Table of contents for 2022-11-23 in Post

DEVOTEES of the Shri Vaithianatha Easvarar Alayam in Umgeni Road have started a digital petition against the opening of a restaurant that will be selling alcohol next to the temple. The petition was started on Tuesday on the website change.org and has garnered more than 100 signatures. The website offers the public the ability to promote petitions on issues they care about and to raise awareness within communities and government. The petition reads: “There are plans to open a restaurant or nightclub which will obviously involve the consumption of alcohol and other substances. This will be positioned directly next door to the rear entrance of the temple. “We are petitioning against the opening of this nightclub as it goes against our religious practices and would also increase criminal activities in…

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has received various reports from law enforcement officers regarding an allegedly dire shortage of blood alcohol testing kits in the province. This as the countdown to the festive season is in full swing. It also comes after the province’s so-called top brass, including Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Transport MEC Sipho Hlomuka, and eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda launched KZN’s integrated Festive Season Plan amid much fanfare recently. During the event, the premier stated that KZN was ready to welcome holidaymakers and keep everyone safe during the festive season. She said law enforcement was ready to address road carnage and take a no-nonsense approach to reckless driving. This is a big statement to make in light of the possible crisis that exists when it comes to ensuring that drunk…

I have been fortunate that I have been on the water a couple of times. I sailed on a pirate ship in South America, just north of Rio de Janeiro, in 1994 and went on a cruise ship to Bazaruto Islands at the turn of the century. I also went on a Buquebus ferry from Buenos Aries, Argentina, to Montevideo in Uruguay. Each experience has been exhilarating and memorable. There is something about the open expanse of the sea that intrigues me. I could stand on the deck for hours and look out at an endless horizon and wonder what was on the other side. Perhaps it’s the loneliness, supremacy and serenity of it all, it’s mysterious depths that I find alluring. But woven into the tapestry of imagination and…

WITH reference to the column “South Africa fertile ground for terrorist funders” (POST, November 16-20) by Hussein Solomon. I applaud you for publishing the piece, which I read and re-read. I thought he had real and direct information pertaining to a carefully choreographed but rehash of an old, partially true but mostly discredited and bankrupt narrative. Solomon is trying to market his equally discredited book, which he relies on to punt his narrative. His intellectual dishonesty and bankruptcy are disgusting propaganda. Permit me to add why. Typically, if you carefully read his piece, it feeds into a set narrative that South Africa has become a nest for terrorist funders. This is what the US-led media propagates. It comes in the wake of a note issued by the US embassy about…

THE eThekwini Municipality is ready to host tourists for the festive season, according to spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela. He said the municipality’s Festive Season Management Committee (Fesmac) was recruiting seasonal staff to supplement its permanent staff. This, said Mayisela, included 160 additional lifeguards, 135 litter pickers, and 20 small-plant operators. In addition, 67 beach buddies, 48 childminders to look after children separated from their parents, 85 pool attendants, 4 pool cashiers, and 20 seasonal general assistants, would be hired. “The city continues to be a tourist mecca in the country and bearing testimony to that are the multitudes that have descended on the city for various mega events. “Durban is open for events that the city has partnered with such as the Crown Gospel Awards, Any Given Sunday, Music is King,…

NO ARRESTS have yet been made following a robbery at a mosque in Plein Street, Johannesburg, last Monday. Moulana Imran Diallo of the Shamsiyyah Musjid, also known as the Plein Street Musjid (mosque), said the robbery took place a few minutes after the midday prayer. “Four men entered the mosque, while one man stood guard outside. The ones that came in cocked their weapons and searched everyone, taking their cellphones and wallets. “One worshipper tried to run into the Azaan room, but he was chased and caught. They also punched an old man, who I think was slow in responding to them.” Diallo said that since the robbery, members of the Musjid have been in discussion on improving security. Videos of the robbery went viral on social media at the…

Former Springbok captain John Smit said on a podcast that Rassie Erasmus’s behaviour was “hard to defend” and was making South African rugby “so easy to dislike”. Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, has been banned from attending Saturday’s big match at Twickenham because of his ongoing battle with referees and their errors. Smit, who guided the Boks to the 2007 World Cup, told the BBC’s Rugby Union Daily podcast: “It’s hard to defend him. The way he has approached this is not right. “Are you telling me Rassie is the only coach frustrated by a call that has gone the wrong way? “Something has to be done. A line that has to be drawn, and he is making it difficult for his team. It’s made the Boks, as…

MORE than 160 years ago when the first indentured labourers from India arrived in South Africa, hardly any of them spoke English. But today fewer and fewer people can speak the languages of their forefathers: Urdu, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. Recently, actress Charlize Theron, who was born in Benoni and now lives in the US, said Afrikaans was a dying language. She was criticised by some. However, it seems to be the reality for Indian languages in South Africa. Nazir Malek, president of the Buzme Adab South Africa, said he wished Urdu was more widely spoken but interest in learning the language was waning. “English has set a precedent for younger generations and become even more popular due to social media. On these platforms everyone wants to be the…

