Table of contents for Wednesday, April 28, 2021 in Post

Arrest warrant for comedian Karou Charou violates protection order CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za African News Agency (ANA) Archives THE Estcourt Magistrate’s Court has issued a warrant of arrest for comedian Sagren Madhevan Moodley, who goes by the stage name Karou Charou. This after Moodley violated an interim protection order that had been issued against him. The protection order, which falls under the Protection from Harassment Act, was obtained by an Estcourt businesswoman in March this year. She claimed that Moodley targeted her online. He allegedly called her a murderer during a live video on his Facebook page, referred to her using vulgar language and made threats of a sexual nature against her. The woman said Moodley verbally attacked her after she spoke out against the Park by the Pozi campaign in…

EID GET-TOGETHER WILL NOT BE THE SAME Three family members killed CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za THREE generations from one family in Richmond were killed in an accident after performing taraweeh in a mosque during Ramadaan. On Monday evening, Casim Desai, 72, his son Yusuf Desai, 45, and his grandson Muhammad Ilyaas, 17, were going to drop off Ahmed Saeed, a fellow worshipper, at his home in Richmond when their vehicle collided with another. Mufti Zakariyya Desai, Desai senior’s nephew and a family spokesperson, said: “We lost three men from three different generations and they were good men. While we mourn for them, we take comfort in knowing that this happened during the holiest month for us and after their prayers.” Zakariyya Desai said his uncle, a businessman, was a soft-spoken and…

BEACON OF HOPE The ABH celebrates 100 years of social care SELVAN NAIDOO SS Sing Collection housed at the 1860 Heritage Centre SELVAN NAIDOO BEYOND life on the sugar cane plantations, people of indentured ancestry living in South Africa were focused on survival in their African homes. Basic care for our society’s most vulnerable, from the young to the aged, was largely dependent on the goodwill of religious missions, community solidarity and benevolent individuals. By 1883, two decades after the first indentured Indians landed in South Africa, the living conditions of the indentured labouring classes was enveloped in poverty, illiteracy, a lack of medical facilities and the urgent need for social care. By the start of the 20th century, high numbers of child labourers and vagrant children roaming the streets…

NEW TRACK-AND-TRACE DNA TESTING System to deal with forensic backlog JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Pexels POLICE management believes that a resolution is within reach of the country’s DNA testing backlog. There is a backlog of 170 000 DNA testing samples and, according to reports, millions of exhibits of forensic evidence are missing. SAPS management has confirmed that a two-year contract with a service provider to supply testing consumables was secured, and said that to deal with the missing exhibits, a fully functional track-and-trace system was operational. The previous system, the Property Control and Exhibit Management System, was terminated by the service provider, Forensic Data Analysis, after the police failed to pay for the system in June last year. About 8 million forensic exhibits had reportedly gone missing. Brigadier Vish Naidoo, national…

Q & A The coronavirus variant – what is it and what effect will it have? GRACE C ROBERTS BORIS Johnson, the British prime minister, has cancelled a trip to India after the country was added to the UK’s red list of restricted destinations. Covid-19 cases in India are rising sharply and a specific variant of the virus – B1617 – is becoming increasingly common there. B1617 has also been found outside India, including in the UK. Cases in Britain appear to be doubling each week. Right now the variant is under investigation, but unlike the Kent (B117), South African (1351) and Brazilian (P1) variants, it has not been designated a variant of concern. Does this mean this variant is different from the others and we need not be worried?…

UNABLE TO GET LEAVE Constable’s haldi ceremony held at police station THE haldi ceremony of a female police constable appointed at the Dungarpur Kotwali in Rajasthan was held at the police station. This was after she failed to get her leave sanctioned amid the Covid-19 lockdown in the state. The bride-to-be, Asha, said her wedding was scheduled for May last year, but it was postponed because of the nationwide lockdown. The wedding date was then set for April 30 this year. However, as she was on duty during the lockdown, her colleagues decided to hold the haldi ceremony in the police station. They played the role of her family, singing wedding songs and putting haldi on Asha’s face. Haldi is a paste applied to the bride’s and the groom’s bodies…

