Table of contents for 2024-04-24 in Post

Aurets is a healer, psychic medium, intuitive mentor, masseuse and regression therapist. She also teaches meditation and breath work. She is passionate about holistic care and offers a small range of holistic products. Aurets practises in the ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Restore balance to life in all things. Express your wisdom and knowledge freely with others. Consider opportunities to travel. This will be beneficial. Look forward confidently and optimistically. Magic number: 10. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Be gentle with yourself, knowing you are doing the best with what you have. Allowing time-out and regaining inner peace gives you greater self-compassion to live fully. Draw courage to move through life’s discomforts. Embrace the being that you are. You got this. Magic number: 4. GEMINI (May 21…

Nayanthara, who made her Bollywood debut with Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan, shared her pictures on Instagram. The actress posted pictures of her wearing a striped sari. She paired her outfit with heavy jewellery, a pearl choker neck piece and matching earrings. The colour temperature of the frame is warm and lends a golden shade to the picture. She wrote in the caption: “By the one n only @anuvardhan. You are just the best.”…

BEND It Like Beckham helmer Gurinder Chadha is set to start shooting for her next production, Christmas Karma, a Bollywood musical set in contemporary London and inspired by Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Kunal Nayyar, who is best known for his role in the popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory, is the lead actor in a star-studded global cast, which includes Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Allan Corduner, Bilal Hasna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve and Nitin Ganatra. Chadha is also the producer and writer, and the music is by the six-time Ivor Novello award-winning singer and songwriter Gary Barlow, apart from Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney. Shooting began on Monday. Christmas Karma sees Chadha’s return to the big…

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 2 cups oil ½ cup lukewarm milk 4 tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon powder 15 drops orange flavouring 200g icing sugar for dusting, optional Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Place liners in a medium-sized cupcake tin. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil and the orange flavouring, and mix well. The mixture will become thick. Add the dry ingredients, alternately with the milk until well combined. Using a scoop, fill each liner with the batter until three-quarter full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Then remove from the cupcake tin and cool. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar and serve. Store in an airtight…

180g all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 120g butter, softened 50g sugar 100g light brown sugar 1 large egg at room temperature 15 drops Hugs and Kisses flavouring 125g white chocolate chips 80g dried cranberries Whisk together all the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the egg. Beat well and then mix the vanilla essence. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and continue mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries until thoroughly mixed to form a cookie batter. Scoop the batter with an ice cream scoop and place on a lined tray.…

In 2011, Southside FM was granted a five-year community radio licence by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa). However, the licence was never issued because they had not obtained a frequency. Following representations to Icasa in 2019, Southside FM subsequently obtained the frequency 107.2 FM and began operations in Musgrave in May 2022. The station manager was Dinesh Naidoo and was later followed by Tansen Nepaul. The station subsequently moved to Westcliff in Chatsworth when the Tamil Business Warriors took control three months ago. The station is governed by a board of directors consisting of nine members, who ensured compliance, strategic direction, and the development of codes of conduct. Nepaul is still the station manager, spearheading the day-to-day operations and programming, while Manick Thor oversees the technical aspects…

The Chinmaya Mission SA hosted “Samarpanam”, a soulful cultural evening of gratitude, at the Kendra Hall on Saturday. The event included a presentation on the organisation’s Nourish to Flourish project, which promises to feed 2 000-plus people every day. At the event were ……

I HOPE I am not being contradictory and shooting myself in the foot by criticising the head honcho of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), advocate Shamila Batohi, after seeing her interview on Unfiltered on television recently. In an earlier opinion piece, I had heaped undiluted praise on the NPA’s advocate Elaine Moonsamy, with a view that she was not being recognised for her sterling work. Advocate Batohi was trying to explain the challenges faced by the NPA but I thought it was just a case of milquetoast euphemism – a sombre and boring litany of excuses. The NPA is supposed to be the cornerstone of the South African justice system. But I think not. In my opinion it is a marionette whose strings are pulled by the ANC and…

