WEEKLY SA Mirror 36th ED

RIFT GROWS OVER LAWYER FAREWELL TO CHIEF JUSTICE IN UNPAID MIRROR SCRIBES FUNDS ROW POST INTERVIEWS 3KULI & DUMILE 5page page page 2 & 9 Friday 11 February 2022 D E Q L www.weeklysamirror.news MIRRORWEEKLY SA Insight to connect the dots... COVID GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEME BACKFIRES Gauteng spent between R200 000 and R300 000 to p2 decontaminate one school and Western Cape only R3 700...

2 WEEKLY SA MIRROR NEWS Friday 11 February 2022 COMPANIES IN QUANDARY AFTER R431-MILLION PAY-BACK ORDER HAPHAZARD: Gauteng’s school decontamination expenditure massively in contrast with R2,95 million spent by Western Cape for the that, if the accounting and the sum of profit deter- checking whether they were accredited or appeared same purpose for the whole of 2020… mined is disputed by either the SIU or the service on the Central Supplier Database. “The outcomes providers, the parties would approach the Special of this review application is a continuation of im- By Frank Maponya partment’s database of service providers and their Tribunal for an appropriate order on supplemented plementation of the SIU investigation outcomes NEARLY 200 companies that secured contracts services had been sourced through WhatsApp and papers. and consequence management to recover financial to decontaminate Gauteng schools and district phone calls, according to the SIU. losses suffered by state institutions,” Kganyago offices are in hot water after being ordered to In the event that no dispute on the accounting said. There were 45 matters enrolled in the Special pay back about R431 million they received from “Therefore, the appointment of those service and the sum of profits, the Special Tribunal has Tribunal which were still awaiting adjudication to the illegally awarded tenders. providers was irregular,’’ said Selby Makgotho, ordered that such profits shall be paid to the SIU the combined value of R2.1 billion that would re- spokesperson for the Special Tribunal. within 15 days of such agreement, together with sult in further recoveries for the state. The staggering amount starkly contrasts with interest. More than R60 million has been preserved that of the Western Cape, which spent a mere R2.95 The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) had, after pending final determination of profits derived from Makgotho said that 263 service providers had million on fumigating its schools between the out- conducting investigations into the awarding of the the irregular contracts. submitted invoices and had also been paid. He break of Covid-19 early in 2020 up until the end of tenders, discovered that proper procurement pro- confirmed that it was found that 173 of the service that year. Cape’s expenditure translates to an av- cesses were not followed. The SIU had approached According to SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kg- providers were not on the departmental database erage spend of R3 700 per school – compared to the Special Tribunal to seek an order for the com- anyago, an investigation had revealed that the of service providers and their services had been Gauteng’s astronomical amounts of between R200 panies to pay back the monies. contracts were awarded “haphazardly, unfairly and sourced through WhatsApp and phone calls. 000 and R300 000 per school charged for the same littered” with procurement irregularities. “The in- work. Meanwhile the breakthrough in uncovering Yesterday, the Special Tribunal found that the vestigation revealed that the procurement process Makgotho added that on May 17, 2021, the the unlawful process by the Gauteng department of department had indeed not followed proper pro- was not cost-effective, as service providers were Special Tribunal had granted an interim preserva- education follows an intensive investigation by the curement processes in awarding the contracts to the not paid per square meter of the area cleaned.” tion order prohibiting Fikile Mpofana (Pty) Ltd Special Investigating Unit (SIU) which found that service providers. The contracts were awarded to and other 13 service providers from dealing in any the contracts awarded to 173 of the 263 companies the tune of R431 million. The SIU had sought to Kganyago added that it was also established manner with the funds that they held in bank ac- were granted haphazardly and were littered with recover all profits made by service providers from that a senior official of the department had “arbi- counts, investments and or properties. The order procurement irregularities. The companies were the irregular contracts. trarily” decided to offer a fee of R250 