Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-12-12 i Sunday Independent

THE tourism sector’s initial desktop survey suggested that the sector had seen R1 billion worth of bookings cancelled over the past few days, according to Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa. He said these figures did not include airline and other on-the-ground spending losses at restaurants, curio shops and other sector traders. This followed the recent announcement that South Africa and other Southern African countries were back on the UK’s red list, which triggered many other travel restrictions imposed as a result of the identification of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant by South African scientists. Tshivhengwa said the tourism industry has seen a 71 percent decrease in tourist arrivals last year, and this year it was starting to show positive numbers before…

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za BLONDES may have more fun, but it’s the brunettes who are getting all the attention as we head into 2022. From social media influencer and Louis Vuitton brand ambassador Emma Chamberlain to Happier Than Ever hitmaker, Billie Eilish – a growing number of celebrities are ditching their classic blonde locks in favour of rich browns hues. Official Wella SA Ambassador Ghd Pro influencer and certified colour expert Jadie Herbst has 12 years of experience with hair and owns her own salon. Speaking about the trend she said: “Natural lived-in colours is what I do every day. There definitely has been a significant rise in clients going more natural and I’m here for it.” The look that has been named “expensive brunette”, is not one solid shade…

There is no need here to regurgitate the facts around the voter patterns and general apathy that characterised the recent past November local government elections, leading to the ANC losing the Joburg Metro to the DA except to echo the age-old adage that you get the government you deserve. Those residents who yearned for service delivery and wanted the ANC out put their faith in the past exploits of former Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba and either gave their ballot to the DA or ActionSA. As Mayor, Mashaba did well. Forget the howling of his detractors, chiefly in the ANC, who’d want you to believe otherwise. But Mashaba is no longer on the DA ticket and couldn’t get the Mayoral chain with his new political outfit so the Joburg voter got…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za THE DA and ActionSA in Gauteng’s three metros of Joburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni appear to have found each other following weeks of squabbling over the allocation of seats for mayoral committee members in each of the municipalities. Yesterday, ActionSA endorsed the decision of the DA’s Ekurhuleni Mayor, Tania Campbell, to allocate it two mayoral committee seats, MMC for health and social development and community safety to Herman Mashaba’s party. ActionSA, however, has yet to announce the names of the councillors to occupy those seats, but its top leadership has already accepted the positions. Commenting on Campbell’s appointments, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said: “We are pleased by this progress, given the pressing service delivery needs that exist in Ekurhuleni. ActionSA is committed to the multi-party coalitions in…

Don Makatile don.makatile@inl.co.za The very act of reading this book is a test of character. You wonder why, as a reader, you’re able to keep your cool and resist the urge to mouth off the most obscene of expletives to curse the name of Bain & Co Inc, and all those associated with it. You get to the end and marvel at your maturity that all you wish for is that the masterminds of the Bain state capture project and their enablers – for there were many – be thrown in jail and the key, with all the force an Olympic javelin and discus thrower can muster, be thrown away. You puff up your chest to think that you finished the book without wishing South Africa was another Botswana or…

Edwin Naidu edwin.naidu@live.co.za East London-born Zintle Mvana describes herself as a tomboy. She says that while growing up, she used to play with cars and never liked the “frustrating” Barbie doll because it could do nothing. “I used to ask my mom to buy me a remote control car, and spent the whole day and night playing with it until the battery died,” she says. On Wednesday, Mvana, 26, was named one of the best apprentices in the Volkswagen Group South Africa – an honour awarded annually to a handful of the company’s top young talents across the world. Mvana has been with the company since February 2020, when she started as a graduate trainee while studying towards an honours degree in industrial and organisational psychology at Nelson Mandela University…

TOO often, international relations literature is filled with modules on a globalising world that is increasingly interconnected and inter-dependent. Others describe the world we live in as “one global village”. However, the persistent socio-economic inequities somehow serve as a yardstick for a world that is evidently unequal. The Global North against the Global South is a ubiquitous case in point. Let me cut to the chase: The recent discovery by South African scientists of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 resulted in swift, lonely isolation of the country by more powerful nations of the West instead of the perhaps naively expected praise for proven expertise, transparency and honesty. The treatment meted against South Africa seems to have been somewhat of a rude awakening. It left the authorities as perplexed and…

