<![CDATA[IOL section feed for Saturday Star]]> (2024)

Six SANDF have been killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since deployed in February this year.

Two soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on South Africa’s base on Tuesday in Sake, in the Eastern DRC.

SANDF confirmed the tragic incident on Wednesday.

“The SANDF confirms the mortar attack on one of our bases in Sake, in the Eastern DRC on 25 June 2024, which resulted in two fatalities and 20 injured. Four members who were critically injured have been hospitalised, whilst the rest who suffered minor injuries are expected to be discharged soon,” said SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini.

Dlamini said families of the two members who lost their lives have been informed and all procedures to bring their mortal remains are in process.

“The names of the deceased will be communicated in due course,” Dlamini said.

Last month, Sergeant Mbulelo David Ngubane, 39, was killed following contact between M23 and SADC forces. Sergeant Ngubane, who was an Operational Medical Practitioner in the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS), was shot and killed when the ambulance in which he was tending to injured members was attacked.

Ex-shadow Minister of Defence and independent defence analyst, Kobus Marais, said the latest deaths of soldiers in the DRC come as no surprise.

“This was anticipated in the light of the poor support and resources to our deployed soldiers as part of the SADC’s SAMIDRC mission. It is now a regular occurrence that our soldiers are returned to their loved ones in body bags. The question remains as to the actual reasons our defence force is still deployed in the DRC. The reasons why the UN and its MONUSCO are withdrawing from the DRC after 20 years is well known,” said Marais.

He further said: “Up to now, we’ve been refunded on a yearly basis to the UN, while our involvement with the SADC SAMIDRC mission is unfunded and not budgeted for. Every rand spent will contribute to the further spiralling down of our defence capabilities.”

Marais said there seems to be no strategic national interest why the country should be deployed in the eastern DRC, and no real threat to the national security and safety of the country and the people.

“In order to save the lives of our soldiers the president and the SANDF have two options (1) Provide more funding and resources and logistical support to our soldiers, including ammunition and prime mission equipment and more soldiers. This is unfortunately not affordable and sustainable given the weak GDP and lower defence budget. (2) The alternative is to initiate AU and EAC peace talks for a permanent solution to the eastern DRC conflicts while withdrawing all our soldiers and equipment from the DRC.

“This conflict is not a South African responsibility, the AU and EAC must work with the DRC and its neighbours in finding a lasting solution. Marais said the primary responsibility and task of the SANDF must be to protect South African land and maritime borders from evil and disingenuous forces.

“There are real threats on our land and sea borders, as well as from Mozambique, which must be the primary tasks of the SANDF. If the president, his GNU, and the minister of defence will not put the interests of South Africa and our soldiers First, we must expect more unnecessary deaths of our soldiers. In this case the president and his government must be held fully responsible and accountable for their deaths.

“Let the AU, EAC, DRC, and their immediate neighbours take full responsibility for the safety and peace in their region, and not South Africa,” he said.

Ramaphosa deployed at least 2 900 members of the SANDF to assist in the fight against illegal armed groups in the eastern DRC, a move some political parties, such as DA, has criticised.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, was reached for a contact on Wednesday, but at the time of publication, he had failed to comment about the latest deaths.

South African National Defence Union (Sandu) spokesperson Pikkie Greeff said on Wednesday: “Sandu expresses its condolences to the families of the soldiers who passed and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured/ wounded. Soldiering is inherently dangerous as is underscored by these losses. Sandu continues to call for full air support for our deployed forces in DRC which will at the very least play a significant role in defending against and deterring the rebel groups.”

The Star

It has been made clear that acclaimed actress Phindile Gwala was accompanying a close friend to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party members’ swearing-in ceremony, despite multiple rumours to the contrary.

Questions about Gwala’s political affiliations were prompted by her attendance at the ceremony on Tuesday; however, a media statement revealed that she attended with Bishop Nokwethemba Mtshweni, a personal friend and spiritual mother of the MK Party.

“We would like to issue a clarification regarding recent speculations and assumptions. Actress Phindile Gwala accompanied Bishop Nokwethemba Mtshweni, a member of the MK Party and a close friend and spiritual mother, to a swearing-in ceremony as a gesture of support.

“However, it has come to our attention that some individuals have misconstrued this as her own swearing-in as a Member of Parliament.

“We would like to categorically state that Phindile Gwala was not the individual being sworn in at the ceremony. While we appreciate the interest and support, we kindly request that this clarification be noted to avoid any further misunderstandings.

“Phindile Gwala remains grateful for the ongoing support and interest in her endeavours, and she looks forward to continuing her work in the entertainment industry.”

The former ‘Uzalo’ and ‘Muvhango’ star recently graduated with a with a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurship from Mancosa.

“This has been a long road. For the milestone achieved, I am grateful, and to God be the glory, for His mercies endure forever. Today I am a Bachelor of Commerce graduate with 10 distinctions.’’

Among her various endeavours, Gwala founded the Owner Foundation, which prioritises social entrepreneurship, education, youth development, and any endeavour that enhances the lives of the impoverished.

The Eshowe, northern KwaZulu-Natal star is enthusiastic about the progress of women and is committed to giving them the resources they need to close the gender gap.

She is also at the helm of Women Accelerators, a programme that provides a solid foundation for success by supporting women at all stages of their careers.

It is explained that with this programme, the mission is to provide a centralised network and community for career-oriented women, addressing gender inequality and under-representation in many companies and start-ups.

The organisation offers networking, mentoring, and training programmes to assist women in pursuing careers, fostering a community of successful women who collaborate in the workplace.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

The Mustadafin Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aids homeless shelters by providing blankets and food, is seeking intervention amid anticipated extreme winter weather.

It is explained that since May, the foundation, based in Cape Town, has been responding to numerous winter weather call-outs, supporting approximately 4 000 people annually through their winter drive.

The organisation is urging the public to donate essential items such as clothing, blankets, and food items.

The director of Mustadafin, Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, stresses the importance of the donations in enabling the organisation to keep helping individuals in need.

“We are only halfway through winter, yet we have already had nearly as many call-outs as we did all of last year. This is particularly concerning because we are currently operating with limited resources. With more extreme weather anticipated in the coming months, your donations are crucial to helping us continue providing support.

“Currently, our most urgent requirements are clothing items, blankets, food items, and financial support.

“On average, about 4 000 people receive support from Mustadafin every year from their winter drive. Additionally, Mustadafin feeds 27 910 recipients daily and is completely reliant on donations and funding to provide support to communities.

“Leading up to Mandela Day this year, we encourage you to support us so that we can continue our winter relief efforts and food distribution drives. Everyone deserves a roof over their heads and a daily warm meal,” says Johnstone-Cassiem.

He says that chilly winter months are dreaded by many people who reside in underdeveloped, underprivileged areas, as it usually means fighting a never-ending battle to be warm and dry and worrying about the next cold front that can destroy homes.

In response to recent cold fronts that left many stranded outside in the cold with little to no food, the towns of Manenburg, Vygieskraal in Athlone, and Strand have received the most calls for assistance.

Some of the areas benefiting from Mustadafin’s winter drive include rural communities in Ceres, Laingsberg, Touwsriver, Beaufort West, Zoar, Worcester, Hopefield, Suurbrak, Montagu, Ashton, Robertson, and Grabouw.

The foundation also supports and assists homeless shelters by providing blankets and feeding ingredients to local shelters.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

Bonang ‘Queen B’ Matheba celebrated her 37th birthday with a series of exquisite photographs, showcasing yet another fashion masterpiece and majestic celebration of her special day.

Matheba, who is praised for being the epitome of glamour, posted a number of pictures on her Instagram account showing off her regal beauty in a shimmering tulip daisy ensemble.

Over the years, Matheba has inspired her fans in a number of ways including her fashion sense, and most of them could not wait to show their gratitude by swarming her comments with birthday wishes.

She has also been sharing a glimpse of her birthday celebration, which was graced by some of the prominent names in the entertainment industry, such as Boity Thulo and Lorna Maseko, among many others who also dazzled.

Among many others on social media, she also received heartfelt messages from Nandi Madida, Rich Mnisi, Carol Ofori, Thembi Seete, Thando Thabethe, and Cassper Nyovest.

Thousands of her followers shared heartfelt comments with her on various media, and she conveyed her gratitude to them all and said: “Thank you to everyone who sent me some love today. It truly means so much — a special day. Thank you.”

Matheba began the year with a series of intriguing appearances, including a runway show at South African Fashion Week where she strutted the runway alongside Miss SA 2023 Natasha Joubert and Seete.

The event was the inaugural Walk Your Worth fashion show hosted by L’Oréal Paris at the Mall of Africa on April 19 as part of SA Fashion Week.

The brand aimed to celebrate women’s empowerment by paying tribute to the strength and tenacity of women globally.

L’Oréal Paris collaborated on Walk Your Worth with Biji La Maison de Couture, who selected distinctive designs for the project.

Over 34 talented designers showcased their cutting-edge creations on the runway, while attendees anticipated explosive performances by Tyler ICU, Maglera Doe Boy, and the well-known DJ duo TxC.

She participated in the Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week in France last year, marking one of the pivotal events in her career.

With thousands of admirers praising her for her significant progress, Matheba stunned on the star-studded runway as she walked in a breathtaking maxi dress.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

The DA’s shadow member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport Tyrell Meyers has called on Roads and Transport MMC Kenny Kunene to improve safety and security measures for all passengers using Metrobus.

This is after a 40-year-old woman was shot and killed as she was about to board a Metrobus on Wednesday morning in Fleurhof.

She was apparently heading to Sunninghill where she reportedly worked for Nedbank.

Meyers also urged the City-owned entity (Metrobus) to assist with counselling for the bus commuters who witnessed this heinous incident that left them traumatised.

“Despite the MMC spending millions on surveillance systems, as reported in the previous quarterly performance report, a vagrant was able to steal and drive a bus for a few kilometres.

“This underscores the need for immediate measures to prevent these incidents in future. It is evident that the people of Johannesburg are not safe when using the limited public transport systems at their disposal,” Meyers said.

The DA will not tire of continuously advocating for safety and consequences for those behind this senseless loss of life, and those responsible for causing the ease with which this crime was committed, he said.

Meanwhile, police has embarked on a widespread investigation and manhunt for the perpetrator.

Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said: “It is alleged the suspect was in the bus as it stopped at the bus stop.

“As the woman was about to get into the bus, the suspect fired several shots at her. It is further reported that after the shooting the suspect jumped into (a vehicle) and sped off.”

Metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla, said the incident took place in Fleurhof at about 5.55am.

“On arrival, the officers found a deceased female. It is alleged the deceased was shot by an unknown male.

“The suspected shooter reportedly fled the scene in a white Volkswagen Polo sedan without licence plates,” Fihla said.

Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the shooting scene, city manager Floyd Brink said both the municipality’s team from Metrobus and the Metro Police would work closely with the SAPS investigators to solve the crime and assist in apprehending the suspect.

“This level of lawlessness and criminality is something that we have not seen as the Metrobus, what would normally happen is mugging and robberies.

“We will be working closely with the SAPS, like I said, this is the first time we experience such criminality.

“We would not have the capacity to deploy JMPD’s in every bus at this point. For now we can use our technology that can help transfer the information to the centre room,” Brink added.

Kunene said he was convinced the murder was a well executed hit on the bank employee.

“We just had a conversation with the driver and those who were on the bus. This is a clear hit.

“The woman was targeted. We are aware that she works at Nedbank. We spoke to the family, the husband,” Kunene told broadcaster ‘Newzroom Afrika’.

“The shooter got on to the bus in Extension 5 at a bus station. He was on the bus. When the bus got here, before it could reach the station where the people were, the driver heard somebody co*cking a gun.

”The gunman was seated behind the driver, near the bus entrance. When the driver heard somebody co*cking a gun, he stopped the bus immediately to see if this person is taking him.

“He also looked at the camera and saw the passenger (shooter). As the passengers approached the bus, the woman was in front. As she tried to get on to the bus, the guy held the gun with two hands and started shooting,” Kunene said.

“The woman and the rest of the passengers ran away. There were about four passengers. They went around the bus, then the woman and another woman fell. While the woman (the Nedbank employee) was down, the shooter hit her with two shots. He did not shoot the other woman.

“It is a clear indication that the woman was targeted. This was a clear hit. We know that there are criminal syndicates that want bank employees to do certain things. When they (bank employees) do not want to do those certain things, this is what happens,” he said.

The deceased woman’s husband has also told authorities that his wife mentioned to him that on Tuesday, there were certain individuals at the bus station. When the bus came on Tuesday, those unidentified people did not board.

Earlier, Kunene said that after the shooting, the gunman was whisked away by a white Volkswagen Polo.

“This was a clear hit, well organised, well orchestrated, and well planned. We also suspect that the shooter has been here on Monday and Tuesday scouting the routine of the woman” he said.

The distraught driver managed to load the passengers, fearing that the VW Polo would come back. He left them at a distance and brought the bus back to the crime scene.

The deceased is survived by two children aged 11 and 13.

The Star

Sipho.jack@inl.co.za | jonisayi.maromo@inl.co.za

Controversy continues to hound uMkhonto weSizwe Party(MK Party) as former EFF MP, Andile Mngxitama made a comeback and was sworn-in as an MP, this time for the MK Party in Cape Town, on Tuesday.

Mngxitama took his oath with 57 other party members after they decided to boycott the first sitting of the National Assembly in protest of alleged vote rigging within the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

Another member who made a return, was “weekend special” former finance minister, Des van Rooyen. Van Rooyen briefly worked as finance minister during the weekend under former president Jacob Zuma’s administration.

Mngxitama’s return as an MP follows after a nine-year break when he was expelled from the Red Berets in 2015 due to internal disputes, which swiftly led to the formation of his small party, Black First Land First (BLF).

BLF contested in the 2019 national elections.

Speaking to the media, the notorious Zuma supporter asserted his sole mission will be to advocate for land restitution to its rightful owners, black people.

“Our mission has always been to get back the land of our people. In the past nine years, Parliament has failed to do so. I am back with uMkhonto weSizwe. We are going to put that matter forcefully on the agenda of the National Assembly to make sure land expropriation without compensation becomes a reality. That is my mission to make sure we push the land issue first,” said Mngxitama.

One of the MK Party’s mandates is to Africanise the Constitution by scrapping colonial laws and redeem the role of traditional leaders as custodians of the land for economic reform and emancipation of black people.

Hence, Mngxitama noted the MK Party plans to clamp down the Department of Public Works and denounce white monopoly capital (WMC) to revitalise infrastructure in poor areas.

“My second mission is to deal with white monopoly capital corruption. This country has allowed white capital to steal and to be involved in massive corruption with no accountability. We are focused on the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, which has been captured. We are going to make sure there is transformation and accountability and that the department is used to empower black people,” said Mngxitama.

Last month, the Constitutional Court had ruled that Zuma cannot take his place as an MP because of contempt of court amid the Zondo Commission, leading to his apprehension in 2021.

Despite Zuma’s absence, Mngxitama reaffirmed the former president remains the party’s leader, where its members imbibe his political wisdom.

“President Zuma is here, the MK represents his vision. President Zuma’s wisdom has made sure he brings a very powerful leader of Parliament for the MK, Judge John Hlophe. Zuma is in control, we report to him. He is our leader and nothing will happen in Parliament without him saying so. He is basically in Parliament,” said Mngxitama.

According to an article by ‘The Star’, Mngxitama said BLF would operate as an NGO, in full support of the MK Party.

“I am here as a member of MK; Black First Land First is not on the ballot, so we made a decision to vote for the MK Party because we want black unity to maximise on numbers to be able to change the Constitution,” said Mngxitama.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

Today marks two years since 21 teenagers died at Enyobeni Tavern at Scenery Park in the Eastern Cape.

The underage teens were parting at the tavern after allegedly celebrating a “pens down” event in various places.

Families are still reeling in pain and seeking answers. They said they don’t know how to commemorate this tragedy.

Ntombizonke Mgangala, who lost a niece in the incident, told Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday that she is still devastated by Sinothando’s death.

“It has been two years since Sinothando and others passed on, we are not good, we are sad and disappointed, we are still trying to come to terms with the matter since there is nothing that we can do. She is gone and she is not going to come back,” said Mgangala.

Speaking on behalf of other parents, Mgangala said they were hoping that at least by now, they would’ve known what exactly happened, that led to the deaths of their children.

She highlighted the fact that they are still in the dark when it comes to know what led to the tragic passing of the teenagers and it is difficult for them to accept.

“We are still emotional, heartbroken and asking ourselves questions. We don’t even know what we will be celebrating the incident,” said Mgangala.

Suffocation was ruled out from the inception of the investigation. Mgangala said what is worrying them is that young people are consuming alcohol even now. She said they continue to host “pens down” events and consume alcohol excessively even after the tragic event that took away their children.

Enyobeni Tavern owners Siyakhangela Ndevu and Vuyokazi Ndevu were found guilty and fined R5 000 each or 100 days in jail for selling alcohol to underage individuals.

Siyakhangela, in a recent interview that is viral on social media platforms such as X and TikTok, said it had been hell.

“They charged me for selling alcohol to underage children but in court if you see the parents and everybody in court looks at me as a murderer. They are wrong. I did not kill anybody and I am not responsible for the death of anyone,” Siyakhangela said.

He said he was not even at the tavern when the tragedy occurred.

The convener of the National Liquor Traders Council, Lucky Ntimane, said: “The tragic incident of the June 26, 2022 at Enyobeni Tavern which we believe was wholly preventable, will remain a sad chapter in our country, but importantly in our sector and industry which has been a cornerstone of the township economy.

This incident enjoins us as the alcohol industry to pursue an agenda of alcohol harm reduction where our places of trade shall be safe spaces where alcohol is enjoyed responsible and all applicable laws which govern the sale of alcohol are respected.

“It should never ever be in our industry where we mention a tavern and children in the same sentence, such should be confined to the unfortunate history which we now we have to confront this tragic anniversary where we come together with civil society and communities at large in pursuing a just society which shuns any action contrary to nation building and creating safe spaces in our communities.”

Ntimane said they will continue to work with provincial liquor boards across the country and all the relevant stakeholders comprising of SAPS, liquor manufacturers, community leaders and civil society at large to ensure that they address the scourge of alcohol abuse in the country and inculcate the spirit of trading responsible where they put the lives and health of the people first ahead of the profits.

Meanwhile, the South African Human Rights Commission’s Eastern Cape provincial office (SAHRC ECPO), in collaboration with the South African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) and the Central Drug Authority (CDA), is set to host a critical webinar on the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy on Wednesday.

The event will delve into the harrowing incident that claimed the lives of 21 young people, unpacking the contents of its investigative report and highlight the urgent need to address underage drinking and its severe implications on children’s rights.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

The Deputy president of the Patriotic Alliance, Kenny Kunene, has sparked debate on X, after ranting about the DA.

On Tuesday, Kunene accused the DA of being “power hungry“.

“The DA has been saying PA is about positions, yet they have since last week been delaying the composition of the cabinet, including in Gauteng, over positions. The DA wants to rule SA through the back door. The DA is power hungry more than any other party,” said Kunene.

Kunene’s post follows the ongoing internal disputes and delayed Cabinet delegation within the Government of National Unity (GNU), including provincially in Gauteng.

The PA is one of the 10 parties that signed the Statement of Intent, joining the GNU.

However, last week DA Federal Council Helen Zille refuted that the blue party was neither aware, nor consulted of the PA’s involvement in the multi-party government.

The DA was aware of the UDM, PAC and GOOD Party, Zille said.

As ANC executive members keep maintaining the doors remain open to other parties who wish to join the GNU, Zille said the former governing party could not haphazardly invite parties without consulting with the founding members of the GNU - the ANC, IFP and DA.

Shortly after Zille’s remarks, President Cyril Ramaphosa was supposed to announce his anticipated new national executive. But later during the course of the day, Zille had sent a letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, detailing the party’s desired ministerial offices.

Among other portfolios, the DA demanded the Department of Home Affairs, which the PA had been baying for post the election results.

Zille previously said the DA was entitled to 30% of the Cabinet’s positions, including provincially.

“The president must consult us. We are entitled to 30% of the seats in the Cabinet and ANC is entitled to 60%. We want to reduce the size of the Cabinet because the current Cabinet is too big,” said Zille.

At provincial level, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi shared the same sentiments as Kunene, saying the DA is “annoying and difficult” to work with.

Hence, there were internal disputes with parties which led to a delay and Lesufi postponing announcing his provincial cabinet on Sunday, which he was originally supposed to announce on Thursday.

Lesufi is now expected to announce his provincial council on Wednesday, or by the end of the week, he told eNCA.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

Motorists travelling on the R21 North at Voortrekker Road in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, were badly affected due to road closure amid a hijacking and accident on Wednesday.

Traffic was backed up and motorists were forced to use alternative roads, such as Atlas off-ramp, to get to work and other destinations.

This was due to a truck with a load of Ice Tropes beverages jackknifing at the Voortrekker off-ramp after brazen criminals hijacked the truck in the early hours of the morning.

Boxes containing the popular drink were scattered all over the road, however, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and other law enforcement agencies arrived on the scene on time, no looting took place and other drivers believed to have been sent by the company were later seen loading the beverages.

By 11 am, the road was still closed to traffic while the scene was being cleared.

EMPD spokesperson Thabiso Makgato said at about 12:40 am a truck was hijacked on the R21 North at the Voortrekker off-ramp.

“The road is closed to traffic due to the hijacked truck that has jackknifed and is blocking the road. Motorists are advised to use the Atlas off-ramp as an alternative route to get back to the Kempton Park Central Business District (CBD),” said Makgato.

She cautioned motorists to stay away as the crime scene was still active.

“Police are investigating,” said Makgato.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

Takalani Netsh*tenzhe

In South Africa, our youth represent a significant portion of our population yet they face daunting challenges in the labour market.

The unemployment rate for those aged between 15 and 34 years stands at a staggering 45.5%. The statistic highlights a pressing need for targeted interventions, with education a vital strategy to combat the crisis.

The link between education and employment is undeniable. Individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to secure and maintain employment than their peers without matric.

Education plays a pivotal role in equipping young people with the necessary skills and abilities for career success later in life and contributing to an equitable society. If we are to tackle the scourge of youth unemployment, we need to promote access to quality education for young people.

Since the end of apartheid, the government has made strides to bridge disparities in our education system, particularly for historically disadvantaged population groups.

However, with more than a third of young South Africans not in employment, education or training, a collective effort is needed to accelerate meaningful change in our education system and maximise impact.

Using its capabilities, the private sector has an opportunity to partner with the public sector to support transformative educational initiatives, contributing to a skilled workforce and socio-economic development in our country.

To achieve quality education, learners and educators need a safe, conducive environment in which to learn and teach. Unfortunately, many schools in South Africa lack adequate infrastructure and educational materials, especially in rural areas.

Private sector investment can help overcome the deficiencies by upgrading facilities, installing security and providing learning resources. This includes implementing digital technology and digital literacy training to equip pupils with relevant skills for future employment.

At Vodacom, we have partnered with the Department of Basic Education to develop a comprehensive education ecosystem that promotes access to quality education.

Within the model, we have supported Schools of Excellence (SoEs) at the secondary school level with technology, infrastructure and psychosocial interventions, so pupils and teachers have the best tools and learning conditions to enhance academic performance.

Since 2018, we have expanded SoEs from 13 to 25 across the country, benefiting thousands of learners nationwide.

To meet job market needs, the curriculum needs to focus on industry-relevant skills. The private sector can help integrate programmes in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem), alongside initiatives like career guidance, work experience and entrepreneurship development, to widen employment possibilities.

As part of Vodacom’s education ecosystem, we have launched the Virtual Classroom solution in under-resourced schools, which provides connectivity, digital equipment and training, and includes a robotic and coding component. We have also empowered almost 6 000 teenage girls in coding basics, life skills and career exposure through our Code Like a Girl programme, which aims to dismantle gender stereotypes that exist around Stem.

Businesses can promote inclusivity and enable talented individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to access quality education by offering scholarships and bursaries. Then beyond graduation, joint strategies between the public sector and private sector need to be in place to open doors to employment, further education or self-employment for young people with qualifications. Providing the support is crucial if we are to have a capable workforce who can participate in, and grow, the economy.

The success of our Youth Academy demonstrates how the collaboration can make a positive difference in the lives of young people. Established in partnership between Vodacom, Cisco, MICT-Seta and the Department of Basic Education, the academy has equipped 2 000 unemployed youth from impoverished backgrounds with ICT skills.

After graduating, the young people have the potential to be offered internships and workplace experience, including in Vodacom’s programmes as paid ICT youth co-ordinators and training facilitators, fostering further youth engagement with ICT skills.

While the government has a responsibility to improve access to quality education, the private sector’s support of education initiatives is indispensable. We need to work hand in hand if we are to unlock our youth’s potential and create a brighter, more equitable future for all South Africans.

Netsh*tenzhe is director of external and regulatory affairs for Vodacom South Africa

Kenneth Mokgatlhe

It’s dissapointing to see Zimbabwe, the “breadbasket of Africa”, starting a war with Zambia over nothingness. Zimbabwe should be condemned for undermining the regional institution in the form of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or the AU and sending Africa’s dirty linen to European countries whom we often accused of interfering in our affairs in individual African countries.

The diplomatic stand-off between Zambia and Zimbabwe was started by Zimbabwe’s leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, in what seems to be mere rumour-mongering.

There is no intelligence to suggest that Zambia has housed the US military in their country. There are various dispute mechanisms through either the SADC or the AU in which Zimbabwe could have registered their security concerns which would have been dealt with by relevant bodies. Why invite outsiders to Africa’s problems?

Zimbabwe took this matter to the US but was ignored, then they went to report it to Russia which is fighting Ukraine over accusations of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s expansion in that country.

Mnangagwa understands that the SADC and the AU have not held his authoritarian party, Zanu-PF, accountable for all the atrocities that they have been perpetuating in Zimbabwe from 1980 to date. Others would claim that the human rights violations began in the year 2000 when white farmers were violently forced out or killed in their farms by the state-sponsored programme, otherwise known to many as the Third Chimurenga.

Despite all these atrocities committed by an anti-people organisation called Zanu-PF, the SADC, and the AU kept quiet and claimed that they are supposed to respect the sovereignty of every country. It is this cosiness with these dictators in the Zanu-PF that continues to enable them to see Zimbabwe as its fiefdom and does not care that millions of their residents are crossing over crocodile-infested Limpopo river to have a better life in their neighbouring country, South Africa, where they are at times at odds with the locals over competing for scarce resources.

It is so bad that they have been accused of stealing or rigging elections and imprisoning their political opponents but African countries continue to congratulate Zanu-PF instead of cutting ties with them until they repent and change their ways.

In 2008, Zimbabwe accused Botswana of training insurgents. They claimed to have had evidence but this was never shown to the public. In their world, they believe that every country should not have a relationship with the Western powers.

In 2019, Zimbabwe accused Botswana of hosting or housing a US military base without any substance even when Botswana dismissed their allegations. They continue to spread rumour-mongering without tangible intelligence to prove their claims, to date, they have not given us a reason to believe that Botswana is housing any foreign military activities. This is a dangerous claim that other demagogues such as Fikile Mbalula and Julius Malema believed and are still believing.

It is disappointing that many countries in SADC such as Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana are doing well in managing their economies while Zimbabwe is still trapped in the fighting mode. They have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that they are not interested in improving their domestic institutions to stop their citizens from leaving their country, instead, they want to plunge their country into a war that the SADC will not afford.

If the concern is real, why is Zanu-PF not using its proximity to South Africa to intervene on the issue between them and Lusaka?

The claims by Harare are not serious. Mnangagwa knows what he is doing, so he wants the corrupt former leader of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, to win the next elections to replace the current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema who has grown the economy and fought corruption in the public sector.

Zimbabwe is used to not being accountable for their actions, they also attract or prefer other people who are not accountable such as Lungu. Mnangagwa is not happy that Hichilema is building a Zambia that Kaunda wanted but could not deliver. Under Hichilema, Zambia is offering free primary and secondary level education. He has helped to restore the rule of law as well as relationships with international political actors, something that Zimbabwe does not know.

The new South African administration should change its tune when dealing with Zimbabwe, it cannot be business as usual when between 4 to 7 million Zimbabweans have left their country and more than 1 million of them are in South Africa. Something has to give. South Africa will have to instil accountability in the Zimbabwean government, we have to force them to change their crooked ways.

Mokgatlhe is a political analyst.

The newly appointed Free State MEC, Mamiki Maboya, has called on the courts not to grant bail to a man accused of killing a 41-year-old Tsoseletso Secondary School teacher last week.

Maboya’s plea comes as the accused is set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, June 27.

The departmental spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, said scores of education stakeholders, which included the Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, teachers, learners, parents, department officials, and other gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) activists were expected to picket and protest outside the court to plead for denial of bail for the alleged perpetrator.

The MEC said the perpetrator shouldn’t be given bail as there was no space for such behaviour and people in communities.

“No bail, we demand justice. There are no excuses for femicide,” Maboya said.

The MEC condemned GBVF, describing it as the second pandemic after Covid-19.

She also decried bullying at schools and urged all stakeholders to make sure there is safety in schools.

“The department thanks the police for swiftly arresting the alleged perpetrator. What is shocking to us mostly is that the perpetrator was a friend of the department and an education activist who served as a School Governing Body (SGB) member in various schools in the Motheo district.”

The deceased, Judith Mpho Moalosi, was allegedly gruesomely killed by her boyfriend on Sunday, June 16.

The boyfriend reportedly drove a car over her body multiple times near G4S Mangaung Prison and left her on the scene. After his arrest, the perpetrator led the police to the crime scene where the lifeless body of the deceased was found.

“Mrs Moalosi, who started to work at Tsoseletso Secondary School in 2020, was described by her colleagues as a hard-working, dedicated and disciplined educator who would go the extra mile in performing her duties,” said Maboya.

The department conveyed its heartfelt and deepest condolences to the family, fellow educators and learners for their loss.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday at Tsoseletso Secondary School.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

Lejweleputswa District municipal manager Motlatsi Makhetha has been accused of squandering R1.8 million meant for the ANC Free State election campaign.

A source who spoke on condition of anonymity, from Masilonyana Municipality, which falls under Lejweleputswa, told ‘The Star’ that Makhetha demanded money from municipal managers from municipalities under the district.

