Table of contents for Wednesday, April 21, 2021 in Post

AZAAN INTEGRAL IN ISLAM Judge dismisses mosque’s appeal CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za JUDGE Sidwell Mngadi has rejected an application to appeal his judgment on the Muslim call to prayer, or Azaan. The judgment was delivered in the Durban High Court on March 26 although the written judgment has yet to be released. The matter began early last year when Chandra Giri Ellaurie brought a court application against the Madrasah Taleemuddeen Islamic Institute. Ellaurie, an electrical engineer who has worked in the US and Canada, lives in Isipingo, about 20m from the madrasah. He said the Azaan infringed on his right to dignity and the madrasah’s call to prayer should not be heard beyond the boundaries of the madrasah. The madrasah opposed the application. It described Ellaurie as having a personal antipathy…

CROPS DAMAGED BY HEAVY RAIN Tomatoes too expensive to make chutneys NOKUTHULA MABUzA nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za THIERRY GOUEGNON Reuters SOUTH African market traders, street vendors and farmers have raised concerns over the swift increase in the price of tomatoes. The sudden increase is reportedly linked to the shortage of good quality tomatoes in the country, following heavy rainfall in January and February that damaged most tomato crops. Due to the shortage, the price of tomatoes has increased from about R10 per kilogram in December 2020, to around R39.99 per kilogram in April. Verushka Memdutt, an activist supporting the cause of fresh produce street vendors in KwaZulu-Natal for almost 30 years, said: “The increase has affected the sales and profits of vendors, and customers are complaining that the price is too high. But…

CALL FOR GOVERNMENT TO CLAMP DOWN Illicit cigarettes burn industry NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za THE illicit cigarette sector in South Africa has grown, say small business owners who are still recovering from their losses due to the recent ban on the product. Ipsos, a market research and consulting firm, conducted cigarette retail and wholesale price research at more than 151000 outlets nationally in February. It found a pack of 20 cigarettes could be bought for R20 or less. This is below the Minimum Collectible Tax Rate (MCT) of R20.01 set by law. The research findings, commissioned by British American Tobacco South Africa, were released last week. It found that in four of the nine provinces, cigarettes could be bought at R20 or less at more than 50% of the sampled outlets.…

CLAIMS POLICE THREATENED TO KILL HIM ‘Gun-for-hire’ trial witness changes story JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za THE State will continue to fight for justice for Kidesh Ramjettan, who was killed in August 2018, despite its chief witness backtracking on Monday. The State was relying on the evidence of Ayanda Innocent Shezi, who turned State witness after pleading guilty to Ramjettan’s murder. Shezi, 34, who is serving a life sentence, told the Durban High Court on Monday that he was forced to plead guilty. He said the police threatened to kill him if he did not sign the plea statement. In the statement, Shezi said he was hired and paid R30 000 to kill Ramjettan in August 2018. He said he needed the money for his aunt’s funeral and to support his four…

GRIPES IGNORED Abandoned SAPS houses a ‘crime den’ JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za JANINE MOODLEY A MUD-STAINED teddy bear, broken bottles, shattered windows, dense bush and the stench of faeces are all that remain at two abandoned state-owned SAPS houses in Brindhaven, Verulam. The buildings in Russom Street were formerly occupied by police captains, who moved out two years ago. Residents say the houses are now used by drug addicts and for criminal activities. One of the houses is situated next to the Verulam SAPS but complaints to the station’s management, some residents claim, have been ignored. Recently, a high school pupil was stabbed near one of the abandoned buildings and his cellphone, wallet and school shoes stolen. Earlier, a jogger was accosted and robbed of his cellphone. “There is an influx…

‘EMPLOYEES HAVE CARRIED SA THROUGH THE PANDEMIC’ Unions reject 2.8% wage offer for municipal workers CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za MUNICIPAL workers’ unions have rejected a wage increase offer of 2.8% from local government. Ahead of wage negotiations for the 2021/2022 financial year, the South African Local Government Association (Salga) proposed a 2.8% salary increase for municipal workers. The proposal was sent to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). It is the middle body between Salga and the municipal workers' unions, namely the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu). The current wage agreement (6.25%), which was agreed to in 2018, expires at the end of June. This means the unions have to negotiate with Salga again. In a statement last week,…

