Table of contents for Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in Post

SOLOMON LAZARUS OUT ON BAIL Ex-crime intelligence boss gets leave to appeal JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za SOLOMON Lazarus, the former chief financial officer of Crime Intelligence, has been granted leave to appeal against his 10-year sentence for using state funds to buy vehicles for himself and his children. Four vehicles amounting to almost R238 000 were purchased. These include a R55 000 Kia Picanto for his daughter, a R27 432 Honda CBR motorbike for his son, a Nissan Murano 3.5I v6 4X4 CVT and a Honda ATV for himself. Magistrate Adrian Bekker, sitting in the Pretoria Regional Court, found Lazarus, formerly of Durban, guilty of corruption and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment. Lazarus, 57, has however chosen to appeal against his conviction and sentence. He was subsequently granted leave to…

TECHNOLOGY Engineer triumphs in traditionally male field THANDEKA MGQIBI thandeka.mgqibi@inl.co.za KEROSHA Naidu, a BTech electrical engineering (instrumental and control) student, has graduated cum laude. Although she would have liked to attend her graduation, Naidu said she understood that the well-being of people was more important during the Covid-19 pandemic. Naidu said she was grateful to God for the achievement. “I feel like I won a giant prize. It’s a great feeling when you aim high and maintain the standard that you have set for yourself,” said Naidu. “I dedicate this achievement to my mother, Vanilla, who is my biggest motivator.” Naidu, 27, of Chatsworth, said she chose electrical engineering because she liked being challenged, and enjoyed programming and fixing things. She said automation fascinated her and she wanted to be…

CHILD TO BE REUNITED WITH MATERNAL FAMILY Judge calls rapist ‘arrogant’ and ‘narcissistic’ JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za THE Verulam child who was used as a sex slave by her stepfather is expected to reunite with her maternal family. This was after her 45-year-old stepfather was found guilty of multiple counts of sexual crimes, including repeatedly raping the child over 18 months. The stepfather initially faced 56 counts. These were brought down to 36 after the defence disputed the duplication of charges in closing arguments. Of the 36 counts, the accused was found guilty of 33 counts by Judge Mohini Moodley in the Durban High Court on Friday. These include multiple counts of rape, sexual grooming of a child, using a child for pornography, possession and distribution of child pornography, human trafficking,…

THEY LEAVE BEHIND TWO DAUGHTERS Phoenix couple killed in crash CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za A PHOENIX couple who were killed in a car crash were buried this week. Preshan Ramesh, 31, and his wife, Samantha, 28, were buried side by side at the Mount Edgecombe cemetery days before what would have been their 9th wedding anniversary. His sister, Leshna Nagayan, said the couple were returning home from the Durban CBD on December 5. “They were seated in the back seat of a VW Polo. Samantha’s cousin was seated in the front passenger seat, and his friend was driving. From what we understand, the vehicle was in the vicinity of Smith (Anton Lembede) Street when another (vehicle) crashed into the back of the car.” Nagayan said the VW Polo spun, throwing the…

GROUP LEADER WINS LEGENDS AWARD Nagara, the gift that kept on giving CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za Supplied SANJOO Kelavan, the leader of the nagara band Flash Entertainers, has received the 2020 Traditional Legends award. The Satma (South African Traditional Music Achievement) award was presented to him at an event in the Mbombela Conference Centre in Mpumalanga by the Department of Arts and Culture. “In October, the group won a Satma award for best album. Last week, I received an invitation to attend another ceremony in Mpumalanga. When my wife and I arrived at the venue, we were taken to the VIP seats and I was told that I was nominated for a traditional legends award,” said Kelavan, 47, of Verulam. “When I was announced as the winner, I was surprised. One…

NEW ARRIVAL Ambanis welcome first grandchild MUKESH and Nita Ambani last Thursday announced that they had become grandparents for the first time. Their son, Akash, and daughter-in-law, Shloka, have had a baby boy. “With the grace and blessings of Lord Krishna, Shloka and Akash Ambani became proud parents of a baby boy today in Mumbai,” the Ambani family said in a brief statement. Shloka (Mehta) and Akash were married at in Mumbai on March 9, last year, with the who’s who from the world of business, politics, Bollywood and cricket along with international celebs attending. “Nita and Mukesh Ambani are delighted to have become grandparents for the first time, as they welcome the great-grandson of Dhirubhai and Kokilaben Ambani,” the family said. “Shloka and Akash Ambani became proud parents of…