“He (Makhetha) went around the district collecting these monies telling municipal officials that the organisation (ANC) didn’t have money to campaign and that they must donate this money to the party.

“However, we believe the organisation did not get this money, that he was asking from us because we know how he operates,” the source said.

ANC provincial treasurer and now appointed member of the executive Council (MEC) for Social Development, Mmathabo Leeto, distanced herself from Makhetha’s shenanigans, saying that as the party treasurer, she did not ask any official to source funds for the organisation.

“I know nothing of Makhetha’s fund-raising schemes for the ANC, we did not issue any instructions to him to as monies from other municipal managers in the district,” Leeto concluded.

The MEC is also no stranger to controversy as she was once accused of corruption, fraud and racketeering by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). However, the charges were later withdrawn by the NPA.

The charges relate to alleged R2billion tender fraud that has crippled the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The company Gestetner allegedly paid money into the personal account of Leeto’s then husband after being awarded a R20m tender from the municipality.

When ‘The Star’ contacted Makhetha, he denied the allegations against him, saying they sought to tarnish his credibility and image.

“I did not collect any money from the local municipalities. There was no mandate, if it was mandate I would still refuse to do it,” Makhetha said.

He added that he wouldn’t rather follow an instruction that was illegal and that was not part of his key performance areas.

Makhetha emphasised that something of this nature would not be in line with his duties.He added that there was never a mandate from anyone to conduct any “illegal activities”.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

A Northern Cape Afrikaner-only enclave, Orania, has become the latest contributor to the Government of National Unity (GNU) scuffle that has rocked the country following the general elections.

The GNU, led by the the ANC, the DA and the IFP, after the parties failed to obtain an outright majority following the May 29 elections, have now been joined by seven others, sowing divisions ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the Cabinet.

“The Star” previously reported that divisions were imminent after the DA made demands to the ANC’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, looking to acquire the deputy presidency positions and 12 other government posts.

However, Orania, a small town in the Northern Cape, has been the latest to enter the debate among the GNU members that now include the Patriotic Alliance (PA) – who enjoy a massive constituency in the province – the GOOD Party and others.

The “whites-only town” dominated social media this week after the FF Plus joined the GNU on condition that the newly formed arrangement constitutionally recognises Orania in the province.

The FF+ and the PA are edging to eclipse the ANC in the Northern Cape. However, Wynand Boshoff, the leader of FF+ in the province, reportedly demanded to be excluded from the GNU but wanted a position in the accountability ecosystem for local government.

The ANC reportedly agreed to include private-public partnerships for infrastructure development in the province.

EFF student leader Sihle Lonzi this week said the ANC’s decision sparked Hendrik F Verwoerd in mind. Verwoerd was the Minister of Native Affairs in1950 during apartheid.

“Thirty years after the fall of apartheid, the ANC is legitimising and affirming that which it fought against. This was revealed in an official statement of the ANC in the Northern Cape which confirmed the remarks of the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader, Pieter Groenewald, that the ANC is willing and open to recognise the status of Orania as an exclusively white Afrikaner community as part of the conditions for its involvement in the proposed government of national unity (GNU),” he said.

“The ANC has shamelessly exposed its devotion to selling out the people of SA and reversing the political gains it frequently boasts about. The affirmation of Orania by the ANC proves that the so-called ‘Government of National Unity’ is nothing other than an unholy pact to protect white minority interests and undermine the transformation objectives of the democratic government of SA.”

ActionSA Northern Cape provincial chairperson Andrew Louw mirrored Lonzi’s assertions.

“Orania’s very existence challenges the ANC’s commitment to non-racialism. Its policies explicitly bar non-Afrikaner residents, making it a symbol of ongoing segregation. For a party that prided itself on fostering a non-racial South Africa, recognising Orania was inconceivable. The ANC’s principles and the town’s exclusivity were irreconcilable, and acknowledging its legitimacy would have sent a contradictory message about the party’s stance on integration versus cultural preservation,” he said.

The Star

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za

The return to Parliament of former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama has sparked a revolt among the right-wing section of the country. Just as Mngxitama was being sworn in, a new petition calling for his removal from Parliament was launched.

On Tuesday, a petition started by an unidentified group of “concerned” citizens was launched.

“As deeply concerned citizens, we are raising our voices in strong opposition to the candidacy of Andile Mngxitama for a seat in the South African Parliament.

“Mngxitama’s prior public declarations not only encourage hate speech and racism but more disturbingly, advocate for genocide. Such harmful rhetoric poses a grave threat to the cohesion of our diverse society,” reads part of the petition.

“Andile Mngxitama’s place in our country’s leadership arena is a threat to the values of equality, justice, and reconciliation that South Africa has fought hard to foster. His radical stance, which instigates divisiveness, is not reflective of the ideals we hold dear as a nation.”

Mngxitama was one of the 58 uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) MPs who were sworn in alongside Dr John Hlophe, former finance minister Des van Rooyen, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, and others yesterday.

Speaking to The Star on Wednesday, Mngxitama said he has been made aware of a right-wing petition to have him removed as an MP following his previous utterances which he was cleared of by the Equality Court.

At the time, Mngxitama had suggested on social media that white people were land thieves following the death of four Afrikaner children when a bridge collapsed on them.

“Yes. There is a petition circulating by the right wing. Firstly the right-wing and land thieves are threatened and are panicking due to my return as an MP. They know that I, along with other MK Party MPs, will be pushing hard for the return of the land to black people. So, in their panic they are now petitioning for my removal based on previous utterances, which I was cleared of,” he said.

Mngxitama, a former EFF MP and leader of the BLF, has been known for his radical stance on the expropriation of land without compensation and his support for MK Party leader Jacob Zuma during and after his tenure as ANC president.

Following some of his utterances in 2018, the Afrikaner civil rights organisation, AfriForum, instructed its legal team to file court documents to lay a charge of hate speech against him at the Equality Court.

In its quest, AfriForum also requested that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) institute an investigation to criminally prosecute Mngxitama.

He said that following his swearing-in as an MK Party MP, he is not surprised by the latest move.

“We expected that as they are trying to use previous utterances which I was cleared of by the Equality Court. I was merely responding to Johann Rupert when he said he has an army in the taxi industry. At the time, we were warning him and the court cleared me of any hate speech. All I was trying to articulate was that we as black people too have a right to defend ourselves,” he said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Those following the journey of three friends, Karen, James, Spence and of course their car Edna, can finally breath a sigh of relief as the trio have made it safely into Cape Town.

The group set out on a journey of lifetime, travelling by road with their Toyota Hilux from London and crossing over to the continent on a ferry.

They recently posted their momentous accomplishment to their Instagram story.

“Edna has made it to Cape Town. Thank you so much for your love and support throughout our journey,” the post of them at the V&A Waterfront read.

The friends were about two weeks behind on their social media posts, but they said that they would provide their followers with more recent updates soon.

“We will do regular stories in real time to keep you guys up to date! We really look forward to our time exploring South Africa and can’t wait for you to see what we get up to,” they wrote on Instagram.

The trio started their epic travels in March and have completed the journey in less than 100 days.

Karen, James and Spence have crossed countries including France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Their journey to South Africa, passing one country at a time, has been documented on Instagram and has attracted thousands of followers.

Their adventure has been a long and bumpy adventure, with them almost having to discontinue their trip after their car experienced mechanical issues.

This included when Edna snapped under the pressure of the journey on the west coast of Africa, after covering more than 11 000 KM.

The vehicle’s clutch also had to be repaired in Benin City and it got stuck in mud in a remote forest in in Côte D’Ivoire.

They explained during their road trip that while crossing from Nigeria to Cameroon, they had encountered some of the worst roads of the trip and it had put a huge strain on Edna’s compromised chassis.

Karen explained at the time that they said they hadn’t budgeted for such an expensive repair. To help with the costs of repairing Edna, they had set up a PayPal account in which donations could be paid.

Many of those who have been glued to the trio’s journey from the start, donated money.

And with their momentous journey finally coming to a triumphant end, their followers are eagerly awaiting updates about the group as they finally made it to South Africa.

For the travel and tourism industry, Gen Z travellers represent immense potential.

This emerging generation, who are roughly born between 1997 and 2012, are redefining how and why people travel.

They have their own unique perspectives, which are often shaped by technology, social consciousness and a desire for authentic experiences.

According to Chaiwat Tamthai, the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Dubai for the Middle East and Africa, understanding how this group thinks about exploring new places is vital in crafting travel experiences that cater to their unique needs.

“The tourism industry is markedly different to what it was just a few years ago and each generation of travellers puts their distinct stamp on the industry,” he said.

“Generation Z is particularly distinctive in that they’ve grown up in a time of unparalleled change – they are digital natives who have lived through economic recessions, pivotal social movements, technological innovation and most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He added that these experiences shaped their world view and by extension, their take on many aspects of life, including social interactions, work and travel.

“As tourism industry leaders, getting to grips with some of these formative trends is the key to building a sector that is positioned to welcome these travellers to new and exciting experiences,” he said.

Here are four travel trends that are reshaping the tourism industry.

Sustainable and eco-friendly travel

According to Tamthai, an increasing number of young travellers are searching for tourism opportunities that have a relatively low carbon impact.

He also believes that many of are respectful of the environment and local communities.

This is also the case for South African travellers as a recent survey conducted by foreign exchange corporation Flywire, revealed that 87% of local travel providers witnessed a rise in the amount of clients seeking sustainable travel options.

The research also discovered that a further 49% of travellers have expressed interest in sustainable options when booking accommodation.

Tamthai noted that amongst these were Gen Z-ers, who are widely regarded as being more environmentally and socially conscious than their older counterparts.

“Their demand for more responsible travel experiences also extends to how they choose modes of transport, their leisure plans and their food choices.”

He also noted that this trend had become particularly prevalent in destinations known for their green status, including Thailand, which offered travellers a range of eco-friendly options.

The search for authenticity

The travel expert added that even in a hyper-connected, high-tech world, young travellers are looking for authentic experiences that allow them to immerse themselves in local cultures.

He said that Gen Z-ers were less likely to be drawn to popular tourist destinations and were more inclined to seek out opportunities that would take them off the beaten track.

This quest for authenticity often leads them to prefer home stays and boutique hotels as well as experiences such as cooking classes and cultural festivals.

Tamthai also noted that this trend has been picked up in locations like Thailand, which now offered a wide variety of authentic travel experiences.

“Some of these include joining local farmers in rice plantations, hand-weaving crafts like baskets and cotton goods, embarking on a cultural exchange with a local host family or getting involved with a community-based tourism project.”

“These kinds of opportunities can be richly rewarding and memorable, and allow visitors to take a piece of authentic Thai magic home with them,” said Tamthai.

Digital-driven travel choices

The travel expert believes that as digital natives, Gen Z-ers were also the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media.

“Digital technology is an integral part of their travel experiences and choices. They rely heavily on apps and online platforms for everything from booking flights and accommodations to finding local attractions and restaurants,” he said.

Social media also played a prominent role in how young people choose the destinations they visit.

Tamthai added: “As much as 60% of South Africans find travel inspiration on social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok according to the Expedia Group.”

He also mentioned a study by travel marketplace Booking.com which found that almost 40% of young travellers rely heavily on peer reviews from social media influencers and celebrities when deciding where to go, what to do and what to eat.

“Going forward, social media will become an increasingly important touch point by which to engage these tech-savvy travellers.”

Holistic health takes priority

Tamthai noted that Gen Z-ers are known to be increasingly focused on holistic well-being and factors such as personal fitness, mental health and social awareness.

He said this trend went into overdrive after the pandemic, with many young people seeking travel experiences that would assist them in their journey towards general wellness.

Tamthai predicted that wellness tourism would continue to draw the interest of young people as this trend moved from being a niche to a more mainstream pursuit.

“Destinations such as wellness spas cater to these kinds of travellers. In Thailand, many spas go beyond traditional offerings such as massages, and offer programmes and retreats that are designed to restore and rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit,” he said.

The public spat between news broadcaster eNCA and the EFF has escalated after the party accused the newscaster organisation of censoring radio and television host JJ Tabane.

In a statement on Tuesday, the red berets called the eNCA a “white supremacist propaganda house”.

The two organisations have been involved in a bitter fight since 2019 after eNCA announced that it would no longer be covering the party’s 2019 elective conference in the wake of the EFF’s banning of some media outlets.

The EFF later released a statement that they had welcomed the decision by eNCA not to participate in EFF events.

Later in June 2021, a video that went viral on social media showed EFF members making threats to some eNCA journalists during a protest in Tokai, Cape Town.

Following the broadcaster’s announcement that Tabane’s show “Power to Truth” would not be aired this week, South Africans on social media began speculating about Tabane’s future at eNCA.

The speculation was fuelled by Tabane’s recent rant against the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), and the divisive role the DA was allegedly playing in recent times.

In his last episode, Tabane spoke of an anti-black posture of the DA, saying the GNU was bound to fail due to policy and ideological differences between the DA and some of its partners in the GNU, including the ANC.

“Black parties could not sit together and agree that it has been 30 years, we do not have the land. We do not have the economy. We do not have anything next to our names. But where blacks govern, it is going to be terrible and the markets are angry. The cold front will come from the markets. It is said that we are underlining with a very big fat red pen that the black man’s medicine is a white man ... The DA hates anything that is black people and transforming the economy so that it benefits blacks,” he said.

The EFF said eNCA’s move was “insensible but unsurprising”, accusing the broadcaster of pulling the show after Tabane’s commentary on the GNU.

“On the previous screening of his show, Tabane stated how, with a proven track record, the DA hates redress, affirmative action, employment equity, National Health Insurance, and black people as a whole.

“This is consistent with Tabane’s platform which, even at previous broadcasters, confronts hard-pressing political matters, and no politician or political party has been spared in this regard. eNCA, a known propaganda machine for white supremacy, has once again revealed its true colours by silencing a black professional who refuses to toe the line of ‘yes baas’,” the party said.

They added that the move was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of marginalising voices that disrupted its anti-black propaganda.

“We witnessed this in 2019, with eNCA’s refusal to cover the EFF’s 2nd National People’s Conference, which was a blatant attempt to settle political scores as the EFF refused to succumb to eNCA’s media mafia tactics,” the statement added.

“Their refusal to objectively cover the EFF, as they should any political organisation, is a testament to white supremacist propaganda machinery disguised as a media house … The EFF has consistently exposed the white supremacist tactics prevalent in media, which still bear the marks of apartheid-era Stratcom, aimed at undermining black individuals and left-leaning black politics.”

However, Tabane quashed the speculation about his show being canned, saying he was on leave until next month.

“I am on leave. Please stop the lies. ‘Power to Truth’ will resume next month. This is so fake,” he said.

But many of his followers remained unconvinced and questioned the timing of his leave, wondering why at the height of the GNU negotiations, the most influential political commentator was not around.

eNCA had not responded by the time of publication.

The Star

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za | siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

The DA is seeking to manage the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), which has an estimated investment of more than R2.6 trillion.

The public assets manager is the single largest investor in the JSE.

This comes amid the ongoing battle for Cabinet positions under the Government of National Unity (GNU).

The DA would be in charge of this portfolio should it get its way of attaining the position of deputy minister of finance.

However, some in the industry argued that there was no guarantee that the deputy finance minister would automatically be made chairperson of the PIC board.

They even cited an example of the current board chairperson Reuel Khoza.

They further explained that the deputy finance minister would not possess ownership or control over the PIC, but rather serve as its chairperson, providing strategic guidance and oversight to ensure alignment with its mandate and the country’s economic goals.

However, the DA had made it clear in its letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula they want their own ministers and deputy ministers in the same departments

The party’s federal chairperson, Helen Zille, also requested the termination of the five-year contracts of directors-general in departments overseen by its ministers.

Zille the reason for this was that the incumbents may not be amenable to taking direction from DA ministers, especially given the ANC’s cadre deployment policy.

The DA also wants to control the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

Both the departments are under the stewardship of Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Gwede Mantashe respectively.

According to the party’s letter to the ANC, it was eyeing 12 ministerial positions in the seventh administration.

Meanwhile, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, said the DA and ANC’s micro policies were similar.

“I believe the DA’s demand of some ministries will, however, allow the party to continue with accelerated austerity policies. The DA’s proposed policy provisions are a disaster,” added Shaku.

Political analyst Andre Duvenage said the finance portfolio was no doubt the most critical part at this moment.

“I am not saying it’s the only important one, but it’s the critical one at this point. This has to do with the debt crisis in the country, corruption and the findings of the Zondo Commission. The ANC has made it very clear that they want the security cluster and the economic one, based on the pressure they got from its alliance partners.

“The ANC is trying to bring in as many parties as possible to shrink the pool where the DA can swim and decrease its demands of portfolios,” Duvenage explained.

He further said he was concerned about whether the ANC would be able to manage all those small parties’ concerns and demands moving forward.

It is still not clear when President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce his Cabinet, but it is expected to be this week.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, during her interview with 702 on Tuesday, said she suspected that Ramaphosa would announce the Cabinet in the next 24 to 36 hours.

This comes as Monday’s meeting between Ramaphosa and DA leader John Steenhuisen was described as positive.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

Illegally detained for 22 hours in a filthy cell after the police mistook pieces of glass for illicit diamonds, an Uber driver, who is also a motivational speaker, turned to the North West High Court, sitting in Mafikeng, to claim R150 000 in damages from the police.

Judge Ronald Hendricks concluded that R60 000 in damages for unlawful arrest and detention was a fair amount to pay Tony Sethaba.

While he gave a detailed account about what had happened during and after his arrest, the SAPS offered no defence. The police initially noted an intention to defend the claim but never forwarded a defence to the court. There was also no appearance for or on behalf of the SAPS by the state attorney.

Sethaba testified that on the morning of December 19, 2022, he had been with six friends, standing under a tree, when members of the Community Police Forum had arrived. They had asked them questions and wanted to search them. He and his friends had resisted, saying the CPF members were not police officers.

The police had been summoned and had searched the men and Sethaba’s car, without permission or a search warrant. They had found small pieces of glass in the car.

Sethaba had been told that he should drive his car to the police station, accompanied by one of the police officers. He had done so.

A notice of rights document had been completed and handed to him, which he had signed, although the contents thereof had neither been read to him nor explained. The charge was for possession of illicit diamonds.

Sethaba had then been detained in a small police cell with 16 other men. There had been no mattresses in the cell, only blankets. The blankets had been filthy, smelly and lice infested. The toilet had emitted an unbearable sewerage smell in the cell, he told the court.

He said he was claustrophobic and a non-smoker. The cell and the blankets had reeked of smoke, which had affected his lungs. He had not been provided with either food or something to drink.

The following morning, he had been taken out of the cell, after having been locked-up for 22 hours. He had signed a warning statement and been released, but nothing had come of the charge.

The 43-year-old Uber driver told the court that he had felt humiliated when he had been arrested in the presence of his friends and other people. When he had been released, he had had to burn his clothes and the blankets at home because of the lice.

Sethaba said he was a motivational speaker for the youth, but his self-esteem had been lowered as people were gossiping about him and calling him a prisoner.

Judge Hendricks said it was trite law that an arrest without a warrant of arrest was, on the face of it, unlawful, unless there were jurisdictional factors that justified the arrest.

The onus to prove that the arrest was legal rested on the SAPS but it had not bothered to do so.

The judge said the deprivation of liberty was a serious infringement and violation of a person’s constitutional rights, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

“Interference with a person’s liberty can only take place under restrained conditions in a constitutional democracy as in South Africa. Personal freedom is highly valued,” he said.

In deciding how much to award in damages, the judge said each case had to be decided on its own facts and merits. The amount of damages had to be fair and just, taking into consideration all the relevant facts and factors that played a role in the determination of the amount of damages to be awarded.

The judge noted that Sethaba had been locked up for about 22 hours, under circ*mstances that had been less than favourable. “No evidence whatsoever was presented for and on behalf of the defendant (state), to dispute this.”

In awarding him R60 000 in damages, the judge said the incident had been a huge embarrassment for Sethaba and he had felt humiliated.

Pretoria News

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill, now referred to as the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act into law last month. The enactment is significant as it may result in more individuals cultivating cannabis for their private use.

But it also calls for employers to review their policies, as some employees may perform their duties whilst under the influence of cannabis in the workplace, lawyers Nicolette van Vuuren and Jamie Jacobs of the law firm Webber Wentzel said.

According to them, the recent Labour Appeal Court judgment of Enever v Barloworld Equipment, was significant now, as employees were likely to consume cannabis in the private spheres of their lives more freely.

The recent Labour Appeal Court (LAC) judgment of Enever v Barloworld Equipment, a division of Barloworld South Africa (Pty) Ltd exposed the need for a review of work place policies regarding cannabis, the lawyers said.

In this case, the employee worked as an analyst at Barloworld, which operates in the equipment production sector. Her role was limited to desk work and required no interaction with any production lines.

Barloworld’s applicable policies prohibited the possession and consumption of alcohol and cannabis in the workplace and mandated routine or random drug testing. If an employee tested positive for a substance, they were required to remain at home for seven days.

Upon completing this period, they must test negative on another drug test before being allowed to return to work.

Following a random drug test, the employee tested positive for cannabis as she was a regular cannabis user. She was therefore sent home in accordance with the policy. She tested positive on a further four occasions and during the disciplinary enquiry into her alleged misconduct, the employee stated that she would continue to consume cannabis, which culminated in her dismissal.

She argued that the policy unfairly distinguished between alcohol and cannabis users, employed a discriminatory testing approach, discriminated against her religious use of cannabis, and invaded her right to privacy.

Given that cannabis can remain in a person’s system for several months at a time, while alcohol can exit within a day, the employee argued that this permitted employees who tested positive for alcohol to return to work the next day whilst cannabis users would have to spend seven days away from work.

The court found that the zero-tolerance policy and the approach to testing for substances discriminated against the employee, with the consequence of infringing on her right to dignity.

The employee also found success in her submission that the policy invaded her right to privacy, as the employer failed to establish that an employee’s consumption of cannabis in her private capacity impaired her ability to perform within her role.

“The court found that when objectively considered, the actual effect of the employer’s policy was that an employee cannot consume cannabis at all and applied the principle that overbroad, unwarranted, and unjustifiable invasions of the right to privacy are unconstitutional,” the lawyers explained.

They said the extent to which a workplace policy might infringe the right to consume cannabis in private will depend on several issues, which include the nature of the employee’s role; the nature of the workplace; and the statutory requirements for safety.

The court found the dismissal to be automatically unfair based on unfair discrimination and awarded the employee 24 months’ remuneration as compensation.

“Where a zero-tolerance stance has been adopted, employers should review the substance use policies in place to determine whether a zero-tolerance approach is justifiable in the context of that workplace,“ Van Vuuren and Jacobs advised.

They said this should be done with due consideration to the nature of the operations, and the inherent requirements of the roles executed in that workplace.

“Where it is determined that a zero-tolerance stance is not operationally justified, employers are still within their rights to regulate substance use by other means, including establishing cut-off limits.”

They said employers must also take heed of the fact that there was a growing need to have the appropriate substance use policies and procedures in place, which addressed the use of cannabis, among other substances, bearing in mind the likely increase in the private use of cannabis in light of the Cannabis Act.

“Where employers fail to take a balanced approach in addressing cannabis in the workplace, their employees may successfully claim unfair discrimination, as was done in Enever, resulting in compensation being ordered by the Labour Court,” they warned.

Pretoria News

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

The City of Tshwane is beset by problems of ageing infrastructure and acts of sabotage that have been blamed for prolonged water outages in Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding areas in Region 7.

MMC for utility services Themba Fosi said he observed first-hand the challenges stemming from the ageing infrastructure in Region 7 during his oversight visit with Mayor Cilliers Brink.

This came after the Pretoria News last week reported that residents in the area went for days without water after the couplings used for joining pipes to Zithobeni reservoir were stretched and blasted shortly after the repairs were done.

The City has since said the repairs were successfully completed, but pointed out that its infrastructure is old and vulnerable to acts of sabotage.

During the visit to Bronkhorstspruit water purification and treatment plants, Fosi acknowledged the impact of the breakdowns on residents, saying the City is taking decisive action to rectify the situation.

“Significant repairs have been completed at the Bronkhorstspruit and Zithobeni reservoir, resulting in improved water-levels and ensuring that households serviced by this facility have access to water,” Fosi said.

He, however, said the Rethabiseng reservoir supplying the Ekangala area continues to experience interruptions due to multiple infrastructure failures.

“We are prioritising efforts to restore full service in this area and are closely monitoring the distribution of water tankers to provide immediate relief to affected communities,” Fosi said.

He said the City is committed to a comprehensive redesign in the new financial year aimed at addressing infrastructure vulnerabilities and mitigating acts of sabotage.

“To bolster these efforts, we will engage with water treatment plant experts to conduct a thorough examination and provide strategic recommendations,” Fosi said.

Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba condemned an act of sabotage in Rethabiseng township.

He said it has come to the City’s attention that there is a deliberate act of sabotage in Rethabiseng aimed at denying the residents their human right of access to water.

He said the act of sabotage by unscrupulous people to close the Rethabiseng valve, resulting in water gushing out into the veld has compounded the challenge for residents of Rethabiseng and Ekangala not having water supply.

“Some of the City’s customers in Region 7 were forced to endure a prolonged water outage following complications while the City’s technicians were fixing a major leak on a main bulk pipeline that supplies Zithobeni Reservoir, last Wednesday,” Bokaba said.

He said water supply has since been restored to all the low-lying areas, except in the high-lying areas of Ekangala and Rethabiseng.

Bokaba said the sabotage act of opening of the valve might have been one of the contributing factors why those two areas didn’t have water.

“It is clear that some people had tampered with the valve with the devious objective of denying residents access to water,” he said.

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

The City of Tshwane officials implicated in the irregular expenditure amounting to R246 million are in hot water after the municipal public accounts committee (Mpac) called for the funds to be recouped and paid from their pockets.

Committee chairperson Kholofelo Morodi said the tough stance against officials would send a clear message that financial mismanagement will not be tolerated in the municipality.

The irregularly spent millions of rand were flagged by the committee during its review of financial activities in the municipality and interactions with senior officials asked to appear before the committee with a view to accounting for performances in their respective departments.

Morodi said the committee has recommended an irregular expenditure of R246m for the 2023/24 financial year be recovered.

She said reports passed during the committee sessions shed light on irregular expenditures that have occurred over recent fiscal periods.

The reports, she said, highlighted instances where municipal funds were expended without proper authorisation or in violation of established financial protocols.

She said the committee’s decision marked a crucial step in their ongoing efforts to ensure that every rand of public money is spent responsibly and in accordance with laws and regulations.

“The irregular expenditures identified in these reports undermine public trust and detract from the resources available for essential services. By taking decisive action to recover these funds from the officials responsible, we are sending a clear message that financial mismanagement will not be tolerated in the City of Tshwane,” Morodi said.

According to her, the comprehensive reports encompassed a wide range of irregularities, such as procurement processes that bypassed competitive bidding requirements and irregular expenditures incurred without the necessary approvals.

“The committee’s thorough investigation and analysis have been instrumental in identifying these discrepancies and formulating robust recommendations for recovery actions,” Morodi said.

She explained that the recovery process will be conducted in a manner guided by legal frameworks and municipal policies.

“Each identified case will be pursued with due diligence, ensuring that the recovery of funds is executed efficiently and effectively. The officials found responsible for these irregular expenditures will be held accountable in accordance with the law, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be instituted, as necessary,” she said.

The committee, she said, will be engaging with various municipal departments to enhance internal controls and reinforce financial management frameworks. The engagements will also explore ways to provide comprehensive training to officials on compliance and ethical conduct in financial matters.

Morodi said: “The City of Tshwane remains dedicated to serving its residents and ensuring that municipal operations are conducted with the utmost transparency and responsibility. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to remain engaged and informed about the municipality’s efforts to promote good governance and financial stewardship.”

The committee’s call for officials to be held accountable for irregular expenditure comes a year after it was transformed into a Section 79A committee.

The amendment to functions carried out by Mpac meant it was empowered to summon officials to help with information required to hold accountable those implicated in graft, theft and malfeasance.

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

A judge had harsh words for the Buffalo City Municipality in East London, for ignoring a ratepayer’s plea to probe her excessive water billing for over a year.

The high court sitting in East London found the municipality had failed abysmally to meet its constitutional and legal obligations to the applicant.

Judge Belinda Hartle said Octavia Ngceke had clearly been traumatised by the excessive billing for almost three years. Ngceke had tried to sort out the problem with the municipality for over a year.

The municipality had failed to respond to her pleas to probe the excessive billing, forcing the desperate Ngceke to turn to the court to force it to do its job.

Judge Hartle said: “If a consumer cannot under the constraints of the policy (credit control policy) approach a municipal official at a counter and have his/her queries summarily dealt with or concerns allayed, they must at least be entitled to legitimately expect fair administrative procedures by accountable local government in accordance with the applicable policy in force at the time.”

Ngceke asked for an order directing the municipality to comply with its enquiries and appeal procedure set forth in its credit control policy, pursuant to her having lodged a dispute with it regarding the calculation of outstanding balances purportedly due by her.

The judge noted that, “Although the formal dispute was lodged with the municipality in May last year, it remains unresolved with the municipality not even having acknowledged receipt thereof, let alone having administratively dealt with the substance of it.

“The municipality does not deny that it had been “tardy” in dealing with the applicant’s complaint but lays the blame for this squarely at her door. This is on the basis that she failed to follow certain processes prescribed in the policy regarding what to do when a consumer of municipal services is beleaguered by a water leak that might be contributing to excessive water consumption charges.“

It argued that Ngceke had failed to exhaust internal remedies prescribed by the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, before turning to the court.

But Judge Hartle noted: “Interestingly it offers no solution to the formal complaint. Its counsel has sought to justify its opposition of the application on the basis that the municipality is well within its rights to resist applications lodged pre-maturely and without exhausting internal remedies available, thereby preventing ‘opportunistic litigation and saving municipal resources which remain scarce.’”

Ngceke’s problems started in June 2021 when she received a statement of R29 101.70 for water usage at her property for the preceding seven months.

