Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, March 7, 2021 i Sunday Independent

MINISTER ‘SIGNED OFF ON DEAL’ SANDF probe a ‘cover-up for graft’ Task team to investigate how the army procured the Covid-19 drug, Interferon for R260 million and defence intelligent matters MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA DOUBTS and aspersions are being cast over the SANDF’s decision this week to set up a three-man task team to investigate corruption within the defence force including how the army bought Covid-19 drug, Heberon Interferon-Alpha-2B, from Cuba for R260 million. The Defence Ministry announced in a statement on Thursday that Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has appointed former spooks – Zola Ngcakani, Billy Masethla and Dr Cassius Lubisi, to “investigate the veracity of allegations” relating to Defence Intelligence and the purchasing of Interferon B from Cuba”. A senior official in the SANDF has alleged that the investigation is…

BUDGET Civil servants shun early retirement SIYABONGA MKHWANAZI siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za THE National Treasury’s plan for public servants to take early retirement in order to reduce the wage bill has failed to gain momentum with few workers taking up the offer. This comes as Parliament yesterday denied claims by the EFF that it planned to retrench thousands of staff members. The national legislature said it was involved in discussions with the Treasury for people to take early retirement. It also denied it wanted to retrench thousands of staff members as it only employs 1 300 people. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said in a written reply to DA MP Mimmy Gondwe only 5 289 public servants had applied for early retirement by the end of December, and 2 964 applications were approved. Gondwe…

HOUSING Neglected families’ ‘prison’ life LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za BHEKIKHAYA MABASO African News Agency (ANA) THE Marlboro Emergency Centre holds 84 units, with families of four to five people sharing space in each unit. The corridors of the emergency community hall feel like that of a prison facility, with several cells lined up. The centre has been home to families who were moved there from informal settlements around Johannesburg. What began as temporary housing for the families back in 2013, has turned to a seven-year stay for them. Children play in the tiny corridors with not enough room to run around. Most of the people living there are unemployed. The hall has eight taps to use for laundry, with two functional toilets, but there’s very little privacy. The units do not…

FORMER ESKOM CHIEF TESTIFIES ON STATE CAPTURE No tears this time as Molefe gets Zondo chuckling DON MAKATILE don.makatile@inl.co.za FORMER Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe was triumphal in his return to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, even succeeding on a few occasions in getting commission chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to chuckle at his jokes. Gone were the much publicised tears of November 2016, when Molefe made mention of former Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela, who found in her damning report that there was “cellphone evidence revealing that Molefe and Ajay Gupta, the eldest of three Gupta brothers, made 58 telephone calls to one another between August 2015 and March 2016”. In the two days – Tuesday and Wednesday – that Molefe was on…

ANNIVERSARY Accelerate progress towards gender equality AMBASSADOR ANA LUISA FAJER and AMBASSOR AURÉLIEN LECHEVALLIER LAST year had a historic significance for gender equality. It marked 25 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security; the 10th anniversary of UN Women; the fifth anniversary of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development; and the 75th anniversary of the UN. On the occasion, 2020 saw the launch of the #GenerationEquality campaign, as a rallying point to “realise women’s rights for an equal future”. The campaign will culminate this year at the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) – an intergenerational and inter-sectional global gathering for gender equality convened by UN Women and co-chaired jointly by the governments of Mexico and…

COMMENT Caster’s bravery admirable as world holds its breath OFENTSE MORWANE OLYMPIC Champion Caster Semenya’s chutzpah to challenge the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to allow her to fully compete again in athletics is not only admirable but indicative of a woman with a heart of a lion. Recent developments that Semenya has launched a final bid and filed an application to the European court of human rights to overturn controversial World Athletics regulation which prevents her from competing internationally in races between 400m and a mile is encouraging and an indication that she is prepared to fight to the bitter end. The decision by the IAAF that requires her to take testosterone-reducing medication has tested her mettle to the latter, but clearly she remains steadfast and unwavering. Undoubtedly,…

