Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-11-09 i Sunday Independent

South Africa stands at a defining moment in education and employment. The latest data from Statistics South Africa paints a worrying picture: youth unemployment remains stubbornly above 45%, and many of those who do find work often feel unprepared for the realities of the modern workplace. The problem isn’t a lack of qualifications - it’s a lack of readiness. For decades, we have measured academic success by certificates, not by competence. Yet, in an economy being reshaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and shifting global trade patterns, the most valuable graduates are not those who can memorise content, but those who can adapt, lead, and solve complex problems. At Milpark Education, we believe it’s time to move beyond passive online learning models and create digital education that feels alive, connected, and…

In the quest for flawless, youthful-looking skin, radiofrequency (RF) microneedling has become one of the most talked-about beauty treatments on social media and in aesthetic clinics across South Africa. Promising to smooth wrinkles, fade scars, and tighten skin, it sounds like the perfect non-surgical fix. But experts are now warning that this trending treatment may come with serious, and sometimes permanent, side effects. RF microneedling combines two technologies: traditional microneedling, which uses fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries that stimulate collagen production, and radiofrequency energy, which delivers heat deep into the skin to enhance tightening. While it’s marketed as a safe, rejuvenating procedure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a caution following reports of burns, scarring, fat loss, nerve damage, and even facial disfigurement linked to RF…

IN a scathing and alarming briefing to Parliament’s Select Committee on Social Services on October 29, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) laid bare a public health system in freefall — plagued by financial ruin, institutional rot, and a near-total absence of accountability. The evidence, drawn from AGSA’s 2024/25 audit of the Department of Health, paints a picture not of mismanagement, but of systemic betrayal — one that is costing patients their lives. From hospitals without operating theatres for 28 years to R24 billion in unpaid bills, from vandalised TB facilities to provinces still using paper “flash books” to track invoices in 2025, the report confirms what many have long suspected: South Africa’s public health system is being cannibalised from within. When reached for comment, Foster Mohale, director of media…

ON September 30, the Dutch government swooped into the offices of Nexperia in Nijmegen, figuratively that is, roundly sacked the Chinese leadership with immediate effect, and took control of the organisation. In so doing, it effectively nationalised the semi-conductor chip supplier for Europe. The sudden blitz which removed Mr John Chang, the expatriate lead honcho, together with his entire Chinese executive team, replacing them with a Dutch contingent, also sought to sever the relations with Nexperia’s parent company Wingtech Technologies. Said Mr Chang was even accused of corruptly enriching himself with more than $200 million. To be sure, the issuance of the expropriation edict was unprovoked, triggered by some contrived perception that this Chinese wholly owned subsidiary, headquartered in the Netherlands, will someday weaponise the supply of chips critical to…

UNDERSTANDING your credit score is not just for people taking out big loans or mortgages; it impacts everyday financial opportunities. A healthy credit score can help you qualify for better interest rates, faster approvals, and stronger protection against fraud by regularly checking your report. Learning how credit works — and sharing that knowledge — is one of the most powerful financial gifts you can give. Traditionally, your credit score is a snapshot of how well you have managed credit and debt in the past, based on the information in your credit report. Lenders, landlords, insurers, and even employers sometimes use it (or check related credit data) to assess risk. If your score is strong, you could qualify for better interest rates or favourable credit terms. But if it is weak…

Two traffic officers and a civilian who issued fake learner’s driver licences will each serve lengthy imprisonment terms after being sentenced in the Cape Town Regional Court this week. Karel Davids, 53, Andile James Dondolo, 57, who are traffic officers, and Jason Naidoo, 59, a civilian, were sentenced on November 7 for corruption. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed that Davids received a 12-year sentence, while his ex-colleague Dondolo was sentenced to 14 years plus an additional six months of direct imprisonment. Naidoo will serve 14 years behind bars. Vukubi said the three were also further declared unfit to possess a firearm. “During 2016, information was received regarding two traffic officers at the Ashton Traffic Department, who were involved in the issuing of false learner's driver licences. “The matter…