JUST as Donald Trump has welcomed the charge against him concerning election interference in Georgia as providing a platform to expose in court the truth of how the election in that state was manipulated, so Dr Shankara Chetty should welcome the charges brought against him by the Health Professions Council of SA as providing an overdue opportunity to expose the deceit of the HPCSA’s protocols (the POST, April 17-21). The refrain of the HPCSA and its sibling, the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority, has been to “follow the science” regarding Covid treatment and the so-called vaccine. But as irrefutable evidence now shows, they were complying with the moneyed interest of Big Pharma, not science. In charging Chetty with casting aspersions on medical practitioners for saying they “engineered” protocols that caused…

THE family of a Chatsworth grandmother, who was allegedly neglected and body-shamed in a Durban hospital, believe they are on the right path to getting answers and justice. Tholsiemah Naidoo, 87, a retired senior nurse, was diagnosed with bronchitis pneumonia and admitted to the hospital between July 3 and 11, 2022. She died of natural causes in December 2023. However, her grandson, Chris Govender, claimed that during her admission at the hospital, Naidoo was allegedly a victim of patient abuse and negligence by the nursing staff. He alleged that the hospital had failed to administer proper treatment after Naidoo developed a wound on her buttocks and provide her with a pressure care mattress immediately to alleviate her pain, resulting in a pressure injury. Govender said following her discharge on July…

The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) hosted a summit to look at the deterioration in service delivery and absence of effective governance in the City of Johannesburg at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre on Saturday. The organisation is convened by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Action for Accountability, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, Defend our Democracy Movement and the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership. They have 40 organisations that are associated with them. Neeshan Balton, the spokesperson for JCA, said the first summit was established in July last year with over 50 organisations and 200 individuals who were concerned about how the City of Johannesburg was governed and the impact on service delivery. “At the time, it was agreed that there was a need to establish a network of concerned organisations, and a second summit…

Insufficient vehicles, work overload, a lack of manpower and corruption, are some of the challenges facing police officers in their fight against crime. This is according to the recently released South African Police Service (SAPS) 2024/25 Annual Performance Plan. The plan looked at the internal challenges faced by police officers, which included colleagues who were involved in crime; corruption; the low morale of members; increased workload; insufficient resources; reduced budget allocations; ageing and inadequate infrastructure; and the lack of professional empathetic employee, health and wellness services to members and their families. The report also said the increasing population, had had several negative effects on the police, which already had a steadily declining staff complement. “The organisation struggles to keep pace with the increasing demand for policing services, an increasing crime…

I LODGED a land claim in Durban North in 1992 with the National Party, which was subsequently government gazetted. My claimed land was leased to a businessman by the eThekwini Municipality for over 20 years, and my claim was ignored. Last February, I noticed an incomplete factory on the land I had lodged a claim for. There has been silence from the eThekwini Municipality real estate director, Thapelo Mmusinyane, and the Land Claims Commission, in Pietermaritzburg, for over a year. How have they allowed this construction under their watch? In June last year, for the first time, the Land Claims Commission came to view the land. In July, independent valuators were sent to us to view the said properties. It has been nine months now, and there has been no…

AS SOUTH Africa prepares to celebrate 30 years of democracy, Professor Jairam Reddy, one of the architects behind the founding vision of tertiary education in the post-apartheid era, has called for a review of the state of higher education. Having chaired the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) in 1995, during the tenure of the country’s first democratic minister of education, Professor Sibusiso Bengu, Reddy told University World News that the time was ripe for a new commission. This commission should swiftly review the state of higher education and propose urgent changes. Unlike the NCHE, which he chaired for 18 months, Reddy said this should be a shorter exercise – perhaps six months – and involve about five experts on higher education, including one international expert. The NCHE report’s proposals…

DURBAN came alive last Wednesday when female protesters danced naked on the Esplanade. The video created a frenzy among social media users. Bare boobs, bare bottoms, front and back views, they couldn’t have got it any better. They didn’t have to go to a night club and pay to watch a strip show. Here was a free show on the Esplanade in broad daylight. Not even the Mother City, known for its famous Minstrel Carnival formerly, could produce anything as sensational as this. There were protests In Johannesburg as well but the protesters took off only their tops. The Esplanade one was a first for South Africa where the protesters were stark naked. For some inexplicable reason the media ignored this possibly first ever such event in South Africa.…

