Table of contents for 2021-10-29 in DFA News

Boipelo Mere boipelo.mere@inl.co.za A 30-YEAR-old Galeshewe woman scooped R100 000 when she was announced as Vodacom’s VodaBucks Shake-it competition winner yesterday. The woman said that the good news only sank in when she was presented with the cheque at the Kimberley Big Hole. Overwhelmed, she said she received a call from Vodacom earlier in October while she was at work. She said she almost lost out on the opportunity after hanging up the call when a Vodacom consultant told her that she was one of the winners. She said the news sounded “unreal” to her because she has never won anything in her life before. The woman added she had always been uncomfortable with giving out her personal details. “I thought it was a scam. I hung up the call…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za THE government is discussing the possibility of making Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for public servants if the current voluntary uptake does not improve. Public service and administration director-general Yoliswa Makhasi informed her colleagues that various national and provincial departments have approached her department. They want the way forward and update on the progress in implementing the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) direction on measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of Covid-19 in workplaces issued by Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi in June this year permitting mandatory workplace vaccination policies subject to specific conditions. “Discussions are ongoing with stakeholders and organised labour to consider the introduction of a mandatory vaccine mandate, along with the parameters of the OHS direction in case voluntary uptake does not increase…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za The Post A spontaneous road trip turned into a nightmare for a Durban family, after they were allegedly hijacked by robbers dressed in police uniform. Sasha Naidoo, 29, her boyfriend, 30, aunt, 51, and cousin, 34, decided on Friday morning to travel to Johannesburg. Sasha said her mother had celebrated her 56th birthday last week in Sandton with family and she wanted to drive up and surprise her. They left home on Friday afternoon, and after passing a toll in Villiers on the N3 that night, her cousin, who was driving a Toyota Hilux double cab, was pulled over, by these bogus cops. “There were flashing blue lights and had loud sirens. When we stopped, one of them approached the vehicle and asked my cousin for her driver's…

Victoria Waldersee Reuters BERLIN – Car and truck makers from Volkswagen to Nissan and Ford have embraced the narrative that reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement should be a key tenet of their business agenda. Are they doing enough? Research shows their goals are still a far cry from what is needed, but the jury is out on whether automakers alone are responsible for the shortfall. While some say carmakers should plan to make their fleets carbon-neutral whatever the circumstances, companies argue that their ability to transition to electric vehicles (EV) is dependent on conditions outside their direct control. Consultancy firm Boston Consulting Group said in a report released last week that at least 90% of new passenger vehicles and 70% of trucks must be electric by 2030…

Retailers are looking to automate after Covid-19 Reuters correspondents – REUTERS ERITH, England – In a warehouse in London's suburbs, thousands of robots swarm in a mesmerising dance across the top of a grid the size of six football pitches, racing to supply groceries to the British capital’s shoppers. Built by UK online supermarket pioneer Ocado, the washing-machine sized bots have caught the eye of international retailers battling a shortage of workers and rising wage demands in a post-pandemic world. It has already struck deals to provide its technology to supermarket groups in eight countries including the United States, Japan and France. In a recent three-week window it hosted prospective clients from another five countries. Luke Jensen, CEO of the London-listed company's technology arm, Ocado Solutions, told Reuters they want to…

Vernon Pillay vernon.pillay@inl.co.za – BUSINESS REPORT FINANCIAL stress is taking a heavy toll on South Africans, with about 54% unable to make their money stretch to month-end. It is impacting their own mental health, along with constant worry about the health of their loved ones. These findings in a recent Sanlam survey, conducted by Ova to You, highlights the imperative to focus on factors within our control - in particular the need to make the best possible financial decisions in very trying circumstances. The study was conducted amongst 1,200 South Africans as part of Sanlam’s campaign ’Letters to My Pre-Covid-19 Self’ and it asks people to reflect on what they wish they’d known or done prior to the pandemic. Farzana Botha, segment solutions manager at Sanlam Savings, says: “We’ve all gone…

Ntombi Nkosi ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says is vital that domestic workers get a decent working environment and improved wages. He was addressing a Cosatu women’s event in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni on Thursday. Ramaphosa said it was a historic occasion when they observe the anniversary of the ILO Convention 189 on decent work for domestic workers, because it gave them an opportunity to reflect on the progress that they have made since South Africa rectified the convention in 2013. He said it was an occasion to consider most challenges that domestic workers continue to face in the work that still needs to be done to improve their working and living condition. “The national minimum wage for domestic workers has since been increased to 88% of the national minimum wage this…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za SOUTH Africans should brace themselves for a tough last two months of the year, with food prices set to rocket due to an increase in food production input costs, including fuel. The grim warning, which was issued this week by the advocacy group Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD), comes in the wake of concerns that were also expressed by Agri SA last week about how the costs of fertiliser, herbicides, packaging, diesel, electricity and labour were making it nearly impossible for many farmers to produce food sustainably. The AA said last week that recent exchange rate and commodities data showed that fuel price hikes would reach “catastrophic proportions” in November. PMBEJD’s Julie Smith said the rise in electricity costs in June and July would see food…