She felt that the municipality must have made a mistake in its calculations. Upon the advice from the municipality, she appointed a plumber to assess her property for leakages. He found that there was no water leak in the house or within her yard, and said the problem was most probably a leak on the side of the municipality due to an old pipe.

The municipal pipe had subsequently cracked, yet Ngceke replaced it at her own cost. She subsequently sent a report from her plumber to the municipality and told them the pipe was probably the cause for her excessive water bill.

This fell on deaf ears and in May last year, Ngceke’s attorneys addressed a formal dispute - delivered by hand - to the municipality on her behalf, marked for the attention of both the chief financial officer and the municipal manager. This too fell on deaf ears.

Judge Hartle said the policy that the municipality had relied on, did not provide for a situation where the tardiness or neglect came from the municipality. “This in effect means that a consumer invoking the dispute procedure is up a creek without a paddle as it were if the CFO does not respond to the enquiry within the more than ample sixty days provided for in the policy.”

She ordered the municipality to respond appropriately to the applicant’s dispute in writing within 10 days.

Pretoria News

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

Despite widespread uncertainties whether some of uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) heavyweights were going to be sworn in during Tuesday’s parliamentary proceeding, all 58 members of the party took the oath.

The party’s MPs, and two from the ANC, including former sport, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa; the MKP’s Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla; former Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe and the party’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, were sworn in, in groups of five.

The swearing-in saw former EFF MPs Andile Mngxitama and Sipho Mbatha make a return to Parliament under the ticket of the MKP.

Former public protector and EFF MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane was present to witness her husband, David Skosana, take the oath, and Visvin Reddy, who is charged for inciting violence during the elections, was also sworn in.

In February this year, Judge Hlophe was impeached as a top judge in the country after being found of gross misconduct following allegations of attempting to influence judicial decisions relating to Zuma.

Hlophe, who will be the leader of the official opposition since the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU), said his party regarded itself as the official opposition and would not be bullied by anyone. His party would be working hand in hand with the EFF, who were surpassed by the MKP after last month’s elections and relegated to fourth position.

“We consider ourselves, the MKP, as the official opposition in the country because the official party, the DA, is now part of the GNU.

“We are going to work very closely with other progressive parties in the opposition. I have in mind the EFF, the ATM and other progressive parties,” Hlophe said.

He made the statement on Tuesday while briefing the media after the swearing-in ceremony of MKP and ANC members who were not part of the first sitting of the National Assembly. Acting Western Cape Judge President Patricia Goliath and National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza administered the swearing-in ceremony.

In spite of Zuma-Sambudla’s initial assertions that she was not interested in becoming an MP due to other pressing business matters, she was seen sworn in among the first batch of the MKP members who took part in the ceremony.

After the swearing-in, she said she was proud to be ushering the new generation of the Zuma family into the National Assembly.

Her father was barred from being a member of Parliament by the Constitutional Court in recent weeks.

However, Zuma-Sambudla said the 58 members would be waiting for instructions from her father as to what to do next.

The MKP, through its caucus leader in Parliament, Hlophe, has promised to “Africanise” the country’s Constitution and its justice system.

Hlophe said that the MKP would play a prominent role alongside the ATM and EFF, who form part of the Progressive Caucus in Parliament.

“As the MKP, we haven’t taken a position on the issue of Ramaphosa’s impeachment. But it is a serious issue that must be addressed because he has been getting away with it for far too long...

“We are calling for the reinstatement of the Africanising of the law, according to which the land does not become the subject of private ownership. Look at the UK. The land in England belongs to the Queen. Everyone has a 99-year lease and they don’t even have a constitution for that land,” said Hlophe.

Hlophe told the SABC said the MKP had no interest in being part of the GNU, as the DA had failed to be a party representing the interests of the poor majority.

“There are parties in the GNU which have made it clear they do not want to work with the MKP. The feeling is mutual. We only want to work with progressive forces. I have in mind the EFF and other progressive parties standing up for poor people, because the ANC, with respect, is no longer a party for poor people,“ he said.

Additional reporting by Mayibongwe Maqhina

Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) president Simon Nemutandani wants to take the institution for judicial review after the Medical and Dental Professions Board (MDPB) allegedly recalled him.

On Sunday, Independent Media published an article saying that Nemutandani had allegedly been recalled from council by the MDPB after being accused of corruption, involving the misuse of the body’s credit card by dining in fine restaurants, ordering expensive food and also buying from fast food outlets.

The Star has seen a 375-page document outlining an investigation against Nemutandani.

He stands accused of claiming fees for attending meetings of council and other structures despite a directive by the Minister of Health that if employed by the public services, members of council and boards may not claim for doing work for the HPCSA, as it was a structure of the Health Department. The expert opinion in the matter of HPCSA vs Nemutandani was completed by Professor Gertie (HG) Pretorius.

However, Nemutandani allegedly refused to co-operate with those who are investigating him.

Responding to a query on Tuesday, HPCSA spokesperson Priscilla Sekhonyana said the institution was still waiting for a council meeting to take place.

“The resolution of the Medical and Dental Professions Board was communicated to Professor Simon Nemutandani. Upon receipt of the resolution from the MDB, Professor Nemutandani through his attorneys requested additional information,” said Sekhonyana.

A source has furnished The Star with a letter sent by Nemutandani through his attorney, saying it was wrong for the HPCSA’s MDB to “recall” him.

The letter from MacRobert Attorneys, sent to the HPCSA on June 24, states: “We write to advise that your letter of 21 June 2024 addressed Prof M S Nemutandani has been handed to us for our attention and reply. We thus confirm our instructions to act on behalf of Prof Nemutandani and should be grateful if you could address all further correspondence relating to this matter to us for the writer’s attention and reply, and not to Prof Nemutandani directly.

“We are presently investigating the legality and/or lawfulness of the Resolution of the Medical and Dental Professions Board, taken at its meeting on 20 June 2024 against Prof Nemutandani, and will in due course advise him as to the attitude to be adopted thereto.”

MacRobert Attorneys requested the following information and/or documentation from the HPCSA:

“1. The Agenda of the said meeting; 2. The attendance register of all the members that were present at the meeting, and when this issue/matter was discussed; 3. The audio recording of the minutes relating to the discussion that led to the resolution by the Board; 4. The adverse and grave accusations against our client in the media platform that you refer to in the aforesaid letter (we refer here to the specific media platform: name of specific platform, day and manner of publication); 5. The other structures of the HPCSA that will deal with the matter at the correct time and as they deem appropriate. Kindly name the specific structures you are referring to in this regard;

“6. The provision in the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974 and related statutes specifically empowering the Board to take a resolution to temporarily revoke the designation of a member of the Board and/or Council and to act in the manner in which it did; and; 7. The exact period of the revocation of our client’s designation to the Board and/or Council, as your letter merely refers to ‘a temporary revocation’.”

The law firm added: “Our preliminary assessment of the matter, based solely on the aforesaid correspondence addressed to our client, is that the Medical and Dental Professions Board acted ultra vires in dealing with a matter that falls entirely outside the ambit of the said Board.

“We are, therefore, instructed to demand, as we hereby do, that the Medical and Dental Professions Board set aside this unlawful Resolution within 48 hours of receipt of this letter, failing which we have instructions to proceed with legal action to restore the status quo.

“Further, we are instructed to demand that you furnish us with the information requested above within the aforesaid period (48 hours). We do, however, believe that such drastic steps will not be necessary in order to resolve this matter and hope to receive your kind co-operation in this regard.

“Lastly, we wish to record that our client does not, at this stage, intend to comment on the various allegations contained in your letter. He, however, reserves the right to do so at a letter stage should this be necessary. His failure to deal with such allegations at this stage should however not be regarded as an admission of the correctness thereof. In particular, we wish to place on record that our client does not admit any accusation made against him in any media platform. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully MacRobert INC Jerry Mayaba,” said the letter.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), which has been complaining about the alleged misconduct by Nemutandani, through spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi, said it was awaiting outcomes of the board meeting which has been convened for two days commencing on Friday.

“As Nehawu, we note the issue of Professor Nemutandani challenging his recall legally. We trust that the board will respond accordingly to the legal challenge,” said Nkolonzi.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

Robot Boii, a renowned dancer and music star, is brimming with pride after being honoured for his exceptional personality and industry influence at the prestigious Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBAs).

The awards ceremony took place amid social media scrutiny with calls from some for Boii not to be voted due to his failure to condemn his friend Mr. JazziQ, who was facing allegations of sexual harassment.

But Boii’s social media followers rallied around him, leading to his win in the Top Personalities & Influencers category, and being recognised as the Overall Top Brand.

After striking it rich at YOBAs, Robot Boii encouraged followers to build their own brands rather than careers.

“The overall top brand award is personal to me. In all my interviews, I always tell my people to not build careers but brands, because when you are a brand, you can change careers and not die when a career dies — you can do multiple things at the same time, understanding that it is all possible.”

Founder of the YOBAs, Pat Mahlangu, expressed his enthusiasm about this year’s winners, highlighting that the awards showcased the excellence and innovation of young African brand owners, who were driving positive change across the continent.

“The 2024 Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards have showcased the excellence and innovation of young African brand owners. The winners are not just building brands; they are driving positive change across the continent, and we are here to witness it.

“The Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards extend heartfelt congratulations to all the winners, recognising their hard work, dedication, and ingenuity in shaping the future of African entrepreneurship.”

This year’s winners were selected from a pool of 76 contenders from around Africa, and the winning companies were recognised for their outstanding influence and innovation in their respective industries by over 30 000 voters.

The awards recognise young African entrepreneurs and brand owners who have revolutionised their industries and demonstrated exceptional excellence in creating their own brands.

Thebe Magugu, a South African fashion icon, was awarded the first Global Excellence Award by the awards in collaboration with Brand SA.

The third annual ceremony was held at The Capital on the Park in Sandton.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

Percy Maphologela, a Soweto-born entrepreneur, has shared his career journey from overcoming adversity to becoming the founder and CEO of a fintech firm, EquiXToken Capital.

Maphologela established the company after identifying supply chain inefficiencies and discovering AI and blockchain technologies that are revolutionising the financial sector.

“It was then that I realised blockchain technology is a smart route to reducing costs for asset owners and investors and decided to focus my efforts on creating a solution. I knew I didn’t have the skills I needed to make this happen, and affordability was a challenge, so I applied for ALX’s fully sponsored Software Engineering training course. I wanted to build a solution on my own, and this course was the perfect solution.”

After finishing the Software Engineering Programme, he applied to the Founders Academy at ALX where he honed his business concept.

This led to EquiXToken Capital, a solution for asset management in the financial environment, offering affordable and accessible options.

“I am lucky to say that my solution is ground-breaking, one of the first of its kind, and I have recently been selected as one of only 23 companies to take part in the ALX Ventures Accelerator Programme. Through various workshops, I’ve developed my skills across sales, pitching, leadership, and growing revenue. I have also refined my pitch, making it more attractive for investors, and I feel I now have the tools I need to grow a thriving business.”

Maphologela was also chosen as one of seven finalists to pitch at Africa Tech Week 2024, a summit educating South Africa on technology challenges and opportunities.

“My business was showcased to global companies such as Meta, Google, Topco, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), which was quite an experience for a first-timer. The judges said I had a ground-breaking solution and applauded me for the work I’ve done, which is amazing considering my business is in the very early stages of development.”

The firm has bagged nominations in three categories at the African Start-Up Awards as part of the Global Startup Awards, the world’s largest independent start-up ecosystem competition. The nominations include Youth Start-Up of the Year, Best Newcomer, and FinTech Start-Up of the Year.

The 24-year-old is dedicated to establishing an organisation that empowers individuals, improves financial inclusion and literacy, and utilises emerging technologies.

“I’ve had to navigate my way into the right spaces, talk to the right people, and work incredibly hard to get where I am today. I didn’t want to end up another statistic; I wanted to make a difference and build a business that changes people’s lives, and I am blessed to be on that road today,” he concludes.

Maphologela credits his mother's unwavering support for his career, which was fuelled by her introduction to technology, which sparked his ambition to work at Vodacom and Masana Technologies.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

The chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Professor Somadoda Fikeni, says the DA’s proposal around directors-general (DGs) was counter-intuitive.

Fikeni said the party’s move signalled cadre deployment.

He said this was against the professionalisation of the public service.

“It is ironic how the same party that was championing the rights of public servants against politicians is now the same party that wants to subject them to the same situation they were protecting them from.

“There is a reason why there are laws put in place to protect public servants from such things, and the laws are simple. If the DG is sabotaging the minister, that is tantamount to insubordination and there are repercussions for that.”

Speaking with The Star on Tuesday, Fikeni said the PSC had repositioned itself as an institution that would effectively contribute towards building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

“We are amending legislation and strengthening the role of the PSC to ensure that qualified people are appointed to senior management positions and to move towards creating a single, harmonised public service.

“The process of reviewing the PSC’s legislation is at an advanced stage. It is envisaged that the legislative review process, which would see the current PSC Bill being enacted into law, will be completed by the end of the year.

“Once enacted into law, the PSC Bill will enable the conversion of the Office of the Public Service Commission from a government department, in terms of the Public Service Act of 1994, into a function shift as an independent PSC Secretariat established in terms of the Public Service Commission Act,” he said.

Fikeni said the bill was to ensure that the PSC executed its mandate fully as an independent and impartial constitutional entity.

He added that the mandate of the PSC would be reinforced and extended in terms of local government and public entities in line with section 196(2) of the Constitution.

Fikeni was reacting to the leaked letter from the DA federal chairperson, Helen Zille, where she tabled her party’s expectations in terms of choosing its own directors-general and wish to re-invoke the current contract of the incumbent ones.

Fikeni said if every minister should want to come with their own staff, that would create a bad precedent which would not only invite litigation but would also frustrate service delivery.

He continued that as the PSC, they valued the maintenance of an effective and efficient government, as it was one of the core constitutional mandates of the PSC.

“The repositioning of the PSC will enable us to deliver on high catalytic impact projects that will contribute towards strategic state capacity and ensure that government functions effectively and efficiently.

“The high impact projects further represent a fundamental mindset shift from the audit-driven to more impact-driven performance outcomes. We have also seen an increase in the visibility of the PSC and the strengthening of stakeholder relations, which are an integral part of the repositioning,” Fikeni said.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

There’s more to the Kruger National Park than just safari and bush adventures.

Apart from wildlife encounters, the area offers ample activities and places to explore.

Hazeyview and White River in Mpumalanga, which neighbour the park, offer a variety of opportunities for family-friendly exploration.

These activities are also perfect for individuals of all ages who are looking to spruce up their Kruger National Park travel itineraries and create long-lasting memories.

If you’re looking for an adventure for the whole family this winter break, Odele van der Merwe, the General Manager (GM) of ANEW Resort Hazyview Kruger Park has provided the following activities to add to your bucket list when travelling to the region.

Skyways Trails

According to hotel’s GM, exhilarating zip line adventure with Skyways Trails, offers Mpumalanga’s longest aerial cable trail with spectacular views of the lush landscape from the treetops.

Elephant Whispers

For those looking for close encounter’s with nature’s giants, a visit to Elephant Whispers should be on the cards.

“Get up close and personal with the gentle giants at Elephant Whispers, where you can interact with elephants in a peaceful and educational environment,” said van der Merwe.

Long Tom Toboggan

The hotel GM also advised visitors to take a thrilling 1,7 km toboggan ride down the Long Tom Pass. She said the ride’s adrenaline-pumping twists and turns amidst stunning mountain scenery perfect to get your blood pumping.

She also mentioned that the Long Tom Scootours trip features two thrilling downhill runs through scenic open grasslands, indigenous forests and pine plantations.

Laser adventures at ANEW Resort White River Mbombela

Van der Merwe also revealed that from the end of June, ANEW Resort White River Mbombela will have a variety of outdoor family activities to enjoy.

“Unleash your inner warrior choosing from laser clay pigeon, archery, quad biking and air rifle shooting to name a few,” she said.

White River Art Gallery

To round off your Kruger National Park visit, van der Merwe recommended a visit to the White River Art Gallery.

“Enjoy this contemporary art space, a unique visual arts platform in the Lowveld, showcasing contemporary fine art from Mpumalanga, emphasising the region's creative essence,” she said.

“With a broader scope, the gallery also features South African and Southern African artists, promoting artistic diversity.”

Musician and songwriter, Self Esteem, has collaborated with South African trailblazer Moonchild Sanelly on Big Man, a new single exploring modern masculinity and gender roles.

This is the first new piece of music since the release of Self Esteem’s wildly acclaimed BRIT and Mercury Prize-nominated 2021 album Prioritise Pleasure.

The Big Man music video by her, which was produced by Ayomide Alli and Precious Mahaga and directed by Piers Dennis, debuted on BBC Radio 1 as the Hottest Record in the World.

The duo honour Queen’s famous I Want to Break Free images, while demonstrating their approach to home tasks typically associated with “women’s work”.

Self Esteem shared her excitement about the song, highlighting that they wrote the song from the perspective of an ideal boyfriend. “Me and Moon wrote a song from the perspective of a good boyfriend.

The ones that are just chill and secure so they just leave you to it. The ones that don’t want a medal for doing the bins. The ones that see that you’re working your tit* off so they go and get yet another thing you’ve ordered and missed the delivery of from the post office. The ones that don’t take your success as a direct threat to their existence. To me this is real masculinity.

“We have both collaborated with Johan Karlberg on our records, and I'm so grateful to him for introducing us. It was a joy to make this song together. In my head, the video always needed to be an inverse. ‘I Want to Break Free’ - Piers Dennis executed this gorgeously because he’s a f*cking big man. Self-Esteem 3: Let’s go.”

Speaking about the collaboration, Moonchild Sanelly said: “We were in the studio bonding hard, having the deepest conversation about relationships and how it’s hard to be bold, loud female artists in a relationship. You can be the baddest bit** on any stage, but if you have an insecure man, he can't support your success as a woman. Instead of celebrating and supporting you, he sees your success as a personal attack and uses it to pull you down and make you feel bad.

“And we thought what would it feel like... to be ourselves, doing what we do, and have a man who properly supported all that we are? So Rebecca and I wrote from the perspective of our ideal partner. The song is from the hypothetical perspective of a man who supports their partner and is happy for their woman. A man who is fully secure. A big man.”

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

There is little to no time left for President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce his new national executive and most parties have decided their positions, either joining the Government of National Unity (GNU) or sitting on the opposition benches.

However, the stance of Build One South Africa (Bosa) remains undecided.

Bosa acting spokesperson Roger Solomons told “The Star” that the party is still weighing its options as to which faction it will position itself with.

“In light of this, Bosa has been engaging with parties to the GNU to ascertain the purpose, agenda and scope of such a government. It has become clear that these critical details have not been considered, never mind decided upon.

“Bosa holds a firm line on whether we join the GNU, or any other governing arrangement. We are not in principle against joining the national government. However, we cannot commit to or reject any GNU without knowing or agreeing to the actual agenda of said government,” said Solomons.

In the midst of Cabinet positions spats between the ANC and DA, both at national and provincial level – Gauteng – Solomons called for transparency between parties amid GNU negotiations, as it is a democratic right of the people.

“The new government has to be a values and delivery-based government. Not a patronage and power grab government that appears to be shaping up in the secretive meetings and negotiations currently under way. To date, 10 of the 18 parliamentary parties have agreed to join the GNU, of which Bosa is not one,” said Solomons.

In a previous interview with various media outlets, during vote counting at the results operation centre in Midrand, Bosa leader Mmusi Maimane had notified that his party was open to coalitions with parties whose vision aligns with Bosa.

“We will look into what coalitions look like. Our only demand is to fix Eskom and make sure all South Africans have a job, we must think of the 60 million South Africans and not politics,” said Maimane.

Solomons concurred with Maimane’s sentiments, noting that the Bosa caucus is open to engaging with parties that plan to execute a 10-point plan which seeks to counter the high unemployment rate by fostering a mixed economy, reform the basic education system, clean up corruption and stabilise Eskom and other state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

“We remain open to conversations with any parties who agree on a governance plan based on committing to non-racialism, upholding and defending the rule of law and strengthening parliamentary oversight over the executive and instilling ethical leadership in all spheres.

“This will require appointing the most suitable candidates to the five bedrock positions of finance, police and basic education ministers, including justice and public enterprises ministers.

“Bosa remains committed to playing our role in building one South Africa, which remains our north star whether in government or on the opposition benches,” said Solomons.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

A female psychiatric patient was tragically killed in a fire that broke out at the George Mukhari Academic hospital in Ga-Rankuwa on Monday night, authorities said.

The 35-year-old patient who suffered burns in the female psychiatric unit, lost her life.

Gauteng health department spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, said a small fire broke out in the seclusion room at around 6.35pm.

“Immediate actions were taken to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of patients. The fire was quickly contained and extinguished by the fire brigade, but unfortunately the patient in the seclusion room sustained fatal injuries,” he said.

At least 17 other patients in the unit were successfully evacuated and temporarily relocated to a different wing of the psychiatric department as a precautionary measure.

Modiba said the incident had been reported to the South African Police Service for further investigation, and that the cause of the fire was still unknown at this stage.

“The department wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the patient’s family as they mourn the sudden passing of their daughter. Both the bereaved family and the families of the 17 patients will be taken through a debriefing. Counselling services will also be made available to them,” he said.

The deceased was admitted to the hospital last Thursday and was placed in a seclusion room on June 24 as part of her prescribed treatment

Spokesperson for Tshwane Emergency Services Department, Charles Mabaso, said his department was notified of the incident at approximately 6.44pm and immediately dispatched firefighting resources to the scene. “Firefighters arrived on the scene to find that the hospital staff had already extinguished the fire in a single isolation ward using portable fire extinguishers.”

He said the deceased was certified dead by a medical doctor on the scene.

Mabaso confirmed that other patients, who were safely evacuated to another psychiatric ward, escaped unharmed.

“Firefighters conducted positive pressure ventilation to rid the ward of excessive smoke,” he said.

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

The governing ANC has had a spree of signing into law some controversial bills, particularly in the period leading to the national general elections, a gesture seen by many as meaningless exercise intended to garner votes for the ruling party.

The recent signing ceremony was for the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill and the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill. It is one thing to sign the bills and let people think that liberation is on the doorstep but it is another to have the laws do what they are intended to do.

Anyone who wants to prove the uselessness of the legislative papers need look no further than the so-called best Constitution in the world that South Africa claims to have, but with the highest volume of inequality resulting from unfair division of classes and the highest rate of unemployment and poverty in the world. The country has even surpassed countries that were regarded the worst in the Third World.

The oppression of women has been reduced to meaningless nomenclature such as gender-based violence which does not see the might of the Legal Mafia as violence against women. Instead, the campaign is just an excuse to continue the persecution of men and the destruction of the black household.

It has not been long since the country was ridden with the contradictions in the infamous Muslim Marriages Bill. Although the attempt to enact the bill was triggered as early as 2007, to date, inputs are being sought from the public, especially Muslim communities, customary marriages and common law.

The lawmakers have also been battling, since 2008, with the so-called Cohabitation Bill of Rights, without a comprehensive outcome. Woman judges themselves are bound hand and foot to employ patriarchal legislation as a tool to further oppress women and be part of the Legal Mafia that seeks to further advance male chauvinism against women.

Is this an indication that the rights and emancipation of cohabiting women from systemic patriarchy is far from over and the Constitution should protect women and families? Is this an indication that Muslim women will have their rights restored? Well, it looks like patriarchy, just like governments in power positions would never negotiate themselves out of the power of woman domination simply because there is the so-called Bill of Rights and/or a flood of woman emancipation structures such as women’s leagues, Women Against Women Abuse and campaigns such as the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign or Gender-based Violence.

In many instances, it is the woman structures that participate in enhancing woman oppression in society, institutions of work, churches and political organisations where women themselves lobby against one another in favour of the male folk. Ironically, after voting for men, the women go out and punch their fists in the air, shouting empty feminist slogans.

The contradictions do not just benefit patriarchy but are propelled by male chauvinists who themselves get standing ovations in big meetings where they make long speeches about woman empowerment. The strategy has been shifted to woman empowerment rather than the liberation of women and the agenda is clear: demonisation of men.

In fact, the elements are used as tools of woman oppression in any bourgeois democracy. This explains why the structures will not be seen actively involved in the fight for woman liberation or actively taking part in court cases involving the fight for the rights of women and children.

Theirs is to canvas for woman empowerment, which has been turned into a tool to advance the disempowerment of men. This is the strategy to break the traditional family structure as we know it and it is the agenda of the New World Order.

The judicial system is one of the key tools used to maintain the status quo in the name of the Constitution and constitutional democracy. Again here, the irony is that the judicial system fails women and makes them pay legal fees they cannot afford because they are unemployed, looked after or earn less than their male counterparts even though they do the same jobs. This has made constitutional democracy a lie, with the doctrine called “Constitution” posing as the emancipation tool.

The well-publicised case of Pearl Walsh of Cape Town is a clear example of the facts raised. Walsh has been fighting for her right against self-appointed executors of the estate of her life partner, who had assumed reciprocal duties for her and her children. He took reciprocal duties for his new family while they were living together in the so-called domestic partnership, and had been a good father to the child living with Walsh and her girls.

In this case, it seems like there is clearly a calculated attempt to block the matter from being heard by the courts. Walsh is representing herself as she cannot afford the costs of legal representatives.

Interestingly, the lawyers, executors and trustees confirmed that the handwritten will did not comply with the Wills Act No. 7 of 1953. It is clear that the matter is manipulated by what I call the Legal Mafia within the system.

The case is just one among many where the self-proclaimed activists of gender-based violence see nothing wrong with a woman being denied access to her cohabitation partner’s estate. The question is: What justice system will it take for this poor woman to be granted her rights in the so-called constitutional democracy? A claim by the Legal Mafia is being made that since her partner died in a foreign country, there is nothing they can do to help her wind the estate.

Again, the question is: What happened to international law? It would seem that someone is benefiting from international tax manipulation of jurisdictional processes. Why would the judges not apply the law in dealing with the discrepancies she has raised? The answer to this question lies in the fact that someone in the legal fraternity stands to benefit from the delay in resolving the case as the assets would dissipate and the estate run insolvent.

It is the same issue with the Muslim Marriages Bill. Some Muslim elitists stand to benefit in the maintenance of the status quo in the Muslim Marriages practices which are oppressive of Muslim women. Ironically, Muslim women in the legal practice would also like to be heard on this matter but the contradiction is that while they do not want Muslim women to suffer the rules of the Ulama, they are also sceptical about the idea of the government regulating Muslim marriages.

The stance makes sense only in so far as the desire to disapprove the legitimacy of bourgeois democracy and its constitutional bullies, the constitutional dictatorship that serves only to calm the people from protesting simply because the Constitution agrees.

We should not forget one point: constitutions do not come by through a representative societal constituent assembly; they are a product of a few individuals who have been paid to make sure they fake, as far as they can, the will of the people and call it a constitution.

Therefore, our women need to understand that not everything said by the courts is divine truth. Constitutional democracies have, for centuries, from the Bonapartist revolution to the Kuomintang Comprador pseudo-communists, lied to the people about democracy and what they stand for. The passing of legislation and doctrines in pretence of fighting for the rights of women is a constitutional lie that needs to be exposed for what it is.

The act of congesting our prisons with male folk in the name of protection of women is a lie that must be exposed, especially by women. It is a deliberate act of extinguishing the male folk from society. One may ask: To what end? Well, the intended end is simple – for the ease of societal control and destruction of the family structure of society.

If the fight for women and children’s rights is not a sham, Why do the courts fail so many women and why would women and their children not have access to the estate in cohabitation relationships when there are laws governing cohabitation relationships? Why do we have an International Charter for Human Rights when the laws cannot protect our women.

Can Walsh and her children be rescued from the bully character of the Legal Mafia running the legal system here and unleashed against a defenceless woman and children? Is this just another case of not walking the talk from those self-proclaimed protectors of women’s rights?

Vukile Theo Phanyaphanya is a retired teacher and an author

Border Management Authority commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has announced that the BMA port health officials have developed an outbreak preparedness plan that outlines the response in dealing with Mpox.

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.

So far, South Africa has had two deaths due to the disease and has 13 confirmed cases. Seven of the cases were confirmed in KwaZulu-Natal, five in Gauteng and one in the Western Cape. A response plan has been activated.

The World Health Organization says the multi-country outbreak of mpox from January 1, 2022, to April 30, 2024, showed that there were 97208 laboratory-confirmed cases including 186 deaths from 117 countries in all six WHO regions.

Masiapato said the BMA is implementing screening processes for travellers entering the country at all ports of entry. He highlighted that at the airports, the first phase of screening occurs when the conveyance operator, who is the captain of the aircraft and crew members, provides a general declaration of health.

This is a document that is required to be completed by all conveyance operators, where they declare that no travellers have reported or were found to be ill on board. This is in terms of International Health Regulations.

Masiapato also reported that the process that follows is where travellers are subjected to thermal screening for checking temperature.

He said this screening of temperature is implemented at land and seaports as well.

Masiapato said should the traveller present with an elevated temperature, such traveller will be isolated and assisted with further screening. This will involve interviews to establish experiencing of other symptoms.

He said the authority’s port health officer will also conduct their own general and non-invasive observation of the traveller under investigation.

“BMA port health officers are well trained to be vigilant to observe for any lesions and other symptoms during their operations at the ports. In any incident, should there be a case presented to the authority that would need further referral to a health facility, arrangements have been made with ambulance services from the health department for referral to healthcare facilities.

“We are also in close collaboration with the communicable disease facilities in the districts in order to respond swiftly and ensure immediate reporting of any suspected traveller that meets the mpox disease symptom profile,” said Masiapato

He said BMA port health officials have also elevated the focus to be on health education and awareness to travellers

At this stage there have been no incidents of mpox suspicions detected in the ports of entry thus far, Masiapato said.

He said in line with the communication from national health, the authority continues to encourage travellers to continue with chronic conditions medication as people with chronic conditions have presented more severe manifestation of symptoms.

“We also encourage travellers suspecting any symptoms to seek medical care immediately, especially those who have a travel history to areas with cases of mpox.”

National Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the department urges all people, regardless of gender, age or sexual orientation, with suspected mpox symptoms or who had physical contact with known cases to present themselves at a healthcare facility for clinical evaluation because anyone can contract this preventable and treatable disease.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Health Department revealed that it is investigating 20 suspected cases of mpox.