HISTORY COMMENT Gqeberha a victory in fight against colonialism VUYISILE MSILA CINDY WAXA GRIEVING after the death of his wife Elizabeth Donkin, Rufane Shaw Donkin, the acting Governor of the Cape Colony, named the present day Gqeberha, Port Elizabeth. The name has stuck since the 1820s. The academic giant Ali Mazrui spoke about the need for intellectuals to move for social transformation as we end the hiatus between knowledge and power. During the present times, the intellectuals grapple with themes such as decolonisation and transformation of society, which are crucial for our well-being and future. In addition, if we think of our communities as communities of knowledge, we should take it as our responsibility to understand our road to total freedom, especially freedom of the mind. The…

SOCCER Keane’s analysis as brutal as his on-field tackles MARK KEOHANE NICK POTTS AFP ROY Keane rocks. Keane was the hard man of Manchester United and he is the hard man of football’s television analysts. The sporting world needs more Roy Keanes. Sports broadcasters love to appoint former players as analysts, but too often the on-field brilliance translates to in-studio boredom. My god, most could play the game, but they haven’t got a clue when it comes to an engaging analysis. Keane is the exception and this week he was my sporting highlight of the English Premier League. His pre-match discussions were more entertaining than the 90 minutes of football that followed. Keane doesn’t suffer a fool and, earlier in the week, it is exactly how he viewed former Liverpool…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za ‘CALL IT BY ITS NAME’ The power of words. A number of variants of Covid-19 have been identified around the world. South African scientists were among the first to raise the flag about the variant – 501Y.V2. Unfortunately that diligence has been a problem. It became the ‘South African variant,’ or as one UK tabloid had it: ‘South African Super Covid’. Travel to SA has been banned around the world and Cricket Australia used it as one of the reasons for not sending their men’s national side for a three-match Test series. Professor Salim Abdool Karim, one of the world’s leading epidemiologists, went on CNN to correct the world’s media. “I should point out that even though the virus in this particular variant was first…

Chiefs top up tank with Petro victory MIHLALI BALEKA SYDNEY MAHLANGU BackpagePix KAIZER CHIEFS (1) (2) Mathoho 29’, Mashiane 79’ PETRO DE LUANDA (0) (0) KAIZER Chiefs ended their eight-game winless streak in all competitions and bagged their first win in the CAF Champions League group stage when they defeated Petro de Luanda 2-0 at the FNB Stadium last night. Chiefs had a turbulent start to their group stage campaign, drawing their first match against Horoya here before being thumped 4-0 by Wydad Casablanca in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, last Sunday. That Ouagadougou footballing lesson was worth it as they showed more vigour last night, despite being without goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune who was on compassionate leave after losing his sister on Thursday. Captain Ramahlwe Mphahlele was also absent after receiving a…

STARS TANYA OBREZA Aries (March 21 - April 20) Get out there and get doing, Aries! This week, do whatever it is that makes you come alive. Take action on your best projects, and trash whatever’s outmoded. If you still feel some self-doubt, don’t. Trust that everything is unfolding in your best interests. Go ahead – follow your heart, and let your light shine. Taurus (April 21 - May 20) The cosmos encourages leaving troublesome friends who bring you down. You also enter a week of deep reflection, where your personal aims and social conscience go under review. There have been a few challenging moments in recent times, but you’ve grown beyond earlier limitations. Taureans are ready to try something new. Gemini (May 21 - June 21) With tress and…

QUICK READ SA DEFIED WHO DIRECTIVE SOUTH Africa jumped the queue to secure 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine – ignoring a directive by the World Health Organisation for all countries to receive the Covax vaccines at the same time. Addressing health experts and the media yesterday, epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim listed South Africa as one of the countries which ignored WHO’s orders, entering into a bilateral agreement with India to secure the vaccine. He said this was a result of massive internal political pressure. | Political Bureau GUPTA PASSPORT WAR RAGES LAST month, Atul Gupta approached the North Gauteng High Court to force the Department of Home Affairs to issue him with a new South African passport. However, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said his department had put…