THERE were several unsung heroes who came to light in the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup final triumph during the fifth and final episode of the Chasing The Sun 2 documentary aired on M-Net this past Sunday. The Boks faced an enormous task in plotting the downfall of the All Blacks, considering they had squeaked through the quarter-finals (against France) and semi-finals (England). Their first obstacle was dealing with hooker Bongi Mbonambi’s disciplinary hearing for an alleged racial slur against England flank Tom Curry in the semi-final – the infamous wit kant comment. Bok boss Rassie Erasmus said during the final episode that he trusted Mbonambi with his life, and that if the powerful No 2 had told him not to worry about the incident, then he wouldn’t – and he…

YOU would have noticed our structure of golfing tips in the past weeks, which started to mentally prepare you for the course, before moving to putting and this week, chipping. It’s the method I use when coaching someone for the first time; working from green to tee as an order of learning, but this method is something used even by Tour Pros. Work on your game from the green to tee. Your driver is an important club for sure, but your short game is the part of the game we refer to as the “money shots”, simply because this area of play saves a golfer many strokes. What makes the short game so challenging to one, is the fact that you are not going to make a full swing as…

AFTER winning what he refers to as “the biggest match of my career” against the masked “El Bandolero” from the UK at WrestleMonster Six in Gqeberha early this month, Joshua “The Bull” Chetty is looking to add another skull in the Sunfest Mayhem. The wrestling extravaganza is part of the Sunfest Multi Sport Festival to be held at the Colosseum Reale in Roodeplaat, Tshwane on May 18. The man from Chatsworth will take the ring against a wrestler by the name of The Loudmouth, who will enjoy home-town support in the capital. However, The Bull, being the bull, remains his calm self who never dares to break character. “Loudmouth himself recently defeated a wrestler from the UK who goes by the name of Mitchelle Star. To win against overseas wrestlers…

Sonam Kapoor posted a series of pictures from a photoshoot, leaving fans in awe of her outfits. Kapoor has 35.2 million followers on Instagram. In one picture, she wore a gold outfit with a multicoloured long cape. The second snap shows her in a body hugging black gown with long sleeves. The post is captioned: “Brightening up the world, one outfit at a time.” One user wrote: “Fashion icon for a cause.” Another said: “Slayyyyy.” On the work front, Kapoor was last seen in the 2023 crime thriller Blind, directed by Shome Makhija.…

VIJAY Sethupathi, popularly known as Tamil cinema's “Makkal Selvan”, has won the hearts of netizens by clicking a selfie with an elderly woman in a wheelchair, while exercising his franchise at a polling station in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, during the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls. A circulating video on the internet shows the bespectacled actor shaking hands with the elderly lady in a wheelchair, touching her feet, seeking blessings, and taking a selfie with her. His warm gesture left the old woman amazed. The Tughlaq Durbar actor was dressed in a deep blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves. Fans expressed their admiration on social media, with comments like: "This is why he is Makkal Selvan" and "Lovely gesture". Sethupathi, who was most recently seen in action in the web…

This recipe pairs beautifully with ice cream and is perfect to get the kids baking. 227g butter ¼ cup white sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 large eggs 1 teacup all-purpose flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecan nuts, optional Nutella and sweets for decorations. Also try Smarties Astros, mini marshmallows, caramel or choc-chips. Spray and Cook a wax paper circle to prevent sticking In a large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour, salt and baking soda, beating until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spread in…

Braising lamb shanks sounds daunting, but it could not be easier. After a quick sear, the oven does all the work. Lamb shanks tend to be a tough cut of meat, so to get it tender, cook them low and slow. Shanks braise in a savoury tomato sauce that gives the meat flavour and the sauce becomes extra smooth once the dry red wine and butter is stirred in. If the lamb shanks are big, they may need extra time in the oven. Check to see the meat is fork tender and don’t be nervous to keep going until it is. 6 lamb shanks salt freshly-ground black pepper 2 tbs olive oil 4 tbs butter, divided 1 onion, roughly chopped 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped 6 cloves of garlic,…

