Table of contents for 2021-05-26 in Post

Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi FROM the moment our children enter our lives, we realise that it’s our responsibility to skill them appropriately to help them master the art of life. As parents, it’s important for us to guide our little ones in the right direction. However, in this process, we tend to overlook the fact that they are also teaching us valuable lessons. It’s remarkable to see the kind of energy and curiosity children bring into any everyday activity. Their inquisitive nature and ability to be full of happiness make the mundane seem joyous and exploratory. This is an important life lesson for grown-ups, to find wonder and charm in the small things we do. We, as parents, are sometimes extra cautious or even anxious to try out new things.…

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new initiative, which aims to halt the transmission of malaria in 25 more countries by 2025. Thailand, South Africa and Saudi Arabia are among the countries the WHO aims to make malaria-free. The 25 countries will receive specialised support and technical guidance to help eradicate the disease. Countries in South-East Asia’s Greater Mekong region have already made strides. The number of cases in the region, comprising Cambodia, China (Yunnan province), Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, fell by 97% between 2000 and 2020, the WHO said. But the coronavirus crisis emerged as a challenge to malaria responses worldwide. “More than one year into the pandemic, substantial disruptions to health services persist across the globe,” the WHO said. In many countries, lockdowns and restrictions…

green Avo Sauce 1 avocado 1 clove garlic 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed 1 bunch/ 30g fresh coriander ½ bunch fresh parsley ¼ cup shelled pistachios 1/3 cup avo oil (or olive oil) 1/3 cup water juice of 1 lime pinch of sea salt tacos 1 pineapple, diced and charred on a grill pan ½ English cucumber, diced 20 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 red onion, sliced shredded cabbage grated carrot shredded lettuce 12 tortillas, toasted lime wedges and fresh coriander to serve Green Avo Sauce: Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately or transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. Lay out the tortillas and top with the veggies. Serve drizzled with green avo sauce and garnish…

The buttery, creamy green-skinned avo varieties Fuerte, Edranol, Ryan, Reed and Pinkerton are available from March until October; and the rich, nutty dark-skinned Hass, Maluma Hass and Lamb Hass from March until November. Avos offer immune support in the cold months. They are also versatile and quick to add to almost any dish. Avos are high in copper (33%). They are also a source of fibre (5.3g fibre per 100g) and they contain antioxidants. Copper is known to support immune system function. Fibre is essential for good gut health. Around 65% of the immune system is housed in the gut, which regulates immunity and helps to protect against invading pathogens that cause disease. Antioxidants are powerful food components that maintain and regulate immune function. Avos contain the antioxidant nutrients lycopene…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za POLICE are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a group of boys allegedly beat and attempted to drown a cat at a park in Fernham, Phoenix. Neerie Naidoo, the founder of Phoenix Animal Care and Treatment, said a resident informed the organisation about the incident last Wednesday. She said a volunteer from the organisation was dispatched to the park to assess the situation and to take the cat to a vet. “When the volunteer got to the area, residents told her that earlier in the day they heard noises in the park … After an hour and a half, some of the residents followed the sound and found the boys trying to drown the cat in a drain. When they did not succeed, they beat…

Chantal Govender: When there’s an imminent threat to your life, why shouldn’t you use a firearm to save yourself? Not using a firearm for self-defence means just getting killed. Is that what our government is saying to us, knowing full well that a criminal violates our livelihoods, our homes, our lives and all we do is just accept defeat and die …? Sarah Jones: Then what must we use the gun for? Must it be put on show? … It’s this way of thinking that’s jeopardising innocent lives every second. Is the government saying it’s fine if you are hijacked, robbed and murdered and that you must not retaliate? It goes to show what mentality is used to make decisions concerning citizens in South Africa. Reagan Motilall: The…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za AN amount of R10 billion has been set aside to upgrade informal settlement challenges in South Africa. While delivering her department's 2021/22 Budget in the National Assembly last week, Lindiwe Sisulu, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister, said the need for housing was long and growing. Sisulu said there were 2.2 million families living in informal settlements. She said her department intended to upgrade 679 informal settlements, of which more than half were in the big metros. “Over the next three years, about R10 billion has been ring-fenced to accelerate the upgrading of informal settlements countrywide. The rapid growth of informal settlements in all major cities and towns has necessitated a review of funding frameworks,” she said. Emma Powell, the DA spokesperson for human settlements, told the…

