Table of contents for 2022-01-21 in DFA News

Boipelo Mere boipelo.mere@inl.co.za PARENTS of pupils at Philipvale Primary School in Philipstown took their frustrations to the streets and refused to allow their children to return to school on Wednesday and Thursday this week due to the lack of a water supply at the school. The parents, who have kept the school gates locked for the past two days, burned tyres at the school entrance and demanded that the Northern Cape Department of Education address them. Apparently, the school has been experiencing a poor water supply since last year, resulting in limited teaching and learning at the school. It has also been reported that there is no electricity at the school. The school was also closed a number of times last year and pupils told to stay at home due…

Genevieve Serra genevieve.serra@inl.co.za Weekend Argus THE WORLD Health Organization said globally Covid-19 numbers, including deaths, had dropped since the peak of the fourth wave but that more waves could be on the cards. The new Omicron variant, which emerged in November, has been deemed a less severe and a mild disease compared to previous waves. This week, the WHO reports that cases had dropped by 20%, and deaths by eight percent. By January 16, Africa saw 10.4 million cases and 233,000 deaths since the pandemic began. WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti, warned that while numbers were decreasing, Covid-19 was still with us and could see future waves. “While the acceleration, peak and decline of this wave have been unmatched, its impact has been moderate, and Africa is emerging…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE NATIONAL Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is investigating complaints regarding the quality of the city’s water following numerous complaints from Kimberley residents that the tap water is murky and dirty. DWS spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said the department was interacting with Sol Plaatje Municipality, where it was stated that they would “investigate each complaint”. “There are numerous complaints on social media, while complaints were also reported to the Sol Plaatje Municipality call centre. Sol Plaatje engineers are investigating and will report to the municipal manager who in turn will report it to DWS. Pending their findings, the necessary steps will follow,” said Ratau. He indicated that high rainfall and high flows into the Vaal River affected the clarity of the water. “The major complaints are…

VIRAT Kohli became India’s leading run-scorer in away one-day internationals as he hit an energetic half-century against the Proteas just days after his shock exit as Test skipper. Kohli broke Sachin Tendulkar’s India record for most runs in away ODIs during his 51-run knock in the first of the three matches on Wednesday, although the tourists lost by 31 runs. Kohli has now scored 5,108 runs, surpassing Tendulkar’s 5,065. He also overtook Australian great Ricky Ponting’s 5,090 to become the second-highest behind Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (5,518) in away 50-over matches. Kohli, 33, announced he was giving up the Test captaincy last Saturday having already quit as T20 skipper last year and been sacked from ODI leadership duties soon afterwards. Kohli was India’s most successful Test skipper with 40 wins…

Wynona Louw in Cape Town SOUTH Africa’s Blitzboks have every reason to be high on confidence when they defend their crown at the Malaga Sevens tournament in Spain this weekend. The three-day tournament at Estadio Ciudad de Malaga will mark the first time Spain plays host to the World Sevens Series. Action will next continue in Seville. The Springbok Sevens side claimed back-to-back victories in the first two rounds of the series in Dubai in late 2021. Prior to that, they won the shortened series in Canada, going through the Vancouver and Edmonton tournaments undefeated. Core series teams New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa are unable to travel to Spain, so invitational teams Germany and Jamaica men, and Belgium and Poland women will be competing. While not having Sevens giants Fiji…

Jolene Marriah-Maharaj jolene.marriah@inl.co.za IOL THIS week, crime activist Yusuf Ambramjee took to social media, saying that the Moti family, who had previously interdicted police from interviewing them, are now fully co-operating with the SAPS. In October, Zia, Alwaan, Zayyad and Zidan Moti were on their way to school when their vehicle, a BMW, was intercepted by two vehicles. IOL reported that a gang of suspects armed with R5 rifles and handguns broke a window and then unlocked the vehicle. The boys were found on November 10 in Vuyani. They had been unharmed. Abramjee said, according to police sources, the family, who had relocated to Dubai, were fully co-operating, adding that the family has denied obtaining an interdict against police stopping them interviewing the four brothers. SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda…

Brenda Masilela STAFF WRITER WITH just three weeks left to the end of the state of disaster which has been imposed to contain Covid-19, pressure is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa not to renew it. Last Friday, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma extended the national state of disaster to February 15 despite numerous objections that these regulations were no longer necessary. Various industries have reacted with disappointment to the extension of the national state of disaster. On Tuesday, Solidarity Movement, including Solidarity and AfriForum, said it planned to approach the North Gauteng High Court in a bid to end the state of disaster which has been in place for about 22 months. The state of national disaster has been renewed every month on the 15th…

