Table of contents for 2022-11-09 in Post

Emerging actor/producer Keveshan Govender decided to shape his own fate in the film and television industry when he struggled to find work. Now, a year later, he has established his own casting and production company, appeared in a few movies and series, and has been involved in casting and production on film and TV sets. Govender also wrote, directed and produced a short film, Diwali Dhamaka, which was screened on Glow TV earlier this year. Govender, 18, who was born and raised in Tongaat, now lives in Westbrook, on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. “In between work, I am studying film and television production under my mentor, film-maker Cherie Mbadu of Imago Productions Worldwide,” he said. Govender said from a young age he was spellbound by movies and knew he wanted…

Duff is a psychic medium, soul coach, spiritual mentor, healer and animal communicator. She has been connecting with spirit for more than 20 years and runs her business, Quantum Soul, from Waterfall, KwaZulu-Natal. Watch her weekly predictions on GlowTV on Sundays after 8pm with Denver Naicker on the Get Real Show. Contact her at 072 986 5514 or sharron@quantsoul.com ARIES (March 21 – April 19) You are not seeing something in the right light, and this may have led to over thinking so put up those boundaries and take a stand when you see the whole picture. Forgive where you need to as it does not serve you to hold on. Lucky colour: khaki. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Put your foot down where a decision is being made.…

POST has established that ahead of festive season, law enforcement in the province does not have alcohol blood kits to test for drunken driving and is still in the process of procuring the kits. This means that the police cannot test the sobriety of drivers at accident scenes. Colonel Athlenda Mathe, a SAPS national spokesperson said: “SAPS has been informed that there is a global shortage of vials, which is a component of the test kit. The SAPS has met with the supplier responsible for delivering alcohol blood kits. “We are awaiting feedback regarding the progress and arrangements the supplier has made with the manufacturer.” Mathe said the SAPS was working to ensure it had the necessary tools and resources to prevent, combat and investigate drunken driving cases. Brigadier Rajen…

CAROLINE Munilall watched helplessly as her brother bled to death after being stabbed outside a nightclub in Durban North on Saturday. Bryson Munilall, 27, who was employed at a logistics company, sustained multiple wounds to his body. He died at the scene. He went to the club with Caroline, their cousin and her husband. Caroline claimed that in the club a couple began fighting with other patrons and the bouncers had kicked them out on four separate occasions. “I left the club with Bryson, our cousin and her husband. As we walked to our car, the couple approached us and insisted we get into their car. We refused and the female jumped into our car. An argument broke out and they got violent.” Caroline claimed the woman assaulted her and…

MOST residents in oThongathi (Tongaat) are still waiting for piped tapped water despite an announcement by the eThekwini Municipality that the water supply would be restored by November 1. During the heavy rainfall and floods in April, the oThongathi Water Treatment Plant was damaged leaving residents without water. In a recent media statement, eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the construction work of the plant had been completed ahead of schedule and had since been commissioned. Kaunda said from October 27 the municipality had embarked on recommissioning the plant, which would see residents receiving piped water. He said the commissioning period would be from October 27 to November 1 to fill the on-site reservoirs with treated water. This would include testing the quality of water to ensure that it met all…

IN INDIA’S beautiful, uninterrupted forests 250 years ago, there were reportedly 60 000 tigers roaming free. Over the last two-and-half centuries, thousands of tigers were decimated in India by royalty – Mughal, British and Indian – all in the name of sport. These killings fed the ego and vanity of the then aristocracy. During colonial rule, a royal or noble’s home in India was incomplete without a stuffed tiger. These trophies became status symbols. A trip to India by any British royal family member had to have the mandatory tiger hunt. It is recorded that 39 tigers were shot in 11 days in 1911 when King George V visited India. Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Surguja in central India is believed to have killed 1 710 Bengal tigers up…

BRIAN Molefe’s partying days of wine and song are over. No more curry and rice at the Gupta compound in Saxonwold or sipping Chivas Regal at the poolside of his Limpopo mansion. He now looks at the grim prospect of a life behind bars. He cut a worried figure when he appeared in court with Manoj Singh, charged with R440 million fraud, corruption and money laundering in the 2015 Transnet locomotive scandal. The former Transnet and Eskom CEO lost his R8.5m bushveld mansion in an exclusive Limpopo lifestyle estate when he defaulted on repaying the instalments of the R4m loan. Standard Bank obtained a court order against him for the money owing on the house, and sold it for a song. There was more pain for the former Gupta boy.…

