Table of contents for 2022-06-15 in Post

THE steep petrol price increases are not only affecting motorists but commercial fishermen too who are struggling to make ends meet. Kirwin Wyatt, 37, from Ramsgate Beach on the south coast, owns Dubula Amanzi. With the recent price hike, to around R23 a litre, Wyatt says he is spending more than R60 000 on petrol to run his boat. Earlier this month, the National Treasury and the Energy Department decided to grant an extension of the reduction in the general fuel levy. The relief of R1.50/l was extended to July 6. It will then be adjusted to 75c/l to August 2. The temporary relief will be withdrawn from August 3. Had it not been passed, consumers would be paying in the region of R25 for a litre of fuel. “I…

ARIES (March 21 – April 19) You may feel like you’re struggling on your own, but help is on its way. Spend time with your loved ones and reconnect with old friends. There may be travel for some of you or an adventure to look forward to. Lucky colour: aquamarine. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) There is much to be grateful for, so practise a gratitude attitude to bring in more. There is a work opportunity or new job for some of you. You may need to decide if this is in your best interests. Lucky colour: peach. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) A cycle of hard work is almost over, and things are moving forward for you. Victory is in your space over a battle which feels…

After getting married in the early 1970s, Sharin Rajman and her mother-in-law were tasked to run their household. The 65-year-old, of Merebank, said this meant ensuring that their utility bills were paid and food was bought. “It was a very difficult time and there were many mouths to feed, with very little income. We had to rely on my husband’s wage, which was just R8 a week and my father-in-law’s wage, which was about the same. “My husband also had six siblings, who were all younger than him, some who had not even started their schooling career yet,” she said. Rajman, a retired self-employed property developer, said she and her mother-in-law would make weekly trips to the markets in the Durban Central Business District. Here they would look for the…

RECOGNISED for his contribution to the business and health care sector, Brett Lyndall Singh has made it to the 2022 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list. The 29-year-old, who is based in Pietermaritzburg and Pretoria, is also one of the four cover stars for Forbes Africa magazine’s June/July edition. The Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 acknowledges young Africans who are building brands, creating jobs, and transforming the continent in their respective fields. The categories include business, technology, creatives, sport and science, and health. Singh, an international medical graduate and entrepreneur, said he felt humbled and honoured. “It is an unbelievable and unexplainable feeling, especially to be the first healthcare cover star for Forbes Africa magazine. It is not only a great acknowledgement for myself and my team, but also the…

RISING inflation is costing consumers a greater fortune to maintain their survival. Striking in the work area causes the economy’s downfall. Many truck drivers are affected by the Transnet strikes. They have to wait hours to be served at the Durban container terminals, and this results in fatigue. The delays cause added expenses to transporters as well as to staff who complain that they have to work long hours for low salaries. Many South African truck drivers blame foreigners for taking their jobs by agreeing to work for a minimum wage. This factor contributes to high inflation as the Durban harbour plays a major role in international imports and exports. Many landlocked countries on our continent also rely on the transportation of goods from the Durban harbour. A leading factor…

LIVING on a budget and saving helped Banitha Rupnarain manage her household expenses. Rupnarain matriculated at Verulam Secondary School and then married Ramesh Rupnarain. The couple moved to his family home in Isipingo where she took care of her mother-in-law. They had two sons. Rupnarain and Ramesh are now 67 and 75 years old, respectively. After her mother-in-law died, the family moved to Springvale (now Glen Anil) to care for her sisters-in-law. The couple then had their third child, a daughter. In 1983, the family of five relocated a two-bedroomed duplex in Phoenix. “We loved our home. It was a chance at a new beginning,” said Rupnarain. “But later that year, my husband lost his job. Financially, things were tight. I started my own business selling samoosas, vedas, chilli bites,…

For Savithree Arumugam, living in a four-bedroomed tin house in Parlock was a hard but simple life. Arumugam married her husband Chin at 16 and moved in with her in-laws, which was no easy feat, but the price of food was not a concern. With her husband's weekly wage of R10, Arumugam’s household was able to afford the basics of bread, oil, rice and mielie rice. “We lived near the Umgeni River in Parlock. I lived with my husband’s mother, father, his sisters, his brothers and one sister-in-law. I used to cook in a big pot on a coal stove. My sister-in-law and I would each have a weekly turn to cook. “Chin, his brother and father all worked in a clothing factory in town. The youngest brother was still…