Lance Fredericks more pictures on page 12 MY INTEREST had been piqued. There was no way that this could be true, I thought to myself. The disposable cigarette lighter had just started becoming popular in South Africa, but now my uncle – who I thought was a cool genius at the time – was telling the wide-eyed group of boys that he didn’t need to invest in a Bic lighter, because he had figured out how to make an ordinary match burn twice! I must admit I was very sceptical, but when he crossed his heart and hoped to die, I knew that he wasn’t lying and I just HAD to see how he’d do it. With great ceremony, he removed the match – just an ordinary match – from…

Staff Reporter London Despite gutsy performance The SPAR Proteas fell short against New Zealand in the 2022 Quad Series in London. The world champions beat South Africa by one solitary goal 51-50 to finish third in the four nation tournament on Wednesday. The Proteas and Silver Ferns met for the second time in twenty-four hours and this time around it was for the bronze medal. South Africa finished the stronger side of the two on Tuesday, and Wednesday they started as they ended. It was the Proteas that took an early lead in the game, they led the quarter for the most part and from there it was pound for pound right until the last second when New Zealand finished the quarter 14-13. Monique Reyneke limped off the court and…

Morgan Bolton THIS is a national emergency – quite soon South Africa will be unable to purchase Pecks Anchovette or Redro fish paste, the pate of anchovies and sardines will no longer to be found on SA shelves or at home. Weep SA, weep, for in the not-so-distant future SA will be bereft of the puree; toast nationwide no longer be privy to a joyous smattering of the paste; friends and foes alike celebrating that they need not have to endure the whiff of fishy goodness when speaking to someone that is digesting it. Fish paste, like most things, is apparently too good for this life. Ask any connoisseur of the stuff and they will tell you it is a ritual spreading it over bread. Some enjoy just a dab,…

Rapula Moatshe rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za Cape Times ESKOM’S constant reasoning that if it will not get its proposed increase the lights would go out amounts to blackmailing of civil society. This was a view of parliamentary and energy adviser to the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), Liz McDaid. The expert was responding to Eskom’s proposal to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to have electricity prices increased by 20.5% for 2022/23. Hearings into the increase are being held until Friday, ending in Gauteng. McDaid compiled Outa’s submission to Nersa ahead of the Friday deadline for public comment. She said as part of the submission: “The rules that allow Eskom to continually apply and receive additional tariff increases based on reasons that in general fail to stand up to scrutiny appear to…

Jonisayi Maromo STAFF WRITER THE MUCH-publicised visits by EFF leader Julius Malema to restaurants to inspect the ratio of South African to immigrant workers employed is a campaign to drum up support which may fuel animosity and anti-immigrant sentiments, the Human Science Research Council’s Dr Steven Gordon has warned. “Obviously, the EFF’s actions over the recent period show a party trying to push the anti-immigrant button despite their rhetoric to the contrary. This, I assume, is an attempt to shore up support within certain constituencies following a disappointing performance in the recent local government elections,” Gordon told TV channel Newzroom Afrika. He said politicians should avoid sowing inter-group animosity to drive political support. “South Africa has a very long history in which politicians used divisive rhetoric around inter-group relations to…

Melbourne – Misfiring Stefanos Tsitsipas survived a thorough examination by former world number one junior Sebastian Baez before taking his place in the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday. The Greek world number four raced through a first-set tie breaker but struggled to put away the tigerish 88th-ranked Argentine before winning in four sets. Tsitsipas wrapped up the match 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 in 3hr 22min on Margaret Court Arena. He will next face Frenchman Benoit Paire or Bulgarian 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov. "It wasn't easy. I'm glad I overcame that obstacle today. Lots of fighting, a little bit of swearing, but I'm glad to be in the third round," Tsitsipas, who is yet to win a Grand Slam, said. "It was a pretty hot day…

Herman Gibbs in Cape Town The Compact Cup has thrown Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ricardo Goss a lifeline at a time when his career has seemingly hit a dead end since he has rarely played Premiership match this season. Goss has been on the sidelines for most of the season, He was competing with Ugandan Denis Onyango, Zambian Kennedy Mweene and Reyaad Pieterse for a place in the matchday squads. The goalkeeper contingent at Sundowns also included Jody February at one stage this season. However, he has since moved out on a loan spell. Goss has played only two games this season and is in much the same boat as the Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune, who has rarely played in the past few months. Khune was last in action in…