Table of contents for 2023-03-29 in Post

ACTRESS Lindsay Lohan’s pregnancy happened at the right time in her life, said her mom, Dina Lohan. Lindsay, 36, recently announced she was expecting her first child with husband Bader Shammas. Dina reportedly told People magazine: “She’s been trying and then it happened. It’s the right time for her, and Bader is an angel. Her husband is so sweet and they’re just so happy. “Lindsay has always loved kids because I love kids, and my mother loves kids. I’m one of four. “We have a big family, so she’s always wanted children. And she’s so maternal. “Isabelle, her niece, just runs to her when she sees her.” The Mean Girls actress announced her pregnancy via an Instagram post. Lindsay, who married Bader in 2022, took to the photo-sharing platform to…

There has been yet another shooting incident in Durban – this time the victims are two relatives, both of whom played an active role in helping their community. Eldon Francis and Trevolin Mudray were brothers-in-law. They were shot dead in an incident that took place in Tongaat (oThongathi). Francis, 31, and Mudray, 26, ran two valet companies and were based at the King Shaka International Airport. On the day of the shooting, Francis, his wife and Mudray were returning from the airport to their homes in Tongaat. Francis was driving, his wife was in the front passenger seat and Mudray, her brother, was in the passenger seat behind Francis. Pastor Selvan Mariemuthoo, the family spokesperson, said a group of men opened fire on their vehicle and sped off. “Eldon…

THE local comedy The Honeymoon, starring Kajal Bagwandeen, Tumi Morake and Minnie Dlamini, will be released on March 31 in cinemas nationwide. The movie premiered to a select audience last week at Nu-Metro cinema at the Cornubia Mall, where the cast walked the red carpet. Among them was Durban-born Bianca Isaac, the film’s writer and director. Bagwandeen stars as Katya ‘Kat’ Kapoor. She jets off to Zanzibar after her fiancé cancels their wedding the night before they were scheduled to tie the knot. What is meant to be her honeymoon turns into a fun girls getaway to an exotic island and a series of misadventures. These expose the rifts among the once-close besties, who drift away from each other by the end of their island trip. “My character Kat is…

Athol Fugard, the acclaimed South Africa playwright, was born in the Eastern Cape and grew up in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Not surprisingly, some of his best works are set in and around this city. One of his plays, The Blood Knot, is set in Korsten, an impoverished, so-called coloured area. Written in 1961, it tells the story of two brothers, Morris and Zachariah, who share a home that is essentially a shack. Their mother is black but they have different fathers. Morris has lighter skin than Zachariah and can pass for white. Zachariah starts writing to a white girl and dreams of having a relationship with her, but Morris discourages the blossoming romance, aware that in apartheid South Africa such relationships are illegal. Things take a turn when the young…

WELL done to the editor and his team at POST. They are the crown jewel of the media industry. Amid the despair of the strike and joy of a public holiday, we were able to read, on the front page, about the family of three who were shot dead in an apparent hit the day before. The team definitely put other media to shame throughout the country, in bringing to its readers the most sought-after news within a couple of hours of the hit. Given the challenges, the POST team has yet again demonstrated its ability to respond swiftly by bringing up-to-date news to its readers, which set the community at large and the social media abuzz. I would like to extend my appreciation to all those at the POST…

IN A recent social media post, eThekwini Metro Municipality mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, announced that the city could confirm that a sum of R1.5 billion had been granted to the municipality for the sole purpose of fixing infrastructure that was damaged during the April 2022 floods. We note this development after eThekwini was affected by the floods, displacing hundreds of people, leaving countless roads and bridges inaccessible, and numerous schools and infrastructure damaged. It has regrettably taken the government a trip around the sun and to court to allocate funds to begin repairs around the municipality. Unfortunately, we meet this development with great concern because of the R1.5bn, only R300 million will be reserved for water and sanitation. With the current state of the infrastructure of sewer pump-stations that have been…

One of the few remaining giants of the golden era of resistance journalism, Rajendra Chetty, has passed on after bravely battling age-related illness. He was 89. Chetty grew up in Kearsney on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. He once recalled: “Elders played pivotal roles in disciplining and educating us. My parents, uncles and aunts played supporting roles in guiding us as children. The transition to adulthood was orderly and dignified. “When it was time to leave my small village, they blessed us, offering us the freedom to explore our individuality. My siblings and I proceeded to the city of Durban to pursue careers.” As a 14-year-old, Chetty had read sensational stories about “miracles” being performed by a farmer who claimed to possess divine healing powers. Thousands of people began flocking to…