POST REPORTER A MUSLIM candidate running for local elections in France has been barred from doing so after she wore a hijab in a recent campaign flyer. In the flyer, Sara Zemmahi, an engineer and a member of the ruling party La République en Marche (LREM) is seen wearing a white hijab (headscarf) alongside three other candidates. The words – different, but united for you – also appear on the flyer as a reference to diversity. Muslim women wear the hijab, which usually covers the hair, head, and chest, in the presence of any male outside of their immediate family. But earlier this year the French Senate proposed banning the wearing of the hijab for girls under the age of 18 and mothers accompanying their children to swimming pools…

John Steenhuisen This is an edited version of his speech, titled “The time for change is now”. We have our eyes firmly set on a target, and that target is October 27. Nothing will deter us. But not everyone seems to share this urgency and this eagerness to go to the polls in October. Our opponents are trying their best to wriggle their way out of it. They’re either simply not prepared for this campaign, or they fear what voters might say to them on the day. And so, they talk about postponing, and they make up excuses. But we will have none of that. The DA is marching confidently towards October 27, ready for the challenge and the contest. You must know that the DA is the only…

IN ITS 54th National Elective Conference, the ANC, in December 2017, adopted some of the most progressive and radical resolutions in an attempt to better the lives of our people. Among them was the resolution on land that it must be expropriated without compensation for equal redistribution and the nationalisation of the South African Reserve Bank. Indeed, delegates at the conference were sober and clear as these resolutions, if implemented properly, could change the lives of the people. Unsurprisingly, these remain on paper, as the party is caught deep in its traditional factional battles – with the NEC dominated by the CR17 faction led by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He chose the step-aside resolution as an immediate resolution. There is no doubt that the pace at which this resolution was implemented…

I SALUTE the POST and acknowledge your front-page story of grieving parents (May 19 - 24). Presenting a human touch to the insanity that is zionist-inspired, however, shrouds the raison d’etre informing “Suffer the People”. I understand your effort to appeal to humanity on both sides but, with respect, it is inappropriate in the context and in the aftermath of the insanity informing the suffering of the Palestinians since 1948, with the United Nations virtually turning its back on the Palestinian people. Israelis are driven by racism that surpasses the horrors of apartheid in South Africa. Is the suffering on the Israeli-occupier higher or equal to the more than 65 years of demonic execution of apartheid in Israel? No. Never. The narrative that the Israelis (Jews) are the eternal victim…

A letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Bheki Cele, the Minister of Police. IT WAS with disbelief and consternation that I read a report, which stated that the Civilian Secretariat for Police is reviving draft legislation with regards to the Firearms Control Amendment Bill. If passed, it will eliminate self-defence as a valid reason for applying for a firearm licence. It boggles the mind. Denying anyone their right to self-defence is unconstitutional, be it with a firearm or by any other means. The right to bear arms for the simple reason of self-defence should be a no-brainer, especially under the escalating climate of criminality that has become ever so pervasive in South Africa. Let me explain my personal situation so that you may understand fully what the proposed legislation…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za LONG-STANDING ANC member and Struggle stalwart, Ismail Coovadia, died of Covid-19 in hospital on Sunday. Coovadia, 80, of Joburg, was a former South African ambassador to Israel before he retired. Cass Coovadia, his nephew, said: “My uncle dedicated his life to South Africa and the ANC. “He was exiled to London and he stayed in London as he was an important member of that office. “After he returned to South Africa, he was sent to other countries as he was appointed as an ambassador there. “He did not settle nor did he have any children. But he regarded family and especially, his sisters, in high regard. “My uncle was a strong individual. He would not really get sick. Even when he contracted Covid-19, he was still strong.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Pacquiao still hungry as ever Despite being 42 years old, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao still appears to be as hungry as ever to take on the sport’s best. Last weekend, it was announced that Pacquiao will return to the ring for the first time in two years for a world title bout against Errol Spence jr in August. Though he has a strong legacy, Pacquiao will enter this bout as the underdog. The 31-year-old American, Spence, is undefeated after 27 bouts with 21 KOs to his name. He is in the prime of his powers and has earned comparisons to Pacquiao’s former arch-nemesis Floyd Mayweather. Hopefully, the Pacquiao versus Spence bout can prove to be more entertaining than Pacquiao’s infamous 2015 tussle with Mayweather which turned…