QUICK READ BEITBRIDGE UPGRADE THE African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has approved an amount of $70 million (about R1 billion) to finance the expansion and upgrade of the Beitbridge border post in Zimbabwe. The bank said this week it had authorised a senior-term loan facility to Zimborders Mauritius Ltd and the issuance of an investment guarantee of $27m supporting the Pembani Remgro infrastructure fund to join other investors in Zimborders Mauritius Ltd. | African News Agency (ANA) DREAM THAI QUARANTINE IN A BID to revive the tourism industry, the government of Thailand has devised a “golf quarantine” programme that allows tourists to spend their two weeks of isolation playing golf at a resort. The Thai cabinet approved golf quarantine in December and has recently released a list of certified resorts which…

QUICK READ Guinea THE authorities in the West African country of Guinea have vaccinated more than 1 000 people against Ebola, which has infected 17 people and claimed eight lives in the latest outbreak. According to a report by CGTN Africa, the World Health Organization said high-risk contacts and front-line health workers were among those vaccinated. The country declared an Ebola outbreak in one of its regions on February 14 when seven people fell ill. The 2014 – 2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak claimed more than 11 300 lives, with more than 28 600 cases recorded. | African News Agency (ANA) South Africa SIX alleged pangolin traffickers, aged between 30 and 43, were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Wednesday. The arrest at…

EDITOR’S CHOICE How to choose the best flour for baking THE WASHINGTON POST and LUTHO PASIYA WHETHER you are a cake, pie or bread baker, choosing the right type of flour can be difficult, especially if you are a first time baker. The type of flour you use greatly influences the success of your baking. The quality of the flour you sift into a bake is crucial. All-purpose flour The jack of all trades, hence the name. This versatile staple is what you’ll be pulling out most times you want to make almost anything: biscuits, cakes, muffins, brownies, and even some breads and pizza dough. Whole-wheat flour It's made from the entire wheat kernel, including the bran (protective outer layer), endosperm (the starchy food for the seed that surrounds it,…

TV’S REALIST IS BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT Denise Zimba is back with a new single and more than OK LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za SHE has spent the last two years entirely out of the limelight, and in the entertainment industry, that’s a very long time. That’s enough time to forget a celebrity existed. However, say her name and people’s faces light up. In fact, a quick search on social media will reveal that South Africans miss seeing her on their television screens and want her back. So much so that many felt she would have been the perfect fit for M-Net’s controversial show, Love Island SA. And they are right, Zimba would have been the perfect fit. The host of Love Island needs personality, they should be able to…

EDITOR’S CHOICE WATCH CBS presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry (Monday, M-Net at 7.30pm). It’s the interview of the decade. Oprah Winfrey will speak to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in a wide-ranging interview that will span how Meghan’s life changed when she became a high ranking member of the British Royal family, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she and Harry are handling life under intense public pressure. LISTEN K by Kelly Rowland Kelly Rowland is back with her first body of work since 2013’s Talk a Good Game. K is a six-track EP released two weeks ago and sees Kelly experiment with various genres. From Afrobeats (Hitman, Black Magic) to dance (Crazy) and the ballads (Flowers, Better and Speed of Love). Also check out her YouTube for the artistic…

QUICK READ STAY Batavia Boutique Hotel, Stellenbosch The 5-star-hotel is situated in the heart of the historic town of Stellenbosch, close to wine farms, restaurants and art and craft shops. The classical 19th-century guesthouse offers all the modern conveniences and is perfect for those seeking privacy and comfort. Nearby attractions include the Stellenbosch Museum and The Red Teapot Gallery. Rates start from R1 500 per room per night with breakfast. See www.batavia-stellenbosch.co.za ADVENTURE KwaXolo Caves Adventures in Margate is a fun-filled day outing for the adventurous. Once open-rock shelters for indigenous San communities, the history in the rock paintings is evident today. Visitors, attached by two safety lines on a fixed cable, will experience some of the most stunning views as they hike towards KwaXolo Caves. The experience costs R150.…

QUICK READ FACEBOOK INFORMATION REGULATOR UNHAPPY WITH FACEBOOK The South African Information Regulator has issued a strong warning to Facebook over WhatsApp policy changes. The regulator has called for Facebook to consult with the regulator on matters related to user data. The IR has also raised a central concern that citizens of the EU will receive significantly higher privacy protection than people in South Africa and Africa. BROADBAND AFRICA BROADBAND PRICE IS DECLINING, SAYS REPORT According to the latest data on broadband pricing from the Alliance for Affordable Internet – a Web Foundation initiative – broadband costs are still highest in Africa, however, the continent has seen the most improvement of any region, with the average cost of 1GB dropping by a third since 2018, now at 5.7% of average…

