Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-06-15 i Sunday Independent

The presence of even a “good enough” father can be one of the most protective influences in a child’s psychological development, say experts. In past generations, a father’s role was often seen as merely bringing home the pay cheque and providing discipline when necessary ... emotional involvement was neither expected nor even encouraged. But contemporary research now shows just how profoundly fathers shape their children’s mental health and resilience and that the influence of a father extends far beyond financial support – and in fact even physical presence. His emotional presence is what affects everything from emotional security to long-term wellbeing for children. So, while sons and daughters may respond differently to their father’s parenting style, the dad effect has long-term impact, according to research. Learnt behaviour Fathering styles are…

THE South African government has lambasted US President Donald Trump administration for imposing sanctions against judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move regarded as a sheer act of intimidation against the court’s decision to issue a warrant of arrest for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a media statement laced with diplomatic speak from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), the government expressed a “deep concern” at the latest move against the ICC. Throughout recent years, US relations with the ICC have zig-zagged between quiet support to downright hostility. And now, under the Trump administration, relations have deteriorated to naked confrontation. Back in February, Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan. This was as Trump issued an executive order against the ICC, claiming…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied summoning National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi to explain to him remarks she made about some prosecutors being in cahoots with rogue external elements to sabotage prosecutions of high-profile cases. Ramaphosa’s denial, through his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, came after media outlets reported that he had called her to a high-level meeting to explain her remarks. “At no point did the president say he would be 'summoning' Advocate Batohi over her comments,” said Magwenya. Batohi’s term of office, which will end early next year, has faced difficulties as the NPA has struggled to prosecute high-profile suspects such as the Gupta brothers, which is a failure to secure their extradition from their United Arab Emirates hideout. Recently, controversial Nigerian Pastor Timothy Omotoso was acquitted of…

This year’s G7 Summit takes place in Kananaskis Canada, under the theme Governance in a Fragmented World. The world in 2025 stands at a critical juncture. Geopolitical fragmentation, systemic economic shocks and accelerating technological change are reshaping the contours of the international order. While the values underpinning the postwar multilateral system – democracy, open markets, human rights and the rule of law – remain foundational, their global reach and efficacy face a real threat of erosion from multiple directions. In this context, a narrative has emerged of Southern powers that can, in some way, influence the global agenda via the G20 and some presence at the G7. Canada generally has good programs aligned with the UN SDGs and responsible middle power, but will it sway the big powers to a…

THE government is currently unable to ascertain the number of civil servants listed in the National Register for Sex Offenders. This startling revelation emerged when Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi responded to questions regarding the verification process for public sector employees. Build One South Africa Deputy Leader and MP Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster had wanted to know the number of civil servants on the national register, and asked to be furnished with the breakdown per department, job category, and province. In her response, Kubayi clarified that the register does not disclose information in terms of profession, gender, or specific employment. “Every convicted sex offender is included in the register by virtue of a sexual offence committed,” she said. “The total number of individuals who are currently employed in the public…

ON June 16, 1976, thousands of young black school children bravely confronted an oppressive system that dictated their education and future. The Soweto Uprising was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. The apartheid government’s attempt to impose Afrikaans as the primary language of instruction was a deliberate act of subjugation, reinforcing Hendrik Verwoerd’s vision of racial segregation and inferior education for black children. The youth of 1976 understood that education was a battleground and confronted the brutal system armed only with stones. Verwoerd, known as the “Architect of Apartheid,” significantly contributed to creating an unequal educational system through the Bantu Education Act of 1953. This Act ensured that the black majority would never achieve full equality with white people by creating an inferior educational system designed to render them…

A VIRTUAL meeting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Committee on Economic Development and Trade descended into tense deliberations this week as Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) overseeing the SA Post Office (Sapo) requested parts of their briefing to be held behind closed doors, citing commercial sensitivity. The move was met with fierce resistance from legislators who demanded full transparency, given the billions in public funds at stake. The meeting, chaired by the DA’s Sonja Boshoff, began with a procedural tussle after BRPs’ Juanito Damons and Anoosh Rooplal submitted a letter, dated May 8, but only received by the Committee on June 9, requesting confidentiality for sections of Sapo’s turnaround strategy. They argued that public disclosure would compromise Sapo’s intellectual property and competitive edge. “The turnaround strategy is Sapo’s intellectual…

