Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, December 13, 2020 i Sunday Independent

CORRUPTION SIU goes for dodgy PPE tenders The unit hails its court victory against Royal Bhaca as an important milestone MANYANE MANYANE BUOYED by a “great victory” in which a judge confirmed its findings and set aside a multimillion-rand Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contract, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has vowed to press ahead with current investigations and recover all the money illegally received by the beneficiaries. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the judgment against a front company for Royal Bhaca – owned by the husband of presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko’s husband, Chief Madzikane II Thandisiwe Diko – was an important milestone for the SIU in its fight against tender irregularities and malfeasance. “This is the first judgment around the PPE contracts. It is a great victory for us…

AMENDMENT BILL Put SA jobseekers first – IFP LOYISO SIDIMBA FOREIGN nationals could be barred from working in some unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in some sectors of the South African economy, according to a proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill to be tabled by the IFP. IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe will table new legislation that proposes, among others, that employers may not employ a foreign national in the country without an applicable and valid work visa and ensuring that the numerical target prescribed by Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has been reached. According to the IFP’s proposed Bill employers may hire foreign nationals only after satisfying themselves that there is no other person in South Africa with suitable skills to fill that vacancy. “An employer may make use…

LEGAL Judge Desai lays down his gavel NATHAN ADAMS WESTERN Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai lowered his gavel for the last time when court adjourned on Friday. Desai said growing up in Salt River in the 1950s, he never would have dreamt of ever being on the Bench of any court. “January, I will be 70. You reach the age of 70 and you have to retire. The court adjourned on Friday and the court reopens in January, so effectively, I have finished my term as a judge.” Desai became a judge on July 1, 1995, and prior to that, he was an advocate and an attorney. He said: “I started my career in 1976 as an articled clerk and worked for Dullah Omar. I was a professional assistant…

VIOLENCE R350 grant battle at post office Fights fuelled by those wanting to jump the queue ROLAND MPOFU VIOLENT scenes are regular occurrence outside the Orange Farm branch of the South African Post Office (Sapo) as tempers flare up among desperate Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) R350 grant beneficiaries who have to jostle over the long queues as the battle to access the money rages. Over the last few months, the queues for the grants have grown longer and longer in many post offices in and around Joburg as they battle to keep up with the demand for the grants for thousands of beneficiaries, some of whom have to spend a night to be among the first to receive payment. When the Sunday Independent arrived in Orange Farm on…

CRIME Grieving family want answers Young woman raped and murdered after last seen in company of three people AMANDA MALIBA THE family of murdered Soweto student Phuti Ramara are calling for the arrest of three people who are alleged to have been with the 21-year-old when she was last seen alive. The three are said to be a cousin, a friend and a 40-year-old male in whose house three young women including Phuti were alleged to have been “chilling” with two other men. Phuti’s lifeless and naked body was discovered Monday morning in one of Protea Glen’s sports grounds, just a few days after the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence awareness campaign. Family spokesperson Carol Hlongwane said the family got suspicious when the people who…

REVIEW Sobering analysis of a democratic SA Black poverty and white wealth cemented as the order of our society A book review by Professor Sipho Seepe IN NO White Lies: Black Politics and White Power, Kim Heller provides a razor-sharp critique of South African politics. In doing so, she takes no prisoners. The hypocrisy and privilege of white society screams out of every column. She knows this well as she is a white South African. She is not unconscious of the fact that her privilege is linked to her skin colour. While many of her white compatriots are keen to rewrite history, Heller is bold to state that she is a “foreigner” in South Africa. A “settler on stolen land”. She writes “like every white South African, past, present, or…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA WHATSAPP INTRODUCES CARTS FEATURE TO SHOP Gender-based violence won’t end, because of revenge, lies, hypocrisy and double standards, but it will end when we speak the truth always, doing what is right and the law doing what is right without fear or favor.DJ KYOSAuthor WhatsApp has introduced a new shopping cart feature that will allow users to order their products through WhatsApp businesses. Once their cart is completed, they will send it as a message to the business. The store will then process their orders. | See more on IOL…