POWER UTILITY Eskom trampling our rights - contractor KARABO NGOEPE karabo.ngoepe@inl.co.za WITH Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter being called to account for the allegations of purging black suppliers and undermining the role of black managers, the contractor at the centre of the storm – Econ Oil – says it still has not been contacted by the power utility. Econ Oil’s Nothemba Mlonzi told the Sunday Independent that her company had still not been called to make representations or told of the status of its R5.2 billion fuel supply contract. The company and Eskom are at loggerheads over the cancellation of the contract. A forensic investigation conducted on behalf of the power utility recommended “the immediate suspension and ultimate de-registration of Econ Oil from the Eskom Vendor Database”. But the recommendation…

ACTIVIST Comrade Dick Ralushai passes away, aged 71 IN A STATEMENT issued on behalf of the ANC’s Limpopo provincial executive committee on Friday, Dick Ralushai, affectionately known as Comrade Dick, was described as “a soft-spoken yet decisive leader committed to the values and traditions of the ANC which he had served for more than four decades”. Ralushai was born on July 7, 1950 at Tshififi village an only child and was involved in many organisations fighting for the liberation of the black people. He died, aged 71. He never finished his studies at the University of Zululand due to his political activism and participation in the activities of the South African Student Organisation (Saso). He worked for Barclays Bank in Sibasa, and did freelance writing for publications as The Transvaal…

LAND INVASIONS City seeks to address housing backlog ROLAND MPOFU roland.mpofu@inl.co.za THE surge in the rate of land invasions in and around the City of Joburg has prompted the council to approve the submissions of the serviced stands draft policy, which seeks to address the housing backlog by providing home-seekers with serviced stands. The City conceded it was facing land invasions from various regions and some of those seeking land could afford to build their own homes and not rely on the state for housing. Deputy communication director of the member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for housing Neo Goba said the City had last week approved the policy to allow people to build their own homes. He said these serviced stands would be provided as an option for non-qualifiers…

Sama won’t procure vaccines yet ROLAND MPOFU roland.mpofu@inl.co.za THE South African Medical Association (Sama) says it is not going to purchase any Covid-19 vaccines at this stage as these vaccines have not yet been approved and registered by the national regulatory authority. Sama board chairperson, Dr Angelique Coetzee was reacting to the announcement of the recent development by AfriForum and Solidarity that the government had admitted under oath in its court documents that there is no legal restriction on the private sector to purchase Covid-19 vaccines. The two civil-rights organisations threatened legal action against the government to declare unconstitutional any legal exclusion of the private sector regarding the purchase of vaccines. Coetzee said: “From the Sama side in the private sector we are not going to procure any vaccine at…

MANGAUNG Prison violence on the rise EDWIN NAIDU edwin.naidu@live.co.za WHILE the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) remains ambivalent about the extent of violence under its watch, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (Jics), which champions the rights of inmates, said it was concerned about the escalation in the use of force at the privately run Mangaung facility in Bloemfontein. Jics spokesperson Emerantia Cupido said the level of violence was of great concern and the Independent Correctional Centre Visitor stationed at Mangaung had reported that there were 178 incidents of use of force at the correctional centre between July 2019 until February 2021. “Violence at Mangaung is not only limited to incidents of use of force,” Cupido said. She said the inspectorate, led by Inspecting Judge Edwin Cameron, was concerned about…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA A LOT HAS CHANGED IN A YEAR Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.J.M. BARRIEScottish novelist (1860-1937) Nearly every aspect of life today is dramatically different from what it was a year ago. The pandemic has upended life as we knew it: activities like crowded sports events and packed concerts are a fond memory; face masks and physical distancing have become the norm. From better eating habits to more time outdoors, the pandemic has brought significant lifestyle change. See IOL…

