Post -julkaisun Wednesday, May 5, 2021 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

‘HATEFUL WORDS’ Ugly writing on the wall at heritage mosque CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Wikimedia Commons WHEN worshippers at the Masjid Aziez gathered for prayer on Thursday evening, they found anti-Islamic graffiti on the walls near the entrance. The 120-year-old mosque is situated in Port Elizabeth and is one of the oldest mosques in the city. Moulana Salmaan Fredericks, a member of the mosque committee, said the slogans were messages of hate that denigrated Islam and Allah. “During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. In the afternoon, before breaking our fast, a group of mostly men attend prayer at the mosque. “When the group of worshippers arrived at the mosque on Thursday afternoon, they found the hateful words scribbled at the entrance of the mosque. They were shattered to read…

FAMILY WANT JUSTICE Dad dies after being beaten, dragged by car Naidoo was laid to rest on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife, Sholeen Naidoo, and his three children, aged 16, 10 and 5. Captain Nqobile Gwala, KZN Provincial Police spokesperson, said Chatsworth SAPS was investigating a case of murder. “It is alleged that on 2 May 2021 at 00:45am, during the early hours of Sunday morning, a male was knocked in the Crossmoor area following an altercation. The victim was transported to a local hospital for medical attention where he succumbed to his injuries.” said Gwala. Pastor Jonathan Naicker, who also lives in Sagebrush Road, said Naidoo was a humble soul who always looked out for the best interest of the community. “He wanted to improve our community…

WARRANT OF ARREST Comedian hands himself over to police CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za COMEDIAN Sagren Madhevan Moodley handed himself over to police last Wednesday morning after the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court issued a warrant of arrest for him. Moodley was charged by the Est-court police for violating an interim protection order that had been issued against him. His attorney, Preggie Naicker, said that after being charged, Moodley appeared in court but the matter was not enrolled because there was no evidence to show he was in violation of the protection order. He said Moodley would appear in court again on Thursday to oppose the protection order. The protection order, which falls under the Protection from Harassment Act, was obtained by an Estcourt businesswoman in March this year. She said Moodley targeted her…

MAN OF THE THEATRE Mentor to many Dr Ronnie Govender, an internationally acclaimed and much-awarded figure in the theatre and literature world, died from age-related illnesses last week. A long-time acquaintance, Yogin Devan, recounts his meaningful life. EIGHTY-SEVEN years ago, on May 16, 1934, a bag lady – a traditional midwife – delivered a lanky baby boy in a simple dwelling in Cato Manor just outside Durban. The child, Sathiseelan Gurulingam Govender, was born into a strictly Tamil household, but as was then the case among working-class families, he was also given the English nickname, Ronnie, by which he was to be more popularly known in the world of theatre and literature, locally and abroad. Ronnie Govender’s grandparents on both sides of the family came as indentured immigrants from South…

PUPIL UNABLE TO REGISTER FOR SCHOOL Mom’s ID document issues affect children NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za FOR the last few years Samantha Chetty’s life has been on hold. In 2013, she lost her green South African identity book while she was in hospital giving birth to her first-born daughter. And, since then, she has tried unsuccessfully to get a replacement. Chetty, of Westcliff, said she failed to register the birth of her child. She was told to get a letter from the hospital. However, it took about three years before she finally received it. “When I went back to Home Affairs in Chatsworth with the letter, they told me they needed my original ID. I explained that I had lost my ID and had applied for a new one. I showed…

OXYGEN CRISIS The battle continues Allahabad High Court, seeking interim bail and parole for prisoners under trial. Agarwal stated that the recent reports of two weeks indicated that the Covid-19 positive cases were doubling in all jails across the country. His letter read: “Scores of inmates have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, majorly due to the flouting of social distancing norms on account of congestion in jails.” Convicted prisoners and those undergoing trials such as murder and rape will also be considered for the 60-day parole but on the basis that they should surrender after the expiry of the parole period. The High Powered Committee (HPC), which approved the decision, stated that those under trial facing criminal cases of seven years sentence may be released on interim bail on…

SEWAGE Heavy rains cause stink at Cuttings NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za FISHERMEN and residents are concerned about the future of the popular Cuttings Beach, south of Durban, after a suspected sewage spillage at the weekend. On Saturday eThekwini Municipality advised that swimming and fishing were not allowed at the north and south of the Umlazi Canal. While initial reports said the beach had been closed due to the spill, Msawakhe Mayisela, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, said Cuttings had been closed since September last year due to the tie-in of the new beach section of the sea outfall pipeline. “The signs for the beach closure were in place but … were removed … Hence, the advisory was issued to warn residents on Saturday.” He said the incident was a result of the bypass…

