Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-15 i Sunday Independent

SEVERAL upper-echelon tech companies announced earnings recently, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. They all have some things in common. They’re all making lots of money: each benefited because they are mainly digital companies, well positioned to profit from the increased time we spent within digital spaces during the pandemic. And they all have a stake in something called the “metaverse”. What’s that? The metaverse is a sort of shared digital reality experienced within the lenses of augmented reality glasses or within the sealed-in space of virtual reality headgear – a digital world where you can work, play and socialise. (The term comes from the Neal Stephenson sci-fi novel Snow Crash.) The tech company talking the loudest about the metaverse lately is Facebook. In an interview with The Verge’s Casey…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za It’s less than two months before the reigning Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida, crowns her successor. A few weeks ago she met the woman she will crown. It’s just that she doesn’t know who it is yet. At the announcement of the Miss South Africa 2021 finalists, Musida stood as the women vying for her crown paraded, and waited for her to put a sash on them, officially welcoming them to the Miss South Africa sisterhood. She had a smile on her face the whole time, oozing confidence. Even with another bevy of beauties next to her and a former Miss World, Rolene Strauss, who was the MC, she still stood out. And that’s what makes her even more beautiful. The past few years have seen a…

Alyssia Birjalal alyssia.birjalal@inl.co.za Growing up watching TV in South Africa was so much fun. We had multilingual shows with the best storylines filling up our SABC channels. No matter what language you conversed in on the daily, reading Afrikaans subtitles was the order of the day if you wanted to keep up with shows like “Orkney Snork Nie”, “Egoli-Place of Gold” or even “Wielie Walie”. However, somewhere along the line we lost that authenticity when a plethora of channels and shows were made available – almost all in the English medium. So, if you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone and try something out of the box, then why not give these Afrikaans series a try the next time you switch on the telly. Devilsdorp - Showmax This…

THE past two months gave us at the June and Andrew Mlangeni Foundation plenty opportunities to reflect. The first such opportunity was in June when we hosted the inaugural Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of Isithwalandwe Andrew Mokete Mlangeni. The second was a colloquium towards the end of the Youth Month, which brought into sharp focus the constraints and challenges faced by victims of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and by members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The two pivotal events set the scene for Mandela Day, during which the world remembers the selflessness of the founding father of the democratic South Africa. Continuing the theme of selflessness and the protection of human rights, we are in August – Women’s Month. Lest we forget, it was on August 9, 1956, when…

Tshepiso Tshabalala Russel Kriel was a reliable man who never missed a day of work for 10 years. And suddenly the Eldorado Park teacher didn't show up for work for days on end. This unusual behaviour didn't sit well with the deputy principal, Shadrack Gibson, who started reaching out to Kriel over the phone, but the calls were unanswered. Kriel would only respond to text messages. This started to worry Gibson when he sent the teacher a letter warning him of a suspension for absconding from work and it also hit a dead end. The 47-year-old Kliptown secondary school teacher last came to work in May. And in July there was still neither any sign of him, nor an apparent worry about losing the job he loved. The deputy…

Shalate Davhana and Malesela Maubane The fight for women’s emancipation continues against the backdrop of South Africa’s 27 years of freedom and democracy. Nelson Mandela said: “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.” South Africa came into being through the South Africa Act passed by the British parliament in 1909, whereby the colonies of Natal, Cape, Transvaal and the Orange River were combined to form the Union of South Africa. The Union of South Africa became the Republic of South Africa on May 31, 1961. As all these developments were unfolding, women were not allowed to vote or stand for election. White women gained suffrage only in 1930, thus having the right to vote or stand for election in the 1933 general election.…

