Innehållsförteckning för NM-2021-03-30 från Mercury

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE RAND began the week on the back foot as the dollar strengthened in anticipation of US President Joe Biden’s proposal for federal investments in infrastructure and healthcare. The rand traded to an almost two-week low of R15.06 to the greenback before ending the day 0.09 percent stronger to R14.97 by 5pm as investors turned to the US dollar due to an improving American economic outlook. The demand for riskier currencies was under pressure amid worries about rising Covid-19 cases, and new variants across the globe. FXTM’s Lukman Otunuga said the dollar had entered the week on a firm note, appreciating against every single G10 currency excluding the Japanese yen. “Enthusiasm over the US economic recovery and rising Treasury yields have pushed investors towards the dollar’s…

THE NATIONAL Consumer Tribunal (NCT) has fined Up Money R1 million for conducting a pyramid scheme, which is illegal. Up Money had promoted its scheme as a stokvel. A stokvel is a savings or investment society to which members regularly contribute an agreed amount and from which they receive a lump-sum payment. It was given 20 working days to pay the fine. The National Consumer Commission had referred Up Money to the tribunal following its investigation into allegations that Up Money was a pyramid scheme, it said yesterday in a statement. The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) describes a pyramid scheme as an arrangement, agreement, practice or scheme if participants receive compensation derived from their respective recruitment of other persons as participants, rather than the sale of any goods or…

ORION Minerals, the JSE- and ASX-listed junior copper producer, said yesterday that it had open-pit mining opportunities after a further three additional deposits increased the mineral resource at the O’Okiep Copper Project (OCP) to 11.5 million tons. Orion said due diligence at the OCP had defined inferred mineral resource estimates for a further three deposits in the flat mines area, all of which represented potential open pit mining opportunities. The company said the three additional resource areas at Flat Mine, Jan Coetzee Mine and Nababeep Kloof Mine brought the mineral resource within OCP to 11.5 million tons grading 1.4 percent copper. Orion said it was a remarkable achievement, given it only signed the option agreement over the OCP and commenced due diligence in early February. Managing director…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi Ever tried a green smoothie or juice? Or are you still planning on trying it? Personally, I love my green beverage, it’s my go-to drink. But truth be told, it hasn't always been like that. I think green beverages are an acquired taste. You won’t like it the first time you try it but your palette grows to love it (trust me). Given that green juice tends to taste bitter, most recipes add small quantities of fruit – which may or may not be green – to sweeten it and improve its overall palatability. Popular fruit options include apples, berries, kiwi, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. Besides it being one of the biggest trends in health and wellness trends of the last decade: the drinks offer numerous benefits, including…

Vernon Mchunu vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za SOUTH African business interests in Mozambique are under threat after the outbreak of violence and a siege of the strife-torn town of Palma, where at least seven people have been killed. This was the view of Professor Irrshad Kaseeram, a lecturer on economics and international political economy, who said yesterday that the latest chapter of the perpetual invasion of terrorists into the Cabo Delgado province would result “in major uncertainties and deep losses” for local businesses. While the largest concentration of the Total LNG natural gas would be compromised, a number of local private investors in cheap real estate and other projects would be adversely affected, the University of Zululand-based economist said. “The implications for South Africa are an inflow of displaced people, and a longer wait…

FAROUK ARAIE | Benoni THE global rise of fascism has left a bewildered world rather breathless. Since it was first popularised by dictator Benito Mussolini in the 1920s, fascism and accusations of it have become a common theme in political discourse. The frightening signs of fascism come at different levels and in different stripes in modern times. In a book by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, titled Fascism: A Warning, she implores the global community not to take democracy for granted. Democracy is “under assault and retreat” across Asia, Africa, South America, Europe and the US. Mankind must not bury the threat of encroaching fascism and instead work together against its rise by recognising the omnipresent signs. Fascism is hostile to a free society and loathes…