Cedrick Nkabinde, the chief of staff for suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu, is one of the two witnesses to appear next week before the parliamentary inquiry probing the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said the committee will hold a meeting on Monday to finalise their programme of activities for the coming weeks. Lekganyane also said the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi, will give her testimony on Tuesday. There will be no public hearing on Wednesday as the Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will table his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement speech. “We have Mr Cedrick Nkabinde on Thursday and Friday next week,” Lekganyane said. Nkabinde will give evidence on how he got to know Mchunu and will also be questioned about…

Much fanfare is made of the fact that South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) represents 60% of the voters in the 2024 general election. What is not recognised is that most South Africans did not vote, and that of those who did, the majority, by far, supported parties that claimed to represent the working class and the poor. If the ANC still regards itself as a centre-left movement, rooted in the struggle for equality, then it must acknowledge that it carries the responsibility to defend those who have placed their hopes in it. The current arrangement, in which the 10 political parties that constitute the GNU, the Leaders’ Forum, now set the strategic political direction for the country, raises deep concern about whose interests are being prioritised. Cohesion within…

Zambia might have faced challenges in the last few years, leading to their decline, but they should give Bafana Bafana who are beginning their preparations for the upcoming AFCON in Morocco next month, a run for their money. Chipolopolo were the last Cosafa region nation to win Afcon, back in 2012. But instead of building on that foundation, they’ve endured several setbacks. They exited in the group stage in the following two editions before failing to qualify for the next three tournaments. They’ll return to the biggest football stage on the continent next month. However, all is not well within the team, as they remain without a coach just weeks before the event following the departure of Avram Grant. Bafana Bafana’s fortunes, on the other hand, have changed for the…

Matthijs de Ligt salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester United at Tottenham in a frantic finale as both sides missed the chance to go second in the Premier League yesterday. Spurs looked to have secured a dramatic victory, having trailed with six minutes to go, as Mathys Tel equalised before Richarlison headed home in the 91st minute. However, De Ligt powered in a 96th-minute header to extend United’s unbeaten run to five games. Both sides move on to 18 points from 11 games, but goal difference separates Spurs in third from United in seventh. The Red Devils have now failed to beat Spurs in their previous eight meetings, but it was the most recent of those that will live long in the memory of the Tottenham support. Spurs ended their…

Proteas Women's captain Laura Wolvaardt and Proteas Men's allrounder Senuran Muthusamy have been nominated as the ICC Women's and Men's Player of the Month respectively. Wolvaardt was the leading run-scorer in the World Cup and scored 470 runs in eight matches during the voting period of October. She struck three half-centuries and helped win the semi-final against England with a colossal 169 to set up an epic final against hosts India. She was also recently elevated to the ICC No 1 ranking for Women's ODI batters. Muthusamy took a career-best 11 wickets in Lahore in a losing cause but then top-scored in the Proteas' first innings with an unbeaten 89 in the second innings of the Rawalpindi Test as his team won by eight wickets and he was named the…

While he knows he is edging ever closer to the 100-cap milestone for the Springboks, veteran centre and double World Cup winner Damian de Allende is in no rush to look too far ahead. For the 33-year-old midfield rock, it’s about staying in the moment and cherishing every opportunity to pull on the green and gold jersey. De Allende earned his 95th Test cap when he lined up against France in Paris last night, in what was a repeat of last year’s pulsating Rugby World Cup quarter-final between the same sides. It was another reminder of his enduring influence in the Bok backline — a blend of experience, physicality and calm that has been central to South Africa’s success over the seven years. If selected for one or two more…

SOUTH Africa lives with a contradiction that we often pretend not to see: we do not have a single justice system. We have two. The first is fast, harsh, and designed for the poor. The second is slow, cautious, and endlessly negotiable, a luxury reserved for the powerful. Walk into any magistrate’s court on a Monday morning. You will see shackled young men arrested for shoplifting food, for stealing copper to sell for taxi fare, for taking a cellphone to pawn for rent. These are “survival crimes,” born not of greed but of hunger and unemployment. Their cases move quickly. Bail is often unaffordable. Sentencing is swift. Jail time is normal. Contrast that with the treatment of those who steal millions or sometimes billions through public procurement fraud, tender manipulation,…