CONTROVERSY A cautionary tale of the snake that eats its own tail SULIWE SIHLWAYI Mike Hutchings Reuters African News Agency (ANA) “I WISH to write an epic poem about Mkabayi kaJama Zulu, one that will be silent on her nephew, Shaka, and her brother, Senzangakhona. It will not even mention Nandi. It will focus on her relationship with her sisters Mawa and Mmama, her choice not to marry, her preference not to have children and her power as a ruler. “It will speak of her assortment of battle strategies and her charisma as a leader. It will render a compilation of all the pieces of advice she gave to men of AbaQulusi who bowed to receive them, smiled to thank her, but in public never acknowledged her, instead called her…

EDITORIAL Policing the police REPORTS on how the crime intelligence unit of the SAPS is riddled with factionalism and infighting should be of great worry to all South Africans. While factions are, by their nature, self-defeating, it is more dire that such hara-kiri should find fertile ground to fester inside this prime police unit. Crime intelligence are the eyes and ears of the crucial arm of policing needed to sustain a country’s sovereignty. It cannot be good when police inside crime intelligence are tearing each other apart while the country is held to ransom by the burden of crime. It is perhaps needless to remind ourselves of the shame brought to bear on us as a country when self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri stole into the night and escaped to his…

PANDEMIC US nod for vaccine THE US said it authorised the use of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, with the first inoculations expected within days, marking a turning point in a country where the pandemic has killed more than 295000 people. The US Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorisation for the vaccine, developed with German partner BioNTech, which was shown to be 95% effective in preventing the disease in a late-stage trial. It said the vaccine can be given to people aged 16 and older. Health-care workers and elderly people in carefacilities are expected to be the main recipients of a first round of 2.9 million doses this month. US health authorities, shipping services, hospitals and pharmacies have been readying a nationwide in oculation campaign. Pfizer said…

ETHIOPIA UN concerned as Eritrean refugees ‘returned’ to Tigray camps ETHIOPIA’S government said it was returning Eritrean refugees to camps they fled in the northern region of Tigray, a move that alarmed the UN refugee agency after a month-long conflict that is believed to have killed thousands of people. The UN and other aid agencies said they were denied access to some 96000 refugees in Tigray since fighting erupted on November 4 between the government and a rebellious regional force. They are concerned about food and security in the camps, which they have not been permitted to visit since the conflict broke out. The government said it has defeated forces loyal to the region’s former ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and it was safe for refugees who fled to…

GERMANY Hard lockdown on the cards GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to discuss a tightening of lockdown restrictions with state leaders as coronavirus infections rise and amid growing calls for action, sources familiar with the matter said. Germany has been in partial lockdown for six weeks, with bars and restaurants closed but shops and schools open. Some regions have already imposed tougher measures. The discussions today will include whether shops should be closed before the Christmas holiday and the timing of such a move, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the RND newspaper group yesterday hospital intensive-care units were beginning to be stretched to their limits and that Germany couldn’t wait until after Christmas to react. “We have to clarify how…

HERITAGE A musical, cultural affair Masekela festival to be streamed online in celebration of the late artist’s legacy AMANDA MALIBA THE annual Hugh Masekela Heritage Festival to celebrate his legacy will be held virtually this year as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic. Many concerts migrated to online platforms in order to adhere to Covid-19 restrictions. Now in its fifth year, the festival is described as a musical and cultural oasis and will this year focus on “bringing Bra Hugh’s eclectic and broad vision of South African, and African, culture, music and heritage”. The festival was established as Bra Hugh’s lasting commitment to preserve and promote African heritage, tradition and identity. The late legendary jazz artist’s festival, who suffered from prostate cancer and died at 78, will be streamed tonight…