HUB OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES OPINION A model mosque should be functional ASAD MIRZA THE Muslim community should try to evolve the construction of the mosques at a lesser cost, making it a centre of learning and practice. In Islam, a mosque is a humble way for man to create a place where divine presence on Earth could be called for. The Arabic word masjid means a place for prostration. It is obligatory for Muslim men to congregate five times each day for weekly-Friday/Juma prayers and on Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, at the local mosque. The mosque is also used as a gathering place for meetings and socialising and it is strategically located at a junction to provide easy access to all. The motive to create such a space is that one enjoys…

Editor’s View Breakdown of law and order remains a challenge IT TAKES just over an hour to drive from Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape to the Walter Sisulu University in Umtata. Sisulu, one of the founding fathers of our democracy, was born in Ngcobo in 1912. His mother, Alice Mase Sisulu, was a domestic worker. His father, Albert Victor Dickinson, was a white man. Sisulu was brought up by his mom’s family, even taking on their surnames. By all accounts he was a good human being – gentle and loving with all those he came into contact with. It is ironic that a man with such qualities has to be associated with the type of violence we recently saw at the university in Umtata that carries his name. Students had…

When religious dress and politics collide AS SECULARISM grows in most countries, religious education and societal dress codes still court controversy. The Sri Lankan government, on the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings, is pushing for bills to be passed in parliament to ban Muslim women from wearing the burka, a traditional head and face covering. It is also intent on banning more than a thousand Islamic schools, or madressas, which it claims are flouting its education policy laws. It further claims that an increasing number of women are now wearing the burka, which is suggestive of growing extremism. France is a secular country. Secularism is the freedom to have an opinion. It is not a belief. A law passed in 2004 prohibits all clothing or other attire displaying…

Judge Dhaya Pillay is caught in a crossfire THE revelation by Chief Justice Moegeng Moegeng with regard to an overture made by Minister Pravin Gordhan to him on behalf of Judge Dhaya Pillay five years ago is worrisome and baffling. It defies common logic that this revelation was made at a critical time, when the Judicial Service Commission was in the process of choosing two new justices for the Constitutional Court. Why was this not brought to the attention of the public at the time it was made if there was any suggestion that this overture or inquiry had a sinister motive? Did the chief justice have an agenda in perverting the selection process, so as to create an aspersion upon Judge Pillay’s integrity, character or capability as a jurist?…

What causes learners and students to develop low self-esteem? I AM taking an antidepressant that results in a recurring nightmare. It’s a nightmare of being back at university and struggling to understand advanced mathematics, while my colleagues in class don’t seem perturbed. On some nights, the nightmare shifts to high school, where I battle with some geometric theorem. On other nights, I am again in my BSc class in India, where I see my classmates coping fairly easily with the likes of Riemann’s theorem, while I feel nauseous, have a headache and feel fear. It’s the same, helpless feeling, over and over again. My mind now shifts to the present day, where I have been a successful teacher of physical science. I am able to, with luck, encourage pupils to…

MY SPORTING MEMORY A darts ace and legend ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za GROWING up in the home of a shoemaker in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, Roshan Sivraman’s passion and love for the sport of darts was honed from a young age. “Following in my father’s footsteps, I worked in the shoe factory from the age of 15. To date, I am still employed in the footwear industry. My passion for darts began in the factory where we played early in the mornings and during every break time,” said Sivraman who began playing the sport competitively in 1985. In the heyday of his career, Sivraman played in World Cup Championships which consisted of nine tournaments. He won the South African singles five times and won the African Zone Championships more than 10 times. He…

CRISIS Will the controversial European Super League happen? ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za THERE was plenty of controversey in the football world this week after 12 football clubs, namely Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Arsenal and Real Madrid all agreed to form a new European Super League. It plans to include a further three clubs as to be part of the “founding members“. No date has been given for the league, though it has said that it is “intended to commence as soon as practicable”. The League has been agreed upon in order to try and mitigate the financial impacts of the pandemic which has placed many clubs in turmoil. Controversial Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, summed up why clubs have agreed…

Son kills dad He allegedly stabbed his father in the chest and back CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Supplied DEENAN Ryan and his son Shamith shared a close relationship. But on April 10, while drinking alcohol together at their home in Tarkastad, in the Eastern Cape, they allegedly began arguing. Minutes later, one of them was dead. Ryan, 57, a businessman, had allegedly tried to punch Shamith, 29, who is unemployed. In retaliation, Shamith allegedly stabbed his father twice in the chest and eight times in the back. Shamith handed himself over to the Tarkastad police station that night. He was arrested and charged with murder. When police arrived at the home, Ryan’s body was found in the passageway near his bedroom door. He had succumbed to his injuries. Shamith appeared in…

