Table of contents for 2023-08-02 in Post

THE life of American theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, the most respected leader of the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb during World War II, has been the subject of several biographies, but history hasn’t been kind to him. His story needs to be chronicled. The epic biographical thriller, Oppenheimer, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, gives us a fatalistic view of nuclear weapons, and the trauma they entail. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2005 biography, American Prometheus, by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, the film is about the life of Oppenheimer, who pioneered the study of the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project, thereby ushering in the Atomic Age. During World War II, Lieutenant General Leslie Groves jr appointed Oppenheimer, along with a team…

1 cup butter, chopped into cubes 1 Tetley Masala Chai teabag (cut open teabag and remove leaves) 2¼ cups flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp chai spice 2/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 large egg 2 tbs maple syrup cinnamon sugar: 1 tbs brown sugar 2 tbs white sugar 1 tsp cinnamon Mix together until well combined. In a medium pan, add the butter and loose Tetley tea leaves. Cook the butter until it turns amber in colour. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl so it stops cooking. Cool for 20 minutes and then place in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and spices together. In another bowl, add the browned…

Like most South Africans, Selvan Gangiah, 62, was worried about crime. Whenever his dog barked, he went outside to check what was happening. On Sunday night, Gangiah, who was self-employed, was asleep at his residence in Crossmoor, Chatsworth, when the dog barked. He went outside to check and he was shot near his rib cage by a suspected robber. He died a short while later in hospital. Rianca Gangiah, his daughter, said: “My father and a few other residents belonged to an informal community watch group. He used to respond whenever there were robberies at homes or other crimes. People called him for help. “Whenever he heard his dog bark, especially at night, he would check the property and the neighbours’ homes to ensure everyone was safe. On Sunday,…

AN initiative is under way to give dignity to vulnerable girls and women this Women’s Month and build a sense of unity, but they need your help. My Sister’s Keeper is a project run by the Pearls Women’s Ministry (PWM), a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) in Phoenix. Every year, the project runs a drive to collect women’s feminine hygiene products for those in need. Pastor Marlene Pillay, who heads Pearls Women’s Ministry, said: “The ministry was launched in June 2019. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and some minor setbacks, we eventually got our NPO recognition in August 2022. “While I waited for the documents to be approved, I started many projects under the banner of PWM. These included soup kitchens and the distribution of clothes and food in Phoenix. “The…

THE continual inflation rate and escalating cost of living have impacted the lives of many South Africans, and recent reports have indicated South Africans are still struggling to meet their monthly household expenses. The current data from the Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor survey has revealed people have cut back on gym contracts, dining out, travel and other luxuries. Some parents with more than two children have shifted their children to cheaper schools and cut back on extramural activities. In addition, people are purchasing and consuming cheaper brands of foods and other products, and domestic helpers are now employed on a part-time and ad hoc basis. The individual that earns a capped salary has to be innovative to stretch the monthly capacity of their income and some are forced…

INDIA is reeling. The Manipur horror has shocked the nation. Two women stripped, paraded naked in broad daylight, molested, groped and gang-raped in a field. Indians are shaking their heads in disbelief. “How could it happen in Mother India?” A sense of shame sweeps over the sub-continent. Could such a despicable, heinous crime occur in one of most religious countries in the world; a land steeped in age-old values, tradition, culture and conservatism? India is a country that prides itself on respect, manners, decorum and a strict code of dress and conduct in public. How could a society that prays every day not protect the most vulnerable – its girls and women? How could the largest democracy in the world not protect its women and children? What is appalling about…

THE DA in KwaZulu-Natal has called for an urgent report from law enforcement in the province following a dramatic surge in attacks on Durban’s N2 freeway. The call, made in writing, to Mondli Chiliza, the chairperson on KZN’s transport portfolio committee comes after numerous recent incidents which include: A motorist shot and killed on the N2 at Tugela River bridge after his vehicle broke down on July 20. A motorist robbed and stabbed after his vehicle crashed into a barrier on July 17. This after rocks were placed on the N2 before Spaghetti Junction. A woman became the victim of rock-throwing on the N2 at the Yellowwood Park Bridge. Fortunately, she managed to continue driving to safety. A man killed after being struck by a passing vehicle. This while trying…