The crisp golden brown pastry drenched in rose-flavoured honey and topped with a generous sprinkle of chopped pistachios is definitely food for the gods, in my book. 1 roll phyllo pastry 200g melted butter ½ tsp cinnamon 1 tub mascarpone cheese (about 250g) 200ml honey 200g chopped pistachio nuts 5 to 10 drops rose essence edible dried rose petals for garnishing Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Open out the phyllo pastry sheet until all the sheets are flat or in a square. Now fold the one end to the middle and repeat on the other side. The square will have both ends folded in and, lastly, fold and double the pastry one more time. Mix together the honey and rose essence. Set aside. Once the phyllo is folded, roll up…

SEVERAL firearms, ammunition and police uniforms, including a bulletproof vest, were seized in a raid at the home of an alleged member of the Terrible Dutchine Kids (TDK) gang in Westville last week. Mohammed Ebrahim Ismail, who was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition and State property, appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The matter was adjourned for a formal bail application this week. Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, Hawks spokesperson in KZN, said members from the Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit conducted a search and seizure operation at the property last Thursday. He said during the search, members found three 9mm pistols, a Dashprod semi-automatic rifle, and a .38 Special revolver with the serial number filed off. Mhlongo said members further seized 240 live rounds…

AMENDMENTS to the Marriage Bill – including the recognition of polygamous marriages – has stirred significant debate and views, especially among religious leaders. Some have raised objections to the bill, which is open for public comment until May 17. The bill seeks to ensure that all marriages are concluded following the principles of equality, non-discrimination and human dignity, as provided for in the Constitution. Advocates of polygamy argue that it reflects the cultural and religious practices of various communities, granting recognition and protection to individuals in such unions. Moulana Yusuf Patel, executive member of the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (Council of Muslim Theologians), said they were concerned that although polygamy was permitted at face value, the bill sought to discreetly close the door to it. “The bill seeks to close…

DURBAN’S Dr Sanil D Singh once pulled out a thermometer from his pocket and muttered: “Oops, some bum has my pen!” The jovial and sprightly doctor holds court at his busy Sherwood practice where it seems people visit for the banter and conversation rather than treatment for their fur-babies. He is a vet and holds a PhD, which makes him a double doctor – Dr Dr Singh – or the only doctor with a stammer in his name. If I appear tall, it’s only because I stand on the shoulders of people like him. Once – quite literally – I had to stand on his shoulders after climbing through my home office window after I locked myself in. Readers on social media were asked to share their adventures, misadventures or…

Mahatma GANDHI is often imagined and portrayed as an elderly man, full of wisdom and wearing a simple loin-cloth. However, the public rarely envisions him as a young man in a suit, shivering in the cold of a train station waiting room, unsure of his identity and confused about how to stand up to injustice. This is the Gandhi that co-authors Kathryn Pillay and Stephanie Michelle Ebert introduce in their first children’s book: How to Stop a Train, The Story of How Mohandas Gandhi Became The Mahatma. The book, published by Pan Macmillan, was released in South Africa last month, and as an e-book internationally on April 12. Pillay, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said that according to Nielsen Bookscan Data for week 13 of…

I WOULD like to comment on the wonderful column, “The dichotomy called South Africa”, in the POST, April 17-21. I just want to say it was a delight to read and it brought me a lot of joy last Friday evening. The humour, the history, the content and the political insight explored through your masterful writing style was a stand-out feature for me. As a young South African Indian, I appreciate this type of insightful and rational prose regarding the current state of affairs. RAHIL SAMLAL Durban…

MUSGRAVE teenager, Jia Patel, made history recently when she was awarded the esteemed “white blazer” at Durban Girls’ College, for her outstanding achievements in academics, culture and service. Patel, 18, described herself as a hard worker with an exceptional work ethic, which she used to reach her goals. She said she was a sociable person and enjoyed spending quality time with her family and friends. Last year, she achieved a 95% aggregate in her Grade 11 results. The requirement for an honours pass is 85%. “In service, we had to accumulate 250 hours – either in community service or in-school service. For culture, I did music which is measured in points. I achieved this by playing the piano. I am also in our school’s Marimba band. “It is honestly an…

