Table of contents for 2021-09-29 in Post

Tina Moonsamy Pietermaritzburg MY DAD, Shawn Ramharak, was born and raised in Chatsworth. He met my mother, Veena Singh, while she was visiting her aunt who lived opposite his home. My dad eventually settled in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, and worked at Somta Tools. They had two children – a son, Risheen, and I. I recall sitting together for meals and watching TV. Dad loved drawing and I enjoyed watching him draw. My mother was simple yet strict. We used to sit in the backyard eating oranges with masala and salt. My father died on May 28, 2011, and my mother on September 28, 2012. They were both 51. As I grew up, I wanted a love like theirs. My father used to hold my mother’s hand when they went to the…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za ISHARA Pillay has released her first book, 2020, on how she struggled through depression and learnt to live again following the death of her sister last year. Pillay, 57, of Standerton in Mpumulanga, said the book was semi-fictional. She spoke on what led her to write: “My love for reading started at a young age. My parents were avid readers, and they often read to my siblings and I. As we got older, they encouraged us to borrow books from the library. Eventually, they started buying us books. “We had a huge shelf that was full of books at our home in Newcastle. I started off reading the Enid Blyton and Nancy Drew series, and later it progressed to all genres because I enjoyed anything I could…

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) It may be time to make a decision around a financial spend this week. This could have an effect on your finances through the coming month. Stay positive as things will turn out to be better than expected. Lucky colour: orange. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) There is success…

1 Future Farm burger patty 2 white onions 1 tbs brown sugar ½ tbs balsamic vinegar ½ cup plant-based milk 1 cup corn starch 2 slices vegan cheese 1 tbs spiced pepper blend a handful of spinach vegan brioche burger bun Burger sauce: 2 tbs tomato sauce 1 tbs vegan mayonnaise 1 tbs American mustard 1 tbs smoked paprika Slice one onion into half rings. Add some oil to a pan and fry it for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Lower the heat and cook them slowly for 10 to 12 minutes until they start to caramelise. Slice the second onion into thick rings. Place the rings into a bowl of milk and cover. Place them into the bowl of corn…

THE Indian-Spice Master cooking competition takes place on October 9 at the Indian Shopping Mela at Greyville Racecourse. The participants will have to prepare an authentic chicken curry. Registration can be done at the shopping mela, which is open daily from 11am to 9pm. The closing date to register is tomorrow (Thursday) at 2pm. The entry fee is R500. The winner will receive a family weekend getaway to the Drakensberg valued at R10 000. The first runner-up will get a spa and jazz studio voucher valued at R4 000, and the second runner-up will get a spa treatment voucher valued at R2 000. The panel of judges includes chef Novashen Subramani, Linda Govender from 5-Star BEE Compliance and the Rising Sun. The shopping mela closes on October 10. |…

Nikita Chiniah nikita.chiniah@inl.co.za NEVILLE Pillay, actor, comedian and radio personality, died on Thursday after contracting Covid-19. Pillay, 45, of Phoenix, was known best for stand-up comedy and as a radio presenter on East Coast Radio (ECR) and Lotus FM. He also featured in four movies – Attack of the Indian Werewolf, Curry and Vice, 31 Million Reasons, and Kings of Mulberry Street. Carol Pillay, his wife, said her husband had dreamed of becoming a radio personality since the age of 4. “His career began in his twenties. His first job was at a community radio station and he went on to work at other stations, including at ECR, for 10 years. Neville began stand-up comedy in 2007 and his first gig was at the Supernova at Suncoast. “Over the years,…

Sajdha Singh: The quality of education is already comprised with a lack of qualified teachers, and then this? Our education in South Africa is getting worse. Rather enrol our kids in online schools. It’s cheaper in terms of school fees and better in terms of quality. We will save costs in transport, schools fees, and uniforms. As a parent, I can utilise the money saved to buy educational stuff for my child. There is too much going on in schools and with the government. Twenty-seven years into democracy and why is there an imbalance in education? So much of the GDP goes to education but where is that money? Newtisha Teneal Padayachee: As a newly-qualified educator, some of us didn’t get the chance to get employed at a department school…

Dr Ahmed Vally ‘AV’ Mahomed is the chair of the Jumma Masjid Trust and a patron of the Denis Hurley Centre. He has been at the forefront of initiatives in central Durban to bring together people of all faiths to help those most in need. In the run-up to the local government elections on November 1, Mahomed shares his views and hopes for eThekwini. Q. Why is it important to vote in the municipal elections? A. It is important that we have people of enthusiasm in public office so that they get the work done. People get tired, so elections every few years give us a chance to elect people who are the right people for the right job and come in with the enthusiasm and new ideas that…