WITH reference to the letter, “Book checked for authenticity” (POST, July 26-30). Writer Ebrahim Essa is informed that a lot of soul-searching has resulted in the conclusion that it is impossible to say precisely what religious truth Islam imported into India. India’s 5 000 year culture has investigated every aspect of religion. There was no need for the presence in India of any foreign religion. The presence in India of foreign religions is the result of the disrespect that foreign religions indulge in. Azad Essa, who wrote the book in question, Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel, should explain how Pakistan and Bangladesh came to occupy other people’s territory. Essa engages in arguments about the state of affairs in India concerning minorities. India’s demographic difficulties will, in…

WHEN a fire broke out in Lovey Govender’s family home in Foresthaven, Phoenix, her only thought was to get her paralysed nephew to safety. She picked him up and ran out of the burning home before shouting for help. Govender shares the home with her nephew Cameron, 28, her mother Kanna, 76, her sister Lolly, 54, and another relative Jeremiah, 15. Sandra Naicker, a family spokesperson, said the incident occurred on Sunday morning during load shedding. “Everyone was at home except Lolly who went to church. Load shedding for Phoenix was scheduled for 6am to 8am. “The electricity went off. After a short while it came back on and then it tripped. Cameron, who is paralysed from the neck down, was lying on a mattress on the lounge floor. “When…

Liverpool have appointed Virgil van Dijk as the club’s new skipper, with fellow defender Trent Alexander-Arnold taking on the vice-captain’s role, the Premier League club announced. The 32-year-old Van Dijk, who also captains the Netherlands national team, will replace Jordan Henderson after the England midfielder joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq last week, ending a 12-year stay at Anfield. Van Dijk has made 222 appearances for the Merseyside giants since moving from Championship side Southampton in 2018. “It’s a really proud day for me, my wife, my kids, my family. It’s been a special feeling and I can’t really describe it at this point. But it’s something that I’m really, really proud of,” Van Dijk said. “I will do everything in my power and what I can do to make…

HOME Affairs is a new South African comic-drama about two men stuck in circumstances and a country undergoing a crisis of its own, and will be staged at this year’s Hilton Arts Festival. The festival, considered a prime event in the arts in KZN, will take place at Hilton College just outside Pietermaritzburg, from August 11 to 13. Home Affairs will stage at Memorial Hall from August 12 to 13. The Home Affairs programme information reads: Two men. A government department. A crisis. Brought together by the great unifier, load shedding. Forced to talk about more than the weather and the state of power in the country, they find that they might have more in common than they initially imagined. Or maybe not. Either way, it all comes down to…

IT WAS the presence of God, said Pastor Colin Pillay, that gave him the strength to remain calm during a robbery at the Emmanuel Community Church in Tea Estate, Verulam, last week. The church was hosting its midweek prayer service when five armed men entered and robbed 25 congregants of their valuables. The men also locked the children in a toilet. In a video that has been widely circulated on social media, Pillay is seen delivering a sermon, then stopping when the robbers enter and one of them points a gun at him. Pillay is seen raising his hands while the robber searches him. The robber takes his wallet, car keys and tablet. The robber then removes money from the wallet before throwing it on the floor. The pastor picks…

THE Merebank High Adolescent Counselling Clinic commemorated its one year anniversary recently and celebrated transforming the lives of 21 pupils through various social interventions to help them cope and succeed in their lives. Occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and other specialists volunteered their services via the counselling clinic to help the youth. The programme is based at the Merebank Secondary School, south of Durban. Despite the success of the initiative, demand is growing and the clinic needs volunteers to invest in the future of these youth. Dr Sagie Naidu, the chairperson of the Merebank High Legacy Foundation, said the Merebank High Adolescent Counselling Clinic was an initiative of the 1979 matric class of Merebank Secondary School, who wanted to make a tangible contribution to their alma mater and the community.…