EXPERTS say the challenges facing the police have been going on for decades and are the result of poor management of stations, and a weak intelligence system. Gareth Newham, a crime expert from the Institute for Security Studies, said the challenges within the SAPS were long standing. “These challenges have been around for 10 to 15 years and the main problem is they’re just getting worse. For some reason the current leadership and management structures of the SAPS are not able to quickly identify these emerging problems and then develop practical interventions and solutions.” Newham said detective docket loads had been heavy for decades but not all detective work was equal. “One has to make sure that the detectives working on serious violent crimes such as murders, rape and…

THE letter, “Vote with your conscience,” the POST, April 17-24, by Nelson Puckree, refers. Much of what he says about politicians in this country is true. But they apply much more to the ANC and the EFF, both of which are vocal about Palestine. Does Puckree want us to vote for one of these parties? And this, too, based on foreign policy? I live in this country, my homeland, and am more concerned about the 20 million who go to bed hungry daily, the 15 000 kidnappings annually, the thousands murdered, raped or who are victims of hijackings, robberies, home intrusions and break-ins, malnutrition, poor health care at state-run hospitals, dysfunctional educational institutions, unemployment, lack of service delivery and so on – the list is endless. What is happening in…

ON FRIDAY night the Sharks play a United Rugby Championship match against the Scarlets that doubles as a dress rehearsal for next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Clermont Auvergne in London. The log points at stake are of little consequence, but the performance’s quality is vital. We look at five things the Durbanites must get right in this match with an eye on Clermont. Make a statement The Sharks’ marketing department has released a clever “call-to-arms” poster advert on social media ahead of the semi-final against Clermont. That game takes place at the home ground of Harlequins, The Stoop. The poster says “Make The Stoop our Stoep!” It is an appeal to South Africans in the greater London area to attend the game. But the best way to attract Sharks…

THE seas have been big and dirty. More settled, the shore fishing has picked up with some decent fish being landed. Bigger is better ... sometimes. When it comes to scratching for bronze bream, sometimes it pays to have a bigger bait. If fish are just pecking and not committing to the bite, changing to a bigger/bulkier bait will often result in a solid bite. This means putting on two prawns instead of one. Try it and see. Remember that bigger baits are not as aerodynamic, so if you need a long throw then go smaller and more streamlined. The North Coast has seen some decent kob. Chokka baits, live baits and paddle tails have all been effective. Remember to retrieve very slowly with the paddle tails and keep the…

JAI Shri Ram Ramayan, India’s only Broadway-scale depiction of the Ramayana, is being staged across several cities in the US. The show was written and directed by the father-son duo of Puneet and Siddhant Issar, who also play the roles of Ravan and Ram, respectively, in the show. Siddhant said: “It is a blessing. I feel I have been chosen by Lord Vishnu himself for this. We have staged 30-odd shows of Jai Shri Ram Ramayan for audiences ranging from 15 000 to 30 000 in arenas and stadiums around India. But being chosen to represent Indian culture to the world is something else. It is a privilege.” He said that it was a huge responsibility for him to represent India by playing Lord Ram in America. “I represent our…

THE makers of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directorial series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar released the character promo of Sanjeeda Shaikh as Waheeda. The video invites the audience to delve deeper into the mysterious and captivating character of Waheeda. Waheeda, portrayed by Shaikh, is depicted as a woman of unparalleled beauty and possessing an angelic voice. However, her life takes a tragic turn when she experiences an incident that leaves her scarred for life. With her exquisite appearance, graceful dance movements, and mastery of Urdu, Shaikh seamlessly fits into the magnum opus world of Heeramandi. The video shows Shaikh wearing a black coloured embroidered lehenga. She says: “My voice was unrivalled, so was my beauty. Every mirror would yearn for just a glance of Waheeda. But little did I know, a single…