BRIJLALL RAMGUTHEE | Newlands COVERAGE in your publication about sewage overflow problems in Hendry Road, Morningside, resulted in a progressive outcome, albeit after delays. As a resident of Bakerville Gardens in Newlands, I am hoping for similar remedial action in Donkin Road, off Joyce Road, where there’s continuous sewage overflow. It is needless to say what impact this has on nearby households, as well as our vehicles. Here’s hoping that city spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela can help galvanise the relevant department/s into cleaning the perennial mess.…

It will be no surprise to people who know me that I am no athlete. Also, I have a horrible record with gyms, gym contracts and exercise equipment. On one occasion I signed up for a gym and never went even once. The only time I went was when I signed up. Embarrassing but true. I told myself a few years ago that I’d never sign up for a gym again or think the latest piece of exercise equipment would be the key. Oddly, I have been faithful to that commitment but it has not been without temptation. A year ago, March 21, 2020, I wanted to begin exercising and making better food choices. I decided to walk, mostly because walking is free. I made a secret commitment (the…

Call volumes to the SA Anxiety and Depression Group (Sadag) helplines doubled after the initial lockdown announcement. It’s been a year since the lockdown was announced and more than 500 000 people have called since then seeking help. During 2020 the world was thrown into a new way of living due to Covid-19 and with that came many changes that hardly anyone was prepared for, resulting in high levels of stress and compromised immune systems. Sadag operations director Cassey Chambers said: “From the beginning of lockdown our call volumes doubled to 1 200 calls a day. We’re now dealing with 1 400-plus calls each day, excluding emails, SMSes and WhatsApp appeals for help. The reasons that people have reached out for help have varied – the top issues include anxiety…

LIAM NGOBENI liam.ngobeni@inl.co.za LEGISLATIVE reforms are being finalised before Parliament regarding the way in which the SAPS deals with crowd management. This is according to Police Minister Bheki Cele, who yesterday released the report compiled by experts on policing and crowd management by the SAPS. In its 596-page report, the panel formed in 2016 put forward a detailed programme for the professionalisation of the SAPS to bring about reforms in crowd management. “The bulk of the recommendations are to be realised in the short to medium term as they are incorporated into the SAPS Act Amendment Bill,” said Cele. He said the bill had already gone through a round of public comments. “These inputs are being finalised before the bill is tabled in Parliament. “The bill gives the assurance that…

A Verulam stepfather who repeatedly raped his minor stepdaughter after the death of her mother and also trafficked her has been handed nine life sentences in the Durban High Court. The 46-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor daughter, had maintained his innocence throughout the trial following his arrest in 2018. He was convicted in December last year. The victim was used to create child pornography, raped repeatedly and forced to perform sex acts. Police said the victim, a 9-year-old girl, had lost her mother in 2014 and was left in the care of her stepfather. Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala, said: “The father turned into a monster when he started to see the innocent girl as his sex slave rather than as his…

SELF-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri has announced that his daughter Israella Bushiri, 8, has died. She had been in hospital for weeks, battling a severe lung infection. Earlier this month, it was announced that her illness had worsened and she was transferred to ICU. “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing on of my daughter, Israella Bushiri. As a father, it was my desire to see her grow and serve the Lord, however, the will of God was for her to return back to Him,” he wrote on his Facebook page this morning. Bushiri said Israella was born during a time when he and his wife, Mary, were experiencing challenges. “She has lived her life witnessing what it means to fight and labour for the Lord despite trials…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za THE KwaZulu-Natal tourism industry says it is ready to welcome tourists to the province for the upcoming Easter long weekend. The industry said businesses across all districts had been made aware of the importance of having Covid-19 protocols in place to ensure the safety of tourists and employees. Cheryl Peters, the chief executive of Ilembe Enterprise on the North Coast, said they had been engaging with businesses to ensure that protocols were followed. Peters said businesses were aware that it was their responsibility to ensure the safety of tourists and workers. According to Peters, the district was sitting on a 70% booking occupancy for the Easter weekend. The main reason why they hadn’t reached full capacity was because of the uncertainty around possible tighter lockdown restrictions being…