WITH Black Friday just weeks away and International Fraud Awareness Week (November 16–22) on the horizon, South African consumers are being urged to brace for an unprecedented wave of high-tech scams. RCS, a leading retail financial services provider, has issued a warning: Fraudsters are deploying increasingly sophisticated tactics — including AI-generated deepfakes, near-identical fake websites, and QR code-based phishing schemes — to exploit the shopping frenzy. According to Melanie Botes, chief information officer (CIO) at RCS, this year’s scams are not only more convincing but also designed to capitalise on the urgency and excitement that typically surround major retail events like Black Friday. “Criminals are constantly refining their methods, often using advanced technology to make schemes look and sound more legitimate than ever before,” Botes said. “The scams consumers are…

ONE of the defining features of post-apartheid South Africa is the ANC’s persistent inaction when it comes to delivering public goods and services. Rather than leveraging its vast political mandate to drive governance and reform, the ANC has normalised what might be called the politics of non-action. Its governing style rests on delegation, delay and deflection rather than decisive leadership. This tendency reveals a structural incapacity within the ruling party to translate political power into administrative performance. The ANC’s reluctance to take ownership of delivery has allowed other actors, particularly the judiciary and civil society organisations, to become the real engines of social change. The provision of antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV, for example, materialised not through government initiative but through judicial intervention compelled by civil society litigation.…

Road Accident Fund (RAF) head of security, Stephen Msiza, has made startling revelations about former CEO Collins Letsoalo’s close protection services that came at a cost of R8m a year, which exceeded the R480,000 limit set by the board. Testifying at the Standing Committee Accounts’ (Scopa) inquiry into the RAF earlier this week, Msiza confirmed that the close protection services were provided to Letsoalo despite the SAPS finding no threat to his life. “The board said the security must be procured because this is a policy issue,” he said. Scopa Chairperson Songezo said they were particularly interested in the expenditure on close protection services because there was an apparent difference between what the board determined and what was spent. “This has been flagged by the Auditor-General, and it is also…

EVERY year, hundreds of African languages move closer to extinction, not because they are forgotten, but because they are systematically erased. Across our continent, languages that once carried our wisdom, history, humour, and heritages are disappearing. They are being replaced — not by natural evolution, but by a system that rewards foreign tongues and punishes our own. The tragedy is not just that we are losing words, it is that we are losing the knowledge, customs and identity they carry. Closer to home in South Africa, this erasure is glaring. We have eleven official languages, yet public life is completely dominated by English and Afrikaans. Walk into corporate offices, courtrooms, universities and beyond, and you will find that success is directly linked to one’s ability to fluently speak in one…

Families were gunned down as they huddled for safety. Young children weeping over their mother’s body in the desert. Doctors were seized for ransom and executed. Such are the stories trickling out of El-Fasher, the Sudanese city conquered by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The vast majority of people inside the city are still unreachable – only a few traumatised people have been able to escape and testify to the horrors unfolding there. Sudan’s civil war, which erupted in 2023 after a power struggle between the head of the RSF, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF), has become a sprawling conflagration, sucking in global and regional powers and leaving much of the country in ruins.…

South Africa’s G20 leadership concludes with the apex G20 Leadership Summit taking place on November 22-23 in Johannesburg. It has been a rollercoaster ride from the get-go with the Trump 2.0 trade shocks, bullying South Africa and Nigeria in Africa’s G20 year, with the US downgrading its G20 commitments. This period was also marked by the intensification of civil wars and electoral violence on the African continent. Media narratives and coverage of G20 and reporting of G20 events have failed to connect their relevance to everyday struggles – from the high cost of living or need for AI regulation against social media harms, or climate finance and energy access. Brazil’s 2024 G20 agenda was bold and managed to secure solid commitments on ultra-rich tax commitment and a Global Compact on…

Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi is not reading too much into last weekend’s emphatic league victory over Marumo Gallants, warning that Saturday’s Carling Knockout Cup semi-final at the King Zwelithini Stadium could produce a very different outcome. It will be the second meeting between the two teams in just a week, after Abafana Bes’thende dismantled the Limpopo side in the Betway Premiership at the same venue. But Mngqithi, an experienced tactician who has seen both sides of cup football’s unpredictability, cautioned that back-to-back fixtures can be deceptive. “It’s a very tough assignment. If there’s any game I don’t like in football, it’s back-to-back matches,” Mngqithi admitted. “They always tend to give indifferent results. We are playing against a very good team. I said it before — they may not have…