STOCK LIMITED Helios oil shortages expected NOKUTHULA MABUzA nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za UNITY Food Products, which manufactures Helios oil, has said that there would be a shortage of the product. According to an advertisement (see Page 5), Unity Food Products said the stock was limited. Farouk Vawda, the general manager, said the shortage was due to a delay in crude sunflower oil imported to South Africa. He said they had alerted their customers about the delay. “We work closely with customers, buyers and stores. We have informed them about the shortage. However, the product will be available soon.” Saanite Pandaram, a buyer at Take n Pay, a grocery store in Chatsworth, said they became aware of the shortage about a month ago via their sales representative. “Helios oil is one of our top…

Ellaurie pleased with outcome “This failure in and of itself demonstrates that another court applying the full and complete test to establish nuisance would very well come to a different conclusion.” The madrassah argued that Ellaurie was opposed to the Azaan because it gave the suburb a Muslim atmosphere and attracted those of the Islamic faith. “Another court would find that Ellaurie had failed to demonstrate that the unamplified call to prayer constitutes a real or material intrusion on his rights. There is also reasonable prospect that a court of appeal would find that Ellaurie failed to exercise a level of tolerance towards the call of prayer.” In a counter-application, Ellaurie, who is representing himself, said he was a peace-loving person who enjoyed music, prayer and meditation. He said the…

MEDICAL REPORT NEEDED TO DETERMINE IF SIPHIWE MTHEMBU IS FIT TO STAND TRIAL Accused to undergo psychiatric evaluation JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za THE man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing 22-year-old Tongaat woman Komell Pillay, will undergo a psychiatric assessment before he stands trial. This is to determine if he was of sound mind at the time of the incident. Siphiwe Mthembu, 21, appeared in the Durban High Court on Monday for the start of trial, but the matter was adjourned pending a report on his mental capacity. He was arrested after Pillay’s half-naked body was found in an abandoned building a few roads away from her home on July 7, 2019. It is alleged she was kidnapped from a local tavern and taken to a derelict site on Watson Highway…

CELL C LOSES MORE THAN R130M Former employees accused of corruption JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za TWO information technology (IT) executives, previously employed by mobile network Cell C, were charged with fraud and corruption amounting to more than R130 million. Adriaan Pillay, 39, and Ismail Adanjee Mohamed, 44, appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, in Johannesburg, last week. They were arrested separately, after investigations by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Germiston. Cell C had opened fraud and corruption charges against several suspects and companies, which included the co-accused. It is alleged that Cell C found that the co-accused conspired with a director of a contracted entity, responsible for IT and network service providers, and falsely inflated invoices. This resulted in a loss of more R130m, from 2012 to…

Public can submit input on proposed tariff hikes CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za RATEPAYER associations say they intend on commenting on the proposed tariff hikes scheduled to start in July. Last year, the eThekwini Municipality released its draft budget for 2020/2021. It said electricity would rise by 14.59%, water by 8.5%, refuse removal by 4.9% and sanitation by 8.5%. The public has been invited to submit their input on the expected increases. Pooh Govender, the chairperson of the Shallcross Ratepayers Association, said there was no need for a sewage increase as there was little to no service delivery offered. “There should be no increases. The municipality wants to raise the prices but the people cannot afford it. “The city should instead focus on service delivery. “President Cyril Ramaphosa said there would be…

BIDEN SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY OPINION As the US plans to withdraw Afghan troops, what was it all for? JARED MONDSCHEIN UNLIKE most US presidents, Joe Biden did not come to the White House with many fixed ideological positions. He did, however, come with fixed values. Chief among them is understanding how US policies impact working American families. In his nearly half century of experience in and around Washington, Biden was known to ask any staffers using academic or elitist language to “pick up your phone, call your mother, read her what you just told me … If she understands, we can keep talking”. The debate about the nearly 20-year US presence in Afghanistan has challenged three prior US presidents – George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Yet Biden, as…