Apartheid was declared a crime against humanity. We realise that some leaders both past and present in South Africa as well as abroad conveniently forget this fact when they argue against the international principles of sovereignty and non-interference. “Imagine if the world did not intervene in South Africa!” a former leader of the opposition and former diplomat here in South Africa wrote recently. Yet what he and his Western diplomat friend miss is that humanity was conscience-bound to support the fight against apartheid. “Opposition to interference in internal affairs” has become a hallmark of African politics, given colonialism and the later experiences with structural adjustment programmes of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund during the Eighties. This sentiment has also grown in many parts of the global south precisely…

THE progressive changes that saw billionaire and Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe elected president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) should also take place within the South African Football Association (Safa), if we are serious about pulling our soccer out of the doldrums. After failing to beat a second-string Ghana at home last week, Bafana Bafana shocked the nation when they were beaten 2-0 by minnows Sudan on Sunday night. A win or a draw would have been enough to ensure Bafana’s qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon. The defeat means Ghana and Sudan have emerged as winners of Group C, and will take part in the continental showpiece. South African soccer has been on a steady downward spiral after the country’s readmission into international…

AN ally of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny accused authorities yesterday of detaining his father in an attempt to pressure him over his opposition activities which include organising a new anti-government protest. Ivan Zhdanov, head of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, said police had detained his retired father in the city of Rostov-on-Don for alleged abuse of office. “I have no doubts that this criminal case is linked to me and to what I do,” said Zhdanov, who is outside Russia and part of a team of anti-Kremlin activists trying to mobilise support for a new protest this northern spring which the authorities oppose. Authorities have cracked down on allies of Navalny, 44, President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, whose jailing on what he said were trumped up parole violation charges sparked…

PRAGUE: Billionaire Petr Kellner, the Czech Republic’s richest person, was killed in a recent helicopter crash in the US state of Alaska, his investment PPF Group confirmed yesterday. Five people were killed on Saturday in the accident near a glacier east of the city of Anchorage, while the only survivor was taken to a hospital. Apart from Kellner, the death toll lists another Czech citizen, two guides and the pilot. The circumstances of the crash are being investigated. “The accident occurred during a departure for the so-called heli-skiing, when a helicopter takes skiers to the top of the mountain from which they then descend,” PPF said. According to Forbes magazine, Kellner’s net worth is estimated at $17.5 billion. He made his fortune from his own investment group, as well as…

CANBERRA: Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared a cabinet reshuffle after a backlash against his government triggered by its poor handling of sexual assault allegations in parliament. He said the reshuffle was aimed at getting in line with the justice for women movement in Australia. It arose when former government staff member Brittany Higgins alleged she’d been raped by a colleague in the office of then-Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in 2019. Following her story, four more women came forth with sexual assault claims. Calls for change in government grew. This is the second cabinet reshuffle since December to bring gender equality into Australia’s parliament.…

It is 16 months since the Springboks won the World Cup, and it will be another four before they play a Test match again, which just happens to be the first Test against the British and Irish Lions. On face value, that seems way too long for the Boks to be competitive against the tourists, especially seeing as the Six Nations has just been completed and, late last year, the composite unions of the Lions played another series between themselves. If I can give one reason why that doesn’t necessarily mean the Boks are no-hopers, it is the extraordinary events that transpired during the Rugby Championship in Australia last year, where Argentina shocked the All Blacks and drew with the Wallabies. The prediction for the Pumas was massive hidings given…

SA Corporate Real Estate renews its focus in a changing market EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za SA CORPORATE Real Estate (SA Corp) distributed 17.93 cents per share for the year to December 31, 2020, less than half the 38.04c of the previous year after property valuations and net property income fell through the Covid-19 pandemic. Property valuations fell by -60.33c or 8 percent. Chief executive Rory Mackey said in a presentation yesterday that the property sector was in a period of “immense change” and it would be naive to expect it to revert to what it was prior to the pandemic. SA Corp’s portfolio of industrial, retail, commercial and residential buildings consists of 188 properties valued at R16 billion, a 50 percent joint venture in three Zambian properties…