BOOK EXCERPT How Cape inhabitants were dispossessed of land THIS is a lightly edited excerpt from The Land Wars: The Dispossession of the Khoisan and AmaXhosa in the Cape Colony by John Laband. IN THE presence of members of the Sandile Traditional Council, on May 31 and June 1, 2005 a team from the Department of Anatomy at the University of Pretoria respectfully exhumed a grave on remote farmland between the villages of Keiskammahoek and Braunschweig in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, about 35km north of King William’s Town. The excavation required the initial removal of a granite slab placed over the grave, on top of which stood a memorial plinth crowned by a sculptured bust of an African man. An inscription on the monument reads: “In Memory of Paramount…

JSE set for strong end to bad year EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za THE POSITIVE news about Covid-19 vaccines has sent stock markets to new highs in the final months of 2020 from already elevated levels – the pace and efficacy of the global vaccine roll-out will be a major market moving factor next year. Old Mutual Wealth Investment said the JSE followed suite, recovering strongly with the FTSE/ JSE All Share Index returned 10.5 percent from -4.7 percent the previous month. The surge pushed its 2020 return into positive territory at 2.6 percent. The JSE Top 40 returned strong returns of 10.4 percent in November, from -4.6 percent in the previous month in rand terms. However, there were differences between the three main sectors. Industrials returned 8 percent in November, lagging…

BIZ 101 Keeping in touch in the times of Covid-19 BEN BIERMAN WHILE Covid-19 has forever changed the business landscape, building and sustaining strong relationships remains a key component of success for startups and small businesses new to a specific market or industry. Normal routes such as meetings and networking that were used to nurture these relationships have all but vanished. It is therefore vital to create new channels to share business know-how and increase profiles. Here are some tips to navigate the new normal: Interactions Relationships take time to develop and are built on genuine interest and mutual benefit. The key is regular contact. But the interactions do not have to be monotonous, they can vary from a call to say thank you, to introducing a useful contact, sending…

MUSIC MTV Africa Awards nominees revealed ENTERTAINMENT WRITER MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 (MAMA) has revealed Africa’s top acts with first nominees list. Talented African musicians included Burna Boy, Busiswa, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, Innoss’B, Kabza De Small, John Blaq, Master KG, Suspect 95, Sheebah, Soraia Ramos, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade and WizKid – who were each nominated for two awards. São Tomé and Príncipe’s Calema leads the pack with three nominations for Artist of the Year, Best Group and Best Lusophone Act. In the Best Male category, Nigerians Burna Boy, Rema and Fireboy DML will face off against South African musos Kabza De Small and Master KG, as well as Tanzanian artist Harmonize, and Innoss’B from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The highly contested Best Female category features fierce…

MOTORSPORT Hamilton still feeling effects of infection SEVEN-TIMES world champion Lewis Hamilton said he was still feeling the after-effects of Covid-19 after qualifying third for Formula One's Abu Dhabi season-ender but vowed to give his all in Sunday’s race. The 35-year-old Mercedes driver has returned after testing positive for the new coronavirus and missing the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain last weekend. He has tested negative repeatedly this week. The Briton did not want to go into medical detail but said the virus had to be taken seriously and he felt for all those who had suffered from it or were mourning lost loved ones. "I am not 100%, I still have some feeling within my lungs," he said. "Normally, I would drive even if one of my arms was…

TV GUIDE SUNDAY 13 DECEMBER Boxing: WBC Bantamweight Title: Nordine Oubaali v Nonito Donaire (12 Rounds), 4am, VR1, SSM Cricket: ANZ Bank Test Series: New Zealand v West Indies, Second Test, Day 4, 11.30pm, GSD, CRI; Big Bash Twenty20: Adelaide Strikers v Hobart Hurricanes, 5.10am, CRI; Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades, 10.10am, CRI Golf: European Tour: DP World Tour Championship, Day 4, 8.30am, GOL, GSD; LPGA Tour: US Women’s Open, Day 4, 6pm, GOL; PGA Tour: QBE Shootout, Day 3, 7pm, GOL, GSD (7.15pm) Motorsport: Formula 1: Sunday Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi, 1.30pm, MSP; Grand Prix, Main Race, 3.05pm, GSD, MSP; Chequered Flag, Abu Dhabi, 5pm, MSP Rugby: The Final Whistle, 4pm, RUG; Heineken Champions Cup: Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors, 5.10pm, GSD, RUG (5.10pm); Munster Rugby v Harlequins, 7.25pm,…

