Table of contents for 2021-07-28 in Post

Kiara Sunder SPREADING fake news is generally acknowledged as being disruptive and potentially harmful. So much so that our president has on several occasions cautioned the public against sharing false information, with particular reference to the Covid-19 pandemic. So, what drives people to create and circulate fake news? Firstly, many individuals are naively unaware that they are sharing misinformation. There are also those who do it knowingly as a means of satisfying underlying social needs or political agendas. These motives are multi-layered and can be quite complex to unpack. However, there is a common factor that leads to fake news doing harm and that is a strong societal trust in online sources. Misplaced trust Historically, news was received in print or broadcast format via official news channels, which the public…

ACTRESS Neha Dhupia took to social media to announce her second pregnancy. She uploaded a picture with actor-husband Angad Bedi and daughter Mehr. Holding her baby bump in the picture, the actress captioned the image as: "Took us 2 days to come with a caption. The best one we could think of was, Thank you, God. #wahegurumehrkare." Angad also posted the same picture on Instagram and captioned it as: "New Home production coming soon. Waheguru mehr kare." Angad and Neha are parents to 2-year-old Mehr. The couple got married in 2018 in Delhi. |…

MY THOUGHTS and prayers go out to families and to all who lost their loved ones in the battle to contain the anarchy that engulfed our nation. We mourn the losses as we struggle to rebuild our lives. The enemies of freedom have pushed the false narrative that democracy is in decline because it is incapable of addressing people’s needs. In fact, democracy is in decline because its most prominent exemplars are not doing enough to protect it. Death, destruction and killings have torn at many of our relationships and our communities. The fundamental concept of living in peace and harmony is founded upon the triad of tolerance, forgiveness and forgetting. It was philosopher Bertrand Russel who offered these profound words of wisdom: “If a better and sane world is…

OVER the past few days, the IFP leadership has been working day and night in the community of Phoenix to stop the despicable vigilante violence that is targeting black people. We are devastated by the murders and vicious attacks and condemn what is happening in the strongest possible terms. While the situation remains volatile and the killings continue, it is disgusting that anyone would use social media to disseminate false information that will escalate tension. I and the IFP are aggrieved by a malicious Facebook post by an individual called “Comrade M’sirny Mngadi” who posted an edited video of a news interview dating from before the violence erupted in Phoenix. Below the edited video, he posts images of bodies in the streets of Phoenix, clearly intending to show a nexus…

Theodore Petrus WITH the recent chaos, specifically in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, and the media focus on these areas pertaining to the violent riots and looting, it is easy to get wrapped up in some tunnel vision, focusing exclusively on these events. The danger of this, of course, is that one runs the risk of trying to make sense of these events in isolation. However, a more holistic view reveals that nothing can be further from the truth. A wider context is at play and the recent events are the latest manifestation of this wider context. The events happening now have a historical context, particularly if we relate them to the prevailing political, economic and social conditions. I would highlight in particular the following key factors: The Covid-19 pandemic The political…

‘There was never racial tension in Phoenix but there is now’ Charlene Somduth and Nokuthula Mabuza TEN suspects linked to violence during the unrest in Phoenix appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Natasha Kara, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said the charges against the suspects included murder, attempted murder, possession of stolen property, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. “The matters were held in camera. This is to protect the identity of the accused persons as identity parades are yet to be conducted. The matters were remanded to Friday for bail consideration.” Alice Govender, a community activist from Phoenix, said they fully supported the legal process. She was speaking on behalf of the families of the suspects. "We stand by the rule of law.…

RACE is not to blame for the violence that ravaged Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal where several people were killed, but the failure of the police force and some of the country’s other security structures to do their job properly. This can be gleaned from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s weekly newsletter, last week, in which he asks South Africans to have “honest conversations” with each other about race, while making special reference to the violence that played out in the predominantly Indian residential area of Phoenix. The FF Plus has requested to have such an open discussion on race numerous times in the past. The party asked that Affirmative Action (AA) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) must come under discussion as well. The president must not try to hide behind racism when it…

Anand Singh Dev Tewari THE recent looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Joburg has resurrected the latent mistrust and ethnic divisions that are prevalent in South Africa. What began as a protest against the incarceration of ex-president Jacob Zuma, accompanied by his and the EFF’s war cry against white monopoly capitalism, rapidly descended into modern history’s largest orgy of looting against organised business. In a manner akin to a religious pilgrimage, thousands descended upon major chain stores and their storehouses to take what they could in as a casual a manner as people on pilgrimage. They went on…