The country’s biggest municipalities are looking to innovation in an attempt to unleash ideas that will help tackle some of the most pressing service delivery needs. On Friday, during the U20 African Mayors’ Assembly at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria, the SA Local Government Association (Salga) unveiled the Inner-City Innovation Challenge. All eight metropolitan municipalities – Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, eThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, and Mangaung – will be part of the challenge, according to Monique Griffith, Joburg’s head of innovation partnerships in the municipality’s smart city office. Griffith said the Inner-City Innovation Challenge will see the introduction of innovation in service delivery. Metros, Griffith promised, will do things smarter and more intelligently. Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya said there is a realisation…

US President Donald Trump proclaimed on June 4 that he was fully suspending the entry into the US of the citizens of 12 countries – namely Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. A partial suspension was imposed on citizens of another group of seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. This means that out of the 19 countries subject to full or partial suspension, 10 are in Africa. This proclamation was issued based on Executive Order 14162 published on January 30 which directed the US secretaries of State and Homeland Security, the Attorney General and the director of National Intelligence to identify countries around the world whose vetting and information-screening standards are poor to warrant…

The ongoing protests in Los Angeles against the deportation of undocumented immigrants have captured the world's attention largely owing to the powerful and emotional images widely circulating on social media. Crowds of demonstrators have filled the streets, waving signs, chanting slogans and demanding an end to what they see as an unjust and inhumane crackdown on immigrant communities. These scenes have resonated globally, sparking both solidarity and concern. What stands out, however, is not just the scale of the protests, but the extraordinary response from the authorities. The sheer disproportion between the number of demonstrators and the armed forces deployed to counter them is striking. Under normal circumstances, maintaining public order during protests falls under the jurisdiction of local police departments. But in this instance, law enforcement has been supplemented…

Decorated Proteas Women all-rounder Marizanne Kapp was chuffed to earn a historic 150th cap for her country, as they gear up for the second ODI against the West Indies yesterday. Kapp was called up to add some experience to the young team but more especially, add her cool head into the mix. The 35-year-old said she’s still hungry to play the game and does not have any idea as to when she is going to call it quits on the international format, which she admitted, is the highest honour as an athlete. Of all the accolades she’s earned over the course of her career, Kapp was most proud of how far women’s cricket had developed in South Africa. She gave some indication that she would like to win a World…

After securing their return to the Champions League on the final day of the season, Chelsea have an early chance to show they belong back among the elite this summer at the Club World Cup. Enzo Maresca's side beat Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League match to clinch fourth place after an inconsistent campaign, ending a two-season absence from Europe's top competition. The Blues, who reached FIFA's revamped and expanded event by landing a second Champions League triumph in 2021, have been handed a favourable opening raft of fixtures in the United States. Chelsea begin their Club World Cup campaign in Group D against Los Angeles FC, who battled through a play-off round against Club America to replace the disqualified Club Leon. After that opening fixture in Atlanta on…

If you ask any South African tech leader what keeps them up at night, chances are the answer will not just be the country’s unreliable energy grid or regulation. You can add skills to that list as well. Or more precisely, the lack thereof. As businesses push ahead with digital transformation, the demand for specialised IT skills has never been higher. Yet at the same time, thousands of qualified young South Africans remain locked out of the formal economy. We are seeing this contradiction up close. On one hand, we are building intelligent edge solutions, deploying software-defined networks, and enabling real-time business intelligence across sectors. On the other, we are hiring and finding it increasingly difficult to source candidates with the right blend of technical expertise and applied experience.…

I PREFACE this piece with a disclaimer: I seldom indulge in vituperative or arresting titles. Yet, I have chosen this provocation deliberately – to send an unequivocal message. Typically, my writing seeks to nourish my readers’ intellect, lighting a candle whose flame, God willing, will endure as a beacon for posterity. Most African traditions dictate that we speak only good of the dead –that we mourn their passing, honour their memory, and adorn their graves with flowers. It is thus jarring, even heretical, to encounter a work like Rotcod Gobata’s I Spit on Their Graves, which rejects this reverence. Gobata argues that not all corpses deserve praise; some warrant contempt for lives spent plundering their nation. Recently, I was honoured to attend MEC Siboniso Duma’s budget presentation in the legislature…

