Table of contents for 2021-06-02 in Post

500g lamb mince 3 potatoes, cubed ½ cup frozen peas 2 tbs olive oil 1 chopped onion ginger and garlic paste 2 large cinnamon sticks 1 tsp elachi powder or 3 cardamom pods 1 tsp cumin powder 2 tbs curry powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp turmeric ½ cup tomato purée salt to taste 6 curry leaves 5 mint leaves ½ cup water Fry the onions with the cinnamon sticks in the oil until they are translucent. Add the cardamom, ginger and garlic paste, curry leaves, half the mint leaves and the remaining dry spices. Let it cook down for a minute and stir continuously. Add the tomatoes and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add the mince. Once the mince is combined, cook for 7 minutes on…

2 tbs unsalted butter 1 tsp crushed garlic ½ large onion, cut into large wedges 1 can tomatoes (whole peeled or crushed) 1½ cups water ½ tsp fine sea salt, or more to taste cream a handful of basil leaves Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion wedges and sauté with the garlic. Add the tomatoes, water and half a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional salt as needed. Add the basil and blend the soup. Season to taste. The soup does not need to be smooth. Grate the Parmesan using the fine and large side of the grater. Place on grease-proof paper and grill for 4 minutes. Cool and crumble over the soup. Serve…

Latoya Newman latoya.newman@inl.co.za LIANA Hassim, a Pietermaritzburg-born actress, made her television debut last weekend on SABC 1. The 31-year-old now lives in Cape Town. She is also a lecturer at Afda Cape Town where she teaches screenwriting to second-year TV and film students. Hassim debuted in a short film called Valiant Annie, written and directed by Temara Prem. It screened on May 30 at 8.30pm. “The film is about a young woman from KZN who has to spend her days at home under lockdown with her husband. “It’s set during the time of a fictional deadly virus. Annie longs for an escape, and an opportunity arises where she must decide if leaving the house is worth the danger,” said Hassim. She said the film was shot in KwaZulu-Natal over…

Picket staged over bias Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za A SYDENHAM teacher believes the older generation needs to be more sensitive to gender issues after his own experience. Serbash Thumbadoo, 29, has taught mathematics and life sciences at Centenary Secondary School for the past two years. After living and dressing as a man since childhood, about four years ago he began a process of introspection which resulted in him realising that he was bi-gender. Thumbadoo said: “Bi-gender basically means a person who identifies as both male and female. You could feel both genders at the same time or be fluid between them.” He said he had known for some time that he was unique. “After the death of my father in 2017 and grandmother in 2019, I took time to reflect…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za WHEN Ronica Bagwandin and her son, Nervay, found out that they would both graduate on the same day, they embraced each other. On Tuesday, Ronica, 47, graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science degree, and Nervay, 23, with his Honours in BCom Accounting from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Ronica, an assets and building manager at the university’s Pietermaritzburg campus, said her manager encouraged her to further her studies. “My son and I did not plan to study together. In fact, he was accepted for his course and my manager said to me that I should think about furthering my studies.” She said her relationship with Nervay grew stronger during their three years on campus. “He was never embarrassed to introduce me to his friends. Nervay walked me…

DONAE Robbyn-Leigh Jones graduated cum laude and achieved the Dean’s Merit Award with a Diploma in Public Administration at DUT’s Virtual Autumn Graduation ceremony on Friday. Jones, who comes from Wentworth, south of Durban, said that her biggest motivating factor was the desire to make a better life for herself and to get out of the suburb. "Growing up in an area like Wentworth is a challenge. There rarely isn’t a weekend that goes by without a shooting. It has worsened lately. Sometimes there are shootings during the day while people are walking on the road." Jones said because of this she stayed with her grandparents in Newlands East at the beginning of the semester "It was a difficult decision because I had to leave my mother and little sister.…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za HE was not a politician or anyone famous. In fact he was poor and roamed the streets from day to day. But Merebank’s Perumal Reddy, popularly known as Nana Boy, had a funeral fit for a king at the weekend. A Scottish piper, a motorcade of motorbikes and private security vehicles, plus hundreds who queued to pay their last respects were among the highlights of Reddy’s send-off. The 58-year-old was mute and known for walking the community daily, greeting everyone who passed him, with his own gestures of affection. He was always first to offer help at local churches, mosques and temples. Reddy died last week. He was knocked over while crossing the M4 Freeway, near the Merebank off-ramp. Community members did not want him to have…