ACTRESS Evelyn Lakshmi Sharma took to social media recently to share a photograph flaunting her baby bump. She joked that this was the first time that people were applauding a bigger belly in her photos. Sharma, who featured in Main Tera Hero and Yaariyan among other movies, shared a photo of her wearing a blue dress and pink sweater placing her left hand on the baby bump. "First time people are applauding a bigger belly in my photos! #pregnant #evelynsharma #tummypride #bellypride #pregnancyannouncement #babyontheway #mommylife," she wrote on Instagram. The actress announced that she was expecting her first child with husband Tushaan Bhindi. She shared another picture lying down with her left hand over her baby bump and had posted: “Can't wait to hold you in my arms.” |…

THE Mongols ran amok during those ancient days because it suddenly dawned on them that there were too many of them trying to eke a living out of a parched desert. In frustration, they adopted horses, saddled up and went on the rampage. They destroyed everything in their path for no other reason but to loot and burn, to give vent to their imprisoned feelings. The brute, Marcus Brutus, helps kill Julius Caesar. This is followed by loyal supporters of Caesar, led by Mark Anthony, who go hell for leather to organise a witch- hunt for all the conspirators and summarily put them to death. Revenge is sweet. European colonists from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Holland and the British Englanders persecuted in their own countries, land here and transfer their overseas…

I REMAIN in full support of the work of the justice system and subscribe unambiguously to the rule of law. I hold firm convictions that anyone, regardless of one’s racial categorisation, must be accountable to the prescribes of the law and must, if one has committed a crime, be made to account for that crime. That person must equally be given the right to defend oneself against any allegation. As a cadre of the IFP, representing the organisation in Phoenix, I reiterate the commendation of Mangosuthu Buthelezi for the people of Phoenix, of all race groups, who defended their properties and food supplies against vandalism and looting. I further reiterate Buthelezi's unequivocal contempt for the loss of lives, which was a result of riotous acts, lawlessness and anarchy. In his…

DESPITE death threats, Glen Naidoo, the owner of KZN VIP, a private security company, will continue to protect his community. Naidoo said he had received several death threats from people who blamed him for inciting racial violence in Phoenix during the unrest. He said this was untrue and that his focus had been to protect the community within the ambit of the law. “We have had a few sleepless nights after the death threats but we are strong and focused.” Naidoo said a narrative had been created to stoke racial division and shift the focus from the key issue. He said this was the absence of leadership when people needed it the most. “All we did was protect our community and the democracy of our country within the…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za POVERTY, unemployment, inequality and the lack of political leadership were among the reasons suggested for the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) held a virtual imbizo on Friday aimed at understanding what sparked the violence and allegations of racial tension in KZN, mainly in Phoenix. Bongani Majola, the chairperson of the SAHRC, said: “The events that accompanied the unrest, unfolded fast and with such fury, and threatened all of us as well as our democratic foundations. “This unrest could not have chosen a worse time when Covid-19 infections were at their highest and many municipalities were reported to be struggling, if not collapsing. Consequent service delivery failures added more pain for the communities.” Majola said the unrest left South Africa with challenges…

THE South African Communist Party (SACP) in KwaZulu-Natal has commended law enforcement authorities for their action, which led to arrests in relation to the killings in Phoenix. In a statement, SACP provincial secretary Themba Mthembu said the arrests would go a long way in restoring the public’s confidence in the country’s justice system. “The recent arrests are a testament that no one is above the law and they send a clear message that our government is committed to holding to account those who break the law, and fuel unnecessary tensions among communities. The scourge of brutality and lawlessness that we have seen in Phoenix, where Indians allegedly killed innocent black Africans, should never be allowed to happen in our country,” said Mthembu. Mthembu further noted that the reported ongoing tensions,…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za THE pain black Proteas cricketers have experienced has been laid bare at the Social Justice and Nation-building hearings. The dialogue is a necessary step towards players airing the mistreatment that they experienced and will help towards advancing social cohesion in the long term by ensuring that mistakes are not repeated. Former Proteas frontline spinner Paul Adams delivered a heartbreaking testimony, revealing that he was called a “brown sh*t” by former national team players, even naming current Proteas coach Mark Boucher as being among those who called him that. Boucher is expected to soon respond to Adams’ statement. Meanwhile, former hard-hitting batsman Loots Bosman revealed the mental frustration he experienced after being selected for a 2007 World Cup game against the West Indies and not given the chance to…

WE, South Africans, need to be gentle with one another, given what we have endured in the past weeks. We know there was a plan to cause chaos. Writing in his weekly column, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the unrest as “deliberate, planned and co-ordinated”. The attacks were not directed at one particular race group. Businesses owned by Africans, Indians, coloureds and whites were all affected. The focus was also clearly on businesses rather than homes. As the looting intensified, people of all race groups joined in. They were wrong. So too were those who went out to defend their loved ones and property but ended up attacking innocent people. There is ample evidence to show that effort was put into stoking racial tension, particularly in Phoenix. As Ramaphosa said: “Just…