ACCOMPLISHED WRITER Beloved professor gone too soon LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.goldstone@inl.co.za TRIBUTES continue to pour in for Professor Kriben Pillay, who died at the weekend after a sudden illness. Pillay's wife, Professor Uma Maheshvari Naidu, said: “This feels utterly surreal. But I’m reminded by how he defined illusion, as not that which is not true, but rather, as that which we fail to see for what it truly is. So this death is deeply painful, but perhaps one of life’s illusions. “It is a seamless movement of our precious Kriben from beautiful human being to beautiful Being. I have not yet grasped the size and depth of the hole he leaves behind. He will remain my one and only love.” His daughter, Siddarthiya, said: “I think the lesson I will remember…

SUCCESS DEPENDS ON PUBLIC TRUST Sars-CoV-2 vaccines will have side effects MATTHEW WOODRUFF IN 2021, hundreds of millions of people will be vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2. The success of that Covid-19 vaccination campaign will heavily depend on public trust that the vaccines are not only effective, but also safe. To build that trust, the medical and scientific communities have a responsibility to engage in difficult discussions with the public about the significant fraction of people who will experience temporary side effects from these vaccines. I am an immunologist who studies the fundamentals of immune responses to vaccination, so part of that responsibility falls on me. Simply put, receiving these vaccines will likely make a whole lot of people feel crappy for a few days. That’s probably a good thing, and it’s…

Stop race classification, we are Africans LIKE him or not, Madhevan Moodley, or his stage name Karou Charou (KC), has ignited a debate about the identity of Indians in South Africa. From my discussion with friends and supporters there is some consensus that this is true in many respects. KC has called on Indians to boycott malls and casinos as a protest against discrimination and marginalisation in South Africa. We have an identity crisis and to grasp this better, we must go back a little into our history. If we want to build this country and unite South Africans, we must first understand who created and why racial divisions still exist in South Africa. The title “Indian” was given to us by the apartheid government to put us into compartments…

No unity among Indians THE article, "Racist and dangerous" (the POST, December 2-6), refers. Anti-apartheid stalwarts seem to be unable to differentiate between what is racist and what is not in South Africa today. First, the Natal Indian Congress was sold out to the ANC. I challenge these stalwarts, or any academic (to acknowledge that) their founding father Mahatma Gandhi was racist. He called black people the “K” word. These so-called stalwarts, now in modern day democratic South Africa, are following Gandhi, whose statue at the University of Ghana was removed. Any person in South Africa has the right to be active and campaign how they want. They have the right to a political affiliation or to start their own movement. Why are these so-called anti-apartheid stalwarts trying to slander…

Treat women with respect THE UN-led 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence has fallen on deaf ears as the killing of women and children continues. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a violation of human rights. It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. During 2017, about 87 000 women were killed worldwide. In South Africa, a woman is killed every three hours and many are assaulted and raped before their deaths. Their harrowing ordeals are untold, unseen and unheard and many perpetrators have been able to get away with their crimes. Investigative disciplinary mechanisms must be implemented for those who commit GBV. Society must wrap our beloved women in the healing garments of reverence and respect. FAROUK ARAIE Benoni…

HELP COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS The gift of giving POST REPORTER Pexels.com THIS has been a year of many things with the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in rolling hardships related to its impact on our economy, mass job losses and, for many charitable organisations, a loss of support. If you’re still mulling over what to give your family and friends this Christmas, consider offering a gift to community organisations in their name. Many are struggling to stay afloat amid depleted funds, made worse during the pandemic. You can also opt to help organisations within your community. Ensure they are legitimate organisations with known histories of service. Your local ward councillor could also help you identify causes in need. Here are some ideas:  The aged: It has been a tough year for all of…