nikita chiniah A MEREBANK mother who tried to stop robbers from stealing more than R100 000 meant to pay for her son’s wedding, was tied up and drugged during a home invasion on Monday morning. Poobathie Pillay, 58, had left her home to buy bread from a nearby shop. When she returned she saw two men standing outside her gate. Pillay said the men told her that they needed to see her tenant so she opened the gate to allow them in. She also showed them the way to the tenant’s home. A few seconds later, while Pillay was opening the door to get into her home, the men allegedly pushed her out of the doorway and entered the home. “I fell to the ground and I started screaming. They…

John I Welch THE draft Firearm Control Amendment Bill, which could stop citizens from owning guns for self-defence, is draconian and infringes various rights of free and law-abiding citizens. Rather than promoting efficacy in law enforcement, the government chose to target law-abiding citizens. The Bill of Rights in our Constitution creates various choices, a few of which I shall allude to. You have the right to life, but, you could decide to abort your pregnancy, thereby killing your foetus. You have the right to physical integrity and freedom of movement, but, if you commit a crime, a court could send you to prison. You have the right to be gainfully employed, but millions of people are unemployed, either because they do not wish to work or because they cannot get…

WITH reference to the story, “Election campaigning starts” (the POST, May 26-30). It is time to vote with your head and not with your heart. We have entered a sensitive period, with concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic but the show (campaigning for the local government elections) must go on. The elections, scheduled for October, must not be postponed. It is time for a political contest, debate and alignment. We must not allow councillors for more than two terms. We, as taxpayers, must hold them accountable and take a no-nonsense approach. When we keep councillors in power for too long, they get in a comfort zone. Many people vote for a candidate because they are aligned with a party. We need to know the credentials of candidates and choose a party…

NEVER has Lenin’s question of what is to be done been more relevant than it is today in South Africa. South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world with more than 40% youth unemployment, according to Statistics SA. Stats SA's expanded definition of unemployed people excludes those who have given up looking for jobs. The Covid-19 pandemic opened a vacuum for ANC hyenas, who profited millions from the $5 billion (R69.2bn) the South African government borrowed from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This did not come as a surprise as the country has been a crime scene for decades. Politicians keep looting state funds for personal gain. President Cyril Ramaphosa assured the nation that there would not be room for corruption immediately after the IMF approved…

ON MAY 19, 2021, an ordinary man died. There was no fanfare. No beating of chests in grief. No flag lowered at half mast in mourning. No glowing tributes in the mainstream media. No public acknowledgement. No government category funeral. Jayaseelan Nair, a proud son of Chatsworth and an alumnus of Asoka Secondary School, “shuffled off this mortal coil” to join his maker. He was the younger and only sibling of the much-loved and mourned Indrani Pillay, wife of the equally mourned and much revered Sam Pillay – the bane of drug lords in Chatsworth and elsewhere. Jayce, as he was affectionately known, succumbed to an illness which he fought valiantly for many years. At his private Covid-19-restricted funeral in Pretoria, many a fulsome tribute was paid to his honesty,…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za There have been mixed reactions regarding the Miss South Africa Pageant’s accommodation of transgender women in the competition. But the Miss SA Organisation, which manages the pageant, released a statement on May 24 clarifying this was not a new development and that transgender women had been able to enter and compete in the beauty pageant for some time. Stephanie Weil, the Miss South Africa Organisation’s chief executive, said that for the third successive year, transgender women were eligible to enter the pageant. Anthony Waldhausen, the founder and director of Gay and Lesbian Network, an LGBTQI+ organisation promoting recognition of the LGBTQI+ community in Pietermaritzburg, said: “It is important to acknowledge transgender people. Opening such opportunities for them is quite exciting. We are looking forward to it and…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za Alleged travel scamsters Megasen Roland Chetty and Sarasvathi Belinda Pillay were granted R5 000 bail shortly after their arrest. The couple are said to have robbed people of a collective R900 000. Two of the victims were newly-weds from Chatsworth. The couple, who prefer not to be named, had been married for just a year and were searching for holiday deals at the time aboard the MSC. They were referred to the alleged scamsters by a business client. The scam company purported to be running a special. The 29-year-old wife – a beauty salon owner – said: “It happened about two years ago. “We were so excited to go on holiday. After making contact, we were told that it would cost us R1 000 per person for…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za SEVERAL KwaZulu-Natal cricket figures were rewarded for their hard work at the Cricket South Africa annual awards ceremony which took place virtually this week. Coach Imraan Khan was rewarded with the Pitchvision Coach of the Season award after having led the Dolphins to the One Day Cup and Four-Day Franchise series last season in only his second term of full-time coaching. “For me this award is a celebration of the hard work and commitment from every individual, staff and player over the past year. “It has been a real collective effort and I am extremely proud of everyone,” said Khan. Amidst the troubles in South African men’s cricket over recent years, Khan’s rise as a coach has been one of the few achievements worth celebrating. KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union…