TODAY the All England Lawn Tennis Club, hosts of the famous Wimbledon Championships, pledges to be diverse and inclusive. But in 1971 an 18-year-old university student, Hoosen Bobat, from Durban, was excluded from achieving his dream of becoming the first black South African to play in the Wimbledon men’s junior tournament. This was due to apartheid, and the collusion of the all-white tennis union in South Africa and the International Lawn Tennis Federation, with Wimbledon toeing the line. I tell Bobat’s story in the new book Tennis, Apartheid and Social Justice. I am a scholar who has published numerous books and papers on the histories of black exclusion and organised black resistance during apartheid, and on social justice and transformation. My book documents the historic 1971 first international tour by…

FIKILE Mbalula, the ANC secretary general, recently made comments advocating for the removal of freight liners from the road. This reminds me of plans that were being considered years ago to launch the Durban to Cato Ridge corridor. The intention was to promote and encourage rail freight as a means of moving cargo between the harbour and Cato Ridge, thereby removing heavy-duty trucks from Durban’s central business district. Unfortunately, as with many good ideas in South Africa, leadership indecisiveness and ignorance meant that those plans were never actualised. Ironically, Mbalula himself leads that bunch of leaders. Transnet, the state-owned company that owns and operates South Africa’s rail network, is another colossal failure that requires billions in bailouts from the government annually. Its failures are not as visible as those of…

RECENTLY, revelations of the gold and construction Mafias have surfaced but, for years, a silent beast, the South Africa football Mafia, has been kicking around at its whim and fancy and gaining enormous personal wealth, all in the name of unstoppable self- aggrandisement. And for years, conjecture, innuendo and scuttlebutt floated on an eddying breeze regarding blackmail, graft and gross financial irregularities in the annals of professional football in South Africa, but every pointed finger was mowed down by an iron fist. That iron fist belongs to one Daniel Alexander Jordaan and like the leader of a mob clan, he rules with authority and venom. Just his stare could peel paint and there is an oiliness to his patios – well suited to sliding around the truth. From activist to…

THE IFP notes, with great concern, the increasing calls by ratepayer bodies and civic movements for a rates boycott in eThekwini. This comes in the face of massive tariff increases post the 2023/24 budget implementation, poor fiscal management, and collapsing municipal infrastructure. It is a signal that ordinary citizens are embittered by the city’s lack of empathy for the tough socio-economic conditions that confront most residents in this municipality. In the budget debate of May 2023, when the IFP for the first time since democracy voted against the budget, we warned mayor councillor Mxolisi Kaunda that such a revolt was eminent, but as is customary with the ANC, they brushed-off this caution and arrogantly presumed they would lord their undemocratic approach on our citizens and remain unchallenged. Faced with the…

A MEMORIAL to celebrate the life of Dr Farooq Meer, a political activist, will be held at Sastri College in Greyville on Saturday at 2pm. Meer died on July 22. He was 85. Yashica Padia, the media co-ordinator for the Farooq Meer memorial organising committee and a long time friend, said Meer had left behind a legacy. “I met Dr Meer when I was a young activist working within the Natal Indian Congress. He was the general secretary, who worked closely with my uncle, George Sewpershad (president of the NIC). “He inspired me as well as many young activists in his vigorous campaign as he was an outspoken leader. He helped the community. “His words and actions reflect a compassionate, caring, thoughtful and insightful man who epitomises everything that was…

England captain Ben Stokes stuck to his guns despite criticism of his fearless “Bazball” approach and feels vindicated after his side levelled the Ashes series on a dramatic final day on Monday. Australia were well-placed at 264/3, chasing a mammoth 384 to win, and even had they come away with just a draw, that would have been enough to secure a 2-1 series success. But instead they suffered a dramatic collapse after a lengthy rain delay on the fifth day at The Oval. Stuart Broad took the final two wickets as England won by 49 runs to pull level at 2-2. England started the series against Australia confident their gung-ho approach would work even against the newly crowned world Test champions. They had good reason to be upbeat, with an…