IT’S time we examine the role of Police Minister Bheki Cele in the racial tension in Phoenix and elsewhere. He was the first to mention racial profiling at barricades. At his Phoenix roadshow, he presented a victim, Zandile Mthembu, to the media. I’m not sure how ethical that was. He chided the Indian community for what they did to her. She is alive because an Indian family rescued her. He portrayed all 20 deaths as being Africans killed by Indians. There were Indians among those dead. The death toll in Phoenix represents 10% of the total in the riots. The race of the perpetrators of the other 90% deaths has not been raised. No commission has been tasked to research them. This was crime like any other and must…

I WENT to have the first dose of my vaccination last week, as part of the 50 to 59 age group, at the Nelson Mandela Chatsworth Youth Centre. I must commend the co-ordinators, marshals, volunteers and medical field staff for their exemplary, organised and well-structured rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme. Other government service departments and election voting station officials should visit the centre for a lesson in efficiency. I found myself seated with a mixed bag of citizenry. With no lack of poverty of spirit or without sounding portentous or judgemental, I did mentally register a plethora of observances. Most of the denizens looked their ages, while some looked way beyond and others sparkled with an unusual glow that made them look much younger. Many were upbeat, fashionably dressed,…

THE recent unrest, coupled with acts of criminality and violence, must be unequivocally condemned in no uncertain terms, irrespective of who the perpetrators were. No civil society can tolerate or excuse such acts that diminish the value of good and decent living. However, the call by certain religious leaders and the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) to remind South Africa that “black lives matter” is both heretical and hypocritical. This kind of rhetoric is exactly the reason why we will never leave the starting blocks of social cohesion in this country. This is a rhetoric that is also being capitalised by another militant South African leader, who seems to thrive on and relishes the malice of racial hatred and division. It suits his political agenda when other races other…

Duff is a psychic medium, soul coach, spiritual mentor, healer and animal communicator. She has been connecting with spirit for over 20 years and runs her business, Quantum Soul, from Waterfall in KwaZulu-Natal. Listen to her on Lotus FM, live at 1.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as she connects with loved ones in spirit, and on GlowTV on Sundays after 8pm. Contact her at 072 986 5514 or email sharron@quantsoul.com Sharron Duff ARIES (March 21 – April 19) This week is about taking action and control of your environment, whether personal or physical. Have a clear plan and stick to it. You may need to make an important decision that impacts those around you. Take your time and plan carefully. Lucky colour: green. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za THE Golden Steps School for the intellectually challenged was opened in 1979 by volunteers. Today, the school management is uncertain about the future of teaching and learning after the property was damaged and looted. The school currently caters to more than 200 pupils and it employs 22 teachers. "Initially, classes began in the basement of a home in Watsonia in Tongaat with 12 pupils. Thereafter, they were held in the basement of the nearby Chelmsford Hotel. As the enrolment grew to 36, the school moved to the Hindu Patshala Temple in Fairbreeze. “As the enrolment numbers grew further, classes were then held in a wooden structure in Verulam and in 1985 it was converted into a brick structure,” said Shireen Hariparsad, the head of the senior phase.…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za BUILDING relationships between pupils will be the focus for schools in Phoenix during the new term. Schools are striving to ensure that racial tension during the recent violence does not spill over. Nelson Reddy, the principal of Northmead Secondary, said 50% of pupils were from a nearby township and the remainder were from Phoenix. “We did not know what to expect when school reopened on Monday, so I met with my staff at the school on Friday. We drafted a document that focused on social cohesion and rebuilding relationships. “Each morning after assembly, teachers have been told to take an hour to speak to pupils about peace and they can raise concerns or questions.” Reddy said pupils have always maintained a good relationship. “We have never had…

FROM time to time, South Africa is rudely reminded that its past continues to make its present and future difficult. It does not always recognise this reality when it sees it. The latest – and most shocking – reminder is the violence that followed the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma. The mayhem devastated KwaZulu-Natal, the home of Zuma and his faction of the governing ANC, and damaged Gauteng, the economic heartland which also houses hostels in which working migrants from KZN live. The violence was seen as a new threat to the democracy established in 1994. But, while it was severe, it was a symptom of a past the country has yet to face, not a future it did not see coming. Even the one aspect which was new…

FOR the offshore anglers in the Durban area we have heard that the bottom fish have been keeping the KPs back-winding. Some very decent cracker have been landed over the last week or so and respectfully, many have been released (well done to these anglers). The rest of the catches have been made up of rockcod (white-edged, catface, yellow belly) and the usual red fish. The slinger and soldiers have been of an impressive size, seems lockdown may have done them good? While fishing on the bottom, try fishing a trap stick with a livey. This is a great way to target gamefish while getting your bottoms. There have been plenty of baitfish down south but the gamefish do not seem to know about them. The fishing down south has…