The outwardly bizarre goings-on in suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s Section 194 parliamentary impeachment inquiry, in which her legal counsel, Dali Mpofu, suddenly withdrew his representation is indicative of the state of this nation. It is becoming a bit of a circus a la Zuma style – the so-called Stalingrad tactic – to delay proceedings as much as possible so that when her tenure ends in October 2023, she may well be free of impeachment – leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill. The only winners being her legal representatives. Mkhwebane has a right to legal representation – as do all of us – in any matter of a judicial nature. But the norm of postponements, withdrawal or firing of legal teams, medical illnesses that suddenly crop up, etc, is…

LOAD shedding has been on everyone’s mind for the past couple of months as it has had a big impact on South Africans’ daily lives. You have to be at it all the time to figure out what stage it is, as the stages can be changed at any time. Eskom tells the public that they are fixing the generating units that have tripped, then we learn that there is not enough diesel, there is sabotage, and the reasons go on and on. Eskom asks the public to be understanding and work with it, but South Africans have been experiencing load shedding since 2007, and the problem has only got worse. When the electricity is turned on, there are power surges, which then leaves appliances broken or people without lights…

The IFP in the KZN Legislature calls upon the KwaZulu-Natal police management to leave no stone unturned, following allegations of theft at Mountain Rise Police Station in Pietermaritzburg. According to the media, of money that was handed in as an exhibit on July 17 last year went missing. Apparently, the missing cash was then signed out by an officer in August 2021. These allegations provide cause for concern, and if they prove to be true, are all the more shocking considering how long the money has been missing. We demand that a thorough investigation be conducted into this matter. We demand answers from the police on the following: Has money been stolen? If yes, who was on duty on the day the money was stolen? Who discovered that the money…

TAKEAWAY owners say the recently imposed duties on imported french fries have placed their businesses under financial pressure. The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) imposed provisional duties, as high as 190%, on frozen fries imported from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. Glen Pillay, the owner of Mia’s Takeaway in Chatsworth, said he was paying R360 for a 10kg box of frozen chips. “The price of frozen chips is ridiculously high due to the import duties. Previously, I used to pay R155 for a 10kg box of frozen chips. Coupled with the price of oil, which now costs R1 100 for a 20 litre, we are running a loss.” Pillay said he had, however, not increased the price of his meals. “A portion of chips is R25. For me to make…

Dubbed “The Home of Hindi”, Hindvani radio promotes the Hindi language and culture in South Africa. It was established in 1998 as a passion project of the Hindi Shiksha Sangh and has grown to be an integral part of the Hindi community, with a listenership locally and internationally. The station is in Kharwastan, Chatsworth. Rajish Lutchman, the operations manager of the Hindi Shiksha Sangh, said the station aimed to empower its listeners and the broader community. “We engage our listeners in various educational topics through our programmes, which cater to all ages. These on-air interviews and conversations have an impact that extends beyond the airwaves and have enabled us to facilitate social cohesion between various communities. “Our online presence offers us a space to connect with our listeners and broader…

England go into a blockbuster semi-final clash with red-hot India at the Twenty20 World Cup tomorrow, high on confidence after Ben Stokes’s batting heroics. The Adelaide Oval is expected to be sold out for a clash of the titans between the two top-ranked T20 teams in the world. Jos Buttler’s second-ranked England, the reigning 50-over world champions, are gaining momentum after a less than convincing win over Afghanistan, a shock defeat to Ireland in a rain-hit match and a washout against Australia left them having to win their final two Super 12 matches. They outplayed New Zealand before an unbeaten 42 by Test captain Stokes, whose selection for the T20 team had come under fire, ensured a tense win over Sri Lanka to secure a semi-final berth. “I know…

Jurgen Klopp says he is expecting “something special” when Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League after last season’s finalists were drawn to face each other again on Monday. Real defeated Liverpool 1-0 in May to win Europe’s elite club competition a record-extending 14th time, having also beaten the Merseyside club in the 2017-18 final. Liverpool manager Klopp, whose side qualified second from Group A behind Napoli and have struggled for form in the Premier League, said the match against Real was a “proper Champions League” tie. “I know we have played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie so now we can look forward to this…

Pawandeep Rajan, Indian Idols Season 12 winner, knew from a young age that he would be a musician one day. The 26-year-old, who will perform in South Africa next month, was born and raised in Champawat, a town in Uttarakhand, India. Rajan said his dad was his earliest influence: “My father is a musician, so I grew up listening to music. I started playing the tabla at the age of five and I began singing right after,” he said. Rajan, a full-time musician based in Mumbai, said Indian Idols Season 12 (2020) was a game-changer for him. “It has opened up many opportunities. I toured the world in the first year, more than I could ever dream of. I have recorded with Salim Sir (Salim Sulaiman) for his project Bhoomi.…