RUGBY Rugby in dire straits without fans MARK KEOHANE COMMON sense has to prevail when it comes to getting rugby fans back into the stadiums – and the government authorities have to support the South African Rugby Union’s proposed plans to accommodate spectators at matches. More people frequent shopping malls every day in every suburb in the country. The flow of people at shopping malls, which totals thousands, isn’t regulated. The hope is that every individual acts reasonably and responsibly. The hope is that each person is taking every precaution for themselves and also for the next person they may pass. It is the hope but it isn’t the reality because everyone who has walked through the shopping malls will know that social distancing isn’t maintained. However, shopping malls continue…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY “We cannot be nice to everybody, we have to be fair and completely firm and in those circumstances there will be a great deal of kick back, because people generally don’t like to be spoken to in a straightforward manner. We have come into the habit of courtesy, false courtesy sometimes, and being nice to everybody...I’m afraid to admit I have not been made that way.” We can all do with a little Zak Yacoob in our lives. The former constitutional court justice and his interim board, have shaken up Cricket SA and rightly so. A bureaucratic inertia had set in at CSA - along much else. That organisation needed this. There’s no need to be nice. Imagine we could…

TRIBUNAL Deliberations on Hlope’s conduct, remarks DON MAKATILE don.makatile@inl.co.za AFTER a week-long deliberation it would appear the 12-year-old case against Judge John Hlophe will finally be brought to a close by the Judicial Conduct Tribunal that was set up in 2013 to probe the matter. Held over five days last week at the Premier Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, east of Joburg, the tribunal conducted hearings on the complaint lodged by Justices of the Constitutional Court against Hlophe, President of Western Cape Division of the High Court. On Friday, parties on both sides of the matter made their closing arguments at the tribunal. Judge President Hlophe faces a charge of gross misconduct after he’d met with two Judges of the Constitutional Court – Justice Chris Jafta and…

LITIGATION Police boss to face court Suspended crime intelligence officers to challenge national police commissioner Sitole BULELWA PAYI SUSPENDED crime intelligence top brass are headed to court to challenge the National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole. A reliable source has told our sister publication, the Weekend Argus, that the six officers in the crime intelligence division were expected to mount a high court action against Sitole. This followed Sitole’s suspension of crime intelligence head Peter Jacobs. Major-General Josias Lekalakala, Brigadier Deon Lombard, and Colonels Waljee, Gopal, and Matamela, in defiance of a directive from Minister Bheki Cele. The source said he feared Sitole might come out “seriously bruised” from the court challenge as there was no merit in his action and it lacked any legal standing. “In terms of SAPS…

COMMENT The sanctity of naming places VUYISILE MSILA TWO years ago, I was in the middle of Mgugundlovu looking for a certain building. I accosted a young man in a busy street and asked if he could show me Jabu Ndlovu Street. He panted as he gave his answer, smiling foolishly: “I am sorry, what is the old name of that street?” as I stupidly looked at him he disappeared in a sleazy corner not bothering to look back. A similar thing happened in my workplace in Tshwane, I informed a colleague that our rendezvous would be Francis Baard Street downtown. He was perplexed as he blurted out proudly: “Please, which street is that? Use the old street names, I don’t think I will be able to keep the new ones.”…

PLETT RAGE Festival repeal blow to economy SAM SPILLER AN ECONOMIC fallout on the Garden Route is feared following the cancellation of the Plett Rage music festival. An annual calendar event for school-leaving matrics and party lovers, Plett Rage was scheduled to take place from January 29 to February 6, 2021. But following the Rage event in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, last month, later classified as a superspreader event which resulted in a surge in Covid-19 infections, the writing was on the wall for the event on the Garden Route, a region already declared as a Covid-19 hot spot. Plett Rage 2020 was officially cancelled on Wednesday after organisers received a request from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to do so. Professor Burtram Fielding, head of research and development at UWC,…

