Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-08 i Sunday Independent

Dealing with Covid-19 can be difficult. Those who have had the virus shared the things they did to help speed up the healing process, and one of them is steaming. Media personality Criselda Kananda, who had Covid-19 pneumonia, said part of her recovery plan included steaming with eucalyptus oil. Although some are fortunate enough to have escaped infection by the virus, they are affected by what is happening around them. As such, anxiety levels have been high. To help you keep calm, these are the top five essential oils you should use: Lavender oil: It will help reduce anxiety and fight against any tension you may have. Orange oil: It will help calm you, making you feel more at ease. Lemon oil: It will give you energy for the…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za It’s Women’s Month. As such, we are celebrating those individuals who are making a notable difference. One such pioneer is seasoned actress Sonia Mbele. Aside from becoming a household name as Ntombi Khumalo on Mfundi Vundla’s hit soapie Generations, she went on to star in several critically acclaimed TV shows as well as homegrown movies. While her longstanding career helped her hone her craft, it also exposed her to the cracks in the industry. It was something that didn’t sit well with her and she decided to do something about it. And so, three years ago, she launched All About Films. Her recent acting comeback in Mzansi Magic’s telenovela, DiepCity, was quite serendipitous in that it allowed me to finally have a chat with her and unpack…

Mzilikazi Wa Afrika mzeetheicon@gmail.com FORMER president Jacob Zuma needs urgent medical attention and might seek medical help outside the country as soon as he is released from jail. Zuma was taken to hospital on Friday for “medical observation” and was expected to spend the weekend there. The former head of state is currently incarcerated at the Estcourt Correctional Centre where he is serving 15 months for contempt of court after he failed to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. Zuma had objected to testifying before then Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who is now the Acting Chief Justice, citing the commission chairperson’s bias against him. Zondo ruled against his recusal and referred the matter to the Constitutional Court. As things stand now, Zuma is expected…

Amanda Maliba and Tshepiso Tshabalala The community of Eldorado Park, south of Joburg, is besieged by many social ills like crime, drug abuse and poverty. And the Covid-19 pandemic is not making things any easier. But some good Samaritans based in the community are taking it upon themselves to bring a glimmer of hope to the people of Eldos. The Covid-19 First Responder (CFR) team project was established in May to assist community members manage their symptoms and gain access to oxygen tanks, oximeters, masks, sanitisers and much more. Founded by Eldos’ very own “Mother Teresa” – Cheryl Pillay – who is known for multiple community-based projects like the Local Drug Action Committee, the team of 15 is made up of volunteer doctors, nurses, EMS members and community members…

Amanda Maliba amanda.maliba@inl.co.ca The Covid-19 lockdown has had a massive impact on people, including artists that have had to look back within and reconnect with themselves. The latter is true for award-winning superstar Amanda Black, who said she spent the better half of the time introspecting and that gave rise to her third studio album, Mnyama. An introspective album, conversations with self in the alone time that led her to face herself deeper. The title Mnyama, which means black, relates to many facets of who Amanda is – being a black woman, the country going through a dark period – and shows the thread of the different meanings of black, “that in black, there is light”. “The way I make music is very personal, so whenever I take it out…

Keshia Africa keshia.africa@inl.co.za CEDRIC Laguma first went viral on popular social media app TikTok for a video of him sinking his teeth into a dragon fruit. Better known as “Uncle Cedric” to his followers, the 40-year-old Capetonian TikTok star has hit the 100 000 follower mark and believes the secret to his success on the app is that people can relate to him. TikTok, according to World Wide Worx’s 2021 Social Media report, is the fastest growing platform in the country, jumping from five million to nine million users over the last year. The study shows that while growth on TikTok has been driven by young people, more people like Laguma, in the 25 to 44 age group, joined it during lockdown. Fondly referred to as everyone’s favourite TikTok uncle,…

HERE I was on a date when my date looked me in the eye, and said: ‘I have never been with a woman with a disability, therefore, I don’t know how to treat you. Please teach me to treat you the way I should’. I bet you would like to know my response, and what happened to us. Askies, I am not going to say, because that is not the point of this article. I welcome and appreciate those honest questions, and generally welcome the sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Especially when they are about how people should interact with me. Do I get upset, hurt, disappointed, offended, and cry sometimes? Definitely, yes. Emotions are what makes us human, hence it is very dehumanising when people think they have a right to…

