Innholdsfortegnelse for Sunday, May 2, 2021 i Sunday Independent

SUCCESSION Zulu King’s estate at centre of dispute Poison discovered in queen regent’s liver SIBONISO MNNGADI THE Zulu royal household budget, estimated at R71.3 million from the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and other assets, are believed to be at the centre of the divisions in the royal family, following the death of the queen regent this week. The Zulu royal family was dealt another blow this week when Queen Regent Mantfombi MaDlamini Zulu, the third wife of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu and a sister of King Mswati III, died on Thursday night at Milpark Hospital in Joburg while the nation was mourning the passing of the king who died in March from Covid-19. However, the mourning period has proven to be a difficult one for the family, with divisions…

POLITICS Magashule ‘mum’ on step aside rule NTOMBI NKOSI ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has remained mum amid consultations with former party leaders and ahead of the national working committee (NWC), meeting tomorrow, to discuss the step aside issue. The party’s NWC is expected to collate lists of party members affected by the step-aside resolution. Magashule faces 21 charges of fraud and corruption related to his tenure as Free State premier over a R255 million tender. Magashule met with former president Thabo Mbeki and ex-deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, on Friday, as part of his consultation process. ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said the party has a NWC meeting tomorrow and would only deal with several reports relating to the step-aside resolution matter. "We have communicated that the NEC will only…

JUSTICE Women need a break from patriarchy – forever SIPHO MABASO sipho.mabaso@inl.co.za A CENTURIES-old injustice endures. Patriarchy. It hits a man hard, to discover that he has partaken in the injustice meted out on women for centuries. I began to question many things. For instance, how come in classical music, we do not often hear of great compositions by women? Why is it always about compositions by men, such as Lully, Palestrina, Mozart, Donizetti, Vivaldi or Elgar? Hardly ever do we hear about female composers such as Hilda von Bingen, Francis B. Pearson, and Louise Farrenc. Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn are usually mentioned as shadow extensions of Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn. In science, filmmaking, sport, business, aviation, architecture, law and many other fields, women, over and above being…

ABUSE Scars left behind after healing from depression LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za Mental health is one of the least talked about subjects in South Africa. But after the recent spate of bullying incidents in schools, some ending in loss of life, more people are starting to speak up. The Sunday Independent sat down with Tshepiso Zungu, 30, who was molested from the age of 4 until she was 10 by a neighbour while living in Orange Farm with her grandmother. Soon after that, she lost her mother, and in 2008, she had her first mental breakdown at the age of 17. “When I was 4 my mother and grandmother would ask the neighbour to watch me for a few hours after I came back from créche as they were at work.…

EDITORIAL Journalists need to rise to the occasion “INFORMATION is power.” The cliché rings true today more than ever before as those with information exercise their power for better or for worse, to further their ends. The theme of this year's World Press Freedom Day tomorrow is “Information as a Public Good”. It serves as a reminder of the importance of accuracy in the media. Our reporting can either empower or disempower . The Covid-19 global health pandemic presents us with a challenge to inform the public with an aim of empowering them. Failure to inform and report accurately on the virus, research developments and vaccines can inadvertently disempower them, which would be a failure on our part. Our role is more crucial in the information age where everyone and…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA FOOD BASKET UP BY R159 What greater service we could render if only we had a little more money and a little more power. But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sectorRONALD REAGAN 40th president of the United States THE HOUSEHOLD Affordability Index reported that the average cost of household food basket in South Africa increased by 3.9 percent, or R159.37, in April to R4 198.93 compared to a month earlier – the highest level since September 2020. IOL…

LITIGATION Plan to contain medical claims MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE Health Department is mooting a fund that will deal with the medical claims that are forever ballooning in all the nine provinces. This was revealed by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize when he briefed the health portfolio committee this week. The matter was brought up by Freedom Front Plus leader Philip van Staden when he asked what the department was doing to eradicate the problem of medical claims in the Eastern Cape. The National Treasury revealed in the budget this year that medical claims rose from R97 billion in the 2018/19 financial year to R111bn in the 2019/20 period. Addressing MPs, Mkhize said the issue of medical claims was a problem not only in the Eastern Cape but in the entire…

MOTOGP Quartararo on pole for Spanish GP, Marquez 14th YAMAHA’S Fabio Quartararo claimed a second consecutive pole position of the season yesterday for the Spanish MotoGP and six-times world champion Marc Marquez will start 14th on the grid after crashing during the third free practice session. Quartararo, who leads the championship by 15 points after winning two of the opening three races this season, set the early pace in the final qualifying session before securing top spot with a time of one minute, 36.755 seconds. The Frenchman will be joined on the front row by Petronas Yamaha SRT's Franco Morbidelli, who came through Qualifying 1 to finish second, and Ducati's Jack Miller in third place. "It was one of those qualifying sessions where I was at the limit," said Quartararo,…