AS Shamila Batohi enters the final stretch of her tenure as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), the knives are out. The timing is telling, the tone unmistakably hostile, and the message dangerously simplistic: blame Batohi for everything. But is she the villain of the story, or its most convenient scapegoat? There’s no denying that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has suffered high-profile failures under Batohi’s watch. The acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso on over 30 charges of sexual assault and the recent courtroom blow to the Ace Magashule case, due to procedural issues around the extradition of his former PA, have added to public disillusionment. These losses are symbolic, in the public’s eye, of the State’s continued failure to deliver justice in a country crying out for accountability.…

The Pietermaritzburg High Court has set aside a conviction and life imprisonment sentence for murder after finding that the accused had a right to consult his lawyer before making a confession statement. Innocent Thabani Ngcobo went to the court to appeal against his conviction and sentence, after he had been convicted by the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court in Mtunzini on May 12, 2022. Ngcobo was sentenced to life imprisonment for two counts of murder, 15 years for another murder, and eight years for attempted murder. His leave to appeal the conviction and sentence was granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal on September 28, 2023. On May 30, 2025, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard the argument in the appeal. The judgment in the High Court was handed down…

A High Court application has been launched to force the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies implicated in widespread Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) corruption. Open Secrets, a civil society organisation and non-profit company, has hauled outgoing national Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya and National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to force the law enforcement agencies to act against Siyangena Technologies and Swifambo Rails Leasing, which received lucrative contracts from the country’s troubled rail agency. The troubles facing Batohi, who is due to retire early next year, appear to be piling up after she endured a tough few weeks at the helm of the NPA. In its application, Open Secrets states that the two…

TOMORROW South Africa will once again light candles, wave flags, and sing tributes in honour of the young people who stood fearlessly against apartheid during the 1976 Soweto Uprising. There will be speeches, ceremonies, and commemorations. Youth Day, we are told, is a celebration of progress and promise. But as we stand in 2025, I ask: What exactly are we celebrating? For millions of young South Africans, this country has become a place of despair. Not dignity. Of betrayal. Not an opportunity. And this Youth Day, I cannot pretend otherwise. Let’s confront the truth: South Africa’s youth have been abandoned by their government. In the first quarter of this year, more than 62% of young people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed. That’s not a statistic, it’s a scream. That’s…

THERE is an old saying: Repeating the same actions and expecting different results is the definition of futility. For decades, South Africa under ANC rule has tried to marry economic growth with rigid, quota-based transformation policies. The results of which are, unfortunately, low growth, soaring unemployment, deepening poverty, and worsening inequality. The Western Cape has taken a different path while in support of transformation, one based on merit, capability, and performance. Transformation here is not a tick-box exercise but a tangible outcome of appointing people who are fit for purpose and investing in what works. The results speak volumes: efficient service delivery and a resilient economy that consistently outperforms other provinces. It is within this context that Minister Solly Malatsi’s recent policy direction to recognise Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs)…

As we mark June 16, 2025, 49 years since the uprising, we must ask not for the sake of ritual but for the sake of our republic: Where is the youth of today? What are they confronting? Do they carry the same fire, and crucially, do they have control over their economic destiny as the 1976 generation had over the political one? On June 16, 1976, the youth of this land, armed with nothing but conviction and the matchbox of defiance, took to the streets and declared war against the apartheid state. They confronted tanks with chants. Today’s youth stand at a different frontline. It is not one patrolled by army vehicles and tear gas but by unemployment, under-skilling, digital exclusion and economic marginalisation. The war is no longer for…

“Ole, Ole, Ole!” The Proteas are World Test Champions! A sentence so short but yet holds so much gravitas due to everything that has gone before. When Kyle Verryenne struck the winning runs through the covers on yet another glorious sunlit day in St John’s Wood, the curse on South African cricket was finally broken dating back to that very first World Cup back in 1992. Chokers, they will be called no more. In a Test that had more twists and turns than a Simply Come Dancing episode on the BBC, it was ultimately Aiden Markram’s sublime 136 that stole the show and steered the Proteas’ to this historic five-wicket victory. The only blot on this Proteas’ fairytale was that Markram was not there at the end when the crowning…

