Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, March 28, 2021 i Sunday Independent

POLITICS Ramaphosa goes for broke Cabinet reshuffle on the cards as the president lays the foundation for his re-election campaign MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA, KARABO NGOEPE and MANYANE MANYANE PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is said to be laying the ground for his re-election as ANC president with plans afoot to remove possible contenders from Cabinet. According to insiders, Ramaphosa is mulling a Cabinet reshuffle, and at the centre of it will be ministers that are perceived to be threats to his re-election as party president. The sources said at the top of the list is the removal of Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu. She contested the position during the last elective conference in 2017 and is expected to do it again at the 2022 conference, a move that is not sitting…

PANDEMIC Karim passes baton to Mlisana NATHAN CRAIG nathan.craig@inl.co.za PROFESSOR Salim Abdool Karim who stepped down as co-chair of the ministerial advisory committee on Covid-19 has passed the baton to his long-time friend and colleague Professor Koleka Mlisana. Karim, an infectious diseases epidemiologist, has been at the helm of the MAC since its inception last year. “I always knew that I would not remain on a permanent basis and gave myself a year. The year is up and now I need to shift my focus. I believe the country is in a good place and I am not worried to step back because of the faith I have in the MAC,” he said. Karim said his focus would now be directed back to his passion – solving HIV. “Since joining…

EDUCATION Vast online library to assist students LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za THE cost of textbooks has been a severe problem for parents and bursary schemes, with prices seen to be exorbitant. Now, students can access more than 500 000 course material across various fields at an annual subscription fee of R1 192. This is all thanks to Perlego, an online digital library focusing on delivering academic, professional and non-fiction e-books. Tshepo Ditshego, from TUT Enterprise Holdings (TUTEH), said they had secured the exclusive rights to distribute Perlego. “Perlego is an e-book platform, but because the nature of consumption of books is changing, it works on a subscription basis, so instead of buying individual books, you subscribe to the platform, and you get over 550 000 different books. A lot of these…

LOCKDOWN Experts caution against stricter Covid-19 regulations ROLAND MPOFU roland.mpofu@inl.co.za AWARD-winning independent public health practitioner, Dr Shakira Choonara, has cautioned against the imposition of a stricter lockdown as we approach the Easter holidays, saying it is not necessary because most places have adapted adequately to ensure the implementation of preventative measures. There have been rumours that President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering a stricter lockdown regime of regulations leading up to the Easter holidays, since it is feared many people will ignore Covid-19 regulations by not wearing masks or adhering to social distancing rules. Choonara said it was important for South Africans to take responsibility and be reminded of the virus as many people had let their guard down, with social interaction on the increase under adjusted alert level 1 regulations.…

CONSERVATION World’s first wildlife bond to track rhino populations A BOND designed to raise funds to grow the population of endangered black rhinos in South Africa will be sold by the World Bank this year. The five-year, R670-million security will be the world’s first wildlife conservation bond and the aim is to sell it in the middle of the year. Returns for investors will be determined by the rate of growth of the populations of the animals in two South African reserves, according to the Rhino Impact Investment Project, an initiative started by the Zoological Society of London. If successful, the programme could be expanded to protect black rhino populations in Kenya, as well as other wildlife species such as lions, tigers, gorillas and orangutans, Rhino Impact said. It provides…

COMMENT The Charter and the trend against the liberation movement LEHLOHONOLO KENNEDY MAHLATSI ATHI Nyokana’s article – “A Case for the Abandonment of the Freedom Charter” – published in the Sunday Independent of March 21 – presents an ideological offensive against the liberation movement and it seeks to discredit the Freedom Charter. His attack of the Freedom Charter and the non-racial perspective is baseless. The Africanists never saw anything wrong with the non-racial alliance when its foundation was laid in 1946. In that year, Dr AB Xuma (then president of the ANC) entered into an agreement with Dr Y M Dadoo (then president of the Transvaal Indian Congress) and Dr G M Naicker (president of the Natal Indian Congress) by which the African and Indian congresses would work together on…

RIGHTS Land ownership and human rights are inseparable twins MALESELA MAUBANE THIS year marks 27 years of freedom and democracy, and 20 years of a democratic local government in South Africa, respectively. Against this backdrop, in 2019, the country’s rural population stood at 33.14%, according to the World Bank. Government grants persons in these rural areas Permission to Occupy (PTO) land mostly under the custodianship of traditional leadership. This is not a title deed and does not transfer ownership. In the midst of these, the need to fast track the land reform project which seeks to address the results of land dispossession of the black majority has become urgent. As the country commemorates March as Human Rights Month and recently the 21st as Human Rights Day amid the Covid-19 pandemic,…