Brumbies edge brave Force to reach Super Rugby AU final THE ACT Brumbies will defend their Super Rugby AU title against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday after beating the shorthanded Western Force 21-9 in a tight semi-final playoff in Canberra yesterday. The Force, playing a first play-off in their 16 years of existence, fought to the bitter end but playing for 20 minutes with only 14 men after Toni Pulu was shown a red card took its toll in such an attritional battle. The Force's hopes of going into halftime with only a 7-3 deficit suffered a blow, however, when former Brumbies winger Pulu was sent off after his shoulder made contact with the face of Irae Simone in a tackle. The Brumbies took quick advantage of the…

RAINBOW CUP Sharks second-half comeback blows Stormers WYNONA LOUW Stormers 30 Sharks 33 THE Sharks scored 21 points in the second half to pull off an impressive comeback and win their Rainbow Cup SA opener against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium yesterday. The Stormers started off well and were the dominant team in the opening half, but their three cards – one yellow and a double red – tainted a game that they will no doubt feel they could have taken. The game had some big subplots – like Pieter-Steph du Toit returning to play his first game in over a year and Siya Kolisi running out against his former team for the first time since joining the Sharks – but it was the Sharks’ comeback and those thrilling…

Bottas keeps Hamilton waiting for 100th pole VALTTERI Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix yesterday and denied Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton a record-extending 100th by a mere 0.007 of a second. Seven-times world champion Hamilton made sure of the Mercedes front row sweep at the Algarve circuit by qualifying second. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, a point behind championship leader Hamilton after two races, will start third on the soft tyres after having his first flying lap of one minute 18.209 deleted for running too wide. But for that mistake on a gusty afternoon at a roller-coaster of a circuit, the Dutch youngster's time would have been the fastest. Bottas took pole in 1:18.348. It was the 17th pole position of Bottas's career, lifting him level with Britain's…

QUICK READ REGULATING FUEL PRICES THE portfolio committee on mineral resources and energy has looked at actions and interventions needed following presentations made relating to the Basic Fuel Price and the state of refining in the country. The Department of Minerals and Energy stated that the government could not deregulate the fuel price because the country’s market is not ready for deregulation and various factors need to be considered before the market will be ready for such a deregulation. | Political Bureau ‘RACIST BANKS’ PROTEST CIVIL society flexed its muscles against “racist banks” in a protest outside the Rand Merchant Bank in Sandton, with about 6 000 people participarting. The protest saw organisations coming together and singing protest songs against structural financial racism and bank bullying. The protest also included…

FRANC ‘Islamist separatist’ bill fuels Islamophobia outrage SURAYA DADOO ANA Archives A 15-YEAR-OLD girl in France can decide whether she wants to consent to sexual relations, but shouldn’t be allowed to choose if she wants to wear a headscarf. On March 30, the French senate voted in favour of adding an amendment to a so-called “Islamist separatist” bill that would – effectively – ban girls under the age of 18 from wearing the hijab in public spaces. While the bill states it would prohibit “conspicuous religious” clothing signifying a lower status for women in relation to men, it is clear the real target is Muslim girls. If approved and it becomes law, it would also mean mothers wearing hijab would not be allowed to accompany their children on school trips.…

MALAWI Travel ban to Asian countries and Brazil MOLAOLE MONTSHO molaole.montsho@africannewsagency.com MALAWI is the first southern African country to ban travel to Southeast Asia, in fear of importation of a new variant of the novel coronavirus as the number of Covid-19 cases decline in the southern African region. The presidential task force on Covid-19 in Malawi imposed an all non-essential travel to India, Bangladesh, Brazil and Pakistan, where a new wave of the coronavirus pandemic is spreading with severe morbidity and mortality. “The task force further noted the particular heavy traffic of travellers to and from the Indian subcontinent and neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan, and evidence of a Covid-19-positive case that arrived in the country from India in the past week,” Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said last…

LAKE CHAD BASIN Women face challenging times due to rebel atrocities ANA REPORTER REUTERS THE Boko Haram crisis in the Lake Chad Basin has harmed women’s livelihoods, according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). In a report released last week, it said extremists and other armed groups had looted and destroyed markets, cutting off many women’s access to supplier credit lines. Terrorist group Boko Haram launched a bloody insurgency in 2009 in north-eastern Nigeria. It quickly spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a military response. Violence committed by the rebel group has affected 26 million people in the Lake Chad region and displaced 2.6 million others, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The governments of the four basin countries including Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger have…

EDITOR’S CHOICE DOCUMENTARY ‘Fake Famous’ and the allure of insta-fame BUHLE MBONAMBI HBO Max THERE’S a certain disdain that people have towards influencers. Or should I rather say had? What also drove this feeling was resentment. How is it that people take pictures, post them on social media and then end up getting paid big bucks? I understand. I would also be mad about it. And yet influencing is a major source of employment for many people. From celebrities to ordinary people, influencing has become a way to secure a second (third, fourth and fifth) income and for those successful enough, they are living their best lives. And yet there’s a dark side to influencing and it involves the pressure and stress of getting enough people to follow and engage…