000 to R270 was granted pending finalisation of the review pro- awarded the tenders in response to the Covid-19 000 for the decontamination of primary schools, ceedings. pandemic. And to ensure that all profits were calculated R250 000 to R290 000 for secondary schools, and and recovered in full, the Special Tribunal has or- R250 000 to R300 000 for district offices. “At the time of making the urgent ex parte ap- The 173 companies were not even on the de- dered that the service providers must submit state- plication, the SIU alleged that service providers ments and accounts in respect of their appoint- “The fees bear no relation to the work done by who had received the money from the department ments, performances and payments to the SIU to service providers or the cost of material used.” had been disposing of those funds and that the dis- determine the profits derived. It has also been ruled sipation was halted, to some degree, by the Finan- Kganyago further said some of the names of cial Intelligence Centre’s intervention,” Makgotho the service providers appointed were received via said. WhatsApp from officials of the department. These service providers were appointed without first ROW OVER POLITICAL POTSHOTS AT CHIEF JUSTICE POST INTERVIEWS HOTS UP HOT POTATO: Calls for Mpofu’s recusal from the JSC spark strident exchanges within legal community By Monk Nkomo South Africa.’’ ing to improve the reputation of the judiciary or EMBATTLED: Dali Mpofureplaced The rumpus over the conduct of certain mem- Some legal eagles have also entered the fray the legal profession. settled on our shores to rape, plunder, to exploit, bers of the Judicial Services Commission to maim and to colonize. He naturally sees Mpo- (JSC) during the interviews for the position and labelled the interview process a farce. The in- ‘’ The actions of Mpofu SC have brought the fu, the same way the colonial forefathers saw an of Chief Justice has now reached boiling point terviews have been seen as a calculated agenda by General Council of the Bar and the profession in African : an immoral, depraved and irrational be- following the latest revelation that the panel certain JSC members to discredit and embarrass general into disrepute. The political activities and ing, whose race is so inferior it deserves the mas- blundered by announcing their preferred can- certain candidates so that they get overlooked for allegiances of Mpofu SC are well known. As a ter’s sharp tongue and reprimand.’’ didate as the new Chief Justice. the top job. commissioner representing the General Council of the Bar in particular, and the profession in gen- Mafora lamented that some of the JSC mem- ‘’They had no mandate to decide who the new The Pretoria Society of Advocates (PSA) eral, his duty is not to promote his political views bers went about the interviews as if the fate of Chief Justice should be’’, according to legal com- has now called for the removal of Mpofu from but rather the interests of the profession and to do the four candidates lay in their hands. ’’ The JSC mentator, Dan Mafora. His view comes amid calls the panel for allegedly spearheading the unjust so in a respectful, dignified, objective and profes- committed a serious blunder. They thought they from certain sectors of the legal fraternity for the attack on one of the candidates, Gauteng Judge sional manner.’’ are the ones who decide the appointment of Chief removal of one of the JSC members, Advocate President Dunston Mlambo. Mpofu, who was Justice. This decision rests squarely in the hands Dali Mpofu SC, who has been accused of unethi- supported by another JSC member, Julius Male- The SDG said : ‘’ There were cynical attempts of the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramapho- cal behaviour which has also resulted in stinging ma, leader of the Economic Freedom Front, con- to cast aspersions on the integrity of some of the sa. He gave the shortlist to the JSC for consid- insults hurled at him by Editor-in-Chief of Media fronted Mlambo on unsubstantiated claims of candidates by questioning them on unsubstantiat- eration – to weigh up, assess, examine the candi- 24, Adriaan Basson. sexual harassment. The PSA described the attack ed rumours of a libellous nature.’’ In his response, dates and report back to him. The President only on Mlambo as scandalous and bordered on char- Mpofu, reportedly denied during an interview wanted to solicit their views.’’ The JSC jumped According to Mafora, the actions of some JSC acter assassination. After belabouring the point with a radio station that he had an agenda to dis- the gun to even announce their preferred candi- members were constitutionally suspect . Some without providing an iota of evidence and with credit some of the candidates. He also lashed at date last weekend. ‘’ The JSC decided to arrogate members did not understand their constitutional Mlambo denying the claims, the chairperson, Basson for hurling insults at him in a newspaper to itself the power to appoint the Chief Justice.’’ function and as a result failed to discharge their Xola Petse, ruled that the allegations be expunged article. ‘’ Criticism is welcome but some people duties in a respectable, fair and dignified man- from the record. The PSA said they were also have gone beyond and have been hurling insults The JSC’s recommendation that Maya be ner. The Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG), whose perturbed by Mpofu’s behaviour during the in- and this is unwelcome’’. A group of concerned the Chief Justice has now obviously placed members are 1970s and 1960s political activists, terview with Supreme Court of Appeal President, advocates has now come to Mpofu’s defence and Ramaphosa in a quandary despite the fact that it said they were concerned about “the unbecoming Mandisa Maya which they believe was sexist and in a hard-hitting statement described Basson’s at- is his prerogative to appoint the Chief Justice.Was conduct of some members of the JSC’’. It is im- condescending. Acting Chief Justice, Raymond tack as a racist campaign. this a deliberate move to set him up to appoint portant that critical institutions like the JSC are Zondo, was also not spared. He was subjected to a female Chief Justice ? You, the reader, be the insulated from abuse by political actors who are incessant questions by Malema on why he felt of- ‘’We note the racial undertones in his attack judge. interested in a weak judiciary to avoid answering fended by being called ‘’ a house nigger’’. and find it an outrage that in his desire to differ for the litany of their crimes against the people of with Mpofu SC, he resorts to gratuitous insults The PSA decribed the treatment of Mlambo and slurs, whose roots are clearly what he (Bas- and Zondo as shameful and that it had done noth- son) inherits from his colonial racist heritage that

Friday 11 February 2022 NEWS 3WEEKLY SA MIRROR KULI’S LIFE WAS ON THNEECWUSP OF BEGINNINGS IRREPLACEABLE: Weekly SA Mirror will dearly miss her true-grit character and chutzpah… By Thuli Zungu On the morning of October 26, the the publication was unquestionable and FREE-SPIRITED: Kuli Roberts It was after a long while of no contact ever-energetic Kuli had already lined up inspirational. She had big dreams for the with Nomakula “Kuli” Roberts when contacts to interview for WSAM, one publication”. my cell phone rang on the evening of whom offered to give away mattresses. October 14 last year. She disclosed the news when I and Len Come Mondays, an enthusiastic Kuli Maseko met her at her house in Centurion was the first to share her diary long before Bubbly as usual, her jovial mood kind that morning. She was eager to turn a new the dairy meetings, always full of zest. of belied an aching soul going that was chapter, and bought into WSAM crew’s This past Monday she asked for more experiencing some tough challenges at dream and mission instantly, chiefly to space as she had enough copy to fill two the time. add to the diversity of media ownership pages and more giveaways for our read- in this country. ers. “Hi gorgeous, I need your advice!” she said before sharing the nub of her Of great importance to her was to Tuesday, she had a lively telephonic troubles and her exasperation at the situa- make a positive contribution towards im- conversation with WSAM crew holding tion she found herself in. proving the lives of disadvantaged South a strategy meeting, with every one tell- Africans; to focus on positive stories ing how much she was appreciated and After that, Nomakula swiftly changed about celebrities and move away from how she was truly valued member of the the conversation to months-old Weekly negative journalism. She appreciated that publication – to which she chuckled and SA Mirror, wanting to know more about this publication welcomed her with wide thanked all. This would be her last con- its history and future plans Five days open arms.i versation with the crew on the publica- later, Kuli reached out again, offering to tion. make contributions to our publication. WSAM co-publisher Len Maseko said: “It says a lot about Kuli’s free- Come Wednesday, her copy never ar- “Hi hun, how are you doing? If you spirited nature and true-grit character to rived, which was highly unusual day of are looking for contributions, please