THIS was a massive week for Jean van der Westhuyzen, as he combined with Tom Green to stun Germany and win the Canoe Sprint K2 1000 metres final at the Olympic Games. Van der Westhuyzen was wearing Aussie gold, but it was moment celebrated as much in South Africa as it was Australia, with Van der Westhuyzen’s uncle – and my best friend for the past 40 years – Craig Cloete leading the chorus of expectation and subsequent elation as the youngster did good on all his uncle’s predictions. This was very much an Australian gold made in South Africa and polished in Australia, with the Cape Town-born and Michaelhouse old boy Van der Westhuyzen having represented Team South Africa at the 2016 Rio Youth Olympics. Van der Westhuyzen’s…

Debashine Thangevelo This week was particularly devastating for the industry. Watching Connie Ferguson as well as the children and family bid farewell to Shona, or Uncle Sho as most liked to call him, was heartbreaking. Every person who lost a family member to Covid-19 shared in their grief. Knowing Ferguson, I’m sure she will do her late husband’s legacy proud with Ferguson Films. Their fortuitous meeting 20 years ago was the culmination of this dream, which led to them producing critically-acclaimed offerings The Queen, The Throne, Igazi, Rockvillle, The Impostor, The Gift, Unmarried and Kings of Joburg. Aside from being stylish, graceful and talented, Ferguson is a beacon of inspiration to all aspirant creatives wanting to leave footprints in the industry. Her humble beginnings as an actress on SABC1’s Generations…

Clinton Moodley Vaccinated South Africans can finally take their much-anticipated holiday to France – without the need for quarantine or Covid-19 tests. Air France shares some things you should know. The accepted vaccines You can travel to France if you have the following vaccines: Pfizer/Comirnaty, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Vaxzevria/Covishield and Johnson & Johnson. Have your vaccination card Travellers will have to show proof of their vaccination throughout their journey, so keep it in a place where you can retrieve it easily. Agnes Angrand, the deputy director of the French tourism authority, Atout France, suggested travellers carry their original vaccination card with them, extra photocopies of the card in their luggage and one photographed on their phone. Travellers will have to show their vaccine card to access museums, concerts, sporting events, and even…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za Once deemed as the travel trend set to dominate 2020, mobilemoons took a back seat due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. But, this form of solo travel is now resurfacing as travellers are fast becoming more reliant on their mobile devices when they go on holiday. The term, described as “going on a trip with your cellphone as your only travel companion” is fast making a comeback as travel starts to reopen and vaccinated travellers are jet-setting to all sorts of exotic destinations. And, with concerns over travelling with other people during the pandemic, most are holding on to their phones to ensure that they do not miss out on any travel adventures. Mobilemoons, as quirky as they may sound, offer travellers all the support they need during…

Buhle Mbonambi buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za It’s incredible just how much quality TV programming was created last year. It’s incredible when you think about how the world was in strife and yet creatives were still coming up with great content that is keeping us entertained this year. I was filled with trepidation when thinking about what TV content we would get this year. I was hoping that there would be little about Covid-19 as possible and TV producers would instead focus on a world that has no hint of the terror brought by the pandemic. And we have most of that, especially with these new shows that have everyone talking. These shows are not yet available on South African TV, be it on broadcast TV or streaming services, but we expect them to…

WINE + FOOD: The Art of the Perfect Pairing This 2019 guide to food and wine pairing was released by Libertas vineyard and it has been a go-to since I received it. I have used the book to send advice to my friends whenever they are planning a fancy meal, and also used it to learn more about wine and spices. It’s a great book to invest in if you want to learn more about food and fine dining. Professor T (Streaming on BritBox) Professor T is one of the must-watch shows on the new streaming service, BritBox. Starring Bridgerton stars Ben Miller and Emma Naomi, Professor T is about an OCD criminologist, Professor Jasper Tempest, who is a genius and lectures at Cambridge University. He is very…