Tebogo Matjokotja from the department said officials await results of 20 suspected cases.

“We have 20 suspected cases, tests are under way at national health laboratories after that they will be confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) as advised by the minister,” said Matjokotja in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

South Africa is a popular adventure destination for scores of people as the country has many beautiful places to explore.

According to a South African Tourism (SAT) survey, the Western Cape was the adventure capital of South Africa for the period of January to December 2023.

During this time, it attracted 85% of all the adventure tourists coming into the country. That’s an estimated 614500 tourists and this represents a recovery of 82% of the figures which were recorded in 2019.

SAT also revealed that the province collected 62% of the overall spend by adventure tourists, which is driven by these visitors spending on average R22200 ,leading to a total of R13.5 billion.

The collected data also revealed that the Northern Cape lead on average spend with R26700 in 2023 (although the volume was low).

This was more than three times the average spend pre-pandemic in 2019. The Western Cape also saw the highest number of bed nights among the provinces with bed nights recovery in the market at 72%.

So where do adventure tourists explore? Here are the top attractions for adventure seekers, according to the survey.

– The V&A Waterfront

– Camps Bay

– Cape Point

– Table Mountain

– Clifton Beach

– Cango Caves

– The Kruger National Park

– Blyde River Canyon/ God’s Window

– Bourke’s Luck Potholes

– The Addo Elephant Park

– Storm’s River

– Hazyview

– The Bloukrans Bridge - Tsitsikamma Tree Top Canopy

– Tours of Soweto

Meanwhile, a high proportion of adventure tourists visiting chose the Western Cape. In fact, the top 13 attractions were within the Western Cape. Overall tourists mostly visit the same attractions and adventure tourists are more inclined to these outdoor attractions.

Build One SA (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish a national convention to decide the future of South Africa.

This comes as negotiations between political parties under the Government of National Unity (GNU) appear to be failing to agree on how to constitute a collective government.

On Monday, the DA was accused of making outlandish demands after a leaked letter to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula revealed that the DA had demanded no less than 11 ministerial positions, including administrative positions.

The ANC has accused the DA and other parties of negotiating in bad faith.

In the recent elections, Bosa got more than 194 000 votes, resulting in the party securing two seats in the National Assembly and one seat in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

In a statement, Bosa spokesperson Roger Solomons said that on Monday, Maimane had written to Ramaphosa, urging him to consider establishing a national convention comprising all the parties to be represented in the seventh administration.

“Bosa has this on Monday written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting that he urgently establishes a national convention comprised of all 18 Parliamentary parties with a mandate to decide on the purpose, agenda and scope of a new GNU. Today, 60 million South Africans sit anxiously awaiting for negotiations between parties as they continue under a veil of secrecy.

“There is now a clear deadlock between the DA and the ANC over government positions, patronage and access to state resources. South Africa deserves better.”

Solomons said Bosa believed that a national convention was the only way out of the situation where optical parties were making ridiculous demands on the GNU, adding that the country could continue to be left hanging.

“A national convention offers the most democratic and transparent pathway to agreeing on the composition of a new government that is value and delivery-based. It cannot be a patronage and power-grab government where the focus is on handing out positions to parties in exchange for co-operation.

“Instead, positions in government can only be assigned after a decision is made on the direction of government,” he said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Radio and television host JJ Tabane has responded to social media speculation that he had been axed by news channel, eNCA.

Following the broadcaster’s announcement that his show “Power to Truth” would not be aired this week, South Africans on social media began speculating about Tabane’s future at eNCA.

The speculation was fuelled by his recent rant against the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), and the divisive role the DA was (allegedly) playing in recent times.

In his last episode, Tabane spoke of an anti-black posture of the DA, saying the GNU was bound to fail due to policy and ideological differences between the DA and some of its partners in the GNU, including the ANC.

“Black parties could not sit together and agree that it has been 30 years, we do not have the land. We do not have the economy. We do not have anything next to our names. But where blacks govern, it is going to be terrible and the markets are angry. The cold front will come from the markets. It is said that we are underlining with a very big fat red pen that the black man’s medicine is a white man... The DA hates anything that is black people and transforming the economy so that it benefits blacks,” he said.

However, Tabane quashed the speculation about his show being canned, explaining that he was on leave until next month.

“I am on leave. Please stop the lies. ‘Power to Truth’ will resume next month. This is so fake,“ he said.

But many of his followers remained unconvinced and questioned the timing of his leave, wondering why at the height of the GNU negotiations, the most influential political commentator was not around.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Founder and director of Soweto Tours, Kgomotso Pooe, continues to break boundaries, setting the pace when it comes to local tourism sector.

The man known as “Vuyo the Big Dreamer” through his famous 2014 beer advert, says he has always been a big dreamer and a driven individual, having began his foray into business as a biker and founder of the popular quad biking and tourism company, Soweto Outdoor Adventures, which made quad biking and tourism become synonymous with the coolness of Soweto.

Since then, Pooe has built a recognisable empire through Soweto Tours (Soweto) and his Lagugu Hop on and Hop off travel and tourism brand, which delivers tours to visitors wanting to experience the real Soweto, as well as Cape Town’s leading townships, Langa and Gugulethu.

Much like most businesses, Pooe had a tough time keeping the business afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic. He had to let go of some of his employees as well as key assets in his business, which delivers a great township experience to local and international travellers.

Last week, The Star had an opportunity to experience some of the sites that have made Soweto Tours the country’s leading tourism brand.

“As you can imagine, Covid-19 had a tremendous effect on our business. We were the first industry to shut down and the last industry to re-open. We also had to let go of some of our staff and our fleet which had been recently acquired. Even when we had to re-open. We decided to re-open before other businesses could re-open just so we be the first man on the ball.

“It was not easy as we were only doing about 25 travellers per week, which for a business was not sustainable, but we had to because we understood the situation as some businesses never recovered from the pandemic,” he said.

Pooe who has been in business for almost 20 years now, says having come from a business-centred family made it easy for him to embrace his calling as an entrepreneur.

“Even after working for big local and international corporate companies, I have always been passionate and driven. At some point, I needed to venture into business and follow in the footsteps of my father and grandfather who never understood the concept of working for someone else,” he says.

But for him, getting into business was not that easy. Pooe has had his fair share of challenges which, he says, have made him the person he is today.

This is why Pooe has built his business to be where it is today.

Through Soweto Outdoor Adventures and now Soweto Tours, Pooe continues to inspire greatness by building a trusted relationship within the community he services, and the travellers who rely on him for a true township experience.

“Even though I hate to admit it. I have been a pioneer of tourism and have set the pace that other entrepreneurs try to emulate by being passionate and authentic. We pride ourselves in telling a local story, but most importantly, the story of today and what also makes us different is that we are able to build a win-win relationship with our customers and through that, we are able to give outsiders a unique view into the real Soweto and our visitors experience a truly exceptional grassroots tour of South Africa’s most popular township...,” he adds.

Pooe had a vision of bringing quad bikes to Soweto and turned a patch of grass at a derelict power station into what is today, just one part of his growing tourism empire.

In May 2013, he founded SoWeToo Hop On-Hop Off Tours, along with City Sightseeing Johannesburg and the following year, he was featured in the Hansa Pilsner Cheers to the Dreamers campaign as one of their Dreamers – entrepreneurs who works tirelessly to make their dreams come true.

He decided to expand to the Mother City, and LaGuGu Hop on-Hop Off Township Tours was born. LaGuGu is a word created by Pooe, an acronym for Langa and Gugulethu, “in the same way that Soweto is an acronym for South Western Townships”.

When asked about the famous advert, Pooe says it was so well received that he would get strangers at public gatherings asking him for a beer or two.

“It was such a big thing that at public events including weddings and funerals, strangers would ask me for the famous beer brand. I would sometimes he forced to carry that beer with me,” he quips.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Talks are under way between parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the country awaits President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the national executive council for the seventh administration, which was expected to have happened on Sunday.

As internal indifferences among the GNU pact members continue to delay Ramaphosa’s announcement, ActionSA parliamentary caucus leader Athol Trollip told “Newzroom Afrika” that the president must professionalise his Cabinet and downsize it, by dismembering deputy ministers and consolidating the higher and basic education departments.

“If Cyril Ramaphosa is to elect a Cabinet, we do not need deputy ministers. A classic example would be the basic and higher education departments. They both failed miserably for the past 15 years in South Africa; their ministers are entrenched in those positions. They have had two deputy ministers,” said Trollip.

Trollip said one minister must head both departments, removing both basic and higher education ministers. The incoming minister would control and improve the education system.

“We believe education should be one department, with no deputy ministers. That minister must take over the department and amalgamate the two departments. The minister must run the department from Grade R or Early Childhood Development right through tertiary. It would be seamless.

“Those are the kind of decisions we expect Ramaphosa should take, pragmatic decisions that are sustainable, where they hold officials accountable and are qualified to do the job. We have seen the standards of education plummeting right in front of us,” said Trollip.

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) disagreed.

Spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said Trollip’s suggestions were not viable as both departments were big offices, each with their own issues that needed to be addressed.

“We believe keeping basic and higher education as separate entities should continue, because they both have different challenges and keeping them separate would allow for greater focus on the challenges faced in both sectors,” Cembi said.

She said basic education was entrenched in an ill-progressive system, where learners were subjected to poor education infrastructure and poor security measures.

Overcrowded classrooms were becoming too prevalent, yet there were more than 30 000 unemployed teachers nationally.

Cembi said the previous government had failed to ensure access to sporting facilities and sanitation for learners and teachers, thus pit latrines continued to exist in rural and township schools.

Therefore, she said, one Education Department was unfeasible.

“We do not believe the issues mentioned above would receive adequate attention if both departments were combined,” said Cembi.

These past weeks, social media users debated over the new basic education minister who was tied between Build One South Africa Mmusi Maimane, who is vocal about increasing the matric pass rate to 50%, and IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, who was a high school principal.

Cembi said the new minister would need to be passionate and qualified in order to transform the ministerial office and counter the projects the previous government had failed to fix.

“The minister must understand education, have a passion to ensure that every learner receives quality public education and is prepared to respect and uphold the Constitution of South Africa.

“A minister who will advance mother tongue teaching and learning as a basis for acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude and improve the science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas. The mother tongue is fundamental to transformation of epistemological biases which still regards Western culture and knowledge as the only acceptable means to achieve quality,” said Cembi.

Additionally, she denounced Maimane’s proposal on the pass rate.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

The ANC executive mayor of the City of Matlosana, James Tsolela, has tendered his resignation and stepped down from his position amid serious corruption allegations against him.

In April, it was reported that the ANC’s provincial executive committee acted on media reports and evidence it received about the municipal leadership that some members were implicated in acts of corruption at the municipality in Klerksdorp, North West.

“The Star” has seen a letter, dated June 24, in which the mayor tenders his resignation.

‘’I hereby resign as the executive mayor of the City of Matlosana Municipalities, with immediate effect. I thank the ANC for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of Matlosana as the executive mayor, the job I did with utmost diligence,’’ he said.

It was reported that after investigating some of the allegations, the provincial leadership established that Tsolela was answerable to some of the matters.

However, Tsolela said his resignation was not an admission of guilt but merely to allow due processes to take effect.

“In conclusion, I want to put it categorically clear that my resignation is by no means an admittance of guilt to the allegations levelled against me. I remain ethical and loyal to my oath of office as the councillor of Matlosana of the City of Matlosana and I will continue to serve the people of this city even when I am no longer the Executive Mayor. l hope and trust that you will find this in order,” he said.

According to recent media reports, the municipality’s CFO, Mercy Phetla, was also implicated and was suspended after it was established that she was suspected of serious acts of corruption.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Flora Teckie

Life has many challenges. But life also offers many opportunities, and at times it is through challenges that we find new opportunities and can improve and grow our capacities.

Life provides us, for example, with the opportunity for our advancement and growth, for service to the common good, and for working for the betterment of our communities.

According to the Bahá’í Writings: “We must always look ahead and seek to accomplish in the future what we may have failed to do in the past. Failures, tests, and trials, if we use them correctly, can become the means of purifying our spirit, strengthening our characters, and enable us to rise to greater heights of service.”

Our development and growth process usually requires moral and spiritual choices, often involving challenges, which represent opportunities for spiritual growth. If we pass our tests and trials in life with courage and fortitude, we grow stronger spiritually.

The Bahá’í Writings state: “The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed, the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment.

“His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: The heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times of the past, and you will find the greatest men have suffered most.”

Our souls can be strengthened, and we can overcome challenges and obstacles in life more easily, through sincere and regular prayers. Prayer also causes spiritual joy and brings us closer to God.

According to the Bahá’í Writings, prayer “creates spirituality, creates mindfulness and celestial feelings, begets new attractions of the Kingdom and engenders the susceptibilities of the higher intelligence” and “supplication to God at morn and eve is conducive to the joy of hearts, and prayer causes spirituality and fragrance”.

The Bahá’í Writings encourage us to be both deeply spiritual and highly practical. While we are encouraged to pray daily, at the same time we are to be engaged with the world at large. Service to humanity, for example, is viewed among the highest priorities in one’s life. Serving others, whether within our families or in our communities – through promoting the well-being of others – will also help us develop our own selves and is a source of spiritual joy and upliftment.

Developing our spiritual qualities – such as love and unity, trustworthiness, kindness, caring for one another, contentment, serving others, and a positive attitude – are important elements in overcoming our physical and emotional anxieties, and the life’s challenges.

We all go through tests, trials and many challenges in life. But can one remain content and be happy despite challenges?

The Bahá’í Writings state: “... the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene.... If material anxiety envelops you in a dark cloud, spiritual radiance lightens your path. Verily, those whose minds are illumined by the Spirit of the Most High have supreme consolation.”

Teckie is a professional architect, a Bahá’í Faith follower, and spiritual columnist

Brand public relations (PR) has evolved into a crucial tool for business success, with community building at its core.

Young and expanding businesses are increasingly focusing on establishing genuine connections with their audiences, making community-driven PR strategies essential.

This dynamic interaction between brands and communities fosters trust, loyalty, and long-term success.

Brand public relations (PR) is a strategic communication process that focuses on building and maintaining a positive image and relationship between a brand and its target audience.

Unlike traditional advertising, which is typically direct and transactional, brand PR is about creating meaningful, long-lasting connections through storytelling, community engagement, and media relations.

The goal is to shape public perception, foster trust, and cultivate a loyal customer base by highlighting the brand’s values, mission, and achievements.

Effective brand PR strategies not only address immediate public relations needs but also anticipate potential challenges and opportunities, ensuring the brand remains relevant and respected in a rapidly changing market.

“Traditional PR methods, like media relations, press releases, and corporate communications, are no longer enough,” explains Bonnke Shipalana, Group CEO at The Allure Group.

“In the digital age, PR has expanded to include community engagement as a key component. A community comprises people with shared interests, values, or aspirations who actively connect with a business.”

Various channels, including social media, online forums, local events, and physical venues, facilitate community development. These networks serve as effective brand evangelists, amplifying messages and shaping public perception through organic interactions.

Community-driven PR’s primary advantage is building trust and credibility. Brands that actively engage with their communities demonstrate a commitment to understanding and addressing their audience's needs and concerns.

This engagement can take many forms, such as responding to customer feedback, participating in discussions, and supporting community initiatives.

A prime example of successful community-driven PR is LEGO. The iconic toy brand has leveraged its global fan base to become one of the world’s most beloved and innovative companies. The LEGO Ideas platform, launched in 2008, allows enthusiasts to submit their own ideas for potential LEGO sets.

Once a design garners 10 000 community votes, it undergoes review and, if accepted, becomes an official LEGO product, with the designer receiving a portion of the sales. By empowering fans to contribute ideas, LEGO has converted its fan base into an asset, acknowledging their worth and fostering a sense of belonging.

“Communities play a pivotal role in amplifying a brand’s messages,” says Shipalana. “In today’s social media environment, content shared by brands can quickly gain traction when community members interact with it. Shares, likes, comments, and retweets from community members extend a brand’s reach far beyond its immediate audience.”

This amplification is especially effective as it often comes with an implicit endorsem*nt. When community members share a brand’s content, they vouch for its value to their network.

Peer-to-peer recommendations hold greater credibility than traditional advertising due to their perceived authenticity and trustworthiness.

To equip entrepreneurs, brand communicators, and marketing professionals with the tools to harness community-driven PR, The Allure Group, in collaboration with Independent Media, is sponsoring the “Building a Brand Through PR Masterclass”.

This event will feature 12 industry professionals presenting case studies and personal testimonials on enhancing brand recognition.

The masterclass will be held on Wednesday, July 3, from 9am to 4pm at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Seats are available online at www.prmasterclass.co.za for R650, with virtual attendance options priced at R350.

The Star

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi was expected to announce his awaited new provincial executive on Sunday, but parties requested an extension until negotiations were concluded.

According to Lesufi during an interview on eNCA on Sunday night, the talks with the DA were “annoying and difficult, therefore delaying a new provincial executive”.

“Negotiations are extremely difficult, sometimes annoying but frank and open… We can resolve the issue,” said Lesufi.

He denied speculations that he received a strict order from President Cyril Ramaphosa to include the DA in his provincial cabinet, adhering to the marriage of the ANC, DA and IFP on a national basis.

This was after IOL reported amid executive negotiations, an insider confirmed Ramaphosa had ordered Lesufi to include the DA in the executive council. But, the not-so-new premier refused to give the DA four positions it requested, consenting to only three.

“It is not true. We cannot take decisions without consulting with the national leadership and secretary-general. It is better to clear matters now before establishing a new cabinet,” said Lesufi.

While 10 parties have joined the national multiparty government, broad coalitions are expected to occur in the provincial legislatures. Thus, Lesufi indicated there are still talks on whether to sign a Provincial Statement of Intent or continue with the Government of National Unity, because some issues nationally are irrelevant to the GPU.

“There are new parties that have signed the GNU, we cannot leave them behind. We have concluded discussions with VF Plus, RISE Mzansi, IFP, the ACDP, DA and PA. We have not won the elections, but in reality we are the largest supported party in Gauteng, and we cannot be arrogant and difficult, because voters showed us we must work together. There is no outright winner,” said Lesufi.

The ANC secured only 34.76% of votes provincially, with the DA 27.44%.

Asked whether the ANC can govern the province without the DA’s chunk vote, Lesufi said: “It is not ideal to do without the DA, the more the merrier. We must represent everyone that wants to be part of the GNU.”

He also hinted that small parties are targeting MEC positions, which is derailing his cabinet appointments, but the doors remain open for parties that are yet to join the provincial multiparty government.

“We want to accommodate everyone. Whoever wants to be part of the executive or committee is welcome. There are parties that got majority support, others got minimal support, so we must be inclusive,” said Lesufi.

But ActionSA bluntly refused to be part of the GPU, instead choosing to be on the opposition benches.

Negotiations may hopefully be concluded by the end of the week, if not after 72 hours, with a new executive council that is inclusive of young people and women, Lesufi said.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

The 22-year-old student accused of murdering Sandton teacher Kirsten Kluyts while she was taking part in a MyRun event last year, will remain behind bars for the duration of his trial after he lost his appeal against the earlier refusal to grant him bail.

The Alexandra Regional Court refused him bail after the magistrate found that, on the face of it, the State had a good case against accused Bafana Mahungela.

He turned to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg to appeal the ruling. Judge RS Strydom said the interest of justice did not permit the release from detention of an accused where there was a likelihood that the accused would endanger the safety of the public.

The judge said that implicit in the charge of murder and robbery with aggravating circ*mstances against Mahungela, was the high degree of violence that had been inflicted on Kluyts.

Judge Strydom added that while there was only an on-the-face-of-it case against Mahungela, based on circ*mstantial evidence, what the court was dealing with was more than a mere unsubstantiated fear or suspicion that he would endanger public safety.

On October 29 last year, Kluyts took party in an event at George Lee Park, Sandton and had been jogging. Shortly after 8pm, she was captured on video when she started her third round of the running track. She had been wearing a blue T-shirt, black ski pants, running shoes, sunglasses and a cap.

She had her cellphone with her, earphones and a watch. Barely 20 minutes later, her cellphone was found lying close to the running track and, shortly thereafter, her naked body was found in a ditch next to a wall.

The post-mortem report revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force head trauma, strangulation and that smothering or pressure to the neck could not be excluded.

The peculiar circ*mstances under which Kluyts died led to a further investigation of the footage of several close circuit video cameras in the park as well as the wider surrounding area. The video footage shows a person, later identified as Mahungela, coming into the park shortly after 8pm. He was wearing a black T-shirt.

Shortly before 9pm, he was captured on video walking while wearing the deceased’s blue T-shirt and had items rolled up in his hands. He was also seen scaling a closed gate that led to the outside of the park.

Further video footage shows that the person wearing the blue T-shirt disposed of a cap and other clothing in a drain. He went back to see if the items were visible from the road. The cap was later retrieved from the drain.

Mahungela did not contest the evidence and even agreed that the clothing he had carried and later disposed of in the drain were that of the deceased. He agreed that he had taken the cap of deceased and had replaced his black shirt with her blue T-shirt.

He, however, denied killing Kluyts. He testified that he had got lost and ended up in the park. At some stage, he had wanted to relieve himself and had walked down an embankment.

There, he said, he had seen something strange in a rag. On further investigation, he had seen a woman lying on her side.

He had been uncertain about whether she was alive and had rolled her body over. He had felt for her pulse but there had been none. Her neck was swollen. He had realised that she was dead but thought that his fingerprints could have been left on her clothing since he had touched her.

Given the sensitive racial dynamics in South Africa, he had decided to distance himself from the dead body to avoid a suspicion aimed at him. He had not raised the alarm but had undressed the deceased to avoid having the lifting of fingerprints from her clothing implicating him in her death.

He admitted having worn her T-shirt but failed to provide an explanation for that. He also admitted to having disposing of her clothing, but denied having taken her watch and sunglasses.

Mahungela said the State had a weak case against him and the magistrate was wrong in finding that he was a danger to society.

In yet again denying him bail on appeal, Judge Strydom said that on the face of it, it could not be said the State had a weak case.

The criminal proceeding against Mahungela, which is in its early stage, has been postponed until next month (July).

Pretoria News

Qatar Airway has been awarded the Airline of the Year title by Skytrax, returning to the top for an unprecedented eighth time. This distinction highlights the airline’s unwavering commitment to excellence. The five-star carrier was also recognised with three additional awards: World’s Best Business Class; World's Best Business Class Airline Lounge; and Best Airline in the Middle East.

Recently, Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport, was named World’s Best Airport in 2024 by Skytrax for the third time. The airport also received the award for Best Airport in the Middle East for the 10th time, and the airport’s retail, Qatar Duty Free, received World’s Best Airport Shopping for the second consecutive year. This remarkable achievement is the first time that an airline, an airport, and the airport’s retail have been crowned as World’s Best in all three Skytrax categories.

This year is the eighth time since 2011 that Qatar Airways has been awarded Airline of the Year. The Skytrax World Airline Awards, widely regarded as “the Oscars of the aviation industry”, represent the pinnacle of excellence in aviation.

Commenting on this achievement, Qatar Airways group chief executive officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “This is a proud moment for Qatar Airways. I am honoured to share this award with my dedicated team. This award is a testimony to our relentless commitment to providing unparalleled service and innovation. We look forward to continuing to serve our customers with the highest level of excellence.”

Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted remarked: “Qatar Airways’ impressive achievement of winning the Airline of the Year title for the eighth time, alongside three additional top accolades, is a true testament to the airline’s high standards and dedication. Qatar Airways was and will continue to be customers’ favourite airline.”

The comprehensive list of awards won by Qatar Airways at the Skytrax 2024 World Airline Awards include:

– Airline of the Year

– World’s Best Business Class

– World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge

– Best Airline in the Middle East.

Saturday Star

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has chastised other political parties for making “outrageous demands” for Cabinet positions.

Mbalula said the ANC was very concerned about the behaviour of some leaders who were part of Government of National Unity (GNU).

“The African National Congress (ANC) notes with concern that some parties have been making outlandish and outrageous demands for specific Cabinet positions in the media.

“Negotiating through leaking demands to the media is an act of bad faith and this practice will not help the cause of any party. It is only the president who has the final say on the appointment of his Cabinet,” he added.

Mbalula said the GNU would not be held to ransom by any single party, adding that South Africans needed a government to be established sooner, rather than later.

Mbalula’s frustration could be attributed to reports of the DA’s no-compromise stance on positions of having its leader, John Steenhuisen, as either the country’s deputy president or minister in the Presidency.

The party has held the ANC to the Statement of Intent that both parties had signed which set out that parties in the GNU would be allocated ministerial positions based on proportional representation.

Speaking to The Star on Monday, DA spokesperson Solly Malatji said his party remained committed to the Statement of Intent which sought to set up a GNU.

“The purpose of our negotiations now is to give expression to that statement so that we are able to make a positive impact on the lives of South Africans.

“We obviously cannot enter a government if we do not have the means to effect positive change. We are hopeful that we can reach a satisfactory agreement with the ANC,” said Malatji.

The DA was obliged to respect the mandate the party got from voters and putting the people of South Africa first, he said.

This comes as there were disagreements between the “big brothers” of the GNU on how ministerial positions should be shared.

According, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie the delay in announcing the GNU Cabinet was due to political parties’ quest for power.

“The delay and fight is now about positions in the GNU, let no one lie to you. Politicians and political parties exist for accumulation of power, stop acting like you exist for ambience, the delay is about who occupies which positions now. We should all be honest about this obvious point,” McKenzie said.

This publication reported on Monday that the DA had set its eyes on the minister in the Presidency post.

The position is the most powerful and includes the key portfolio of State Security, which controls, monitors and provides the state with domestic and foreign threats.

The DA was championing this position for its leader John Steenhuisen as the party’s federal chairperson Helen Zille had hinted.

According to the Statement of Intent both the ANC and DA had signed, the arrangement of working together would trickle down to provincial and local government.

This arrangement saw Gauteng’s newly-elected Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s postponement of his scheduled media conference where he was to announce members of his executive committee (MECs) which was however cancelled abruptly.

Later on Sunday afternoon, it was reported that the reason Lesufi postponed the announcement was due to an intervention by the ANC and country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.

However, Lesufi denied there was ever an intervention from the president, citing his reasons for postponing as allowing negotiators to iron out a few outstanding issues.

“The negotiators requested more time. Unfortunately these are not usual negotiations. They’re extremely complicated and difficult,” he added.

Lesufi also disputed reports that he was instructed to include members of the DA in his cabinet.

The ANC failed to garner enough votes to secure an outright majority in Gauteng, requiring the buy-in from other parties to form a government.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

Former president and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) leader Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, is unlikely to be one of the party’s MPs to be sworn in on Tuesday.

This despite her being number 18 on the original list before some members were replaced by 21 others.

The party bagged 58 seats in the National Assembly overtaking the EFF to become the South Africa’s third-largest party after this year’s general elections.

The 58 party members were due to be sworn in last week during the first sitting of Parliament.

This after the party boycotted the first sitting in protest that the election results were rigged.

Zuma-Sambudla had initially shown no interest to occupy a seat despite her father having been barred by the Constitutional Court that he was not eligible.

Zuma-Sambudla has been holding her father’s hand since his court woes while he was still a leader in the ANC.

She has kept on his side even when he announced that he would be campaigning for the MKP instead of his beloved ANC.

The members will be sworn in at the Good Hope Chamber by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo or a designated judge, Parliament said.

In a turn of events, the party this week announced the return of former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe, who will also be sworn in.

Hlophe was impeached after allegations of misconduct.

Recently, The Star reported that Hlophe had called for the country’s legal system to be overhauled while delivering his keynote address at the launch of the African Legal Professionals Association in Durban on Saturday.

He said the country’s legal system did not reflect the traditions, values and ethos of its people.

Hlophe also revealed that he has been meeting with Jacob Zuma following his recent appointment by the MK Party to be its leader in the National Assembly saying that more needs to be done to unite South Africans and that he would be doing the same when he finally takes on his new role as leader of the opposition in Parliament, he said.

Meanwhile, the ANC has defended the decision to deploy criminally charged former sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa, who is expected to be sworn-in as an MP in Parliament today.

The move appears to be at odds with its own resolution that ANC members facing allegations or charges of corruption should appear before the Integrity Commission, step aside voluntarily if indicted and should resign if convicted.

Those charged are prohibited from standing for election in any leadership position and cannot hold government positions as ministers, deputy ministers and MEC.

They are to also not hold positions in Parliament or provincial legislatures, including chairpersons of portfolio committees.

The affected members can attend sittings and portfolio committees, but can’t speak on behalf of the ANC except to vote.

Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula stepped down as National Assembly Speaker after being criminally charged. Other senior members removed through the ANC’s step-aside rule include former secretary-general Ace Magashule.

Kodwa is facing charges in connection with allegations that he received R1.7 million in bribes.

ANC national spokesperson Hlengiwe Bhengu-Motsiri confirmed to IOL yesterday that Kodwa will be sworn in by National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza.

Bhengu-Motsiri said Kodwa could only be given lesser roles while he was waiting for the court decision on whether he was guilty or innocent.

“If the court rules are in his favour, he will be eligible to take the ministerial positions again but if the case rules otherwise then he will have to step aside completely,” she said.

The Star

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za | mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

A Midrand couple, Puseletso Seleka and Londiwe Mbokazi, have accused Vusi Tladi, an event planner and self-confessed prophet, for ruining their big day after he ran off with more than R80 000 the couple had paid to make their big day special.

According to the couple, their big day was planned for June 15 but on June 14, Tladi failed to pitch for decorations which made the two lovers even more stressed. Whenever they tried to call him, Tladi came up with excuses until they realised they had to find a solution to their dilemma.

However, when they thought their big day was going to be ruined, members of the community stepped in and saved the day.

According to Mbokazi, Tladi, the owner of Morwaseepe Wedding Rescue, made off with R81 400 meant for their wedding in Limpopo.

Speaking to The Star on Monday, Mbokazi said they had paid for everything upfront.

Mbokazi said they were left devastated just a day before the wedding when Tladi became a no-show for the wedding arrangements.