JAPAN joined leading figures in tennis in rallying around Naomi Osaka on Tuesday after the world number two withdrew from the French Open Tennis tournament in a row about post-match media duties, saying she had been suffering from “depression” and “anxiety”. One of the biggest names in sport, Osaka stunned the tennis world when she pulled out of the Grand Slam on Monday after being fined and threatened with expulsion for declining to face the media after her first-round match on Sunday. The four-times Grand Slam champion had last week signalled her intentions to skip her media duties to protect her mental well-being and she returned to Twitter on Monday to announce her withdrawal. While her original stance had earned the Japanese 23-year-old little backing from her fellow professionals, most…

GARRICK here, garrick there, garrick everywhere! The weather has been fairly stable but the early morning chill has made getting to the spots early a bit more challenging. The rockier areas up north have been the place to fish for the bronze bream, kingies and stumpnose. Scratching is best done using circle hooks in these areas as the curved in point stops the trace from getting stuck, which translates to a lot less tackle loss. Also put a knot into your sinker snoot to avoid losing your whole trace if the sinker jams in the rocks. In terms of the best bait to use, chokka and prawn are your number one bait. The edibles are great fun to target up north with a 30lb braid set-up being the most universal…

a handful of chillies. It depends on how hot you want it. I used a cup of mixed chillies – red, green, Thai and jalapeños ½ an onion 2 tbs red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves ½ red pepper ½ tomato dry herbs, thyme and oregano 1 tsp of salt 1 tsp cayenne pepper peri-peri paste (the one you made) ½ tsp honey 2 tbs olive oil salt and pepper to taste chicken, cut in quarters with the skin on 1 whole lemon, sliced in half 12 prawns Blend the onions, garlic, chillies, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, tomatoes, juice of half the lemon, honey and seasoning in a food processor. It is best if the paste is done a day in advance. Spread over the chicken on both…

2 red peppers ½ cauliflower, roughly chopped 1 onion, finely chopped ½ tsp garlic salt and pepper to taste ½ cup fresh cream 1 tsp red chilli flakes or one green chilli, finely chopped a handful of chopped chives or micro greens ½ a feta round 1 handful of Parmesan, grated Use the oven or the stove to roast the red peppers, onion, chopped chillies, garlic and cauliflower in butter until tender – for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and purée in the blender, while slowly adding the cream. Return to a pan, season with salt and pepper. Top with the crumbled feta and chives. For the crisps, grate the Parmesan using the fine and large sides of the grater. Grill for 4 minutes.…