ECONOMIC RECOVERY SLOW OPINION India’s poor fear a return to lockdown SUJEET KUMAR DIVYAKANT SOLANKI EPA-EFE INDIA is witnessing a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases after months of declining numbers had given the country hope it had made it through the worst of the pandemic relatively unscathed. On March 1, India recorded just 12 286 new cases but, since early this month, the figure has rocketed to more than 100 000 every day. Last week, it hit a record of 168 912 cases in a day – the highest in the world at the time. This week it recorded 273 810 new cases – the highest single-day spike ever. As the health crisis escalates, the poor are once again fearing a return to lockdown and economic hardship. Migrants have started fleeing…

In South Africa, ‘we the people’ is only for a chosen few AMI NANAKCHAND AS AN INDIAN South African, I’ve become rather concerned about the hype we hear about our country – all this talk about South Africa being Africa’s leader. Some have added a gratuitous subtitle saying: “South Africa: A world power.” And I just don’t think that’s what South Africa is all about or should be all about. Indeed, what worries me is the entire notion of African nationalism seems to be terribly archaic. It’s redolent of James Bond movies or Kipling ballads – recall the author-poet saying “the empire on which the sun never sets”. We have our own variation to that theme – “the ANC will rule until Jesus comes”. If it’s crime (corruption, rape, murder,…

Monument must convey a meaningful message THE decision of the 1860 Commemoration Monument Committee – to defer plans to avert a monumental disaster and to call for public participation to express concepts and ideas for a commemorative monument – is refreshing. More recently, monuments throughout the world have been scrutinised. Here, at home, there were calls for the removal of statues that symbolised colonialism. In Bristol, a statue honouring Edward Colston, a slave trader, ended up in the Avon River. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi, labelled as racist, was pulled down at the University of Ghana and Winston Churchill’s statue was barricaded for protection from vandalism. For decades in the US, there were demands for Franklin Roosevelt’s statue to come down as it was considered a monument to racial supremacy.…

‘Poor forced to receive inhumane treatment’ THE lead story "Maggots infest wounds" (the POST, April 14-18), is worrying. A week does not go by without state hospitals making headlines. What a shame, for nurses and doctors who treat their fellow human beings in such a manner. I mourn the loss of our humanity and hang my head in shame. The poor, who cannot afford private health care, have been forced to receive inhumane treatment at government hospitals. They have been kicked in the face by staff who have an ‘I don’t care attitude’ towards their job. This has brought reality to the suffering people who go through these state hospitals. This calls for serious introspection. It seems that irresponsible management and staff are turning the hospital, a place of care…

Vegan cuisine Videhi Sivurusan, a celebrity chef, shares vegan recipes. Follow her on www.videhi.co.za and on Veganise with Videhi on Youtube Gulab Jamuns 1½ cups cake wheat flour 2 tbs (30ml) semolina 1 tsp (5ml) baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp nutmeg powder ¼ tsp cardamom powder 1 tbs (15ml) Flora vegan margarine 1 can (200ml) vegan coconut condensed milk oil for deep frying 1 cup (250ml) desiccated coconut SYRUP 2 cups (500ml) water 2 cups (500ml) sugar few drops rose water or essence Bring all the syrup ingredients to a boil and simmer until it starts to thicken. It should be a light syrup. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sifted flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder. Rub the margarine into…

FIVE COACHES IN THE RUNNING? Who will replace the ‘Special One’ at Spurs? TOTTENHAM Hotspur confirmed the appointment of Ryan Mason as its interim head coach for the remainder of the 2020-21 season yesterday. The club had sacked manager Jose Mourinho on Monday following a string of poor results in the ongoing season. "Following the departure of Jose Mourinho, we can now confirm that Ryan Mason will take charge as interim head coach for the remainder of the season," said Tottenham in an official statement. “Ryan will be joined by Chris Powell and Nigel Gibbs as interim assistant head coaches and Michel Vorm as interim goalkeeping coach. Ledley King will continue in his role as first team assistant," it added. Mourinho’s departure has fuelled speculation on who the next boss…

COMMENT Mourinho fired while Man United shine Local Rugby team performs Haka THE Walter Sisulu University (WSU) drew attention last week after performing a rendition of the New Zealand “Kapa o Pango” haka ahead of their thrashing of the Durban University of Technology. New Zealand Rugby has since said that they have no problem with it. Reaction in South Africa was mixed with some questioning why the New Zealand haka was performed and others saying that WSU should create their own haka in a local language. However, we cannot ignore the fact that New Zealand rugby has had a strong influence in South Africa, particularly among people of colour. During apartheid many people of colour supported New Zealand in rugby, with some even continuing to do so today due to…