RESIDENTS of Tongaat (oThongathi) have been without a proper water supply for two weeks. Parts of Reservoir Hills have also been without water for several days. The situation has been aggravated by a lack of sufficient water tankers supplied by the eThekwini Municipality, according to residents. Jay Lovey Govender, secretary and spokesperson of the Tongaat Ratepayers Association, said there had been intermittent supplies since November, but the disruptions worsened recently. “In the last two weeks, we have areas that go without water for five days, in others, two days. Some residents get water for an hour. There is nothing concrete on when the water will stop or when it will start. “Something is amiss and no one is explaining it to the community. What is sad is that the…

GINA Rodriguez who starred in Jane the Virgin, recently gave birth to her first child. She is married to Joe LoCicero. The 38-year-old was seen in Los Angeles with a baby strapped to her chest in a carrier. Rodriguez was dressed casually in a black T-shirt, sweatpants and trainers, while her baby was covered with a farm animal-print blanket. While it is not clear when she gave birth, Rodriguez said on January 27 that she had already reached full term in her pregnancy. According to dailymail.co.uk, Rodriguez and LoCicero had not publicly announced the arrival of their infant, who People has confirmed is a boy. Rodriguez announced her pregnancy on her 38th birthday in July. She was last seen out with her baby bump on January 25. “This birthday hits…

ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Try not to over-analyse a situation and stay away from unnecessary drama. Find a compromise at home. Watch your budget and find ways to save for a rainy day if possible. Lucky colour: white. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) The end to a difficult situation is here bringing in a new cycle. Allow for change on the home front. Get your challenging conversations out of the way. Teamwork makes the dream work. Lucky colour: turquoise. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) There is a change in direction coming up, but the outcome is good. Trust and surrender, and know that you are being guided by spirit. Mend your bridges and forgive so that you can begin to heal. Lucky colour: sage green. CANCER…

THERE are certain changes people expect to experience when they get pregnant. Whether that’s unconventional food cravings, a “glowing” complexion or morning sickness. But some of the changes the body goes through during pregnancy can be a tad more unconventional. Recently, many women have taken to social media to share photos and videos of their noses before and during pregnancy. The trend, being termed “pregnancy nose”, has highlighted how some women’s noses swell and change shape during pregnancy. It’s not known how common this is as everyone’s hormone levels are different and everyone responds differently to changes in them. The change may also be more noticeable for some women. This change is nothing to worry about and is only temporary, typically resolving six weeks after birth. The reason it happens…

The National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD) declared a measles outbreak in all South African provinces, except for the Eastern Cape, last week. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by the measles virus. Signs and symptoms include fever, rash, cough, red eyes, and runny nose. At at the time of going to print, more than 700 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in the country. Forty-two percent of the confirmed cases were children aged five to nine, 25% were aged one to four, and 19% were aged 10 to 14, said the NICD. The eThekwini Municipality said with the Department of Health, the national measles campaign, that started on February 5, took place every five years. The campaign ends on March 31. Msawakhe Mayisela, spokesperson for the municipality, said 648 663…

Popular actor Jack Devnarain scooped the “outstanding male villain” award at the 6th Royalty Soapie Awards at the weekend. He was bestowed the award for his character Sunil Maharaj in the television soapie Imbewu. The ceremony took place on Saturday at The Galleria in Kramerville, Sandton. The Royalty Soapie Awards recognises major contributors to the South African daily TV drama entertainment industry and acknowledges the extensive role soapies play in society, while rewarding those who excel. Even though Devnarain’s character is known for his vile ways, he is still the character you love to hate. The POST spoke to Devnarain following his victory. “The moment my name was called, it felt surreal. It meant even more because I was nominated within a category of other incredible actors. “Being acknowledged within…

After a long wait, Joburg pastor Siva Moodley was finally laid to rest recently. And that was only after a court order had been obtained by the undertaker, Martin’s Funeral Home, against the pastor’s family. Moodley, 53, a former Durban pastor, was the founder of Miracle Centre in Johannesburg. He had a huge following but there were few mourners at his funeral. His wife and children did not attend his burial; only his siblings, nephews and nieces did. The family had kept his body for more than 570 days in the mortuary, hoping he would rise from the dead. I suppose they were disappointed this did not happen and they could not face the public and the media. A man who had preached that he could cure cancer and make…