Writing this textual contribution, I anticipated that the populace would be bombarded this weekend with an avalanche of views around President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reshuffle of his line-up of lieutenants in his Cabinet. I guess I would not be far off the mark if I were to predict this array of perspectives would constipate all media platforms. But I have decided to resist the temptation to give commentary or analysis on this rearrangement of the executive because, I think, it’s a superficial exercise. Yes, it’s superficial because it is not really about the fundamental issue of our existence as oppressed people in this country. I made the point, this past weekend, that the recent embarrassing events that resulted in the mayhem of torching trucks, destruction of property including malls, warehouses and…

Edwin Naidu Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande escaped the axe during a Cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Thursday night. But he is not out of the woods yet, following allegations of financial mismanagement and breaking procurement processes levelled against him by axed director-general Gwebinkundla Qonde. Rival politicians have been sharpening their knives against Nzimande, more so after the 202-page affidavit challenging the suspension. Qonde laid bare alleged abuse by Nzimande in violating procurement regulations for the purchase of laptops for university students via the National Student’s Financial Aid Scheme. Ramaphosa is the third respondent in the case. So far, the president has not acted on the claims by the man who is South Africa’s longest-serving director-general in the civil service. Qonde’s contract ends on…

Unrest could intensify Covid-19 Nathan Craig nathan.craig@inl.co.za Continued civil unrest from looters has not just left Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) in disarray but experts believe it distorted data as well as lengthened and intensified the third wave of the pandemic. Infectious diseases epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim said the continued bouts of civil unrest could not have come at a worse time. “The province is in the third wave and on that dangerous fast upward trajectory where we will see spikes in cases over the next two weeks,” he said. Abdool Karim said there was no question the public disorder impacted the pandemic in five ways. “First, looters did not care about the law let alone lockdown regulations so none wore masks or social distanced so we have had continuous…

Amanda Maliba amanda.maliba@inl.co.ca Today marks exactly 500 days since the first announcement of national lockdown in March last year, as the country and world around battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. And although the lockdown seemed to have been a temporary measure, 500 days later we have been accustomed to a new normal of wearing masks, consistent sanitising and physically distancing. The new normal has brought with it the new world of work – with many people working full-time from home for over a year now, relationships and marriages being tested and even social lives being altered due to fears of contracting the virus. For Palesa Masokameng from Joburg North, working from home has been a big adjustment especially because home for her means relaxation. “I think for the first two…

Manyane Manyane manyane.manyane@inl.co.za President Cyril Ramaphosa will have a lot to answer to when he appears before the State Capture Inquiry this week. The Commission has set down Wednesday and Thursday for the second round of the President’s testimony. This follows the first appearance where he testified about what transpired under his watch as a leader of the ANC. The focus now will be on his tenure as deputy president and head of state. African Transformation Movement president Vuyolwethu Zungula believes Ramaphosa needs to take South Africans into his confidence on the sealed CR17 presidential campaign documents. He said Ramaphosa also needs to shed light on his role in the “Eskom war room”. According to the Zondo Commission, Ramaphosa is expected to complete giving his evidence relating to his position…

EVERY year in August we stand up to celebrate women’s struggles over the decades and this should be a reminder of how history needs new spectacles. Society tends to forget that the women’s struggles for liberation started long before colonisation and continued against colonial domination. The story of the Khoi woman Krotoa, is among the early stories of betrayal and freedom struggle within the household of Jan van Riebeeck. Always torn between her Khoi ancestry and the Dutch culture, Krotoa died a bitter soul on Robben Island. Two hundred years later after Krotoa, there was the sad story of a Gamtoos woman who was taken from the valleys of her home and became an enslaved servant in Europe. The Khoi woman, Sarah Baartmaan, like Krotoa, died away from her people…

Faced with recent developments, the temptation is to concentrate specifically on the decision of Dr Zweli Mkhize to resign as minister of health in the wake of the SIU investigation into the Digital Vibes contract. In doing so one may lose the bigger picture, and end up failing to see the wood for the trees. The concerns that Minister Mkhize articulates in his letter of resignation to President Cyril Ramaphosa with regard to misconduct and serious irregularities during the SIU investigation, indicate a predetermined (closed) mindset, and are disturbing especially in as far as it fits a pattern of abuse by state institutions with partisan, factional political, intentions. Our overall important concern should be that our law enforcement agencies, specifically the NPA, and increasingly also the SIU, as well as…

