. Even if presented with the occasional hurdle, know that you’re a stayer who’s in it for the win. Taurus (April 21 – May 20) You’ve postponed a decision long enough. It’s time to do something about it. Sure, it pays to be prepared – and we all know practice makes perfect. The big question is: are you ready to give it a try? You’ll know by taking action. If tension does exist, they seem more to do with immediate family. Gemini…

GOLF DeChambeau’s mystery Masters illness PRE-TOURNAMENT Masters favourite Bryson DeChambeau said he has had a coronavirus test as a precaution after feeling “weird” during the season’s final major. DeChambeau barely made the halfway cut with nothing to spare on Friday morning, a distant nine strokes from the lead at Augusta National. “I was feeling something a little weird two nights ago and I came out yesterday and was fine for the most part,” the powerful American said after adding a two-over-par 74 to his opening 70. “As I kept going through the round, I started getting a little dizzy. I don’t know what was going on, a little something weird. “So I got checked for Covid last night, and I was fine, nothing. But I had to do the right thing…

TailPiece EGYPT SHOWCASES 25,000-YEAR-OLD COFFINS Egypt showcased more than 100 coffins dating back 25,000 years, the latest and largest find this year in the vast burial ground of the Saqqara Necropolis. The 6th Dynasty coffins – sealed, finely painted and well-preserved – were of a higher quality than previous finds there, said the secretary-general of the supreme council of antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, suggesting they belonged to higher ranking families. The newly-discovered coffins, plus associated mummies and artifacts, will go on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum, expected to open next year. Reuters…

DEMOCRACY STATE CAPTURE Zuma to face Zondo Former president to formally ask for Justice Zondo’s recusal from commission LOYISO SIDIMBA loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za PHANDO JIKELO African News Agency (ANA) FORMER president Jacob Zuma is expected to appear before the commission of inquiry into state capture this week despite his concerns about Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s partiality. Zuma has threatened to lodge an application for Justice Zondo to recuse himself and will formally lodge it tomorrow, according to his lawyer Eric Mabuza. On Friday, commission secretary Professor Itumeleng Mosala announced that summons had been issued and served at Zuma’s Nkandla homestead last month. Zuma is required to appear before the commission at 10am tomorrow until Friday. “It was made clear in the summons that if Mr Zuma made arrangements to…

FUGITIVES Bushiris suspected of bribing officials Bushuri’s lawyer Ntsako Baloyi yesterday refused to explain how his client left the country or whether he is now a fugitive. “I refuse to make any statement whether my client is a fugitive or not because it has different connotations and meanings to different people depending on which side you are on in this case,” he said. Sources within the police claim that a preliminary investigation suggests that Bushiri and his wife left through one of the borders between South Africa and Lesotho. “It is suspected that they bribed some Home Affairs officials to let them cross the border and we are still not sure how they left Lesotho to Malawi,” the officer said. “We understand that after Bushiri and his wife reported at…

PRINCE KAYBEE TALKS PLANNING AHEAD ARTISTS strive to succeed in their careers because they want to leave a lasting legacy, this is according to DJ, and music producer Prince Kaybee. The DJ was speaking to an audience at the AMPD Masterclass last week. He said leaving a will can speak for you if you end up disabled and can’t communicate. It can direct what you want to be done and avoid confusion and conflict within a family, he said. “Thinking about drawing up a final testament is also essential. If you have professional help, you can also make sure that the correct structures are set up for the benefit of the family,” said Prince Kaybee, real name Kabelo Motsamai. “Financial education is important. You should learn what you can and,…

FINANCE Brace for budget cuts SIYABOBGA MKHWANAZI THE National Treasury has warned of more cuts in the budget when Finance Minister Tito Mboweni tables it in February next year, with provinces and local government earmarked for budget slashes. National Treasury told the joint committees on finance that billions of rand could be slashed from the budgets of provinces with the fiscus under pressure. The constraint of the fiscus has led to government implementing various measures to rein in expenditure. Chief director for Intergovernmental Policy and Planning in the National Treasury Wendy Fanoe, said budgets for provinces would be slashed by R60 billion next year, R85bn the following year and another R64.1bn in the 2023/24 financial year. “The provincial equitable share will be reduced by R60bn in 2021/22, R85bn in 2022/23…

COVID-19 Standard for testing accuracy STAFF REPORTER CoNTAININg the scourge of Covid-19 requires testing of individuals and isolating those who test positive, together with recent contacts, to prevent further spread. It is critical to ensure that testing is independently verified to assure its accuracy. given the urgent need to ramp up testing, a team from Wits University’s Centre for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research has developed a “control standard”, which does exactly this for certain diagnostic testing platforms. It uses biomimicry, a safer alternative to incorporating the actual Sars-Cpv-2 virus. The team, headed by Professor Bavesh Kana, used this technique to engineer a control organism that mimics the genetic material of the virus, when used in diagnostic tests kits. If the tests work correctly, the genetically modified organism is identified as being…