Why should public sector be treated differently? Open letter to the minister of public works and administration MINSTER Senzo Mchunu, thank you for the opportunity for public participation in the present issues regarding the negotiations of public sector wage increases. Covid-19 has dealt our economy a blow. The manner in which our stimulus package, released by President Cyril Ramaphosa, was utilised has raised many eyebrows. The monies wasted on personal protective equipment and the corruption investigated by the special investigating unit, has again highlighted the corruption we are experiencing. In the midst of a pandemic, for those to have taken advantage of the situation indicates how morally bankrupt some of our people have become. Our public sector is bloated. We have more departments than we require. Actually, the output of…

Cuban water experts are not required BLINDED by its ideological infatuation with Marxist Cuba, the ANC’s recent hiring of 24 Cuban engineers to assist in remedying South Africa’s deteriorating water supply network is ill-advised. Although hailed by the Department of Water and Sanitation as highly qualified specialists with vast skills in the areas of electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, that description is not borne out by the backward state of water supply in Cuba itself. According to an article in the New York Times, published on February 15, more than 50% of Cuba’s water is lost as a result of antiquated pipes. For much of Cuba, running water is available for only one or two hours a day. Horse-drawn carriages ply the streets dispensing water in buckets. For most Cubans,…

Governments give reckless advice THERE is a lot of reckless advice with even Joe Biden, the US president, advocating throwing your mask away if you have received your first vaccine. What is the harm in continuing to wear a mask as a legal requirement until further notice? Even previously, the anti-flu shot was known to fail more often than not. India’s government had ample time to extend its hospitals, stockpile medical equipment like ventilators and beds, and employ more health-care workers. Instead, it opted to strengthen only its own existence in Delhi by promulgating crowded election rallies and allowing selected communities to hold prayers and festivities where social distancing would be practically impossible. India exported vaccines to make the Narendra Modi government look charitable and noble. Money that could have…

Your Stars SHARRON DUFF ARIES (March 21 – April 19) This week’s energy is about victory and success and this means coming full circle with your efforts. Good news could be yours if you have been waiting on a new opportunity to come your way. Keep an open mind. Lucky colour: turquoise. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Take charge of your situation to avoid misunderstandings and conflict where you can. Know what you want and have clear communication with those around you, especially where relationships are concerned. Lucky colour: rust. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) You may be feeling frustrated as things are not moving as fast as you want them to. Be patient as things are working in your favour. Have solid plans for what you want…

PLAYERS IN FOUR FRANCHISES HIT BY COVID Uncertainty over T20 World Cup in India after IPL postponement UNCERTAINTY looms over India hosting the T20 World Cup this year after the Indian Premier League (IPL) was postponed earlier this week following rising Covid-19 positive cases in four out of the eight competing teams, and all over India. The IPL bio-bubble was supposed to be tight and impenetrable despite the rising number of Covid-19 cases across the country. However, the emergence of positive cases in half of the IPL teams has put question marks over the Indian cricket board's ability to put up a safe bio-secure environment. The World Cup is scheduled to be held in October-November in India. Although the tournament is still five months away and the Board of Control…

FIRST STEP IN THE BEAUTIFUL GAME Transgender soccer referee makes sports history SAPIR Berman made sports history on Monday, officiating at a soccer match in Israel's Premier League for the first time since coming out as transgender. "This is the first step in a long and wonderful journey. Sapir, we are proud to do it with you," the Israel Football Association tweeted as she took the field for the contest between Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Haifa. At a news conference last Tuesday in which she publicly announced her transition, Berman, at 26 already a top referee in Israel's leading soccer league, said she had always seen herself as a female, even at a young age. She told reporters that players had already begun using the feminine form of words in…

‘My sister fed her killer’ Security guard arrested after brutal attack CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za WHILE most children will be celebrating Mother’s Day, four siblings from Lenasia are mourning the death of their mom. Naadira Vanker, 31, a teacher at Progress Primary School in Lenasia, was abducted from her home by two men on April 22 during an alleged robbery. After a six-day search, her body was found on April 27 in a shallow grave at the home of Lucky Mshubi in Phumlamqashi, south of Lenasia. Mshubi, 36, worked as a security guard at the complex Vanker shared with her husband, Imraan Haider, their daughter aged 9, and sons 7, 3 and 1 years old. Her family said she would often cook meals for the guards. Mshubi was charged with…