BOOK Hearing female Struggle voices DON MAKATILE don.makatile@inl.co.za BY DINT of their gender and race, black women are predisposed to be victimised twice by any scourge afflicting society. Political systems designed to dehumanise their foes take the cake in the effrontery stakes. This is how black women were brutalised by apartheid if you read the harrowing stories of those in this book – Women In Solitary: Inside the Female Resistance to Apartheid, by Shanthini Naidoo – or those who did not make the pages of the book, who were once jailed by the erstwhile racist regime. It pleased the jailers no end – dehumanising themselves in the process – to deny the prisoners their human rights. If they had it hard outside the prison walls, which is well documented, the tales…

GBV Bringing comfort at a time of trauma STAFF REPORTER THE National Prosecuting Authority’s Thuthuzela Care Centres are one-stop facilities that bring health, justice and civil society together to provide effective and supportive care to victims of sexual violence. The Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, which opened in 2003, was one of first to be established to help victims of sexual offences and gender-based violence (GBV). It was launched in honour of Nthabiseng Lorraine Khumalo, who was gang-raped and killed in 1994. The Soweto-based facility is also one of the busiest in the country, with more than 1 161 rape victims admitted each year. This translates to roughly 100 victims a month, almost half of them children under 18. According to the Police Crime report,…

GLOBAL WARMING Declare states of climate emergency – UN chief World leaders should declare states of “climate emergency” in their countries to spur action to avoid catastrophic global warming, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said in opening remarks to a climate summit yesterday. More than 70 world leaders were due to address the one-day virtual gathering aimed at building momentum for much steepercuts in planet-warming emissions on the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Paris climate accord. “Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?" Guterres said via video. “That is why today, I call on all leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached.” Guterres said economic recovery packages launched in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic represented an…

Journalist accused of dissidence hanged TEHRAN: An Iranian journalist accused of fanning unrest during the 2017-18 nationwide protests, was executed yesterday after the Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against him. According to a BBC report, Ruhollah Zam, who ran the anti-government Amadnews website, was hanged. The Iranian government has accused the news portal of inciting the 2017-18 unrest after it shared videos of protests and damaging information about officials. The BBC said the journalist, who was living in exile in France, was reportedly detained while travelling to Iraq last year. Details of his arrest however remain unclear. According to Amadnews, Zam’s closed-door trial began in February and ended in May. IANS…

SPORTS Break-dancers amped for Paris Games hope AMBER COURT CAPE Town B-boys and B-girls are ready to bust a move in order to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, following an announcement the popular dance form, break-dancing will have a showing. The decision to include break-dancing was confirmed by the International Olympic Committee earlier this week. SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) acting chief executive Ravi Govender said they were “extremely pleased and excited” about the announcement. “It is a vibrant sport and debuted at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. It appeals and occupies our youth in our areas even at a non-competition level. We look forward to qualifying our break-dancing athletes to these games,” he said. B-girl Lakeisha Dick, 14, of Ocean View, who…

AFRICA THIS WEEK GHANA’S MAHAMA CAN ILL AFFORD TO PLAY SORE LOSER VICTOR KGOMOESWANA @VictorAfrica POLITICIANS ought to stop alleging fraud when they lose elections. It doesn’t look good, especially when the one screaming “we wuz robbed” benefitted from and then presided over the dispensation they condemn. This is self-indictment because, when he was in charge, the complainant would have done nothing to correct the flaws he decries. One of my favourite African former heads of state fell into the trap last week, and the “we wuz robbed” tag looks nasty on him. John Dramani Mahama ranks highly among my list of dignified African statesmen, but his rejection of the results of the Monday elections blots his record He tweeted “We'll resist any attempts to subvert the will of the…

REAL NUMBERS The legends of Covid-10 and technology PALI LEHOHLA COVID-19 should raise critical questions on the viability of real estate as a key driver of agglomerations. But can the pandemic and technology drive society towards flattening the concentration of riches and paving the way to a more equitable society? They have redefined working patterns with most people working from home. When we embarked on building a home for statistics in South Africa as early as 2007, the question of working from home was always in our minds. When we decided on the construction of ISibalo House in 2014, with lettable space of 50 000 m², the notion had not disappeared. After all, real estate has been a prime expression of urbanisation in the 21st century. Sandton is the most…