30ml olive oil 400g rump, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 red onion, halved and sliced 1 red, yellow and green pepper, sliced 300g packet taco dinner kit 1 carrot, peeled and grated 1 small cucumber, diced 15ml olive oil 10ml lemon juice 1 small lettuce, shredded 125ml grated Cheddar cheese dollop of sour cream, for serving Heat half the oil in a frying pan or a wok until hot. Brown the meat in batches. Remove and set aside. Heat the rest of the oil and fry the onion and peppers. Add the packet of taco spice and fry for a minute. Return the beef and add the packet of salsa. Fry for a few minutes until heated through. Heat the tacos in the oven for 5 minutes. Combine the grated…

Mava Scott, the spokesperson for the State Security Agency (SSA), said they could not discuss terror investigations. “We cannot discuss operational matters in public or with any third parties. The law does not allow us to talk about what we are doing about terrorism or how many people we’ve found and what they are up to.” He said the SSA was working hard to counter terrorism. “Law enforcement agencies in the country are on high alert and are ready to deal with anything related to terrorism. On a daily basis, we do threat assessments and work together as law enforcement to contain any threats.” Scott said the matter relating to the four accused was not a new issue. He said SSA, along with the Department of Finance and the Department…

ON November 5, 2022, the Catholic Church recognised Sister Maria Carola Cechin (1877-1925) as “Blessed”. The Italian-born nun spent two decades serving in Kenya. After this, in places closely associated with Sister Carola or within her religious order, Catholic church services can be held in her honour. An annual celebration in the church calendar of seasons can also be dedicated to her. Additionally, churches and other institutions in those areas can be named after her. The process culminating in calling Sister Carola “Blessed” is known as beatification. This marks the second-last step before canonisation, which is the admission into sainthood. How does the Catholic church decide who may be honoured in this way? The history From the earliest years of Christianity, some people, after they died, were recognised as having…

The letter by Nethraj Rampersad, “We don't trust you, Reddy”, (POST, October 26–30) begs a response. I am not a die-hard supporter of Visvin Reddy, nor am I a supporter of his party, but I take my hat off to the leadership he provides. From taking up the exorbitant fuel prices to exposing the real reasons behind the looting and rioting, Reddy has shown courage, resilience and leadership. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he was at the forefront, assisting those infected and keeping people updated on the latest developments. I follow Reddy on social media and he is no doubt an influencer. While other leaders choose to sit on the fence, Reddy is never afraid to call a spade a spade. He has challenged the authorities on many occasions – going…

THE attempted murder of a doctor and grandfather in Sydenham, among other killings, shows the lawlessness in our crime-infested country. The nature of the killings, which occur every hour, confirms that we have no respect for human life. We are enmeshed in a culture of death. These savages have created a wound in society and the infection continues to weaken us. All of us who have lost loved ones under brutal circumstances deserve heartfelt compassion. Whoever takes a life does not only strike out against his victim but against every moral foundation of society. We have – by our inaction and complacency – invited the spirit of death into our country and our homes. We view killings and violent crimes as statistics. Whenever and wherever it occurs, we suffer another…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has again confirmed Affirmative Action (AA) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) will be a part of South Africa for as long as the ANC is in power. The president made this statement in reply to a question from myself about retaining AA and BEE, despite growing resistance to its detrimental impact. The question posed in the National Assembly was whether government would consider doing away with the destructive policy seeing as it is no longer serving any purpose. It does not address inequality and is a serious stumbling block for the country’s economy. The president’s reply made it clear he was out of touch with the realities of the country’s fiscal crisis and struggling economy. He does not believe AA and BEE have any disadvantages, and reiterated…

THE family of Titus Josiah Naidu, 16, who was stabbed to death near a tuckshop in Phoenix, are demanding justice. Titus, a grade 10 pupil at Eastbury Secondary, was stabbed on Southvale Road last month. He was taken to a clinic where he later died. Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said two suspects, aged 16 and 22, were arrested and charged with murder. According to police reports, a witness alleged the victim and the suspect fought about whose district it was. On Thursday, the Naidu family, with friends and supporters, protested outside the Verulam Magistrate’s Court against the suspects being granted bail. Nancy Naidu, Titu’s mother, said she had also started a petition and collected more than 100 signatures against the granting of bail. “My baby, my…

SMOKIN’ Joe’s burgers were first sold at food markets in Durban. Today the eatery’s burgers are ranked the 12th best in the world by Big 7 Travel. The travel website recently published a list of the 50 best burgers in the world for 2022. It used a ranking system that includes critic reviews, customer feedback, location and accessibility, presentation, value for money and atmosphere. According to the website, the burger was ranked 12th because Smokin’ Joe’s served burgers made of prime beef ground in-house daily. “Standard patties weigh 65g but if you’re feeling peckish, treat yourself to a heavyweight made with a whopping 180g of juicy chargrilled and basted beef. And, if you’re feeling flush, you can upgrade to a wagyu patty. “Fries are loaded with truffle and thyme, chilli…