Mbuyisi Mgibisa I approached this article on Charlotte Maxeke from my many selves. One of my selves is that of an emerging scholar. From this position, I experimented with Maxeke as an intellectual. Another self is that of a former journalist. This relates to my history as a journalist and Maxeke’s writings in the black press in the 1920s and 1930s. A further self is an activist, advocating for a perspective on black women informed by a politicised and revolutionary love or what decolonial feminist theorist Chela Sandoval calls “decolonial love”. It is love whose intricacies are anti-rape, anti-abuse and anti-killing of our women. I open with these remarks to highlight the deeply disturbing crime statistics which reveal 9 500 rapes in just three months. The government has rightly declared…

MONDAY, December 6, saw the passing of two South African patriots and icons, a few hours from each other. Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim was born in 1937 in Durban, and Lindiwe Mabuza a year later in Newcastle. Apart from having both been born in KZN, both dedicated their lives to the Struggle for freedom and human progress, spanning several decades. Their personalities could not have been greater opposites. Cde Ebie, as Ebrahim was affectionately known, was a quiet, reserved and humble man, never one for the foreground. Sis Lindiwe Mabuza, on the other hand, was the Grande Dame of the ANC, always elegant and outgoing, surrounded by people, she made her presence felt. And yet the two played a pivotal role in key strands of South African international positioning. Mabuza, after…

At least 53 migrants were killed in Mexico after the truck they were hiding in crashed in the state of Chiapas, a major transit point for those trying to reach the US. Another 58 people were injured, according to a preliminary report from the prosecutors in Chiapas. The state borders Guatemala. The migrants were crammed into the truck, civil protection officials told reporters on Friday. Officials said it appeared that the driver was speeding when he lost control of the vehicle on the highway to the state capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez. He fled the scene. |…

| Reuters MANCHESTER United interim manager Ralf Rangnick said he did not have to convince players to remain at the Premier League club as media speculation grows over the future of French World Cup winner Paul Pogba. The 28-year-old is returning to Manchester from Dubai, where he spent time rehabilitating after a thigh injury in November and could yet feature in Rangnick’s plans, despite being out of contract at the end of this season. United have been in talks with Pogba over a new deal, but the midfielder has frequently been linked with a move away from Old Trafford since rejoining from Juventus in 2016 for a then-world record $118.09 million. “I wouldn’t say he’s not worth keeping but, of course, players have to want to play and stay…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za Mesmerising! That’s how I can sum up the famous Victoria Falls. I now have had the privilege of taking in the sights and exotic sounds of the falls, which has drawn tens of thousands of visitors across the world. This attraction has been on my travel bucket list for years. Recently the opportunity arose to make my dream Zimbabwean Safari trip a reality, courtesy of Jenman Safaris and Kenya Airways. It was with excitement that I boarded the flight to Victoria Falls, with no idea that every sense of mine would be dazzled when I got there. Travelling to Zimbabwe is a smooth experience with Kenya Airways’ direct flight from Cape Town to Victoria Falls town. As a single traveller, being able to fly directly from…

EARLY this month veteran television and radio presenter, Tim Modise hosted a webinar on Galela, a brainchild of a chemical engineer and tech businessman, Thami Mtshali. This product registered in the US as a food supplement and cleared by the CSIR as presenting no toxicity was discussed from several angles. The Galela journey by Mtshali was driven by his and daughter’s acute ulcers that made their lives miserable and as a chemical engineer he started the search for a solution six years ago. Leornado Malhebre, a respected German professor of neurology whose academic eminence run in American and European universities, says his research on Galela present properties that in the main addresses autoimmunity. It attacks the inside and outside of the cell, he says. Four areas were addressed. The first…

From Page 1 Ngwane contends that the campaign was part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme from 1994 and that there were no plans for cost recovery as connections increased rapidly in the years up to 2000. “The Soweto debt is a thumbsuck, changing from R30bn, to R25bn and R18bn and now R7bn. No one is paying. Where does all the money go? “So it’s scapegoating Sowetans,” said Ngwane. This week Eskom said electricity supply in Diepkloof was disconnected owing to high energy losses as a result of illegal connections, meter bypassing and customers buying electricity from ghost vendors. This was echoed by the newly appointed City of Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse, who said “not paying for electricity was theft” and that 700 customers were disconnected and issued with a…