HOSPITALS WITHOUT OXYGEN AND BEDS Countries rally to provide aid to India POST REPORTER INDIA has become the global epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country has experienced a sharp rise in infections. Recently, it has recorded more than 300000 positive cases a day. About 195000 people have died. According to Al Jazeera, the new strain of the virus in India's second wave has left hospitals without oxygen and beds. There is also a shortage of cremation venues. This week, 500 beds were set up at the Radha Soami Satsang, a Covid facilitation centre in Delhi. IANS reported that preparations for a temporary 200-bed ICU ward at the same centre would soon be completed. The three-week lock-down in Delhi will end on May 3. Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has…

OPINION EXPLORING SOLUTIONS There are more pros than cons PROFESSOR TERRENCE KOMMAL Pexels.com IN RECENT times, nothing has impacted the livelihoods of families globally like the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been great efforts and recommendations of what people could and could not do to reduce the transmission of the virus. Prevention was our initial target, then there was a protection focus that included masks and sanitation, and good practices. Then there were treatments on what should be done when one contracted Covid. Those included a range of medical treatments, oxygen and hospitalisations. But as a society, we are now at that point where we ask ourselves, what else can we do? What else should we do? The current leading opportunity to protect ourselves and our communities is to vaccinate. To vaccinate…

INDIA’S COVID CRISIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED Modi’s government dropped its guard and caution too soon INDIA reported 314 000 new cases of Covid-19 on April 22, the highest-ever infection tally recorded by any country on a single day. On Saturday, it recorded 349 691 new infections. Many hospitals across the country are unable to cope with the unprecedented demand for life-saving necessities. People are scrambling to buy oxygen cylinders and medication for their loved ones in hospitals, often paying exorbitant prices on the black market. Around the world, countires including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Pakistan have imposed new restrictions on travellers from India, including flight bans. While many countries have faced multiple waves of infections, what has led to this massive – and sudden – spike…

Prayer is the answer IN A crisis like we are in, we cannot look at our own church denominations, our religious and our academic differences for answers. We have a universal crisis, a Covid-19 pandemic, and our message should not be Christian but we should look for a universal answer. Today tent evangelism and missionaries are irrelevant due to the restrictions. Millions of Christians don't have the luxury of Zoom or Facebook, etc, so they don't hear a message of hope. We still see churches calling for prayer meetings in clicks. Even Hindus and Muslims are praying separately. But God is a God of the nations. Many Christians want to be caught up in the clouds in heaven but not be united on Earth. We are waiting for the second…

Racist policy harms IN THE column "In South Africa, ’we the people’ is only for a chosen few" (the POST, April 21 - 25) by Ami Nanakchand is absolutely true. But sadly it would be disputed by a few Indians, who are still benefiting from the BEE policy. It is so true when you mentioned that children who are not black and do exceptionally well in their matric examination would not be allowed entry to varsity, due to racial policies being implemented by the ANC. I have sacrificed my livelihood supporting a party that promised to represent people of all races unequivocally. I am still a strong believer in the ANC and I believe their principles are the best. With the recent amendment to the labour policy, I have realised…

Zuma case is dragging on THERE is no constitutional crisis. It’s fabricated by spin doctors and media reports without critical analysis. Jacob Zuma's defiance campaign, by not appearing before the Zondo inquiry into allegations of state capture, is being narrated as a moral stand against a captured ANC-led government. People are being led to believe the conspiracy theories. That is my considered opinion. I have faith in the judicial system in South Africa. If our courts are being used to neutralise political opponents then they should be used by proponents of such a conspiracy to prove just that. Here's my other take. If in the face of a subpoena or a court order, a person against whom there is a prima facie allegation of criminal misconduct, refuses to testify, this…