Latoya Newman latoya.newman@inl.co.za SINGER Shay Ramji, aka Mausi, has released a new song and video in collaboration with Indian, Kenyan and South African artists. The rendition of the classic Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein – from the 1976 romantic film Kabhi Kabhie starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rakhee Gulzar – sees a unique blend of fresh musical arrangement and rap included into the mix. In an interview with the POST, Ramji said the video was shot across two continents. “It began with me asking Pritam Virdee, a Kenyan artist, to make a rhythm arrangement for the song Kabhi Kabhie. The original song has no tabla but Pritam gave this iconic classic a new contemporary feel without making it sound like a cheesy remix. Once the rhythm was completed, South African musicians…

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) There is an energy of community and community spirit around you. This means charity or being charitable. What you give is returned, so be charitable where you can. You never know when you will need your blessings returned to you. Lucky colour: white. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Money is…

FEMALE mosquitoes bite people and animals to get a blood meal. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most female mosquitoes cannot produce eggs without a blood meal and male mosquitoes do not bite people and animals. What happens when a mosquito bites you: When a mosquito bites, it pierces the skin using a special mouthpart (proboscis) to suck up blood. As the mosquito is feeding, it injects saliva into your skin. Your body reacts to the saliva, resulting in a bump and itching. Some people have only a mild reaction. Others have a large area of swelling, soreness and redness. Symptoms Mosquito bite signs include: A puffy and reddish bump appearing a few minutes after the bite. A hard, itchy, reddish-brown bump, or multiple…

Great for school lunch boxes, and it can be prepared ahead – will keep in the fridge for one week. meatballs 500g ground chicken 1 large egg 1/3 cup breadcrumbs ½ cup mashed avocado, medium size 4 small courgettes, grated 2 tbs minced onion 1 tsp Italian seasoning ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 2 cloves garlic, crushed Tortillas 4 tortillas shredded red cabbage or coleslaw Salsa 100g piquant peppers, sliced 2 ripe avocados, sliced fresh coriander and micro herbs to garnish Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Using the measurement of a 1½ tablespoon ice-cream scoop, make about 25 balls and place them on a greased baking sheet, about 4cm apart. You can also use a tablespoon to measure the mixture…

On average one incident per day Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za GRADE R pupils at Windy Heights Primary School in Malagazi, near Isipingo, do not want to go to school after witnessing their teachers being robbed at gunpoint. The school closed on Monday as the school management met officials from the Department of Education. It reopened on Tuesday. The school caters for pupils from Grade R to 7. Trishen Govender, spokesperson for PT Alarms, said three suspects jumped over the fence and entered the school property. “According to staff, the suspects were armed with firearms. They entered three Grade R classrooms and held the teachers at gunpoint. They took cellphones and handbags before fleeing. The pupils were terrified and ran out of the school.” Parents, who declined to be named, called for…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za THE widow of a Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officer who was run down while the police were pursuing a vehicle, wants justice for her husband. Provincial Inspector Devan Naik, 46, of Phoenix, was stationed at Winklespruit RTI. Naik and a colleague were conducting a routine speed check when he was hit by a vehicle on the N2 southbound near Prospecton last Sunday. The father of two sons, aged 16 and 12, sustained severe head injuries and was airlifted to St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. He died two days later. Kwanele Ncalane, a spokesperson for the KZN Department of Transport, said the driver of a black VW Golf, which was travelling at 200km/h, was allegedly transporting drugs. He said the car was being pursued by metro police…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za FAMILIES whose loved ones were shot and killed have mixed reactions to the 2021 draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill. Nirvana Durga’s brother-in-law, Sanjay Juggernath, was killed in Clairwood in December 2018. She said she was opposed to the amendment. Durga said firearms were ideal for self-defence. Juggernath, 34, a businessman and professional body-builder, sustained several gunshot wounds to the face, back and legs. His alleged killers, who were arrested and charged for murder, are currently on trial. “With a gun in your hand, you can take back the power during conflicts with bigger and stronger aggressors. This makes guns perfect anti-bullying tools because they show potential offenders that you are equipped to defend yourself if attacked.” Pravesh Kalicharan, whose wife, Shireen, and her friend, Brenda Naidoo, were…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za PALESTINIANS rose on Friday morning joyous about the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The ceasefire came after days of fighting that claimed the lives of about 260 people, most of them from Gaza. Egypt was instrumental in brokering an agreement between Israel and Hamas. The latter, according to Wikipedia, aims to liberate Palestine from the Israeli occupation and transform the country into an Islamic state. But each side cautioned that its compliance depended on the other’s actions. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, made the announcement via his office. He said his security cabinet had voted unanimously to accept the Egyptian proposal. Officials from Hamas, which controls Gaza, also confirmed it. Early on Friday, Abdul Fattah al-Sissi, the Egyptian President, thanked US President Joe Biden for supporting…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za THERE is no confirmation yet whether South Africans will be allowed to attend the Hajj this year. Hajj is a pilgrimage made to Mecca, which all Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime if they can afford to do so. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. On Sunday, the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) said 60 000 people would be allowed to go on Hajj this year. However, there was uncertainty as to whether or not South Africans would be allowed to attend. In a written statement, Moaaz Casoo, the secretary-general of the SAHUC, said he was waiting for feedback from Saudi Arabia. Hajj is expected to be held from July 17 to 22. Irshad Malek, the managing…