‘UNRELIABLE, NOT IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE’ Witness statement won’t be admitted NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za A DURBAN High Court judge has ruled that the witness statement of the man convicted for the 2018 murder of Kidesh Ramjettan would not be admitted into evidence in support of the State’s case on Tuesday. Ayanda Shezi, 34, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment, was expected to testify for the State in the trial against his alleged accomplices, Menziwa Afrika Mdakane, 35, and Zakhele Dubazane, 32, of Dobsonville, Soweto. Mdakane and Dubazane, who are also charged with the unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The trio were alleged to have been hired by people unknown to the State to kill Ramjettan. They…

‘MY GRANDFATHER WAS A BRILLIANT WRITER’ A visionary who directed our atman KARLIND GOVENDER Supplied NEVER bound by time, and though seemingly disjointed, it is both the sporadic and structured efforts of our leadership that ensures cohesion. It is through their eyes that we are able to see better. Sathieseelan Gurulingam Govender, most commonly known as Ronnie Gov-ender, once informed me of the deep leadership of the real-world bus driver, the fruit seller, the fisher, the petrol attendant, the school teacher … and yes, also the fictional world but perhaps not so fictional child of Mothi the sh*t-bucket-carrier, in the play The Lahnee’s Pleasure. Whether playing the 7-year-old child of Mothi in my grandfather Ronnie Govender’s play … or trying to drink some of the whisky in his cabinet in…

STREAMING SERVICE ‘Sodapop brought to life’ NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za Supplied ZAYNE Chan wanted to make staying at home during the lockdown less dreary and ended up creating a streaming service. The application, Sodapop, which offers a variety of movies, series, and live channels, including sport and news, has been used in 176 countries. It now has more than 500 international subscribers. The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Chan, 33, of Chatsworth, said he wanted to ease the stress of people at home during the lockdown. “I wanted to make staying at home fun and cost-effective. I did extensive research of popular streaming apps and decided to bring Sodapop to life.” Chan, an IT engineer and software developer, said Sodapop took about a year to create and…

WIFE COLLAPSES Husband pleads in vain for help A 55-YEAR-OLD woman, suffering from a chronic renal disease, collapsed on the road and her body lay on the footpath for hours as the ambulance helpline service failed to respond to her husband’s repeated calls. The couple, marginal farmers, hailing from Kasimpur village, had travelled to Pilibhit city, after the woman, Laungshree, complained of unbearable pain on Friday. “Since her condition was deteriorating, I brought her to the hospital but the doctor wrote out some medicines without even examining her,” said her husband Brijesh Kumar. “When I asked him to admit my wife, he said she would be fine with the medicines he had prescribed, and he sent us back.” Laungshree died on the footpath near the hospital. Her husband had made…

‘NO INDIAN VARIANT’ Covid scare at city port CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za THERE has been a Covid-19 scare at the Durban Harbour. A ship, understood to have 14 crew on board, reportedly arrived in Durban on Sunday. It is believed some crew are Covid-19 positive. The ship is believed to have left India with a cargo of rice. The vessel and its members are in quarantine at the port. On Tuesday, media reports alleged that some crew members were sick and that one died on the journey to Durban. By the afternoon a high police presence could be seen around the port. A port employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said from Sunday to Monday people were offloading the rice. But this came to a sudden stop on Tuesday morning. “The…

VICTIMS OF 2016 FLOODS Families in long wait for houses NIKITA CHINIAH Supplied SIX families who were temporarily moved to park homes in Chatsworth after their council homes were damaged in heavy rains in 2016, still live there. They now want the eThekwini Municipality to find them similar accommodation as the homes they lived in have been condemned due to an underground stream. The families were moved to park homes on vacant land at nearby Lotus Primary School. They say they were told it would take six months to repair the damages to the building’s infrastructure but the city had not delivered on its promise. The residents say their living conditions in the park homes have worsened. Jay Padayachee, 62, one of the affected residents and the spokesperson for the…

India has got its priorities wrong INDIA is under attack. The world’s second-biggest nation is reeling from Covid-19. Hospitals are overwhelmed and they either turn away patients or leave them gasping for breath as there are not enough beds and equipment. There is also a shortage of oxygen. The situation is so bad that the state of Karnataka has given permission to families to bury their loved ones in their backyards. Makeshift crematoriums have sprung up as the established ones cannot cope with the high number of deaths. The country is desperate and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for help with oxygen and equipment from the international community. The US, France, Germany and Britain have responded with supplies of vaccine raw material, oxygen and equipment. Modi has come in…