Renergen shares soar as new drillings show favourable helium concentration Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za RENERGEN’S share price rose by more than 21 percent on the JSE yesterday morning after the natural gas and helium producer reported high helium concentration from recently drilled wells at its Virginia Gas Project, which exceeded its expectations. The share later closed at R29.56. The group said it had now obtained laboratory results on the helium concentrations from recently drilled wells P007 and MDR1 and MDR1 has returned a helium concentration of 3.15 percent and wildcard well P007 a concentration of 4.38 percent. Its Virginia gas project comprises exploration and production rights of 187 000 hectares of gas fields across Welkom, Virginia and Theunissen in the Free State, and contains one of the…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za SOUTH32, the Australia-headquartered mining company, expects to settle the sale of its South African coal assets to Seriti Resources by the end of the month. South32 told shareholders yesterday in a note that the transfer of its shareholding in South African Energy Coal (SAEC) to Seriti was now expected at the end of the March quarter. “Work is progressing between South32, Seriti and Eskom to finalise arrangements that will underpin the sustainability of the SAECl business under the ownership of Seriti and allow for the satisfaction of the final material conditions to the transaction,” said South32. South32 is scheduled to update the market at the conclusion of this work.In August 2019, Seriti announced it had entered into exclusive negotiations regarding the acquisition of the SAEC business. SAEC…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za THE eThekwini metro police unit has revealed it needs an extra R60 million for overtime pay over five months, to provide an efficient service. A report on the overtime request was tabled before members of the executive committee during a meeting yesterday. The funding request was approved without the opposition parties’ support. The opposition parties questioned the amount requested and demanded that the unit give a breakdown of its functions to justify the extra funding. The report read: “Authority is being sought for metro police additional overtime funding of R60m in order to provide for the forecasted overspend on overtime which (is) still to be incurred between the months of February and June 2021.” It called for the deputy city managers (DCMs) of community and emergency services…

AN INVESTIGATION into the mismanagement of R300 million meant for creatives across the country is under way. The NAC’s chief executive and its chief financial officer have since been suspended. Following protests and sit-ins at the NAC’s offices in Johannesburg over the past few weeks with artists demanding answers regarding the Presidential Employment Stimulus Package, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa yesterday announced the forensic investigation would look into how officials overcommitted the R300m, with some creatives getting nothing, and others receiving more than they had applied for. The arts and culture industry is among the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with scores of institutions having closed shop for good, and others having no way of recovery. Mthethwa apologised to creatives yesterday, promising heads would roll. “People overcommitted…

“PRO VERITAS” | Durban FOR professional reasons, I pen this letter under a pseudonym. I address what follows without fear and without prejudice about Advocate Dali Mpofu’s outburst at the Zondo Commission. I understand Professor Thuli Madonsela’s call for consistency via-a-vis Mpofu, specifically that he shouldn’t be singled out. Good point. Perhaps it escapes her that Jacob Zuma’s treatment of Justice Zondo is awaiting finality before the Constitutional Court. Two disparaging and utterly disrespectful words, “shut up”, of contempt that sent shockwaves after his pyroclastic blast cannot be condoned. However, plainly I dare say that people have made the Zondo Commission their preferred weapon of choice to settle political scores or to embarrass and/or discredit their political enemies or at the very least use it to sniff…

THEMBA J NKOSI | Durban “THE ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” – Martin Luther King jr. The sudden bowing out of his Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu did not only bring into the spotlight the Zulu Royal house, but showed to the world who Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is when it comes to matters of traditional leadership, the Zulu monarchy and what it means being an unapologetic Zulu South African. During the hospitalisation of His Majesty, Prince Buthelezi reported updates and handled this matter with utmost dignity. He calmed the nerves of South Africans and the Zulu nation. He showed the gift of the gab in dealing with…