LAST week, the exaggerated success of the national shutdown, spearheaded by the EFF, was a topic of conversation. South Africa was aflood with coroners and post-morterm specialists as the political rigour mortis set in. A brilliantly penned online blog by the Daily Maverick’s Tim Cohen, in its After The Bell column, caught my eye. I thought it was an excellent perspective and a masterpiece of narrative, written and posted on the same evening of the nationwide marches. Cohen questioned the validity and success of the shutdown. What did they achieve? Where was the prominence of civil leaders and clergymen? He compared it to the most memorable protest that changed the course of history – the March in Washington in 1863 in which Martin Luther King jr delivered his famous “I…

The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal is troubled by the Department of Social Development’s back-pedalling on the issue of subsidy payments to non-profit organisations (NPOs), such as child welfare societies, old-age homes, childcare centres, centres that provide services to persons with disabilities, and places of safety. The department has for many months been erratic in the payment of subsidies to these NPOs, and it has become a crisis that has the potential to destroy the NPO sector which provides essential services to communities across the province. In terms of section 105 of the Children’s Act, the government must provide funding to these NPOs which are registered with the department. Further, according to Treasury regulations and National Treasury Note 34, accounting officers have to pay all money owing within a prescribed or agreed…

France defender Benjamin Pavard made a spectacular comeback to the team as his superb second-half strike saw them beat Ireland 1-0 away in Euro 2024 qualifying Group B on Monday. Pavard, cast aside at last year’s World Cup after a woeful opening game, struck from 18 metres to put France on six points from two games after Friday’s 4-0 drubbing of the Netherlands. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who took over as number one after Hugo Lloris’s international retirement, denied the hosts an equaliser with a stunning save in the last minute, three days after stopping a penalty at the Stade de France. France lead the group ahead of Greece, who have three points having only played once, with the Dutch third on goal difference after beating Gibraltar 3-0 at home.…

South African Paralympic athlete Tyrone Pillay recently took first position in the shot put at the South African Championships in Cape Town. Pillay was born with an impairment of the left leg, which wasn’t fully formed at birth, resulting in him needing prosthetics to walk. Pillay never let this stand in the way of his dreams. At the age of 14, he seized the opportunity to play cricket and learnt the valuable lessons of teamwork and having a positive attitude. When he realised he wouldn’t make the South African team, Pillay channelled his energy into field events, and at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, he won a bronze medal. Pillay is an ambassador for a non-profit organisation which provides prosthetics for South African children living with lower extremity…

MANY wedding trends are set to be huge this year, which include fresh ideas for your ceremony and reception. This allows you to break away from the stereotypical wedding ideas of the past. First, a growing trend is a small wedding. This is having about 60 guests versus the hundreds back in the day. It’s a noticeable shift that we all understand due to shrinking budgets. Another big trend is bold colours, where brides are steering away from the traditional white dress and pastel shades. Many are looking for daring and unforgettable colour schemes that capture their personalities. Some colours that are trending are gold, silver, copper, rose gold, champagne and ochre. Bouquets are also more petite, which allows us to see the dress without it being hidden by wild…

KAREN Devroop is a South African saxophonist whose journey in music began from a young age watching his father perform in the Rajendra Orchestra. By 12, he had joined the band. But it was only during a concert in 1978, while listening to musician Melvin Peters perform, that he realised jazz was in fact his future. Devroop has released his latest album, Dance of the Indentured, and will perform at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN), Howard College campus in Durban. While Devroop has several live and studio recordings as a sideman, this is his fourth outing as a soloist, leading his own ensemble. Devroop was born and raised in Pietermaritzburg and lives in Pretoria. He attended Raisethorpe High School and attained…

SUNRISE Fruiterers on Felix Dlamini (Brickfield) Road in Overport has been in business since 1964. The fruit and vegetable shop was started by the late Reggie Birjanund and over the years it has served generations of shoppers. Before opening a formal business, Birjanund was a fruit and vegetable hawker. He sold fresh produce from his van in areas such as Asherville, Springtown, Morningside and Sparks Estate. He and his wife Shanti also sold goods on the roadside, on Brickfield Road. “However, with all his success, my dad did not have a shop of his own until the early 1970s. Mr Habib, the owner of Habib Supermarket, approached my father with a business proposition he could not refuse,” said Krish Birjanund, the youngest son of the family. “Mr Habib saw my…