“Our nightmare began on Friday, 14 June when Tladi blocked all communication with the couple, leaving them in the lurch with no décor arranged. As a wedding planner, he was meant to come set up on Thursday but made excuses and on Friday it was the same. He kept saying he was coming and then blocked us. We didn’t have a plan B so we had to use money to get something because my family had come all the way from Durban.

“A friend of mine reached out to some event planners around Polokwane and one lady shared our story in Gurus in Events Limpopo WhatsApp group (which he was a part of). The event planners came together to give us decor for the day. We were meant to start at 10am but could only start around 1pm.

“He also left the ladies who were meant to cook stranded because he had told them to take a taxi and that he would follow with the pots and stoves,” said Mbokazi.

Mbokazi said she is grateful for the help they received at the 11th hour. “In a remarkable show of community spirit and solidarity, the SA Events Group, along with Rešoketšwe, Mahlatse of Puleng Events, and Reineth Catering, came together to rescue the situation. These generous organisations pooled their resources and expertise to ensure that the couple’s wedding went ahead as planned.”

Despite the initial setback, the wedding was a beautiful and joyous occasion, thanks to the quick and selfless actions of these event professionals. The couple expressed their immense gratitude to the SA Events Group, Rešoketšwe, Mahlatse, and Reineth for their support in making their dream wedding a reality, she said.

Mbokazi said she and her partner are now seeking legal recourse against Tladi, who has since absconded with their money.

The couple now urges others to be cautious and thoroughly vet any event planning services to avoid similar predicament.

“We now hope that our story will serve as a warning to others and highlight the importance of community and support in times of crisis. We remain determined to see justice served and we are now working with authorities to track down this scammer.

“It was heartwarming to see how the community rallied around us. We cannot thank these amazing professionals enough for their wonderful assistance,” said Mbokazi.

However, speaking to The Star, a calm Tladi denied having scammed the couple of their money, saying he encountered unforeseeable challenges on the day of the wedding.

“I am not a scammer. It’s just that I failed the couple as I encountered unforeseeable challenges. I work as an events planner and I’m also a prophet. I had some personal and spiritual changes that prevented me from delivering on our agreement with the couple.

“I am willing to pay them back but right now I can’t because I am not working as they have been dragging my name in the media. How will I be able to make money to pay them if they continue calling me a scammer. Those people should desist calling me a scammer as this is denting my name,” he said.

On Monday, Mbokazi revealed that she has since been hospitalised due to the stress brought by her recent ordeal.

“I have just been hospitalised because of my blood pressure which has gone up due to this issue. We went to Lebowakgomo Police Station and we were told to go to court. We have sent a letter of demand and will await a court order since he has ignored thelettertohim.”

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s future in the Government of National Unity (GNU) is hanging in the balance after the DA showed its intentions to occupy his position as deputy president of the country.

This comes after widespread expectation for President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce his Cabinet after negotiations with parties under the newly formed GNU.

Mashatile has been the deputy president to Ramaphosa for both party and country since the 2022 ANC elective conference where he was elected, replacing David Mabuza.

The ANC, DA and IFP recently formed a GNU following last month’s general elections where parties all failed to gain an outright majority, forcing them to work together in the ANC-led GNU. The Patriotic Alliance, the GOOD Party, and the PAC later joined the three.

However, the list of political parties joining the newly formed government has been increasing recently, with the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), United Democratic Movement (UDM), RISE Mzansi and Al Jama-ah being the latest to sign up, leaving the DA, which is the second strongest party in the arrangement following the ANC, frustrated.

A letter written by the DA’s federal chairperson Helen Zille, addressed to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and doing the rounds on social media on Monday, states that the party was now looking to occupy 12 positions in the Cabinet, including the position of Mashatile.

Zille in the letter that laid bare the party’s demands if they were to stay in the GNU, saying that she was designated to write on behalf of DA leader John Steenhuisen.

“Our decision on whether to join such a government will, in the end, depend on our ability to effect such change…. The election result requires that power be shared in a new government. That means power cannot continue to reside solely with the ANC,” Zille wrote.

She wrote that the DA and ANC were the biggest parties.

“This would then be required to sacrifice posts proportionally to an ‘inclusivity pot’ … The Cabinet positions the DA holds should rightly include the post of deputy president, as is standard practice in similar governments around the world.

“We can only agree to give up that post if it is replaced with both a Minister in the Presidency, who is also designated as the leader of government business and participates fully in the policy development and monitoring responsibilities of the Presidency, and a deputy minister of finance, who participates fully in the development of the Budget.

“It is also reasonable and fair that the DA should have representation across all Cabinet clusters,” she wrote.

Some of Zille’s demands included the ministries of mineral resources and energy; transport (with Transnet reallocated to this portfolio); trade, industry and competition; social protection, community and human development; public works and infrastructure; higher education, science and innovation; governance, state capacity and institutional development; public service and administration; co-operative governance and traditional affairs; justice, crime prevention and security; home affairs; and international co-operation, to name a few.

The letter further demanded the deputy minister positions in all the ministries with the exception of the Finance Ministry.

In a statement by the ANC believed to be a response to the DA, it said the claims were “outlandish” and “outrageous”.

Spokesperson for the party, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, wrote: “The ANC notes with concern that some parties have been making outlandish and outrageous demands for specific Cabinet positions in the media. Negotiating through leaking demands to the media is an act of bad faith and this practice will not help the cause of any party. It is only the president who has the final say on the appointment of his Cabinet.

“The GNU cannot be held to ransom by any single party. The people need a government to be established sooner, rather than later.”

DA spokesperson Solly Malatsi said on Monday his party remained committed to the Statement of Intent which sought to set up a GNU.

“The purpose of our negotiations now is to give expression to that statement so that we are able to make a positive impact on the lives of South Africans. We obviously cannot enter a government if we do not have the means to effect positive change. We are hopeful that we can reach a satisfactory agreement with the ANC,” said Malatsi.

He further said the DA was obliged to respect the mandate the party got from the voters and putting the people of South Africa first.

According to Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, the delay in announcing the GNU Cabinet was due to political parties’ quest for power. “The delay and fight is now about positions in GNU, let no one lie to you. Politicians and political parties exist for accumulation of power, stop acting like you exist for ambience, the delay is about who occupies which positions now. We should all be honest about this obvious point,” McKenzie said.

In a television interview, political analyst Professor Andre Duvenhage said the DA was frustrated by the ANC bringing more parties into the GNU without having been consulted.

He said this could have been a strategy for the ANC and that the leader of the GNU might not need the DA in the long run if the smaller parties continue to join the ANC-led organisation.

He said the DA had asserted that they were prepared to leave the GNU.

“If the ANC can bring in a large number of smaller parties, then they are probably very close to 50%.

“Now the DA is saying they didn’t ask for the position of the deputy president, but if the strongest party takes the Presidency, the Speaker and so on … then they will say they want the deputy presidency as the second strongest party …but that position is very sensitive to the ANC because that position is very essential for uniting the ANC,” Duvenhage said.

The Star

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za | sipho.jack@inl.co.za

In a stirring ceremony filled with hope and vision, Anastasia Demertzis was inducted as President of the Rotary Club Pretoria East for the third time over the weekend.

The event marked a significant moment for the club as it prepares to usher in the new Rotary year starting July 1.

Demertzis, taking over from the outgoing President Owen Maroleni, emphasised the theme set by Rotary International President-Elect Stephanie Urchick “The Magic of Rotary."

In her speech, Demertzis eloquently highlighted the essence of this magic, which she described not merely as the material contributions such as beanies and scarves for the underprivileged or wheelchairs for those in need but as the broader impact of Rotary's work in areas like peace--building, disease prevention, water sanitation, maternal and child health, education, and community economic development.

"I am gladly honoured that my fellow Rotarians have entrusted me to serve as their president and look forward to the next 12 months," Demertzis stated.

She also announced an innovative twist for the upcoming year by renaming the board of directors to "a troupe“, a collective noun for a group of magicians, to encapsulate the magical essence of Rotary's work.

The newly inducted troupe includes immediate past president Owen Maroleni, vice-president Patrick Kain, president-elect Rita Sonko, secretary Rama Matji, treasurer: Joanette Terblanche, director – club administration Doulien Knopjes, director – club PR Rita Sonko, director – membership Alvene Gumbo, director – service projects Tshidi Masembe, director – Rotary Foundation Patrick Kain, and director – youth service Chibesa Pensulo.

Notable guests, including the District Governor, Riana Pretorius and District Governor-Elect Dr George Senosha attended the induction ceremony.

Senosha is set to receive the district governor’s chain of office from Pretorius on June 29, 2024, marking another pivotal transition within District 9400, which encompasses Botswana, Eswatini, the southern part of Mozambique, and the northern part of South Africa.

Over the past three weeks, more than a dozen Rotary clubs within District 9400 have inducted their new presidents, with several more clubs scheduled to announce their new boards in the upcoming month. This tradition of annual leadership rotation is pivotal in keeping the clubs dynamic and spreading expertise within the organisation.

Maroleni, in his final address as president, reflected on the past year's achievements and challenges, expressing gratitude for the support and dedication of club members. He noted that his leadership was guided by the club's commitment to creating hope and making a tangible difference in the community.

As the Rotary year begins anew, Demertzis's presidency promises a blend of continuity and innovation, inspired by the shared belief in Rotary's power to create lasting change. Her closing remarks resonated with the audience: "You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member."

With such visionary leadership, the Pretoria East Rotary Club is poised for another year of impactful service and community engagement, living up to Rotary's true magic.

Pretoria News

The Church of God in Pretoria held the Forest of Hope campaign at Magnolia Dell on Sunday in commemoration of World Environment Day (June 5).

Church members from Pretoria and Johannesburg attended the campaign.

Among them was Kgolofelo Mahuma, who said the goal of the campaign is to reduce carbon by carrying out climate-change response activities through public-private co-operation within the local community.

“The World Mission Society Church of God is taking the lead in creating a global forest ecosystem through the global campaign,” he said.

The City of Tshwane provided supplies such as 13 trees of Toad Tree, African Olive Tree, Karee Tree for planting and garbage bags to support the church’s efforts to create a Forest of Hope.

During the campaign, volunteers held a panel exhibition to raise awareness of the seriousness of desertification.

Mahuma said the Church of God takes an active role not only in planting trees, but also doing forest clean-ups, biodiversity conservation, forest fire prevention, and promoting environmental awareness.

He added that the Plastic Footprints are the total amount of plastic used and discarded by mankind, and the Church of God is conducting the Erase Plastic Footprints campaign with the goal of reducing this amount.

“We will continue to take steps of hope throughout the world by following God’s teaching to ‘be the salt and light of the world’,” he said.

A joint generational declaration led by representatives of adult, youth, and students followed.

The participants declared in unison: “By planting trees and protecting forests, we will create a lush forest of hope in the world,” and “We will realise a sustainable global environment and a happy future for humanity”.

The volunteers also went throughout the park, dug holes to match the size of the roots and planted them, after planting 13 trees, they also cleaned up the area.

Various waste, including disposable plastic straws and cups, food packaging, and used toilet paper, were collected during the campaign.

The City of Tshwane councillor Shaun Wilkinson said they were putting back by planting trees and we’re trying to create this Forest of Hope in the Magnolia Dell.

“The more trees we plant in the Magnolia Dell, the more we can set an example for other places, parks and open spaces in the City of Tshwane,” he said.

Wilkinson added that, he was very happy to attend this event with all these friendly faces from the Church of God helping the environment fight climate change, bringing hope and building a garden of Hope.

Leny Matlala, who was part of the tree planting said, people may be thinking what effect will planting one tree have but each tree will come together to form a forest.

“I am proud to participate in meaningful activities that bring hope to the earth,” he said.

Pretoria News

lesego.montso@inl.co.za

The City of Tshwane Health Department recently commenced with a phased intervention to eradicate the mosquito infestation in Winterveld and Soshanguve.

This was in keeping with commitments made in 2023 following several site visits and stakeholder engagements led by the MMC for Health Rina Marx.

The mosquito infestation has negatively affected the quality of life of residents living in these areas.

The first phase to eradicate the infestation involved the drone application of larvicide in Soshanguve bordering the Tswaing Crater where large pools of stagnant water were observed.

Mosquito larvae are often found in stagnant water. This larvicide is not harmful to humans or animals and was dispensed by an accredited company.

Phases 2 and 3 will commence in the new financial year with priority given to spraying the wetlands and stagnant waterlogged areas.

The mentioned areas are in part natural wetlands with a high water table, thereby making them a conducive environment for mosquitoes to thrive.

Larvicide application is not the only solution to eradicate mosquitos. “We reaffirm the importance of natural mosquito predators, such as frogs, as well as the importance of introducing natural vegetation that repels mosquitoes, such as lavender,” said Marx.

“Communities should avoid illegally dumping waste as this also creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes. As the MMC for Health, I will continue to ensure that the department assists the communities of Winterveld and Soshanguve to find some respite from the mosquito infestation when summer approaches.”

Pretoria News

Former MMC of Agriculture and Environmental Management Dana Wannenburg has made a comeback into the mayoral executive committee as political head of Corporate and Shared Services, previously led by Kingsley Wakelin, who is now an MP.

Wannenburg served under former mayor Steven Mokgalapa and was retained in the same position by Randall Williams after he assumed the mayoral position in November 2020.

Williams recently resigned as a DA councillor, but he remained tight-lipped about his future as a politician.

Mayor Cilliers Brink reintroduced Wannenburg to the committee after the departure of Wakelin to Parliament following the general elections.

He thanked Wakelin for his immense contribution and dedication to the City of Tshwane as a DA councillor and as an MMC.

“I have no doubt that he will add value to Parliament. After consultation with the different members of the City of Tshwane multiparty coalition, I have decided to appoint Alderman Dana Wannenburg as the new MMC for Corporate and Shared Services. He will also serve as the MMC for Region 4,” he said.

Wannenburg, who has been in charge of the Section 79 election committee, is one of the longest-serving councillors, having been first elected in 2000 at the establishment of the municipality.

Brink said: “He has experience in private business and, most importantly, he previously served as MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management from 2019 to 2021.”

He said the sheer size and complexity of the Corporate and Shared Services portfolio, with a R3,5 billion budget for the upcoming 2024/25 financial year, requires proven experience and dedication.

“I have full confidence that Ald Wannenburg will apply his knowledge and experience to succeed in this portfolio,” he said.

He also announced the appointment of MMC for Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela as leader of government business.

Brink said: “He is already a member of the coalition management committee and, therefore, I believe he has the leadership skills and experience to succeed in this position. I believe we have a strong team of dedicated MMCs across all portfolios and we will continue to do our best to build a City that works for all its people.”

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

In a case which concerns the global phenomenon of child abduction and involves an application premised on the provisions of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that a boy, now 3, had to be returned to Canada where his father lived.

The father turned to the SCA as he appealed an earlier order by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, which ordered that the boy can remain with his mother in Pretoria.

In ruling in favour of the father, the SCA commented that this matter brings to the fore the difficult task faced by courts whenever they are called upon to decide whether to return an abducted or retained child to his or her home country as contemplated in the Hague Convention.

It said the task of a court in deciding such a matter is rendered difficult due to the fact that the convention requires the court on the one hand to make a decision about the interests of a particular child in a specific case in the context of a factual situation that is more often than not charged with emotion and expectation.

On the other hand, a court has a duty to abide by the Hague Convention, to which South Africa is a signatory.

The earlier application in the high court was launched by the Central Authority of the Republic of South Africa, against the child’s mother. The court was told that she had retained the boy in Pretoria during the family’s visit to South Africa in July 2022.

The court at the time found that it was not in the best interest of the child to be returned to Canada, where his father lived. This resulted in the father turning to the SCA.

The now estranged couple were South African citizens who lived and worked here, but who decided in 2014 to relocate to Canada. They have in the meantime obtained citizenship and bought property there. The mother also opened her own dental practice in that country.

Their only child was born in July 2021 and the three of them lived together as a family in Calgary. The wife subsequently suffered from postpartum depression.

They meanwhile made plans to visit their extended family in South Africa. They bought flight tickets for July 2022. However, a day before their departure, the husband said that his wife had packed her orthodontic equipment in her luggage, as well as the couple’s marriage certificate, among others.

On arrival in South Africa the wife told her husband that she no longer intended to go back to Canada and that she intended to keep the child with her in South Africa.

The husband left for Canada, where he approached the Central Authority of Canada and initiated proceedings for the return of the boy in terms of the Hague Convention.

It was argued on behalf of the mother that returning the boy to Canada would expose him to grave physical or psychological harm or otherwise place him in an intolerable situation. The high court appointed a legal representative for the child and a social worker to investigate the mother’s circ*mstances in South Africa and Canada.

The mother also appointed various experts to testify on her behalf and the high court agreed with her that the child should remain here.

The father meanwhile undertook to provide the mother with housing and an allowance until she found a job in Canada, if the court did agree that the child should return.

The SCA pointed out that the primary purpose of the Hague Convention is to secure the prompt return (usually to the country of their habitual residence) of children wrongfully removed to or retained in any contracting state.

The underlying premise is that the authorities best placed to resolve the merits of a custody dispute are the courts of the state of the child’s habitual residence and not the courts of the state to which the child has been removed or in which the child is being retained, the court said.

The court found that since the accusations and counter-accusations made by the parents against each other regarding alleged flaws in their respective parenting styles are aspects that are directed at the merits of a custody or primary care dispute, the authorities best placed to determine those issues are the Canadian domestic courts.

Pretoria News

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

Leader of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) Vuyo Zungula says his party will not join the ANC and DA-led Government of National Unity (GNU), but will remain part of the MK Party-led progressive caucus.

This comes after two parties: Al Jama-Ah and the UDM, which were initially part of the caucus recently signed up with the GNU at the weekend.

Instead, Zungula said joining the DA and ANC would be endorsing corruption and secret deals being made on holding President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable for his Phala Phala farm debacle.

“No, the ATM will not join GNU. We do not have a problem with other parties who have joined GNU as these parties have made their choice on what is best for them.

“Our view is that they are welcome to do that as we all have different influences and choices,” he told Newzroom Afrika on Monday.

Zungula said the country needs a strong opposition to ensure that the ANC, the DA and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) are held accountable following recent reports about some of the key aspects of their statement of intent.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be part of the ANC GNU. What is needed is to form a strong government and for that, we need a clear programme of action for the next five years.

“We can’t have such a programme of action if we are part of GNU… Some of those behind the scenes and backhanded deals on Orania and what we heard from Helen Zille and the deal not to impeach Cyril Ramaphosa. What they are doing is endorsing these backhanded deals which do not take this country forwards,” he said.

Zungula said the progressive caucus led by the EFF and the MK Party in Parliament remains adamant that it will have enough voice to be a formidable opposition in spite of the dwindling number of parties in its ranks.

Currently, the caucus is down to just three parties from the six it began with last month.

Speaking to SABC News on Monday, political analyst Levy Ndou said MKP and the EFF can still be effective as the official opposition as long as they come up with a clear programme of action in Parliament.

“Even without clear policy positions, we know the MKP will be strong. My sense is that if there are discussions, anything is possible as long as they are clear in their policy positions.

“There is also a need to separate local and national government in order to avoid creating instability at local government-level. With the delays in President Cyril Ramaphosa appointing his Cabinet ministers, we should call for electoral reforms,” said Ndou.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Local music artists have been rallying behind musician Tumelo “Sir Trill” Zwane after sparking concerns when he made claims about an unidentified producer who influenced artists to pull out of his song and those attempting to sabotage him.

In a series of Instagram posts, he disclosed how a producer, according to him, released the same tune that hampered his attempts to release a song.

“So I am trying to drop this song for you guys. This nigg* The ‘grootman’ is making artists pull out of the song. He made two artists pull out of the song. Uyislima (you are a fool), Bhuti (brother). What is it that you see that makes you so scared of a boy younger than you? You are scared of who I can become.

“Close the doors all you want. It won’t change the fact that I know the person you are, and I will never respect you or kiss your a**. I am one kid who won’t kiss your bullsh*t. I’d rather quit than kiss your a**. You are so scared of what I can become without you. This just showed me. You are Dizzy Grootman.

“I just realised that you even made the same song. Same song title. You are scared that I can be a better you one day.”

Heavy K, a well-known musician who recently worked with Sir Trill, talked about how he discovered certain people were attempting to sabotagehim.

“Trill kind of told me about people trying to sabotage him or block him, but I spoke him out of that, and I told him not to put that in mind.

“Let’s just work on the music because I believe in him, but in the years I’ve been in the game, I’ve never seen or experienced artists pulling out.

“He ain’t talking about me because this is our song. T man pulled out first, then I put Professor. By the look of things, LeeMckrazy might pull out too from the song, even though they both gladly jumped on the song at first. I don’t know what changed, but the teams are still in talks.”

Sir Trill has been urged to come out and identify the producer by other artists, including Prince Kaybee.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

As South Africa approaches the end of Youth Month, DJ and music producer Thato “Kelvin Momo” Ledwaba gets the spotlight to celebrate young people influencing the country’s music scene.

Ledwaba, a prominent figure in Amapiano, has captivated audiences with his unique blend of jazz, deep house and lounge influences, earning him the title of king of private school Amapiano.

The official South African charts reveal that Momo secures multiple spots on both the local top 100 and the international top 200 with his smash hits Pholisa, Amalobolo, and Uhambe Wrongo.

Momo’s effective partnerships are demonstrated by Pholisa, one of the album’s outstanding tracks. This tune, which was co-written by Babalwa M, Stixx, and Baby S.O.N., is a stand-out from her album Pisces. It is now ranked #9 in the local charts and #22 globally.

Uhambe Wrongo, another outstanding collaboration with Bandros and Smash SA featuring Mr Maker, comes in right behind at #10 in the local charts and #23 globally, demonstrating Momo’s adaptability and capacity to connect with a wide range of global audiences.

Momo’s critically praised third album, Kurhula, which was released to great acclaim in December 2023, included the song Amalobolo, which is currently ranked #11 on the local top 100 and #24 on the international top 200 charts.

Kurhula, which in Xitsonga means peace, is a reflection of the album’s promise to bring serenity via deeply moving songs.

Earlier this month, the infectious Tshwala Bam by Pretoria’s hottest duo, TitoM and Yuppe, featuring the captivating vocals of S.N.E. and the electrifying production of EeQue, was also recognised.

Tshwala Bam, a chart-topper, has amassed millions of streams and is ranked #1 on both the local top 100 and international top 200, showcasing domestic talent’s global influence.

The pair, known for their collaboration on Tshwala Bam, have gained recognition for their music, recently releasing a remix featuring Nigerian Afrobeat megastar Burna Boy.

Tshwala Bam, a viral song released in February, sparked a dance craze, with its music video amassing two million views in seven days. International stars like Davido, Tiwa Savage, Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, and Les Twins joined the challenge.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

Popular media personality Minnie Dlamini has refuted recent social media claims about her relationship status after yet another accusation was recently thrown at her, adding to an endless list of allegations made online.

Her rebuke was sparked by accusations by gossip blogger Musa Khawula, that Dlamini was romantically involved with the late MultiChoice boss, Nkateko Mabaso.

Dlamini denounced the claim, stating that it was an insult to Mabaso’s family and his memory.

“I thought you said I cheated with Edwin Sodi? Now its Nkateko Mabaso? Which one is it? Who is next? Let it go, bro, damn. This is incredibly disrespectful to my friend’s family and his memory. People are mourning; you have no shame.”

This is not the first time Dlamini has been in the spotlight; last year there were rumours about Edwin Sodi, which she also clarified on social media in the same post.

She has not had it easy, especially with the many assumptions made after the announcement of the end of her marriage to Quinton Jones.

In February 2022, she announced that she and Jones had decided to part ways after tying the knot in 2017, at a grand wedding that was among the hottest subjects at the time.

The pair explained that despite the end of their marriage and romantic relationship, they remained friends, business partners, and parents to their son.

In some of the interesting things that have recently happened, Dlamini was roasted by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry as part of the Savanna and Showmax Laugh Africa Comedy Festival.

The festival is a groundbreaking event in the comedy landscape, celebrating comedic artistry worldwide, and connecting performers with audiences through a unique platform that transcends borders and cultures, transcending languages and cultures.

The star-studded line-up includes comedy heavyweights Tumi Morake and Jason Goliath at the Roast master helm, and Trevor Gumbi, Shahan Ramkissoon, Celeste Ntuli, Lasizwe, Penny Lebyane, Da L.E.S., Siv Ngesi, and Robert Marawa as the panellists.

The creative director of the Laugh Africa Comedy Festival, Stuart Taylor, envisioned a roast in which the panellists, lightheartedly and without a hint of aggression, actually praised Minnie and had a good time—if not at her expense.

It was explained that Dlamini was the ideal pick when it came to a roastee, as her scandalous life and celebrity position made her the ideal target for jokes. She adds luxury, glamour, and beauty to the scene visually.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

Five months after his death, lyricist and playwright Dr Mbongeni Ngema is still receiving global recognition and his legacy is being kept alive.

Recently, the Thespian was honoured at the 77th annual Tony Awards at New York’s Lincoln Centre in the US last week.

He also recently bagged a nomination for the Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and TV Awards where he was recommended for the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in “A Queen’s Lobola”.

Ngema died in a car crash in December, while coming back from a funeral of a colleague in Eastern Cape.

Speaking to The Star on Monday, his brother Nhlanhla Ngema described the feeling as thrilling and a validation of his talent.

“The family is thrilled and incredibly proud of Dr Mbongeni Ngema’s global recognition. We see it as a validation of his talent, hard work, and dedication to his craft. His achievements are seen as a source of inspiration and celebration within the family, reflecting his impact and influence beyond his community or country,” Nhlanhla said.

He said the announcement to recognise Ngema by the international arena had come as a surprise to the family, as they had not been alerted to it.

“We were not notified by the Tony Awards producing team. However, this is something that they do annually for any artists of his calibre,” he said.

Asked if he could recall all his brother’s accolades Nhlanhla said there were too many to mention, but that his brother’s name is printed in New York’s Walk of Fame comes to mind faster.

“There’s just too many to mention because his career was broad. You can’t put him in a box… He wore many hats in the industry but if I should mention one, it would be on the Walk of Fame in New York as one of the greatest writers of the 21st century alongside Jerzy Grotovski, Stanislavski and Peter Brooke among others.

“His legacy will never die. Ngema has a huge catalogue of productions and music that can still be used today to educate and entertain, as some of his work was experienced more on global stages than in SA and I believe that as the politics of SA take a different route – his work is even more relevant to our country and there are plans to continue his legacy and celebrate his life through his work,” Nhlanhla said.

Dr Ngema was known for his writing skills, especially “Sarafina!” which premiered on Broadway in 1988.

It was later adapted into a musical drama starring Whoopi Goldberg in 1992, and nominated for the Tony and Grammy awards.

Other theatre productions include “Asinamali”, “Lion of the East”, and “The Zulu”.

Ngema was also known for his battle with the injustices of apartheid, while passionate about storytelling and celebrating black culture.

The Star

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za

Local businesses and residents in Tshwane have been urged to open their hearts and donate food items to non-profit organisations (NPO) that are on the brink of running out of funds to feed the poor.

MMC for Community and Social Development Services, Nasiphi Moya, said the dilemma faced by city-based organisations was due to delayed payments of grants by Gauteng Department of Social Development.

In a bid to assist the stranded centres catering for the homeless, Moya pleaded with businesses and residents to donate food items for critical homeless shelters.

People are asked for donations of food and other necessary items to help homeless shelters operating in Tshwane.

Items that can be donated include bottled water, soup, tea bags, soya mince, cooking oil, powder milk, canned beans, samp, canned pilchards, soap bars, maize meal, aluminium cups, canned beef and rice.

Moya said: “It has come to the City’s attention that several organisations operating in Tshwane that serve our homeless population are experiencing delays in receiving provincial grants.”

The delays of payments, she said, have been linked to a change in the administration of grants by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

“This has led to delayed payments, which will result in many organisations crippled within weeks as funding runs out. In a meeting my office chaired last week, that was attended by Gauteng Department of Social Development officials, it came to our attention that there are about eight homeless shelter organisations operating in the Tshwane region,” she said.

She said only six of these NPOs have had access to funding, while others languish to scrape by to continue their efforts at feeding the homeless.

“The University of Pretoria’s Unit for Street Homelessness detailed to the City the dire strain experienced by these NPOs. There was an overwhelming need for food items that could help the NPOs weather the financial storm,” Moya said.

She added that the City created the Tshwane Food Bank in 2010 operating under her department with a small budget.

“The City has heard the plight of stranded centres that cater for the homeless, but with our limited budget we cannot possibly fill the gap left by yet-to-be-paid Gauteng grants," she said.

Moya asked the business chambers operating in Tshwane to lend a hand in helping and donate food items for homeless shelters feeding Tshwane’s homeless population while they wait for the provincial grants.

Food items can be donated directly to the Tshwane Food Bank located at 450 President Burgers Street, Pretoria.

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

Close to 83% of the global population use their gadgets in bed, a recent survey by NordVPN has revealed.

As the world is subject to a digital and technological environment, the survey found that 88% of people used a smart cellphone in bed, followed by 43% who prefer watching TV and 33% who consume content using a laptop.

NordVPN is the world’s most advanced virtual private network service provider and a cybersecurity company that protects users’ internet experience from online security threats and malicious websites.

Adrinaus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity adviser at NordVPN, said people tended to use their smartphones in more relaxed environments, which, in hindsight, subjected them to hackers infiltrating their firewall, thereby endangering their cybersecurity.

“We already knew that people carry their respective smartphones everywhere, because our previous study showed that 65% of people globally even use smartphones in the toilet.

“However, since smartphone usage in a relaxed environment is typically connected with scrolling, people are less vigilant about online security measures and the respective secure behaviour,” said Warmenhoven.

Sixty percent of the global population consume social media content, whereas 58% check their emails and messages in bed, followed by 47% who watch videos on YouTube and TikTok and 43% who watch movies and TV shows.

Additionally, 40% of people worldwide read and listen to the news, and 31% enjoy indulging in podcasts and music.

“Research showed that people often check emails and messages in the morning, while in the evening, people scroll through social media. When people are relaxed, they might not notice suspicious activities on their device, such as a stranger accessing it or suspicious pop-up messages appearing on the screen. Sharing the bed with your device might end up meaning you share your data with hackers,” said Warmenhoven.