TEEN AND FRIENDS FOUND DEAD IN LAMONTVILLE Mom’s heartbreak as daughter is shot CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za NAVISHKA Roopnarain planned to complete matric and train to become a nurse. The 17-year-old, of Demat, near Mariannhill, wanted a better life for herself and her mother, Lavi Roopnarain, who recently lost her job as a caregiver. But on Saturday night, Navishka, a matric pupil at Asoka Secondary School in Chatsworth, was found dead in a bush in Lamontville. She sustained a gunshot wound to her head. Two of her friends, Siphelele Dimba, 35, and Lungisani Lucky Xhoza, 41, were found dead in the car. Another man, 25, who was also a friend, survived the shooting. He is recovering in hospital. Captain Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said one of the men was…

PMB YOUNGSTER DESCRIBES EVACUATION EXPERIENCE Student tells of UCT fire terror LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za University of Cape Town Libraries /Facebook. TA’RIQ Mohabir, of Pietermaritzburg, had just settled in at a student residence at the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Wednesday when, within just four days, a wildfire ripped through the area. “We were in our residence when we saw thick clouds of smoke to the point that we felt we could not breathe. It was so hot. It felt like heaters were on in our rooms. Outside was just as hot,” said Mohabir. The wildfire started on Sunday morning at Rhodes Memorial. It later spread to UCT, then towards the Devil’s Peak Estate/Vredehoek area of the Cape Town City Bowl. Mohabir, 19, a first-year student, is studying business science…

MECHANIC MURDER ‘I did not kill my friend’ NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za NADIA KHAN ASHEN Vishnudath, who is on trial for the alleged killing of a mechanic, has denied being responsible for his death. Vishnudath, 29, of Reservoir Hills, was testifying during his evidence-in-chief at the Durban High Court last Wednesday. According to the State, represented by senior advocate Cheryl Naidu, Vishnudath allegedly fetched Navendran Govender, 30, from his home, shot him three times, and disposed of his body by throwing it off Giba Gorge in Marianhill on March 6, 2019. Govender bought and sold cars and was known to often have large amounts of cash in his possession. The State alleged that for this reason, Vishnudath devised a plan to rob and kill Govender. Vishnudath was also charged with escaping…

CORRUPTION CHARGES LAID ‘EFF grabs any opportunity to attack Gordhan’ CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za THE intentions of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng have been questioned after he raised an issue that happened almost five years ago. Last Monday and Tuesday, the chief justice was presiding over the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviews with the candidates vying for two spots in the Constitutional Court. One of those interviewed was Judge Dhaya Pillay. Justice Mogoeng had said that in 2016, Pravin Gordhan, who was the finance minister at the time, had approached him on matters that he could not recall. He said that in passing, Gordhan had asked him how his friend, Judge Pillay, had performed in an interview with the JSC for a post on the Supreme Court of Appeal. Following the chief…

MOUNT MORIAH RESIDENTS WANT ANSWERS 15 years on … families still wait for title deeds CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Supplied WHEN Premella Bhoosun moved into her council home in Mount Moriah 15 years ago, it was the happiest day of her life. Apart from it being a new start for her and her family, the eThekwini Municipality and the Department of Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal had allegedly promised to give her the title deed to the home after five years. But that happiness has turned to despair because Bhoosun, like many other families in the community, are still waiting for their title deeds. Bhoosun, 49, who works part-time at a temple, lives in the two-bedroom free-standing home with her husband, Suren Bhoosun, 52, a maintenance worker, and their children, aged 21…

WOMAN ‘NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET’ Patient’s maggots horror: DA calls for probe NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za THE DA in KwaZulu-Natal has requested the health ombudsman conduct an investigation after maggots were allegedly found in a Verulam woman’s leg. Last week, the POST reported that Rani Nadesan, 55, of Canelands, was admitted to the Osindisweni Hospital, outside Verulam, after she developed sores on her left leg. The mother of three was diagnosed with osteoarthritis 10 years ago which impacted her ability to walk. Her legs often swelled and she needed ongoing treatment. However, in February, she developed three blisters on her left leg. After a few days, they became inflamed and filled with pus. Despite being treated with home remedies, one of the sores did not heal and Nadesan was…