SIX NATIONS France on last legs after losing the plot FRANCE were highly fancied to claim their first Six Nations title since 2010 before the championship started yet they ended it physically and mentally drained following a 27-23 loss to Scotland on Friday night. Les Bleus, who have been playing some exciting rugby since Fabien Galthie took over last year, lost the plot in the dying minutes which allowed Scotland to record their first win in Paris since 1999. Six days after a thrilling 32-30 stoppage-time win against Wales, they needed to win by 21 points and a bonus point to deny Wayne Pivac's side the title. They failed to get anywhere near that target after playing their third Test in 14 days, the Scotland clash having been rescheduled after…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za WHAT ARE THESE AWARDS? The Minister of condolences and congratulations (we’re not sure who came up with that, but thank you very very much, it is beautiful) Nathi Mthethwa, was busy again this week. He made sure there were cameras there to capture him being busy with congratulating people. We’re not sure what the ‘Minister’s Recognition of Excellence in Sport’ awards are. Are they Fickle Embellishment’s Beyonce-less awards, but in a pandemic version, where only 50 people are allowed in a room? Are they just an excuse for Nathi to get out of the house mid-week? There was virtually no ‘build up’ and it appears to have taken place in a back room at Emperors Palace.Those invited had to sing the national anthem. It all…

STARS TANYA OBREZA Aries (March 21 - April 20) Whether you’re working in the office or at home, new ideas blaze a fiery trail. At home, your love life is set for a breakthrough. This next week finds many Ariens cosmically charged with a renewed surge of satisfaction. The time’s right to start turning long-standing dreams into reality. Singles may even meet a new love. Taurus (April 21 - May 20) This week you could learn a great deal from someone “in the know”. Be open to the possibility of a partnership that may work to your advantage. Just make sure you’re dealing with above board, ethical people. There are a lot of fraudsters out there. Use your innate ability to get to the truth and don’t be rushed into…

CLIMATE Impediments in the way of a green transition CARLOS LOPES GCIS ANA Archives WHEN it comes to climate change, Africa and Europe have one thing in common: countries in both regions are either signatories or parties to the Paris Agreement, which entered into force in 2016. This is not a trivial matter. It means that the 2017 Abidjan AU-EU Summit climate ambitions were based on a firm and approved framework. The EU, Africa’s main trading partner, has demonstrated its ambition to lead the climate transition with its European Green Deal. Africans should commend these policy goals and emulate them as much as possible, while at the same time warning their Northern partners about the possible negative impact of several Green Deal-related EU legislation on the continent. Countries’ commitments to…

INDIA BRICS and the emergence of the Quad nations SANJAY KAPOOR Asian News International (ANI) A DAY before the first virtual leadership summit this month of the Quadrilateral Group (Quad) of nations comprising the US, Japan, Australia, and India, a tweet from the vice-president of India’s governing BJP party, Subramanian Swamy, brought to the fore grave misgivings that many nationalist Indians have towards a China-centred BRICS. He wanted India to withdraw from BRICS now that Quad, a grouping opposed to Chinese “expansion”, had been created. Swamy’s social media intervention was prompted by the violent stand-off between the armies of India and China that resulted in scores of deaths at the contested border in the cold desert of Ladakh. India had diminished its business deals, banned many of its apps, but…

ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY Concern over expulsion of opposition MPs JONISAYI MAROMO jonisayi.maromo@africannewsagency.com ANA Archives THE US government said it was troubled by the recall of popular Zimbabwean opposition figure Tendai Biti, the MDC-Alliance vice-president and Member of Parliament for Harare East, along with other MPs who were ousted from the Zimbabwean parliament after their party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said they no longer represented it. Last week, Speaker of the National Assembly in Zimbabwe Jacob Mudenda announced the expulsion of Biti and other parliamentarians after he received a letter from Benjamin Rukanda, secretary-general of Biti’s old party, the PDP. The little-known PDP had asked Mudenda to expel Biti and the other parliamentarians who had crossed the floor after joining the Zimbabwean parliament on the PDP…

JOTTING THINGS DOWN 5 apps to make you love writing NOSIPHO NYIDE nosipho.nyide@inl.co.za Nappy.co SOME believe that writing things down can help manage stress, enhance creativity, increase happiness, improve health and increase work performance. As someone who has been using a journal for over a decade, writing has always been the outlet I use to express myself without any kind of judgement or censorship. My go-to method used to be a diary that had a lock on it (cringe), but nowadays I hate writing on paper because my handwriting has changed for the worse. I knew when I discovered journal apps I would never look back. Digital journals grew in popularity during the lockdowns to combat Covid-19 as people needed outlets because it felt like the world was coming to…