Molaole Montsho molaole.montsho@africannewsagency.com Zambia’s opposition party, the United Party for National Development, is confident of winning the coming general election. Zambians vote on Thursday, in what is expected to be a close contest between the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the opposition, United Party for National Development. UPND secretary-general Batuke Imenda said 4.7 million people would vote for them. “The UPND has a verifiable and authentic database of 4.7 million dedicated voters that will overwhelm our opponents and carry us into victory to form government. “Further, there’s evidence that a significant number of (previously) undecided voters have decided to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND after realising the non-viability and disastrous leader- ship under the PF administration,” he said. He appealed to party supporters and the people of…

Shannon Ebrahim shannon.ebrahim@inl.co.za THE tragedy of the United State’s 20-year war in Afghanistan goes far beyond the devastation it left in its wake, but the fact that it is bound to do it all over again. US policy makers and generals have learnt nothing from the fiasco of the longest war in their history. After Vietnam, they said they would learn from their mistakes, but their mindset never changed, and their strategic decisions in Afghanistan were even more flawed. It is only a matter of time before the US intervenes militarily in another country, decimating its infrastructure, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, and fuelling extremism among the local population as a result of its gross human rights violations. What is the point to all this mayhem? The $2 trillion…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za KHAYA Zondo believes that the fallout from controversy generated when he wasn’t picked for the fifth One-day International against India, may still be playing a role in his failure to thus far add to his five international caps. “It feels like things are constantly being done and it all feels like it stems from 2015. Again this year I performed in the season, now I can’t even get into the South African A side, how?” Zondo’s non-selection for that final ODI in Mumbai, in October 2015 was the catalyst for a dramatic split along racial lines in the national team. A group of black players wrote a letter to Cricket SA’s Board at the time, signing it ‘#BibsMustFall’, stating that they were tired of only being viewed…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za LAST week’s petrol price hike, a record high, rubs salt in the wound of overburdened consumers and will probably add to food and transport prices, experts say. Motorists using petrol-pumped vehicles started paying R18.20 a litre for 95 unleaded petrol from Wednesday, while 93 unleaded petrol increased by 91 cents a litre and diesel by 55.58. Wholesale illuminating paraffin went up by 50 cents a litre. This time a year ago, petrol cost R15.17 cents a litre. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said the movement in international refined petroleum product prices followed the increasing trend in crude oil prices. The average brent crude oil price increased from $73 to $74 a barrel while the rand depreciated from R13.92 to R14.54 against the dollar during the…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za In an overwhelmingly male-dominated industry, women rocking it behind the turntables don’t often get their rightful recognition. Some might say it’s not a big deal, but it actually is. For a long time, women were seen as the champagne girls, the promoters or the audience, dancing along to what the male DJ was spinning on the decks. They would be the hype women, screaming their approval at the way he transitions from song to song. But that time is over. From Afro-house queens to ama- piano beauties, here are eight women DJs whose talent, taste, style and commitment to the art are redefining the all-boys’ club behind the decks and holding their own as head of the dance floor. Not only are they showing that they can…

Violence starts hitting affected communities in the pocket Lesego Makgatho lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za Three weeks after Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were hit by a wave of violent civil unrest, the process of rebuilding infrastructure that was destroyed and reopening scores of looted shops has yet to begin. And residents of the affected areas are spending more time and money to get goods and services elsewhere. In Johannesburg, scores of people queued outside various banks at Maponya Mall in Soweto this week as registration for the R350 social relief grant opened. The shopping centre was spared the looting and destruction after community members camped outside it around the clock to safeguard it. The SA Post Office roped in banks and retailers to help with the volumes of applicants. “A payment solution is being tested…

Lesego Makgatho lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za Media personality and author Khanyisile Madlala has penned a non-fiction page-turner, Arrested By His Love, that is an inspirational memoir of self-discovery, finding your life- purpose, fulfilling one’s destiny and walking in victory amid adversity. “We all face a lot of arrests in life. It can be any form of challenge that confines us into a mindset and spiritual level where we think we are incapable of anything. In my time of difficulty, God’s hand was always on me. It is because of Him that I am able to rise above and share my story,” said Madlala speaking about her offering. In 13 chapters, Madlala talks about her love child who came to the fore from an extramarital affair that she was involved in. She talks…