DISRUPTS THE HORMONAL LEVELS IN THE BODY Diet drinks, soda might be harming your fertility ANJU YADAV IANS ARE you fond of fizzy drinks or diet cola breaks? Do you prefer sugar in your brew for a sweetener? If so, your diet beverage could be messing with your pregnancy plans. Did you know artificial sweeteners are chemical-based and all sodas and sugary drinks are made of artificial sweeteners? There are so many things to think about when you are trying to increase your chances of conceiving. But did you know or ever think that maybe your daily intake of soft drinks can affect your chances of having a baby? Couples planning a pregnancy should consider limiting their consumption of these beverages, especially because they are related to other adverse health effects.…

43% OF SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN HAVE BEEN VICTIMS: SURVEY Cyberbullying is a ‘psychologically devastating form of cruelty’ LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za MORE than 60% of children and adolescents surveyed in South Africa have said cyberbullying was worse than face-to-face bullying. And at least one in four children have reported being bullied at least once, with 43% having been victims of cyberbullying. Pinky Kekana, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, was addressing a webinar on Friday when she cited the statistics. The virtual event, titled Cyberbullying: The Impact of Cyberbullying Amongst the Youth, was hosted by the Government Communication and Information System in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the National Press Club. Unicef Media Monitoring Africa and the Department of Justice were also on the…

SCRIPTURES Making Hinduism accessible to children LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za Supplied SARIKA Besesar-Ramdhani recently launched her debut children’s book aimed at instilling and reinforcing Hindu culture and values in children. The book’s release coincided with the festival of Hanuman Jayanthi on April 26. Besesar-Ramdhani said Hanuman Jayanthi celebrated the birth of the victorious Hanuman, who is the personification of strength, perseverance and dedication. Hanuman and the Sun is planned to be the first in a series of books aimed at making suitable literature on Hinduism accessible to South African children. Born and raised in Durban, the 36-year-old actuary and mother of a 3-year-old son said that after becoming a mom, she was disappointed to learn that not much had changed since she was a child. She felt there was still a…

‘FUN AND IMAGINATIVE ACTIVITY’ The journey to literacy begins with reading early LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za Pexels.com MARGARET Fuller, an American journalist/women’s rights advocate, is remembered for coining the phrase “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” emphasising the power of literacy. About 758 million people across the globe cannot read. According to South African government statistics, the youth literacy rate for those aged 15 to 34 is more than 90%, with adult literacy (ages 35 – 64) just under 80%. Experts have long argued that the gateway to literacy is reading at the Early Childhood Development (ECD) phase – from birth to 9 years. As it happens, this is also a sector that has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Lizelle Langford, spokesperson for the Read Educational Trust, said…

Your Stars SHARRON DUFF ARIES (March 21 – April 19) This week may bring you an opportunity to share your knowledge with others from your area of expertise. Don’t be afraid to open up, as this will pave the way towards a new direction for you. Lucky colour: green. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Abundance is the name of the game as your energy shifts around, finally receiving in terms of material fulfilment. This could also mean good news on the money front around investments and inheritances. Lucky colour: pink. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) Take your time in your decision making. Know that Rome was not built in a day and so, choose wisely. Pay attention to the small details. If you can, try not to commit…

FIGHTING WITH SPIRIT AND HEART Tongaat teen Riya shines ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za TONGAAT teenager Riya Gov-ender, pictured, impressed in the recent Karate South Africa (KSA) national tournament in Secunda, Mpumalanga and at the KSA League in Tempe Base, Bloemfontein. In the nationals, the 17-year-old, who boasts provincial colours in karate, claimed a silver medal in the Team Karate category and a bronze medal for Senior Kumite. In the League 1 tournament, she was a double silver medallist in Team Kata and Team Kumite while she won a double bronze medal in the U21 category and Senior Kumite. “I was nervous as it was my first time competing in senior nationals, however I did not let my emotions get the best of me and made sure that I gave it my…