Boks get early Christmas present MIKE GREENAWAY The Springboks will feel they have had a relatively comfortable draw for the defence of their Webb Ellis Cup crown after being pooled with Ireland and Scotland for the 2023 World Cup in France. The Pool Allocation Draw was completed in Paris yesterday. The Boks, Ireland and Scotland will be joined in Pool B by two more qualifying teams. While there are seldom easy games in a World Cup, the Boks will know they are better off than Pool A where two of the early favourites for the World Cup, New Zealand and hosts France, will face each other. The Springboks have never been drawn in a RWC pool with Ireland and will be defending a proud history as they have only lost…

Hamilton remains strong on racism LEWIS Hamilton intends to keep "taking risks" by speaking out about racism. The Formula One sports star has vowed to continue to talk about racism and he believes the death of George Floyd earlier this year was "an awakening for society". Speaking to The Sunday Times magazine, he said: "I will remember this period of my life as an awakening for society. “The death of George Floyd acted like a giant rock dropped in the ocean. “It created a ripple effect that spread throughout the world. “We now have to ensure those ripples don’t fade away. “I took risks using my voice and putting my head above the parapet but I intend to keep going in 2021. “F1 needs to be more diverse and minorities…

International exposure helped all-rounder Muthusamy grow ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za AFTER making his Test debut against India in 2019, Dolphins all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy has matured tremendously as a cricketer. Fittingly, Muthusamy received his Proteas cap in the Visakhapatnam area to the South of India. Whilst he is a thoroughbred South African, Muthusamy is of Tamil origin with his ancestors hailing from the South of India. Though South Africa were beaten in the two Tests that Muthusamy played, he looked solid at international level. He managed an innings of 49 not out in the second innings of his first-test and took two wickets. His first ever international wicket was particularly memorable as it was that of Indian captain Virat Kohli. “It was surreal playing for the Proteas. It was something I worked…

NO INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS Covid-19 dampens pilgrimages in Bethlehem JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za THE Covid-19 pandemic has dampened Christmas, even in the biblical town of Bethlehem where the birth of Jesus Christ is revered. Every year, the Palestinian town sees more than a million tourists travel to celebrate the day Christians believe Jesus was born. Bethlehem has grown into a hub for pilgrims who often visit the Church of the Nativity, which is marked as Jesus’s birthplace. Last year, Star Street, believed to be the path taken by Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to the Church of the Nativity, was restored for visitors and saw at least one million tourists and pilgrims. This year is expected to be a little different because of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the New York Post,…

RESULTS WILL BE RELEASED ON FEBRUARY 23 Matric markers to be deployed at 140 centres THANDEKA MGQIBI thandeka.mgqibi@inl.co.za TUESDAY marked the end of the 2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. This year’s matric class was confronted with many challenges during the exams. These included disruptions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic that led to exams starting on November 5, and a possible national rewrite after the Maths Paper 2 and Physical Science Paper 2 were leaked. It was unclear how many pupils had gained access to the papers, but it was believed that it had spread via WhatsApp between learners across provinces. Dr Rufus Poliah, the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) national assessment and public exams chief director, said due to the viral spread of information on the cyber networks,…

OVERCOMING THE ODDS Juggling work, studies, illness THANDEKA MGQIBI thandeka.mgqibi@inl.co.za SHIVONNE Kader almost fell over when she found out that she graduated cum laude and with a Dean’s merit for her BTech in surveying. The married mother of two, of Pietermaritzburg, said: “This is my greatest achievement yet. It makes the struggles and challenges worth it." She said her educational journey was not easy and she encountered many personal challenges. This included being diagnosed with a chronic auto-immune disorder. “So beating all these odds feels great.” Kader studied civil engineering at Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Indumiso Campus in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, from 2004 to 2005. She then did her internship at the surveyor general’s office In the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in KZN for 18 months. In…

CHILDREN ROBBED OF THEIR DAD Family starts a petition for justice CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za MURDER accused Wayne Manuel appeared in the Verulam Magistrate's Court on Friday. He has been charged with the murder of Junaid Sheik, a father of three, from Unit 13 in Phoenix. Sheik, 34, a call centre agent, was shot in the chest during an alleged dispute with Manuel, his ex-wife's partner, at their home in Sastri Park, Phoenix. Sheik died at the scene. Manuel was remanded in custody at West-ville Prison. His attorney, Chris Gounden, said Manuel claimed that he acted in self-defence. The matter was adjourned to December 17. Riaz Sheik Hoosen, the deceased's brother, said the family had started an online petition in the hope of getting justice. "We don't want the accused to…