KENNY Maistry is a household name in the South African entertainment landscape. Generations of young people grew up listening to his dulcet tones and now, even after several decades in radio and a few flirtations with TV, he still gets old and young excited with his positive vibes and old-school jams. This July will mark Maistry's 30 years in the commercial radio space. He is hoping that he will be ready with his latest project – a book detailing his journey as an ambitious lad from Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, to a national radio host known for his intelligent chat and the seductive timbre of his voice. Maistry said his interest in radio was sparked in the early 80s when his mom tuned into Springbok radio regularly and he grew up listening…

COMAIR employees are concerned about their future as the airline filed for liquidation. On Thursday, the airline’s business rescue practitioners (BRP) lodged a court application to convert the business rescue proceedings into liquidation proceedings. The airline operated domestic British Airways flights and Kulula, a low-cost airline. It was responsible for 40% of domestic airline capacity. Jamain Doravaloo, who worked as a customer services supervisor, said he worked at the airline for 12 and a half years. Doravaloo, 35, is from Sastri Park in Phoenix. He said when the government implemented the hard lockdown in March 2020 due to Covid-19, aviation was severely impacted due to the national and international travel ban. “In April 2020, our management informed staff that the airline was going into business rescue due to the impacts…

I AM fed up with crimes being committed by white- and blue-collar criminals. I am also disgusted by the way they get away with everything. I am talking about doctors, attorneys, make up artists, engineers, architects, CEOs, chartered accountants, motor mechanics, plumbers, electricians, teachers, personal trainers, and so on. White- and blue-collar criminals commit crimes that range from fraud and murder to bribery and corruption. There are consequences for the victims of these crimes. Something has to change. There should be harsher penalties and punishment. Their social media and financial transactions must be monitored and there must be more effective disciplinary procedures. Evil prevails when good men do nothing. KIRAN MEGNATH uMhlanga Ridge…

THE front page of POST last week says it all: “Under Attack”. We have now become a crime haven and as citizens we have a right to be afraid. We can be rest assured that in spite of an increase in crime, the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, will never be fired. The government has failed us. The crime rate shows that a new breed of criminals are plying their trade. Public confidence in law enforcement will not be restored as long as crime is high. It is time to stand up, raise our voices and hold our leaders to account. It is also important to be proactive. It is good to note that there has been an excellent initiative from many areas where guards are employed so as to…

A full-time job and a side hustle helped Pammy Naidoo to pay her bills. Naidoo, 64, from Northcroft in Phoenix, is a retired supervisor at Beacon Sweets. She grew up in Bayview, Chatsworth, with her parents and four siblings. Her father worked in a hotel and her mother was a housewife. “Money was tight, but we always had what we needed: food and a roof over our heads. While growing up, I used to watch my mother plant vegetables and she turned this produce into meals.” Naidoo said she had to leave school in her matric year to find a job. “My parents needed me to contribute to the household. I found a job at a shop called Moosa’s in Clairwood. I worked at the bag counter and…

Sathiaveli Moodley lost her father at a young age, and her grandmother and mother had to manage their household. “I was only 8 years old when my dad, who was the breadwinner passed away. She said her mother and grandmother found ways to make ends meet to support her and her three younger brothers. Moodley, 90, of Merebank said her grandmother and mother started a small snack business, selling samoosas and murukku. She said at the time the family lived in the Durban central business district. “They started off the business by using my grandmother’s grant to buy some basic ingredients. Everyday my mom would prepare freshly-made samoosas and murukku, and my grandmother would then go sell them by the shopping centres. The business grew and they started getting orders.…

Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, said on Monday that yoga had gained tremendous popularity globally, in the last few years. Modi tweeted in different languages: “In the last few years, yoga has gained tremendous popularity globally. “People from different walks of life including leaders, CEOs, sportspersons and actors regularly practice yoga and talk about how it has helped them.” Modi also shared a film on “yoga in our daily lives”. On Sunday, he urged everyone to observe International Yoga Day on June 21 and to make it a part of their daily lives. “The benefits are many,” he said. Modi will perform yoga at the Mysuru Palace premises, Karnataka, India, as part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations, where about 15 000 yoga enthusiasts are scheduled to attend. “Azadi…

THE offshore fishing has been pretty good off KZN, with a couple of decent fish being landed. There have been a mix of gamefish and bottom fish for those facing the bigger seas to launch. The north coast has mainly seen gamefish action as the bottom fishing anglers have been focused more on the central and south coast. The snoek has kept the backline anglers very happy with most of the success coming on smaller lipped lures and fillet baits. Pink and pearl skirts have been the best reported colour in front of the fillets and redeye sardine fillets have been most effective (if you can get). The deeper waters have mainly yielded a couple of big tuna on poppers, trolling lures and live bait. Mackerel have been the…

RAJESH Sundaram, a former ANN7 editor, believes the Guptas will use every tactic available to evade justice. Despite this, Sundaram, who worked shoulder to shoulder with the family in South Africa, is confident that there is sufficient evidence against them to ensure a successful prosecution. Sundaram who lives in Delhi, India, worked for the Gupta-owned ANN7 for less than five months, though he had a two-year extendable contract and visa. He arrived in South Africa in June 2013 and left in September 2013. “I decided to quit as I saw from close quarters the violation of Indian and South African laws.” Sundaram also released a book titled Indentured; behind the scenes at Gupta TV (Jacana Media), which formed part of the material evidence with the Zondo Commission. “It has a…

WITH reference to the column, “Understanding the music, maths alliance” (POST, June 8-12), by Yogin Devan regarding Vedprakash Sewjathan and Professor Poobalan Pillay. The column brought back warm and heartening memories of two esteemed academics from the Indian community, whose invaluable contribution to academia and the social fabric of our community is nothing short of legendary. Professor Pillay and the late Sewjathan, mathematicians of the highest calibre, crossed my path, or rather mine theirs, when they lectured me in applied maths and maths, respectively, at the then University of Durban-Westville. At a time when South Africa was deep in the stranglehold of the vicious apartheid regime, these two gentlemen rose to the occasion to provide tertiary education to thousands of students. These students will bear testimony to their distinct…

l Christel Sellamaya, 21, a third-year law student, said while the recent price hikes were necessary to regulate the country’s economy, it was at the expense of those who battled to get by with minimum wage. “My fear is that more South Africans will be plunged into a life of poverty because of an affordability struggle and the lack of employment.” She said the prospects for youth in South Africa were low. “Many youth are left jobless and helpless in their efforts to support themselves and their families. We as young people can’t rely on our degrees and qualifications to secure jobs any more. As a young South African, I feel the government has failed us and our futures. “My hope for the future is to qualify as a…

Loganayagie Pillay, 71, lived in Reservoir Hills all her life and says the cost of living then was nothing compared to what it is today. She said it was easier to get by back then. Pillay lived in Kies Avenue with her husband and daughter. She said they lived a simple life and were happy. “We lived in a one-bedroomed home with a kitchen and a garage. I turned the garage into a bedroom for my daughter.” She said her husband was the breadwinner and she helped manage the finances. “He took care of us. He worked as a chef in a takeaway and, on weekends, he worked as a plumber and tiler. He also cooked for functions. He was able to make a living that helped us have a…

Manchester City are still waiting for their moment of Champions League glory, but by winning the race to sign Erling Haaland, they have established themselves as a go-to destination for Europe’s top talent. The 21-year-old goalscoring phenomenon had his choice of the continent’s top clubs thanks to a reported buyout clause of €60 million (about R1.010 billion) that saw him leave Borussia Dortmund well below his market value. By comparison, Liverpool are set to spend up to €100m for the far less-hyped Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez from Benfica. Real Madrid wanted Haaland at the Bernabeu next season, Barcelona sought him as a successor to Lionel Messi, while Bayern Munich again aimed to swoop on their Bundesliga rivals. The Norwegian, however, will instead line up in City blue next season,…