PRAYERS FOR SAFE RETURN Teacher kidnapped from home CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za TWO children watched helplessly as their mother was assaulted and taken during a robbery at their home in Lenasia South in Gauteng on Thursday. Nadira Vanker, 31, a teacher at Progress Primary School, has still not been found. Her mother, Naheema Vanker, said according to her grandchildren, two men entered the flat that morning. “The men assaulted the children and then Nadira. “They grabbed her by her hands and feet and carried her into her vehicle before driving off. “My grandchildren ran to my home, which is nearby, and knocked at my door. “They were screaming and traumatised. They told me that someone was in the house and that they took their mother away.” She said when she went…

FROM NEW YORK TO ROME Top international post for former teacher POST REPORTER A FORMER Ladysmith schoolteacher who spent a decade at the UN in New York has moved to Rome to evaluate hunger-alleviation projects globally. Dr Indran Naidoo, 58, was appointed as the director of the Independent Office of Evaluation of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad). The office has a 177-country membership. Naidoo began his career as a schoolteacher at Ladysmith Secondary School. His late father, AC Naidoo, was a teacher in Ladysmith for more than 30 years. His mother, Kamala Naidoo, is a retired professional social worker. She now lives in Pretoria. Naidoo has a PhD (evaluation) from University of the Witwatersrand. He has published internationally and has presented papers on evaluation globally. Naidoo served as…

MULTIFAITH PRAYER THE Aryan Benevolent Home will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Saturday with a multifaith prayer. The prayer will be live-streamed on Facebook from 10am. It will be conducted by Bishop Rubin Phillip, of the Anglican Diocese of Natal, and AV Mohamed, chairman of the Grey Street Mosque in Durban. The havan (fire ritual) will be conducted by Arthi Shanand, president of the Arya Samaj SA. Eshu Seevnarayan, patron of the ABH, will deliver a speech on behalf of Jeremy Droyman, president of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies in KwaZulu-Natal. The guest speakers include Naren Pattundeen, chief executive of the ABH, and Mohil Bandulal, president of the ABH Council. Get your copy of the POST next week for our commemorative supplement. Post Reporter…

ENGEN REFINERY TO TERMINAL CONVERSION PLAN Residents concerned over traffic, oil spills NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za ANA Archives RESIDENTS in Merebank and Wentworth had mixed emotions following an announcement that the Engen oil refinery would be converted to a terminal by 2023. In a statement issued last week, Engen said the decision followed an extensive strategic evaluation of its refining business. It said every facet of the refinery was scrutinised and assessed against market demand, future growth potential, and the ability to contribute sustainably. Yusa Hassan, Engen’s managing director and chief executive, said the strategic assessment found that the Engen refinery was unsustainable in the long term. “This is primarily due to the challenging refining environment as a result of a global product supply surplus and depressed demand, resulting in low…

NUMBERS SWELL WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMPLACENT New strains spreading faster but not as lethal EVEN as India records the highest surge in Covid cases, the country's virologists and medical experts say new strains of the coronavirus are not as dangerous as perceived. “Though new strains of the virus are spreading faster, causing breathlessness in more numbers, its fatality rate is not so dangerous if compared to the previous ones,” said Amulya Panda, the director of the National Institute of Immunology (NII), India’s premier institute for developing vaccines. Panda, who led a team of scientists in developing a new protein-based vaccine for Covid-19, said the initial findings suggested that various new strains could be dangerous but not more dangerous than the earlier ones. Explaining the behaviour pattern of the new strains,…

30 BODIES A DAY ‘Ambulance Man’ helps cremate victims AMID the increasing number of people dying of Covid-19 in Delhi, getting an ambulance to transport the body from the hospital to the crematorium has become difficult. However, a resident nicknamed the “Ambulance Man of Delhi” has come to the rescue of those who want to cremate the bodies of family members when hospital staff refuse to touch them for fear of getting infected with Covid-19. Chiranjeev Malhotra lives in the Karol Bagh area. He has helped families to cremate the bodies of 1200 people. His daughter tries to restrain him but Malhotra believes that if everyone stays at home during the pandemic, there will be no one to cremate their loved ones. Since the resurgence of Covid-19 infections, Malhotra has…