IN THE past few years, South Africa has witnessed a rise in the number of assassinations of individuals working on politically sensitive cases or those involving grand corruption. Civil society and society as a whole must stand firmly together against this growing threat, and the government must turn its empty promises of protection and support into action. To save our country and its people, we must stem the tide against the unwinding of the rule of law. This includes stopping in its tracks the further erosion of the rule of law posed by the assassinations of those who work to enforce consequences for corrupt conduct. It is the character of our current order that human rights defenders, whistle-blowers, journalists, and political figures are vulnerable to the threats of intimidation and…

A few years before his untimely death, iconic reggae superstar Robert Nesta Marley – going by the moniker Bob Marley and the Wailers – penned something titled Redemption Song. In it, he says, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” Then and now, this song gave me the impression that there is something sinister that befalls one’s mind due to extended periods of enslavement, oppression, repression and colonisation. While we know officially that South African apartheid lasted about 50 years, historians are also clear in their minds that colonisation of Africa reared its ugly head in the 1500s, which I assume can be put in the same class as “modern colonialism” that emerged after Africa’s partition at the 1884 Berlin Conference. Bob Marley was obviously…

THE DA in eThekwini lambastes the inaction of eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda who sits in the comfort of his palace guarded by heavily armed security, while the rest of eThekwini is stalked by blood-crazed thieves and hitmen who go about their business unchallenged. A decision has been taken that through our representatives in the provincial legislature, the DA will petition the provincial government to deploy more police in the crime hotspots in eThekwini. Townships, suburbs, the CBD, and economic zones are under siege on a daily basis, with new cases being opened by the minute, and no relief appears to be in sight. The city has at least 499 CCTV cameras, but only 98 are functioning, and Mayor Kaunda has done little to improve the situation despite the DA’s efforts.…

STRUGGLE Stalwart and freedom fighter Moosa (Mosie) Moolla, who died on Saturday at the age of 88 after a long illness, has been hailed for his contribution to the liberation Struggle. His involvement in politics began at the age of 15, when he joined the Congress Movement. Moolla was born on June 12, 1934, in Christiana, in the North West province, to parents who had emigrated from the Indian state of Gujarat. He was an executive member of the Transvaal Indian Congress and Natal Indian Congress during the liberation Struggle. In December 1956, Moolla was arrested on allegations of high treason with 155 other Congress activists including Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Joe Slovo, Ruth First, Ahmed Kathrada and Lillian Ngoyi. In 1965, he joined Umkhonto we Sizwe and spent a…

Small scale sugar cane farmers on the North Coast said the dire financial situation at the Gledhow sugar mill will affect their livelihoods. According to the SA Canegrowers the Gledhow Mill in Stanger services more than 245 growers who produce more than 1.1 million tons of sugar cane a year: 6% of the industry’s total output. These growers are believed to employ more than 3 400 workers from surrounding communities. The Gledhow Sugar Company said its board of directors made the decision to undergo business rescue during a meeting on March 10. The company comprises Ushukela Milling (34.9%), Illovo Sugar (30%), the Gledhow Growers Share Trust (25.1%) and Sappi Southern Africa Limited (10%). It said the decision followed challenges which included forced closure of its factory due to social unrest…

ROCK and surf fishing has been on a high for the past week, with both edibles and inedibles to catch along most of the coast. The North Coast has been fishing very well around the river mouths and off the deeper points. There has been plenty of scratching action along most of the region’s coastline, with some very good bronze bream and kob being caught. The kob have favoured chokka and live baits. The bream have favoured pink prawn. The central coast has also seen some good fish being caught on lures. There are fish for all levels and interests. The shad have been plentiful around the piers and are always keen to eat a drifted sardine or spoon. The snoek have been scarce, as too the garrick, but they…

Ethan Pethambar’s hard work, dedication and self discipline paid off earlier this month when he placed third at the Karate Junior National Championships in Durban. Pethambar’s success is a testament to his perseverance and his unwavering commitment to excellence in everything he does. He emphasises that it’s vital to have a strong support system in place, whether it’s family, friends, coaches and mentors to help you along the way. Crediting his dad for being his guiding force and always pushing him to reach his potential, Ethan says karate has taught him more than just physical skills. He believes that karate has helped him become a more disciplined, focused, and balanced person, and he encourages youngsters to explore different sports and activities to learn what resonates with them. Success is not…