QUOTES AND POEMS Inspired by mothers Famous words • I will look after you and anybody who says they need to be looked after, any way you say. I am here. I brought my whole self to you. I am your mother. | Maya Angelou, American poet and civil rights activist (Pinterest.com) • Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. | Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and author (Pinterest.com) • I struggle so deeply to understand how someone can pour their entire soul, blood and energy into someone without wanting anything in return. I will have to wait until I am a mother. | Rupi Kaur, author of Milk and Honey (Quotecatalog.com) • Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force.…

ME-TIME Pamper yourself PLAN some guilt-free me-time this Mother’s Day. While you spend most of the days working and taking care of the needs of your family and home, it’s time to take care of yourself. Try a special skin detox session for a refreshing break from the daily hustle and for rest and relaxation. Dr Geetika Mittal, a consulting dermatologist, shares five ways to pamper yourself: •Make a refreshing summer cooler:a common recommendation for good health and immunity is vitamin C. Make a refreshing lemonade with mint leaves and honey. You will feel rejuvenated, help detox your body and add a natural radiance to your skin. • Eat healthy: make healthy delicious meals loaded with fruit, nuts, dry fruit, vegetables and greens. • Balanced skincare routine: as mothers represent…

‘MY SISTER WAS NOT A DRUG DEALER’ Family wants answers over killing CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za ALLESTINE Noleen Joseph was shot dead at her partner’s home in Malagazi Township near Isipingo on Friday morning. Joseph, 35, who also lived in the area and owned a scrap metal business there, died at the scene. The mother of two was shot in the right arm, left leg and and chest. Her partner was shot in the neck and taken to hospital. Joseph’s brother, Houston Joseph, said neighbours claimed an unknown number of men broke down the door and began shooting at his sister and her partner before fleeing. “I arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. Her partner was not there. I saw my sister lying on a bed with four gunshot…

AN INSPIRATION AND A FRIEND True son of the soil Saths Cooper (anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned on Robben Island): Ronnie has been a significant cultural and creative figure from the 1960s. His patois of local Indianism gained popularity beyond Durban, where he enjoyed a cult following, to the rest of KZN, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Together with others passionate about the performing arts – such as Guru Pillay, Kessie Govender, Maynard Peters, Babs Pillay, Ismail Patel, Geevie Nadasen, Eileen Isaacs, Jayson Cornelius, Lorna Mathee, Veena Bugwandeen, Ali Mohamed, Stanley Mnyandu and Benjy Francis – Ronnie led Shah Theatre Academy when l joined it in 1966 as a 15-year-old. Ronnie and his dear wife Kamala were both schoolteachers. It was the period when Verwoerd was entrenching the separation of people…

PASTORS ARE UPSET School-based churches remain closed CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za A YEAR has passed and churches that operate on school premises remain closed. Some pastors have said that due to the relaxed lockdown regulations, they should be allowed to reopen to serve the community and to earn a living. In March last year, all places of worship closed due to the national lockdown. Then, under level 3 of the adjusted lockdown regulations implemented in June, places of worship could open. But a limited number of people were allowed to enter the premises. Schools also reopened in June. A circular, with a Section 41 clause, was released to schools by the Department of Education. It cautioned that no outside activity was allowed on the premises due to the safety of pupils…

HIGH FEVER Men die days after getting married TWO newly-married men died of Covid symptoms within days of getting married. A 28-year-old man passed away within days of his marriage due to Covid. The groom got married on Tuesday night and died on Friday night. Before his death, he had complained about high fever and Covid-like symptoms. The groom belonged to Pakbara village and his wife is a resident of Gajraula police station area. In a separate incident, Arjun Kumar, a resident of Jaatan locality in Bijnor district, died after suffering from “high fever”. He had got married on April 25. Kumar’s family said the wedding took place with all the necessary Covid-19 protocols in place and only a few close relatives were invited. Kumar had fever and breathing difficulties.…

PARKS Rapid response team hailed CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za RATEPAYER associations have welcomed news of a special rapid response team in eThekwini Municipality, to deal with urban forest challenges and overgrown verges. Last week, head of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Thembinkosi Ngcobo said the team was set up to fast-track a response to public reports and to eliminate complaints about verges remaining uncut for too long. “Long delays for tree pruning, removing fallen trees, and other parks-related issues will now be reduced. The team will be supporting 10 districts, across the city, in addressing community complaints and resolving backlogs swiftly. The unit will also attend to overhanging and fallen branches obstructing motorists and pedestrians, clean up fallen leaves, service parks-based playground equipment, and remove illegal advertisements. “The planned turnaround time…