Jolene Marriah-Maharaj jolene.marriah@inl.co.za Two businesses that were violating health and safety regulations by selling prohibited skin-lightening creams and expired food items were closed down in Esikhaleni Township in Richards Bay. This comes after MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay (Edtea) conducted business inspections in the area on Sunday. Pillay and the mayor of uMhlathuze, Mdu Mhlongo, inspected three supermarkets and a hardware store. Edtea spokesperson Bheki Mbanjwa said two of the businesses had to be closed down due to serious concerns over health and safety. “Compliance notices were also issued to all four businesses for transgressions including the sale of prohibited skin-lightening creams and selling expired food items. “Skin-lightening creams were being sold for R60. Owners and employees in some of the shops also failed to…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za THE eThekwini Municipality is clamping down on officials who have been accused of wrongdoing and has disciplined many of these officials. Yesterday eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda revealed that the municipality has resolved many of the disciplinary cases that have accumulated over the years. These cases had been flagged by the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU). He said this was among the positive news shared with the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka, when he visited the municipality last week to assess its performance in terms of its finances and service delivery. Addressing the executive committee yesterday, Kaunda said when he and his team took over in 2019 there was a backlog of cases related to mismanagement, fraud and corruption. He said a…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has urged faith communities to be innovative when holding events during the Easter, Passover and Ramadaan religious periods to ensure their events don’t lead to the spread of Covid-19. Ramaphosa said this in his newsletter yesterday amid calls by religious organisations to avoid strict and tougher Covid-19 regulations for the Easter weekend. A presentation was made by religious leaders last week to the government where they pleaded with Ramaphosa to allow for services to be held with 50% capacity under strict safety protocols. According to the current level 1 restrictions, 100 people are allowed for religious gatherings indoors and 250 for outdoors. Ramaphosa also confirmed that a virtual meeting with leaders of the faith community was held recently. During the meeting, a number of…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za SEARCH-and-rescue teams are still searching for two people who were swept away when the taxi they were travelling in attempted to cross a low-lying flooded bridge near Weenen at the weekend. The KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said the taxi was travelling from Weenen to Phofeni in the Mngwenya area of the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality when the incident occurred on Saturday. Four passengers drowned and 13 were able to get to safety. Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the bodies of a 48-year-old woman and a male believed to be in his thirties were found on Sunday. The search for the remaining two passengers was continuing, she said. “The bodies that have been recovered are those of Sazi Chonco and Zama Ziqubu.…

The animals that roam South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve have a new ally in the battle to keep them safe from poachers – camera phones mounted in protective cases that stream images of their activities to thousands of “virtual rangers” worldwide. With reserves across Africa cutting back on anti-poaching patrols amid a coronavirus-induced tourism lull that has hit funding, Balule has teamed up with Samsung and tech pioneer Africam to supplement staff numbers with eyes and ears online. More than 55 000 people have become virtual rangers since the project, Wildlife Watch, went live this month. “We need more eyes; we need more people helping us,” said Leitah Mkhabela, a member of the park’s all-female anti-poaching unit known as the Black Mambas. “They can become a ranger while staying at…

| Mercury Correspondent Former Eskom head of generation Matshela Koko says he won’t rest until President Cyril Ramaphosa is called to answer questions on allegations of interference at the power utility. Koko returned to the witness stand yesterday to testify about Eskom-related evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. When the former Eskom executive appeared in December he made a string of allegations against Ramaphosa. He alleged that the former president had interfered in the running of the state-owned entity and had been behind his 2015 suspension from the company. Koko and three other executives were suspended in March 2015 while an investigation into Eskom was being conducted. He was the only executive who returned while the others reached settlements and departed. Koko maintained that Ramaphosa had…