CRICKET New captains offer Proteas clarity STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za SCHALK VAN ZUYDAM AP LEON LESTRADE African News Agency (ANA) DEAN Elgar and Temba Bavuma have only been captains for a few days, haven’t flipped a coin or fronted a team photo, but already they’re offering the Proteas men’s team some direction. Their appointments have been thought through, talked over, their personalities analysed and the reasons for them being named Test and limited overs captain respectively, show clarity. It has been a long and difficult time for the Proteas. Since the end of the 2019 World Cup the national men’s team – still the biggest money making entity in South African cricket – has been in a state of flux. “It hasn’t,” Elgar diplomatically put it, “been an ideal situation in…

TV GUIDE TODAY Cricket: ANZ Bank Women’s T20 International: New Zealand v England, Third T20, 12.50am, CRI; ANZ Bank Twenty20 International: New Zealand v Australia, Fifth T20, 4.30am, VR1; CSA 4Day Domestic Series: Momentum Multiply Titans v VKB Knights, Day 1, 9.45am, CRI; Pakistan Super League: Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, 10.50am, ACT; Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, 3.50pm, ACT; T20 Series: Windies v Sri Lanka, Third T20, 11.45pm, CRI Cycling: Paris-Nice, Stage 1, 4.10pm, VR1, SSM Golf: Sunshine Tour: Kit Kat Group ProAm, Day 4, 12 noon, GOL; PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Day 4, 7.30pm, GOL; LPGA Tour: LPGA Drive On Championship at Golden Ocala presented by JTBC, Day 4, 9.30pm, ACT Hockey: FIH Pro Women’s League: Netherlands v Germany, Match 2, 3pm, VR2; FIH…

Sundowns strike it ’Lakay’ in Lubumbashi HERMAN GIBBS MAMELODI Sundowns roared a championship challenge with a dramatic 2-1 victory over five-time CAF Champions League winners TP Mazembe in the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday. Just when it seemed that hosts Mazembe had done enough to secure a share of the spoils in Lubumbashi, Sundowns' lethal dead-ball specialist Lyle Lakay scored from a free kick that dipped in just below the crossbar. The match-winning fightback emphasised Sundowns claims as champions in the making. Sundowns have three wins from as many games in the Champions League Group B competition. Sundowns' Ugandan goalkeeper Denis Onyango was the busiest of the two shot-stoppers. He smothered a long-range shot from Mazembe defender Chico Ushindi in the 13th minute. Cameroonian referee Sidi Alioum allowed for a…

ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE ‘The future is female, so are the job losses’ #ChoosetoChallenge The global theme for International Women’s Day is #ChoosetoChallenge. Across Africa, the world, and in South Africa, gender and women activists and groups are organising activities to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness, influence behaviour, smash stereotypes and challenging biases, and lobby and advocate for change. A 2019 report by the World Economic Forum estimated that at the current rate of change in the world, it will be another 257 years before women achieve equal pay for equal work. Over two and a half centuries! In the era of the Covid-19, women also disproportionately bear the burden of care work, even more so than in “normal” times. In a January edition, Forbes news led with the headline: “The…

COMMENT TRIBUTE Love her or hate her, Brown kept it real to the end GASANT ABARDER ANA Archives WHEN I first met Karima Brown, I was a wet-behind-the-ears intern journalist, a 19-year-old working for The Star newspaper in Johannesburg in 1997. My housemates and I had been invited to a braai and even though I only knew a few of the folks, you don’t say no to a free lunch when you’re living off an intern’s salary. I remember being introduced to Karima, who lived in a much nicer part of Yeoville, just up the road from the modest apartment I shared with my fellow journo interns. By then she was already a big name and I thought she would be aloof. She was, however, anything but, and I’ll never forget…

MARITIME SA ‘s role in a ‘global commons’ security order FRANCIS KORNEGAY, JR The Conversation WITH US President Joe Biden’s Earth summit approaching next month, there is renewed momentum towards the global community coming to terms with the accelerating climate crisis. Climate change, interrelated with the Covid-19 pandemic, may provide new openings for African leadership in securing its share of the global commons. There is little time to waste. As Africa’s only tri-coastal maritime nation, sitting astride the Cape Sea route, it is up to South Africa to lead the way in propelling Africa toward a continental-maritime global commons security strategy in defence of its on-land and sea domains while promoting a peace and co-operation regime mediating rival extra-African geo-political agendas. Whether South Africa’s leaders, preoccupied as they are on…