THE garrick and snoek have been the main fish caught over the past week by our ski anglers. There is plenty of action to warm you up in this cold weather. The North Coast has seen the bulk of the gamefish action, with variety and size being better than the central or south sections. The snoek have been feeding well in the mornings, with fillet baits being the top producing method for boat and ski anglers. Most of the spots along the north coast have been a bit tricky to launch in the past few weeks, so please spend some time watching the sets and planning your way out. The deeper areas have seen the bigger couta, with most of the top spots being kept a close secret. Live bait…

Hulk Hogan, the WWE Hall of Famer, 69, who had an in-ring run spanning almost four decades, has been open about the long-lasting impact the industry had on his body, and now he has revealed it has even changed his height. Speaking on the This Past Weekend podcast, he said: “I think internally, I’m healthy. It’s just I’ve used my body so bad. The last 10 or 12 years, I’ve had 25 surgeries. “It’s kind of weird because I when I went to do Rocky III when my mother was still alive, if she would come to by house, she’d go, ‘Yo T, come over here, the first thing I wanna do is measure you!’ “That’s what she did to me before I went to do the Rocky movie, I…

Duff is a psychic medium, soul coach, spiritual mentor, healer and animal communicator. She has been connecting with spirit for more than 20 years and runs her business Quantum Soul from Waterfall, KZN. She can be contacted at 072 986 5514 or sharron@quantsoul.com ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Love is all around you and this is a good week for romantic connections. It is also a good week to spoil yourself and de-stress if you can. New romance is in the cards, but you need to decide if this is what you want. Lucky colour: lilac. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Find some time for contemplation or meditation and get some clarity on a difficult situation. Find a mentor to share with and look for different ways to…

BEVERLY Anne Reddy and her 5-year-old son are lucky to be alive after they were attacked by three pit bulls in Phoenix. Their family dog, Max, a German shepherd, fought off the dogs, which allowed Reddy and her son, Callen Liam Reddy, to escape. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when Reddy, 47, a nurse from Sastri Park, went to visit her 74-year-old mother. “My mother lives in Sastri Park, not far from my home, so Callen and I walked to her home. As I opened her driveway gate, her neighbour opened his gate and three pit bulls ran out towards us. “They had a vicious look, and when I saw them, I grabbed Callen and swung him on to my left hip. Just as I did this, one of…

THE South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) will celebrate Women’s Month with a Voices of Unity event on Sunday at the Elangeni Hotel. The event, from 12pm to 4pm, celebrates and promotes art and culture, social activism and gender equality. The speakers include Dr Gcina Mhlophe, a storyteller and playwright in the literary and entertainment industries; Dr Anita Ratnam, a dance choreographer and cultural activist; and Sulosh Pillay, a humanitarian ambassador and member of the ministerial advisory committee on social behaviour. The programme includes performances by the Nateshawar Dance Academy, Risa Raeanne, Parusha Naidoo and Saiyuri Pillay. Professor Brij Maharaj, an executive member of the SAHMS, said: “Art and culture form an integral component to South African heritage. Cultural expressions through storytelling, music and dance best exemplify the call for…

AHMED Kathrada’s activism spanned just over 75 years, from the age of 12 until his death at 87. While his activism took various forms over the seven-and-a-half decades, his principles and values remained consistent. It opposed all forms of discrimination and championed the ideal of a non-racial and equal society at all times. His was an activism that embodied service without the expectation of reward, as well as one that saw him being prepared to accept the consequences of his actions and for which he did not seek any preferential treatment. This came through clearly when facing the possibility of getting a death sentence at the Rivonia Trial. He chose not to appeal, whereas he could have, any sentence, including the death sentence. Politicised Kathrada barely had time to be…