Proteas Test batter Ryan Rickelton says he will draw confidence from his performances in the recently concluded Test series against Pakistan as South Africa prepare for an altogether different challenge in India next week. Rickelton impressed in Pakistan, scoring 71 and an unbeaten 45 in the first Test in Lahore, followed by 14 and 25 not out in the second Test in Rawalpindi, as the two-match series ended level at 1-1. The 29-year-old reaffirmed his reputation as one of the Proteas’ better players of spin, and he told Independent Newspapers that those hard-earned runs will serve him well as the team departs for India on Sunday. Rickelton admitted the Pakistan series was a reminder that Test cricket in the subcontinent is always a battle of attrition. “I actually felt pretty…

The Comrades Marathon Association confirmed the breakdown of entries for next year’s race, after a fake press release on social media inflated the number of novice runners in the 2026 list of entrants, claiming that this had prompted the CMA to reconsider a change in qualifying times. The false document was released after the general entries for the 2026 Comrades Marathon sold out in less than 10 hours on Monday – a record for the event. “While this press release looks genuine, even with our official letterhead added, I can confirm that this is fake news,” said CMA general manager Alain Dalais. “To begin with, the percentage of novice runners provided in this fake statement, 73%, is massively inflated – the actual percentage of novices in the field is 25.8%.…

With so much riding on the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens championship in Nairobi, Kenya, next weekend, it is no wonder the Springbok Women’s Sevens team is trotting out the big guns for the regional tournament that offers a shot at redemption … or a step closer to it. The Bok Women need a top-two finish to qualify for the 2026 World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series, and are taking no chances in their bid to get back to the HSBC SVNS top table – having lost their core status at the end of the 2024 season. SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Nadine Roos, a star of sevens and fifteens rugby, is among the stellar names selected for a training camp to prepare for the continental championship. She has…

As South Africa approached the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on 12 November 2025, experts highlighted the mounting financial pressure on consumers, particularly regarding tax policies, inflationary adjustments, and household debt. Hayley Parry, Money Coach and Facilitator at 1Life’s Truth About Money, said one of the most pressing issues for households was bracket creep. “For the last three years SARS has decided not to adjust the tax brackets and that puts enormous pressure on your salary. Even if we receive an increase linked to inflation or discretionary bonuses, it is not coming through to the bottom line because essentially we are paying more tax,” she said. Parry noted that in the last financial year, SARS collected R19.5 billion in additional revenue by not adjusting tax brackets for inflation. “This is…

It seems we’re officially reversing in time with almost everything, and the beauty world is no exception. Remember when we were all told, “Get rid of those eye bags! Dark circles are a no-go!” Concealer was our holy grail, our little magic wand to erase every hint of exhaustion. We layered, blended, and prayed for miracle creams. And now… well, apparently, all that effort was for nothing. Welcome to the era where flaws are famous. Those dark, puffy, or creased eyes that you’ve spent months desperately trying to camouflage? They’re apparently very cool. What was once a sign of sleepless nights, overwork, or stress is now a fashion statement. Sigh. While some people might breathe a sigh of relief, especially those of us who’ve been rocking the “I barely slept”…

Five key points from the declaration read as follows: A LARGE contingency of media bosses from across the Global South converged on the Chinese city of Xi’an, a state-built cosmopolitan and national central haven of some 13 million permanent residents, to map out a path to a new world order. The event, held this week in the middle of the Chinese Autumn, was dubbed: “Global South Media Partners Mechanism Inauguration Meeting” and also incorporated the marking of the “13th Global Video Media Forum”. It was held under the umbrella of the world’s biggest media house, the China Media Group (CMG), with offices in more than 60 countries worldwide and more than 1 billion in audience figures. Also at the centre of putting the mega event together was the Communist Party…

IN June 2025, as executive director of the Centre for Alternative Political and Economic Thought (CAPET), I penned a letter to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology, titled *The Urgent Need to Reskill South Africa's Youth for the AI Future*. In that piece, I highlighted the existential crisis facing our young people: 4.9 million unemployed youth aged 15-34, a staggering 58% of unemployed graduates under 35, and over 45% of existing jobs at high risk of displacement by artificial intelligence and automation. The article served as a resounding and urgent call to Parliament, underscoring the dire AI/tech education emergency gripping South Africa, a crisis marked by skyrocketing youth and graduate unemployment, outdated curricula, and the looming threat of automation displacing millions of jobs. We…