The Chinese government has taken umbrage at US President Joe Biden’s administration over the alleged “politicisation of the Covid-19 origin-tracing” studies. So angry is Beijing at Washington that in a statement, the diplomatic language is overtaken by a raw sense of open unhappiness against Washington’s apparent insistence that Covid-19 first broke out in a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Although a World Health Organization-China joint study group – made up of 34 experts from 10 countries including the US, UK, Japan and Australia – found no evidence to support the “Wuhan lab theory”, Washington remains openly sceptical about the findings. President Biden has, following his rejection of the WHO-China joint study group’s findings in the Sars-CoV-2 origin, instructed his intelligence services to conduct their own investigation and report to the Oval…

August is Women’s Month in our country and it is important that we take stock of the role women have played in its development, be it political, social, economic or cultural. While we cannot live in the past, as we trace women’s involvement, particularly from the 1950’s, a pattern emerges that tells us a story we dare not ignore in modern-day South Africa. The 1950 era is singled out because that is when women became restless and defiant against the injustices they were experiencing in their daily lives. Even more important, those women organised themselves across racial, socio-economic standing and geographic location across South Africa. There was a realisation that as women, regardless of whether they lived in urban or rural areas, there were hardships they were experiencing. To name…

Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za ANOTHER season, another campaign where Mamelodi Sundowns are expected to challenge for every trophy in domestic football. Except that in almost a decade Sundowns have failed to claim the MTN8 crown. The Wafa Wafa Cup is the first silverware on offer in the new term, where teams are expected to showcase their preparedness going forward. Sundowns have proven that how you start doesn't determine how you’ll finish the season. They’ve failed to win the MTN8 for almost a decade, despite winning six titles in the process. Many, including the coaches, have argued that they are slow starters in domestic football because their pre-season plans are cut short by continental football. The continental calendar has, however, been rearranged and with Sundowns having had a full pre-season just like…

Debashine Thangevelo Cooking shows may be the rage, especially those anchored by celebs, but why would Netflix give us a culinary abomination like Cooking with Paris? Had Anthony Bourdain been alive, he would be foaming at the mouth. I foolishly decided to watch the first episode, which featured Paris Hilton’s BFF Kim Kardashian. Of the 24-minute episode, I think I made it to 15 minutes. The episode started with the renowned socialite/actress at a grocery store. She says, “Excuse me, sir, what do chives look like … what do I do with it?” She was overdressed in a pink gown, with a train, heels and had a face beat fit for a red-carpet event. Let’s talk about her cooking skills. Well, she doesn’t have any. Boiling an egg could…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za If you hate planning your trip or creating itineraries, then you are in luck. IOL Travel will create itineraries over the next few months to highlight several South African destinations. We offer advice on what to see, where to dine and adventure, and other tips to make your trip memorable. This week, we feature Clarens, a small town in the Free State. Here’s how to spend 48 hours in this stunning attraction: DAY 1 9am: Start your trip with an adventure. Clarens Xtreme’s abseiling activity draws many adventure sport lovers. The experience starts at Swartland, a 50m-high sandstone rock overlooking Clarens, with the most striking views. It states on its website that “anybody who can fit into a rock climbing harness can do abseiling” and no experience…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za With on-site alcohol consumption permitted under level 3, travellers can spend their weekend savouring wine and the outdoors. Here are some wine attractions you should visit: KWAZULU-NATAL l Highgate Wine Estate is a family- run estate situated in the heart of the scenic KZN Midlands. Travellers can meander through the property capturing grand views of the estate. Highgate Wine Estate offers wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Merlot, Syrah, and Rosé. The wine tasting is R100 per person and bookings are essential. Highgate is open from Fridays to Sundays. See www.highgatewineestate.co.za/. l Cathedral Peak Wine Estate is situated in the Drakensberg and is definitely worth a visit if you love your wines. There are 15 options to choose from, and you pay R10 per tasting. Booking is…