Mpho Rantao mpho.rantao@inl.co.za An EXASPERATED Wandile Ndala laments his past efforts to vote for the ANC, blaming it and the Eskom leadership for the poor service and lack of electricity in Soweto. “We are being led by people who take our hard-earned money and put it in their pockets,” he says. The chef and owner of Soweto’s beloved Wandie’s Place, which opened in 1981 and is credited with helping to jump-start tourism in Soweto, is critical of Eskom’s failures, the government and the people blocking the roads in protest. “Blocking the roads and protesting hasn’t solved the problem because it shows that it (Eskom) doesn’t care. “We must just continue with our lives, going to work, going to school, because what else can we do?” Ndala says. He points out…

Lethu Nxumalo lethu.nxumalo@inl.co.za WHILE Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane was living her best life in Israel, preparing for the Miss Universe pageant taking place tomorrow morning, lobby groups battled it out in court this week over the government’s decision to withdraw its support for the beauty queen. The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed the case from the urgent roll and it will now be heard in the new year. Citizens of Integrity (CFI), in solidarity with Israel, submitted an urgent application to the high court on November 25, challenging the government’s position. The group sought the assistance of the court to compel the government to apologise for infringing on Mswane’s constitutional rights. The matter sat before Judge Cornelius van der Westhuizen, who saw no need for urgency. However,…

Keneilwe Sarah Miffie THROUGHOUT the year, I’ve been looking forward to the biggest event on the tourism calendar. I had been praying that despite everything we’re going through as a country, and the world, at least let this gathering take place. This year Madrid, Spain hosted the 24th UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly. The UNWTO seeks to fight poverty and unemployment through tourism. This year, delegates from both the public and private sector were supposed to come together and discuss a way forward following the Covid-19 pandemic. At a time when people are looking forward to Christmas and festivities with friends and family. I was more interested in what the UNWTO had to say about the fourth wave of Covid-19. How it impacts the smaller businesses globally, and…

Deborah Mayersen SINCE conflict erupted in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, in November last year, there have been widespread reports of atrocities in the region. Hundreds of massacres and attacks on civilians have been documented. Recently, the conflict has spread to other areas of the country. While all sides have been accused of atrocities, there is a clear difference in the scale of the atrocities committed by government-aligned forces against Tigrayan civilians. The situation in Ethiopia represents a dramatic change from the optimism with which the Abiy government was viewed even just two years ago. When the prime minister was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in October 2019, for example, the press release praised his important reforms that give many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future. US…

A jury in Chicago has found US actor Jussie Smollett guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct. He falsely told police he was the victim of a racist and homophobic hate crime in January 2019 – an attack prosecutors said he staged. The actor, who was one of the stars of the television drama Empire, claimed he was attacked at night by two men near his Chicago home. The investigators concluded, based on an examination of CCTV images and the cellphone data of Smollett and the alleged attackers, that he had orchestrated the incident.…

Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, this year’s co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has urged fellow reporters to defend their rights in order not to lose them to “authoritarian-style leaders and budding dictators”. “It has become incredibly hard and far more dangerous for every one of us,” Ressa told reporters waiting in Oslo before the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on Friday, where she was honoured alongside Dmitry Muratov of Russia. The journalists won the award for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression at a time when free, indepen- dent and fact-based journalism is under fire, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said when announcing the prize in October. Ressa, the co-founder of the investigative news site Rappler, and Muratov, a co-founder of Russia’s leading independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, were given the award…

Herman Gibbs FOR the first time in six years, a Western Cape side was crowned Spar National Netball Champions after Cape Winelands defeated Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) 66-54 in yesterday’s final in Bellville. Western Cape won the title in 2016, and since then it was Gauteng and Tshwane who won thrice consecutively. Over the last while, the minor placings were filled by Dr Kenneth Kaunda (North West) and Mangaung (Bloemfontein). Tshwane, Kenneth Kaunda and Mangaung were forced to withdraw because of the pandemic. Winelands coach Marchelle Maroun, who coached Winelands at short notice, said she would have liked to have played against these teams that have been traditional strongholds of national netball. However, the team did well to hold out against a formidable NMB side. “It would have been…