EDITOR’S CHOICE Jada tackles red-hot topics ALYSSIA BIRJALAL Red Table Talk host Jada Pinkett Smith will be serving up some interesting conversation around hot topic issues come March 31. New episodes of the award-winning series will be streamed on Facebook Watch. Jada will be joined by her daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, who bring their perspectives to the show to create a safe space for healing through provocative conversations. The show became the talk of the town last year and grabbed the No 1 spot on Facebook Watch after Pinkett Smith spoke to Olivia Jade, the influencer whose parents, actor Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, paid bribes to the University of Southern California to admit her and her sister, and were busted during the college admissions…

BARGAIN STAYS How to snag Easter accommodation for less than R500 CLINTON MOODLEY YOU may be reading this headline with a confused face. With Easter classified as “peak season travel” and some establishments charging a fortune, it's hard to believe that one can snag value for money accommodation at a fraction of the price. However, it’s possible with adequate research and perseverance. Here are some tips on how you can book your Easter accommodation for under R500. Stay local As tempting as a trip to Zanzibar or Bali may seem, regional and international travel will blow your budget. Local hotels are now offering stay-cation packages and attractive rates, often less than R500 a person. On a search for a two-night trip to Durban on Booking.com for April 2, I found…

EDITOR’S CHOICE STAY Babanango Game Reserve, located in Northern Zululand 50km from the town of Vryheid, is taking conservation to the next level. The malaria-free reserve is home to no fewer than three lodges: Valley Lodge, Zulu Rock Lodge and Matatane Lodge. It’s dubbed a “bush lover’s paradise”, and travellers will get to see buffalo, giraffe, hyena, zebra and antelope. The reserve is working hand-in-hand with the local Emcakwini, Esibongweni and KwaNgono communities. Visit www.babanango.co.za/ DINE Perfect for special occasions, romantic dinners and business lunches, The Grillroom & Sushi Bar in Pretoria offers an exquisite culinary experience for all palates. From the mibrasa oven come some scrumptious dishes for meat lovers, including lemon and thyme roasted baby spatchcock, crispy pork belly, and good old T-bone. For special occasions, there is…

ACTIVE CITIZENRY We each have the spirit to rise from the ashes PALI LEHOHLA AZWI Mmboyi, once asked me as the then statistician-general, whether it would be correct to argue that his qualification would be invalid if his father paid for his education through ill-gotten proceeds. The question came after I had declined his promotion. My position was defeated in the labour relations court and Mmboyi got his promotion. His point rings true in several settings. In May 2004, then Fifa president Sepp Blatter made our dreams come true when he announced that South Africa had won the rights to host the 2010 World Cup. Eleven years later, Blatter stepped down under a dark cloud, but that did not take away the fact that we hosted a successful World Cup…

CRYPTOCURRENCY You can now buy a Tesla with Bitcoin, what next? WESLEY DIPHOKO wesley.diphoko@inl.co.za WHEN Elon Musk tweeted “You can now buy a Tesla with Bitcoin” he did not just announce a new way of buying the electric vehicle, Tesla, but he boosted Bitcoin as a currency for buying other things. As the value of Bitcoin has continued to rise, there were huge doubts in the finance world about its ability to replace other currencies. When people like Musk expressed their confidence in Bitcoin, the doubts were diminished and mainstream society began to view Bitcoin with confidence. Musk is not the only business leader who is beginning to trust Bitcoin. Recently, Uber boss Dara Khosrowshahi, while speaking on Squawk Box, the American morning news and talk programme, indicated that Uber…

EDITOR’S CHOICE APP GOV CHAT SAFE FOR NOW The Competition Tribunal has blocked Facebook, WhatsApp and Facebook SA from removing GovChat from the popular messaging app. The tribunal found that the balance of convenience favours the granting of interim relief to the applicants, GovChat, who provide an invaluable service to both government departments and citizens alike. MEDIA NEW YORK TIMES MAKES NFT HISTORY A one-of-a-kind digital collectible item created out of a New York Times technology column sold for more than $500,000 in an auction, the first such sale in the history of the newspaper. An image of the column — called “Buy This Column on the Blockchain!” — was turned into a nonfungible token, or NFT, and sold in a heated auction that brought in more than 30 bids…