Chanelle Lutchman and Nokuthula Mabuza IT is believed that a shooting that took place at a mosque in Reservoir Hills yesterday was a hit. On Tuesday morning, Mohamed Moola, 57, a self-employed La Lucia resident, was parked at the Musjid Izhaarul Haq mosque in Spencer Road when he was allegedly approached and shot with a high-calibre weapon. Kyle van Reenen of Emer-G-Med Paramedics said Moola was found seated in his car when paramedics arrived. “He sustained multiple gunshot wounds from a high-calibre weapon, possibly a shotgun. Advanced life support intervention was needed to stabilise him before he was placed on a specialised stretcher used for the treatment and prevention of potential spinal cord injuries.” The man was airlifted to hospital. Oscar Mike from Stealth Guarding Division, who were the first…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za BUSINESSMAN, Triveshan Naidoo, who has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of Georgia in Durban, hopes to build and strengthen a relationship between the two countries. Georgia is located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Its capital is Tbilisi. Naidoo, from Morningside, said he was honoured to have been appointed. “I am elated and proud that a boy from Bailey Road in Redhill has been elevated to an international platform as a diplomat. I am even happier to be associated with Georgia, a country that has wonderful people, who are friendly and warm as well as boasting such a rich history. I am looking forward to nurturing this new relationship.” Naidoo, the founder and chief executive of TNI, an international commodity trading company, said…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za FOR two days Moses Govender’s family members prayed for his safe return. Govender, 50, a diver and angler from Merebank, had gone out to dive at Treasure Beach on the Bluff last Monday. He never rose up from that dive. “When we got the call that my uncle dived and he couldn’t be found, we panicked,” said Cassidy Dorasamy, Govender’s nephew. “We all prayed he would be found soon. The search and rescue vehicles were out and we were hopeful that he would be found. However, after a few hours, we were told that due to the strong weather conditions on that day, as well as other factors, that my uncle could have drowned. “While we still prayed for a miracle and for my uncle to be…

A young woman and mother of three daughters was pushed from a moving train and died while grappling with a mobile thief. The incident happened on Saturday evening near the Kalwa suburban station on the central railway when the woman, Vidya D Patil, 35, was returning home from her office in Andheri. According to her brother-in-law, Kamalakar Patil, it was her fourth day at work after she was on maternity leave for six months and had a baby girl. Thane Government Railway Police (GRP) officials said Patil had boarded the train from Kurla for her home in Dombivali west where she lived in the Chinchodyacha Pada locality. Just as the train started leaving Kalwa station, a robber jumped inside the woman’s compartment, grabbed her mobile phone and rushed to the…

Adele Kirsten THE steady rise in murder and gun deaths is a reminder of how unsafe all of us are. Many of us feel fearful, vulnerable, and angry that the state seems unable to protect us. We are all grappling with how best to protect ourselves, our families, our friends, and communities from violent crime. The most recent crime statistics recorded 57 murders a day: a rate of 36/100 000 population. Guns are the weapon most often used in murder, with 23 gun-related deaths a day. What then is the best way to build a safer South Africa? Using the available evidence to make informed decisions, at an individual level and in the interests of our society, is a good place to start. And the evidence is overwhelming: reducing the…

THE ANC’s firearms legislation, which denies citizens the right to own a firearm for self-defence, needs to be seen in the context of communist ideology. In 1971, Saul Alinsky, an American community activist and political theorist, published Rules for Radicals in which he spelled out the eight steps by which a country is subverted into a communist state. Gun control is one of those eight steps because in communist ideology, the state is the custodian, controller and arbiter of all aspects of life. Fear of opposition to its dictatorship necessitates disarming the population. Under the ANC, the Alinsky (community organisation) model is quite advanced. They are keeping people in poverty through B-BBEE, stringent labour laws and affirmative action. This has increased unemployment threefold since 1994 to more than 10 million.…