IMMUNITY The elderly await vaccines NOKUTHULA MABUzA nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za OLD age homes in KwaZulu-Natal say their residents are looking forward to being vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. The vaccination rollout for phase 2 – for those over the age of 60 – is expected to start in May. Dave Naidoo, the chairperson of the Aryan Benevolent Home in Pietermaritzburg, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary on May 1, said they spoke to their residents about the vaccination rollout. “They are open to the suggestion of taking the vaccination. “I think the fact that we suffered the tragic loss of 13 residents to Covid-19 last year, made them realise that they need to be protected and avoid being infected." Naidoo said they hoped the vaccinations would be done at their premises, where…

MORE STUDIES ARE UNDER WAY Ivermectin may get another chance GORDON DENT AS THE search continues for treatments for Covid-19, the results from a number of studies have led to changes in the advice on which drugs to give people suffering from the disease. The European Medicines Agency and the US National Institutes of Health recently stated that one previously promising treatment – the antiparasitic drug, ivermectin – is not recommended for use in routine management of Covid-19. Despite these decisions, support for ivermectin has been circulating on social media. So what is ivermectin, and why have national agencies ruled against it? What is ivermectin? Ivermectin was first developed in the 1970s from a bacterium in a soil sample collected from woods alongside a Japanese golf course. In the intervening…

TECHNOLOGY Spiritually connected by app JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za FARHAD Omar, an app developer, has come up with a solution to ensure people stay connected to their local mosques, while still complying with lockdown regulations. Omar, of Durban, has created a free online tool named Smart Bilal. The app gives users live-stream access and notifications to Islamic sermons or lectures from any mosque in the country. Since its inception, the app has garnered more than 34000 users in about 173 countries, including Botswana, New Zealand, the UK, Australia, India and the US. Omar said he came up with the idea shortly after South Africa entered into a hard lockdown last year. “It was a difficult time for all of us. We found ourselves isolated at a time when we needed solace…

RATHER THAN CHASING WEALTH, HUG THE WORLD True richness is being alive YOGIN DEVAN African News Agency (ANA) Archives “SOME people are so poor, all they have is money.” I love this quote. It speaks to what I think of many people who have material wealth – and not much else. This quote is often attributed to Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley. Another quote, in similar vein, that the reggae star made famous is: “Money is numbers, and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.” I cannot say whether it was the ganja that Marley smoked in keeping with his Rastafarian religious beliefs that made him take a strong stand against the obscene accumulation of more wealth than is needed to…

Gullible believe irresponsible Covid claims TWO posts are doing their rounds on social media, which I deem to be irresponsible and dangerous. It’s abuse of free speech and one of the biggest exponents of this was Donald Trump. He used Facebook to make his supporters believe that the vote was stolen from him. Trump was subsequently banned from Facebook. The first one is about the origin of the virus. In a long winding, intricate web of conspiracy theory, some faceless genius unravels an elaborate plot by the pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmith-Kline and Pfizer, including German and French companies, and the billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates of Microsoft and Dr Fauci, an American physician-scientist and immunologist, of unleashing the virus to profit from it. The post claims that the virus was started in…

Modi lacks leadership ONE in three cases of Covid-19 is now in India. There is a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen, while long queues await cremations and burials during their second wave. Political rallies and religious festivals are continuing with up to 40 000 people at political rallies in Kolkata. Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have shown no leadership and respect for lives. Politics has taken front stage because India neglected its own vaccination exercise, while donating vaccines to other countries. SMITH Tongaat…