A critical shortage of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in South Africa's public healthcare system is producing tragic consequences, with citizens facing death and deteriorating health as a result. This alarming situation has been underscored by research from Professor Fathima Paruk, revealing that the nation has a mere five ICU beds per 100 000 people — a stark contrast to Germany's 39. In some provinces, the situation is even dire, with reports indicating as few as one ICU bed available. The implications of this bed scarcity are deeply personal for many, including Yolanda Dyantyi, who is mourning the loss of a close friend from Gauteng. Dyantyi alleges that her friend’s death was exacerbated by the critical shortage of ICU beds, a plight she attributes in part to what she terms…

Foreign missions could have limited access to diplomatic immunities and privileges (DIAP) – such as alcohol and tobacco products – for up to two weeks from tomorrow, due to the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit. The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO) has informed foreign missions that with the upcoming G20 Leaders' Summit 2025, services rendered by DIAP will be impacted. “It should be noted that between November 10 and 25, 2025, officials will be deployed for the G20 Leaders' Summit, which will affect services such as diplomatic accreditation, temporary residence visas, and vehicle registrations, rendered by DIAP,” reads a DIAP circular sent to diplomatic missions and international organisations by DIRCO last month. DIAP also manages diplomatic privileges with regard to alcohol and tobacco products imported or purchased at a…

As the country prepares for the 2026 Local Government Election (LGE), all eyes are on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to see how it will conduct its business and protect its integrity. On October 17, 1996, the Electoral Commission Act came into effect, thus replacing the interim IEC, which was created in 1993 to conduct the first democratic election on April 27, 1994. Since then, the IEC has executed its constitutional mandate of delivering elections and conducting by-elections where necessary. It has also assisted with voter education and stakeholder engagement, among other things. But while the IEC has such vast experience, endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) factors have put this organisation in the spotlight. Among the external factors, we can count recent elections in Tanzania, where opposition leaders were either…

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has expressed profound frustration over his unsuccessful attempts to convene a meeting with all Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches, indicating that he has now abandoned the effort altogether. This decision comes after four consecutive attempts over the past four years were cancelled by the PSL, leaving the seasoned mentor both incredulous and disheartened. Addressing journalists at SAFA House while announcing his squad for the upcoming international friendly against Zambia on November 15, Broos conveyed his disappointment at the apparent reluctance from the league’s governing body to facilitate cooperation between the national team and its clubs. “Four years ago, I asked to have a meeting with all the PSL coaches and in four attempts, they cancelled it. In four attempts, they didn’t even send the…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted Friday he had enjoyed "insane" success as he prepares for the 1,000th game of a spectacular managerial career against Liverpool. The Spaniard's first job in the dugout was with Barcelona's B team before he took the main job at the Camp Nou, subsequently moving onto German giants Bayern Munich and then City. The 54-year-old former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has won 715 of his 999 games so far, picking up multiple honours at all the clubs he has managed. "The numbers are insane," Guardiola told a pre-match press conference. "I'm not living thinking how many, but when you have the milestone and you read what you have done... the victories, average, not just in the Premier League and Champions League, we have done incredible…

Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman says he is pleased with the progress made in refreshing his ageing squad and building depth, after wrapping up their final conditioning block ahead of the 2026 SVNS season, which kicks off in Dubai at the end of the month. “One of the main aims for this season is to expand our selection base with an eye on the 2029 Olympics, and that remains the case,” Snyman said. “Our squad is ageing, and we need to adapt to that. I also wanted to give myself more options in selection, especially among the forwards, and I’m happy with where we are. “Instead of three, I can now select from at least 10 players to start a match in the forwards — exactly the position I…

The build-up to last night’s rematch between the Springboks and France brought back a flood of memories of the epic quarter-final between the teams at the Stade de France. It was a game from the gods, beauty and brutality blended into a gift from rugby heaven. Across the globe, it was spontaneously proclaimed as an all-time classic, one for the ages. The compelling appeal of knock-out matches is that there has to be a winner and a loser. When the referee tosses the pre-game coin into the air before the opposing captains, triumph shines on one side, on the other lurks despair. No spectator knew until the last second just how the coin would land for France and South Africa. The coin might well have landed on its rim before…