MFEZEKO BUNU | Khayelitsha Not for the first time during the past week, Justice Raymond Zondo has displayed unimaginable favouritism towards certain witnesses and their legal counsels, while showing total disrespect and contempt towards certain witnesses and their legal counsels. When Brian Molofe appeared before the commission, he was subjected to unfair questioning by the evidence leader and Justice Zondo seemed to endorse that. When Molefe pointed out that the evidence leader must not and cannot claim that he knew Salim Essa, Justice Zondo came to the aid of the lawyer claiming that Molefe must give him enough time to explain his point. He again displayed favouritism towards Jamnandas (Pravin Gordhan) when Mpofu stated Jamnandas had referred to one judgment instead of many judgments Justice Zondo claimed…

THE US Government has hit the accelerator on its shipments of Covid-19 vaccines after a month of largely stagnant weekly deliveries, giving states the doses they say they need to finish vaccinating priority groups and open shots to all adults in the coming weeks. The biggest supply boost has come from Johnson & Johnson. Shipments of the one-shot vaccine had been slow to ramp-up since its late February authorisation as the company waited for regulatory clearance of a key US factory. Pfizer Inc also has boosted output of its vaccine, doubling batch sizes and shortening production time. Officials from more than half a dozen states including Vermont, Idaho and New Jersey told Reuters that increased vaccine shipments will allow them to accelerate efforts to inoculate the elderly and front-line workers,…

Thailand stepped up efforts to tackle modern slavery yesterday, with a dozen industry associations signing pacts to rid their supply chains of child and forced labour as part of a government drive to get several key exports taken off a US blacklist. The businesses pledged to publicise their policies on forced and child labour, set up complaint mechanisms and undergo audits, though some anti-trafficking experts cautioned that the voluntary nature of the accords could limit their effectiveness. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said he hoped the initiative would boost Thailand’s image abroad as it seeks to earn a top tier rank in this year’s US Trafficking in Persons report. “Sometimes business operators do not intend to use child labour, but children follow their parents (to work) and photos are taken, for…

AT LEAST 14 people have been killed and seven others injured in a deadly attack in Budi County, an administrative area of Namorunyang State in South Sudan, a local government official confirmed yesterday. Aliandro Lotok, the state governor’s press secretary, said unknown gunmen launched the attack on the Camp 15 area at around 1am on Sunday while people were sleeping. They killed 12 women and two children. “The state government has condemned the incident in the strongest terms possible. We would like to assure our citizens that the state authorities will investigate the attack,” Lotok told Xinhua on the phone in Juba. He said the local authorities have not established the motive. Lotok urged the local communities to remain calm despite the deadly attack as the state authorities strive to…

ADDIS ABABA: The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa has reached 4 178 590 as of Sunday evening, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Figures from the Africa CDC, the specialised healthcare agency of the African Union, show the Covid death toll in Africa was at 111 784, while 3 743 004 patients recovered. South Africa has lost 52 648 lives to Covid-19, the most among African countries, followed by Egypt and Morocco. Southern Africa is the most affected region. Africa accounts for 4.1% of global Covid-19 cases, and about 4% of Covid-related deaths reported worldwide.…

MIHLALI BALEKA Bafana Bafana’s failure to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations is a massive blow for South Africa. Here are five ways to fix the mess. 1. FIRE NTSEKI Coach Molefi Ntseki was not Safa’s preferred choice. But after failing to get their men due to their unavailability and asking price, Safa had to settle for him. The 1-1 draw against Ghana last Thursday was a welcome result, but that Bafana incredibly lost against Sudan is unforgivable. 2. SELECT PLAYERS BASED ON MERIT The inclusion of goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune in the latest squad was a biased decision. Khune may be one the most capped Bafana players with 90 appearances but he has been off form lately. 3. CREATE STRONG RELATIONS The absence of Bongani Zungu, Thulani…

Stuart Hess Final Day Dolphins 295 Titans 53 and 166 Dolphins won by an innings and 76 runs The Dolphins ended the era of franchise cricket with the last trophy that was up for grabs, thanks to some smart strategies, but also because everyone at the union, from sponsors, to the coaching staff and administration were pulling in one direction. The team’s impressive young captain Marques Ackerman explained after their stunning 4-Day Franchise Series final win against the Titans - the most successful team of the franchise era - that it took some hard talking between him, coach Imraan Khan and the players, to realise what was needed to be successful. The results have been extraordinary - they qualified for the final of each competition this season, sharing the…