Local man angry about harassment of his family THE alleged leader of an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cell in South Africa, has denied being a ‘terrorist’ and says he will take legal action against the FBI and the CIA for harassing him and his family. This week, Farhad Hoomer, a local businessman, and four others were listed in the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated National List. This means they have been designated and sanctioned by the US Treasury after they were identified as members of an ISIS cell operating in Durban. Hoomer’s alleged associates include brothers Nufael Akbar and Yunus Akbar, and their relatives Mohamad Akbar and Umar Akbar. While on business in Morocco, Hoomer told POST on Tuesday that the allegations…

SA Canegrowers has confirmed Tongaat Hulett has paid small-scale growers, but payment to commercial growers is still outstanding. Andrew Russell, the chairperson of SA Canegrowers, said some small-scale growers supplying the Tongaat Hulett mills at Felixton, Amatikulu and Maidstone had received the overdue payment for cane delivered in September. “We welcome this development, given the particular financial vulnerability of small-scale grower operations, and are grateful that the business rescue practitioners have understood the urgency of prioritising grower payments to prevent the permanent collapse of their businesses,” said Russell. However, commercial growers have not yet been paid. Russell said this left most of their 14 642 employees at risk. “It remains critical that the business rescue practitioners prioritise the payment of about 300 commercial growers, enabling payment to contractors, haulier companies…

IT SEEMS that armchair Indian critics are more interested in criticising a few Indian political leaders like Visvin Reddy, who does more than any other Indian leader in South Africa in exposing racial discrimination and corruption. Reddy is the lone voice in the minority communities, especially in the Indian community, yet there are some critics who continually criticise Reddy in the media. It would be interesting to know whether, besides their letter writing skills, the critics go out to their respective communities to assist where they can, like Reddy, the leader of African Democratic Change. He is and was involved in many projects to uplift various communities, especially during the riots and floods. Reddy was one of a few political leaders who was visible during the riots and looting. He…

THE letter “Establish facts before publishing” (POST, November 2-6) by Pundit Lokesh Maharaj is of no surprise. Thank you, Yogin Devan, for an excellent column that hit the nail on the head. This is a wake-up call for all of us. It is typical of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha and some of its followers who like to shoot the messenger and avoid the real issue. All that Devan conveyed was that no proper guidelines or education on Hindu practices are available to the greater community. This fault or shortcoming lies on the shoulders of the sabha, or perhaps it is part of its plan not to educate but to confuse, divide and rule. The sabha continues to act on behalf of all in the Hindu community even though it…

THE DA will be introducing a Private Member’s Bill designed to rein in the president’s dictatorial powers over the Ministerial Handbook. Over the past decades, the DA has repeatedly exposed scandalous abuses of the Ministerial Handbook by practically every democratically-elected president our country has had. This is because the current legal framework provides dictatorial powers to the president to force taxpayers to pay for unbudgeted perks and benefits for ministers and deputy ministers. In fact, the DA outlined in our complaint on this issue to the public protector, that there appears to be no legal framework in place to govern the Ministerial Handbook. This lack of a legal framework is why President Cyril Ramaphosa was not only able to expand the size of ministerial offices and exempt ministers and deputy…

Inanda Community Radio was granted a four-year community sound broadcasting licence in 2006. The station started broadcasting on April 12, 2009. Manager Thandeka Msani-Ngobese said the station was rooted in the community and participated actively in the Urban Renewal Project of the Ink (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) area. “The station maintains strong relationships with the local government and, more especially, the area-based management of Ink, which deals with developmental issues in the area. "This is part of the Presidential Urban Renewal Node, which is treated as one of the priority community developmental projects within the eThekwini programmes. These are aligned with those of national and local government, and how they impact on the grass- roots communities.” She said the station broadcast programmes that dealt with daily challenges facing women, youth, children,…

THE fishing has been good on all fronts with most facets seeing good results in the weather gaps. Often we fish too heavy for our target species. There are exceptions where you want to go heavier and this is often the case when fish health trumps enjoying the fight. Sometimes scaling down a line class or two can not only increase your chance of catching a fish, it can also greatly improve your enjoyment. So whether you are fishing for bass, trout or sharks, consider fishing a bit lighter to get the bite. The North Coast has been fishing well. There have been a few dorado making it through already so be prepared for a banger dorrie season. The inshore areas are loaded with the smaller snoek, especially the 1-3kg…