Judicial process is delayed IT IS NO surprise that Jacob Zuma's legal team has withdrawn their representation at the eleventh hour in his upcoming corruption trial. This, in many respects, can be perceived as his Stalingrad strategy to further delay the judicial process. It thereby buys him more time for freedom if he was to be found guilty. Whatever the reasons for his legal team to make a run for it, which I suspect would not be revealed to the public by the court, I believe this is a travesty of justice, noting the inordinately long time for this matter to come to trial. As this matter concerns all South Africans who have been affected in one way or another by acts or omissions in the conduct of Zuma while…

WARNING SIGNS Listen to your child KRSANGI RADHE Warning signs: Changes in behaviour: Your child will become elusive or withdrawn. The activities that they once enjoyed are no longer appealing. Emotional outbursts: This could be crying (more often), or even having a meltdown. Sometimes, when children keep things bottled up, they eventually snap. Their emotions take over and they become erratic in their emotional stability. Children will present as sometimes happy, other times sad and sometimes rude and angry – without logical reason. This is age dependent. Parents must keep a watch to see how the scattered emotions do not correlate with the stability of their child. Physical injuries: Your child may wear clothing that covers scars, bruises or cuts. Your young child might suggest that they want to bathe…

IMPART VALUES WHEN CHILDREN ARE YOUNG Moral of the story LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za SUZANNE Emily Naicker, an educator and an author, is on a mission to teach children morals and values through storytelling. The 30-year-old mother of two – Joshua, 8, and Judah, 5 – was born in Pietermaritzburg. She now lives in Durban and has been teaching for 10 years. Naicker currently teaches English to grade 8, 11 and 12 pupils. She said she started writing the first book in her Twiggly Town Moral Series – Dotty the Dinosaur: Liar, Liar House on Fire – during the lockdown last year. “Twiggly Town is a utopian society where mummies and daddies always teach their children to do the right thing. However, the children of Twiggly Town are still learning the…

The benefits Reading aloud • Boosts confidence, helps children cope better with anxiety, develops memory and expands their world. • Supports healthy brain development which forms a foundation for success at school and beyond. Storytelling • Many of us go through the day engaging in storytelling without realising it. Making up a bedtime story for your child; telling a friend about a funny, embarrassing moment; recounting a childhood memory; or reading your favourite book aloud are all examples of storytelling. • Storytelling improves memory and the ability to use narrative language, which is necessary for developing literacy. • Storytelling also helps our children to become better listeners and better readers, while building their vocabulary. • A way of sharing stories with the family and mimicking reading aloud is to download…

EYES ON RIVALRY Pochettino relishing challenge against Guardiola PARIS St Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino said his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world as they prepare to renew their rivalry in the Champions League semi-finals tonight. The pair have locked horns before, both on the pitch and in the dugout, lining up against each other in their playing days for city rivals Barcelona and Espanyol before going on to manage their respective clubs. They were also in opposition in the Premier League during Pochettino's five years at Tottenham Hot-spur. The Argentine took Spurs to the Champions League final two years ago, knocking Guardiola's City out in the quarter-finals. "For me, he is the best," Pochettino, who replaced Thomas Tuchel as PSG boss midway through the…

COVID STRIKES AS FOUR PLAYERS WITHDRAW Life gets tough as IPL franchises focus on players’ mental health DESPITE the withdrawal of four players from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) over the past couple of days due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the franchises say that there are no major problems concerning players’ mental health. The sudden departure of three Australian players – Andrew Tye (Rajasthan Royals), Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson (both Royal Challengers Bangalore) – and R Ashwin (Delhi Capitals) led to speculations that players were feeling the heat of staying in the bio-bubble amid massive daily rise in numbers of Covid-19 cases in India. Prior to these players’ departure, English player Liam Livingstone (Rajasthan Royals) too had left for his country citing 'bubble fatigue'. However, the franchises IANS…