During the July unrest last year, Golden Steps School for the intellectually challenged was looted and damaged. At the time, the management was uncertain if the school would reopen. But after assistance from the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, businesses and non-profit organisations, the Verulam-based school has been repaired. The school management held a relaunch recently to commemorate the repairs. Shireen Hariparsad, the deputy principal, said during the unrest 25 sponsored computers from the computer centre and three television sets were stolen. The looters also vandalised the skills room. “The kitchen, where we prepare one hot meal a day for pupils, was destroyed and the appliances, including the fridge, microwave, kettle and industrial cooker, were stolen. They also stole the stored food, dishes, the tools from the agriculture centre, the…

It is unlikely that whoever made P6-101368 realised the impact it would have on South Africa. P6-101368 was a modified Z88 9mm pistol. It weighed just under a kilogram and was a copy of the Italian-made Beretta. The Z-88 was manufactured in South Africa during the mid-’80s and was used by the police and army. P6-101368 was owned by the South African Airforce and stored at a military base in Pretoria. In April 1990 the gun was among more than 70 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition stolen by right-wingers. They were upset because just weeks before, then president FW de Klerk had announced changes that would result in the end of apartheid. The right-wingers began to prepare for the “Boer Freedom War” and needed weapons. However, police arrested…

WHEN I returned from Mecca in 1993, I felt lucky that I had saved a $100 bill. I had paid a whopping R2.98, as per the exchange rate of the US dollar in those economically challenged times. I hid it straight away – inside my single-ply choir mattress. I had sold half my furniture and my Toyota Cressida automatic to pay for this compulsory – if affordable – pilgrimage to the Holy Land. My cousin, who is a big-mouth attorney, however, warned me: “It’s a criminal act to hoard foreign exchange. You are supposed to return that bill to the country. It belongs to the Reserve Bank. And how can you commit a new sin after asking for forgiveness abroad, eh?” I looked at him contemptuously, made a funny face…

It is with a deep sense of sadness that I write this letter. Reading the front page of the POST “Shiva Berg tours stopped” (November 16-20) has left me ashamed. Selfishness is a cancer that has enveloped us and the fear of God has been ignored by Cathkin Park residents. Shame on you. It must be remembered that we have one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. The rights of religious groups and people must be consistent with the provision of the Bill of Rights. This means that nobody can infringe on the rights of freedom of religion. Since the arrival of Indians to the country, we were discriminated against, so what's new? The position is clear that this country belongs to all who live in it. The…

THOUGH the history of South Africa is marked by brutality, oppression and injustice, there are aspects of our past that birthed our strength. Among them is the arrival of indentured labourers from India. On November 16, our country marked 162 years since the Truro docked at the Port of Natal. In the 50 years that followed, some 200 000 Indians were brought to Natal, through the indentured labour system. Thus Natal become home to a people who would enrich South Africa for generations to come. It is important for us to celebrate this milestone in our country’s history. We should not allow such anniversaries to go unmarked or unnoticed. The simple fact is that South Africa would not be the democracy it is today without the presence and contribution of…

THE Shiva statue site in Cathkin Park, Drakensberg, was closed down because the activities taking place on the property were in contravention of the land use scheme, the local municipality says. The site, owned by Cedric John Hood, has a 3.5-metre Shiva, two and half-metre Hanuman statue, Shivalingum and Ganesha. Hood said he erected the Shiva statue in 2019 after meditating and receiving a sign from Lord Shiva. Thereafter, the Shiva statue site went viral and people began to visit. Last week, Hood said residents had complained about noise and disturbances. He said a town planner from Okhahlamba Municipality had arrived at the property to tell him he did not comply with zoning regulations in the area. This week, Suraya Asmal, the senior communications officer of Okhahlamba Municipality, said: “The…

SPRINGBOK coach Jacques Nienaber has made eight changes and two positional switches to his matchday squad to face England at Twickenham on Saturday in their final November tour clash, with a handful of SA A players and Canan Moodie, who joined the team as reinforcements this week, getting a run. Nienaber has made six changes to his starting team with Jesse Kriel, Makazole Mapimpi, Evan Roos and Eben Etzebeth back in the mix, while Damian de Allende moves from outside to inside centre where he partners up with Kriel, and Kurt-Lee Arendse will start at right wing after playing on the left in Genoa. There were also four changes on the replacements bench, which will again feature the more traditional split of five forwards and three backs, with SA A…

KEVIN Fraser’s Minister of Entertainment! will stage on December 2 at The Globe at SunCoast. Fraser is one of South Africa’s most-viewed comedians and content creators, who has repeatedly broken the one-million-view benchmark, with his daily observations and satires. Fraser began his career in entertainment as a DJ. He then realised he could not only make people dance, but laugh a little too. His passion for performance and his talent started to evolve as he began releasing videos in 2015, about his experience as an ex-pat abroad. He did so through the guise of stereotypical South African personas. The success of the videos was instantaneous. Fraser’s career took off, and his fan base increased across all his online platforms. Throughout 2022, Fraser has toured the UK, Europe, Australia and the…