BULLET LODGED IN HIS NECK Off-duty cop survives shooting CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za AN OFF-duty Metro policeman is in a stable condition in hospital after he was shot in Montclair on Monday. Megan Govender, a senior superintendent at the Queensburgh Metro office, was shot at while in his private car with his wife and daughter. Gov-ender, 54, of Chatsworth, was shot in the neck. Senior Superintendent Praboo Sewpersad, spokesperson for the Metro police, said the incident occurred just before 2pm. "The officer was not on duty at the time. He was travelling on Kenyon How-den Road when he was shot in the neck. His wife was in the front passenger seat and his daughter in the back seat. His daughter used his phone and made an SOS call to Metro." Sewpersad said…

CARD GAME RECREATED Love for thunee sparks new design CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za Supplied THE card game thunee has had a make-over. Shreneve Singh, 35, of Johannesburg, has come up with the Thunee Guru gift set, which he hopes will become a family keepsake – passed down from one generation to the next. “My dad, Clive, owned the shop Just Bunnies in Unit 2, Chatsworth, and in the early ’90s it was a 24-hour eatery. As a child, I remember seeing groups of men eat and relax while playing cards. I learnt that they were playing thunee,” said Singh. “As I got older, my dad explained the rules and taught my two sisters and me to play. It was the start of a family tradition. Every week, we found ourselves around…

AUTOPSY RESULTS Actress’ death not homicide THE post-mortem report of actor-model Arya Banerjee, alias Debdatta Banerjee, 35, the daughter of the later sitar maestro Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, has confirmed that her death was not a homicide. Kolkata police joint commissioner Murlidhar Sharma said the actress-model was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver. “It was not a case of homicide. Alcohol was found in her stomach at the time of her death,” he said. Banerjee lived in her Jodhpur Park residence with her pet. She had worked in several Bollywood films, including the Vidya Balan-starrer Dirty Picture (2011) and Dibakar Banerjee’s LSD: Love Sex Aur Dhoka (2010). She also did modelling assignments in Mumbai. According to Kolkata police sources, the actress was found dead in her room on Friday. “The maid,…

HELD BY IN-LAWS Man loses wife in gambling bet A MAN in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district bet his wife and lost her while gambling. He then forced her to have sex with his gambler friends and poured acid on her when she refused to continue sexual relations, an official said. The 30-year-old victim refused to have sexual relations with other men after two or three times, and her husband then threw acid on her. Rajesh Kumar Jha, of Mozahidpur police station, said: “As the case is extremely sensitive, we have immediately registered a FIR (First Incident Report) and arrested the accused. Further investigation is under way and other accused will be arrested too if they are found to be involved in this case.” In a statement to police, the accused said…

Your Stars SHARRON DUFF ARIES (March 21 – April 19) This week brings in an energy of balance and a reminder to be careful about not overdoing things. You are being asked by spirit to give and to receive in equal parts. Be aware of things that take up a lot of your spare time without reward. If you take on extras, do this with an open heart. Lucky colour: silver. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) It feels like you have been taking on a lot and feeling taken for granted. There are some amazing changes coming your way, but you need to trust and be open to change. Lucky colour: yellow. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) The past is coming back to remind you of things that…

Editor’s View Second wave could be worse: experts SOUTH Africa will end the year just as it started, with load shedding and the threat of Covid-19. On December 31, 2019, few took notice when the Chinese informed the World Health Organization (WHO) that a mysterious illness was claiming lives in the city of Wuhan. Within two weeks the novel coronavirus had spread to Thailand. Days later Japan and South Korea reported cases. Within three weeks, the virus had reached the USA. By March 11, the WHO had declared the outbreak a pandemic. By then it had spread to over 100 countries, infected over 100 000 people and killed more than 4 000. In South Africa, the first case was detected on March 1, resulting in President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing a…