ARSENAL weathered storms on and off the pitch in a 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton yesterday as boss Mikel Arteta dropped captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the match-day squad for disciplinary reasons. Before kick-off, Arteta was tight-lipped as he explained that Aubameyang’s absence was due to a “disciplinary breach”, with Alexandre Lacazette starting on his own up front. Southampton had the better of the opening exchanges on a rainy afternoon with Adam Armstrong forcing an early corner and a fine save from Aaron Ramsdale as the Gunners struggled to deal with the visitors’ high press. They managed to break through it in the 21st minute with a sweeping move, attacking down the left where Bukayo Saka squared to Lacazette, who fired home. The Gunners went two up six minutes later…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com On Friday, the local media greeted a rare Premier Soccer League (PSL) media advisory with wide-eyed delight. It finally happened, something the football media have been yearning for. Finally, the PSL will shed light on a slew of contentious matters. Finally, the PSL will rid itself of its pitiful inadequacy in respect of media relations. The advisory read: “The Premier Soccer League chairman Dr Irvin Khoza will host a press conference on Monday, 13 December 2021 for a special announcement. The press conference will be live on the SuperSport PSL Channel (202) at 11h30.” Moments after the advisory landed, the rumour mill went into overdrive. The $64 million question was why the PSL was ending its self-imposed media black-out. The Kaizer Chiefs saga, the likely suspension of…

According to Statistics SA, we’re in for a better festive season than last year in terms of consumer spending; and in a climate overshadowed by ongoing surges of the pandemic, this is encouraging news. On average, South Africans plan to spend R6 326.00 over and above their monthly expenses this year, compared to R5 673.00 in 2020. For small businesses, particularly in the retail and services industries, this news presents an opportunity to recover at least a portion of revenue lost due to lockdowns throughout the pandemic. What many small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners may not be aware of, is that major retailers plan their festive season campaigns up to a year in advance. Their advantage is that many of those retailers employ trend forecasters who can make projections…

Naomi Nix Meta Platforms Incs photo-sharing app Instagram is encouraging users to take a break as the company battles accusations that too much time spent on its social networks hurts the mental well-being of teenagers. Instagram will let people opt to see pop-up messages when they have spent a lot of time looking at a particular topic, suggesting they explore other subjects. Users can also decide to be nudged to take a break after they have spent 10, 20 or 30 consecutive minutes on the app, Instagram said on Tuesday in a blog post. The platform will then remind users about alternative activities to social media, such as going for a walk or taking a series of deep breaths, Instagram head of well-being and safety Vaishnavi J said in…

THE holiday season is upon us. From timeless Christmas tales to mysteries with a holiday spin, here are some of Audible’s best picks of Christmas themed stories that will help us get into the holiday spirit. Christmas Shopaholic In this classic title written by Sophie Kinsella, fan favourite Becky is back amid Christmas chaos. Christmas is just around the corner, the shop windows are sparkling, and the bargains beckon – Becky is in luck! But then Mama Bloomwood suddenly assigns her to organise the Christmas party, and everything goes wrong: Jessica, Becky’s half-sister, wants a vegan turkey, and the perfect gift for her husband Luke is only available in an exclusive gentlemen’s club. When Rich, Becky’s old flame and now a cool musician, moves to Letherby, the chaos knows no…

From Page 1 The union said the branch secretary was on the brink of bogus, frivolous and spurious suspension for defending and guarding “jealously” the gains of collective bargaining and interests of the workers. “On numerous occasions, Nehawu wrote to the DG to observe fair labour practice and good governance on various issues that are considered detrimental to workplace democracy and trampling on the conditions and interests of workers at the DPSA. “For showing courage and gallant leadership by the union, the DG has embarked on dismantling our union by applying divide and rule tactics. “In May 2021, the DG wrote a letter to Nehawu acting chairperson pronouncing a decision of the employer on a right to observe senior management service (SMS) recruitment and selection, this is despite lack of…

Zingisa Mkhuma zingisa.mkhuma@inl.co.za The appearance this week in front of a US Congress Committee (the equivalent of our parliamentary portfolio committee) by the leadership of Instagram to account for assertions that the photo-sharing platform is harmful to the mental health of teen users, has highlighted the paradox of some of the technological platforms that have revolutionised our lives. The very fact that this writer can learn about the Instagram story, try to make sense of what it may mean for us and draw some parallels, write this review, and submit it without having set foot in Washington or the offices of this newspaper is a demonstration of the many benefits of what has come to be known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Thanks to the world of computers, the…