THE 160th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to South Africa in November last year turned out to be a rather low-key affair. Back then, the number of new Covid-19 cases were starting to rise and most people were wary about being out in public, let alone gathering in large numbers. Understandably, many of the events planned to commemorate the milestone were either cancelled or downscaled. What did not change was the contribution the workers made to their families, their country and the sugar-cane industry in South Africa. These days, much of the land around eThekwini that was used for sugar-cane farming has been taken up for upmarket housing estates or industry. But, just outside the city, along both the north and south coasts of KwaZulu-Natal, lie kilometre upon kilometre…

ALTHOUGH we have contacts to get my niece’s learner’s licence completed, we chose not to take this route as it would not set a good example. So on May 14, we left Phoenix for the Rossburgh Licensing Office at 4am. It was cold and there were no boards to indicate where the learner licence booking queue was. Even the people already in the queue, who were waiting since 4am, did not know. The stubborn security guards at the licence office did not even have the courtesy to advise us where to queue. A person who does eye tests at the mall nearby told us where to go. We went to an upper-level area that had a sign that said “no entry”. But we still went. There were about 30 people…

I CAME across a column in the POST (May 12-16) with the headline “The Curse of the Caste”. It was written by Sumit Ganguly, a professor of political science and the Tagore chair in Indian cultures and civilisations at Indiana University. It was disturbing to read that the caste system is still widely practised in India. As South Africans, do we also secretly practice this age-old policy of social segregation and degradation where your skin colour, profession and surname determines your social standing and hierarchy? We often hear subdued whispers of high class and low class in conversations here in South Africa. The professor mentions the Dalits, who are classed at the bottom of the population grouping. They are referenced as untouchables. They remain the most downtrodden and are confined…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za AVRIL Sahadew, 43, a forensic investigator at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), appeared in the Pinetown Regional Court last Friday. She had been charged with defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping and crimen injuria. In 2016, Sahadew was leading the investigation, known as Operation Clever, into the sale of placement at UKZN's medical school. It is alleged that, in 2017, a staff member was going to expose her role in the sale of exam papers. The staff member was allegedly locked in Sahadew's office and guarded by her bodyguards until he gave her all the information he had on the case. The staff member was then suspended for two years, until the university instituted an investigation. The staff member was subsequently acquitted and returned to work. After…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za JEMIMAH Elise Sampson, a Grade 4 learner at Whetstone Primary School in Phoenix, won the East Coast Radio Spelling Bee competition last Tuesday, with the word “personification”. The five-week #KZNLastKidStanding Spelling Bee was held at the radio station’s premises in uMhlanga. More than 900 Grade 4 learners in KwaZulu-Natal took part. Jemimah won prizes worth R100 000. They included school fees to the value of R15 000, a Playstation 5, a tablet loaded with data, a family holiday for four, educational board games, and lunch for her grade. She said she was grateful to her family who helped her practise her spelling. “I feel happy, relieved and joyful that I won the East Coast Radio competition, and now I am in the paper (the POST). I got…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za IT’S better to take the cautious approach and implement a higher lockdown level than be sorry at a later stage, said Professor Mosa Moshabela of the UKZN Covid-19 war room. Moshabela was commenting on Tuesday after it was reported the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) was planning to make recommendations for South Africa to go to an adjusted level 2 lockdown. MAC members are concerned about the recent rise in Covid-19 cases. “Each day, we have over 2 000 positive cases which sometimes borders the 3 000 mark. “If these get higher, then we are opening the door for another possibly deadly wave similar to the second wave.” He said if the government were to wait to be in the third wave, the waiting alone could impact seriously.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za THEY have worked their fingers to the bone and, at last, their toil has been rewarded with national call-ups. Cricketers Prenelan Subrayen and Senuran Muthusamy have been recognised for their strong domestic performances last season with inclusion into the Proteas Test and South Africa A squads respectively. Twenty-seven-year-old Subrayen, who hails from Verulam, was rewarded for a rich run of form for the Dolphins in the Four Day Franchise Series last season with a call-up to the Proteas Test team that will travel to the Caribbean to square off against the West Indies in two Test matches next month. Subrayen, who played for South Africa at U-19 level, made his provincial debut in 2011 and his national team selection came as no surprise to the cricket fraternity…