Herman Gibbs PERCY Tau’s long-awaited Al Ahly debut turned into a dream outing weeks after he was sidelined by a hamstring injury. He scored a brace in Al Ahly's 4-0 win over Ismaily in an Egyptian Premier League clash on Wednesday. Around the half-hour mark, Tau scored twice in quick succession and was unlucky not to claim a hat-trick after his second-half strike was disallowed because he was adjudged to be offside. The scoring feat would have been a sweet moment for Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane, his former Mamelodi Sundowns coach, who raised suspicions of South African favouritism when he signed Tau in a much-publicised move from English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. After Tau’s classy effort for the opening goal, Mosimane turned to his supporting…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za A COMPLAINT was lodged with the South African Council of Educators after a senior staff member at KS Shuping High School in Tsineng allegedly impregnated three pupils. An educator stated that one of the pupils had already given birth while the other two were still expecting. He explained that parents were reluctant to report the official as the pupils were from impoverished backgrounds and were allegedly offered money, food, clothes and data in return for their silence. He claimed that an agreement was apparently reached that the official would leave the school at the end of the year. The spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Education, Geoffrey van der Merwe, said yesterday that they would launch a full-scale investigation into the matter. “The department is…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za SEVERAL community health workers (CHWs) have not signed the 12-month contracts that were offered to them by the Northern Cape Department of Health. The CHWs said yesterday that they wanted to be permanently absorbed by the department and indicated that they first wanted to seek legal advice before signing any contracts. The provincial organiser of the South African Liberated Public Sector Workers Union (Salipswu), Thapelo Thole, said that care workers were offered different contracts and salaries. “Some of the letters indicate that care workers have been permanently employed since 2014. This is while they are only operating on a 12-month contract with an option to renew every year. They only receive stipends of R3 633 and being permanently employed implies that they receive a range of…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons Tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za More parties continue to weigh in on the rolling blackouts and are urging the government to crack the whip on Eskom. The Freedom Front Plus is the latest party to call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to take full responsibility for what is happening at the power utility as he once led a team when he was deputy president. Eskom has been criticised by the DA, EFF, IFP and other parties after it implemented the latest round of load shedding on the eve of the elections. However, Eskom promised this week that there would not be load shedding when the country heads to the polls on Monday. On Wednesday the ANC called on the power utility to get its house in order. The party said it was concerned…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za – Political Bureau The government is setting up a team of prosecutors and Hawks investigators to deal with unresolved apartheid-era crimes emanating from the evidence that was presented at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola made the announcement at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death in detention of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol outside the Johannesburg Central police station, formerly the notorious John Vorster Square. ”The Hawks have appointed 34 investigators to deal exclusively with TRC cases. The NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) has obtained special approval from the Department of Public Service and Administration to have 23 prosecutors dedicated to TRC cases that are earmarked to be prosecuted within three years,” Lamola said. He added that this came as…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za ESKOM has revealed an ambitious plan which will see it invest more than R170 billion over the next decade in new capacity expansion projects for transmission of electricity. The struggling power utility this week shared its transmission development plan for the period 2022 to 2031 with various stakeholders as part of its licence requirements issued by the energy regulator. The economy has been dealt a blow by Eskom's crippling power blackouts since 2007 due to breakdowns at its ageing, coal-fired power plants, and the maintenance programme currently under way. The power utility has also had its infrastructure damaged due to vandalism, theft and tampering. Group executive for transmission Segomoco Scheppers said the organisation continued to prioritise investments in the transmission grid as it understood the critical role…

Bang Showbiz QUEEN Elizabeth has received plenty of support from her family over recent days. The 95-year-old monarch recently spent a night in hospital after undergoing a "preliminary" health check, and her family - including Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three - have been especially supportive of her in the last few days. And although she's now returned to Windsor Castle, the royals have been urging the Queen to "take it easy". The Queen - who is the oldest and longest-serving head of state in the world - recently announced she won't attend the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow after being advised to rest by her doctors. The monarch was scheduled to attend the high-profile event in Scotland, but she cancelled her original plans after…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za A TOTAL of 93 ANC members in the Northern Cape were served with precautionary suspension letters this week after it was discovered that they are contesting for opposition parties in the local government elections. The candidates indicated that they decided to stand as independents or for community service delivery forums after ANC nomination processes were allegedly rigged. “It was a knee-jerk reaction when the ANC found out at the eleventh hour that we were contesting for other parties that we were charged for misconduct,” the candidates said yesterday. The members have been given 48 hours to explain why they should not be suspended by the party. The candidates claimed that they had received the most nominations. “Despite us receiving the majority vote, the ANC chose other…