EMPOWERMENT Celebrate black female leaders We have a responsibility to acknowledge the agency of black women in its full elegance and in its own right TINYIKO MALULEKE JIM BOURG Reuters I WILL always be thankful that I was alive when three formidable women – Puleng LenkaBula, Tsakani Maluleke and Kamala Harris – were appointed to the positions of vice-chancellor (Unisa), auditor-general (South Africa) and vice-president-elect (USA), respectively. Because of these three women of colour and valour, black women and black men everywhere are walking straighter, taller and firmer. With all those feel-good sentiments nicely filed in the corridors of my soul, I can now express my serious misgivings about the flawed impression repeatedly created, that the most important thing about this moment, and about LenkaBula, Maluleke and Harris, is that…

COMMENTARY Racism in school needs attention At a prestigious Joburg institution a teacher told black pupils they were privileged to be in class with whites VUYISILE MSILA AYANDA NDAMANE African News Agency (ANA) THIS past Monday the nation was again shocked when our democracy and rainbowism were tested at the Brackenfell High School in Cape Town. The school organised a matric function that excluded black learners and as many apologists argued, the function had nothing to do with the school, for it was a private occasion. So morbidly interesting to invite the school’s matrics and yet express it was not an event linked to the institution. To make matters worse, the society started giving misinformed justifications thus eschewing the real issues. Several people have stated that the EFF should not…

CORRUPTION Jacob Zuma, an exemplary of ANC cadre’s capturability AS IT is argued in “Graft tarnishes ANC brand,” the ANC lost a fight against corruption towards its 52nd national conference, where Jacob Zuma defeated Thabo Mbeki for an ANC presidency. By that time, Zuma had already exhibited his state capture tendencies, namely he is capturable. To be more precise, he had already exposed himself as, according to Adriaan Basson, an author of Zuma Exposed and Blessed by Bosasa, “a politician for sale”. As defined by Wikipedia, state capture “is a type of systemic political corruption in which private interests significantly influence a state’s decision-making processes to their own advantage.” Zuma received over R1 million from his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik, who owned several companies, such as Kobifin and Nkobi…

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. Makwetu a dedicated watchdog to the end AS UCT Ombud, I join South Africans, the global community and the Chapter 9 institutions in mourning the untimely passing of the outgoing auditor-general, a colleague and a friend, Kimi Makwetu. His rise to become the second black auditor-general came as no surprise to those who knew him. He led this office with distinction relying on his personal courage, the ability to work with and succeed through others, a rich toolkit comprising of integrity, ethical leadership, honesty, soft yet outspoken personality, dedication to truth, honesty and zero tolerance for a lack of accountability. I recall congratulating him some years ago as he…

INDIA Diwali celebrated with fewer fireworks THEl capital Delhi may have been engulfed in a thick layer of smog from early yesterday evening, but that didn’t dampen the spirit on Diwali. Although candles, diyas and electronic lights took the precedent this year during the Covid-19 pandemic, firecrackers did not vanish from Delhi. But there were fewer used than in previous years. In residential areas, the prevalence of earthen lamps was stark, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public appeal to buy local products this Diwali. Be it in the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri or the business area of Connaught Place, buildings were wrapped in designer lights. Because of the pandemic, most foreign embassies in the national capital chose to observe a quiet, simpler Diwali this time. In the residential areas, however,…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA CHINA CONGRATULATES JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS This auction is coming at a time when French people are facing real uncertainties regarding their values, and many of them are clinging on to the history of FranceJEAN-PIERRE OSENAT Auctioneer speaking about the auction of Marie Antoinette’s shoe in France today ‘We respect the choice of the American people. We extend congratulations to Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris,’ China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.…

Marie Antoinette’s silk shoe on auction PARIS: A silk shoe that belonged to Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France who was executed during the French Revolution, will go up for auction today – with a starting price of E 10000 euros (about R184000). The sale takes place in the Palace of Versailles, where the queen –who has gone down in history as a symbol of the excesses of the French monarchy – and King Louis XVI held court before they were guillotined in 1793. The shoe bears her name on its heel and auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said she is thought to have worn it during daily life at the palace. “This auction is coming at a time when French people are facing real uncertainties regarding their values, and many…