ACADEMICS SHARE THEIR VIEWS Growing support for Habib over N-word controversy EDWIN NAIDU Phill Magakoe SEVERAL senior South African and African academics have come out in support of embattled newly-appointed director of the London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Adam Habib, over his use of the N-word during a webinar. Stellenbosch University academic and former vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State, Professor Jonathan Jansen, said the controversy was ridiculous because the question that had to be asked was whether there was bad intent. Clearly, Jansen said, there wasn’t. He surmised the context of the controversy was that a student had asked about an N-word used by a lecturer for whom there had been no consequence, and that Habib had pointed out it was unacceptable according to SOAS…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER GIRL, 4, SHOT IN THE HEAD We don’t have to be smarter than the rest. We have to be more disciplined than the restWARREN BUFFETTAmerican investor, business tycoon and philanthropist According to a report by Anti-Gang Unit head, Major-General Andre Lincoln, the girl was struck in the side of her head along with a 15-year-old girl who was shot in the foot. Two women aged 29 and 35 were also shot as well as a 26-year-old man. A 20 year old man was arrested in Hanover Park. | IOL…

ANALYSIS No gods and no gurus KAMVELIHLE GOBA Cartoon by BETHUEL MANGENA African News Agency (ANA) “NIE dieu nie maitre!” is a slogan first coined and popularised by a French socialist by the name Louis Auguste Blanqui in 1880 – which literally translates to “No Gods, No Masters” – in his published journal with the same heading. He was envisioning a Socialist future based on a school of thought known as anarchism. These words reverberate to the backdrop of Joel Netshitenzhe’s unfortunate article on Daily Maverick titled Defend Our Democracy: South Africa beware Ace Magashule’s RET faction will fight till the bitter end. For purposes of radical polemical exchange, I shall divide my take into three compartments. First, the vicious attack by the right-wing on Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s tenure as a…

Hamba kahle, Hlanga lomhlabathi! PATILIZWE “PAT” MDODA FUNNY. Fun-loving. Humorous. Humble. Humane. Self-effacing. Open-minded. Loving. Lovely. These are some of the descriptions that came to mind when I learned of the passing on of my friend and leader, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. I first met the King of AmaZulu in 1997. This would be a start of more than two decades of friendship and working relationship. I had been posted to his kingdom as an executive for SA Breweries. As well as spreading SAB’s footprint in the province, my responsibilities included maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with various stakeholders including amakhosi. My tenure coincided with two challenges: first, iSilo was getting increasingly concerned about rising alcohol abuse in the province; and second, my arrival with my ANC roots was seen as…

TV GUIDE TODAY Cricket: ANZ Bank Twenty20 International: New Zealand v Bangladesh, First T20, 2.50am, CR; ANZ Bank Women’s T20 International: New Zealand v Australia, First T20, 9am, VR1; Paytm ODI Series: India v England, Third ODI, 9.45am, VR2; CSA 4Day Domestic Series Final: Hollywoodbets Dolphins v Momentum Multiply Titans, Day 4, 9.45am, CRI Cycling: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Stage 7: Barcelona (134.7km), 12.30pm, VR1; Gent-Wevelgem, Women’s Elite Race (115km), 4.45pm, VR1 Golf: LPGA Tour: Kia Classic, Day 3, 12 mid-night, GOL; Sunshine Tour: Serengeti Pro-Am Invitational, Day 5, 12 noon, GOL; PGA Tour: WGC Dell Technologies Matchplay, Day 5, 4pm, GOL; PGA Tour: Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, Day 4, 8.30pm, ACT Motorsport: MotoGP: Grand Prix of Qatar, Moto3, 3.45pm, ACT; Moto2, 5.15pm, ACT; MotoGP, 6.30pm, ACT, SSM…

FORMULA ONE Verstappen gives max in clean sweep of rivals RED Bull's Max Verstappen completed a clean sweep of practice to set himself up as favourite for pole position at the season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix yesterday. The Dutch 23-year-old, who was fastest in pre-season testing, lapped the Sakhir circuit with a best lap of one minute 30.577 seconds after going quickest in both of Friday's sessions. Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton was second-quickest, but a hefty 0.739 second slower, with AlphaTauri's French driver Pierre Gasly third and more than a second off the pace in nearly 50 degree temperatures. "To be seven-10ths up on Lewis... I'm really looking forward to see if he can carry that on to qualifying," said 2009 champion Jenson Button, now a…