He said there was growing concern that using gadgets in bed was the main cause of sleep deprivation as it affected sleep quality and time spent with family. At least 89% of people used their devices in bed during the night or evening, and of those, 56% spent a hefty amount of time on their devices.

“Additionally, one-fourth of respondents also revealed that they use devices when sharing a bed with a significant other.

“Even though a third of the population use bedtime mode, not everyone follows the call to disconnect: 37% of people feel they spend more time in the evening with their gadgets than intended. However, as many as 46% of people feel they manage their time well and spend as much time with their devices as intended.

“The paradox of bedtime mode is fascinating. It is meant to promote healthier tech habits, yet many people end up browsing the web longer than they intended. This not only impacts their sleep, but also leaves them exposed to privacy risks. Late-night browsing can lead to impulsive decisions, like overspending or falling for deceptive ads,” said Warmenhoven.

For night owls, people should be wary of websites that jeopardise their cybersecurity information. To guard against that, they should update their smartphones’ software regularly, refrain from downloading content in suspicious websites or apps and avoid using unsecured wi-fi in public spaces, he said.

The Star

MTN South Africa has come out to set the record straight on the controversial three-year municipal Transversal Contract.

The telecommunications giant told The Star on Monday that the contract was not a tender or a pilot project.

“As per standard Transversal Contracts, MTN Business is not the only supplier or organisation that has been awarded an opportunity to offer smart electricity and water technology services to the municipalities.

“MTN Business, just like other service providers who were awarded the RT29 Transversal Contract, followed all due processes as set by National Treasury.

“It is important to note that ‘Transversal Contracts’ are centrally facilitated contracts arranged by National Treasury for goods or services that are required by one or more state institutions,” MTN South Africa said.

According to the telecommunications giant, terms outlined by National Treasury dictated that each participating metro or municipality had the right to appoint their preferred RT29 service provider aligned with their required needs of service and predetermined budget.

It furthermore said that the nature of the contract and the value depended on how many customers (metros/municipalities) are able to sell to and the services that they would buy from MTN Business.

“MTN has experience and expertise in smart metering technology, we have similar services in many African markets such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire.”

On Monday, The Star reported that the contract was said to be designed to enhance digitisation – through the implementation of smart electricity and water technology – across South Africa’s 257 municipalities.

The RT29 transversal contract awarded by National Treasury will see MTN and other suppliers, install, manage and maintain smart metering programmes across the country.

It was said that President Cyril Ramaphosa was in the forefront of the deal, but Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has denied that the president was linked to the MTN deal.

“Other than the obvious legal and logical fact that the president cannot and does not have any operational involvement at MTN, such a process will not work under the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA),” Magwenya pointed out.

Even though Magwenya acknowledged that Ramaphosa did have interests in telecoms, he was no longer part of it.

“Historically, he was involved in the industry which is a well-known public fact,” he said.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

South Africa has received its first batch of antiviral drugs to treat mpox as the national Health Department revealed an increase in infection.

The country received a batch of mpox specific treatment, Tecovirimat, aka Tpoxx or ST-246), for treatment of patients who experience severe health complications as a result of mpox.

On Thursday, the department said the country had 13 confirmed cases of mpox. Two people had died from the disease.

On Monday, the Gauteng department said it was investigating30 cases.

The World Health Organization says the multicountry outbreak of mpox from January 1, 2022 to April 30, 2024, showed that there were 97 208 laboratory confirmed cases including 186 deaths from 117 countries in all six WHO regions.

Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the process to secure more treatment, including vaccines, was under way in case the need arose.

However, all mild cases would continue to be managed with supportive treatment to treat complications like fever, pneumonia and skin infections.

“The department urges all people, regardless of gender, age or sexual orientation, with suspected mpox symptoms or who had physical contact with known cases to present themselves at the health-care facility for clinical evaluation because anyone can contract this preventable and treatable disease,” Mohale said.

“The country has detected six more laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox (previously known as monkey pox). This brings the total number of cases from seven to 13 cases.”

Seven of the cases were confirmed in KwaZulu-Natal, five in Gauteng and one in the Western Cape.

Speaking on “Newzroom Afrika” on Monday, UKZN infectious disease specialist Dr Richard Lessells said people who had healthier immune systems experienced mild symptoms but those who had weaker immune systems tended to have more severe symptoms.

“Unfortunately, in people with very weakened immune systems, and in our context, that is largely people with what we call advanced HIV. So, that’s people with HIV who are not on effective antiretrovirals and have very low CD4s.

“That disease can be very different in this group and it can be much more severe. They could have additional complications of the disease, and that, unfortunately, can sometimes lead to poor outcomes and to death. This is the group that will often require drug therapy and treatment and so far, we’ve been able to obtain treatment for the more severe cases in South Africa,” said Lessells.

Quick Facts

* Hand hygiene is one of the effective ways to protect people from getting sick and prevent transmission of the diseases.

* Always wash hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, especially before eating or touching your face and after using the bathroom.

* Some of the common symptoms of mpox include a rash which may last for 2 to 4 weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands (lymph nodes).

* The painful rash looks like blisters or sores and can affect the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, groin and so on.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

There was still no indication as to when President Cyril Ramaphosa would announce the Cabinet of the Government of National Unity (GNU), as the main founders don’t agree on ministerial positions.

According to Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, these delays were caused by political parties’ quest of power.

“The delay and fight is now about positions in GNU, let no one lie to you… Politicians and political parties exist for accumulation of power, stop acting like you exist for ambience, the delay is about who occupies which positions now. We should all be honest about this obvious point,” McKenzie said.

The Star reported on Monday that the DA had set its eyes on the minister in the Presidency post.

The position boosts the most powerful and key portfolio of State Security, which controls, monitors and provides the state with domestic and foreign threats.

The DA was championing this position for its leader John Steenhuisen as the party’s federal chairperson Helen Zille had hinted.

According to the Statement of Intent, both the ANC and DA signed the arrangement of working together which would trickle down to provincial and local government.

This arrangement could be attributed to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s postponement of his scheduled media briefing where he was to announce members of his executive committee.

Later on Sunday afternoon, it was reported that the reason he had postponed it was due to the intervention made the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

But Lesufi denied there was ever an intervention from the president citing his reasons for postponing as allowing negotiators to iron out few outstanding issues.

“The negotiators requested more time. Unfortunately these are not usual negotiations. They’re extremely complicated and difficult,” he said.

Lesufi also disputed reports that he was instructed to include members of the DA in his provincial cabinet.

The ANC failed to garner enough votes to secure an outright majority in Gauteng, requiring the buy-in from other parties to form a government.

Similar to the president’s Cabinet announcement, there is still no indication when Lesufi would make the appointments to his executive.

Meanwhile, the rand weakened on Monday morning as the country was eagerly awaiting Ramaphosa’s Cabinet announcements.

The rand traded at R18 to the dollar, about 0.22% weaker than its previous close.

In his weekly newsletter to the nation on Monday, Ramaphosa said South Africans wanted the elected representatives “to put aside narrow interests and work together to build the country.

“The GNU cannot be preoccupied with jockeying for positions, tussles over appointments or squabbles within and between parties,” Ramaphosa said.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

A GROWING number of travellers are seeking experiences without alcohol. Some countries have a heavy drinking culture, while others are more sober-friendly.

While South Africa is regarded as a widely appealing adventure destination with a range of sober-activities, the nation has also recently emerged as a country with heavy drinkers.

Premium cognac maker, Hennessy, revealed that South Africa is its third-largest market for the product. For those in recovery, travelling to such destinations could be triggering.

According to Lantana Recovery, the growing interest in sober travel is part of broader trends like the “sober curious” movement and the pursuit of wellness-focused vacations.

“Younger travellers, particularly Gen Zs, are leading this shift, but many older adults are also choosing to reduce their alcohol intake and embrace healthier travel experiences,” the US addiction treatment centre explained.

As part of the organisation’s efforts to support travellers in recovery, they conducted a study which ranked countries on several metrics.

This included sober-friendly activities, alcohol consumption rates, the prevalence of alcohol dependence, alcohol laws, public safety and overall health.

As a result, the study discovered that these are the top 10 countries which are the best for sober travels:

1. Iceland

2. Italy

3. Norway

4. Denmark

5. Japan

6. Switzerland

7. Australia

8. Singapore

9. New Zealand

10. Netherlands

The research found that Iceland ranked first with a sober-friendly score of 84.1 out of 100.

“Iceland tops the metric for sober-friendly activities with 541.45 per capita,” said Lantana Recovery.

“Known for its breathtaking landscapes, hot springs and the Northern Lights, Iceland stands out as a premier destination for sober travellers.”

Meanwhile, Italy came in second with a sober-friendly score of 74.7.

“The country is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and ranks second in sober-friendly activities per capita. Italy also has a relatively low prevalence of alcohol dependence,” they said.

Norway, Denmark and Japan round out the top five.

“Norway is recognised for its stunning natural beauty and strong public safety. Denmark is known for its charming cities and excellent public safety. Japan offers unique cultural experiences and strong health measures,” said the health recovery experts.

Commenting on the findings, Lindsay Richerson, the executive director at Lantana Recovery, said that travelling can be an incredibly enriching experience, but it also presents unique challenges for those in recovery.

“It’s essential to approach your trip with a proactive mindset,” she said.

“By setting clear intentions for an alcohol-free journey and planning your activities ahead of time, you lay a strong foundation for maintaining sobriety.”

Richerson added: “Visualising positive experiences and being mindful of your goals can make all the difference in enjoying a fulfilling and sober travel experience.”

Kenneth Mokgatlhe

It has become clearer over the years that African governments do not have respect for the lives of fellow black people in their countries.

In many of these African countries, governed by black governments, black people are murdered like chickens, plunged into underdevelopment, and treated without any sense of dignity.

However, it has struck me as particularly strange how some of the incompetent governments would go and meddle in the Israel-Palestine impasse while neglecting their people.

South Africa, which dragged the State of Israel, into the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the most unequal country in the world. Around 75 to 85 people are violently murdered daily, and most victims are black.

South Africa has the highest unemployment rate of 33% in the world, and most of those young people are black. According to the World Bank in 2020, 50.5% of the population lived in poverty, while more than 13 million people lived with food shortages or at extreme poverty levels in South Africa.

South Africa has more domestic problems which pose internal national security threats, a bomb that is waiting or expected to explode at any time. It should be given that the incoming government should prioritise the plight of its destitute black people in South Africa before interfering in affairs that are of no strategic benefit to the larger population of the country.

A country’s foreign policy should be an assertion of its national self-interest to the benefit of its domestic situation. A sober person should ask how many millions of rand the ICJ case cost the South African government, how it served the nation domestically, and what effect the exercise had on bringing an end to a war between Israel and Hamas.

To make matters worse, we have a continental body, the AU, headquartered in Ethiopia, which has no regard for Africa and its people. We have a bloody war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which according to the Council on Foreign Relations has claimed the lives of more than six million black people since 1996. Daily, black people continue to kill each other in the eastern DRC, but the AU appears unwilling to make a clarion call to end the bloodshed.

Likewise, the 2020-23 war between Eritrea and Ethiopia claimed more than 700 000 lives, and has resulted in continued war crimes in the north of Ethiopia. Here again, the AU (and the UN) has not taken action. Maybe this is because this war did not trend in the mainstream media.

The AU should be the voice of the powerless in the continent and seek to speak on their behalf. However, it is becoming irrelevant to many Africans because it does not advance their interests.

I am dragging the toothless AU into this discussion because its chairperson of the Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, constantly uses all available platforms to condemn Israel. When is he going to prioritise black people on his own continent?

If you are so passionate about international human rights, are you not seeing black people (who share our ancestors and heritage) fighting each other in Haiti? Why is he so obsessed about Israel when many black people are dying in their thousands? What is more special about Israel than confronting all those who are responsible for treating African lives as cheap?

According to media reports, about 15 000 Sudanese who are also African have been killed while more than 30 000 have been badly injured since the start of the civil war in 2023, but there is absolutely nothing that the AU has done to arrest the volatile situation in Sudan.

The World Food Programme has recently alerted the world that Sudan is now facing unprecedented levels of starvation. We should be asking if starvation has been used as a means of war (famine).

Africa needs to defend and protect the lives of Africans in the continent as well as in the diaspora. We have enough problems in the mother continent that should be preoccupying our minds rather than finding ourselves trapped in the wars in Asia, Europe, or the Americas.

Africa needs to co-operate in combating wars, violent murders, terrorism, poverty, inequalities, water crisis, human and drug trafficking, and unemployment among the youth and women.

There is a strong need for African governments to pursue beneficial national self-interest which will translate into the economic and political fortunes of their countries.

Mokgatlhe is a political writer, analyst, and researcher.

The Star

Announcing with pride, Joburg Theatre presents its upcoming rendition of OLEANNA, penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet and directed by James Ngcobo.

This enthralling play promises to snare audiences in its exploration of power dynamics, breakdown in communication, and gender relations within the academic sphere.

In choosing OLEANNA, Joburg Theatre recognises the importance of presenting works that confront pressing issues head-on.

Mamet’s incisive exploration of power dynamics, communication breakdown, and gender relations within the academic sphere strikes a chord in our current social climate where discussions surrounding consent, authority, and accountability are more pertinent than ever.

By bringing this play to the stage, Joburg Theatre aims to foster dialogue, encourage introspection, and provoke meaningful engagement among theatregoers.

Moreover, this production serves as a testament to Joburg Theatre’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity in its programming.

By featuring narratives that represent a multiplicity of voices and perspectives, the theatre endeavours to reflect the rich tapestry of South African society and amplify marginalised voices. Through these works, Joburg Theatre undertakes to create a space where audiences from all walks of life feel seen, heard, and valued.

Under the visionary direction of James Ngcobo, this play promises to be a transformative theatrical experience that challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths, and interrogate deeply ingrained societal norms.

Ngcobo’s keen artistic sensibilities and commitment to pushing boundaries ensure that the production resonates long after the curtain falls, leaving a lasting impact on both the individual and the collective consciousness.

At the heart of OLEANNA’s resonance are the exceptional performances of Altovise Lawrence and Mothusi Magano. Lawrence's portrayal of Carol brings depth and nuance to the character, while Magano’s rendition of John captivates with its complexity and emotional depth.

Together, they breathe life into Mamet’s characters, inviting audiences to empathize, reflect, and engage with the play’s themes on a profound level.

With previews commencing on August 2 and the official opening on August 4, OLEANNA is set to grace the stage of Joburg Theatre until August 25. Ticket pricing is accessible, with previews available at R150 and performances at R250, alongside special student rates of R150 for all shows.

Presented by Special Arrangement with Broadway Asia Company, LLC, OLEANNA promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of power, censorship, and the blurred lines between mentorship and manipulation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the transformative power of theatre at Joburg Theatre.

For more information and ticket purchases, visit www.joburgtheatre.com

The Star

Tshifularo Mashava

With overnight and early morning temperatures already hovering close to 0°C and in some occasions dipping slightly below the freezing point, the primal instinct of needing to keep warm has naturally kicked in.

And true to the universal principle of causality, City Power, Johannesburg Metropolitan’s energy utility on the other end, has already started feeling weighed down by the excessive pressure of the high electricity consumption burden on the network.

Over the past few years, the population of Johannesburg has been growing at an average rate of more than 2% each year, deepening the demand for electricity services even further. This, mingled with myriad challenges such as illegal connections and the overall carefree culture of high electricity consumption, have brought City Power to a critical juncture.

The current surge in energy demand has reached dangerously high and unprecedented levels. That’s why we are sounding the alarm so loudly. The strain on the system is palpable, and urgent action is required to prevent the collapse of the system.

The Strain on the System

To paint this picture a little more vividly, imagine a gas or fluid substance contained in a confined or closed system. The more temperature or volume you add, the more pressure builds up within that system. If that pressure continues to build up beyond the limit of its containing walls, cracks will start to form with the possibility of a sudden burst or explosion increasing with each passing second, as the pressure seeks to escape the confined space.

This is no different to the situation we are currently facing as City Power.

Before electricity reaches you as a customer, it travels through high-voltage transmission lines and as it approaches residential areas, it transitions to smaller, local distribution lines. These lines carry power to substations, where it undergoes a transformation to a lower voltage suitable for household use.

From there, it again flows through underground and overhead power cables, finally reaching your home. Now if the pressure from commercial and household use starts exceeding the bounds or capacity limits of those cables, substations and other essential components of the power network, it will build up in the system and eventually explode. This will destroy infrastructure and likely cause the collapse of the grid in the process.

With temperatures dropping particularly during peak hours – mornings from 04h00 to 10h00 and afternoons from 16h00 to 22h00 – we have picked up a very sharp surge in electricity usage in certain high-density areas, pushing the pressure to the absolute limits.

Alexandra, Freedom Park, Nasrec, Hospital Hill, Mayibuye, Naturena, Florida and others have recorded concerning usage levels that threaten to overload our electricity infrastructure.

The Last Resort: Load Reduction

The chances of the power grid collapsing is the eventuality we are trying to avoid by all means necessary. City Power’s plea to customers has been clear: reduce electricity consumption immediately. The entity has gone on to say that failure to heed this call will force the implementation of load reduction measures.

But what does load reduction mean? Simply put, it means reducing the amount of electricity supply to specific areas, to lower the risk of overloading and damage to the regional or localised grid. This happens when the customers’ demand is higher than the demand the local equipment can withstand.

This comes as the utility’s last-ditch effort to protect the network from collapse. If equipment overloads and explodes, we face prolonged outages, impacting health care, small businesses, schools, and vulnerable individuals who rely on uninterrupted power.

Load Management initiatives

In a bid to address comprehensively the risk of overloading the network, while continuing to provide power supply with limited interruptions, City Power has rolled out a host of measures to unburden the system.

Through collective excellence, working with communities we serve, we believe that we can eradicate this immediate threat and ensure that residents of the city can continue to receive quality and reliable electricity services.

Addressing illegal connections

Illegal connections are, without doubt, one of the largest contributing factors to network overload. Those unauthorised connections mainly stem from the informal settlements which are part of the housing challenge in the country and more pronounced in the City of Johannesburg.

With tens of thousands of people migrating to the city each year for social and economic opportunities, the need for housing grows even more. Because of budgetary limitations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to formalise those settlements and provide services such as electricity at a faster rate compared to the pace at which informal dwellings are mushrooming.

For example, by the end of this year, we would have electrified three informal settlements, but while that is happening, it’s likely that even more such settlements would have emerged. There are over 312 informal settlements in the city and despite efforts to formalise many over the years, that figure doesn’t seem to drop.

Now once they have settled in these areas without services, the residents start tapping into nearby transformers unlawfully, adding an enormous amount of unplanned load. As a result of this, a high number of transformers and mini-substations get damaged and destroyed, causing prolonged outages.

This is also observed in formal settlements with backyard dwellings. Residents illegally connect to our network to provide power supply to their backyard dwellings without incurring electricity costs.

To address this, City Power will be intensifying raids and cut-off operations, targeted at illegal connections

Solar micro-grids

While cutting off and removing illegal connections is helpful, it’s not sustainable because that doesn’t offer an alternative.

In an effort to address that, City Power, as part of its 10-point plan adopted last year, has embarked on a project of installing solar micro-grids in informal settlements.

So far, the entity has successfully mounted 1MVA solar grid at Amarasta informal settlement in Alexandra. That facility is providing electricity to around 500 households. We are now in the process of installing two other micro-grids, one at Vukani informal settlement in Alexandra, which will be followed by another in Shalazile/Denver informal settlement.

Not only is this providing a viable alternative energy source, it is also contributing to our efforts to reduce an over-reliance on Eskom.

There 14 other informal settlements across the City of Johannesburg that are earmarked for this project. The micro-grids, in a nutshell, are local electricity grids that serve small populations, often powered by renewable resources and able to function independently from a larger network.

Ripple relays

City Power has installed more than 190 000 ripple relay receivers in different households across the city.

A ripple receiver is part of a load management system used to control the electricity supply to the geyser during peak hours and load shedding. Geysers are among the biggest electricity guzzlers, accounting for up to 50% of monthly household energy costs.

Earlier this year, we undertook a project of auditing those devices to see if they are all still functioning and, if not, replacing them on the spot

Solar geysers

The entity has also embarked on a project of increasing the installation of solar geysers in low-income households across the city, removing another bulk of weight from the grid.

This year alone, we are planning to install a total of 5398 solar geysers, at no cost to the recipients. So far, more than 3000 have been fitted.

Smart meters

To further assist customers in saving energy without being completely switched off, City Power will implement load limiting through smart meters from July.

When the demand is high, the entity will remotely put a cap on usage. So, for instance, a customer will not be able to switch on all heavy-consuming appliances such as geysers, pool pumps, floor heaters, kettles and other appliances at the same time. It will trip and force customers to only use necessities until the pressure on the system subsides.

Load curtailment

City Power is furthermore continuing with signing load curtailment agreements with large power users and bigger businesses to allow us to request them to reduce production during certain periods to assist in alleviating the pressure on the grid.

Balancing Act: Load shedding and Load reduction

While load shedding is currently suspended, load reduction remains a necessary intervention to protect the network. If energy consumption doesn’t decrease, we risk an extended load reduction period. So, what can you do?

Spare Electricity: Use electricity sparingly. Turn off non-essential appliances. Every kilowatt matters.

High-Density Areas, Take Note: If you live in Alexandra, Freedom Park, or other high-density zones, your role is crucial. Be mindful of your energy use.

Cold Weather Preparedness: City Power is doing its part, but co-operation from customers is essential. Extreme cold weather is coming – let’s keep the lights on.

In this delicate balance, we all play a part. Let’s protect our network, avoid load reduction, and ensure a stable power supply for all. Together, we can weather the winter without leaving anyone in the dark.

Mashava is City Power CEO.

A crash between a taxi and a bus-truck claimed 10 lives, 24 others sustained serious injuries in Mpumalanga on Monday morning.

The driver and passengers in the taxi were among eight of those killed. The other two victims were travelling in the bus-truck. Of those injured, 18 were from the bus-truck and six were travelling in the taxi.

Law enforcement officers are investigating the matter and the road is open for traffic.

According to Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison, the accident occurred on the R42 road near Delmas, and the survivors were rushed to various hospitals for medical attention.

Authorities described the collision as a side-swipe. Mpumalanga Community Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, said: “There was a minibus taxi with a Mozambican registration travelling from Johannesburg. It is believed that the taxi may have been headed to Mozambique.”

He said according to reports, the taxi driver noticed another taxi parked on the side of the road, tried to go on the road, as he did that, he left the N12 for the R42 and soon after, he tried to go back on to the N12.

https://x.com/_arrivealive/status/1805105442634318028?s=46&t=oeMLeLVU-0aswZe6EmGwPA

“There was an intersection and that was when the taxi collided with a bus-truck that was travelling on the R42 headed towards Bronkhorstspruit. As a result, 10 people were declared dead on the scene while 24 others sustained serious injuries,” Mmusi said.

The accident happened around 1am.

Mmusi said their emergency personnel were still on the scene to try and remove all the wreckage from the road. MEC for Community Safety, Security, and Liaison, Jackie Macie, has sent condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

Former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe is ready to lead uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) MPs in the National Assembly.

Amid the confirmation that Hlophe will be the MKP’s Chief Whip in the House, members and supporters expressed excitement and trust in him.

Attending an African Legal Professional Association event in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, Hlophe confirmed that he will lead the MKP in the National Assembly. He said his task was to unite black people in Parliament.

“In all honesty, I only went to visit ubaba (Zuma) in his homestead in Nkandla because I noticed that the party is not in Parliament. I told him that let us go to Parliament. I am happy to confirm that on Tuesday, all 58 of us are going to be sworn in and I will lead the opposition. I regard my task to unite black people that is my taste,” said Hlophe.

He said Jacob Zuma has been in talks with political parties such as the EFF, PAC and others.

Parliament announced that the swearing-in of original nominees from the MKP list will be presided over by the chief justice, or a judge designated by him, as this is the inaugural swearing-in of these members following the elections.

National Assembly spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the Speaker, on the other hand, will administer the oath to members who are nominated after the first sitting.

“In accordance with the provisions of the act, political parties may supplement or fill any vacancies that may occur on their candidates’ lists prior to the first swearing-in after elections.

“This ensures that all designated seats are filled and that parties are fully represented. Parliament has received an indication from the MKP regarding the supplementation of their candidates list with a total of 21 members. All required travel and accommodation logistics are being arranged in preparation for the swearing-in ceremony,” Mothapo said.

It is known that Hlophe is close to MKP leader Zuma. Some in the know say President Cyril Ramaphosa destroyed Hlophe and all those that are known to be Zuma’s allies.

Earlier this year, Hlophe was impeached with Parliament voting in favour of the motion.

Hlophe is the first judge since democracy to be impeached.

In 2008, Hlophe faced accusations of trying to sway the Constitutional Court’s ruling regarding the Scorpions’ search and seizure operations on the assets of French arms manufacturer Thint and Zuma.

Last week, MKP said Hlophe’s distinguished career and unwavering Pan-African outlook have established him as a formidable force against systemic racism, particularly in the Western Cape.

MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said Hlophe’s reputation as an impeccable jurist and seasoned activist, who believes an African-based judicial system, makes him an ideal leader for the party and South Africa at this crucial time.

“The MK Party is honoured by Hlophe’s willingness to join us in our mission. We aim to unite progressive activists to build a formidable party capable of defeating the DA-ANC coalition, expropriating land without compensation, and nationalising strategic industries, thus ensuring that all South Africans, especially Africans, share in the wealth of their ancestors. His wisdom and activism, along with that of other progressive activists, will be instrumental in achieving the true and total freedom that has eluded our people for the last 30 years.

“Welcome aboard, judge Hlophe,” MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said.

Hlophe is not the only legal mind to take a fall through an impeachment. Former public protector and EFF MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane was impeached by the National Assembly last year.

Ironically, the then-chairperson of the Section 194 Committee, Richard Dyantyi, who led a committee to get rid of Mkhwebane, is nowhere to be found.

“Despite enduring 15 years of harassment and facing unlawful removal by the DA-ANC coalition, Hlophe has remained steadfast in his fight for justice for the disenfranchised. We are humbled by his legal expertise, which will prove invaluable as we navigate any legal challenges the DA-ANC coalition may attempt to orchestrate,” Ndhlela said.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party and its youth league has called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of Dr Nomsa Masuku from the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).

This comes after Masuku was recently charged with fraud involving R1.2 million during her previous tenure at Standard Bank.

On Friday, Masuku appeared in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palm Ridge on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering.

According to media reports, these offences were allegedly committed during her tenure as head of Standard Bank’s Corporate Social Investments (CSI) Programme.

In a statement, the MK Party, through its spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, said Masuku’s presence in the structures of the commission present a significant threat to the integrity and credibility of the IEC which should be beyond reproach.

“Her arrest by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) unit and subsequent court appearance cast a dark shadow over the commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections, which is already in tatters given the IEC’s failure to deal with widespread vote rigging, fraud and legitimate objections brought to the fore by MK Party,” he said.

The party said it was concerned by the latest developments within the commission following the recent elections which have cast a negative spotlight on the integrity of the IEC.

“It is deeply concerning that an individual with such tainted credibility issues, was appointed to a position of immense responsibility within the IEC.This oversight raises serious questions about the vetting and hiring processes employed by the IEC. The appointment of Dr Masuku, despite her alleged misconduct, undermines public trust in the institution charged with safeguarding our democratic processes,” he said.

According to MK Party Youth League spokesperson, Nkanteko Mkhabela, Masuku does not deserve to lead the commission following her arrest on Friday.

“It is is the MK Youth League’s belief that for the IEC to regain public trust and uphold the sanctity of our democratic processes, Dr Masuku must resign or be fired immediately. This decisive action is essential to demonstrate the IEC’s commitment to transparency and integrity in South Africa’s elections,” he said.

According to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, Masuku was at the helm of the Standard Bank programme Adopt A School Trust, which was established to provide scholarships, bursaries and awards of study, researching or teaching to learners from schools adopted by the programme to further their studies at any recognised institutions of higher learning.

Masuku was granted R20 000 bail.

Reacting to her court appearance, the IEC said it will be monitoring the matter.

“The Electoral Commission is aware of the reported arrest of Commissioner Dr Nomsa Masuku. It appears that the matter relates to her erstwhile employment and does not relate to her tenure in the Commission both as an employee and commissioner,” the IEC said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

The EFF, Vuyo Zungular’s African Transformation Movement (ATM) and United Africans Transformation (UAT) have been given the cold shoulder, after the quick exit from the Progressive Caucus by the UDM and Al Jama-ah,

On Saturday, the ANC confirmed that, thus far, 10 parties have joined the Government of National Unity (GNU), including the UDM and Al Jama-ah.

“The first phase for parties to join the GNU initiative has therefore been concluded. The parties constituting the GNU together secured over 70% of the vote in the 2024 elections, ensuring broad representativity and a strong mandate to govern. These parties have agreed to be bound by the foundational principles outlined in the Statement of Intent, and to work together to pursue its objectives,” the ANC said.

Changing its tune, the UDM joining the GNU follows the party’s leader Bantu Holomisa writing a letter to the ANC’s secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Friday.

In the letter, Holomisa said his party held an executive meeting discussing its queries in a letter it had written to the ANC on June 17, about the “Draft Statement of Intent of the 2024 GNU”.

However, three days prior to the letter, amid the first sitting of the National Assembly, the UDM, Al Jama-ah and other parties to the Progressive Caucus held a media briefing claiming the ANC isolated them from the GNU.

This also includes the leader of Al Jama-ah, Ganief Hendricks, who had rubbished and condemned the GNU, saying an ANC and DA pact meant the return of apartheid.

“Although Al Jama-ah welcomed the ANC’s wide consultation process with political parties, Hendricks made it clear that the party is strongly opposed to a GNU. Hendricks said the ANC was given mandate to govern and serve - even though with 40% as a minority government - but warned the former liberation movement against joining hands with parties that are hell bent to return the country to white rule,” said Al Jama-ah, citing an article by ‘The Star’.

Holomisa furthermore wrote that the UDM had predicted no party would win an outright majority, both nationally and provincially, which indicated a “flourishing democracy”.