TV HIGHLIGHTS MARIAH CAREY’S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL APPLE TV + Faced with a holiday cheer crisis, the North Pole knows only one person who can save the day: Santa’s great friend, Mariah Carey. Combining musical performances, dynamic dancing and groundbreaking animation, the undisputed Queen of Christmas jumps into action to create a holiday spectacular to make the whole world merry. HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD SHOWDOWN 2 SATURDAYS, 5PM, FOOD NETWORK (DSTV 175) The best gingerbread artists in the US must create the most incredible and edible gingerbread masterpieces. The winner of each episode advances to the grand finale where they will square off in the ultimate showdown.…

STARS TANYA OBREZA Aries (March 21 - April 20) This week becomes frenzied – a time when no one knows what everyone else is up to, or why. But this is pretty much the case when you pitch a group of power planets up against solar eclipse emotions. Trying to enlist help is a waste of time; you’ll get better sense out of children. Do what you do best, and take charge. Taurus (April 21 - May 20) It’s one of those times when you feel like disconnecting your devices and leaving the door locked. But your reclusive behaviour shouldn’t be mistaken for the blues. It’s more a case of needing some time out for contemplation before the festive rush. With luck, everyone will respect that. By week’s end a…

BOOK REVIEW SA’s tales of sport triumph and tribulation MIKE GREENAWAY THEY MADE HEADLINES Don Nelson Publishers R249.95 THIS compelling collection of stories of South Africa’s biggest sporting headliners is based on a book of the same name, published in 1972, and while a handful of the original stories from that book reappear, it has been refreshed by more recent tales of triumph and tragedy. And the tales from yesteryear certainly warrant resuscitation for a fresh audience because South Africa has a rich sporting history that deserves to live on. For example, how many South Africans know that a 12-year-old from Kimberley broke the world record for the women’s 100m backstroke while competing in a youth championship in England in 1965? Karen Muir was in primary school at the time…

SOCCER Villa sink Wolves with late penalty ASTON Villa snatched a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday after substitute Anwar El Ghazi drilled in a stoppage-time penalty as both sides finished the game with 10 men. Villa had Douglas Luiz sent off in the 85th minute and Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho was dismissed shortly after the visitors scored against the run of play to register their fourth away win of the season. The result lifted Villa up to eighth on 18 points from 10 games while Wolves, again sorely missing injured striker Raul Jimenez, stayed 11th on 17 points from 12 games. El Ghazi said he felt relaxed about taking the penalty. “I practise penalties a lot, even if I am not playing,” the Dutch…

The Brief XI DISAPPOINTS AS LEADERS MAKE MODEST PLEDGES World leaders and corporate bosses are setting out what they will do to slow global warming -- from emissions cuts to measures to force financial disclosure. So far, it’s been incremental measures only, and China disappointed. That doesn’t bode well for the next round of climate talks next year in Glasgow, Scotland. The summit was seen as an opportunity to build momentum into 2021 when incoming U.S. President Joe Biden plans to rejoin the Paris deal and set a net-zero goal. Bloomberg…

AVIATION New SA airline takes off SAM SPILLER IT’S take-off for South Africa’s new passenger airline as flying conditions are great but demand is low. On Thursday, budget airline Lift made its debut with inaugural flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg, launching at a time when passenger numbers are still recovering following months of lockdown. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) estimates that local air travel will be down by 55% between this month and the next, with no end in sight for normal levels to return. “Based on various industry analysis performed by organisations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it is expected passenger numbers will only reach the pre-Covid-19 levels in about four years’ time,” said SACAA spokesperson Kabelo Ledwaba. In the first eight months…