Lance Fredericks THE ORIGINAL animated ‘Lion King’, I must admit, blew my mind with its detailed hand-drawn animation. The movie was made during the so-called ‘Disney Renaissance’, the period from 1989 to 1999 that mimicked the early success of Disney between the 1930s and 1960s. At one point in the movie, there was a crossover of sorts during one scene where hand-drawn and computer-generated animation were married together seamlessly. The stampede scene, where king Mufasa died – causing me to weep into my popcorn – had five specially trained animators and technicians collaborating for over two years creating the two-and-a-half-minute stampede scene. That translates to almost a year of effort per minute of screen time! How dedicated do you have to be to put in that amount of effort for…

Chulumanco Mahamba THE COVID-19 vaccine programme for teenagers is an opportunity for parents to teach their children to think about the broader public health benefits of a vaccine, says a medical doctor. Last week, the Department of Health announced that it had seen the highest number of vaccinations following the opening of the vaccination programme for children aged 12 to 17 on Wednesday. A total of 35 739 were vaccinated by Friday, the highest number of vaccinations recorded as compared to Wednesday and Thursday. Health Minister Joe Phaahla had announced that children would be given one shot of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. However, the opening of vaccination programme begged the question whether South Africa should vaccinate their teens and pre-teens when it is often reported that Covid-19 affected them less…

Staff Reporter QUINTON de Kock will be back in action for the Proteas at the T20 World Cup in the UAE over the weekend. The 28-year-old withdrew from South Africa’s eight-wicket win over the West Indies in their Group 1 match earlier this week, after Cricket South Africa instructed the team that all of them had to take the knee before the start of the match. Following a big outcry from the public, De Kock released a statement explaining his decision. It reads: “I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home. Responsibility “I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE DIRECTORATE for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has dismissed as fake news a post on social media claiming that two Northern Cape MECs, along with three officials from the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) and two other people, had been arrested on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. The post, which was widely circulated on Wednesday, stated that the officials were arrested at their respective residences in Kimberley on charges involving “millions of rand” that related to events that took place between May 2005 and December 2009. It was claimed that the suspects would appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court. Both the Hawks and SAPS were unable to confirm any arrests on Wednesday. Hawks provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi noted that the fake post had “gone…

Boipelo Mere boipelo.mere@inl.co.za THE KIMBERLEY Local Taxi Association (KLTA) has confirmed that there is no planned taxi fare hike. This follows an announcement by the Automobile Association of South Africa that motorists should anticipate a record-breaking fuel hike on November 1. The price of a litre of fuel inland (95 ULP) will have increased from R14.86 per litre in January 2021 to R19.30 a litre in November 2021. The hikes in diesel and illuminating paraffin are expected to be the largest in South African history. Diesel and illuminating paraffin will increase by a whopping R1.42 per litre, bringing the price of Diesel to R17 a litre. The KLTA said that it was decided after careful consultation among the different taxi associations not to increase fares. KLTA deputy chairperson David Lebona…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za – Political Bureau PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of 10 000 soldiers during the local government elections. The deployment will come into effect from Saturday until next Wednesday. Police Minister Bheki Cele said recently that hot-spot areas had been identified in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng. Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo said they would inform members of Parliament about Ramaphosa’s deployment of the troops. The country was in the grip of civil unrest when the government deployed thousands of troops to protect national key points, malls, businesses and other assets recently. Spokesperson for Parliament Moloto Mothapo said on Wednesday the presiding officers had received a letter from Ramaphosa on the deployment of the soldiers. “The president indicated…

Rapula Moatshe rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za VOTING for smaller parties is like allowing yourself to be caught up in a one-night stand. This is according to DA leader John Steenhuisen who was speaking on Wednesday at Solomon Mahlangu Square in Mamelodi during his party’s last campaign effort ahead of the November 1 municipal elections. During the event called “Tshwane We Win Rally”, Steenhuisen urged his party’s supporters in blue T-shirts not to vote in favour of small parties. “Don’t mess around with these small parties. I promise you; they are like a one-night stand. They will never return your call after the election. They will never pay the bill after the dinner. You will never see them again,” he said. He used the opportunity to take pot shots at the ANC, saying people…