LEST We Forget, August 16, 2021, marks nine years of untold consequences of police brutality on the koppie at Marikana in the North West Province, dubbed the Marikana Massacre, where 34 striking miners were shot and killed by the police. Truth be told, it was an unprecedented development ignited by years of exploitation as a result of the migratory labour system that set up black lives for another massacre in a democracy. All that the workers wanted and appealed for to the employer, Lonmin, was a living wage. Instead, they got live ammunition rewarding them with death and graves and not money or decent housing. The former president Jacob Zuma saga nearly reminded us of what we wish to forget despite the reality of history repeating itself. Thinking about the…

On August 9, National Women’s Day and International Day of Indigenous Peoples, climate scientists released a devastating report that concludes that humanity has a tiny window in the next decade to stop the devastation of humanity and the Earth. The report records “widespread, rapid and intensifying climate change”. Rising sea levels jeopardise the ocean’s ecosystems and those who rely on them. Extreme weather, including intensified heat waves, floods and drought will eviscerate the lives of people, especially those who are poor. Those who cannot leave areas worst-hit by this man-made mess will die. This time calls for us to evoke love as our natural state of being, to wield power with clarity and vision, in solidarity with humanity and the Earth that sustains us. This is the love of the…

Rudolph Nkgadima rudolph.nkgadima@africannewsagency.com LESS than two months after Guinea declared an end to its most recent Ebola outbreak, the country has confirmed a case of the Marburg virus – a highly infectious disease that causes haemorrhagic fever. The virus was found in Gueckedou, the same region where cases of the 2021 Ebola outbreak in Guinea as well as the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak, were initially detected. The discovery of the Marburg virus comes at a time when Guinea and the continent are struggling against the third wave of the coronavirus, raising fears of yet another major health crisis in Africa. However, with the continent’s experience in dealing with the virus, health experts believe it poses a minimal threat. The most recent outbreak, in Uganda, infected three people, all…

Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za THE gloves have come off between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs ahead of their MTN8 clash today. This was evident after the two teams either questioned the opponent’s tactics or expressed their aim to knock the other off their perch. In another edition of the new season’s opening matches being played without fans, these two heavyweights will revive their rivalry in the MTN8 quarter-final at Lucas Masterpieces Stadium today (3pm kick-off) with a lot to play for. Sundowns haven’t won the MTN8 cup in the last 14 years. However, they’ve been the dominant force in the last eight years, winning 12 titles, including six league crowns. Now after a full pre-season, they believe they can end their MTN8 curse. They meet a resilient Chiefs side that has…

MIKE GREENAWAY THE Sharks have bounced back from a Covid crisis to pick a strong side for today’s Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs at Jonsson Kings Park (1.30pm). The Durbanites had to cancel last Wednesday’s game against the Pumas after an outbreak of positive cases and it is minor miracle that six days later they can fulfill their fixture against the Free Staters. The Sharks had to forfeit the four match points to the Pumas because they were the ones that had suffered the Covid and now they have major pressure to secure the spoils against the Cheetahs so that they stay in contention to secure a home semi-final by finishing first or second on the log. The Sharks’ last outing saw them react to losing to Griquas two…

Debashine Thangevelo The deluge of dating reality shows continues with Showmax recently announcing the premiere of Temptation Island South Africa. While we are still digesting the drama, tears and hookups on M-Net’s Love Island South Africa and The Bachelorette SA, the news certainly piqued curiosity for a few reasons. First, the show will be hosted by Phat Joe, who calls a spade a spade, as was witnessed in the reunion episodes of The Real Housewives of Durban and The Real Housewives of Johannesburg 2. It will probably be a good thing that contestants and love interests, will be scantily-clad, as he will be turning up the heat. And the star-clout in the show hasn’t gone amiss either as actors, comedians and DJs shoot their shot on the island. Tats Nkonzo,…

Wesley Diphoko wesley.diphoko@inl.co.za The Communications and Digital Technologies Ministry is one of those that has been less fortunate in getting a minister with the necessary industry experience. Now, for the first time, someone who has a professional background in working with technology has been appointed to serve as the minister. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Khumbudzo Ntshavheni will serve as the 15th minister in a department that has numerous difficulties. Ntshavheni served as the municipal manager of Ba-Phalaborwa municipality in Limpopo, a position that she held from April 2008 until November 2010. She is also a previous tourism manager for trade and investment in Limpopo. She served as spokeswoman to the premier of Limpopo and lectured at Unisa. It is her experience of working as the chief information officer…