CELEB Anya Taylor-Joy almost quit acting before ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ ANYA Taylor-Joy says she nearly quit acting before landing her role in The Queen’s Gambit. The 25-year-old has won acclaim for her role as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in the Netflix series, but said she considered walking away from the industry after some “emotional relationship stuff” and was persuaded not to by her Emma co-star, Mia Goth. “I had been working back to back – just before Emma, I’d done two projects at the same time, and I was going through some emotional stuff,” she said. “At the beginning of 2019, I was really broken and frightened of everything, and Mia and I were driving back from rehearsal. “I turned to her and said: ‘I’m going to quit acting. I…

EDITOR’S CHOICE Kate Winslet IF YOU haven’t seen Kate Winslet in M-Net’s Mare of Easttown yet, what are you waiting for? This is such a rare treat for fans as Winslet’s compass has always pointed towards the big screen. In fact, she will soon be seen in James Cameron’s hugely-anticipated Avatar 2. Now I’ve been a fan of the award-winning actress since Titanic. Of course, my admiration stems more from her choice of roles since then. She’s never been one to play it safe. The more ballsy, angst-ridden and challenging the character, the more enticing the part. And in her almost 30 years in the industry, she has covered a wide range of roles. My personal favourites include Revolutionary Road and The Reader. Back to Mare of Easttown, I was…

TRAVEL QUALMS New Destination Tracker shares countries’ readiness for travellers CLINTON MOODLEY ARE you travelling to a destination and unaware of the Covid-19 restrictions and the measures taken to provide safe travel? The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) new Destination Tracker collab aims to restore confidence in travel amid the pandemic. The Destination Tracker intends to accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector when borders reopen. The new free online tool allows governments to provide information about Covid-19 requirements for travel and the measures implemented at the destination. Available on both the organisations’ websites, the tracker will give travellers the lowdown on Covid-19 infection rates, positivity rates, and vaccination roll-out per destination/ country. It will also shed light on air travel regulations, from Covid…

Cape Town is the digital nomad capital of Africa CLINTON MOODLEY CAPE Town is the most popular city for digital nomads in Africa, according to a study by Resume.io. The team analysed the geolocation data for 90 000 #DigitalNomad Instagram posts and ranked the top cities for remote workers in 2021. Marrakesh in Morocco, Nairobi in Kenya, Zanzibar in Tanzania and Cairo in Egypt made the top 5 list of the most popular cities for digital nomads in Africa. Most tourists to Cape Town receive a three-month visa, which can be extended to six. The best neighbourhood to stay in is Gardens and the cost of living index for the city is 41.85. The city also has great leisure activities, including hiking. There are plenty of working spaces and great…

QUICK READ ALIBABA FREEZES EXECUTIVE PAY AMID CHINA’S CURBS ON BIG TECH CHINESE e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has frozen pay for senior executives in 2021 and is instead giving junior staff bigger salary increases, sources said, in an effort to preserve its workforce amid a regulatory clampdown. Hundreds of top-tier executives at Alibaba are not entitled to salary hikes this year, unless they performed extraordinarily, four sources familiar with the matter said. The Hangzhou-based company, though, has offered considerable wage increases to junior staff, they said. The pay moves mark a departure from the usual for Alibaba,which has been the focal point of China’s months-long crackdown on the mainland’s big and powerful technology companies on worries about their market dominance and ability to sway public opinion. | Reuters APPLE WANTS…

OSCARS The Oscars join the streaming revolution FARAH KHALFE farah.khalfe@anapublishing.com Searchlight Pictures, Warner Bros, Netflix HOLLYWOOD’S biggest night, the 93rd Academy Awards, took place on Sunday. It wasn’t the usual ceremony, with multiple venues allocated for the event instead of the usual Dolby Theatre, and lots of big names missing from the agenda. Streaming services Netflix and Disney were strong contenders leading up to the awards, and unsurprisingly, dominated the night. Netflix entered the ceremony with 36 nominations, including two for Best Picture: Mank and The Trail of the Chicago 7. Mank, directed by David Fincher, was the most nominated film of the evening with 10 nominations. In the end, the film took home two awards – for production design and cinematography. Another big Netflix contender, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,…

RAMAPHOSA TESTIMONY FAILS TO LIFT LID ON ANC GRAFT CYRIL MADLALA KIM LUDBROOK FROM the early days of his life as a trade union, civic and political leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa often drew from his veritable armoury of human traits that seem to enable him to glide past difficult moments. Indeed, watching his testimony as president of the ANC before the Zondo Commission into state capture this week, one could have forgotten that, in Ramaphosa’s own words, in the minds of the general public of South Africa, the organisation he leads is “accused number one” in the multi-billion-rand corruption frenzy being investigated. His long-awaited appearance was expected to shed light on what he himself knew and did to counter the blatant theft of the public purse as deputy and President…