THE article, “Indian woman dies in rocket attack on Israel” (the POST, May 19-23) refers. It states: “According to aljazeera.com there is growing support for Israel by some Hindu nationalists.” First, Al Jazeera has a hatred for Hindus, India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many articles have revealed, including the one previously quoted by the POST, written by one Bilal Kuchay. Second, not only Hindus support Israel as a country, but some Muslims, many Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and other Indians for good reasons. Abdul Kalam, the much-loved late former president of India, admired Israel and fostered ties between India and Israel. He visited Israel and his presidential delegation included Muslims. Today, Muslims, like Shehzad Poonawalla, support Israel against Hamas. Mohammad Tawhidi, an Australian Shia Muslim influencer and reformist…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za MADURAY Moodley’s life has come to a standstill and he is now considering taking legal action against Home Affairs authorities. He cannot legally drive a car, travel by plane, open a bank account, or find full-time work because he has no identity. Moodley, 38, of Phoenix, has been trying to get an identity document from the Department of Home Affairs for 17 years. The Department of Home Affairs had not responded to requests for comment by the time of going to print. Moodley said: “I feel as if I am a living corpse with no future to look forward to. I cannot even vote. All I want is an identity document.” Over the years the only money Moodley has been able to earn is casual work at…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za Four men, including two police officers, accused of kidnapping and killing a Phoenix man for allegedly stealing a grass-cutting machine, have pleaded not guilty. The trial started in the Durban High Court last week. Seelan Pillay, 46, was allegedly kidnapped, doused with petrol and set alight in May 2019. He sustained second and third-degree burns and died of his injuries two days later in hospital. According to the post-mortem results, Pillay’s cause of death was established as ‘burns over 80% of total body surface area with inhalation burns’. Anben “Fat Cat” Chinsamy, 48, of Ravenstone Place in Phoenix; his brother, Sugendran “Shoes” Chinsamy, 32, of Treehaven Place; Warrant Officer Theagasen Naidoo, 47, of Stoneham Drive; and Constable Tristan Durant Pillay, 33, of Eastbury; were arrested and charged…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Chelsea outsmart Man City in Champions League final Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel outsmarted Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in Porto last weekend as his side won the Champions League final, with Kai Havertz scoring the only goal of the game. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy became only the second African goalkeeper in history to win Europe’s premier club competition after former Liverpool goalie Bruce Grobbelaar won it in 1984. The game brought an end to Sergio Aguero's 10-year spell at City. While the Argentine won five Premier League titles in his time at the Etihad Stadium, the one trophy that eluded him was the Champions League. Aguero has since signed for Barcelona. Big managerial changes sweep football Some big managerial changes were announced across world football in the…

AS the Indian cricket board seeks to complete this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) in the United Arab Emirates, it appears to have accepted that the UAE leg may not feature several of the league's star foreign players. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was staring at a $270 million loss in revenue when the IPL was suspended last month after several players and backroom staff tested positive for Covid-19. Having shifted the rest of the tournament to the UAE in September-October, the BCCI top brass are in Dubai to finalise scheduling of the remaining 31 matches in consultation with their Emirati counterparts. England have effectively ruled out further participation of their players when the tournament resumes but the BCCI appear unfazed. “Our main focus is on…

2 large aubergines/brinjals 1 tbs butter 1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 clove of garlic, puréed ½ cup fresh cream 2/4 ripe tomatoes, puréed salt to taste freshly ground black pepper 1 large handful fresh basil 3 large handfuls Parmesan, freshly grated 2 handfuls Cheddar handful of mushrooms (optional) 150g Mozzarella In a pan, melt the butter. Fry the onion until brown. Add the mushrooms (optional), the tomato purée, the cream and the Cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside. In a baking dish, layer with a small quantity of the sauce, then a thin scattering of Parmesan and Cheddar, followed by a single layer of aubergine. Repeat these layers until all the ingredients have been used. Finish with a little sauce and a sprinkling of…

2 tbs butter 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste 3 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tbs coriander powder ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ cup Greek yoghurt or fresh double cream ¾ tsp garam masala 250g paneer, cut into cubes ¾ cup green peas fresh coriander to garnish salt to taste Melt the butter in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they start to pop, add the onions and the ginger and garlic paste. Fry the onions for a few minutes until translucent. Add the salt and the remaining spices. Add the tomatoes. Stir. Close the pot and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through. Turn off the heat. Slowly…