Sarah Zipp and Sacha Sutherland Team outfits and fashion were not supposed to be a big talking point at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. But protests over skimpy uniforms by two women’s teams in the months before the games have brought bikinis and high-cut leotards into the spotlight. Now these high-profile campaigns are leaving Olympians, fans and aspiring young athletes wondering: why are women expected to bare their bodies, while men cover up? In April, the German women’s gymnastics team ditched the traditional, high-cut leg-baring leotards for ankle-length unitards, protesting the “sexualisation” of their bodies. This dissent was intended to highlight and prevent sexual abuse in the sport, following recent high-profile cases in the US and UK. They continued their protest at the Tokyo Olympics. In a similar move,…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za Food bloggers are trying to cancel the word ‘curry’. They believe the term should no longer be used due to its links to British colonialism. It all started when food blogger Chaheti Bansal called on her followers to stop using the “umbrella term”. In April, Bansal shared a video recipe where she urged people to “cancel the word curry”. Her call has since gone viral. While there are many different explanations for where the word curry comes from, the most popular is that it was invented by the British who misheard the Tamil word Kari, which means “sauce”. Its first use dates back to the mid-18th century when members of the British East India Trading Company were trading with Tamil merchants in Southeast India. According to Bansal…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za Aretha Franklin’s Respect is an anthem recognised, globally, and synonymous with the civil rights and women’s rights movements. It’s also a song that has lifted spirits after those bad breaks ups and is the go-to performance song for drag queens. The Queen of Soul’s musical repertoire didn’t just resonate with listeners, it stirred emotions and evoked confidence and inspired a shift in mindset. Although she died on August 16, 2018, her life story (and achievements) inspired National Geographic’s Genius: Aretha, which chronicled several periods of her life, and the recently released movie biopic, Respect. Interestingly, Liesl Tommy, a South African director now based in the US, makes her feature film debut with this release. To be trusted with overseeing such a massive production is a huge validation,…

Karabo Ngoepe karabo.ngoepe@inl.co.za FORMER president Jacob Zuma’s legal team maintains that his incarceration is unconstitutional and would not stand the test in the International Criminal Court (ICC), to which SA is a signatory. In papers filed on Friday in response to the court’s request for submissions on international law implications on Zuma’s detention, they argued that South Africa signed the ICCPR in 1994 and ratified it in 1998. “It is mandatory to consider the relevant international law whenever a court assumes the duty to interpret the Bill of Rights such as the constitutional rights in section 12(1)(b) (detention without a trial) and section 35(3) (fair trial rights of an accused person),” Dali Mpofu wrote in the papers. He added that the answer to the Constitutional Court’s first direction is that…

Siboniso Mngadi siboniso.mngadi@inl.co.za PHOENIX was in the spotlight yesterday as another group of protesters marched through the northern-Durban township to hand a memorandum to the police. The march, led by a civic group called African United Action (AUA) was a call for justice for those who were killed when the looting and unrest broke out a month ago. Although the protest was attended by about 20 people, there was heavy security presence, including the army, metro police and the SAPS. The group demanded the establishment of the judicial commission of inquiry into the killings, provision of mobile clinics and police stations in informal settlements around Phoenix and a report back from Minister of Police Bheki Cele. Sifiso Mnyala, AUA national convener, said the commission would assist in determining whether African…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za The Police Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence will launch separate investigations into the violence that broke out in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and led to the loss of more than 300 lives and more than R50 billion. House chairperson Cedric Frolick confirmed this week, that the Police Committee, chaired by Tina Joemat-Pettersson, will begin its inquiry soon. This comes after the Intelligence Committee, chaired by Jerome Maake, also announced its investigation after Frolick had given the go-ahead to the probe. The committees of Parliament met a few weeks ago to discuss the inquiry, but it was found that they would be too large with about 50 members. This was because the committees would have comprised members from the defence, police, intelligence and other committees to…