CORRUPTION Zuma’s lawyers withdrew ‘on principle’ MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA MOTSHWARI MOFOKENG African News Agency (ANA) FORMER president Jacob Zuma is going into a face-off with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on May 17 on the backfoot after his lawyers advocate Muzi Sikhakhane and attorney of record Eric Mabuza withdrew their services on matters of principle. The withdrawal, according to sources with intimate knowledge of the case, was precipitated by some of the former president’s allies who acted as gatekeepers preventing the lawyers from meeting Zuma alone, and in the process gave him bad legal advice. Mabuza, is said to have been forced to communicate with Zuma via one of his associates and not directly as his client. One associate lamented the turn of events as being a big blow to…

TailPiece U.S. COMMANDER WARNS AGAINST ATTACKS ON TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN The commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan warned on Saturday it would be a mistake for insurgents to attack foreign troops still present in the country after the passing of a May 1 deadline for withdrawal agreed last year with Taliban militants. U.S. Army General Scott Miller’s comments followed what a U.S. forces spokesman described as “ineffective indirect fire” at an airfield in Kandahar that had caused no injuries or damage. The Taliban did not immediately respond to request for comment on whether it was involved in the incident. Under a February 2020 deal between former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and the Taliban, foreign forces were to withdraw from the country by May 1 while the hardline Islamist group…

CORRUPTION Zuma’s lawyers cite ethics as they bow out of defence Mabuza is quitting along with advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, who has been the face of Zuma’s legal team for the past three years. This week Mabuza sent a notice to the Pietermaritzburg High Court indicating that he is withdrawing as Zuma’s attorney of record without giving any specific reasons. “It is for this (unspecified) ethical reason that the lawyer chose to withdraw from the case and it isn’t about them not being paid. The lawyers are owed millions of rands but they continued working until this ethical issue emerged,” one of the sources, who asked not to be named, has alleged. The Sunday Independent has also seen a response letter from KwaZulu-Natal Deputy Judge President Mjabuliseni Isaac Madondo acknowledging Mabuza’s…

COMPENSATION BILL Workers fight for quality healthcare ROLAND MPOFU roland.mpofu@inl.co.za HEALTH experts and labour unions have raised concerns about the "catastrophic" impact of Section 43(4) of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Bill. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour on Wednesday heard presentations from the Injured Workers Action Group (Iwag), representing the interests of over 4 million South Africans, the SA Medical Association (Sama), the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) and the United Domestic Workers of SA (Udwosa). The groups said if the bill is passed into law, some medical practitioners might “refuse” to treat millions of injured workers. They argued that this section of the bill is unconstitutional, irrational and unjustified, and should be repealed on the grounds that it threatens vulnerable workers' hard-won…

ELECTIONS Parties must ‘adapt to new platforms for campaigning’ TSHEPISO TSHABALALA IAN LANDSBERG African News Agency (ANA) COPE and the DA have hit out at other political parties who seek to postpone the local government elections “using the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse”. The two parties said such a move would only serve the proponents of the postponement’s “ulterior motives”. Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem argued that it is a voter’s constitutional right to go to the polls and cast their vote no matter the circumstances. “Cope correctly objected to the postponement of the local government elections based on its principled positions in defence of the constitution. The will of the people through a democratic process is sacrosanct and should never be postponed.” Although the party does not have all the…

ICYMI | IOL.CO. ZA SAA EXITS BUSINESS RESCUE Without investment there will not be growth, and without growth there will not be employment.AHMET MUHTAR KENT Turkish-American business executive The government on Friday said it was in the final stages of negotiations with the preferred strategic equity partner for South African Airways (SAA) as business rescue practitioners (BRPs) have completed their job. SAA BRPs on Friday exited the rescue process after filing a substantial implementation of their plan with the CIPC. IOL…

WATER AND SANITATION Cuban engineers a slap in the face for locals SIFISO VEZI THE news that the Department of Water and Sanitation has welcomed Cuban engineers to help our country fix its water woes has been met with a range of emotions by South Africans. These range from confusion to dismay to anger. The one group angered most by this decision is us, the engineers. The minister has tried on a few occasions on radio stations to explain her department’s decision, but the more she explains, the less credible she sounds. I must acknowledge the minister is quite right that our country continues to struggle with a chronic shortage of water in many parts, and as South African engineers we support any effort to address this. We also agree…

FREEDOM Trust, cred ibility sacrosanct for the survival of the med ia THEMBA SEPOTOKELE DAVID MDZINARISHVILI Reuters TOMORROW marks an important day in the global calendar with the celebration and commemoration of one of the important pillars in a democracy – freedom of the press. On May 3 1991, the UN Education, Scientific Organisation (Unesco) declared World Press Freedom Day at its conference in Windhoek, Namibia. It is befitting that this year’s 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day under the theme “Information As A Public Good”, takes place in Namibia. Although there are countries in the world and continents where journalists don’t operate freely, it is worth it to pause and remind ourselves about the important role of the media, despite its shortcomings. Tyranny often thrives in countries where the…