For ethical leadership and cleaning up corruption in government, Holomisa demanded the GNU formulate a Technical Committee.

“Take note of our proposal that a Technical Committee be established after the GNU is in place to scrutinise all members’ manifestos in order to formulate policy. This committee should consider the manifestos of those parties outside the GNU, who are in Parliament, as they have been given a mandate by voters to effect change in South Africa,” said Holomisa.

The ANC alluded to Clause 24 of the GNU Statement of Intent for the remaining parties, who wish to join the multiparty government.

“The ANC remains in open communication with the parties that have not joined the GNU, exploring various ways in which there can be collaboration on building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa,” said ANC.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce his new Cabinet later on Sunday.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za

The Radisson Blu Hotel in Umhlanga, Durban officially marked two years since it opened its doors on June 20.

The luxury hotel believes that their growth is a testament to their ambition and vision as they set out to redefine the standards of hospitality in the region since opening in 2022.

“Since its inception, the hotel has swiftly ascended to the pinnacle of Durban's hospitality landscape, emerging as a beacon of luxury and sophistication in under two years,” they explained in a statement.

The hotel, located strategically in the heart of Umhlanga, entices travellers with its contemporary design, lavish amenities and sweeping vistas of the Indian Ocean.

Reflecting on the hotel’s journey, general manager Themba Mpofu said that it’s a privilege to be part of the Radisson Blu family and to witness the growth of the hotel in such a short time span.

“Our success is a testament to the dedication and passion of our team, whose commitment to excellence knows no bounds,” Mpofu added in the statement.

With only two years under its belt, the hotel has already received accolades, including winning the Best Accommodation and Best Meeting and Events Space for 2023 by Durban Tourism.

Meanwhile, Brian Mpono, CEO of Oceans Umhlanga Mixed-Use Development, said that it’s been a joyful and enjoyable journey with Radisson Blu family and thanked the hotel’s supporters.

“Since the opening of Radisson Blu Durban Umhlanga Hotel, every six months to a year we’re being acknowledged with an award; Durban Business Tourism two years in a row, the Best Opening Radisson Blu, needless to mention the most empowered development in South Africa,” he added in the statement.

“Team work from all staff at Radisson Blu Durban, led by our General Manager, Themba Mpofu, has made Vivian Reddy’s dream work,” said Mpono.

The Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Middle East have announced the opening of their luxury hotel, Nujuma, on the Red Sea’s Ummahat Island.

The hotel is its first venture in the region and is set to become a a beacon of wellness and holistic luxury in the Middle East.

“Nujuma sets a new standard for wellness and holistic luxury, inviting guests to embark on a transformative journey of rejuvenation and self-discovery,” the hotel group explained.

“It invites travellers from around the world to embark on a journey of self-discovery and renewal.”

The hotel boasts 63 over-water and beach villas, each offering one-to-three-bedroom accommodation, spacious living areas and private pools overlooking the sea, reminiscent of dreamy luxury villas in the Maldives.

The hotel group revealed that Nujuma was designed by British international architecture firm, Foster and Partners and features sweeping shell-inspired architecture, elegant interiors crafted with natural materials and imbued with calming sea and sand tones.

It also features geometric patterns which are reminiscent of the region’s rich cultural heritage.

As a luxury regenerative tourism destination, Nujuma also boasts Neyrah Spa, a tranquil sanctuary dedicated to nourishing the body and soul.

The hotel group also intends for the spa to be a place where guests can indulge in a range of wellness rituals and holistic experiences which are inspired by global traditions, including meditation, lunar yoga and sound healing therapy.

It also harnesses the power of regional ingredients such as the enchanting scent of oud as well as moringa peregrina tree oil which is sourced from the AlUla region, offering a sensory journey that awakens the senses and restores balance.

“Whether seeking a peaceful retreat, an adventurous escape or a cultural immersion, Nujuma promises an unforgettable experience that nourishes the body, mind and soul,” the group said.

THE Stars have aligned for Bafana Bafana and South African football at large since the year began with the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast.

Qualifying for the latest edition of the Afcon was a big enough achievement for the national men’s team having missed the previous edition in Cameroon.

As a result, going into the Ivory Coast finals, there was very little expectation and hope in the side pushing the envelope or being podium contenders.

However, Bafana shocked the continent as they not only reached the semi-finals but also finished in third place and earning the bronze medal in Africa’s premier tournament.

Tracing back the steps that led to that success, it is difficult to overlook Broos’s impact since taking over the head coach role three years ago.

The unapologetic straight-talker and Belgium-born manager’s systems and structures have somehow reignited the love and support for the national team in the country.

During the Afcon, Mzansi tuned in on their television screens to support Bafana.

The home fixtures of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Zimbabwe fixture in particular, saw a sold-out Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein and that was testament of the country’s hunger and passion for Bafana.

Lucas Radebe, speaking at the Betway 12th Man event in Melrose earlier this week – an event aimed at empowering retired athletes for life after professional sport – expressed that Bafana is in a healthy position following this year’s Afcon.

The 55-year-old reckons that the success stems partly from the consistency of the personnel that make up the starting XI, emphasising that the next challenge for the national team is to sustain their success.

“I believe the risk that has been taken in acquiring a coach like Hugo Broos has seen success and what we need to achieve now is continued consistency in the squad.

“Even today, you can name number one to number 11 in the starting line-up which is very important,” said Radebe.

“Once you do that, you play even better; whether you win or lose, you tend to play better. That’s what we’ve seen with the national team, it changed people’s perspective.

“The fans now think positively about Bafana Bafana. Now people want to support Bafana and we are happy.

“But how do we sustain that? That’s the challenge.

“I believe we have talent in the country, enough resources that will take us to the next Afcon and the next World Cup.”

Radebe says there are parallels that can be drawn between the current crop of Bafana players and the Neil Tovey-led squad that won the 1996 Afcon.

The 55-year-old highlighted unity and camaraderie as some of the common denominators between the two generations and emphasised the two factors as key reasons for success.

“You see the unity of the players in the consistency and the camaraderie. It’s amazing. For me it’s a recipe for success,” said Radebe.

“Get your best team first and get them to play well and keep them for a period of time so that they can gel together, and that’s what I’ve seen,” he concluded.

A first-time time mother who was healthy when she went to a sate hospital to deliver her baby, but came out of a caesarean section minus her uterus, thus not being able to have any more children, has sued the Gauteng MEC for Health for damages.

The woman told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that she was admitted to the George Mukhari Academic Hospital in 2016 to give birth. As she started bleeding while having a caesarean section, her uterus was removed at the same time.

According to the mother she entered the hospital as a healthy woman and she had no idea what led to her uterus being removed. She complained that she was never told about this prior to the operation, nor did the hospital offer her any counselling afterwards.

While she blamed the medical staff of being negligent, which led to her ordeal, the doctors told the court that it was a life threatening situation and they had no other option than to perform the emergency operation, removing her uterus.

According to the doctors, they had to do this in order to save her life. Regarding the fact that they did not counsel her afterwards, the court was told that as the patient had discharged herself, they did not get around to counselling her.

The mother, who was 25 at the time, said she first went to a clinic when her water broke. She was referred to the hospital as the nurses at the clinic suspected that the fetus was in distress.

The mother said she had to wait for hours at the hospital before anyone bothered to attend to her. Once she was examined, it took 16 hours before the caesarean section was done.

The woman said she was taken to the theatre earlier for the caesarean section, but no operation took place and she was taken back to the ward. She was told that there was no doctor available to do the procedure.

She was taken back to the theatre some hours later and given three injections. According to her she only woke up two days later in the intensive care unit.

She testified that a professor and his team then examined her and he asked her how many children she wanted. She told him three and he told her unfortunately she would never be able to have more children.

He told her that once she was out of ICU, it would be explained why her uterus was removed. The woman said this was, however, never explained to her.

She also told the court that a student doctor later told her “please forgive us” and other nurses, who read her medical file, kept on saying “sorry” to her.

She was in tears all the time and depressed and could hardly attend to her newborn baby next to her. The professor promised to obtain counselling for her, but the woman said after seven days of nothing happening, she decided to discharge herself from the hospital.

After a year she got a telephone call out of the blue from a doctor, who was conducting research in writing an article about her case. He told her he read her medical file and she subsequently approached an attorney to institute a claim against the health authorities.

It was testified on behalf of the hospital that they did their best to attend to patients. The only reason they could think of that there was no doctor to perform the caesarean section earlier, was because there may have been more pressing cases to attend to.

One of the doctors who attended to her, testified that the removal of the uterus could have occurred because the patient had developed an infection, or “it could have been a mistake.”

Due to the time lapse and the hospital records not being available, “once cannot know for sure”, the court was told.

In finding the hospital to be negligent, the court said the hospital falls within the category of having properly trained doctors and nurses, medical equipment and a 24-hour theatre to conduct procedures.

It is also a training hospital and the decision to perform a caesarean until the procedure is performed, should not take more than an hour. However, after she was first taken for the procedure, it was delayed for another 10 hours.

The court said the mother was healthy when she went to hospital and had no problems with her uterus.

The MEC was held liable for 100% of the damages the mother could prove that she had suffered as a result of her ordeal.

Pretoria News

The Gift of the Givers Foundation and private healthcare provider Bonitas have jointly donated a borehole to Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.

The borehole will provide water to the hospital’s reservoir and supplement the municipal water supply by 150 000 litres a day. It currently yields 8 000l per hour and is literally ‘a fountain of life’ for this healthcare facility. In addition, eight 10 000l water storage tanks have been installed.

According to Bonitas, the water was tested using the South African National Standard 241 test, a drinking water specification that outlines the minimum requirements for potable water to be considered safe for human consumption, after an ultraviolet system was installed.

Principal officer of Bonitas, Lee Callakoppen, said the partnership between Gift of the Givers and Bonitas began in 2018, with the key objective to provide relief to the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, specifically in the field of healthcare interventions.

He said this programme, and the other projects carried out together with the Gift of the Givers, align with the scheme’s commitment to being the medical aid for South Africa.

“It is the perfect partnership, as we have the same passion and drive to assist where it is needed most, we donated R1.2 million as Bonitas to the Kalafong Hospital borehole project,” he added.

Chairperson of the School of Medicine at the University of Pretoria, Professor Priya Soma-Pillay said they rely on stable water supply to service patients adequately and provide a safe training environment for our students.

Soma-Pillay said the university uses Kalafong Hospital as a training institute for the Faculty of Health Sciences.

“I am grateful to Gift of the Givers Foundation and Bonitas for hearing our plight,” she said.

Founder of Gift of the Givers Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said they know what a difference consistent water supply has made to Kalafong Hospital.

He said the university reached out to Gift of the Givers with respect to water challenges at the hospital and they agreed to step up to another issue that required humanitarian aid.

“After all, clean water is life and clean water is health, we look forward to our continued partnership with Bonitas, always with the health and wellness of South African being the priority,” he added.

Pretoria News

lesego.montso@inl.co.za

Dogs are not the only animals that can transmit rabies to humans, although it is the most common cause of human rabies.

Livestock, cats, wildlife, especially mongooses and bats, are all potential carriers of the disease, and new concerns have been raised after a Cape fur seal tested positive for rabies.

“KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the North West and Limpopo have seen the lion’s share of documented rabies cases in recent years, yet the detection of animal rabies in Cape Town is an important reminder that all animal bites should be medically assessed for rabies risk. Greater public awareness of rabies and ongoing vigilance is needed throughout South Africa,” Dr Pete Vincent of Netcare Medicross in Tokai, Cape Town, warned.

He said previously, seal bites have been considered low risk for rabies, however, recent developments indicate the urgent need for post-exposure prophylaxis and antibiotics, as advised by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).

The virus is spread through the saliva of infected animals, either when they bite or when their saliva comes into contact with an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth of another animal or an individual.

“Anyone who is bitten by an animal should always seek emergency medical care, no matter how small the wound is, for an assessment. A rabies risk screening with possible tetanus immunisation as treatment for potential exposure to the virus that causes rabies must start as soon as possible,” Mande Toubkin, Netcare’s general manager of emergency, trauma and transplants, advised.

The most important step for anyone who is bitten is to immediately clean the wound with soap and clean running water for 10 minutes to help wash as much of the virus away as possible, then seek medical care.

“Even if the wound is not bleeding badly, there should be no delay in seeking treatment. Rabid animals may be aggressive or even over-friendly. This is abnormal behaviour for the species and they are therefore more likely to bite other creatures and humans,” Toubkin said.

Toubkin added that cows with rabies may look like they are choking, and wild animals such as buck may display unusual behaviour, such as coming closer to humans that they are not habituated to.

“However, noticeable signs of rabies are not always present, and so a medical assessment is essential.”

She pointed out that any domesticated animal that bites a human that does not have a complete and current record of vaccinations could pose a rabies risk to humans and other animals.

“Teach adults and children not to approach animals they do not know and not to provoke any animal. It is especially important not to feed wildlife or approach animals that are wild, and be sure to have your dogs, cats and other domesticated animals vaccinated yearly for rabies, as required,” she said.

She also advised people to as far as possible, keep pets away from wild or stray animals. This not only helps to protect your family and your animals but also contributes to breaking the cycle of rabies transmission to animals in the wild that cannot be vaccinated.

Dr Vincent, meanwhile, said that post-exposure vaccination for rabies usually involves a series of injections for a period of up to a month.

“If treatment commences as soon as possible and the full course is correctly administered, humans exposed to rabies will almost certainly not develop the disease.”

According to Vincent, this is the only chance of preventing the progression of the virus, as once a person develops clinical signs of rabies, there is no cure, and the condition is invariably fatal.

“The good news is that rabies infection in humans is preventable. With timeous treatment and adherence to the recommended precautions, we can all protect ourselves against this disease.”

This advice followed on the heels of a case of rabies confirmed earlier this month in a wild Cape fur seal from Big Bay, Blouberg, in Cape Town.

It is said that suspected positive results have also been received for seals sampled at Strand on May 15 and in Muizenberg on May 26.

The Western Cape Veterinary Services, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, the City of Cape Town Coastal Management, and other partners are working to establish the origin and extent of the outbreak through further sampling and testing.

They said that once determined, a management plan will be formulated.

Rabies has not been detected in seals in Southern Africa, and this is one of very few detections in seals worldwide.

Pretoria News

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

Despite concerns about instability stemming from coalition governance, the Sovereign Africa Ratings has accorded the City of Tshwane a stable outlook for the long-term ratings following its recent assessment of the metro’s creditworthiness.

The local rating agency said the stable outlook applied to both the international and national long-term scale ratings.

On the other hand, the agency’s recently released report pointed out that the outlook for the short-term ratings was negative.

The City’s latest ratings came on the back of the Moody’s ratings agency report which gave the municipality an improved outlook from negative to stable.

In April, Finance MMC Jacqui Uys commented that rating by Moodys was a positive development that would assist the City in the process of stabilising its finances.

Uys, however, didn’t respond to a request for comment on the assessment conducted by the local rating agency.

Sovereign Africa Ratings report said: “The City of Tshwane is assigned a long-term international scale issuer rating of CCC and national scale issuer rating of CCC+(za), and a short-term issuer rating of C both on international and national scale issuer ratings.”

It further noted that the stable outlook on the long-term rating indicates that the agency expects the City’s economic strengths to remain largely unchanged in the foreseeable future.

“The short-term ratings are primarily driven by the city's relatively weak debt and contingent liability profile, characterised by high levels of outstanding debt and an unstable revenue base. Additionally, the unstable liquidity position further weakens the short-term outlook, raising concerns about the City's immediate ability to meet its financial obligations,” the report said.

Of concern to the agency was the City's weak internal controls despite a recent improvement from an adverse to a qualified audit by the Auditor–General (AG) for 2022/23 financial year.

“These shortcomings hinder revenue collection, which in turn negatively impacts the city's financial base and liquidity,” it said.

The City, however, previously said the 2023 qualified audit report by the AG marked a step in the right direction for stabilising its finances.

Sovereign Africa Ratings’s report highlighted the City’s management and governance as being relatively weak due to instability attributed to coalition governance and with continued flouting of Municipal Finance Management Act policies and regulations.

Also highlighted in the report were the high costs and poor electricity service as among challenges causing Tshwane's unstable finances.

“Residents and businesses experience high electricity costs and unreliable service delivery, partly due to load shedding as well as outages due to infrastructure failure. This incentivises customers to find alternative solutions including going off-grid,” the report said.

One of the challenges emanated from the non-payment of municipal services said to create a cash flow shortage for the city.

The report said: “Tshwane, like many South African municipalities, has a poor track record of collecting fees for services rendered. This creates a vicious cycle where residents are less likely to pay if they believe services will be rendered in any case. Sovereign Africa Ratings has, however, noted the City’s initiatives to cut power for customers with high arrears.”

On a positive note, Sovereign Africa Ratings mentioned that Tshwane's budget shows signs of stability with some areas for improvement.

“Sovereign Africa Ratings considers the city's budgetary performance adequate. Operating expenditures are projected to increase steadily from R44.5 billion in 2023/24 to R52 billion in 2025/26. There was a slight surplus of R87.5 million in 2023/24, which is expected to continue in 2024/25,” according to the report.

Additionally, it noted that the City did well in terms of overall structure and financial transparency.

“This suggests that even if they are now experiencing debt and cash flow challenges, they have a sound strategy in place for handling their finances,” it said.

Pretoria News

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa is once again implicated in a tender for pals scandal.

While South Africans are fixated on the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet appointment, government has closed a three-year deal with telecoms giant MTN which will see about 257 municipalities digitised through the implementation of smart electricity and water technology across the country.

It is reported that MTN Business has been awarded a contact to roll out smart electricity and water technology. Ramaphosa is said to be in the forefront of this deal.

Municipalities believe this new tender is designed to take power from the municipalities and hand it to big business.

It is still not clear how much MTN would pocket from the deal.

The contract is said to be designed to ‘enhance the digitisation – through the implementation of smart electricity and water technology – across South Africa’s 257 municipalities. The RT29 transversal contract, awarded by National Treasury, will see MTN supply, install, manage and maintain smart metering programmes across the country. The project is said to be ‘severely imposed’ on municipalities.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has denied that Ramaphosa was linked to the MTN deal. “Other than the obvious legal and logical fact that the president cannot and does not have any operational involvement at MTN, such a process will not work under the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA),” Magwenya explained.

Even though, the presidents spokesperson acknowledged that Ramaphosa did have interest in telecoms, he was no longer part of it. “Historically, he was involved in the industry, which is a well-known public fact.”

However, Ramaphosa’s family, through Shanduka, had interests in the telecoms sector in South Africa and Nigeria. It also held a 32.7% interest in a cellphone tower building operation in Nigeria Helios Towers and 12.5% in Seacom, which constructs undersea cables.

Furthermore, He was also a chairperson of MTN Group, the majority owner of the Nigerian operation. He’s business entity Shanduka also purchased shares in MTN Nigeria.

According to the telecoms giant, this would bring “value and impact” to municipalities as well as unlocking the benefits of a modern connected life for households and businesses.

The company further said its initiative would bring various benefits to different stakeholders within the supply chain, and enhancing efficiency, accuracy and security, while, providing better data access for managing electricity usage which would lead to more accurate billing, improved outage restoration and power quality data.

“The integration of smart electricity and water technology across these municipalities will further solidify financial sustainability for municipalities by eliminating bypasses and ghost vending to ensure transparent and financially viable utility management.”

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) referred all questions to the Treasury, which did not respond by deadline.

Attempts to get MTN’s CEO Charles Molapisi and Company Executives Kholekile Ndamase were unsuccessful at the time of print.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

The decision to swear in disgraced former sports, arts and culture Minister Zizi Kodwa as an ANC Member of Parliament has heightened the curiosity on how he was arrested and charged for corruption.

The move has been frowned upon by political parties, civil society and some ordinary citizens.

Kodwa, together with 58 members of uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), will be sworn-in on Tuesday as part of Parliament’s 7th Administration.

Kodwa is a close ally to President Cyril Ramaphosa. It is still unclear what he did to find himself on the chopping board while his other comrades such as Nomvula Mokonyane, Gwede Mantashe, Malusi Gigaba and others were also fingered in the State Capture corruption saga, however, they have not been arrested or formally charged.

Earlier this month, Kodwa appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court, facing corruption charges involving R1.7 million where he was granted bail of R30 000. He later resigned from his ministerial position.

In his step-aside letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, Kodwa said he remained a committed and disciplined member of the party.

The step-aside rule is an internal policy of the ANC, which requires members charged with corruption or other serious crimes to voluntarily “step-aside” from participation in party and government activities, or face suspension.

Now Kodwa is making a comeback. Independent Media has in the past reported that the step-aside rule was engineered to get rid of former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

To date, other ANC members such as Gigaba, Mokonyane, Mantashe and others implicated in Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s State Capture corruption saga continue with their lives, they all survived the chop while Kodwa is facing the music alone. One can only wonder when the others will be arrested for alleged corruption involving Bosasa amongst others.

According to EWN, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) executive director Wayne Duvenage said Kodwa’s return to the National Assembly will be a hindrance in fighting corruption.

ActionSA said it condemned Kodwa’s return despite facing serious corruption charges for allegedly accepting a R1.7m bribe.

ActionSA Parliamentary Caucus Leader, Athol Trollip, said Kodwa was at Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court, facing charges stemming from evidence in the State of Capture Report, which accuses him of accepting a bribe in exchange for influencing the awarding of government contracts.

“Consequently, it is unthinkable that in any nation governed by the rule of law that an individual can simultaneously juggle courtroom appearances for breaking corruption laws while sitting in Parliament, shaping the country’s laws.

“As we await with bated breath the announcement of President Ramaphosa's cabinet, it is evident that yet another ‘new era’ promised in his inauguration speech is off to a rocky start, noting not just this matter but also the fact that the very MC of his inauguration, namely Nomvula Mokonyane, is herself implicated in the same State Capture Report for corruption,” Trollip said.

He said fundamentally, ActionSA believes that a corruption-free and prosperous South Africa is incompatible with the ANC, and any attempt to sell the half-baked renewal of the ANC by diluting their patronage through a so-called Government of National Unity (GNU) is an affront to the intelligence of South Africans.

“ActionSA calls on the ANC to, for once, act in the interest of the integrity of Parliament and remove him as a prospective MP, thereby ensuring that the former Minister has ample time for his court appearances and saving the South African taxpayer from the insult of footing the bill for such a tainted individual,” Trollip said.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Motsiri-Bhengu declined to comment.

Ordinary South Africans took to social media platform, X expressing their views on this.

“So reputation means nothing to the parliament? How is he even allowed to do that? He can’t be the only one who can do whatever his office does. Someone with a clean record can step in. This is a spit to the public,” wrote Melo Malebo.

“Some people in this country have a problem that Judge John Hlophe is going to Parliament as the presidential leader of the MKP, he’s facing no criminal charges. The very same people don’t see anything wrong that the ANC is taking this chap to Parliament, he’s facing graft charges,” wrote Ndlombango ka Tomase.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

The ANC has denied reports that it had agreed to the demands made by the Freedom Front Plus to have the ANC recognise the independence of the Afrikaner enclave Orania, in the Northern Cape.

This comes after numerous news reports suggesting that the ANC had agreed to the demands made by FF Plus as part of its agreement to form part of the ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU).

On Friday, the FF Plus became the seventh party to sign the Statement of Intent to become part of the GNU.

Last week, the working relationship which the FF Plus forged with the ANC in the Northern Cape, following the re-election of Zamani Saul as premier of the province, was seen as beneficial to the FF Plus and its quest to have Orania declared an independent state.

It was reported also that Orania’s right to self-determination would not be undermined by the ANC, as chairperson of the provincial committee on public accounts in the Northern Cape legislature.

On Friday, SABC News reported that FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald had confirmed that one of the party’s preconditions to negotiations with the ANC in joining GNU was the recognition of Orania, the Afrikaner nationalist town in the Northern Cape.

“A couple of weeks ago, we had discussions with the national level of the ANC. I explicitly asked about the Northern Cape and whether they have the authority to accept or not. And it was said to us ‘Yes’ they do have the authority to accept or not and they did accept,” Groenewald was quoted as saying.

“The agreement that we put forward in the Northern Cape was accepted. That agreement states, for instance, that all the documents and, for instance, court cases where they re-emphasise the fact that they recognise those actions taken and recognise the status of Orania.”

However, speaking to The Star on Sunday, ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said such reports were untrue.

“There is absolutely no truth in these reports. I was physically at that meeting the day before yesterday and the Freedom Front Plus made no such a demand as quoted by 702.

“Even if there was such a demand, the ANC would not have agreed to it as the Constitution is clear that South Africa is a unitary state,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.

The same reports were also denied by ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula earlier in the week.

On the issue of the GNU, Bhengu-Motsiri said President Cyril Ramaphosa would be making an announcement soon.

“We extended the invitation to all political parties and we can’t single out any parties. We now await the decision by the president on his appointment,” she said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Hennessy, the global cognac maker, has identified South Africa as its third largest market after the US and China, highlighting its strong performance in this region.

The reputable luxury brand has been present in South Africa since its first shipment in 1866 and has a strong global presence in 160 countries.

Laurent Boillot, the global president and CEO of Hennessy Cognac, spoke with The Star last week on his two-day visit to South Africa about the brand’s remarkable sales and its ongoing support of the cultural economy.

Boillot said since 2001, sales have been growing locally.

“South Africa has the largest volume in terms of achievements. It is performing well. I can now say that South Africa became our third-largest country in the world in terms of volume, which is quite an achievement. It's just after the US and China.”

On Hennessy being a recognisable brand, exuding class, and contributing to the cultural economy, he said: “It’s always about building the brand. We have been in activity since 1765, and what we do is a great product.”

The success and growth of the brand can also be attributed to the brand’s alignment with culture.

“We want to enter the local culture. The reason why we are very strong in the US is the culture we met back in the 19th century — the same in China. And that is what is happening in South Africa.

“It’s great to see that in the townships. What we hear now is that people aspire to drink Hennessy. It’s for the quality and what it’s representing — the batch for quality.

“Hennessy resonates with the hip-hop and amapiano cultures simply because we follow the culture.“

With the world moving towards living healthier a lot of people are increasingly moving towards cutting out alcohol consumption from their diets, “people are cutting down on alcohol and people are also loving alcohol. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of alcohol. It’s not always about drinking, but about (doing it) the right way.

“We are celebrating anything with alcohol. Moments in family, moments in business, gatherings. So there will always be these congenial moments, including with alcohol.

“At Hennessy, it’s not about quantity but quality because it’s about tasting something which is great. If you don’t like something strong, you can now co*cktail it.”

Regarding the NBA Africa and Basketball Africa League’s strategic alliances and sponsorships of local musicians and the sports industry, Boillot said as basketball is a distinct sport, it was simpler for them to do so because it fits with their brand.

“Basketball is unique. There is no soccer culture, no tennis culture. But there is basketball culture, which is about fashion, music, and gatherings. That’s where we are. There are billions of fans in the US and China. And now we are developing it here in Africa. We have painted two basketball courts thus far.”

The positioning of the brand globally, especially in South Africa, is due to the professionalism and “perfect execution” of the South African team.

“What I’m seeing here in South Africa is the best execution on the planet. To be true to what we have been doing — to our consumers, to the culture, to being there in the right moment — that’s the way we want to go. So we will amplify it — even more.“

The president spoke about the issue of counterfeit brands, including Hennessy, being sold.

“It has not affected our image or sales, but we are fighting against that.

“We can’t avoid all the fakes on the planet. Like many other big brands, people like to fake us. But we are determined to fight. The labelling has to be clear if it’s original or fake.”

The Star

mapaseka.mogotsi@inl.co.za

The reason the Democratic United Movement (UDM) joined the Government Of National Unity (GNU) was because it understood the terms and conditions set out in it, the party’s secretary-general Yongama Zigebe said on Sunday.

Zigebe told The Star that the party got the clarification it sought from the ANC following the letter it sent to the governing party seeking clarity on the GNU after the first invitation they received from the ANC.

“As you will recall, we wrote a letter on June 17, 2024, seeking clarity on certain elements of the statement of intent sent by the ANC.

“Following our meeting with the ANC on June 21, 2024, we received the necessary clarifications, as detailed in our response letter to the ANC SG,” he explained.

Zigebe, however, said the party’s decision to join the GNU should not be seen as reneging from its commitment to the Parliamentary Progressive Caucus.

He continued to say majority of political parties in the Progressive Caucus were in fact in support of the GNU.

“No, joining the GNU does not mean reneging on our commitment to the Progressive Caucus. No party from the Progressive Caucus opposed the GNU. Our primary concern was the lack of proper engagement and consultation.

“Some members were promised that an agreement or the statement of intent would be shared earlier in the week prior to the Friday National Assembly sitting, which did not happen.

“However, none of the parties are opposed to the GNU. In fact, we all believe that it represents the right kind of governance that South Africa needs, as reflected in the voice of the electorate,” UDM’s secretary General added.

He said that the UDM did not consult nor inform parties in the Progressive Caucus of its decision, adding that every party operated independently and carried its own mandate from the electorate.

“The Progressive Caucus we share similar ideologies. The UDM campaigned on a ticket of GNU as part of its manifesto. After the elections, we continued to make clarion call that all 18 political parties represented in Parliament to sit around the table and form part or this GNU.

“The ANC is also actively engaging with all political parties to join and sign the statement of intent to formalise the GNU.”

Political analyst Andre Duvenage said UDM joining the GNU made things more complicated since a number of other political parties came into play.

Duvenage said their inclusion brought nothing but complications inside the GNU founders.

“I understand the ANC’s strategy of bringing in as many as possible in order to undermine the influence of the main opposition which in this case was the Democratic Alliance (DA). The resistance we are picking up from the Helen Zille and others that the ANC did not follow the agreement,” he added.

Furthermore, the analyst said these could results in unstable coalition adding that the inclusion of these small parties was to support the ANC’s strong position against the DA.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

SOCCER REPORTER

RONWEN Williams became only the third goalkeeper in the history of the PSL to win the PSL Footballer of the Season award to cap a season that saw him help Mamelodi Sundowns to an almost invincible campaign.

Williams was a central figure in the Brazilians going unbeaten in their 29 league matches, only to lose to Cape Town City on the final match day of a season that saw Sundowns capturing a seventh successive Premiership title.