‘I’m up for any challenge’ THE POST approached Sagren Madhevan Moodley for comment. He did not respond. Moodley, however, released the following statement on his Facebook page. “Well here’s an update on my haters. For the first time in my life an arrest warrant has been issued for me … for an apparent breach of a harassment protection order. “Yep you heard right … After enduring months of harassment … I’m the one being charged. I will present myself to the PMB police to be officially charged. I’m up for that … It’s the process and I respect it. However, in the weeks to come the harrassment order will be overturned and the criminal charge will be dropped for the simple reason … “That it’s frivolous, without substance and that…

SOCIAL MEDIA HELPED GROW HER BUSINESS Mom farms methi herbs to help family CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Supplied WHEN Lalitha Neesha Kanayee lost her job as a waitress a few years ago, she turned to farming methi herbs to earn an income. And since posting photographs of herself harvesting her fresh produce on social media recently, her friend list increased and her business has grown. Kanayee, 46, lives in Seven Tanks at the Silverglen Nature Reserve in Chatsworth. The community, who live in makeshift homes, comprise small scale farmers. She learned the skill of farming from her grandfather, Nandlall Pardesy, and father, Ramkissoon Nandlall, while she was growing up. "We lived in a tin home near Brindhaven in Chatsworth. I watched my grandfather and father toil from early in the morning…

AWARENESS, SERVICE, SPIRITUAL SUPPORT Call to help needy during second wave SYED Sadatullah Husaini, the president of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, has called upon the organisation’s cadres to serve people during the second wave of the pandemic. “As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hits us with all its ferocity, I call upon the cadres of jamaat to dedicate themselves for the cause of helping and serving the people of our country,” said Husaini. “Our work shall mainly be on three fronts: creating awareness, serving people and reminding them of the spiritual and moral dimension of the pandemic.” He said the myths and lies being spread about the pandemic and its treatment had caused many problems and had resulted in the loss of life. “Misinterpreting the tenets of faith to…

WHO STATEMENT FOR WORLD IMMUNISATION WEEK 2021 The key to a healthier future for all IMMUNISATION saves millions of lives every year and it is widely recognised as one of the world’s most successful health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need, and many miss out on vital vaccines during adolescence, adulthood and into old age. Using the theme “Vaccines bring us closer”, World Immunisation Week 2021 will urge greater engagement around immunisation globally to promote the importance of vaccination in bringing people together, and improving the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere, throughout life. As part of the 2021 campaign, the WHO, partners and individuals around the world will unite to: •Increase trust and confidence…

CALL FOR FUNDING FOR MASS DIGITISATION Historian hopes photos survived fire JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied OMAR Badsha, a South African historian, hopes priceless artefacts that he stored at UCT’s library were saved from the fire. More than 70000 items were destroyed after a wildfire spread from the slopes of Table Mountain to UCT’s Jagger Reading Room. The room contained the African Studies Collection which dates back to 1953. Some of the artefacts that were destroyed included pieces from the African Studies Published Print Collection and the entire African Studies Film Collection on DVD. Government publication documents, manuscripts and archives that were awaiting digitisation, as well as administrative records, were also burnt. Badsha, who is also a documentary photographer and artist, said that in the 1980s he created a photography archive…

Editor’s View An achievement that ran dry ONE of the greatest achievements of our democratic government was the provision of basic services to the majority of South Africans. Former president Nelson Mandela made countless trips around the country celebrating with communities the provision of basic services. Water, in particular, transformed people’s lives. Whether it was a communal tap or a single tap outside a home, it meant no more long walks to fetch untreated water from the river. Exactly how many South Africans had access to piped water in 1994 depends on who you ask. Estimates range anywhere from 34% to 53%. About two years ago, the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan estimated that just under 90% of households had access to water. However, only 64% of households had…

Lives are at stake AS ZWELI Mkhize, the Minister of Health, announced the online registrations for phase 2 of the country’s Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, anti-vaxxers (a person who is opposed to vaccination) increased their conspiracy theories. They battle between fact and conspiracies when the safety of Covid-19 vaccines has intensified. There is a history of opposition to the vaccination. I recall when my children were born, friends used to advise us against childhood vaccinations. The aim of any vaccination is to prevent ongoing transmission, prevent illness and death and to achieve herd immunity. Now is the time to confront vaccine misinformation on social media to dispel myths as lives are at stake. It is a point in time to create herd immunity as Covid-19 has created a lot of unanswered…