T20 CRICKET T20 ‘granddads’ staking claim for Proteas World Cup squad MARK KEOHANE IPL via Twitter IPL via Twitter SOUTH Africa’s grand old daddies of the Indian Premier League, Imran Tahir, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and the only ‘so old’ granddaddy, Chris Morris, are making a compelling case for inclusion in the Proteas T20 World Cup squad for later this year. The T20 World Cup is scheduled for October and November in India and all four veterans in the past two months have shown that age hasn’t dulled their appetite and it certainly isn’t hampering their performance. They have been South Africa’s most influential players in the tournament. The Proteas T20 outfit, minus the IPL players, limped to a home series defeat against Pakistan. A youthful…

MOST VIEWED IOL.CO.ZA BEST OF TV SPORT Benni McCarthy has ‘agreed in principle’ to become Bafana Bafana coach - report Hashim Amla still in the runs with superb double ton for Surrey ‘Benni McCarthy will be the next Bafana Bafana coach,’ says ex-boss Clive Barker Talks between Man United and Cristiano Ronaldo already underway – report Battling Bottas is what F1 needs TODAY Cricket: Test Series: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Second Test, Day 4, 6.15am, CRI, ACT (7am), GSD (7am); Indian Premier League T20: Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad, 11.50am, CRI; Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals, 3.50pm, CRI, GSD Cycling: Tour de Romandie, Stage 5: Fribourg–Fribourg (16.2) ITT, 1.15pm, VR1 Golf: LPGA Tour: HSBC Women’s World Championship, Day 4, 4.30am, GOL; Sunshine Tour: Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open, Day 4, 12…

CRICKET The hard work starts now for Cricket SA STUART HESS LONG before any bids can be launched for World Cups, Cricket South Africa’s new administration needs to engender trust. That will take a long time; months, years even and understandably so. Building the first links of that trust will take place over the next few weeks. It’ll start with the make-up of that six-person nominations committee that will pore over candidates for the eight independent directors for the new board. It will continue with the selection of five nominees from the midst of the beleaguered Members Council, who will serve on that board, then through the processes to appoint a permanent chief executive officer and chief financial officer who will also serve on the board. There is also the…

STARS TANYA OBREZA Aries (March 21 - April 20) It’s a week of personal growth, Aries, with enough cosmic co-operation to see you through. A little more perseverance is what’s needed, and we all know you’re not short on that. Just don’t place too much importance on money and possessions. Count your blessings, and know that life has more to offer than dollar signs. Taurus (April 21 - May 20) Excitement is in the air, and you sense it. The time’s right to turn dreams into reality. Start a new business or find a new job. Let loved ones spoil you. What’s to lose? Nothing. But there’s plenty to suggest fun and a fistful of cash. Finances look particularly promising, with a possible merger of love and business interests. Gemini…

WORKERS’ DAY Political unity of the working class is essential SOLLY MAPAILA THIS year’s International Workers’ Day is the second since the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic was announced, followed by global lockdown measures aimed at curbing it. The results thus far show that the working people of the world have suffered the most from the pandemic and its consequences. It is thus clear that the pandemic has not at all affected everyone equally, and neither has it been class neutral. In countries such as South Africa, the pandemic has worsened the preexisting economic and social crisis indicated by a long period of stagnation, frequent recessions, growing unemployment, mass poverty, and astronomical inequality. These and other conditions of the crisis do not affect every person and class equally. Black people…

LAÏCITÉ AND RELIGION LAÏCITÉ is the French term for secularism. Article 1 of the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State ensures “freedom of conscience” and “the free exercise of religion”. The state has not only a duty to guarantee freedom of religion, but to refrain from interfering in religion. According to French-Egyptian author and activist, Marwan Muhammad, laïcité has evolved from a liberal framework for freedom of religion, into a neo-laicite – an instrument for the demonisation and exclusion of any religious visibility (with a deliberate focus on Muslim communities). Emmanuel Macron’s introduction of the “Imam Charter” has raised fears of state control over Islam, and violates the laïcité law. Farid Slim, a former imam in southeast France, called it a “return to a…

HER DRAG GOES DEEPER THAN FASHION Symone winning ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ is important BUHLE MBONAMBI I AM A RECENT convert to the world of RuPaul's Drag Race and I keep wondering why it has taken me so long to be a frequent viewer of the show. I started in January, looking for a distraction after the heaviness of the second wave hit South Africa and it felt like the grim reaper was visiting every second home. I needed some light entertainment to forget about the impending doom. A friend suggested RuPaul's Drag Race. Four months later, I have been watching previous seasons of the show – sometimes to understand where the show began and how it has adapted to being mainstream and an Emmy winner, but also to compare the…