Editor’s View Look after yourself, and our world HISTORY was made on Saturday night when four astronauts returned to earth from the International Space Station (ISS), after being in space since November last year. It took about six and a half hours from the time the Space X Dragon capsule left the ISS until it landed in the sea off Florida in the US. Inside the capsule were four astronauts, including Victor Glover, who became the first African American to spend such a long time in space. Nasa has sent more than 300 astronauts into space but Glover was only the 15th African American. Currently Nasa has about 48 active astronauts and only four of them are black. During February this year, Kamala Harris, America’s vice president, called the ISS…

Families set the benchmark for quality products I CANNOT imagine an Indian household without jam tomatoes and cooking oil. Thank you POST for highlighting the acute shortages in the April 21-25 edition. The tomato shortage is attributed to inclement weather affecting crops and resulting in poor yields. The shortage of Helios oil is due to a shortage, possibly spurred by shipping delays of imported crude sunflower oil. Helios is made up of 100% sunflower oil, filled with omega 6 and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Just a month ago, good quality jam tomatoes were sold for R20 for 3kg. Now you will not get a kilogram for that price. When tomatoes are in abundance, clever housewives are known to buy in bulk, liquidise them and pour the purée into ice cube trays.…

What happened to Southside FM? SUNRISE FM, a new radio station in Chatsworth, went on air on April 30. Many of the presenters are no strangers to the radio broadcasting industry. I can also recall there was great excitement about 10 years ago when Southside FM was to be launched, but sadly nothing has since materialised. What has become of Southside FM? Of late, we were advised that the station was granted an FM frequency but it is still not broadcasting. It is sad as the station would have unified the South Indian community – by propagating South Indian languages and ensuring that our true place and identity is firmly entrenched in the country. My suggestion to the board of Southside FM: perhaps it’s time that you resign en bloc,…

Images are petrifying INDIA is being overwhelmed by a second wave of the new strain of Covid-19. The images of hospital services collapsing due to the influx of patients, overflowing crematorium areas and oxygen being administered to patients on the streets, is petrifying. India must flatten the curve by vaccinating a large percentage of the population to stop the transmission chain. Moreover, the current safety measures, such as social distancing, wearing masks, sanitising and minimising unnecessary exposure of vulnerable people must continue. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the people of India, and to all those around the globe who are affected by this pandemic. MOHAMED SAEED Pietermaritzburg…

IDEAS How to spend the special day LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za Pexels. com MOTHER’S Day is approaching fast. If you are still not sure what to do for your mom on Sunday, here are some ideas: Going out • Endless Horizons Boutique Hotel in uMhlanga will host a lunch from 12pm to 3pm. The menu includes a selection of starters, mains and desserts. The price is R380 per person. For information and bookings, call 031 564 0360. • 9th Avenue Waterside at the Durban Harbour will host a luncheon from 12pm to 4pm. The three-course set menu per person is priced at R485 or R550 with a welcome drink. For information and bookings, email info@9thavewaterside.co.za • Coastlands Musgrave Hotel will host a buffet lunch from 12pm to 3pm. A limited number…

LIVE BAIT GETS THE COUTA ON THE HOOK WHILE TUNA ARE ALSO IN THE MIX There’s something for every angler on the east coast THE offshore fishing has been on fire. The sea has been a bit cheeky for the surf launches but the effort to get out has been worth it. The North Coast and the far north have been heavily fished over the past couple of weeks. Sodwana and Cape Vidal have been full up and for good reason. The couta have been the main attraction up north but there have been some frantic billfish bites as well. Live bait has been the most successful method for the couta although some have claimed the shiny walla-walla to be the best of the best. Durban has seen a lot…

COMMENT Glazers have the devil of a job ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Man United vs Liverpool The much anticipated Manchester United vs Liverpool Premier League clash was cancelled owing to Manchester United fans storming the Old Trafford pitch in protest to show their dissatisfaction towards club owners, the Glazer family. The unhappiness towards the Glazer family is nothing new and in 2005 a group of unhappy United fans broke away from the club to form a breakaway club called … wait for it … FC United of Manchester. Believe it or not, FC United has over 800 000 followers on Facebook, probably the highest number of followers a semi-professional club anywhere has, but the majority of their followers are likely people who confused it for the Old Trafford giants. Sir Lewis…