IF YOUR finances are tight right now, it is likely to get worse in the coming months as the price of petrol rises. The price we pay for petrol and diesel is based on two main factors – the international price of oil and the strength or weakness of the rand in relation to the dollar. When Covid-19 shut down the global economy in April last year, the price of Brent crude oil fell to just under $20 a barrel because nobody needed fuel. This week it was hovering just under $80 (about R1 196) a barrel and, with demand rising, it is expected to climb. Demand is rising because the northern hemisphere is going into winter and the people living there need fuel to stay warm. They need a…

Local government election fever for the vote on November 1 is hotting up. Political parties are presenting their manifestos with all kinds of promises – mainly focusing on service delivery. I wonder what the reaction would be from the parties that took part in the 2016 elections if their manifestos during that period were replayed to them. It would reveal that very little of the rhetoric they belted out to the gullible public was achieved. I guess one could blame it all on the widespread corruption, wasteful expenditure, state capture, etc, mainly by the ruling ANC government, which has retarded service delivery. The Covid-19 pandemic also led to thousands losing their jobs, which exacerbated the dire situation South Africa finds itself in. These factors have severely depleted South Africa’s…

A PERSON’S national identity comes from their sense of belonging to a country – being proud of its history, cultures, languages, food, music, dressing, landscape and traditions. As heritage month comes to an end, and the 161st anniversary of the arrival of Indians to South Africa is commemorated in November, I pay homage to our forefathers. They brought with them their culture, tradition, morals and values to this country. They have instilled faith in us to observe and preserve these rituals and ceremonies. We have achieved more than our forefathers. Thank you to them for paving the way for us to follow in their footsteps. MS SOOKDAW Verulam…

Jehran Naidoo Jehran.Naidoo@africannewsagency.com THE University of KwaZulu-Natal and New York-based multinational conglomerate Johnson & Johnson have teamed up to promote women studying in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). “The initiative, dubbed WiStem2D (women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, manufacturing and design), aims to increase the number of women that enter and graduate from undergraduate programmes with degrees in Stem,” UKZN said. The Johnson & Johnson group has so far awarded 26 women at UKZN with bursaries in science. The collaboration started last year with the intention of raising awareness of WiStem2D across the campus and high schools within the institution’s recruitment radar. The university said the joint venture was initiated through its schools of education, mathematics and statistics, the built environment and development studies architecture programme,…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za CHESLIN Kolbe is still not ready, but Ox Nche will get his chance to make an impact for the Springboks in Saturday’s final Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks. The Bok management said yesterday that Kolbe, who will now miss all four games on tour due to a leg injury, was able to train with the team this week, but was “unable to complete the last training session”. This means Sbu Nkosi will line up at right wing once more at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday (12.05pm kickoff). A few injury-enforced changes were announced by coach Jacques Nienaber yesterday, with Nche coming in at No 1 for Trevor Nyakane, who moves over to tighthead prop for Frans Malherbe, who has a neck…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Manchester United were consigned to a frustrating 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa last weekend. United had a chance to draw the game when they were awarded a penalty, but the usually reliable Bruno Fernandes missed from the spot. Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez may have put Fernandes off by taunting him, saying Cristiano Ronaldo should have taken the penalty. Martinez joined Villa from Arsenal at the start of last season and has since established himself as one of the best in the Premier League and as Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper. Liverpool now the only unbeaten side in the EPL Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City last weekend means that Liverpool are now the only unbeaten team in the Premier League as the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw…

A TEAM of researchers has suggested that more mental health support is needed during pregnancy. This was after a survey found that nearly three-quarters of women who were pregnant during the pandemic reported moderate to high levels of distress, and one in five experienced symptoms of depression. The findings appeared in the journal Canadian Family Physician. “The high levels of distress highlight the importance of considering mental health centrally in supports for this population,” said Dr Tali Bogler, the study’s lead author, a family physician and chairperson of family medicine obstetrics at St Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. “The findings also highlight the overall impact the pandemic has had on families.” A limitation of the study was that it did not have comparable data on distress levels among pregnant people…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za KARNAGIE Govender hopes to guide readers to align their thoughts, words, and deeds to gain peace with inspiration from her book, A Perfectly Orchestrated Plan. The self-published book was launched recently at Le Café at the Villa Le View in Bluff, south of Durban. Govender, 46, of Phoenix, said it was about the life lessons she learnt from her childhood to her marriage. “It touches on healing, exposing racism, religious intolerance, gender-based violence, alcohol abuse, suicide, industrial bullying, greed and moral decline,” said Govender. The mother of three, who has been married for 23 years, said seeking God’s guidance helped her to cope with experiences and emotions. Later on, she started documenting the events, which became the first draft of her book. “I have written a few…