QUICK READ Epicurious drops beef recipes EMILY HEIL BEEF was the red-hot topic du jour last week when food website Epicurious made some meaty news on Monday: It would no longer publish recipes using beef, citing the environmental harm caused by cattle farming. “Our shift is solely about sustainability, about not giving airtime to one of the world’s worst climate offenders,” senior editor Maggie Hoffman and former digital director David Tamarkin said. Some reactions praised the decision, noting that tastes had changed and readers were looking for more plant-based dishes. Others slammed Epicurious for “cancelling” beef. About a year ago, the platform, which is owned by Condé Nast, had stopped publishing new recipes containing beef, the editors wrote. They decided to make the announcement now, they said, with beef consumption…

CALCIUM 3 foods that will keep your bones healthy LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za BONE health is a significant part of the overall health of our bodies and one that we do not pay much attention to. What we do not see, we often do not feel the need to work on. When I was young, I was told to drink my milk. And for good reason: The calcium and vitamin D found in milk and other foods build and strengthen bones. Health experts say strong bones help prevent osteoporosis. For better bone health, go further than the milk carton. Try making the following changes to your diet. Vegetables With such a wide variety to choose from, rich in vitamins and minerals, it is important to eat vegetables every day. Vitamin C,…

WHEN TO BUY YOUR TICKET The cheapest days and months to book a flight in SA CLINTON MOODLEY Maria Tyutina/Pexels AIR travel is often deemed too expensive and unaffordable for many South Africans. And you’d be right to make that assumption. For example, a single flight for Tuesday, April 27, from Durban to Johannesburg on FlySafair, cost R3 271. However, many factors are at play when determining the cost of a flight. These include the date and time of the passenger’s booking. FlySafair chief marketing officer Kirby Gordon explained this in greater detail. He said that while flights seemed expensive, the airlines ran at a loss most of the time. Gordon said when a passenger booked a flight ticket, the airline would have to pay a portion to aviation authorities.…

HANGING OUR HEADS SA travels skedonk route with eyes wide open PALI LEHOHLA THE OFFICER took one look at my passport and went into a war cry, “Afrique de Sud, Mandela Mandela, Bafana Bafana!”, and without further questions he stamped the passport and we entered Burkina Faso. That was in August 1997 as the country rode the wave of goodwill Madiba generated and in the wake of the end of apartheid in 1994. In October 1998 as Madiba was launching the Census ’96 Results, he said ordinary South Africans were being feted like kings across the world because of the miracle of peaceful transition that South Africa had achieved. But he cautioned that those in leadership should not disappoint the people who had placed them in this elevated space of…

Finding the right mentor to help grow your business BEN BIERMAN ANY business owner worth their salt can acknowledge the fact that there is always something new to learn about their business or market. The value of learning from other, more experienced entrepreneurs, especially when starting a new company and guiding it through its initial years of operation, cannot be overstated. However, finding a suitable mentor can be easier said than done – most don’t know where to start, or how to go about approaching another busy professional with the prospect of mentorship. It is, therefore, unsurprising that so many entrepreneurs struggle with the idea of enlisting the help of an outside adviser. It has been well proved that guidance and advice from a mentor can offer as much value…

QUICK READ APPLE OFFERS CHOICE On Monday, Apple released iOS 14.5, one of its most anticipated software updates for iPhones and iPads in years. It includes a new privacy tool, App Tracking Transparency, which could give us more control over how our data is shared. When an app wants to follow your activities to share information with third parties such as advertisers, a window will show up on our Apple device to ask for your permission to do so. If you say no, the app will enable the device to stop monitoring and sharing of data. | IOL Tech SPOTIFY ANNOUNCES PAID PODCAST SUBSCRIPTION Spotify has announced the rollout of paid podcast subscriptions which will allow creators to attract listeners who are willing to pay for bonus content. Through Spotify’s…

QUICK READ CARS TOYOTA ACQUIRES SELF DRIVING TECH Toyota plans to acquire Lyft’s self-driving technology unit for $550 million (R7.92bn), the companies said, as the Japanese carmaker steps up its automation ambitions with the newly created Woven Planet division. | IOL Tech PAYU AFRICAN E-COMMERCE ADOPTION AT A TIPPING POINT According to a PayU report, multiple factors have combined to bring African countries to an e-commerce adoption tipping point, creating more opportunities than ever for online and omnichannel merchants. This is particularly true for merchants in fashion, beauty, education, and digital goods. | IOL Tech TECH MOTSEPE FOUNDATION IN  SEARCH OF TECH SOLUTIONS The Patrice Motsepe Foundation has partnered with US-based Milken Institute to launch a multimillion-rand Milken-Motsepe innovation prize programme, calling upon entrepreneurs to find technological solutions that enhance…