“I have realised that it is very important to make sure that my culture comes first and the whole world must know about Tshivenda and Kokovha.” These were the words said of award-winning musician Makhadzi at the exclusive launch of her collaboration with Kicks Sportswear at the Mall of Africa last week. Makhadzi, real name Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, signed a R120 million deal with Kicks Sportswear last month involving merchandise called Kokovha, inspired by her 2020 title album, Kokovha. The Tshanda Vhuya and Matorokisi hitmaker said the multimillion-rand deal was important to her as a young black artist in showcasing African talent to the world and to celebrate different African cultures. “It means a lot of things to me. It means that my life is very important and so is our…

Athi Nyokana It is unclear whether it is the side effects of the vaccines or not, but a reactionary section of liberals and ultra leftists has emerged on social media to direct some of the worst attacks in human history against Miss SA Lalela Mswane. This cames after the Richards Bay-born model won Miss SA and subsequently, decided not to withdraw from the Miss Universe beauty pageant to be held in Israel. Following this, the South African government collaborated with these reactionary forces to withdraw support for Mswane citing “the atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians” The unfortunate statement released by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture against Mswane had condescending undertones and at some point called for her common sense to prevail. Below I traverse some of…

ONLY three weeks ago, I had the rare honour to be invited to what turned out to be a family gathering at the home of comrade Ambassador Lindiwe Mabuza. It was an opportunity for me to pay her a private visit since her health was beginning to be a matter of grave concern as cancer was determined to pluck her from our midst. It was not only a political obligation to do so, but I was mainly driven by the human urge to return the love, caring and compassion she had shown toward others and myself since I came to know her. I was merely honouring a mutual desire to meet, chat and share a smile. When my turn came to be ushered into her bedroom, I found a bubbling,…

A US appeals court has rejected a request by former president Donald Trump to withhold records from the House of Representatives probe of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, saying he had provided “no basis” for his request. The panel has said it needs the records to understand any role he may have played in fomenting the violence. Meanwhile, New York’s attorney-general is seeking to question Trump under oath in the state’s civil fraud investigation into whether the Trump Organization manipulated the valuations of its properties.…

Democracy faces “sustained and alarming challenges” worldwide, US President Joe Biden said at a virtual summit on democracy where he sparked controversy by pointedly not inviting China and Russia. The summit, which ended on Friday, featured opening remarks from Biden and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with representatives from some 100 governments, as well as NGOs, private businesses, philanthropical organisations and legislatures attending. Biden, who took office in January amid the biggest US political crisis in decades, said trends were “largely pointing in the wrong direction” and that “more than ever, democracy needs champions”. “We stand at an inflection point,” Biden said. “Will we allow the backward slide of rights and democracy to continue unchecked?” The two-day event was held by video link because of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden’s…

RED Bull’s Max Verstappen landed a big blow in his winner-takes-all title battle with Lewis Hamilton by seizing pole position for Formula One’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yesterday. Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Hamilton will line up alongside on the front row, with Verstappen on the quicker soft tyres for the start and the Briton going for the more durable mediums. The pair are level on points in the standings, with Verstappen ahead 9-8 on race wins, meaning he will be champion regardless of where he finishes if Hamilton fails to score for any reason. “I didn’t expect that, but amazing job, guys,” said the Dutch 24-year-old over the team radio after being told he had secured pole under the Yas Marina floodlights for the second successive season. “That was…

NONKULULEKO Mlaba has this year cemented her place in the SA women’s cricket team ahead of the ICC Women’s 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2022. This year saw the Ntuzuma-born rising star play 12 matches in Women’s One-Day International (WODI) and T20 International (WT20I) cricket, taking eight wickets with the best bowling figures of 2/22 across the two formats, while playing a part in the Proteas’ historic series wins in India and the West Indies. Mlaba made her bow in international cricket in 2019. In 2020, the former Thandolwesizwe High School pupil made a substantial leap in her game, with one of the first signs of progress coming during the Proteas’ 4-1 WODI and 2-1 WT20 series win in Lucknow in March against India. “I saw a lot of growth…