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) Be proud of what you have achieved and know that your success is well earned. This week is about victory and overcoming challenges that have proven difficult for you. Stand tall and share your successes with those around you. Lucky colour: red. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Emotions have been…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za LAST week Nishelle Reddy came face to face with the police officer accused of causing an accident which left her paralysed. Captain Kubendran Siva, 46, a member of the SAPS Dog Unit, appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on charges of reckless and negligent driving. It is alleged that Siva crashed his state vehicle into Reddy’s Hilux bakkie during March near Cornubia. He fled the scene but was arrested after witnesses, who took down his number plate, provided police with the details. Reddy, 26, a transport co-ordinator, was in the vehicle with her two children, aged 5 and 4. The children escaped with minor injuries but Reddy’s spinal cord was crushed. She was left paralysed from her chest down. Reddy was admitted to the eThekwini Heart Hospital…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za VERUSHKA Sewsunker juggled a full-time job, night lectures and wrote an exam while battling Covid-19. And her efforts paid off when she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Technology degree in civil engineering at the Durban University of Technology. “It was a tough year,” said Sewsunker, 26, of Ballito, who graduated on Thursday. “However, I knew I had to push through and give it my all. I worked an eight-hour day at the office and I had to ensure I left work at 4pm to get to lectures at 5pm. These ended at 8pm or later. I had to then drive home, prepare for work the following day, and complete my campus work. This meant I slept late. Although I gave up on my social life…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za AKSHAY Kunsraj graduated cum laude with a Dean's Merit Award from the Durban University of Technology on Thursday. Kunsraj, 23, of Chatsworth, obtained a Bachelor of Engineering Technology in civil engineering. “I am thrilled, ecstatic and honoured. My hard work has finally paid off. “Engineering, in general, is considered to be one of the most difficult courses, but through determination and being persistent throughout, I have accomplished great results.” He said writing his final exam paper in December was difficult because his grandmother, Rita Govarehan, died. “I was close to her. Losing her affected me because she looked forward to my graduation. She always wanted the best for me. My grandmother would have been proud of me for being the youngest grandchild to graduate.” Kunsraj said, like…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za WITH 34 years of experience, station commander Anesh Devnarrian expects to provide invaluable knowledge and leadership at the newly opened Verulam fire station. Devnarrian is one of four station commanders overseeing operations at the R27 million station. According to the 58-year-old, there is no greater gift than to serve and save lives. It was all he wanted to do since he was a child. “I wake up every morning, motivated by the passion and love I have for my job, knowing that I make a difference, that I’m able to help people and ultimately save lives.” But before becoming a firefighter he served the community in a different field. “I started off as a paramedic at Umhlanga Council Protection Services. After eight years there, I felt the…

Chanelle Lutchman chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za the authorities are investigating the death of a Chatsworth man who died just hours after he was arrested and allegedly beaten by police. Police have confirmed that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating the death of Logan “Julz” Arunachellam. On May 21, Arunachellam was at his home when officers from the Hawks, the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, Crime Intelligence and Chatsworth SAPS raided his property. Capsules containing possible drugs and cocaine were found at the home and Arunachellam was arrested. His wife, Candice, said she was with him just before the raid. “I run a salon and I needed to go in to see a client. Half an hour later I got a call to say that police were raiding my home and Julz…

Ami Nanakchand BY yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa was scheduled to have testified at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. And, accordingly, bring down the curtain on oral testimonies at an inquiry launched by president Jacob Zuma in January 2018. Those who followed the testimonies of witnesses were near unanimous on one point – it was a one-sided slaughter of the government. Facing a privileged invitation, Zuma and Ramaphosa may have been nominally in the dock (although Zuma thumbed his nose at the inquiry), but it was the ANC government on trial. With the erudition that comes naturally to accomplished lawyers blessed with a strong case, some of the evidence leaders raised the debate to dizzying heights at both venues of the sitting. Opposition parties made the…

IF YOU have been tracking the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 daily, you would have seen a new wave forming. In the past few days, we have been averaging well over 4 000 new infections daily. It is not as bad as it was in December last year, when more than 20 000 new infections were being reported every day, but it is a cause for concern. The experts had warned earlier this year that the third wave would hit when winter set in. They were right. Four of our nine provinces – Gauteng, North West, the Free State and the Northern Cape – are on the verge of a third wave. Numbers in KwaZulu-Natal, which was particularly hard hit during the second wave, are also rising. President…