WHEN FOOD IS COMFORTING An ode to funeral food BUHLE MBONAMBI MALWANDLA Lifestyle Events Instagram Meals with Mash Instagram I RECENTLY buried my father. It was an emotional day, one of the worst I’ve ever experienced. I spent the service going between my siblings, comforting them and making sure they had tissues and hankies to wipe their tears. I smothered them with hugs, made them drink water and told them everything is going to be okay. It was all a lie. Nothing was okay with what we were dealing with. I wasn’t okay. Hidden behind my mask and a huge pair of sunglasses, the tears were rolling down. I wept, silently, while I comforted them. As the service continued, with various speakers all taking their sweet time, there was…

EDITOR’S CHOICE The shows we love rewatching BUHLE MBONAMBI SCHITT’S CREEK (Netflix) If there’s one show I wish I could watch again, it would be Schitt’s Creek. It’s the show that got us through the first weeks of the lockdown and made us believe in people again, the importance of family and how we all need to work on the relationships that mean the most to us. All this while making us laugh. No wonder it won all those comedy Emmys last year. INSECURE (Showmax) I’m late on the Insecure train and I’m so happy I get to watch it for the first time. But die-hard fans of the show have been going back to watch it from the beginning, especially since it’s ending this year. Another story about the…

FASHION Designs on an American movie with African culture THOBILE MAZIBUKO Quantrell D. Colbert Amazon Studios Quantrell D Colbert/Amazon Studios IT’S not every day that you get contacted by the iconic Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E Carter, asking you to provide costumes for her next project. Carter has worked on Black Panther, Amistad, B*A*P*S, Malcolm X and Lee Daniels’ The Butler and was in 2019 awarded the Career Achievement Award at the Costume Designers Guild Awards. Finding out it’s for the Coming To America sequel is an even bigger deal. We are certain that MaXhosa Africa designer Laduma Ngxokolo still can’t believe that it happened. Now for the uninitiated, let us explain why this is important. Coming To America is a cult classic film that not only is rip-roaringly…

EDITOR’S CHOICE SAND KICKED IN EYES OF ‘LOVE ISLAND SA’ IF YOU’RE looking to watch Love Island SA after it airs, then you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Making an enquiry on Twitter on Wednesday, a DStv customer @ AnneDoli asked when the episodes would appear on Catch Up. This follows the online reaction to the dating reality TV show. She said: “Guys, I really want to see the bad production of Love Island SA myself, but the only thing on Catch-Up is the trailer. @DStv when will the episodes be loaded?” The DStv Care account addressed her query, stating that the episodes had been removed and would be re-uploaded at a later date, as per a request from M-Net. IOL Entertainment has reached out to DStv to find…

EDITOR’S CHOICE What we can learn from female business owners BEN BIERMAN THE number of women-owned businesses in South Africa is on the rise. A new SME South Africa survey showed that 47 percent of South African small and medium enterprises are led by women. This is encouraging for the economy, considering that women possess a set of skills and attributes that are invaluable to business. While Covid-19 has presented a multitude of challenges, women have been found to be reliable in maintaining good credit with lenders, making them a lower statistical risk for business financiers. In light of International Women’s Day celebrated tomorrow it is appropriate to highlight the lessons that can be learnt from female business owners, many of whom have overcome multiple challenges to change their story…

QUICK READ TWITTER BOSS BUYS JAY-Z’S MUSIC STREAMING APP Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO and Founder of Square, has announced that Square will acquire Tidal, the music streaming service owned by music mogul Jay-Z. Square has bought a majority stake in Tidal for the equivalent of $297 million in cash and stock. Dorsey explained the deal as a bid to find “new ways” for artists to get paid. He believes the success Square has had with sellers and the Cash App can translate to the music industry. HUAWEI ELECTRIC CAR MAY BE COMING THIS YEAR Chinese tech giant Huawei plans to make electric vehicles under its own brand and could launch some models this year, four sources said, as the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, battered by US sanctions, explores a…