Tail Piece THE NEW ZULU KING HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AMERICAN educated Prince MisuZulu (47) the son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and the recently departed Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu will be crowned as the next Zulu King in the coming weeks. Zulu monarchy insiders say the decision to swiftly conclude the traditional process was informed by an internally raging succession battle within the royal court which is threatening to discredit the good standing of the monarch in the public eye. One insider said it was given that MisuZulu, a holder of a degree in international studies, would get the throne because his mother was from the Swazi royal house and by tradition, a senior wife.…

POLITICS ‘No more blame game in public service’ MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA Mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za PUBLIC Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu said gone are the days of the blame game between members of the executive and heads of departments over unlawful and “corrupt” directives. Mchunu said anything that hindered the efficient performance and ultimate delivery of services to the people should be dealt with urgency. He made the comments when his department briefed the public service and administration portfolio committee on two bills that seek to close gaps in public service–related legislations. Mchunu told MPs that they were lacking behind in putting the public service where it should be. “It has been affected by interruptions which found aspects not strong enough to resist the environment the public service operates in the country. “We…

ART & LIFE Goldblatt chronicled the people and landscapes of SA EDWIN NAIDU October 7, 2008 November 17, 2008 April 14, 2021 September 21, 2011 December 14, 2012 FASCINATED about the psyche of criminals, legendary South African photographer David Goldblatt, himself and his wife Lily themselves victims of crime, captured the stories of inmates in South Africa and the United Kingdom between 2008 to 2016. He completed his book putting a human face to inmates before his death on June 25, 2018. He was 87. With text from his documentary producer daughter Brenda Goldblatt and an essay by Erwin James, Goldblatt’s book Ex-Offenders at the Scene of the Crime was launched in Johannesburg, last Monday. It features a mix of individuals in South Africa and the United Kingdom…

EDUCATION Making the mobile data struggle more bearable TSHEPISO TSHABALALA THE unreasonable data hikes have been challenged for quite some time, yet nothing much has changed as mobile operators continue to get away with their overpriced services. Initiatives like #DataMustFall seem to have fallen on deaf ears leaving thousands of people, especially students who cannot afford data, out in the cold. In a bid to change this one student at a time, Aubrey Senyolo, a young man from Thabazimbi in Limpopo, started a social media campaign under the banner #AirtimeForAssignments. The data scheme aims to help ease the weight off students’ shoulders. “Most students have no source of income. This is what inspired me to take action. Yes, some students receive data from their respective institutions, but some do not…

WITS VICE-CHANCELLOR Professor Vilakazi – inspiring future leaders EDWIN NAIDU Wit University /Twitter THE need to inspire future leaders and create hope for young children in dusty townships throughout South Africa was a key message from Professor Zeblon Vilakazi during his inauguration as vice-chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). His message of hope to children growing up in similar conditions as him, previously expressed to the media following the announcement of his appointment on June 25 last year, remained a consistent theme during the hybrid ceremony on Thursday in the Great Hall and online. On creating hope for the future leaders, Vilakazi, harked back to his personal story when he was a child, growing up in the dusty township Katlehong, east of Joburg in Ekurhuleni, as he watched…

BOOK LAUNCH Effusive praise for Goldblatt legacy EDWIN NAIDU ONE of the country’s top jurists, Justice Edwin Cameron, said a decision by legendary lensman David Goldblatt to relocate his photographic collection from the University of Cape Town (UCT) to Yale University in the US, in protest at their silence after artworks were desecrated during the fees-must-fall protests, has potentially ended up saving his work from ruin. Cameron said there was a sense of “anguished relief” at this decision, as the recent fires in the Western Cape destroyed parts of Table Mountain and archives and buildings at UCT. Speaking during the posthumous launch of Goldblatt’s last book on Monday, Cameron said sending the photographic collection to Yale was an act of protest against then-vice-chancellor Max Price and his administration, who when…

LETTERS Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa MY NAME is Nobulali, I am currently residing and running a small business in Kempton Park. I specialise in customs clearing and procurements. I am very passionate about my industry. I am hereby writing to you to inform you that Covid-19 has brought my business to its knees. This is compromising and violating my basic human rights, which are food clothes and shelter. We just celebrated Human Rights Day and my children and I did not get to enjoy that right. Freedom Day, I did not celebrate, as I have no financial freedom. I did not celebrate Workers Day since you have taken my business from me for two months and I have lost clients. It is now month end and you received your salary…

OPINION ‘Corruption makes us angry as honest Struggle veterans,’ Dr TT Cholo Tuesday, April 27 marked 27 years since South Africa’s first democratic elections as a result of the attainment of political freedom and democracy. Liberation struggle stalwart and labour activist, Dr Tlou Theophilus Cholo is one of the comrades who played a critical role in the achievement of freedom. SHALATE DAVHANA AND MALESELA MAUBAN THOUGH the three part serie (this is the last) the authors - Shalate Davhana and Malesela Maubane attempt to chronicle the life of Dr Cholo - a recipient of the Order of Luthuli in Silver and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) honorary doctorate and as someone who represent the voices of other selfless icons who might not have proximity to communication platforms. In this…