INSURER Momentum has paid out about R750 million in Covid-related death claims. It said yesterday that this did not, however, reflect the overall value of paid-out Covid-related claims since the onset of the pandemic, as it refers only to one life insurance product range. “Therefore, the total value of Covid death claim payouts by Momentum is expected to be even more significant,” it said. George Kolbe, the head of retail life insurance marketing at Momentum, said the numbers relating to both the number of claims and the rand value of the payouts were dramatically higher during the second wave of infections, with the financial services group recording a 205 percent increase in the rand value of payouts and an increase of more than 140 percent in the number of…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa will now have access to 30 million Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid-19 vaccines, while more than 200 million doses will be produced for Africa. Ramaphosa said J&J signed off on the deal with Aspen Pharmacare this week. The vaccines will be manufactured at the Aspen facility in the Eastern Cape. Ramaphosa said the first few J&J vaccines would come out of the facility in the coming weeks. “Availability is a challenge that all countries in the world are going through. A number of countries in Africa thought that they would start earlier, but availability is a major challenge. “And part of the reason why we have come here is to ensure we speed up the process of the availability of our vaccines,” he said.…

KEVIN GOVENDER | Shallcross The island nation of Sri Lanka observes the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks this year. On April 21, 2019, in a series of co-ordinated suicide bombings, Islamic insurgents targeted three churches and three hotels in Colombo, killing 267 people and injuring more than 500. Fondly referred to as the teardrop of India for it’s strategic location, and formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is no stranger to death and destruction for it was the site of a 26-year-long civil war between the majority Buddhist Sinalhese and the Tamil minority in which an estimated 40 000 to 100 000 people lost their lives. The armed struggle for the Tamils, who wanted their own state, was led by the notorious Tamil Tigers. History…

Ever thought how different men’s and women’s brains are? Hardly at all, say researchers. The findings, published in the Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, indicate that size is the only clear-cut difference between male and female brains. Women’s brains are about 11% smaller than men’s, in proportion to their body size. Smaller brains allow certain features, such as a slightly higher ratio of grey matter to white matter, and a higher ratio of connections between, versus within, cerebral hemispheres. “This means that the brain differences between large- and small-headed men are as great as the brain differences between the average man and woman,” said researcher Lise Eliot from Rosalind Franklin University in the US. “And importantly, none of these size-related differences can account for familiar behavioural differences between men and women,…

I’VE often wondered about the athleticism and skill of the greybeards who feature so prominently in the regular bok-bok competitions of the Street Shelter for the Over-Forties. They come flying through the air as if mere 15 year olds, landing with utmost precision on their opponents’ backs. The success of the oldies seems to be explained by a study in the US. The most productive stage in human life is between 60 and 70 years of age, according to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Yes, between 60 and 70 – that’s about the age of many of the denizens of the Street Shelter. The second-most productive stage is between 70 and 80 years of age and the third between 50 and 60. That’s fascinating. It…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za ETHEKWINI mayor Mxolisi Kaunda is expected to meet with embattled city manager Sipho Nzuza soon for discussions about the latter’s position in the municipality. Kaunda informed executive committee members yesterday that his office had asked for a meeting with Nzuza and his attorneys, but were informed by Nzuza’s attorney that the meeting could not take place until the courts pronounced on Nzuza’s application to have his bail conditions relaxed. That outcome was expected today. “We have asked for the meeting with Nzuza and his lawyers, but they have indicated that the engagements should be after Tuesday (today) when Nzuza has appeared in court where he is trying to have his bail conditions relaxed in order to be able to do his job,” Kaunda said. Kaunda said he…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za WITH 121 countries imposing travel bans on the country, South African Tourism has urged the public to focus on domestic travel. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and travel platform Skyscanner revealed that South Africa was one of the most restricted countries in the world. The data also showed that only nine countries have low restrictions for South African travellers. Furthermore, Dubai-based Emirates has announced that flights from South Africa to Dubai are to remain suspended until April 8. While the daily passenger flights to Johannesburg will continue to operate as EK763, outbound passenger services on EK764 remain suspended. It said that customers who have been to or connected through South Africa in the past 14 days would not be permitted on any Emirates flights…