Durban-born pageant queen and chef, Lee-Ann Naidoo, has been selected to represent sub-Saharan Africa in the Woman of the Universe pageant in Istanbul. Naidoo was crowned Mrs Grand South Sub-Saharan Africa 2023, but the contest later underwent a name change. It is now Mrs Bold SA. “As a titleholder, I get to participate in an international leg of the journey in the Woman of the Universe pageant, which is a part of the Mrs Universe holdings,” said Naidoo, 44, of Johannesburg. “I entered last month and have been selected to participate in October. Contestants from around the world will compete,” she said. The mother-of-three, a baker by profession, said her family were her motivation. “I joined pageantry as I was moving towards the space of women empowerment, and Mrs Grand…

A TEMPLE trustee has been asked to step down for allegedly stealing a sari donated by a devotee. The 69-year-old woman who was a volunteer at Parlock’s Shree Gengayammen Temple for 45 years, was also threatened with criminal charges. The woman denied stealing the sari and believed the allegation was “just an attempt to force me out of my position”. Her attorney has instructed the temple’s chairperson, Dr Jayandran Mudaly, to desist from “defaming, threatening or publishing” that she had “stolen” from the temple. The trustee told the POST she had been lambasted for the alleged theft, on a temple communication group, which included hundreds of people from her community and temple. She claimed that the situation was “blown out of proportion” due to “internal politics”. The devotee who donated…

PEOPLE who fetch water from the Trenance Park borehole are putting their lives at risk. That is according to Roshan Lil-Ruthan, spokesperson for the Verulam Water Crisis Committee. He said a rising number of incidents had been reported of people who had queued at the borehole for water and were attacked and robbed. “The borehole is situated in an area ridden with crime. It was placed adjacent to an informal housing, which is not the safest area. The municipality did not consult with us when it was installed,” he said. Lil-Ruthan said that due to limited or no water tankers, women, children and the elderly were forced to queue at the borehole. “Women with their children, as well as elderly men, fetch water during the day. However, those who return…

A DOCUMENT, purportedly compiled by the on-air personalities at community radio station Southside FM, highlighting their concerns over matters including allegedly being “exploited” and “not being paid our worth”, was “leaked” on social media last week. In the document, the presenters requested a response from the station’s board. If not, they threatened to send the document to Karthi Moothsamy, head of the Tamil Business Warriors (TBW) and the chairperson of the board at Southside FM. It contained the “collective submissions by the current line-up of Southside FM” on-air personalities, and highlighted their concerns, including: Not having a dedicated team or individual to sell advertising. Requesting clarity on stipends and commissions. Requesting information on the station’s music policy. Presenters expressed that they felt exploited as they have not been paid their…

HAROLD Samuel, at 91 years old and a retired educator, has recently completed his fourth book. His educational journey gathered speed at Stanger High in 1950, where he was among the first lot of matriculatants from that school. This marked the beginning of his lifelong dedication to learning, teaching, and serving the community. He was also a Natal cricketer. “As a small group from Stanger, we were Natal champions beating Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Northern Districts. “Royals, the team I captained, twice won the coveted Natal Super League. Strangely, my contribution as a player of the Natal team was limited but there were moments of glory there as well,” he said. He later became an official of the Natal Cricket Board and delegate to the South African Cricket Board of Control…

“FORMER nursing staff take ABH to court”, the POST, April 10 – 14, refers. This is detrimentally unfortunate. I find it ironic that after 102 years, the committee has made the decision to restructure, adversely affecting health-care workers through a retrenchment process. It is a sad reality that health services are being compromised, and the livelihood of nursing staff is placed in jeopardy, without human consideration. I find it heartbreaking. It should not be allowed. The staff will suffer in the challenging economic climate and, in the interim, our elders are going to suffer. Unfortunately, the committee members will not be there to see our elders in pain; some of them will shed a silent tear. Many community members have entered a period of fasting and cleansing of our sins.…

UNISA’s suspended acting head of finance, Dr Reshma Mathura, has approached the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) to investigate an alleged smear campaign against her. Mathura filed a criminal complaint with the Hawks to probe a “conspiracy to falsely implicate her in criminality”. Her legal team from AfriForum’s private prosecution unit claimed that four cash deposits of R330 each, had been made by students on the Nsfas student allowance list. The payments – they claim – were fraudulent and made “to slander her and remove her from her position”. At a press conference on April 17, Professor Romagoai Magano, the acting vice-principal for institutional development at Unisa, said they viewed the matter seriously. “The relevant departments within the university have been tasked to look into the allegations and to…