MATRIC Unions vindicated by exams rewrite ruling MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za THE judgement by Judge Norman Davis has saved thousands of learners from a grave injustice that “would live with learners for the rest of their lives.” This is according to the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) following the decision by the Pretoria High Court to set aside the rewriting of two matric exams. On Friday, Judge Davis ruled that the decision by the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for matrics to rewrite two leaked exam papers was irregular, unlawful, must be reviewed and set aside. Following the announcement by Motshekga that maths paper 2 and physical science paper 2 would be rewritten, Sadtu and AfriForum approached the court and challenged her decision. But for the 20-year-old Ofentse Magoleo, Motshekga’s…

Abuser torments family ROLAND MPOFU *RUTH Molefe’s nightmare began in September when she received a text message from an anonymous person alleging that her boyfriend had sexually abused her 4-year-old son and her 8-year-old daughter. She was also told that he preyed on the children when she was at work. When Molefe asked her daughter, her worst fears were confirmed. “Sobbing, she told me he abused her and also threatened to kill her if she told me about the abuse.” Molefe decided to confront her boyfriend, but he denied everything. The mother of three decided to report the matter to the police. When her daughter was examined, it was clear that she had been molested, and the man was then arrested for rape. After the arrest, her life became a…

OPINION Slip-up on International Corruption Day FUTHI MTOBA THE new Auditor-General (AG) of South Africa, Tsakani Maluleke, certainly did not plan to mark her first two weeks in office by flagging irregularities and possible corruption in Covid-19 relief funds. Still, as (AG) her first major media briefing inauspiciously coincided with the International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday – a day before the marking of the International Human Rights Day on Thursday – and was about precisely that. The two days form part of what the UN describes as efforts to “educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilise political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity.” In recognition of the governance challenges posed by the pandemic, the UN has called on the…

OPINION Democracy without institutions, is anarchy SELLO MOKOENA AS THE world remembers the monumental political global moral compass of the late president Nelson Mandela for his values – care, service to others and the ability to forgive in the quest to build a better world – it is essential to reflect on the legacy of this great politician. It offers timeless leadership lessons which point to the need to have positive political models to avoid the promotion of narrow individualism in lieu of the desirable collectivism, which has the potential to nourish the promotion of the rule of law and democratic practices. Thus in order to create a better continent, we need leaders imbued with a new set of values and thinking. The work of an American professor and activist,…

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. GBV is a violation of human rights THE UN-led 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children has fallen on deaf ears, as the slaughter of our women and children continues unabated. The umbrage felt by the world is staggering. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious violation of human rights and a life-threatening health and protection issue. It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. During 2017, 87 000 women were murdered all over the world. In South Africa a woman is murdered every three hours and many are assaulted and raped before their death. These mindless acts have…

The People Princess Eugenie and husband move out of Frogmore cottage LONDON: Britain’s Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have reportedly moved out of Frogmore Cottage. The couple, who are expecting their first child together, moved into the five-bedroom home in Windsor last month after agreeing to a private deal with the former tenants Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan but it has been claimed that they are already back at their old home in Kensington Palace, London. A source told The Sun newspaper: “It is empty again. Why does no one want to live in Frogmore Cottage?” It was previously revealed that Harry and Meghan, who now live in California, recently had their personal items collected from the cottage so that Eugenie, 30, and her 34-year-old husband could move…

US ELECTIONS ‘Supreme Court let us down’ says Trump US PRESIDENT Donald Trump expressed disappointment yesterday at the US Supreme Court’s refusal to challenge presidential vote results in the states of Wisconsin, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan over alleged electoral fraud under a lawsuit filed by Texas. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the suit on Thursday, asking the Supreme Court to invalidate the vote results in the four key swing states, where Trump lost to Joe Biden, and accusing the local authorities of having taken advantage of Covid-19 to amend the electoral law. The court dismissed the suit on Friday over jurisdiction specificity. “The Supreme Court really let us down. No Wisdom, No Courage!” Trump said on Twitter. Biden campaign spokesperson Mike Gwin said the court’s decision did not come…