IT’S TIME MEN ALSO #CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE FEBE POTGIETER OUPA MOKOENA African News Agency (ANA) INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day was born out of the struggles of working women for equal pay, for equal work, and for full social, economic and political rights. It was first celebrated in 1911, a centenary ago, and the issues women struggled for – equal work for equal pay, the need to recognise women’s rights as human rights – are as relevant today as then. The celebrations of International Women’s Day each year acknowledge achievements made and the challenges still remaining towards a truly inclusive, equal and non-sexist society and world. Women in the overwhelming majority of the world’s countries have gained the vote, which the early suffragettes fought for. In many parts of the world,…

COURTS Steinhoff: justice in the offing? SANDILE MCHUNU sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za THIS WEEK’S startling decision by German prosecutors to charge Steinhoff International executives responsible for the near collapse of the multinational retailer has raised hopes that the wheels of justice are finally turning. The German authorities announced on Thursday that three former Steinhoff executives and an outsider would be charged for balance sheet manipulation of more than €2.3 billion between July 2011 and January 2015. However, the authorities have refused to identify the individuals but former Steinhoff chief executive Markus Jooste’s name has been bandied about as one of the individuals who will face the charges. Alarm bells were first raised in 2015 when the German authorities raided the offices of one of Steinhoff’s subsidiaries prior to the retailer’s listing on the…

CONQUERING Women climbing to great heights in nature conservation NATHAN ADAMS nathan.adams@inl.co.za OWNING and operating a business that is focused on nature conservation is no walk in the park and for Thandeka Mayiji-Rafu it means climbing steep mountains. Born and raised in Joburg, but with her familial roots in Willowvale in the Eastern Cape, today Mayiji-Rafu owns Likhonalethu Projects and works with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) a global environmental group based in the US. Mayiji-Rafu leads teams of mostly women who clear alien vegetation in the Western Cape. With experience working as a contractor for SA National Parks (SANParks), CapeNature and the City of Cape Town, Mayiji-Rafu said it wasn’t a straightforward path to conservation management for her. “I started out working in a hotel and then studied social work…

FOR THE RECORD IN OUR story headlined: “Social media pressure blamed for court ruling on the use of ivermectin to treat Covid-19”, by Manyane Manyane published on February 7, 2021, we misquoted Ivan Kotze, executive director of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa, in two paragraphs. We wrote: “The ivermectin studies that were used by the doctors were not real studies and we can’t rely on them to be effective. These studies need to be scientifically proven. Remember, the pharmacies are businesses and they want to make profit,” Kotze cautioned. In fact, Kotze said: “If there was any merit in the claims that ivermectin has any benefit in the treatment of Covid-19 symptoms, then surely pharmaceutical companies would have registered ivermectin for this purpose. Pharmaceutical companies are invested in the…

HEALTH-CARE WORKERS COMMENDED FOR BRAVERY Sufficient beds to respond to third wave ROLAND MPOFU roland.mpofu@inl.co.za ITUMELENG ENGLISH African News Agency (ANA) THE Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) says it has enough extra beds at existing hospitals to cater for the expected third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the GDoH decommissioned and closed the controversial R250 million Nasrec quarantine and field hospital which was grossly underutilised with empty beds even at the peak of the first and second waves of the pandemic. Responding to why the department decommissioned the Nasrec Field Hospital in the wake of the looming Covid-19 third wave which has been predicted by health experts to start next month or early in May. GDoH spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said it was due to the expansion of…

COMMENT Are court officers lawless or custodians of real justice? KWENA MANAMELA THOUGH law is an interesting career, the realm of law raises several interesting scenarios while the legal profession is under scrutiny. For example, an attorney may today represent the State but tomorrow represent a client against the State. Simply put, a lawyer may represent an accused as much as a complainant. A legal officer takes instructions from an alleged thief, murderer, hijacker, burglar among others and their complainants thereof. As we are introduced to the doctrine of law and the golden rule of innocent until proven guilty, the constitution distinguishes the three organs of state as the executive, legislature and judiciary. Though these organs of state are independent, they are also interdependent. They are like the three legs…