Marcelo Toledo usually creates sculptures and jewellery out of metal. Now the Argentinian artist is working with waste masks and syringes from the Covid-19 pandemic to create an exhibition exploring the painful impact of the virus. Toledo, who has made jewellery for the musical Evita on Broadway and unique pieces for Barack Obama and Madonna, was among the first in Argentina to contract Covid-19 a year ago, which left him hospitalised for eight days with pneumonia. The experience left an imprint on his life and triggered a flurry of artworks, including a 14m mask with the Argentine flag on the iconic Obelisk in Buenos Aires to raise awareness about organ donation during the pandemic. For his new exhibition, Museum of the After, Toledo is collecting recycled coronavirus waste…

Keith Roman THE phrase “out of sight out of mind” can be applied to how many people regard their waste after refuse collection day. Few households are aware that there is a landfill crisis – a serious issue that local leaders need to address. One of the main reasons for this crisis is because municipalities fail to implement the most favoured options in the National Environmental Management: Waste Act – prevention, minimisation and reuse. Another reason is that municipalities are not encouraging food waste and other solid waste to be separated at source. This helps to prevent cross-contamination, increases recycling quality and quantity and maximises diversion from landfills. Municipalities often argue that they lack sufficient resources to deal with the waste management problem. But while our government…

M Pillay | Rondebosch East The recent events at the Zondo Commission involving adv Dali Mpofu, adv Michelle le Roux, and Pravin Gordhan lays bare our attitude towards each other. The verbal abuse of Mr Mpofu is condoned by the EFF – implying that it was said to a “white” person so it’s okay. The EFF went on to say that they would have verbalised with more force. Since the dawn of democracy words like rainbow nation, reconciliation, respect, togetherness, Ubuntu, etc were thrown around – are these just words or are we supposed to live it? Using a phrase like “shut up” to someone who is a minister and an advocate of the High Court during the Zondo Commission was really disrespectful – not just to…

BEIRUT: Influential parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said yesterday that Lebanon would sink like the Titanic if it could not form a government as he opened a session to approve emergency funds to literally keep the lights on for two more months. “The whole country is in danger, the whole country is the Titanic,” Berri said. “It’s time we all woke up because in the end, if the ship sinks, there’ll be no one left.” Lebanon is in the throes of a financial crisis that poses the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-90 civil war. Without a new government, it cannot implement the reforms required to unlock desperately needed foreign aid. But prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri and President Michel Aoun have been at loggerheads for months over the make-up…

Los Angeles: Actress Taraji P Henson informed fans of her pet dog K-Ball’s death on Instagram, asking them to pray for the dog. Henson wrote of how she “tried everything” to save his life but she couldn’t watch him “suffer”. She posted a picture of K-Ball and wrote: “Had to say goodbye forever to my baby @kballhenson I am going to miss my sweet baby so much. KBall was so good to me. Gave me three beautiful love-filled years. Mommy tried everything to save your life. Life was rough on this lil guy. He had breathing issues …”…

BEIJING: China’s capital Beijing has launched a month-long campaign to stamp out air pollution violations, the official Xinhua news agency reported yesterday, after the city was choked by two sandstorms in as many weeks. Beijing’s air quality index (AQI) reached the maximum 500 on Sunday, as dust carrying extremely high levels of hazardous particles blew in from Mongolia and northwest China. In mid-March, the city was hit by the biggest sandstorm in a decade. Although external factors were blamed for the conditions, the Beijing authorities will carry out inspections on all local construction sites.…