give have staked her future with a small and submission. Instead, we got the deeply me a shout”. I told her we would happy to up-and-coming media outfit like WSAM shocking news on Thursday morning that welcome her to our publication, to which as she did, and all the while not expect- she was no more. retorted: “Yeeeee! Let’s push it I have the ing the frills and trappings afforded by following, I’m funny and can contribute, mainstream media. Her commitment to Sleep tight Boo, go well, your contri- organize giveaways”. bution to Weekly SA Mirror was unimagi- nable, Lala ngoxolo lala uphumule! MATEZA WAS “A CLASS ACT” KNOWLEDGEABLE: Well-versed sportscaster left big shoes to fill… VOID: The late Dumile Mateza never to be replaced By Gugu Sibiya Mchunu and Oom Dan Setshedi. I was inter- kaans effortlessly was beautiful. His brilliant Broadcaster par excellence Dumile ested and thought that one day I’ll be in their broadcasting encompassed soccer, rugby, seat. Dumile happened to be among that ex- cricket or boxing. It was no surprise when Mateza (62), who lost his fight to cancer af- ceptional crew of broadcasters”. he sat on the hot seat of the Boxing board ter a valiant stand-off, will be laid to rest at CEO”. the Fourways Memorial Cemetery in Johan- Eventually Mafani had a breakthrough nesburg today. when he joined Radio Xhosa. “Dumile was Mafani says Nala had a great sense of freelancing for the station. That’s where I humour, was lovely singer “a la Pavarotti” The veteran sports anchor, lovingly saw that he specialised in sports and had a style, his cleanliness was next to Godliness called by his clan name Nala, survived Cov- deep passion for research. and liked his cologne. “Once when we were id-19 twice but sadly succumbed to cancer hanging out at my Yeoville flat called “eB- last week. Shocked sports lovers and media It came to the fore after we were admit- hayi”, he sang at the top of his voice over the fraternity remembered an enthusiastic, pas- ted to FIFA. Dumile was on fire. His re- Boys to Men classic, End of the Road. sionate and knowledgeable TV personality. search turned him into a class act. He was Witty as they come, he’d holler “phesheya the only one who had the lowdown on the The irate guys didn’t faze him at all. “At pha” when things got heated on the pitch. players, promoters and referees. “As if that his house-warming, and I’m talking about His colourful commentary kept viewers wasn’t impressive enough, he was conver- his flat, the party was in full swing and peo- spellbound. sant with eight codes of sport. I’d cross live ple are dancing. Sniffing, he stops the music to Dumile who’d be broadcasting live from and insists that somebody has stolen his co- Personally, I remember him proudly in- Ellis Park Stadium. logne. dulging in self-care. He always had a nice cologne smell about him, enjoying the com- As usual, he’d be in his element. I’d be That man knew a lot about colognes,” pliments when showered with praise about mesmerised by the rich commentary, pep- chuckles Mfani as he recalls their shared it. Most amazing was how he always knew pered with humour and wit. I’m talking good times. “It’s indisputable that Dumile’s what perfume he could tell what perfume I about fascinating things you never imagined insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to wore. hearing about a player or club.” Gushing researching the Xhosa kings and lineage. over how knowledgeable Mateza was, Ma- He was writing a book about that and I pray Dumile spoke “highbrow” English with fani adds: “If possible, that his family will complete that project. He matching accent. With all his playfulness, named one of the daughters after one influ- he was a gentleman and consummate pro- I’d have advised every Minister of Sport ential princess from the past. fessional and impressive linguist! Unhlobo to have coffee with Dumile when they came Wenene celebrity broadcaster Putco Mafani to office. I don’t know any broadcaster who’s He was an encyclopaedia”. Disappoint- says his admiration for Mateza went back to not only conversant with, but understands ed, Mafani says, “I don’t know why South his student days. the politics of sports like him. He mastered Africans’ obsession with mortality. Dumile the rights for the different codes. was a remarkable human being who de- “I used to watch the first crop of TV served to be celebrated while alive and can broadcasters like Lunga Williams, the late “During the 1995 Rugby World Cup, his appreciate it.” Thandi Mesatywa, Cyril “Kansas City” passion for sports, linguistic prowess as he switched from Xhosa, to English and Afri- Lala ngoxolo Mateza, Nala, Ndokose