THE UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a grim report August 9 confirming that the world will reach or exceed temperature rises of 1.5°C – a limit that countries have pledged to keep to in order to avoid the most dangerous consequences of global warming – over the next 20 years. Temperature rises will continue until the middle of the century, the report says, and without fast, deep reductions in greenhouse gases will, over the course of the century, exceed both the 1.5°C target and maximum limit of 2°C set by the 2015 Paris climate treaty. The report says rapid and widespread changes to the land, atmosphere and oceans have already occurred – from temperature increases to sea level rises, heatwaves and heavy rainstorms, as well as droughts and…

Chad Williams chad.williams@africannewsagency.com Dubbed the “most homophobic document the world has ever seen”, legislators in Ghana are hell-bent on passing a new law making life harder for LGBTQIA+ persons in the West African country. The bill strips the community of their human rights. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which is yet to be considered by parliament, seeks to criminalise LGBTQIA+ activities in the religious West African country. The draft bill also proposes punishment for groups and individuals who advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, express sympathy or offer social or medical support. There has been widespread condemnation on social media of Ghana’s proposed “anti-gay” bill. Alex Kofi Donkor, an openly gay human rights advocate and the director of LGBTQIA+ Rights Ghana, spoke to the…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za To help me recover from the trauma that was Cooking with Paris, I decided to check out Hit & Run on Netflix. The Israeli-American thriller has been trending in South Africa and I was pining for a decent series to sink my teeth into. More so, after enjoying the first two seasons of Who Killed Sara?, The Innocent and Black Space. While the first episode in this nine-part series didn’t immediately hook me, I continued watching. And, boy oh boy, am I glad that I did. Lior Raz shares the hat of the writer, creator and actor. He is cast as the protagonist, Segev Azulai. Think of him as Israel’s version of Jason Statham. Hit & Run opens with Segev unhappy about his wife Danielle “Dani” Wexler…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za If you take a drive along the West Coast today, you’ll already see that a few daisies have started making their colourful appearances. The spectacular floral display put on by mother nature has become world renowned and annually draws flower lovers to the Cape West Coast and Namaqualand areas. After the recent bumper rainfall in these areas, this year’s flower season promises to be one of the best ever. Flower lovers often flock to Posberg Nature Reserve and the Namaqua National Park but if you’re looking to enjoy the magnificent blooms, here are other, less crowded spots to visit. Among these are the towns of Velddrif, Aurora, Piketberg and Porterville in the Bergrivier district. The Bergrivier region is a beautiful area peppered with small towns that offer a…

WhatsApp to be enabled to transfer data across devices WhatsApp users will soon be able to transfer their chat history, including media and voice messages, between iOS and Android phones. The feature will start from iPhone to Samsung’s new foldables, and is expected to be rolled out to more devices and work in both directions soon. Looted Dell Computers blacklisted Dell Technologies South Africa has blacklisted all of its computing products stolen during last month’s wave of violence and looting, and warns customers against buying tech products on the black market. New Merc tech adds pothole warning In select markets such as Germany, Mercedes-Benz drivers will soon be able to receive audible warnings as they approach potholes and speed bumps.This forms part of new car-to-X functions being rolled out.…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za Changes in the pension fund rules to allow workers to dip into their savings could improve long-term retirement outcomes, but it should be a careful balancing act to not torpedo the country’s asset base. This was a warning by some of the country’s largest asset managers this week following the announcement of a mooted legislation for early, limited withdrawal of pensions. The National Treasury this week confirmed it was looking at proposals to allow for greater preservation with limited pre-retirement withdrawals from retirement funds without creating liquidity and investment risks. Treasury said that any consideration for early access will require legislative and fund-rule amendments, but implementing any new system will take time. The current law and policy prohibits any pre-retirement access to retirement savings unless an employee…

MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA THE Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) has won a High Court battle which compels the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to run fresh interviews for the country’s judges in order to allegedly “smuggle in” certain individuals to the judiciary. Judge David Unterhalter, who represented President Cyril Ramaphosa during the Marikana Commission, is named as one of the people that Casac allegedly wants to “smuggle in”. Unterhalter came under fire at the JSC interviews for seeking appointment to the highest court in the land with only three years’ experience on the bench when there were others who had been there for longer than him. In his defence he told the Commission of the black and female lawyers he had taken under his wing, but…

Roland Mpofu roland.mpofu@inl.co.za Private ambulance operators have given the Road Accident Fund (RAF) an ultimatum to address payment demands or face patients being left stranded as no emergency assistance will be given. Last week the Private Ambulance and Services Association (Pasa) and KwaZulu-Natal Private Ambulance Association, a collective of small ambulance enterprises, marched to the RAF offices in Centurion to submit their memorandum of demands. Pasa chairperson Malebo Mabalane said they were disappointed by RAF chief executive Collins Letsoalo, who did not come to receive their memorandum. “We demand legitimate payments due to our members for services rendered to be paid, including historic debt. We demand that the RAF deploy officials that will go find accident reports. One needs to appreciate that it doesn’t make any logical engagement for ambulance…

Don Makatile don.makatile@inl.co.za President Cyril Ramaphosa’s testimony at the Commission of Inquiry Into Allegations of State Capture is unlikely to have won him any new supporters during the two days he was in the witness stand, last week. Ramaphosa took from where he left off in April, when he appeared before the commission, and concluded his testimony, on Wednesday and Thursday in Braamfontein, Joburg. But there was a lot the president was coy about regarding his role during the so-called “nine wasted years”of the Jacob Zuma presidency, where he was second-in-charge at both the government and party level. Zwelethu Jolobe, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies at UCT says while a lot of things are happening at once, it is commendable that Ramaphosa wants to account, and he…

Amanda Maliba amanda.maliba@inl.co.za Grammy Award winning superstar Anthony Hamilton has ended his five-year hiatus with the release of his 10th full-length RnB album Love is the New Black, dropping in September. The multi-talented artist, singer/songwriter, actor and producer found his inspiration to release the love album on the backdrop of what Covid-19 did to many of us, creating separation, anxiety and fear, losing hope and being disconnected. His aim, therefore, is to “gather us again in hope and love,” says the 50-year-old. “I wanted to feature people I enjoy on this album. People that were solid in character and talent. Voices that made me feel something real,” he said, making reference to artists such as Jennifer Hudson, rap powerhouse Rick Ross and Lil’ Jon among others. “The 14-track album took…

Don Makatile don.makatile@inl.co.za WITH August being Women’s Month, one hopes that the focus would shift to heroines of the liberation struggle – not the usual suspects – as the commemoration gathers momentum. The story of one Dora Ntloko Tamana comes to mind. Her tale is the stuff of legend; her life story makes for fascinating reading. Growing up, like her siblings and contemporaries, she went to school in a two-room hovel. She fetched water carrying a bucket on her head. Once she was of nubile age, she married and had children. Some of her children died. Her husband, John, succumbed to alcoholism. She was among the first to build herself a shack in Blouvlei, a new area she moved to after her husband left her for another woman. She built…

Edwin Naidu edwin.naidu@live.co.za Despite having capacity building programmes for women, universities across South Africa are struggling to grow the numbers of women, particularly black women in senior management positions, according to Nthabiseng Moleko, the deputy chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE). She said succession planning at universities in the country failed to purposely target women and persons with disabilities into managerial positions and that the representation of persons with disability at senior management positions was poor. Even more alarming, the provision of childcare facilities and flexitime was not prioritised for women in what remains male-dominated corridors of higher learning. “Generally, there are not enough resources invested in providing security measures to students who reside outside university residences. There are inadequate programmes to support victims of gender-based violence.…