The goalkeeper, who also keeps goals for the country’s senior national team, was honoured in the 2023/24 PSL Awards last night – his victory seeing him emulate his mentor Andre Arendse as well as Itumeleng Khune, both of whom also wore the Bafana Bafana jersey.

Williams also took the Goalkeeper of the Season award on a night when Sundowns and Orlando Pirates rightly dominated. His teammate Grant Kekana was crowned Defender of the Season, while Rulani Mokwena duly took home the Coach of the Season accolade.

Runners-up in the league championship for a second season running, Pirates earned the most awards – eight – thanks to a season that saw them win two knockout competitions in the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup.

Their midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi shone brightest with three gongs – the DStv Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, DStv Premiership Midfielder of the Season, and Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament awards.

Tshegofatso Mabasa’s Lesley Manyathela Award for scoring the most goals in the season was long confirmed, with further delight for the Buccaneers in the scoring category coming in the form of Thabiso Lebitso taking the Goal of the Season awards for his strike against Kaizer Chiefs.

Relebohile Mofokeng joined in the party by lifting both the DStv Premiership Young Player of the Season and the Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player of the Tournament awards. And with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine capturing the MTN8 Last Man Standing award, it was an all round great awards evening for the Bucs.

Devin Titus of Stellenbosch FC earned the Carling Knockout Player of the Tournament award while Sikhumbuzo Gasa and Romario Phiri won the Assistant Referee and Referee of the Season awards respectively.

Prince Nxumalo of JDR Stars won the Motsepe Foundation Championship Golden Boot. In the DStv Diski Challenge categories, Ntando Nkosi of Mamelodi Sundowns was named the Player of the Season, while Thabang Mahlangu of SuperSport United was the Top Goalscorer.

A 36-year-old man is expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Monday for allegedly inciting public violence.

The man’s arrest follows his social media post in which he allegedly said “the country must be shut down, and the president must be removed”, which suggests harm against President Cyril Ramaphosa and inciting public violence.

The suspect was arrested by the Nelspruit-based Serious Organisation Crime Investigation along with Crime Intelligence for alleged contravention of section 17 of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1965.

Following a thorough investigation, he was further found allegedly in breach of section 14 of the Cybercrimes Act of 2020, which warns that “any person who discloses by means of an electronic communication, a data message to a person or group of persons, or the public in general with the intention to incite violence shall be guilty as charged”.

The acting provincial head of the Hawks, Brigadier Gregory Gaillard, applauded the swift arrest of the suspect. “As the Hawks, we shall protect the inhabitants of the Republic and arrest everyone who is acting against the law, without fear or favour,” said Gaillard.

The accused remains detained, pending his first court appearance.

The Star

hope.hlophe@inl.co.za

On Saturday, during a panel discussion on the country’s 30 years of democracy as part of “We the Purple” exhibition held at the Unisa Art Gallery, controversy-prone visual artist, Ayanda Mabulu, called out white people and other institutions for sucking the creative talents of black artists.

Mabulu, who in 2017 caught media attention due to his descriptive portrayal of former president Jacob Zuma’s genitalia, said he chooses to cease being an artist while white people continue to control the industry.

“I cease to be an artist as long as white people continue to suck the blood of black artists and their creativity.

“It is these institutions that teach how to speak and how to create and so, we miss things because we use their accent and language to articulate our struggle.

“We are forced to conform and speak to the agenda of the day and this has nothing to do with style. But it’s in the hands of white people and ... and we still come here and they treat us like spiritual slaves,“ he said.

Mabulu said artists like himself who speak out against issues are blackballed by the industry.

“It’s so important that we speak because if we do not speak, our hands will continue being tied up by white people. It is disappointing that our works are in the hands of white people who treat us like creative and spiritual monkeys,“ he said.

However, many disagreed with Mabulu’s divisive comments, with art critic Percy Mabandu and Blessing Ngobeni indicating that South African art has a role to play in furthering the country’s democratic ideals.

Ngobeni said through his art career, he ensures that he ploughs back into the community and industry and uses his voice as an artists to tackle social issues.

“I will continue to use my craft as an instrument of change and it might be more individual, but buying land and investing in young artists is my way of trying to change the landscape,” he said.

The exhibition, titled “We the Purple”, is currently showcasing selected artworks by artists such as Mary Sibande, Talia Ramikwalan, Tracey Rose, Nkhensani Rihlampfu, Tony Gum, Ruth Motau, Stephanie Conradie, Lefifi Tladi, Marianne Podlashuk, Tommy Motswai, Jodi Bieber, and Berni Searle.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Former Western Cape judge president and uMkhonto weSizwe Party leader to Parliament, John Hlophe, has called for the country’s legal system to be overhauled.

Hlophe, who delivered his keynote address at the launch of the African Legal Professionals Association in Durban on Saturday, said the country’s legal system does not reflect the traditions, values and ethos of its people.

Hlophe, who revealed that he has been meeting with Jacob Zuma following his recent appointment by the MK Party to be its leader in the National Assembly, added that more needs to be done to unite South Africans; he would be doing the same when he finally takes on his new role as leader of the opposition in Parliament, he said.

“No, I am not hiding it. I have just had a meeting with uBaba (president Zuma). I was here to meet him because the MK Party is currently not represented in Parliament and told him I agree that we should go to Parliament. I am happy to say, this coming on Tuesday, I will be sworn in among 58 of us who will represent the MK Party as leader of the opposition in Parliament.

“Our task is to unite black people. That would be my job in the National Assembly. Our leader has already been engaging with other political parties, including EFF leader Julius Malema,” he said.

Hlophe’s appointment comes after he was impeached earlier this year, after Parliament voted in favour of the motion to remove him as the judge president of the Western Cape after 305 members voted in support of his impeachment while 25 voted against his removal.

During his address, Hlophe preached unity among South Africans, saying there has to be unity among tribes to build on the solid foundations of the past.

“We used to live in harmony. We intermarried and lived in harmony. Zulus and Xhosa used to intermarry which is why we have amaBhaca in parts of Mount Frere, Mount Ayliff and other parts of the country, yet today we are fighting for positions.

“As a result of colonisation, the white man came to impose his own culture and legal system on us. Result of which, our legal system reflects the white men and what he imposed and forced down our throats. Now we need to Africanise our legal system,” he said.

Hlophe’s address at the weekend comes just when his appointment as an impeached member of the justice system has elicited calls for him to be barred from being an MP.

However, various analysts have said there is no law preventing him from taking up his new position in the National Assembly.

Speaking on ‘Newzroom Afrika’ on Sunday, independent elections analyst Michael Atkins said there is no law that prevents Hlophe to be a Member of Parliament.

“There will be no direct barrier to Mr Hlophe being a Member of Parliament. This would require a constitutional amendment.

“This process would require a two-thirds majority to approve such a decision. It seems unlikely that a new Government of National Unity would be able to pull that off. It is a subjective matter and as the law stands, there is no reason from a constitutional point of view why Hlophe should not be a Member of Parliament,” Atkins said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Johannesburg power utility, City Power, has filed an appeal against a court decision ordering it to pay more than R1 billion to Eskom.

This comes after the ruling in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, on Thursday after Eskom approached the court on an urgent basis last month in a bid to recover outstanding payments for services since October last year.

City Power has accused the power utility of over-billing it to the amount of R3.4bn. However, the court on Thursday ruled against City Power and ordered it to pay R1.073bn to Eskom.

Last month, Eskom said that from March last year City Power’s debt had swelled to more than R1.073bn.

In a statement, City Power spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, said there were critical aspects that were not accounted fully in the court ruling.

“While we accept and respect the court’s decision, the city reserves the right to appeal the ruling.

“It should be highlighted that despite City Power’s efforts to engage in mediation and exhaust all Inter-Governmental Relations (IGR) dispute resolution processes to resolve the matter, Eskom bypassed these avenues and rushed to court to seek a resolution.

“It is equally crucial to highlight that Eskom currently owes City Power a substantial amount of R3.4bn, underscoring the complexity of the dispute and the necessity for a comprehensive and fair resolution process,” he said.

At the weekend, IOL reported that the City of Joburg and its power utility, City Power, were ordered to pay Eskom R1.073bn plus interest for unpaid services.

According to reports, in its attempts to get away with the bill, the city submitted its own counter claim of R3.4bn, saying it was part of an over-billing error.

On Friday, Eskom Gauteng spokesperson Amanda Qithi welcomed the judgment, saying: “The matter was heard on June 4 with the total owed to Eskom being R3.4bn.

“In response to our claim, the city brought a counter-claim, alleging potential over-billing and that as a result, it has applied for automatic set-off against (the) Eskom account.

“However, the court dismissed the city’s counter-claim with costs. We have written to COJ, requesting the payment of the full amount of R3.4bn by June 21 (Friday),” she said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

The first episode of ‘Born Into Fame’ premiered on Showmax, giving viewers a front-row seat into the lives of young local stars with famous parents as they navigate their own paths and achieve success.

The star-studded cast includes AJ Mafokate and Owami Mafokate, who are both Arthur Mafokate’s children; Phila Madlingozi, who is the son of Ringo Madlingozi; Robbie Malinga Jr, who is the son of the late Robbie Malinga; Shamiso Mosaka, who is Azania Mosaka’s daughter; and last but not least, Tank The Rockstar, who is DJ Tira’s son.

Malinga Jr shares interesting details on being born into fame, its privileges and disadvantages.

“I would describe being born into fame as a privilege because it is not a norm, it is a blessing, and it is something that can help you spread light and reach your full potential.

“There are many privileges to being born into fame. For example, my father was famous, and all that has been great is something I am able to leverage from his success.

“Let’s say I need to do something. There are contacts that he may have made that I can use, so it is easier for me to connect with people because they know him.

“I think the biggest disadvantage is getting excessive attention from the public eye. Even when it is not needed, there is always someone looking at you and your life. You become very recognisable, so you don’t have a lot of time when you can just have downtime.”

Asked if he had any regrets while shooting the show, he said: “Absolutely no regrets; I had so much fun shooting the show. It reminded me of how comfortable I am in my own skin. It was a nice experience for me, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me, where I can do more and be myself. I am always free and raw, and that is how people will relate to me.”

Malinga encouraged viewers to watch the programme further, stating that it is uncensored and will provide a diverse viewpoint for a large number of viewers.

“People should watch to see a raw version of what our lives are like. The show is all raw, and for me personally, I showed up as myself, a regular person who is down to earth, so if people want to see a different perspective, they should watch. It’s also just a very entertaining show with different characters.”

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) president, Simon Nemutandani, has allegedly been recalled from council by the Medical and Dental Professions Board (MDPB) after being accused of corruption.

Nemutandani is fingered in alleged corruption including misusing the body’s credit card by dining in fine restaurants, ordering expensive food and also buying from fast food outlets.

According to a source, in two years, he spent about R120000. It is also alleged that Nemutandani had been unlawfully claiming allowance for attending HPCSA board and subcommittee meetings while earning his full salary at his current job.

“The president has been suspended and now he is an ordinary member. He is currently being prosecuted for alleged misconduct as recommended by the forensic report which he refuses to co-operate with. He has allegedly been abusing the body’s credit card by purchasing food. Even after he’s been charged, he has been claiming while he is not supposed to,” said a high-ranking HPCSA source close to Nemutandani.

The source said: “There are allegations he is still claiming although there is a pending disciplinary matter against him.”

HPCSA spokesperson Priscilla Sekhonyana said the institution notes the media enquiry on the MDBP recalling one of its representatives from council.

“This matter will be deliberated at the forthcoming council meeting. As such, the HPCSA is unable to comment in respect of this matter at this stage pending the meeting,” said Sekhonyana.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has been complaining about the alleged misconduct by Nemutandani. When “The Star” asked whether Nehawu knew about the recall, it said it was awaiting outcomes of the board meeting which has been convened for two days commencing on Friday.

“As Nehawu, we have on numerous occasions raised our concerns to the council about the conduct of the president of HPCSA and called for an investigation into the issues we have raised,” said Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi.

When it comes to allegations about abusing an HPCSA credit card, Nkolonzi said the union alerted the council about misuse of resources of the institution by the president of HPCSA.

“We reported the matter to the council,” he said.

Nkolonzi said: “As Nehawu, we raised the issue that the President of HPCSA has been claiming unlawfully from the institution against the policy directive that those that are appointed by state to the council should not claim when doing work of the institution.”

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

As former SAA chairperson Duduzile Cynthia Memela Myeni was laid to rest at the Ngu Sports and Leisure Centre in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu Natal, many people remembered her for her strength of character and unshakeable spirit.

Politicians including Jacob Zuma and Ace Magashule were among those who paid their final respects, as on different platformsothers hailed Myeni as one of the brave people who had led fearlessly. The announcement of her deathwas made on social media by the Jacob G. Zuma Foundation, whose chairperson she had been.

“The foundation confirms with a heavy heart that its chairperson, Dudu Myeni, passed away on Friday night. The family is still dealing with these sad developments and will not be entertaining any media inquiries. The foundation is requesting the media respect the family position,” said spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi.

Heartfelt tributes from individuals who have continued to remember Myeni for her impermeable spirit and ability to inspire others to fight fearlessly have also flooded social media.

Among those who praised Myeni on X were Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama, who remembered her bravery and decisiveness.

“We are in pain! What a loss! Commander Dudu Myeni is the nemesis of Stellenbosch. Warrior! Guerrilla. Progressive black manager. Our RET force. Tactician. Brave. Decisive. You will be greatly missed, dear comrade and friend. You showed us how to lead without fear. RIP, dear leader.”

Zanele Lwana, the deputy president of BLF, said she would always be appreciative of their friendship.

“My dearest Comrade, Mme. Dudu Myeni, I am so broken to learn about your passing. You were such a beautiful human. We had such a blessed relationship that I will always be grateful for. In the politics we are engaged in, I have a mother in you, Qhawekazi! Rest in power! My Leader.”

X user @NShezi emphasised how she defended herself against criticism and stated he did not regret standing behind her. “Farewell to Mkabayi uqobo Mon Dudu Myeni. This woman was attacked and lynched, but she stood her ground. She never sold umzabalazo. I don’t regret having supported her. Lala Ngoxolo is commander of the RER forces.”

Echoing @NShezi’s comments, another user, @sheabutterhun, talked about how she fought back while she was being vilified.

“Dudu Myeni faced abuse for blocking Pravin Gordhan’s attempt to sell SAA for R51. The media and EFF attacked her character and called her names, just as they did to Brian Molefe and Matshela Koko. Molefe and Koko were later vindicated; it’s sad she never got that opportunity. She fought. May she rest in power.”

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

“Andizi!!” These were the sentiments shared by both EFF leader Julius Malema and African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyolethu Zungula.

Zungula told ‘The Star’ on Saturday that his organisation was not going to be a party to something that did not have a programme of action.

He said the ANC’s Statement of Intent meant nothing without a proper explanation on what direction they were headed to.

“The ATM cannot participate in an arrangement where there is no programme of action, where there are no agreed upon principles and priorities.

“The Statement of Intent is not enough, they need to go further than that and produce a comprehensive programme of action which will highlight government priorities.

“Therefore, we have no intentions of turning our back on the Progressive Caucus. In fact it’s the Progressive Caucus that will keep engaging progressive parties to join us and collaborate on progressive legislative issues,” Zungula said.

For the first time in a democratic South Africa, the ATM leader said, there was a formal caucus of progressive parties that have pledged to collaborate not only on common legislative issues but also on holding the executive accountable, and that the ATM believed it would succeed.

Meanwhile, Malema stuck to his party’s conviction that they would not participate in the GNU for as long as organisation such as the DA and Freedom Front Plus were part of the GNU.

“We have made it clear that for us to participate, the DA and FF+ cannot be involved, and we insist on RDP houses in Orania,” he added.

On the question of whether he thinks the UDM sold out, Zungula said the UDM was an independent political party which was free to join the ANC-DA coalition if they so wished.

“It’s not a question of selling out. The nature of the Progressive Caucus is to bring together progressive political parties to work together on common legislative issues. So the question of selling out does not necessarily arise at least in the immediate.”

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

The DA is set to have locked its eyes on the most powerful position in Cabinet – the minister in the Presidency.

Should the party gets this position, it would have control of the now moved portfolio in the office of the President – the State Security, which controls, monitors and provides the state with domestic and foreign threats.

This position would be occupied by the DA leader John Steenhuisen as the party’s federal chairperson Helen Zille had hinted.

During an interview with Clement Manyathela on 702 last week, Zille said the minister in the Presidency would be a reasonable position for Steenhuisen as they were not vying for the president or the deputy president position.

The DA leader would be responsible for several key entities, such as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics South Africa, the Government Communication and Information System, the Media Development and Diversity Agency, Brand South Africa, and the State Security Agency.

Zille also hinted that although it is not a ministerial position, the DA is eyeing the leader of government business.

During the president’s inauguration, the party’s senior member Siviwe Gwarube emphasised the party’s position on wanting to secure a position that would make sure that they created jobs, bringing the economy into order and also ensuring that it delivered on the DA’s key promises of lifting people out of poverty, and resolving the energy crisis.

“We are honestly looking at resolving the water crisis and stopping the violent crime we are seeing in our communities and that is what we seek to do and achieve in the national government,” Gwarube said at the time.

As things stand, the Statement of Intent seen making rounds on social media signed by both the ANC and DA saw it clinch deputy speaker of Parliament position.

Even though the alliance between the ANC and DA seems to be forging ahead, it has left a bitter taste in the mouths of some senior members.

Such a leader was former ANC Youth League leader Andile Lungisa, who shunned the inauguration as a protest against the DA/ANC “marriage”.

Lungisa said he couldn’t be around the company of individuals whose “political consciousness” had escaped them.

He said he would rather stay at his home village and milk his father’s cows than be seen working with the DA.

Lungisa said his political conscience as a Pan-Africanist came first and anything and everything else followed.

All eyes will be on President Cyril Ramaphosa this week as he is expected to announce the composition of the seventh administration’s Cabinet after a rigorous engagement he had with Government of National Unity founders and partners.

The ANC, along with the DA, IFP, PA and other smaller parties supported Ramaphosa’s nomination and election as president in Parliament on June 14.

As a result, they are expected to be “rewarded” with Cabinet appointments.

The Star

sipho.jack@inl.co.za

The ANC has welcomed the 10 political parties that have since joined and signed an agreement to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) for the seventh administration.

The UDM, which had initially rejected to join the pact, became one of the parties which at the weekend announced its decision to join the coalition that also includes the DA, Al Jama-ah, IFP, GOOD Party, FF+ and others.

The ANC has described this agreement as historic as the GNU now has secured over 70% of the vote.

However, the ruling party, which lost its share of the majority vote in the elections, said all parties intending to join the GNU will be subject to clause 24 of the statement of intent that says parties already in the GNU must agree before other parties are allowed to join.

The ANC, through its spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, indicated that Ramaphosa will announce his new Cabinet in the coming days, adding: “Any further parties wishing to join the GNU will be subject to clause 24 of the statement of intent which states that, ‘in keeping with the spirit of an inclusive GNU, it is agreed that the composition shall be discussed and agreed among the existing parties, whenever new parties desire to be part of the GNU’,” she said.

At the weekend, Rise Mzansi became the ninth party to join GNU, with its leader, Songezo Zibi, saying it had decided to join in on the ANC/DA-led multiparty government following a recent leadership meeting.

“Since June 9, 2024, Rise Mzansi has been consulting various political parties and stakeholders to inform our decisions on how best to participate in shaping South Africa’s future in a changed political environment.

“In essence, these discussions have involved whether or not to participate in the proposed Government of National Unity and national dialogue, and the implications of either choice.

“On Friday, the Rise Mzansi national leadership collective met to discuss a final approach to the Government of National Unity. The sitting of the national leadership collective followed our initial approach, which was to ensure that the first sitting of the National Assembly elected a speaker, deputy speaker and president to ensure constitutional, democratic and social stability,” he said.

The Star

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

Travel has many associated costs beyond accommodation and flight tickets. Embarking on a journey without travel insurance could land you in more financial stress than originally intended quickly putting a damper on any future travel plans.

According to Linah Mabena, the chief executive at Standard Bank Insurance Brokers, those travelling outside of the country should always be cognisant of these expenses and put measures in place to protect themselves.

“While travel insurance might not be top of mind when putting together your vacation checklist as it may not seem necessary, a comprehensive travel insurance plan can quite literally be a life saver,” said Mabena.

Here are the top reasons why the insurance expert believes that travellers should consider cover for their next voyage.

Prevent financial losses

According to Mabena, one of the biggest reasons why travel insurance is important, is that it can help prevent financial loss for the traveller.

“The last thing you need is to be burdened with financial losses arising from a medical emergency, trip cancellation or delays and lost luggage while travelling,” said Mabena.

Cover mishaps

She noted that since life has its own twists and turns at the best and worst of times, it’s crucial to be always on guard by taking out travel insurance that will cover you against mishaps that can ruin a good holiday.

“A dream vacation can quickly turn into a nightmare without a safety net to fend off emergency scenarios,” added Mabena.

Medical expenses

The insurance expert noted that a travellers health is important and data from the Travel Index shows that 73% of payouts for all Bryte insurance claims are attributed to medical expenses ranging from hundreds of thousands of rand to several million.

She said that travel insurance could cover essentials like hospitalisation and related medical costs, as well as a possible emergency evacuation.

“One should also be aware of their age, physical condition and destination as this might have an impact on travel insurance and any additional extras that might be needed to the plan,” advised Mabena.

Back up for risky activities

She also said that in light of young globe trotters and individuals ticking off activities from their bucket lists, travel insurance also needs to match the risks associated with planned activities.

“Island hopping, adventure sports, music festivals, and even business activities all have their own set of risks that may not be adequately covered under a generic travel insurance plan,” said Mabena.

Unforeseen circ*mstances

And finally, the insurance expert said that it is advisable that travellers interrogate their travel insurance plans so that they are adequately covered for any unforeseen circ*mstances that could happen, including climate-change risks.

For example, when wildfires broke out near popular resorts in Greece, the biggest ever evacuation had to be orchestrated. Mabena noted almost 20 000 people, most of whom were tourists staying at a hotel, were moved to safety as fires swept through.

“With all travel plans, whether domestic or international, it is essential to be prepared. Travellers should educate themselves on what makes up the best comprehensive travel insurance cover and speak to their insurance broker to get the best possible cover for travel insurance,” she said.

Africa has come a long way when it comes to gay-friendly rights and policies. With 22 of 55 countries legalising same-sex relationships, the continent does have safe places for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to explore.

There is a global trend toward the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people and decriminalising same-sex relations. However, there will always be people who are intolerant of or prejudiced against gay people in Africa just as anywhere else in the world.

It requires proper planning and research for LGBTQIA+ travel to be safe and comfortable.

For instance, Cape Town is the gay capital of South Africa while Réunion was rated the safest travel destination in Africa for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, according to a 2023 ranking.

Exploring the continent is possible as a member of the gay community and, in honour of Pride Month, celebrated in June, here are some highly recommended African destinations to explore:

Culture and gastronomy (South Africa)

South Africa has plenty of gay-friendly destination to visit. All the major cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban are safe for LGBTQIA+ travellers.

Standing a cut above the rest is the Cape Winelands. This is a year-round destination, best known for being home to South Africa's top wine farms and fine dining restaurants.

It’s where top chefs battle it out to get a corner restaurant, the top South African wine is produced, and the region has breathtaking valleys ready and waiting to be explored. The best part about the Winelands is that they are in the Western Cape and you can rest assured that it's very welcoming.

In fact, this is where the gay community often congregate to show off their finest attire, spill the tea, peruse the galleries and markets, and indulge in award-winning wine and cuisine.

Beach and snorkelling adventures (Mauritius)

Mauritius is an island of sheer perfection and the island is famous for being a lover’s paradise. The island is perfect for those looking to beach comb and explore the warm Indian Ocean waters surrounding the island.

Expect to kick back on the beach, explore rain forests, local crocodile farms, botanical gardens and volcanoes or snorkelling.

Though the island does not recognise same-sex marriage in a court of law, LGBTQIA+ residents are protected against discrimination in some cases, such as employment.

The island’s population is becoming more and more welcoming towards LGBTQIA+ travellers.

Out of this world desert adventure (Namibia)

For LGBTQIA+ travellers looking for surreal beauty, Namibia offers these burnt-sienna desert landscapes that will make you feel like you’ve landed on Mars, and the vast, desolate landscape will bring your soul solace like nothing else on Earth.

In Namibia, discrimination based on sexual orientation is not illegal. However, the general public is very accepting when compared to other African countries.

Various local LGBTQIA+ groups are fighting for more rights. However, if you travel to the right destinations with gay-friendly service providers, you will have an experience of a lifetime.

All-encompassing safari adventure (Botswana)

Botswana is an underrated safari destination offering both land and river safaris. From the Chobe River to the puzzling water wonderland of the Okavango Delta, the weird and wonderful wild destination deserves your attention.

From nature walks, boat cruises, game drives and mokoro (dug-out canoe) safaris, you’ll get to see this paradise from every vantage point.

When it comes to Bostwana's legislation, hom*osexuality was legal as of 2019. They even have some discrimination protection in place for LGBTQIA+ residents.

Although they only recently legalised hom*osexuality, Botswana and especially the Okavango Delta have been and continue to be, very gay-friendly tourist destination.

See one of the seven wonders of the world (Zimbabwe)

Although hom*osexuality is illegal in both Zimbabwe and Zambia, the Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya are gay-friendly.

Victoria Falls and its lodges are and have been a haven frequented by gay travellers for many years now.

There is plenty in the region to do including sunset river cruises on the mighty Zambezi, safari adventures at national parks and swimming to Devil’s or Angel’s Pool depending on the season.

Regardless of the law, locals' attitude towards tourists is generally welcoming.

Seafood and beach adventures (Mozambique)

The good news is that Mozambique is one of the most gay-friendly nations in Africa.

Although residents still face some discrimination challenges and same-sex marriage is not recognised, tourists can freely express their love as same-sex sexual activity was legalised in June 2015.

∎ This list was sourced from Out2Africa.com

The United Arab Emirates remains the top destination for the world’s wealthy individuals.

According to the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2024, the UAE looks set to take first place as the world’s leading wealth magnet for the third year running, with a record-breaking 6 700 moneyed migrants expected to make the Emirates their home by the end of the year.

The report revealed that the UAE’s numbers were significantly boosted by large inflows from the United Kingdom and Europe, with the UK expected to see an unprecedented net loss of 9 500 millionaires in 2024, second only to China worldwide, and more than double the 4 200 who left the country last year.

According to the report, approximately 128 000 of the world’s millionaires are projected to migrate to a new country in 2024, with the UAE and the USA topping the list of destinations.

“Millionaire migration figures are an important overall indicator of the health of an economy, especially on the outflow side.

“For instance, if a country is losing large numbers of millionaires to migration, it is probably due to serious problems in that country. It can also be a negative sign for the future, as wealthy people are often the first to leave,” said the report.

The countries set to see an inflow of high net worth individuals with liquid investable wealth of USD 1 million or more include: UAE (6700), United State of America (3800), Singapore (3500), Canada (3200), Australia (2500), Italy (2200), Switzerland (1500), Greece (1200), Portugal (800) and Japan (400).

Henley & Partners said the reasons behind wealthy families migrating include, safety and security, financial concerns, taxes and retirement, work and business opportunities, lifestyle factors, including climate, nature, and scenery, schooling and education opportunities for their children, healthcare system and the standard of living.

“Nine of the Top 10 countries attracting the most millionaires in 2024 have formal investment migration programs and actively encourage foreign direct investment in return for residence or citizenship rights,” said the immigration specialist.

Commenting on millionaire migration, Dominic Volek, the Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, said that this year was shaping up to be a watershed moment in the global migration of wealth.

“As the world grapples with a perfect storm of geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and social upheaval, millionaires are voting with their feet in record numbers, seeking greener pastures and safer harbours for their assets and family interests,” said Volek.

He noted that the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, far from being isolated and contained battlegrounds, had drawn in major world powers, and were threatening to escalate into broader regional and possibly even global conflagrations.

“As these moneyed migrants take flight, they carry with them not just their fortunes, but also their expertise, networks, and dynamism which has a direct impact on the economic vitality of any country,” he said.

Gen Z is one generation that continues to shock the masses, from their fashion sense – thrifting clothes – to their lingo, their instant technology adaptation and their spending habits.

Franchise principal and financial adviser at Consult by Momentum, Marnus Mostert, pointed out that millennials and Gen Z approach money way too differently.

Born between 1981 and 1996 during economic turbulence, millennials have cautious spending habits, where they are inclined towards saving money and long-term investing, such as house bonds and bank investments. Millennials strive for financial stability and security.

“While they were trying to get a foothold in adulthood, the world’s financial systems collapsed around them, taking with it the housing market. This instilled a sense of financial insecurity, as the safety nets millennials were told to expect in life – job security, trustworthy banks – evaporated. That’s why this generation tends to prioritise financial stability, often using budgeting apps, tracking expenses, and investing in retirement savings through vehicles like retirement annuities and tax-free savings accounts.

“Additionally, the rise of the gig economy has pushed many millennials to seek multiple income streams, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and a careful approach to debt management,” said Mostert.

Meanwhile, Mostert indicated that Gen Z are impulsive buyers and seek instant gratification, and as they are fintech inclined, they easily manoeuvre banking apps and online currency.

Mostert added that Gen Z individuals focus their spending on short-term investment, such as buying gadgets, vacations and getting an education.

Although their acumen towards technology is admirable, Mostert emphasised that Gen Z needs to curb their spending habits by long-term investing and taking financial decisions to ensure financial stability.

“They are more inclined to spend on immediate needs and desires, reflecting their preference for short-term rewards. However, Gen Z needs to work on balancing their preference for instant gratification with long-term financial planning.

“While their embrace of technology and innovation in finance is commendable, it can sometimes lead to impulsive spending and inadequate preparation for future financial needs. Developing a stronger focus on long-term savings and investments and understanding the importance of financial buffers would help them build more robust financial security,” said Mostert.

For financial security, Mostert advised Gen Z to control their impulsive buying. Instead, they must strike a balance between long- and short-term investment, seek out a certified financial adviser and build an emergency fund.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za