A FAMILY of four have been implicated in defrauding the Braamfontein-based Star Schools of over R12.3 million. They include Priscilla Ramlakan, 51; her husband, Yasheen Ramlakan, 42; and two family members. It is alleged that from 2019 to 2021, Priscilla, as chief financial officer (CFO)of Star Schools, fraudulently transferred money from the entity’s bank account into her own. “She would subsequently transfer to her husband’s as well as their children's bank accounts. This was done under the guise of paying taxes to the South African Revenue Service (Sars). Other payments were referenced under school expenses,” said Gauteng Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha. “The chief executive officer of the Star Schools matric rewrite programme appointed auditors. The probe uncovered fraudulent activities implicating the CFO. The case was registered at Hillbrow police…

ILLEGAL electricity connections, non-functioning street lights, potholes and uncut verges are among the service delivery challenges plaguing communities in Johannesburg. Despite their calls for intervention to the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, they say not much is being done to improve service delivery. Yusuf Khan, a community activist from Azaadville, said residents had taken it upon themselves to keep the area clean. “We have about 2 000 households and we are most compliant when it comes to paying our utility bills and rates timeously. Yet, we have overgrown verges, street lights that don’t work, potholes and constant water outages. The lack of interaction between the municipality and residents are resulting in these issues going unattended.” Khan said residents were tired of waiting for action from the municipality. “We are fortunate…

AS SOUTH Africans head to the polls for the crucial seventh democratic general elections, there is a great deal of anxiety and concern about the potential for political conflict, violence, intimidation, and, worse, assassinations. This is also evident in the heated debates in the public domain between political opponents, and especially the threat of a repeat of the unfortunate events of July 2021. The South African Hindu Maha Sabha is calling upon all its affiliates, temples, satsangs and bhajan groups, and all priests to spend a few minutes in all religious ceremonies to pray for peace and harmony in our country as the momentum builds up for the general elections on May 29. Hinduism is a religion of peace. Hindu scriptures stress the quest for peace through spiritual invocations, ethical…

THE ANC street pole, 2024 election poster has a picture of President Cyril Ramaphosa with a huge smile and the words “Let’s do more, together”. I respectfully submit that the word “together” is just a falsity implying inclusivity – an election ploy to attract the masses. Given the three long decades of a proven track record of dismal, abysmal and non-timeous service delivery and other ruling party shenanigans and gross underperformance, it would be more appropriate if the poster reflected this. In John 8:32, Jesus Christ proclaimed that one shall know the truth and it will set one free. May the people of Mzansi know real freedom post the May 29 national and provincial elections where for the first time one has to complete three ballot papers. Floreat Mzansi –…

THERE is something special about late-bloomers. They have to endure extended periods of self-doubt and learn to master the art of patience. Durban-born spinner Keshav Maharaj is one. It took Maharaj eight years of international cricket to finally attract the attention of the Indian Premier League (IPL) bosses – a league most cricketers dream to be a part of – making the long journey to the biggest stage a little sweeter. The slow, left-arm orthodox now has two IPL games under the belt and has returned impressive figures of 2-23 and 0-16. “It’s a privilege to be part of the official squad of the Rajasthan Royals,” said Maharaj. “Having played my first game, I think it was a beautiful experience, the fans are amazing over here.” The 34-year-old caught the…

RED Bull boss Christian Horner rejected suggestions that Max Verstappen had made Formula One boring after the triple world champion took his domination to new heights in China at the weekend. The Dutch 26-year-old’s first win in Shanghai sent him 25 points clear of Mexican teammate Sergio Perez after five races and was his fourth win of the season. He has also started all five from pole position. Verstappen has now won half of all the races held since Formula One last raced in China, in April 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic. McLaren’s Lando Norris, runner-up on Sunday, told reporters: “Of course it does start to become boring and that is obvious. “The only exciting races have been the ones that Max is not in.” Said Horner: “He’s just like…