THE fishing has been a cracker for the last week. The garrick have arrived and are gobbling up any live bait they can, the offshore world is going very well and the freshwater scene is seeing giant bass and big trout. The offshore fishing has been very kind to the guys up and down the coast. The water is still a bit warm so the dorries are hanging around. The couta are keeping the drags smooth and the tuna are providing good sport. Well done to all the guys that fished the UKFC competition this past weekend. Special congratulations must go to Quentin Beningfield for his beast of a couta (29.02kg) and winning overall. Some fantastic fish were caught all around (including 8 couta over 20kgs) and the event went…

Latoya Newman latoya.newman@inl.co.za JUSTIN Govender, aka Adrenalin, a Johannesburg performing artist and rapper, is preparing to release a new song. Earlier this year, his video release, Rise of the Indian King, went viral on YouTube and social media. It was a modern rap remix of a Tamil song, Yeh Macha Indhe. The 28-year-old recently shot his latest video, titled My Life, and said it would be released soon. He said the song was themed around matters of the heart. “I think everyone has experienced heartache and the most iconic songs generally revolve around matters of the heart. So I wanted to encapsulate the feeling of getting over someone and give people a song that makes the moving-on period a little easier.” With Rise of The Indian King, there was…

Madelien Wooding Yvette Naudé MOSQUITOES contribute to the transmission of life-threatening diseases that include Zika, dengue, chikungunya, Rift Valley fever and malaria. Of these, malaria carries the most risk, accounting for 229 million cases and more than 400 000 deaths in 2019. Africa accounted for 67% (274 000) of all malaria deaths worldwide. Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Vector control strategies such as indoor residual spraying and long- lasting insecticidal net programmes have played a crucial part in the reduction of malaria cases. But there are a number of problems with these interventions. First, insecticide resistance of the major malaria vectors in Africa is widespread…

4 crumbed schnitzels, chicken, beef or pork 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 16 slices 8 slices fresh Mozzarella 8 thick slices ripe tomato 16 fresh basil leaves 1-2 tbs avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil basil pesto to serve Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a tray with baking paper and lay the schnitzels on it. Top each schnitzel with the slices of tomato, Mozzarella and alternate with sliced avocado and basil leaves. Drizzle with avocado oil. Bake until the schnitzels are golden brown and the mozzarella melted. Serve hot with a dollop of pesto and extra sliced avocado. Serves 4. Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes…

½ cup chopped spring onions 2-3 tsp avocado oil 100g button mushrooms, sliced 6 large eggs 125ml milk ½ tsp dried mixed herbs pinch of sea salt 1 avocado, diced 2 tsp lemon juice 100g crumbled feta cheese 1/3 cup chopped black olives ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes in oil, drained extra avocado slices to serve. Heat the oven to 180ºC. In a non-stick pan, sauté the onions in the oil until soft – about 5 minutes. Add the button mushrooms and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Beat together the eggs, milk, mixed herbs and salt. Gently toss the avocado with the lemon juice. When the oven is hot, evenly scatter the avocado, feta cheese, olives and sundried tomatoes over the sautéed…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za A TEACHER has allegedly been fired for showing support for Israel. Following the recent violence in the Middle East, Sudesh Mooloo, 52, an Afrikaans teacher at Laudium Secondary School (LSS) in Gauteng, posted a WhatsApp status which said: “I am not anti-Palestine, but I am anti-Hamas. I stand with Israel.” The status was posted last Tuesday. According to Estelle Holworthy, a relative, within hours he had received several calls and messages criticising him as well as threatening him and his family. “People from the community were telling him he was a lover of children being killed. He was told he was a supporter of apartheid. He was informed by a resident that a WhatsApp group was started against him. In this group, people were planning a protest…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za VISH Roopnarain, the vice-chairman of the Verulam Crematorium, has been removed from his post. This follows an altercation between Roopnarain and a group of mourners at the facility in February. Roopnarain was suspended while the crematorium’s board started an internal investigation. Last week, the board decided to remove Roopnarain as vice-chairman. He is banned from taking up a position at the facility for 10 years. Govi Moodley, a trustee at the crematorium, said Roopnarain was removed after careful consideration. “We investigated and management found him guilty of violating the facility’s code of conduct. He brought the crematorium into disrepute. It was, therefore, the board’s recommendation that he be suspended from his duties.” Roopnarain, who worked at the crematorium for eight years, said the decision was unfair. He…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za THE Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has received a submission from #Africa4Palestine opposing Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s appeal against apologising for his pro-Israel comments. His appeal and the organisation's opposing submissions are expected to be heard by the JSC's Judicial Conduct Committee at the Constitutional Court on June 11. In June last year, Chief Justice Mogoeng featured in a webinar hosted by the Jerusalem Post, alongside Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein. In the online programme, Justice Mogoeng expressed what some interpreted as his love for Israel. He also criticised the ANC for its approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Africa4Palestine, a human rights and Palestine solidarity organisation, reported Justice Mogoeng to the JSC. It argued that a judge should not become involved in political controversy or activity. In the complaint,…