A swansong travel destination I WAS fortunate to have visited India a couple of times in the mid-1990s and mid-2000. Now, under the stewardship of Narendra Modi, the prime minister, in his second term, India is fast becoming touted as one of the superpowers of the world. It is there for all to see as I quote from a recent Morgan Stanley Research Report. In the last three years, unlike any of India's previous leaders, Modi did not borrow one dollar from the World Bank. It is anticipated that in the next 10 years, India's gross domestic product (GDP) will surpass $1 trillion (about R14.3 trillion). Forbes Magazine declared that India will rise manifold only because of Modi. In a recent Economic Growth report of 137 countries, India moved up…

LITTLE ANGELS TO ENTER Email a high resolution (between 500KB and 1MB) close-up picture of your baby to postbaby@inl.co.za Please include the baby’s name, date of birth, age at the time of picture, parents’ names and contact details. Each monthly winner will go into the finals, where the POST Baby of the Year will be selected.…

COUNSELLING IS KEY OPINION Without support, pupils can become suicidal EMMANUEL MAYEZA ON MONDAY, April 12, Lufuno Mavhunga, a 15-year-old girl at Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo, was assaulted by another learner at the school. The video showing the humiliating violent attack was circulated on various social media platforms. Sadly, Lufuno committed suicide. During the bullying incident, bystanders (her school mates) watched, cheered, laughed, and recorded videos of the incident. The alleged perpetrator (a 14-year-old girl at the same school) has since been arrested and charged with assault. The school will institute disciplinary action against the bystanders who failed to assist and protect Lufuno. Lufuno’s family, however, believes the school did not do enough to support her after the incident was reported to the principal. The victimisation of Lufuno could have…

MOM INSPIRED TO WRITE BOOK Luna’s curiosity leads the way LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za Supplied INSPIRED by her 4-year-old daughter’s curiosity, a Durban mom put last year’s hard lockdown to good use. She penned a kid-friendly book aimed at helping children wrap their heads around viruses. Shareez Bagaria, born and raised in Chatsworth, spent the bulk of her professional career in corporate HR before she joined her family’s business. She then wrote her debut book, Luna Learns about Viruses. It was launched at the Durban Book Fair at Pick n Pay in Durban North on Saturday. “I’ve always had a desire to write a book, but didn’t have the time nor did I know where to start. Being in lock-down for the past year with a curious 4-year-old and having a…

Sweet delights Audette Vengetas shares treats for the sweet tooth. Follow her on blog: www.allyandbug.co.za and Instagram: @ally_and_bug Chocolate Tarts BASE: 300g Nuttikrust 75g butter, melted MOUSSE FILLING: 200g dark chocolate 6 eggs, separated 4tbs sugar 70ml water chocolate shavings (optional) Base Preheat the oven to 180°C. Use a hand-blender to blitz the Nuttikrust until it forms fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and blitz until well combined. Empty the crumbs into an ungreased tart, pie or flan dish, or individual tart shells. Press the crumbs into the dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding the filling. MOUSSE FILLING Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from the heat, mix well and set aside to cool. Combine the egg…

ESHLIN On SPORT At last, CSA crisis is averted Cricket South Africa crisis averted CRICKET South Africa was plunged into crisis last week as Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa had no choice but to strip the national cricket board of its national funding and standing. This follows the cricket federation’s protracted internal power struggles which have hampered not only local development of the game but the organisation of domestic competition in recent years. Should the power struggle have prevailed, South Africa would likely have been suspended from the International Cricket Council until the mess was cleaned up. However, the crisis was averted late on Sunday after the Members’ Council and interim board reached an agreement on issues related to amending the Memorandum of Incorporation. The problems in South African cricket are…