POST REPORTER THE book Breakthrough: The Struggles and Secret Talks that Brought Apartheid South Africa to the Negotiating Table by Mac Maharaj and Z Pallo Jordan was released recently. The ANC veterans were close to events that unfolded before February 2, 1990, when President FW de Klerk announced the unbanning of the liberation movements, opening the door to negotiations that would end apartheid and pave the way to democracy. Focusing on the years before 1990, Breakthrough sheds new light on the process that led to the formal negotiations. It also reveals the skirmishes that took place away from the public eye, as the principal adversaries engaged in a battle of positions that carved a pathway to the negotiating table. The authors draw on material from various archives and sources…

1 pack Future Farm Mince 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 250g grated cheese (vegan or regular) 1 pack nacho chips Pico de Gallo salsa cherry tomatoes, quartered ½ red onion, finely sliced fresh coriander, chopped olive oil balsamic vinegar Toppings guacamole sour cream (vegan or regular) Preheat the oven to 200ºC In a pan, gently fry the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Stir in the Future Farm Mince, breaking it up with a spatula. Add the spices, plus a seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until browned, well mixed and fragrant. In a baking dish, spread half the nachos in one layer. Cover with half…

SCHOOL is a key component of our societies. At school, children learn to read and write. And being able to read is meant to help people of all ages to think at a higher level and make their lives better. It is not surprising that literacy is thus an important goal for global development agencies. The multiplier effect of literacy is believed to empower people, enabling them to participate in society and improve their livelihoods. The truth is, learning basic skills such as solving arithmetic problems at school does not necessarily make you good at solving such problems in everyday life. A classic study in Nigeria, for example, looked at what children learnt from running errands. Another study in Ivory Coast examined how well children from farming (Baoule) or merchant…

Nikita Chiniah nikita.chiniah@inl.co.za Job opportunities have opened up for thousands as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) embarks on phase two of its Employment Initiative for 287 000 unemployed young people. The department is looking for 192 000 education assistants and 95 000 general school assistants. The closing date for applications is Sunday. Phase one was implemented from December 1, 2020, until April 31, 2021, and about 300 000 young people were selected. The initiative, according to the DBE, aims to provide a protective net for learners at risk of dropping out of school due to psychosocial challenges. Muzi Mahlambi, the spokesperson for the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, said those between 18 and 35, who are not studying or receiving a government grant, could apply. He said women and…

I AM a community activist, who was a member of the NIC (Natal Indian Congress), UDF (United Democratic Front), MDM (Mass Democratic Movement) and eventually the ANC under the able leadership of Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada and Joe Slovo to name a few. These were selfless leaders, who gave up their freedom to dismantle and eventually eradicate apartheid and, in so doing, they created a better South Africa for all who live in it. My expectations have crumbled. The new ANC has fallen short of the dreams and aspirations of the old ANC. There is corruption, tribalism, nepotism and cadre deployment. They have forgotten about the people who have voted them into power and the entire nation. The party has driven municipalities into the ground making them dysfunctional, to…

TO THE grasshopper Visvin Reddy. Your comments on the DA, “High time the DA gets its house in order” (the POST, September 8-12), are untrue. It is surely that you are seeking Indian votes. You are seeking the votes of the very same Indians who you asked to be shipped back to India, when you were in power, serving the ANC at the city hall as its procurement head. And let me inform the Indians further, as the head of procurement at the time, you also deprived the Indians of a big screen TV at the Chatsworth Soccer Stadium during the 2010 World Cup. You said Indians didn’t need a big screen as they were too rich, had DStv and it would be a waste of time to install one.…