WHEN Lauretta Ramrathan was 7 her father, Babu Ramrathan, was killed during a robbery at a tavern in Cliffdale. The incident happened in 2000 and years later, Ramrathan is watching her daughter, Terena, who is also 7, go through the same pain. Her husband, Bradley Singh, was stabbed to death during an alleged robbery, metres from their home in uMhlatuzana township, Chatsworth, on Monday morning. Singh, 38, was on his way to work. He is a machinist for a shoe manufacturing company in Jacobs. Singh was robbed of his shoes, cellphone and lunch bag. Miranda Inderjeeth, his sister-in-law, said he used the pathway daily. “He usually leaves home at 6am to get public transport. On Monday, he left just after 5.30am because he was getting a lift with a friend.…

DR KAPIL Narain, a graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, was recently awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. According to Beverley Johnson, regional manager of Rhodes Scholarships for Southern Africa, only academically gifted, socially committed, and exceptional young leaders, who will have an impact on Africa and the world are awarded the scholarship. The scholarship will allow them to further their post-graduate (Master’s and Doctoral) studies at Oxford University in the UK from October 2023. The selection process included a review before the finalists’ interview with a selection committee comprising experts and leaders in diverse fields. According to a press release issued by the Rhodes Scholarships for Southern Africa: “Kapil is a multi-award-winning youth leader, One Young World ambassador, and pan-African activist from Durban. Passionate about research since his undergraduate studies.” Narain,…

I AM immensely proud to be branded a South African of Indian origin. For many younger South Africans, who are not conversant with the unique history of this country, this definition of South Africa and Indian in one sentence may appear to be a contradiction in terms, a conflict of origins, or a confusion of loyalty. In the South African context, nothing could be further from the truth. The largely unwritten history of the emancipation Struggle of South Africa is a history of local Indians fighting side by side with Africans against the abhorrent machinations of apartheid, and the eventual attainment of freedom and human rights. The history of Indian settlement in South Africa was unique to this country on the continent of Africa. Indians in other parts of Africa…

IF YOU have been wondering what our highly paid councillors are up to during these hard times, it’s not too difficult to see – they are dirty dancing on the council floor. Yes, folks, they are having the time of their lives doing the ANC jive all day long. Dancing, swinging, clapping and singing, they are having a jolly time crossing the floor from one party to another, to whoever offers them a tantalising morsel to fill their bellies. You don’t have to buy expensive tickets and travel distances to go to a show. In nearly every council across the country there are free shows throughout the year. These are not amateurs but accomplished dancers who have learnt the art of double and underhanded dealings and floor-crossing. Swinging like acrobats…

THE Freedom Front Plus takes note of the fact that the Department of Basic Education has labelled a recent document about gender-neutral bathrooms in schools as no more than a consultation document in its early stage of processing. The party was ready to act in case the guidelines were implemented at schools at short notice. The document deals with much more than toilets – as the department indignantly indicated. It encompasses everything at schools that relates to the traditional genders of male and female – from preferred names to names on registers, pronouns, sport participation and the hot topic of unisex toilets. The point is that, according to the document, transgender children’s right to quality education can be exercised only if there are no references to gender in the school…

SARIKA Madhan is a free woman. In March, Madhan was arrested and charged with the murder of Mercisha Tedpaul, 24, a stay-at-home mum. Tedpaul was in a relationship with Madhan’s son, Nishkar. They have two children, aged 7 and 4. The couple shared a home with Madhan in Dundee. On March 1, Tedpaul went missing, and a few days later, she was found dead on a hill near a railway line on Watt Road, Dundee. She had been strangled. Soon after her body was found, police arrested Madhan, 47, her ex-husband, Manoj, 58, and their other son, Sanjoth, 28. They were all charged with murder. In addition to the murder charge, Manoj was charged with defeating the ends of justice and Sarika with robbery with aggravating circumstances. Sanjoth was also…

Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi’s Argentina yesterday, beating the two-time winners 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Salem al-Dawsari hit a stunning winner to sink the red-hot favourites, bringing the South American side’s 36-match unbeaten run to a shuddering halt. The win was fully deserved after Saudi Arabia came from behind after Saleh al-Shehri cancelled out an early Messi penalty. “Sometimes all the stars are aligned,” said Saudi’s French coach Herve Renard. “Today all the stars were aligned for us. “We made history for football,” he added. “It will stay forever, this is most important. But we also have to think about looking forward. We still have two difficult games before us.” Defeat is a bitter blow for Argentina, who were one game away from…

It is Black Friday time again. This year we are going big with all our branches running the sale this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday! We have branches in Durban (Hunter Street as well as at Tackle Centre), Warner Beach, Kloof, Pietermaritzburg, Ballito and Salt Rock. All items are less 20%, excluding bait and items already on special (while stocks last). Pop into your nearest Kingfisher branch to make the most of the awesome deals. The dates and times are: Thursday, November 24, 8am-5pm; Friday, November 25, 8am-5pm; Saturday, November 26, 8am-1pm; and Sunday, November 27, 8am-1pm at all of our branches. The summer fish are here and the fishing has been good when the weather allows. There have been edibles and drag-peeling inedibles. The North Coast has seen a…