Jake Willis WITH Covid-19 slowly easing its grip and the country starting to breathe again, the anticipated sigh of relief comes coupled with some challenges for companies to keep up with demand and opportunities for South Africans to get working. An important case illustrating this is the e-hailing and food delivery services such as Uber and Mr Delivery, which are now engaged in a massive recruitment and expansion drive, trying to make up for lost time and keep up with the surging demand. Uber, Didi, Uber Eats and Mr Delivery are set to grow driver counts by thousands, with drivers earning between R10 000 and R20 000 a month. Due to the Covid-19 waves and subsequent lockdowns, e-hailing and food delivery platforms suffered severe setbacks, leading to a sharp…

How Facebook’s formula fostered rage and misinformation Jeremy B Merrill and Will Oremus FIVE years ago, Facebook gave its users five new ways to react to a post in their news feed beyond the iconic "like" thumbs-up: "love", "haha", "wow", "sad" and "angry." Behind the scenes, Facebook programmed the algorithm that decides what people see in their news feeds to use the reaction emoji as signals to push more emotional and provocative content – including content likely to make them angry. Starting in 2017, Facebook’s ranking algorithm treated emoji reactions as five times more valuable than "likes", internal documents reveal. The theory was simple: Posts that prompted lots of reaction emoji tended to keep users more engaged, and keeping users engaged was the key to Facebook’s business. Facebook’s own…

Molaole Montsho molaole.montsho@africannewsagency.com THREE men were arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a three year-old boy in Bainsvlei, Free State, the police said on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said the police team – consisting of Bainsvlei Visible Policing, Detectives, Flying Squad and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit – worked round-the-clock looking for the three-year-old boy who was kidnapped on Monday. "The team effort paid dividends when they pounced on the first suspect in Khayelitsha outside Bloemfontein,“ said Makhele. "The arrest of the 32-year-old male was followed by another 24-year-old who was arrested while walking in the street in Khayelitsha on the evening of Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at around 8.30pm. “Information led the search team to a house in Phomolong informal settlement where…

Philippa Larkin BUSINESS REPORT JSE-LISTED Aspen, the pharmaceutical company, said on Wednesday that deferred bonus shares worth millions of rand, awarded in 2018 in respect of the Aspen South African Management Deferred Incentive Scheme, had vested and would be awarded to its top executives. In the top money seat was the founder and chief executive of Aspen, Stephen Saad, who would get shares valued at just more than R4 million, while Michael Attridge, the co-founder and deputy chief executive, would get R3.3m. Company secretary Riaan Verster was in line for R830 453, with chief financial officer Sean Capazorio getting R1.9m. Chief operating officer Lorraine Hill was in line for R2.75m, while group corporate services officer Reginald Haman would get R1.57m. Chief strategic development officer Zizipho Mmango gets R 1.69m. The…

Georgie Midgley The announcement by the South African government that children aged 12-17 are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccination has brought with it intense discussion around consent and the rights of minors. While this is so far a theoretical concern, given that most children in that age group will need their parents’ help to register for and receive a vaccination shot, a recent survey shows that the efficacy of the jab itself is no longer a sticking point. When gig technology company, M4Jam ran a survey asking adults if they were willing to be vaccinated in late 2020, 32% of the 3 000 respondents said they would. Seventeen percent believed their community medical facilities could cope with the patient load, and 58% of respondents wanted to wait and see what…

Neville Motlhabakwe neville.motlhabakwe@inl.co.za AMATEUR boxing is due to spurt to life again as Northern Cape Boxing Academy (NCBA) honours the late Bushy Oliver with a tournament in his name by staging a fistful of fights in Beaconsfield at the weekend. NCBA owner-promoter Brad Delport confirmed that from his stable four boxers will be part of the amateur fist festival tomorrow at the club’s gymnasium in Beaconsfield starting at 2pm. “The tournament will honour the memory of Oom Bushy. He could be considered the father of boxing in the Northern Cape and we are looking at honouring his memory,” said Delport. The late Eric “Oom Bushy” Oliver was a boxer in his own right having fought as a professional in the featherweight division. He was a welcome visitor cum trainer at…

Mike Greenaway FOR NEARLY 100 years Wales could not beat the Springboks, only breaking their duck in 1999, but since 2016 Cardiff has proved impregnable for the Boks and they have lost four in a row to the Welsh. The Boks did squeeze past Wales in the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup but International Stadium Yokohama is not the Millennium Stadium and the Boks are going to have to pull finger if they are to reverse a worrying trend in the Welsh capital, especially considering their game a week next Saturday falls in the international window. That means, Wales will be at full strength, which will not be the case when they host the All Blacks on Saturday without their players who are based in the English Premiership. For…