KEVIN Govender is spot on in his letter “A human catastrophe is playing out in Afghanistan” (the POST, September 22 – 26). But not everybody sees it that way. In India, some in the left, and its pseudo-liberal elitist cohorts have cheered the return of the hirsute gun-toting bullies and tyrants. Two days after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP, said: “When India was under British rule, our country fought for freedom. Now Taliban wants to free their country and run it.” Early in September, Irfan Ansari, Jharkhand Congress MLA, praised the Taliban for chasing away the Americans. He said it was the Americans who committed atrocities against women and children. Yet when the Taliban first took control of the provinces of Badakhshan…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za THE eThekwini Municipality has attributed problems relating to non-functioning street lights and the city’s​ billing system to cable theft, vandalism and theft together with an overload on call centres due to Covid-19. Francois Rodgers, the DA KwaZulu-Natal leader, and Nicole Graham, the party’s eThekwini caucus leader, recently held a placard demonstration at the electricity department’s head office. They then handed a memorandum to Maxwell Mthembu, the department head. Rodgers said the department was on the brink of collapse – from a dysfunctional billing system to the call centre. “People have to wait long periods until they can log their queries. Even after they have logged their queries, they still have to wait for hours due to the shortage of equipment and human capacity. “Our streets have…

VISIT www.gov.za and search for Government Gazette number 44250. Included in this document (pages 12-16) is the CF-1E form – Application for the registration of the domestic worker employer. Print out a copy and fill it in with your particulars. Prepare the following documents: Completed CF-1E form A copy of your ID, passport or work permit Proof of your residential address A copy of your employee’s ID, passport or work permit A copy of the employment contract Email all of the above documents to RegistrationCF@labour.gov.za or CFCallcentre@labour.gov.za, requesting to be registered as a domestic employer.…

European football body Uefa has decided to drop its legal action against three clubs – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus for founding the European Super League. These three clubs are the only ones who have refused to abandon the breakaway league, while the rest have opted out. “Following the stay of proceedings against FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid CF, in the matter related to a potential violation of Uefa’s legal framework in connection with the so called ’Super League’, the Uefa Appeals Body has declared today the proceedings null and void, as if the proceedings had never been opened,” Uefa said in an official statement, as reported by Goal.com. Earlier, Uefa had threatened these three clubs with legal action and it was being said they could be suspended…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za IN addition to being a legend of Clare Celtic football club, Steven Chetty, 62, also has extensive refereeing experience, having served as an official through the Durban Central Football Association and in national futsal games. He has refereed games throughout the country including in Johannesburg and Cape Town. “My love for refereeing comes from my love for soccer. I used to play but came to an age where I could not play so I took up refereeing,” said Chetty. Refereeing is one of the most challenging roles associated with football. Referees are often blamed by fans and players, and have to have thick skins in order to succeed. Chetty believes good composure is necessary to succeed in the role. “You have to be calm and issue your…

your wife Saras Govender and family Lotusville, Verulam MANIE Patchappen Govender was born on December 16, 1939. He was from the farming community of Inanda. His life epitomises sacrifice, dedication and hard work. From humble and challenging times, he worked his way from herding cattle,working in the construction industry to becoming a teacher. In 2005, he left teaching. At the time he was at the helm of the Golden Steps Special School. To his learners, he was known as “Manie Sir” but, to us, he was simply our appa. His contributions to the family and society in general were phenomenal. He championed education. This resulted in three of his six children entering the educational fraternity, and the other three excelling in the engineering, medical and business spheres. Three of his…

From skewed sleep cycles to a noisy surroundings, studying from home is not easy on the kids, but strong planning and building a favourable study environment can change the apprehension around exams. Follow these effortless tips and make their exam time a little less stressful and a lot more fun. Tidy up and organise Having a tidy space around a study area can help children concentrate. An organised desk laden with storage boxes and desk organisers can help. Want to make an extra effort? Don't forget to use pegboards to hold all the little things they need while working on problems or formulating answers. Go ergonomic Distance does matter, especially between your child and the tables and chairs they use while studying. The study surface distance should be about…

1 pack Future Farm Mince 3 whole peppers, red or yellow, halved lengthwise and de-seeded 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp coriander 1½ tsp smoked paprika 1 can mixed beans, drained 1 can sweetcorn, drained fresh coriander, chopped 1 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable stock according to packet instructions vegan cheese toppings guacamole sour cream Preheat the oven to 190ºC Brush the peppers lightly with olive oil. Bake face down on a baking tray for 15 minutes. Fry the garlic gently in olive oil for a minute, then add the Future Farm Mince and spices. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes until the mince has broken up and browned evenly. Allow to cool slightly. Mix the drained beans, sweetcorn, coriander, season and stir into…