Yogin Devan RASAM is great for treating seasonal flu, colds, sore throat and fever. But the spicy soup is no match against the coronavirus. I hope grandma got this clearly? As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage, it is a fact that there is no cure yet for the disease. And King Soup, rasam as it is commonly referred to, cannot prevent or cure the coronavirus infection. It is true that rasam, which is made with tomatoes, tamarind, garlic, pepper, cumin, mustard seeds and coriander, has antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It is also correct that it is a good immunity booster. But, at some stage, this elixir of tasty spices has got to accept defeat and concede it cannot crush the deadly Covid-19 bug. Even all the priests, who…

ONCE again, T Markandan brings to the forefront the clever manoeuvring of the ANC plot against the poor in the letter “Shame on the ANC” (the POST, May 19-23). The majority of our people live below the standard breadline. This type of rot in politics will destablise our economy and international investors will distance themselves. South Africans must find solutions where we are free of greed, anger, hatred and violence. The human race is one family and we must act in unison for the betterment of all. LALLO M HARIRAM uMhlanga Ridge…

BHEKI Cele, the Minister of Police, released the national crime statistics recently. The latest crime stats paint a grim picture in spite of an overall decline. With Cele assuring the public that strides are being made to reduce crime, to me, this is hogwash. We have lost the battle. One only has to read the POST every week about the many killings, hijackings and house robberies. Even suburbs are becoming hot spots for drugs. Violence against women is also a problem. This evokes anger in law-abiding citizens. We, as South Africans, must stop living in denial. We must admit that South Africa has taken a plunge into a world of darkness. The delay and backlog in DNA forensics are sad. We, as a country that has a remarkable history of…

IN AN article on August 24, 2015, the New York Times published a piece, Gaza Gulag on the Mediterranean. The Gaza Strip is an open-air Gulag (a prison camp where conditions are bad and the prisoners are forced to work hard) – the Robben Island of the Middle East. In this raging fire-fight, the aggressor was using bureaucratic euphemisms such as adequate response and retaliation to sanitise different forms of killing. Wars would be unsustainable if enough soldiers and civilians were so shocked and disgusted by killing, maiming and destruction that they would withdraw their support. Can it be proportional to use massive air power at low altitudes and risk hundreds of innocent civilian lives? Uncontrollable wars of aggression have made this era of earth’s history among the most perilous.…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za ARTIST Thashen Moodley, of Gauteng has become a published illustrator for an international children’s book, at 17. The book, The Different Dinosaur, was written by London author Range George Naidoo. She said she found out about Thashen’s ability to draw through family. “A few years ago, I was with my family in Johannesburg, talking to my nephew. He showed me Thashen’s artwork. I was wowed and told him I needed someone to illustrate for me. Within minutes, I was talking to Saloshini (Thashen’s mom) on the phone. Thashen was on board immediately.” She entrusted the then 14-year-old with a draft copy of her book. “When I returned to London, I shared my book with him and within a day, he sent me the first pencil sketches. I…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za RANJITH Ramlukan (78) became the first Indian South African to run back-to-back Comrades Marathons in 1967 and 1968. He repeated the feat in 2000 and 2001. More than five decades later and Ramlukan who now resides in the United States continues to embrace his passion for athletics as he is still active and plans to run the Niagra Falls Marathon between the United States and Canada in October. Ramluckan’s love for running started when he was in primary school in the 1950s. “My teachers encouraged me to take up running because I used to always win my races in the inter house athletics meetings. For two years, I represented my school in the inter school athletics meetings and used to win all my races comfortably,” said Ramlukan…