After South Africa ended their International Cricket Council (ICC) title drought with a five-wicket win over Australia to win the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final, a teary-eyed left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj said winning the coveted Test mace at Lord’s has been an absolute honour. By chasing 282 on the fourth day of the final, South Africa broke their 27-year knockout hoodoo to win the ICC World Test Championship for the first time. “It's special, it's an honour to lift the cup for everyone out here and back home. It's what the country's about, the unity among everyone in the last five days. We're very grateful, as a team, as a nation, as a proud country.” “I think the emotions would've spurred me in the right direction had I got…

Bulls coach Jake White, for some time, has been advocating that the Springbok players based overseas should be brought home to strengthen the local teams, but Bok centre Jesse Kriel disagrees. Kriel, who is based in Japan, says he has become a better player because of the cross-pollination of rugby acumen that occurs when players from all over the world are pooled together, as is the case in the Japanese teams. Joining Kriel in the current Bok squad preparing for the Barbarians season-opener on June 28 are fellow Japan-based players in Lood de Jager, Faf de Klerk, Damian de Allende, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe and Malcolm Marx. That is a hefty chunk of polished Springboks. Kriel pointed to White himself as a good example of how overseas…

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and agriculture associations have welcomed the department of Agriculture’s decision to roll out the first-ever mass vaccination of poultry in the country in order to protect the local flock from avian influenza. SAPA also confirmed that despite concerns about a salmonella outbreak in the United States, eggs in South Africa remain safe to consume. Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen last week said that their vaccination team, comprised of poultry specialist vets from the University of Pretoria, along with the Agricultural Research Council, has received a list of farms to be vaccinated from the poultry industry and is prioritising high-risk areas and commercial flocks to contain the virus and prevent further culling. “We have secured vaccine supply, ensured cold chain capacity, and are building in…

WE refer to the article titled “How Musk, Ramaphosa, and Jonas shape the future of connectivity” authored by Ambassador Bheki Gila and published in the Sunday Independent on June 4, 2025. It has come to our attention that the article contains certain statements regarding Phuthuma Nhleko which require correction. The article stated: “The blind trustee reposed with the privilege is Phuthuma Nhleko, who became the chief executive of MTN in 2002. The current chairman of MTN is Mcebisi Jonas.” For the avoidance of doubt, Nhleko is not the trustee of any blind trust associated with the Shanduka Group or President Cyril Ramaphosa, nor does he hold any such role in relation to the entities mentioned. Nhleko has no involvement as a trustee in any blind trust linked to the Shanduka…

South Africa’s second Government of National Unity (GNU) reached its first anniversary this week. Comparisons with the GNU of 1994 were initially made, but the ensuing debates made it clear that they are not comparable. The first point of debate was whether the new multiparty government was indeed a GNU or a coalition government. For some, the distinction was merely a matter of semantics, while for others, it represented a political stance on black unity in government. The fact that the uMkhonto weSizwe party (MKP) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were not included in the new government disqualified it as a national unity government. In the meantime, this debate has petered out, mainly because the ANC and DA continue to use the name GNU. The GNU’s formal foundation is very…

THE arrival of over 3 000 white South Africans in the United States under President Donald Trump’s fast-tracked refugee resettlement programme is a racial spectacle of historic proportions. Framed by Trump as a rescue mission from “racial discrimination” and even “genocide” in post-apartheid South Africa, the scheme repackages whiteness as victimhood while reasserting racial hierarchies through the veneer of humanitarian concern. Cheryl Harris’s seminal concept of “whiteness as property” is especially instructive here. This programme protects not the displaced, but the entitlements embedded in whiteness — land, social status, and the right to global mobility. These arrivals, facilitated under a controversial executive order, mark the first time in US history that white South Africans have been accepted en masse as refugees. The move has drawn intense scrutiny, with South African…