QUICK READ GERMANY GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel has reversed a plan for a strict lockdown over Easter in an effort to contain a third wave of Covid-19, apologising to citizens, Al Jazeera reported this week. “This mistake is my mistake alone,” Merkel said in a video posted on Twitter. She said the Easter shutdown plan was created with the best intentions but had to be ditched due to hasty planning and could not be implemented in such a short time. The measure would have created a shutdown of public life on top of existing lockdown restrictions, which have been extended until April 18, Al Jazeera reported. | African News Agency (ANA) NEW ZEALAND NEW Zealand’s parliament has passed a new miscarriage bereavement leave bill that will allow couples who have…

QUICK READ UN HAILS ELECTIONS IN CAR THE UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has hailed the “smooth running” of the parliamentary elections in the conflict-ridden nation. The country held its second round of parliamentary elections amid heavy security on March 14. The UN Security Council increased the strength of its peacekeeping mission before the elections, Xinhua reported. Last week, the AU mission said it was satisfied with the conduct of the country’s elections. | African News Agency (ANA) UPROAR OVER ‘POLL FRAUD’ SUPPORTERS of candidates in the Republic of Congo’s presidential election said that the courts should declare the results of the poll on Sunday invalid owing to election fraud, Radio France Internationale reported this week. President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, pictured, was declared the winner with 8.5%…

TREATS Munch on these tempting Easter-themed brunches SACHA VAN NIEKERK CREATE the most delicious brunch with these Easter-themed foods. Six Easter brunch ideas: Hollow egg dessert cups Fill hollow chocolate eggs with layers of treats for the perfect dessert. Try filling the chocolate bowls with big scoops of ice cream, crushed biscuits and sliced grilled bananas topped with whipped cream and candied nuts, for a twist on a banana split; or perhaps warm malva pudding and custard, for a melting blend of flavours. Harvest Board Harvest boards make for easy grazing while the mains lunch foods get prepared. They combine the perfect mix of sweet and savoury to compliment any special occasion and this Easter board is no exception. Carrot sticks, celery, asparagus, crackers, broccoli florets and a delicious bowl…

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WORST SIDE OF YOU IS PREVALENT? Psychology of a ‘Real Housewife’ and staying above the fray BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za Supplied Supplied IT MUST take guts to be a willing participant in a reality show. You have to deal with people being in your personal space, filming just a small percentage of your life so that it fits the show’s narrative. Your entire life is upended and has to fit into the producer’s plan for you. You film for months on end, not knowing what the final product will look like or how you will be portrayed. Your life, essentially, is in the hands of the producer and editor. They control what people know or think about you, whether it’s true or not. It’s a risk…

REMOTE ACCESS Watch the drama of white privilege unfold DEBASHINE THANGEVELO Netflix Netflix IN 2019, the college admissions scandal in the US became a huge talking point. More so as it involved well-heeled parents, from Wall Street’s hierarchy and CEOs of myriad business enterprises to A-list actors. Of course, it registered with me because it named and shamed Felicity Huffman, who is one of my favourite actresses, and Lori Loughlin. Honestly, I paid little attention to everything else as it was yet another example of white privilege in all its glory. After all, in South Africa we were still feeling the resurging tremors of the #FeesMustFall movement, which started in 2015. Although those taken down by the Operation Varsity Blues team have felt the wrath of the law, with…

SAFETY AND STYLE How to plan a 2021 road trip NATALIE COMPTON ROAD trips were different in 2020. Last year our advice focused on getting where you were going fast and spending as little time as possible in public spaces like bathrooms to avoid so-called coronavirus toilet plumes. These are the new rules for road tripping. Covid safety should still be on your radar While you don't have to be hyper-vigilant about sanitising every surface you come across, Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist with the Covid Tracking Project, recommends focusing on maintaining good hand hygiene, opting for contactless check-in and check-out at hotels when possible, wearing a mask and keeping a healthy distance when around others in public, even if you’re vaccinated. “Right now, not enough people are fully vaccinated…

SA travellers shunned, restricted access to 121 countries CLINTON MOODLEY SOUTH Africans planning trips abroad may want to put travelling on hold. According to Skyscanner’s live interactive map, most countries across all seven continents have restricted access to South African travellers. One of the reasons for this may be the rapid spread of a new variant of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. As a result, the closure of borders caused airlines to stop flight operations to and from South Africa and made international travellers wary of travelling within South Africa. According to the map, South Africans can travel to nine destinations enforcing low restrictions, meaning that they are permitted to travel there and are not likely to quarantine when they arrive at or from the destination. These countries include…