’EMBEDDED’ SERVICE AND PARTS WARRANTY RESTRICTIONS GONE Victory for SA car owners in right-to-repair battle FILUM HO RESTRICTIVE service and repair warranty plans will finally become a thing of the past for South African car owners, following a major announcement by the Competition Commission last week. Currently, owners of new cars are typically locked into using a vehicle manufacturer's service centres, repair shops and parts in “embedded” motor and service plans. If these owners use an independent service or repair provider of their own choice, vehicle manufacturers unfairly void their warranties. But last week the commission made public its finalised set of guidelines for the automotive after-market that will undo these types of prastices in South Africa. These guidelines – which will be put into effect in July next year…

Childish campaign can cause racial disharmony THE lead story “Racist and Dangerous” (the POST, December 9-13) is an appropriate description of the Park by the Pozie campaign. Not only can it cause irreparable damage and harm to race relations, it is also dangerous. In 1994, South Africa emerged as a non-racial and democratic nation after centuries of division, first by the colonialists and then by the apartheid regime. Many of us remember the humiliation and discrimination suffered by African, Indian and coloured people by the white government. It was through the efforts of people like Judge Thumba Pillay, Dr Dilly Naidoo, Professor Jerry Coovadia, Swaminathan Gounden and others that the vision of a non-racial nation was given impetus. Today we see the emergence of some Indians through this Park by…

Nicsa initiative is an act of despair AFTER reading the Editor’s view “Laager mentality is not part of our history and culture” (the POST, December 2-6), I have to respectfully disagree on a few issues. I feel that it is an unprovoked and unfair denunciation of what is essentially a mild tempered, non-violent protest to shed light on the historical and current plight of our people. There are overtones, branding the initiative as nothing more than a mischievous stunt by a divisive minority. This initiative, by the National Indian Congress of South Africa (Nicsa), is actually an act of despair from a collective that has not acted in this manner previously. Resorting to this sort of action is a subliminal cry for help as the situation is becoming untenable. Numerous…

A feast for Christmas Celebrity couple Kumseela and Koobeshan Naidoo, who also host the fusion cooking show, with a comedic twist, Love at First Bite on Glow-TV, share some of their Christmas lunch family favourites. See more of their recipes on Facebook (@loveatfirstbite. southafrica) and YouTube (Love at First Bite) STARTERS Mulligatawny Soup 100g butter 2 tbs oil fried onion chopped carrots 2 tsp crushed garlic 2 puréed tomatoes 1 tsp tumeric 1 tsp jeera 1 tsp fennel 1 tsp ground pepper 1 tsp masala 1 tsp paprika 2 chopped chicken breasts 1 cup of cream 2 cups chicken stock salt to taste Fry the onions. Add the chicken, all spices, vegetables and stock. When it thickens, add the cream. It is a great starter. Shrimp Au Gratin 400g shrimp…

Poenskop among great catches on coastline THE Durban coastline has been kind to the offshore anglers. The tuna have made up the bulk of the catches with some beasts being landed… Roscoe’s tuna weighed in at 31.48kg. Live bait has been the most successful method of targeting these bigger specimens. A Mustad 6/0 circle hook on a section of Siglon fluorocarbon is all you need in terms of a trace for these tuna. The dorado have also started to feature more in the catches and as the water heats up, they will definitely take over. The bottom fishing off Durban has been amazing. Sand poenskop have been the majority of the “spectacular” catches but the numbers of rockcod and geelbek has been fantastic. The rock and surf fishing is starting…

Religious leaders open to vaccine JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za AS A GROWING number of countries begin vaccinating their citizens against Covid-19, some religious leaders in South Africa have voiced support for the vaccine. This after the country’s Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s “devil” outburst this past week. During a closing prayer at a thanksgiving ceremony at Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni, Justice Mogoeng said any Covid-19 vaccine that was linked to the devil should be destroyed. “I lock out any vaccine that is not of you. If there be any vaccine that is of the devil, meant to infuse triple six in the lives of people, meant to corrupt their DNA, any such vaccine, Lord God Almighty, may it be destroyed, in the name of Jesus.” A few days later he said that…