1 cup white rice 2 cups water 5 Futuro sausages ½ onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced ½ small red pepper, diced 2 tbs olive oil ½ cup crushed roasted cashew nuts 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper (preferably freshly ground) 3 tbs chopped parsley 2 chive stems, thinly sliced 2 tbs chopped coriander, optional 2 bay leaves 1 lemon, sliced to serve In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat and brown the slices of sausage on both sides (about 1 minute on each side). Remove the sausage and set aside. To the same pan, add the garlic, onion and diced bell pepper. Sauté until wilted. Add the rice and mix well. Add the water, salt, black pepper, and the bay leaves. Cook until almost…

Nikita Chiniah nikita.chiniah@inl.co.za USHA Devi Shukla, a retired Hindi language professor, received the Great Indian Women Award from the India International Women’s Forum during a recent virtual event. The ceremony was held at the India International Centre in New Delhi, and the recipients were from India and the diaspora. About 100 women achievers were honoured for their work in various fields, including business. Shukla was nominated for the award by colleagues from Trinidad, where she had previously presented papers online for international conferences. The 65-year-old, of Clare Estate, who retired from the University of KwaZulu- Natal in 2016, said the award was for her academic and community work. “It feels good to be appreciated for the work I’ve done throughout my career and for my voluntary community work for more…

VISVIN Reddy, the leader of African Democratic Change (ADeC), rightly calls for the removal of racial quotas in order to promote the quality of life for all (the POST, September 22 – 26). But as long as ADeC is committed to the tenets of the Freedom Charter, the realisation of Reddy’s goal is zero. In a wide-ranging policy statement in the Sunday Tribune of September 20 last year, Reddy committed ADeC to the realisation of the Freedom Charter. But as anyone with knowledge of the ideology of those who drafted that charter knows, it commits South Africa to the planet’s most failed ideology – socialism. ADeC places a great deal of emphasis on communal ownership of land and of rural and township co-operative banks; communal ownership of malls with state…

I WAS dismayed after reading the story “Suspended Toyota employee apologises” (the POST, September 22-26). This incident of racist behaviour made headlines on social media and is not acceptable in our democracy. It is mind boggling that racists are still spewing hatred. Toyota SA, that does not tolerate any form of racial discrimination, will be in a difficult situation with regard to its employee, Khehla Mngwengwe, who posted threats and insults on social media. It will be interesting to see what type of action his employers will take. The reaction has been swift from the general public, who denounced his behaviour. It seems many people have forgotten the contribution we made to the economy and in all spheres of life, and still no respect is shown to us. We cannot…

IT MUST have been an oversight when the honourable consul general of India forgot to greet Indian Muslims on Heritage Day. He must have not known, seeing that Delhi is more than 8 000km from Durban, that Muslims in this country constitute a sizeable number of the total Indian South African population. Even if many of them still erroneously think of themselves as Arabs, the fact is that their motherland, like their mother, cannot be erased and is still perpetually Bharat, Desh, Hind, or India. He must have forgotten that the biggest importers of especially food grains and spices from India to this country are Muslim traders. It is so sad that nobody reminded him that the Haffeejees, the Saloojees, the Meers, the Kathradas and other freedom fighters against apartheid…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za NARENDH Ganesh, a community activist, has referred the social media utterances of Khehla Leonard Mngwengwe, a Toyota employee, to the Equality Court in Durban. Ganesh filed a formal complaint, citing hate speech, incitement to violence, and discrimination, on Thursday. Mngwengwe had commented during a live feed by comedian Karou Charou on September 10. The comment was regarding the violence that took place in Phoenix during July’s unrest. He posted: “Wait until the army disappears and we will never forget nor forgive. We will make sure we triple by hundreds of what you did to innocent black people. You must know that you c****** will never rest.” Mngwengwe received a backlash for his comments, with many calling for action to be taken against him. Some members of the…

Nikita Chiniah nikita.chiniah@inl.co.za THE eThekwini Municipality in partnership with Auction Specialist, has raised R7.6 million at its first online auction. A selection of vehicles and redundant assets – including computers, laptops, printers, and furniture – were auctioned recently. Msawakhe Mayisela, spokesperson for the eThekwini Municipality, said they had managed to auction 95% of the goods. Some items, he said, did not reach the reserve price. Mayisela said the proceeds from the auction would contribute to the city’s revenue base adding that they were planning to hold four auctions a year. “The auction was definitely a success. We plan on hosting more auctions and dates will be published online. Our advertisements made no mention of race and we encourage people of all race groups to participate in auctions. “We are requesting…