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Survey finds that data providers not viewed positively DINEO FAKU dineo.faku@inl.co.za A SURVEY of the country’s top communications (telecons) giants has found that the locals have become considerably more negative towards them than they are to banks, insurers or retailers in 2020. The second annual Telecommunications Sentiment Index 2020 by BrandEye – in partnership with Deloitte – revealed that there was more negative than positive conversation about telcos on social media, with Rain and partly state-owned Telkom doing worse than their competitors. Telecommunications companies have made a killing on data as Covid-19 has forced many people to work from home. Last month, Vodacom reported a 43.2percent data traffic increase in the quarter to December, with the addition of 200000 new data customers helping them to reach 22.5 million customers.…

RESHUFFLE ANC NEC held to ‘ransom’ over Ace KARABO NGOEPE and NTOMBI NKOSI TENSIONS are high within the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting this weekend, with members saying they are being “held to ransom” by President Cyril Ramaphosa. NEC members have told the Sunday Independent that Ramaphosa has made it extremely difficult for people to defend Secretary-General Ace Magashule. “He is using the reshuffle to make it difficult for people to defend Ace. People are scared to speak up because they fear they would be axed if they do,” said an NEC member speaking on condition of anonymity. Magashule faces charges of fraud and corruption in relation to the Free State’s R255 million contract to audit houses that had asbestos roofs in the province. The case has been used…

ART & LIFE Love is thicker than blood at Café Bohemia CAFé Bohemia in Orlando East, Soweto is a home for the Bohemian souls because it gives space to those who live unconventional lifestyles and are into art, literacy or in Afrcan spiritualism. The owner of the “home” Sello “Phiri” Motsamai, pictured, is alway happy to receive tourists from different continents and allows them to share not only art, healing and spiritual ideas, but the cuisine exchanges are quite legendary. Recently Phiri hosted a Japanese delegation led by Jun Morikawa, pictured, who were happy to share cuisine and culture as the pictures show. He believes that it is through the art of cooking that different tribes can learn to love and understand each other’s cultures and way of life. The…

RECOVERY PLAN Varsities brace for another long academic year TSHEPISO TSHABALALA Tshepiso.Tshabalala@inl.co.za THE Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across different industries, none so like the education sector, which has been thrown into disarray. Last year's lockdown forced universities to extend the academic year to 2021, but now the institutions face protests that are hampering studies. As a result, tertiary institutions had to devise an academic recovery plan to ensure that academic activities resume without any further delays. As part of their plan, universities continue to offer online classes and academic support. These online portals allow students to access support and study materials to assist with their work. According to Herman Esterhuizen, University of Johannesburg's (UJ) media liaison officer, the institution granted itself an additional two weeks to ensure that all…

Pay up or face court – Mashaba THE artists staging a sit-in at the offices of the National Arts Council (NAC) this week roped in former Joburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, to take up their case with the president regarding Covid-19 relief funds they say they are still struggling to access. On Thursday, Mashaba who is now the leader of ActionSA, met with the artists in Newtown and promised that he was going to write an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and to the ANC leadership, giving them seven working days to pay the artists a grant of more than R200 million. He threatened to go to court to force the government to pay destitute artists should they fail to pay the grants. Sibongile Ngoma, who is leading the protest,…

CHALLENGE Every day is Human Rights Day - Nissen DON MAKATILE don.makatile@inl.co.za THE violation of human rights does not keep office hours and as a result, watchdog bodies working in this space need not work from nine to five This is the view of Commissioner Chris Nissen of the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) who says human rights should not be confined to March. There has been 13% increase in the violation of rights. They should be observed every day, around the clock and the whole year through, Nissen says. The quest for human rights for all since 1994 is on course, he says. “Yes, the commitment is there. The SAHRC, as an entity that will be there long after we’re gone, that must monitor and protect human rights, is…

NON-PAYMENT Sebokeng residents feel the brunt as Eskom cuts off power MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za RESIDENTS in some areas under the Emfuleni Local Municipality embarked on a protest by barricading roads with burning tyres and stones after Eskom allegedly disconnected power supply to some of the households this week due to the non-payment for services. In Sebokeng, Moshoeshoe Road was closed on Wednesday while other roads that lead on to the Golden Highway in Evaton were also closed on Thursday. Sparks Thobedi, from Zone 12 Sebokeng, said the power utility sent the Red Ants to cut off electricity supply. “Right now we can’t cook and our groceries are rotting in the fridges. They said I must fork out R3 000, which is a lot of money. I am not working, how…

› CRICKET Erwee ton sets up crucial day in final countdown STUART HESS STUART.HESS@INL.CO.ZA Day 3 of 5 HollywoodBet Dolphins 258/7 DOLPHINS opener Sarel Erwee’s second century of the season, followed by a stirring fightback by the Titans’ spinners, made for an enthralling days’ play in the final of the Four-day series at Kingsmead yesterday. If all of it can somehow lead to an intriguing conclusion, then the first two days of frustration, caused by the weather, will have been worth it. That remains to be seen and today’s penultimate day’s play looms as crucial for both teams. Having had all but 10 overs washed out on day one and then the whole of the second day’s abandoned, there was further frustration when the start yesterday was delayed by a…