ON AUGUST 9, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth report, which prompted the UN secretary-general to declare a “code red for humanity”. Often when I make predictions, I pray that I’m wrong. After having read the report, this sentiment presents itself stronger than ever. Why is it so difficult for so many to trust in science on this issue? Even as an individual, if you pay enough attention to your surroundings, wherever in the world you are, you will notice our influence on the environment, and it’s not been positive. The consequences of taking the gamble of turning away from the finding of the report is not something any thinking person should be willing to do. This is the most consequential decade for humanity so far.…

MOLAOLE MONTSHO molaole.montsho@africannewsagency.com Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera will, this week, take over as chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the Ordinary Summit Of Heads of States and Government in Lilongwe. Chakwera takes the baton from Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique who assumed the chairmanship of the SADC in August last year. The SADC summit started on Monday, with a meeting of the Standing Committee of Senior Officials and Finance Committee, where Principal Secretary for the ministry of foreign affairs and international co-operation Dr Luckie Sikwese, assumed the chairmanship, taking over from Ambassador Carlos Rodrigues Da Costa of Mozambique. This was followed by a meeting of the SADC council of ministers and the SADC Organ Troika Summit. Heads of State and Government will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday. The…

Shannon Ebrahim shannon.ebrahim@inl.co.za THE military in Brazil have been charting its return to politics for a long time, and Jair Bolsonaro provided a civilian package for the military’s return to governing in 2018. A year before Brazil’s next demo- cratic elections which will be held in October next year, the military is assessing how best to position itself, and behind which democratic candidate. Bolsonaro militarised his government by making 10 of his 23 members of cabinet active duty reserve members of the military, appointing generals as his vice-president, minister of health and chief of staff, and handing the management of public enterprises over to the generals. More than 6 157 military men and women have been serving in his administration – twice as many as those who served under former…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za SPORTS Minister Nathi Mthethwa will face growing scrutiny in the coming weeks and months as debates around transformation in South African sport increasingly point fingers at the government’s poor performance particularly at school level. Whether it be the country’s poor medal return at the Tokyo Olympics or Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation-building (SJN) hearings, what has become increasingly clear is that Mthethwa and, by extension, the government have a lot to answer for. Mthethwa did admit during his testimony at the hearings that the government had not done enough to enhance sport at school. “We have engaged with the minister of basic education on this matter, and we seem to be agreed ... because we had to sit and say ‘what impact have we made…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za As Spring fast approaches, more outdoor enthusiasts are taking advantage of the warm weather to embark on overnight hiking trails. South Africa is famed for having some of the most stunning hiking trails, promising remarkable landscapes and experiences along the route. Here are a few we recommend: Magaliesburg 18km trail Where: Magaliesburg, Gauteng This overnight trail offers some of the most incredible views of the Magaliesburg mountains. Ideal for social distancing, the trail is hiked over two days, with the first covering 10km to the overnight hut, so it isn’t strenuous. The second day covers 8km. “The hut has running water, electricity, beds with mattresses, braai area, cutlery and crockery, camping chairs and a bundle of firewood. You’ll need to bring your own bedding,” said Jamie…

Clinton Moodley When Caolán Mc Aree boarded a flight in Malaga, Spain, little did he know how the flight would impact his life. Aree recollected the events of a recent flight in a Twitter thread, and it is bound to touch you as it did him. He said the flight was fairly empty, except for an elderly couple in their late 70s who sat in the row across from him. “About an hour into the flight, the woman appeared to become agitated, shouting and trying to get out of her seat while the man was trying to calm and reassure her,” he tweeted. Aree tried to mind his own business, but a glance at the man signalled a call for help, he said. “The man caught my eye and…