MOVIE Teen’s film to hit SA big screens MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za MZANSI’S movie lovers! Brace yourselves for the KwaZulu-to-Jozi movie on your screens. The movie, filmed by 15-year-old Sbongakonke Cele, is expected to hit the screens in February 2021. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, the debutante Sbongakonke promised that fans will not regret spending their time watching her playing seven characters. “People don’t believe me when I tell them I will be playing seven characters. Just like Lasizwe who played similar characters to me. “I will be the mother, father and a child,” said Sbongakonke. She said the film is about a young man who relocates from KwaZulu-Natal after his parents have passed on, to make a life in Gauteng. His life later changes after he realises that he can…

FESTIVAL Mdu excited about stage return AMANDA MALIBA KWAITO legend Mdu Masilela, pictured, will be among several artists who will take to the stage at Middelburg’s Ultimate Party on Wednesday. The one-day festival to celebrate the Day of Reconciliation boasts some of the most popular musicians in the country such as Prince Kay-bee, Busiswa, Kwesta, Mafikizolo, Lerato Kganyago, Mo Flava, Masilela, Brenden Praise and Scorpion Kings. Although the star has taken a completely different career path, now focusing on business consultancy, where he helps organisations improve their performance and efficiency while also helping SMMEs meet their goals, hitting the stage once again is a huge honour for him. “It is always a pleasure and it’s a satisfying feeling being on stage witnessing people gathering for the love of music,” he…

Banking sector remains viable despite Covid-19 bloodbath SANDILE MCHUNU sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za SOUTH African banks posted strong liquidity positions this year despite facing the most challenging year in their operations following the Covid-19 outbreak and the country’s subsequent downgrades as a result of faltering economies. The continent’s largest lender by assets, Standard Bank, this week said it managed to weather the storm but the country’s second wave of infections and ensuing lockdowns in the northern hermisphere were concerning. The bank said while the broader impact of this on the global economy, disruptions to trade and the potential knock-on impact on Africa was unclear, it expected it to be milder than that seen in the second quarter of 2020. Standard Bank pointed to its strong capital and liquidity levels to absorb the economic…

BEST OF THE BEST LOCAL 5 biggest Mzansi music stars of 2020 LIAM KARABO JOYCE Instagram THERE is no denying that South Africa has some of the best musicians the world has to offer. Travel anywhere in the world and you are bound to hear a South African song somewhere. From golden oldies by Miriam Makeba to new genres like amapiano and gqom – the world can’t get enough of our music. South African musicians have been aggressively making their mark abroad for years and it’s no surprise our music is embraced. Here is our list of 2020’s biggest South African stars in music: Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode No list of Mzansi’s biggest music stars would be complete without the award-winning duo that gave the world Jerusalema. The hit…

RUGBY Judge us when we’re settled - Dobson WYNONA LOUW wynona.louw@inl.co.za BackpagePix WESTERN Province coach John John Dobson says he’s not going to “slaughter” his side’s attacking display after their 28-14 bonus-point win against the Pumas at Newlands on Friday night. It was Province’s first Currie Cup win this season after losing to the Bulls and the Lions, and with them targeting home semi-final, they are going to have win their three remaining games – against Griquas, the Cheetahs and the Sharks – if they want to keep those dreams alive. While their performance in their third Currie Cup game was far from a complete one, too much criticism would perhaps be unfair seeing as they suffered some major setback before and during the game. Springbok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe…

EPL Sharks out-wrestle Bulls in a pulsating show MIKE GREENAWAY BackpagePix Sharks (14) 32 Bulls (9) 29 THE Sharks have blown the Currie Cup title race wide open in a Jonsson Kings Park cliffhanger that was as dramatic as any of the great games this wonderful competition has seen over the decades. After 83 minutes of breath-taking entertainment, including well-taken tries, controversial yellow cards, great penalty kicking by Morne Steyn and Curwin Bosch, frantic defence, irresistible line-out mauling by the Bulls and gutsy scrumming by the Sharks, it came down to veteran Steyn kicking a penalty to salvage his team a draw. On a ground where Steyn enjoyed his finest moments as a rugby player — scoring all 31 points in the Springboks’ win over the All Blacks in 2009,…