MotoGP grid reshuffle blows open title race AFTER the Covid-19 pandemic truncated the 2020 season and forced organisers to hold all 14 races in Europe, MotoGP hopes to fire on all cylinders in 2021 with 19 races scheduled around the world, starting in Qatar today. Like last season, every rider will fancy their chances after six-times world champion Marc Marquez confirmed he would not be racing in Qatar as he recovers from three surgeries. Marquez fractured his humerus in 2020's opener in Jerez and missed the rest of the season, blowing the title race wide open as five riders claimed maiden race wins before Suzuki's unheralded Joan Mir clinched his first MotoGP title. Ducati's Jack Miller made the switch from Pramac Racing to the factory team as they bid to…

QUICK READ 3RD COVID WAVE WARNING EPIDEMIOLOGIST and infectious diseases specialist, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, who announced on Friday that he was stepping down as co-chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 said the most likely scenario was that the third cornavirus wave would hit South Africa in winter. “We can’t really predict when the third wave will happen and we can’t predict how bad it’s going to be. This was due to the fact that there were only a handful of countries in the world who have had a third wave.” | IOL METAPHOR SPARKS FURY THE South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) called for Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to resign for likening recurring student protests to a long-running television soap opera. Referring to protests by…

QUICK READ TERROR SUSPECTS ARRESTED AUSTRALIAN police announced on Friday that two men had been charged with allegedly running a “terrorist network”, which helped locals to travel to Syria to join violent extremist groups. The men, aged 34 and 31, were arrested in the states of Queensland and Victoria this week, reported Xinhua news agency. Police allege the men played senior roles in establishing networks in Australia, Turkey and Syria which were used by Australian foreign terrorist fighters to enter Syria between 2012 and 2014. | IANS SUPERSONIC COMBAT DRONE KELLEY Aerospace, a Singapore-based aviation company, has unveiled the world’s first supersonic combat drone called “Arrow”, which was said to travel faster than the speed of sound at 2,572km/h. Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported this week that the 14m-long unmanned…

ECONOMY Africa’s recovery tied up with ecology CRISPIN ADRIAANSE crispin.adriaanse@africannewsagency.com AS THE world reels from the economic catastrophe wrought by Covid-19, Africa’s forests could hold the key to the continent’s recovery. More than a year after the director-general of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared Covid-19 a pandemic, more than 2.7 million lives have been lost, with more than 123 million confirmed cases as of this month. Despite being the second-most populous continent after Asia, Africa has seen a dramatically lower number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths at more than 3 million and 76 000, respectively. However, it is the consequences of Covid-19 on livelihoods and economies that the continent is unable to escape. The Covid-19 Macroeconomic Policy Responses in Africa, formed in response to the International…

VACCINES Africa must meet its own needs for essential health products TEDROS ADHANOM THE development of vaccines against the Covid-19 virus in record time has given the world reason for hope. But it must be hope for all, not only for some. No one is safe until we are all safe. The only way to keep this from happening is to distribute vaccines equitably to all countries. No country can vaccinate its way out of the pandemic, not even wealthy ones. The most effective and strategic way to suppress transmission and save lives globally is by vaccinating health workers and the most vulnerable people in all countries, rather than the entire populations of just a few countries. But even with the vaccines, we have a long road ahead. The fastest…

EDITOR’S CHOICE 4 beautiful Easter table setting ideas SACHA VAN NIEKERK FROM ditching pastels for something a little more modern to going all-out with botanically themed centrepieces, make your Easter lunch something special with trendy table settings. Floral Flowers are a quintessential part of Easter and often feature on everything from kids’ bonnets to chocolate egg-filled baskets. The Easter Lily, believed to have grown at the site of the crucifixion, symbolises resurrection, while white lilies are used to represent love and hope. Although Easter is during autumn in South Africa, those who live in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate in spring. Thus, baby animals and spring blooms are also characteristic of the holiday. Pair a bare table or a white table cloth with floral bursts strewn across the length of the…