GOVERNMENT ‘SHOWS DOUBLE STANDARDS’ France in bid to ban the hijab CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Facebook THE French senate has proposed banning the wearing of the hijab for girls under the age of 18 and for mothers accompanying their children to swimming pools or on school trips. According to Euronews, the proposals need the approval of France’s National Assembly before it is passed into law. The proposals came as France attempted to introduce a so-called anti-separatism law which aimed to bolster the country’s secular values, said the report. President Emmanuel Macron previously said the hijab was not in accordance with French ideals and a ban on face coverings would empower women. In 2010, France was the first Western country to ban full-face veils in public, and the wearing of headscarves and…

COVID AFFECTS FESTIVALS Trading shuts down for temple vendors TRADERS and vendors in several towns of Tamil Nadu, India, were expecting to make up for the losses of last year when the lockdown made it impossible to conduct temple festivals. However, with the second wave of the pandemic hitting the state, the government has implemented restrictions on the number of people participating in the festivals. With the 12-day Chithirai Festival at the Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple commencing on Thursday with the hoisting of the flag, traders and vendors, who were expecting a windfall, are gloomy. Rajashekharan Arumukham, who runs a small apparel shop near the famous temple, said: “We were expecting a good season in 2021. “I have taken another loan with my house as security with the hope that I…

OWNERSHIP OF THE ANC POLITICAL BRAND REMAINS CRITICAL Precarious power: Ramaphosa basks in NEC glow SUSAN BOOYSEN ITUMELENG ENGLISH African News Agency (ANA) IT APPEARS, for the moment, that President Cyril Ramaphosa has won a key battle in the war for control of the governing ANC, of which he is also the head. This became apparent after a highly charged recent meeting of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC), its highest decision-making body in-between its five-yearly national conferences. The NEC brought a crucial tilt in the factional balance of power towards Ramaphosa. This matters because the post-elective conference fate of presidents of the ANC – who, because it is the majority party in the country, automatically become presidents of the country – is determined by the NEC. The ANC has…

BJP, RSS key to saving culture WITH reference to the letter “BJP/RSS philosophy cannot be allowed in South Africa” (the POST, April 14-18). Saber Ahmed Jazbhay and the world have a duty to appreciate that India’s Hindu culture came into existence when the Vedas were composed more than 5 000 years ago. The Hindu culture also produced texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, which I regard as the most outstanding scriptural texts the world has produced. People like Mr Jazbhay and others must appreciate that organisations like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh were brought into existence to preserve Hindu culture. The organisations were also brought into existence to protect Hindu culture from disrespectful, foreign cultures that invaded for reasons of proselytising that, as a…

Your Stars SHARRON DUFF ARIES (March 21 – April 19) This week is about teamwork and making the most of opportunities offered by others. Use your intuition to make a wise decision. You are being guided by spirit. Lucky colour: blue. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) The energy around you is shifting and the wheel of fortune is turning in your favour. This means new beginnings. Go with the flow and allow for new beginnings. Lucky colour: red. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) You are being reminded that everything happens for a reason and that this is a good time to let go of anything holding you back. You may receive a surprise message from someone from your past, reminding you to forgive and to let go. Lucky…

KINGFISHER ADVICE ON HOW TO KEEP REELS BURNING Be prepared for some UFC-like fight against sharks THE fourth month of 2021 and the fishing is still going very well. Giant couta offshore, plenty of edibles from the shore and heaps of freshwater action! The beaches and bricks have been producing some good catches. The early risers can still get their quota of shad in the morning and the night owls can get into some drag testing beasts. This is the area to focus on if you are looking for the bigger inedibles. The North Coast has and always will be the place to target the bigger fish of the skate or toothy kind. For those who enjoy a chiropractor visit, there have been plenty of big sandies around the upper…

ELGAR, BAVUMA AND VAN NIEKERK APOLOGISE TO STAKEHOLDERS SA cricket captains fear suspension SOUTH Africa's Test captain Dean Elgar, limited overs captain Temba Bavuma and women's captain Dane van Niekerk signed a statement by the country's cricketers in which they apologised to stakeholders for the administrative crisis in Cricket South Africa (CSA). They also expressed fear that government intervention in the administration of the sport could lead to the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspending the team with just months left for the men's T20 World Cup this year. The statement has been written on behalf of the South African Cricketers' Association (Saca) and signed by its president Khaya Zondo. "The governance crisis that has engulfed cricket for over 18 months has now escalated to the point where the Minister of…