OVER the past two weeks, we have seen an orchestrated campaign to silence and intimidate fellow South Africans who are supportive of Israel. The campaign attempts to cancel anyone who holds a different view, suggesting there is only one side to the conflict. One of the concerns that the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has had since the outbreak of violence in the Middle East three weeks ago, is the fallout between fellow South Africans. Many of us, to a greater or lesser extent, hold strong views about the conflict, which is understandable. Israel is home to the three Abrahamic faiths and conflicts between the Palestinians and Israelis have always inflamed tensions in South Africa and been the subject of robust debate and discussion. However, this cancel culture…

“DEAR Saber Ahmed Jazbhay, you received your vaccine on May 27, 2021, at the People’s Park in Moses Mabhida Stadium.” That was the SMS I received, that confirmed that I had put faith and hope in the courageous battle against the coronavirus. My second dose follows in July. I know the date. I feel fine, realising and acknowledging that the vaccine will not save me from contracting the virus. But I believe it will increase the odds of me surviving the third and subsequent Covid-19 waves of this pandemic. A shrinking minority of people deny that Covid-19 exists, let alone kills. Just over 56 000 people have died from the virus in the country and, more than 1.6 million infections later, I urge POST readers to take the chance. I…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za A MURTHI (statue) believed to be more than 100 years old was among the items stolen from the Arupta Temple in Isipingo Hills. The murthi, of the Hindu deity Mother Shakti, was made of solid silver and was brought to South Africa from India in the early 1900s by Murugasa Coopsamy Naicker. He kept the murthi at his private temple at his home in Clairwood. After he died, his family sold the home in Clairwood and relocated to Isipingo Hills. They donated the murthi to the Arupta Temple. Omeela Moodley, his granddaughter and the treasurer of the Arupta Temple, said the suspects gained entry through a window at the priest’s living quarters last Sunday. “We currently don’t have a resident priest so the room was not occupied.…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za APART from the items found in his home, there is direct evidence linking a gardener to his employer’s death, the defence argued at the Durban High Court last week. Mzwakhe France Mbulawa, 45, is on trial for the murder of former school principal Shirley James, 79. She was found in the garage of her Mallcastle Place home in Newlands West, with her hands bound and assault wounds to the head. It is alleged James, who lived alone, died on August 7, 2019, five days before her body being found. The cause of death, according to the post-mortem, was manual strangulation complicated by blunt-force head injury. Mbulawa was arrested after jewellery, electronic devices and bank cards that belonged to James were found in his home in Springfield Park.…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za Denver Maqwayne Marimuthu, the Tongaat man accused of stabbing his wife to death, made his first appearance in the Durban High Court on Monday where he is expected to stand trial. Marimuthu, 28, has been an awaiting-trial prisoner at Westville Prison since his arrest in March last year. He is accused of killing his wife, Roxanne Thanthoni, 31, with a kitchen knife moments before they could attend a church service on March 1 last year. Marimuthu then fled in her Hyundai i10. He was arrested near his parents’ home in KwaDukuza and charged with murder and theft. Marimuthu also faces four counts of assault after he allegedly physically accosted Thanthoni’s ex-boyfriend, her parents and the couple’s landlord in separate incidents. According to the indictment, the couple had…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za BY her own admission, Rohini Naidoo was never the most gifted athlete. However, this did not stop her from serving in various major sports development leadership positions and becoming a pioneer in sports development, particularly for youth. Naidoo’s journey into sports development in netball started when she was in her second year of teaching. “I attended a Natal High Schools Netball AGM and was elected secretary, more by default as not many people were willing to take on the task. A stalwart of netball, Ms Ranuga Naidoo, decided to step down as president and the incumbent’s term was short-lived due to maternal commitments,” said Naidoo who hails from Havenside in Chatsworth. Thereafter, Naidoo served as the president of Natal High Schools Netball Association for six years which…