MOST COMPLAINTS FROM PHOENIX, CHATSWORTH ‘No fees, no report cards,’ parents told CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za A PHOENIX mother of two will today return to her children’s primary school to again request their reports. The single mother, who lost her job as a hairdresser during the lock-down, has been trying for the last week to get their reports. While it is illegal to withhold reports, matric certificates and transfer cards, some schools are doing this to get parents to pay outstanding fees. “I am a hairdresser but I lost my job because the salon where I worked closed. I have done some odd hair jobs at home but the money is not enough to live on. My children’s father is not in the picture, so financially it’s difficult." The school fees…

FAMILY IS PROUD OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS Double blessings for excited new mom THANDEKA MGQIBI thandeka.mgqibi@inl.co.za THE year has brought blessings to Farnaaz Hamid of Avoca. Four months ago, she gave birth to her first child, her daughter Yara, and at the end of last month, she graduated cum laude with a BTech in business management. “This might have been a bad year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it also brought about a blessing and an achievement to our family,” said Hamid, 32. “I didn't expect to do so well but I’m proud of myself and so is my family.” She enrolled at Durban University of Technology in 2006 to study public relations. Hamid said despite selecting this course, she always wanted to broaden her career prospects, adding she had…

OUT ON R50 000 BAIL Murderer spends 3 months in prison CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za A CHATSWORTH family are questioning the justice system after their mother’s killer was granted bail after serving just three months of his 15-year sentence. Following an argument in August 2017, Salma and Afzal Sheik were run over multiple times by their daughter’s boyfriend, Rayen Chetty. This happened outside their home in Woodhurst. Salma, 43, who worked at a crèche, died at the scene, while her husband Afzal, 48, sustained a fractured spine and ribs. Chetty was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. During the trial, that started last year, he testified that family members had blocked his path and he could not drive forward. As a result, he reversed. Salma was knocked and Chetty…

LOVES THE VIBE OF AFRIKAANS MUSIC Chatsworth singer is ‘een in ’n miljoen’ CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za SINGER Kyle Raziel Sivalingam has released his first Afrikaans song, Een in ‘n miljoen (one in a million). The 33-year-old, known by his stage name Kyle Raziel, is formerly from Unit 7 in Chatsworth but now lives in Boksburg, Gauteng. He is married to Esmarie Sivalingam, 36, and they run a plastics and jewellery business. Kyle Raziel started singing at the age of 5 while attending a temple service with his parents, Dickson and Andrea. “My parents are Sai devotees. At the time, I was a Bal Vikas student. This is a course conducted by the Sai organisation to teach the five basic human values of truth, righteousness, peace, love and non-violence in children.…

WE LOVE AND RESPECT EACH OTHER Neighbours fall in love and remain committed for 63 years NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za Supplied FOR more than six decades, Sonnydeva Jadhunundhan and his wife, Gargee Devi, have lived their marriage through biblical principles – to love, respect and honour each other. Jadhunundhan, 85, formerly of Overport, and Gargee Devi, 81, formerly of Pietermaritzburg, will celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary on December 22. They met in 1957 after Gargee Devi and her family moved to Lotus Road in Springfield. “He lived on the road above and we were separated by a staircase, 125 steps to be exact,” said Gargee Devi. “One day, I saw him while walking past my house. I was doing chores in the garden. He was quite handsome but I did not…

INCHING CLOSER Two of the largest planets to perfectly align NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za IANS ON THE night of December 21, two of the largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, are expected to line up perfectly. The last time this happened was 800 years ago. Piet Strauss, the chairperson of the Durban Centre Division of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, said there were five planets orbiting the sun that were visible with the naked eye – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. “The planets, including Earth, move in a plane called the ecliptic. Mercury and Venus are closest to the sun and are normally visible just after sunset or before sunrise. During December, Venus will be visible as a bright object at dawn as the Morning Star.…