THIS year’s Youth Day commemorates 49 years since the June 16 student uprisings (also known as the Soweto Massacres), a crucial turning point in the liberation struggle of South Africa. In 1976, the bravery of tens of thousands of school children ignited a countrywide rebellion, setting in motion a transformation that would define the future. The killing of hundreds of these vulnerable children left an indelible mark on the country’s collective memory, a painful reminder of both devastation and the powerful legacy forged by South African youth. “Youth is a time of revolt, and we owe much of progress to the discontent of youth.” This was spoken by our former President Nelson Mandela, who advocated for the role of youth in driving social change. The youth of June 16 are…

AS South Africa commemorates Youth Month under the theme “Skills for the changing world – empowering youth for meaningful economic participation”, two pressing issues demand urgent attention: the exclusion of young people from critical policy discussions and the systemic neglect of early childhood development (ECD), which experts warn perpetuates cycles of poverty and unemployment. Trade union Uasa has called for practical solutions to address South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis, urging the government to include young voices in high-level decision-making. Uasa spokesperson Abigail Moyo welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s initiative to convene a national dialogue through an Eminent Persons Group, but cautioned that excluding unemployed youth risks rendering discussions “out of touch with reality”. “While the Eminent Persons Group comprises notable leaders who have made significant contributions to society and the economy,…

AS Eskom’s debt spirals and municipalities flounder in financial disarray, the Standing Committee on Appropriations this week issued a stark warning: without urgent intervention, South Africa’s service delivery and energy stability face collapse. This week, Eskom briefed the committee on the Eskom Debt Relief Bill, however, MPs remained deeply concerned that the state-owned power utility’s financial trajectory remains unsustainable. Chairperson Mmusi Maimane minced no words: “When we examine the various pieces of legislation under consideration by this committee, it is undeniable that Eskom remains a pivotal component. The state of Eskom’s liquidity, along with serious concerns raised by municipalities around debt servicing, are critical factors, especially in light of the appropriations made to Eskom.” Maimane fears that even with the Debt Relief Bill, Eskom will remain heavily indebted, largely due…

When Deputy President Paul Mashatile appeared before Parliament to answer questions as is required in terms of the Constitution, he found himself having to respond to questions which went beyond his political work but touched on issues related to the current state of the country’s finances. Dr Teboko Letlape from ActionSA asked for a complete updated breakdown of all official travels by Mashatile since he assumed office on July 3, 2024. This included information about the purpose of each visit and whether it was justified or not; details about the countries visited; costs involved on each trip; the names and roles of each member of the delegation; and any additional costs on each trip. While this appeared to be a normal question-and-answer session which both the president and deputy president…

CLARITY and backing are the two words that come to mind to sum up best the two-year journey that South Africa has been on to win the country's first world title at Lord's yesterday, where the Proteas beat Australia by five wickets to win the 2023-2025 World Test Championship. At the centre of the historic achievement, Aiden Markram, after being dropped from the squad after a lean patch, said it best two years ago when coach Shukri Conrad recalled him to open the batting at the start of his coaching tenure. In that first Test back in the side, Markram brought up his sixth Test century and spoke about the backing Conrad has given him, a feat that planted a seed that has now blossomed to the country's first major…

Matheus Cunha says he is determined to help Manchester United bounce back from their worst league season in 51 years after becoming the club's first major signing of the transfer window. The 20-time English champions are undergoing a rebuild under Ruben Amorim after limping home 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham. Defeat in Bilbao cost them Champions League qualification, meaning United will spend a first season without European football since 2014/15. But the Red Devils' issues did not deter Brazil international Cunha, who completed his £62.5 million switch from Wolves on Thursday. “It is the most common phrase that you can say at this moment, but this is the dream come true," the 26-year-old told MUTV. “Maybe outside, I think maybe…

Thirty years ago this week, the 1995 World Cup entered its last fortnight, with semi-finals between South Africa and France, and New Zealand and England, and the final between the Boks and the All Blacks. The pressure on the Boks to deliver was off the scale, and recapturing the mood of that time is fascinating. I asked Mark Andrews what he recalled about that tense period for the Rainbow Nation. He said by the end of it, he was completely shattered. On the night of the final, while South Africa partied long and hard, Andrews confined himself to his hotel room with a bottle of champagne, too worn out to move. Within a week, he had pneumonia and was too ill to participate in the countrywide celebration tour. The stress…