WHAT’S ON WOMEN IN MUSIC WOMEN in Music, in partnership with the Market Theatre, presents Joe Nina – a celebration of 30 years of greatness on November 28. “The music extravaganza will honour and celebrate music giant Joe Nina, real name Henry Makhosini Xaba, for his contribution to South African music. “The one-day event will feature notable artists such as Brenda Mtambo, Sliq Angel, Thobile Makhonyane, Steve Kekana, Sbu Dludlu and Matshepiso Mokone. “Our legends are mostly not celebrated while they are still alive and Women In Music felt the need to celebrate Joe Nina who has inspired and changed a lot of people’s lives and touched a lot of people’s hearts through music,” said Portia Sibiya, founder of Women in Music. Sibiya had the task of mobilizing the country’s finest…

Latest unemployment statistics paint grim picture DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE EASTERN Cape is home to the most of South Africa’s unemployed after scoring the worst official and expanded rates during the third quarter of 2020. The Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) this week showed that province’s unemployment rate increased to 45.8 percent in the September quarter from 36.5 percent a year earlier. Expanded unemployment rate in the province, which included people who had stopped looking for work, was the highest in the country at 51.2 percent, although it declined 1.6 percent compared to 52.8 percent in the second quarter. It was 46.5 percent a year ago. South Africa’s official unemployment rate increased to 30.8 percent during the third quarter of 2020, the highest recorded since…

INJURY TIME FLOORED BY A JUDGE A member of the Afrikaans press was taken aback upon getting an apology from the chairman of the interim, or as he insists calling it, proposed Board of Cricket South Africa, retired judge Zak Yacoob. The reporter had left a message on Yacoob’s phone hoping to chat to to him about how he’d gotten involved in trying to clean up the mess at CSA, but the message was only replied to the next day. “I must apologise, I got your message yesterday, I should’ve replied.” Huh? What? “Ya, how was I supposed to react to that,” the reporter went. Indeed, when dealing with spokespersons and anyone in a communications department these days is scratching gum from a shoe sole, it’s understandable that a lowly…

TV GUIDE TODAY Cricket: Women’s Big Bash League: Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers, 1.15am, CRI; Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades, 4.40am, CRI Golf: PGA Tour: The Masters, Day 4, Second Feed, 3pm, VR1; The Masters, Day 4, Early Coverage, 3.10pm, GOL; The Masters, Day 4, Main Feed, 5pm,GSD, GOL Motorsport: MotoGP: Grand Prix of Valencia, Moto3, 11.45am, ACT; Moto2, 1.05pm, ACT; MotoGP, 2.30pm, ACT, MSP, GSD; Formula 1: Sunday Grand Prix, Turkey, 10.30am, MSP, GSD; Turkey Grand Prix, Main Race, 12.05pm, GSD, MSP, SSM; Chequered Flag, Turkey, 2pm, MSP; The Notebook, Turkey, 3pm, MSP Rugby: Mitre 10 Cup: Canterbury v Auckland, 5.30am, RUG, GSD; Guinness Pro14: Munster Rugby v Ospreys, 4.40pm, VR2; Autumn Nations Cup: France v Fiji, 5.05pm, RUG; The Final Whistle, 7.15pm, RUG Soccer: UEFA Nations League: Slovakia…

SOCCER Ntseki keeps Bafana focused MIHLALI BALEKA BAFANA Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki is adamant that they’ll treat their return leg against Sao Tome and Principe as a new game, suggesting that should enhance their chances of finishing top of Group C. Bafana recorded their second victory in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Friday night at home, defeating Sao Tome 2-0 to remain second in their group with six points, three behind leaders Ghana who defeated Sudan by the same score-line this week. The South Africans had a reletively underwhelming first half after failing to have a shot on target, while the visitors appeared as the most deadly going forward. But Ntseki’s men turned the game on its head in the second stanza to wrap up all three points.…

RUGBY Sharks’ never-say-die attitude big for Everitt MIKE GREENAWAY ONCE more it was “cometh the hour, cometh the man” for the Sharks when Curwin Bosch calmly nailed a post-hooter penalty on Friday night to nudge his team home 34-33 in Kimberley. Coach Sean Everitt would have been seeing his life flash before his eyes when Griquas flyhalf Tinus de Beer kicked his team into a 33-31 lead with just enough time left for a restart, but his players then coolly fought their way into a position to win a penalty to set Bosch up for his heroics. The week before, against the Cheetahs, Bosch had also kicked brilliantly to secure his team the victory. “We are very happy with the win,” a relieved Everitt said. “It is not something you…

EDUCATION Football stars join education campaign FEELING like you don’t have control over your own destiny is a fundamental human challenge. The sad fact is that now, more than ever, people are feeling more like the world is happening to them rather than them going out and happening to the world. This plays out in the lives of millions of South African men when the odds always seem stacked against them. According to StatsSA there are more than nine million men over the age of 20 in South Africa that do not have a matric qualification. When combined with the fact that on average an applicant for a job competes with 91 other candidates this paints a very dark picture for men looking to improve their situation in life. The…