LIFELONG COMMITMENT Navi Pillay honoured with one of Germany’s highest orders DEVI RAJAB Supplied AT THE height of the coronavirus pandemic, few South Africans were aware of the honour that was bestowed on their fellow compatriot, Judge Dr Navi Pillay. At a Durban hotel recently, the German Federal President bestowed the Commander’s Cross of the Federal Order of Merit on her. Under normal circumstances there would have been hundreds of dignitaries present to witness this moment at the German Embassy in Cape Town. Instead, it was a quiet and dignified affair amid some 25 guests (of which I was fortunately one). Speaking at the awards evening, Dr Martin Schäfer, the German Ambassador, said that he had come to Durban upon the mandate of the German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to…

See what Indian citizens have to endure I SUPPORT the Park by the Pozie campaign. Indian South Africans, over the last few years, have been marginalised in almost all aspects of life. With regard to the comments that were published in the POST by prominent members of the Indian community, how vocal have they been regarding serious issues about Indians been sidelined? I’ve yet to see these commentators come out publicly and denounce either the eThekwini Municipality or the government, both run by the ANC, on how Indians have had to succumb to BEE and other forms of prejudice. Some commentators, rightly so, are former freedom fighters but seeing how they react to certain issues begs the belief that they will only fight certain battles so as not to upset…

It’s the democratic right of people to form the group I WAS intrigued by what the proponents and opponents of the Park by the Pozie movement had to say. The opponents feel the new group is “racist, divisive, dangerous”, etc. Perhaps they are right. Nonetheless, the vehemence of their utterances against the group was striking. But where were they when Fatima Meer had come up with the same racist, divisive, dangerous idea? Did they have mothballs in their mouths then? She even gave an interview on the subject to the Indian Express on August 6, 2008. She said in no uncertain terms: “This was a mistake the ANC had made. It disbanded the congress … ” She went on: “I wrote to Mr Mbeki soon after he became president in…

A change of attitude led to a second wave AS THE world braces itself for bigger waves of Covid-19, and as South Africa enters the festive season, we need to ask ourselves what caused the increase. I doubt there is a churning machine somewhere that continuously produces the virus. Instead, it is our lackadaisical attitude towards the pandemic that has caused the second wave. The fear of the law, the fear of a lonely death and the fear of pain contributed to South Africa having among the lowest infection rates in the Western world. Then our attitudes changed when the economic meltdown forced us to reopen our factory doors. Also contributing to the new wave were the usual human mental fatigue of a piece of cloth that stifled our air…

OUTDOOR, MOVIES, ON STAGE Festive fun for the family THANDEKA MGQIBI thandeka.mgqibi@inl.co.za Facebook IMDB.COM TIM LUBBE IMDB.com JETHRO SNYDERS Supplied Supplied MAKE the most of the festive season by checking out these events to keep you and your family entertained. Remember, Covid-19 restrictions apply to all events: no mask, no entry. OUTDOORS Durban Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights: There will be new displays, a festive market, two food gardens, live entertainment and activities. The event runs until December 30. It will be closed on Christmas Day. To meet protocol requirements and ensure the safety of patrons, key operational changes have been made to this year’s event. Most significantly, the introduction of three entry times at 6pm, 7pm, and 8pm, respectively. This will allow for social distancing as families can navigate their…

Big ask as Sharks hit the road MIKE GREENAWAY mike.greenaway@inl.co.za THE Sharks’ euphoria at beating their nemesis side, the Bulls, last week will have quickly subsided as they turn their attention to a very tough final month of the Currie Cup for them. In the lead-up to the semi-finals in mid-January (the final is on January 23) the Sharks play three matches on the road, all of them toughies, starting on Saturday against the Lions at Ellis Park, and finishing against Western Province at Newlands. In between is an away trip to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and a home match against Griquas. That is a big ask of the Sharks as the teams clamour for the top four spots for the semi-finals, and especially for the top two spots that…

Big guns fail to fire ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za THE big guns all failed to take sparkle in the latest round of English Premiership fixtures and so the league table remains more or less the same as it was before the latest games. The Premier League is a marathon and not a race. Hiccups happen to all sides and coincidently,the big guns all had their hiccups simultaneously last weekend. What was interesting is that the Manchester derby last weekend could have been termed “a mid table clash” for the first time in the Premier League era. City headed into the clash in ninth position and United in eighth. Despite ending in a stalemate, the Manchester derby was enjoyable to watch like a game of chess. It was an intriguing battle with…