THEY AIM TO UPLIFT WOMEN Using art to help restore confidence in breast cancer survivors THOBILE MAZIBUKO thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za ER Lombard Twitter DR BRIAN Monaisa is closing International Women’s Month on a high note by performing breast reconstruction surgery under his charity organisation, Smiles Artists Africa. The non-profit organisation is a collaboration between art and medicine. Monaisa, originally from Itsoseng, a small township in the North West Province, and artist Azael Langa got other visual artists to help restore the confidence of women who are breast cancer survivors. Monaisa is an internationally renowned plastic surgeon whose passions extend beyond the usual nip-tuck. “Our charity combines art sales with breast cancer reconstruction. We identify emerging or established artists and also great art that people would want to own. We then sell…

EDITOR’S CHOICE BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za STREAM Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (Apple +) Directed by RJ Cutler, who gave us The September Issue, which iconised Anna Wintour, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry takes a personal look at the award-winning musician, Billie Eilish. The documentary tracks her journey on the road, on stage, and at home with her family, during the writing and recording of her debut album. READ Anxious Joburg – The Inner Lives Of A Global South City by Nicky Falkof, Cobus van Staden We all have our varied thoughts about living in Johannesburg. Some love it and some are still traumatised by their experience in the city. Anxious Joburg is a case study on SA’s most unequal city. The city…

TRAVEL 4 ways to get rid of your Covid-19 flight phobia CLINTON MOODLEY THE first time I took a flight during the pandemic, nervousness enveloped my body. My clammy hands gently manoeuvred my suitcase to the airline counter, my mask firmly fixed on my face. Anxiety eased when I sat on the seat and looked out of the window. “I am ready for flying again,” I exclaimed when I sat in my car 48 hours later. “It is not as bad as I thought.” Flying during the pandemic may seem risky, but it's not as scary as you may think, granted you are abiding by all the Covid-19 regulations. Here are 4 ways to get rid of your Covid-19 flight phobia: 1 Research is king Research the airline and its…

QUICK READS CLOTHING Burberry has lost a Chinese brand ambassador and its hallmark tartan design was scrubbed from a popular video game, becoming the first luxury brand assailed by the Chinese backlash to Western accusations of abuses in Xinjiang. China on Friday sanctioned organisations and individuals in the United Kingdom over what it called “lies and disinformation” about Xinjiang, days after Britain imposed sanctions for alleged human rights abuses in the western Chinese region. Burberry is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a group that promotes sustainable cotton production which said in October it was suspending its approval of cotton sourced from Xinjiang, citing human rights concerns. Award-winning Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu terminated her contract with Burberry as the brand’s ambassador, as Burberry has not “clearly and publicly stated…

POINTERS How small businesses can tackle unemployment BEN BIERMAN SIPHIWE SIBEKO Reuters THE DOMINO effect of Covid-19 on South Africa’s struggling economy has caused unemployment to rise to historical highs. Statistics SA reported that 32.5 percent of the workforce was unemployed in December. That equates to about 7.2 million South Africans, with the youth (ages 25 to 34) being the most effected. Small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) have been great drivers of employment. But Covid-19 and the lockdown have hit the sector hard, with many not surviving and forced to let staff go. However, this sector still holds great potential for job creation and continues to play a significant role in the economy’s recovery and growth. Tips on how the sector can still offer employment opportunities: Networking Network with other SMEs to…

QUICK READ SABC PARTNERS WITH EMEDIA FOR OPENVIEW SERVICE SABC has announced another digital transformation milestone. The national broadcaster has entered into a new broadcasting carriage agreement with eMedia Holdings that will see the Openview service (by eMedia) broadcast three new SABC channels in addition to the public broadcaster’s radio stations. In addition, the SABC will unveil two more entertainment channels headed to Openview within the next three months. Furthermore, all of the SABC’s 19 public radio stations will also be coming to Openview. TESLA MUST TELL MUSK TO DELETE A 2018 TWEET, RULES US AGENCY The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has told Tesla to tell its CEO Elon Musk to delete an anti-union tweet he posted in 2018. Musk had tweeted: “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our…

EASTER WEEKEND BRACE FOR THE COVID-19 PERFECT STORM VIASEN SOOBRAMONEY TRACEY ADAMS African News Agency (ANA) ARROGANCE, poor decision-making and a “non-existent” vaccine strategy are some of the key ingredients for the country’s impending Covid-19 perfect storm in the coming weeks. These are some of the choice phrases used by leading South African vaccinologist Professor Shabir Madhi to describe government’s bungling of its Covid-19 response, including its national vaccination drive. Madhi said that the Easter holidays coupled with the lag in vaccinations and the upcoming winter season could have devastating effects on the country and was a serious cause for concern. “Our vaccine strategy is non-existent. South Africa is one of only 44 countries in the world to have not started a proper vaccination drive. “Given the current situation,…