CRICKET Proteas spinner better prepared for India this time THE Proteas Women begin their limited-overs tour of India with the first ODI today in Lucknow. Independent Media’s ZAAHIER ADAMS caught up with impressive young spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba in an exclusive interview ahead of the series. I remember you being very nervous on the last tour to India in 2019. How do you feel now coming back here for the second time with the experience of having played in a T20 World Cup already? Yes, I was very nervous. It was the first time I was playing for my country. It was also my first time away from home. They had good players and there were big crowds. I was so nervous. I am fine this time around because I’ve been…

Root wants England to go back to school ENGLAND captain Joe Root said it would be stupid of his team to look for excuses after their 3-1 Test defeat in India and hoped that the experience would help them be better prepared for their next trip. England arrived in India having defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their away series, and they won the opening Test in Chennai to put their best foot forward to end the domination of Virat Kohli's men at home. But the hosts regrouped and won the next three matches comprehensively to complete their 13th consecutive Test series victory at home. "The guys have to embrace what's happened. They've to understand and they have to be realistic," Root told reporters yesterday after England's defeat by an innings…

CAF boss awaits appeal as Motsepe is put through on presidency goal A DECISION on the appeal against a five-year ban by Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad Ahmad is expected by tomorrow, but the path now looks clear for South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe to replace him. Ahmad was banned last November for corruption, but it was lifted while he appealed to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. They heard his appeal on Tuesday and Wednesday and will deliver their verdict tomorrow, sources have told Reuters, five days before CAF’s presidential election. If the appeal is upheld, Ahmad would likely be allowed to stand for re-election at the CAF Congress in Rabat. But the race to replace him dramatically narrowed on Friday after an agreement brokered by…

QUICK READ Grief IN A garden on a hill, under the wide boughs of a cherry tree, a white phone booth glistens in the spring light. Inside, Kazuyoshi Sasaki dials his late wife Miwako’s cellphone number. He explains how he searched for her for days after the earthquake and tsunami a decade ago. The phone booth was built by Itaru Sasaki, who owns the garden in Otsuchi, a town about 500km north-east of Tokyo, to offer solace after he lost his cousin to cancer. Dubbed “the phone of the wind”, it attracts thousands of visitors who have lost relatives. It inspired the recently released Japanese film Kaze no Denwa (Voices in the Wind). | Reuters India INDIA administered 1.4 million vaccine doses in 24 hours, health ministry data showed on…

QUICK READ LGBTQIA+ CENTRE CLOSURE A NUMBER of international celebrities and influencers, including actor Idris Elba and supermodel Naomi Campbell, have spoken out in support for the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana after authorities raided and closed the office of an advocacy and support group in Accra on February 24. The opening of the centre on January 31 was met with strong opposition from politicians, religious authorities, traditional leaders, and with threats of violence, according to the website Out.com. | African News Agency (ANA) PYRAMID SCHEME WARNING THE Bank of Namibia has instructed Mufhiwa Building Projects to immediately stop its operations in Namibia after investigations revealed the business operates as a pyramid scheme. The bank told the public to stop participating in the scheme. In August, it was reported that the…

THE POLITICS OF HAIR Ultimate guide to understanding your hair THOBILE MAZIBUKO HAIR is a very sensitive subject. Several months ago, we got to see how it could turn into a tangled web of controversy following an insensitive TRESemmé haircare campaign gone wrong. This is where educating oneself is crucial. That's where Janine Jellars comes in. The author has spoken and tweeted extensively about hair. The different hair types and textures and most importantly, the politics around hair. She talks about natural hair and offers a guide on how to take care of it, because let’s be real – while natural hair is beautiful, it can be challenging to maintain. In her 2017 e-book titled The Natural Newbie Guide, the author provided guidelines on how to grow natural hair from…

TOURISM 7 reasons why SA is a desirable pandemic destination CLINTON MOODLEY INTERNATIONAL tourists are heading to South Africa to soak in some sun, sand and sea. Some who work remotely are spending months in the sunny location exploring various parts of the country. South Africa, voted as one of Condé Nast’s 2021 best holiday destinations, offers a host of experiences for guests. Here are seven reasons why we think South Africa is fast gaining popularity as a pandemic destination: The breathtaking and diverse scenery allows for social distancing Whether you are travelling to the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal or ticking the small towns in Western Cape off your bucket list, there are endless landscapes to enjoy. Some scenery takes you off the beaten path and is ideal for those who…