WE SOUTH Africans love a good deal. Retailers have known this for decades and have come up with a variety of deals to boost sales at discounted rates. There have been mid-week specials, weekend specials, mid-month sales, month-end sales or the king of them all, Black Friday deals. Everyone wants a special price, whether they’re buying a bunch of dhania or an expensive fridge to keep the coriander fresh. But there’s one thing no one, not even the Guptas, have managed to escape and that’s the interest rate set by the Reserve Bank. Banks do offer their richer clients a slightly better deal than prime, but there are no major discounts. It was back in November 2021, the 18th day of that month to be exact, when Lesetja Kganyago, the…

IN TAKING up POST’s editorial ex- hortation of July 19-23 to reflect on “Mandela’s dream for the sake of our future”, reality and research point to a fundamental disconnect between the revered words of his autobiography and his endorsement of the designs of the ANC. To illustrate this, consider the following three statements by Mandela: I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination – Rivonia Trial, 1964. Today we celebrate not the victory of a party, but a victory for all the people of South Africa – May 10, 1994, Inaugural Address. Never again shall it be that this land will again experience the oppression of one by another – May 10, 1994, Inaugural Address. None of the noble declarations has been realised.…

IT SEEMS that every facility, public utility or private service is vying to out-do one another in being the nastiest kid in the neighbourhood. The latest bully on the block is Airports Company South Africa and/or its parking facility at King Shaka International Airport. The usual grouse of charging far too much for parking has always been around. But there are always new ways to produce further hardship to overstressed travellers. When the airport opened 13 years ago, it boasted ample covered parking of three massive floors. This was recently reduced to only the first and second floors, with the ground floor closed without rhyme or reason being offered to the public. Now, both the ground and the first floors have been cordoned off, and parking is restricted to only…

BRIDE-to-be Jennine Naidoo has replaced her wedding dress after it was stolen from her father’s bakkie on Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Street in Durban on July 24. Naidoo, 25, from Shallcross, is now looking forward to tying the knot with fiancé Keagan Baldheo, 27, a welder, from Crossmoor in Chatsworth. The wedding will take place at a church in Shallcross on Saturday. Naidoo works with her father Kogilan Naidoo at their family business in the Durban CBD. “We were on our way to work in my father’s bakkie. My wedding dress was in a suit bag, locked in the bin of the bakkie. We have a canopy. I was taking it to a dressmaker in the CBD for an alteration. We were in traffic near West Street and my dad…

THE search for Sanjay Bo Ramjeewon ended on Thursday after his family identified his body at the Phoenix Mortuary. Ramjeewon, 58, a maintenance worker, died after he was allegedly knocked down by a bus near Kenville Road on July 19. Vanessa Pillay, his step-daughter, said she had last seen Ramjeewon on July 16. “He used to live with me but about nine months ago, he moved into a flat in the building where he was doing maintenance work in Overport. Despite moving, he visited my sister and me in Phoenix almost every week. “He loved spending time with our families. His last visit before he went missing was on the weekend of July 15 and 16. He spent time with his eight grandchildren and his three great-grandchildren. They all loved…

LEGAL practitioners have welcomed the suggestion by elderly rape victims, during a public hearing in the Eastern Cape, that they be allowed to testify in camera. The portfolio committee on social development conducted the hearing on the Older Persons Amendment Bill. In camera is a legal term that means in private, without media or public presence. A parliamentary media release said elderly people from the OR Tambo District Municipality called for privacy when they appeared in court to testify about their rape. They said they were uncomfortable with publicly presenting the details of their rape. The senior citizens told the committee that as they aged, they were unable to recall everything and that compromised their evidence. They said their cases were dismissed on the grounds of insufficient…

Banyana Banyana have drawn inspiration from the wins by their African counterparts in the World Cup ahead of their must-win match against Italy this morning (kick-off 9am SA time). Banyana are on the cusp of history as they could reach the World Cup last-16 for the first time if they beat Italy in Wellington and Sweden wins or draws in their simultaneous clash against Argentina. Having come into this event as the African champions, SA were expected to wrap up their last-16 spot early in Group G but lapses in concentration resulted in a loss to Sweden and draw with Argentina. That winless streak means Banyana are the only African representative without a win in the event after Nigeria, Morocco and Zambia all bagged victories. With the clash against Le…