INJURY TIME STUART HESS stuart.hess@inl.co.za WHERE DID SHE THINK SHE WAS? We are not sure where the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture’s spokesperson Masechaba Ndlovu thought she was on Friday. Ndlovu was conducting the press conference at Cricket SA, involving Rihan Richards, the acting chairman of the Members Council, her boss, Sports Minister, Nathi Mthethwa and the Interim Board’s chairman Dr Stavros Nicoloau. Simple job you would think; introduce the top table, ask for some opening remarks and then open the floor to the media for questions. Except, if you’re Ndlovu, this is like an awards ceremony, into which Ndlovu needed to interject herself. “Oooh, this has been a long, long, long time coming,” mused Ndlovu. Yeah, Masechaba, we know, some of us have been reporting about this stuff…

PREMIERSHIP Chiefs have simply forgotten how to win in PSL MIHLALI BALEKA KAIZER Chiefs’ inability to consolidate their lead and possession continued to haunt them after squandering two early goals to be held 2-2 by Bloemfontein Celtic in a DStv Premiership encounter at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium yesterday. The two points dropped meant that Chiefs remained outside the top eight – they are ninth with 29 points, two behind eighth-placed TS Galaxy. That Chiefs allowed Celtic back in the game meant the latter also kept alive their hopes of a top-eight finish. Chiefs will be disappointed with the result and they’ll have to ensure that they don’t leave any stone unturned in their last five matches. That’s easier said than done, for Amakhosi will also face Simba SC in…

QUICK READ Israel DOZENS of people were crushed to death in a crowd at a religious bonfire festival in Israel on Friday, medics said, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “heavy disaster”. The crush occurred as tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews thronged to the Galilee tomb of 2nd-century sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai for annual Lag B’Omer commemorations. Witnesses said people were asphyxiated or trampled in a tightly packed passageway as crowds packed the Mount Meron slope in defiance of Covid-19 warnings. | Reuters Libya THE UN Security Council held its first meeting this week on the risk of mercenaries in Libya dispersing to other countries such as Chad. The session was requested by members Kenya, Niger and Tunisia. According to diplomats, there are estimated to…

QUICK READ BUSHIRI EXTRADITION THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on extradition will not be used in the case against preacher Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary. They fled South Africa before their fraud trial related to an investment scheme. The SADC protocol is not part of the laws of Malawi and therefore irrelevant in the case, news website Malawi24 reported this week. The magistrate would rely on the 1972 extradition agreement between Malawi and South Africa. | ANA DRC TO RETURN VACCINES THE Democratic Republic of Congo will return 1.3 million of the 1.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to the UN Children's Fund for redistribution to other African countries, the EastAfrican Magazine reported this week. The country received these through the Covax facility in March,…

IS HE THE BIGGEST GEN Z STAR IN SA? Who is Uncle Vinny and why is he a big deal? BUHLE MBONAMBI I SHOOK my head in disbelief as I watched the video of Braamfontein teeming with youngsters. Few had their masks on. Many had drinks on their hands. I checked the date stamp. April 24, 2021. WTF are these kids thinking? I wondered. And who on earth is Uncle Vinny and why have all those Gen Zs packed the streets of Braamfontein? It turns out I wasn’t the only one asking what was happening, and in that moment, I felt old. Old because I was clearly out of the loop and had missed out on probably one of the biggest stars of amapiano. And his name is Uncle Vinny.…

EDITOR’S CHOICE READ By The Fading Light by Ashraf Kagee (R149 on Loot.co.za) Set in Cape Town, Ashraf Kagee tells a story of troubled families, the vibrant Muslim culture, South African politics, the resilience of children, loss of innocence and coming of age. When Amin Gabriels, a young boy, disappears, it becomes an event that creates fear and anxiety in the community, especially for his friends, the main characters, who are three 11-year-old boys, Ainey, Haroun and Cassius. WATCH Diep City (Mzansi Magic, weekdays at 8.30pm) In the intersection of poverty and wealth lies Diep City, a drama that seeks to humanise the poor people of Diep City and their struggle to survive. The show focuses on four disillusioned young women who are forced into a life of crime while…

The 7 stages of family travel Babymoons Parents take babymoons a few months before they welcome their new child into the world. Babymoons are a great way for couples to enjoy time by themselves and discover new destinations before their baby arrives. Parents can enjoy babymoons before the birth of any of their children. Travelling with toddlers A child's first few months or years can take a toll on parents, from late nights, little or no sleep and no social life. Most parents book holidays with their young children to destinations that offer family-friendly activities and where they can put their feet up. Ease your toddler into travelling with a day or overnight trip close to home. That way, you can assess what they like and dislike. Travelling with teens…