4 WEEKLY SA MIRROR NEWS Friday 11 February 2022 GOVT TO PUFF LIFE INTO THE WEED ROLLOUT: Move to remove barriers to unlock cannabis SMELL THE COFFEE: sector’s potential to create 130 000 jobs… President Cyril Ramaphosa estimates more than 100 000 jobs possible through hemp production By Isaac Moledi ployed in the private sector. The key task of gov- the lives of all South Africans, disrupting business market for electricity generation and the establish- The government is set to review the policy and ernment is to create the conditions that will enable activities, and placing additional strains on families ment of an independent state-owned transmission regulatory framework for industrial hemp and the private sector – both big and small – to emerge, and communities.” company.” cannabis production to realise the huge poten- to grow, to access new markets, to create new prod- tial the industry has for investment and job cre- ucts, and to hire more employees,” Ramaphosa He said, due to the country’s aging power sta- Unveiling the government’s social compact ation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said during told the joint parliamentary sitting also attended by tions, poor maintenance, policy missteps and the programme, Ramaphosa said South Africa needs a the state of the nation on Thursday night. former President Thabo Mbeki and former deputy ruinous effects of state capture, the country had a new consensus to deal with poverty, unemployment president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. shortfall of around 4,000 MW of electricity. Al- and inequality. He believed that bringing in the pri- Addressing the joint parliamentary sitting at though this was the case, he said the government vate sector was also critical in dealing with many Cape Town City Hall during his state-of-the-nation Agreeing that the problems affecting the had during the past year, taken firm steps to bring of these problems. “This is our new social compact address yesterday, Ramaphosa assured South Afri- South African economy were deep and structural, additional generation capacity online as quickly as programme. We have given ourselves 100 days to cans that cannabis, which “our people have been Ramaphosa said: “When electricity supply cannot possible to close the shortfall. As a result, several implement these plan, focusing on economic re- farming and harvesting for a number of purposes,” be guaranteed, when railways and ports are inef- new energy generation projects will be coming on- construction,” the President of the country, who is was now going to be industrialised. ficient, when innovation is held back by a scarcity line over the next few years. also the president of the ruling ANC said. of broadband spectrum, when water quality dete- He estimated that more than 130 000 jobs could riorates, companies are reluctant to invest and the In addition to solving the energy supply short- According to Ramaphosa, the lockdown laws be created through hemp production after the pol- economy cannot function properly.” fall, the President said the government was im- were set to expire “very soon”, saying “It is our icy and regulatory framework for industrial hemp plementing fundamental changes to the structure intention to end the State of disaster, as soon as we and cannabis have been reviewed. He said, with a view to addressing these chal- of the electricity sector. Eskom has established a have finanlised other measures under the National lenges, his government was accelerating the im- separate transmission subsidiary, and is on track to Health Act, as well as other legislation to manage Although he conceded that the government did plementation of far-reaching structural reforms to complete its unbundling by December 2022. The the pandemic. Nearly all restrictions have already not create jobs, but its key task was to create the modernise and transform these industries, unlock utility has continued with its intensive maintenance been lifted”. conditions that will enable the private sector – both investment, reduce costs and increase competitive- programme to reverse many years of neglected big and small – he said hemp and cannabis industry ness and growth. maintenance and underperformance of existing Building a capable schooling network was also had a huge potential to attract investment and boost plants. a major problem with the president agreeing that job creation. The electricity crisis was one of the greatest it will probably take the country 75 years with the threats to economic and social progress, he said. “To regulate all of these reforms, Cabinet current mechanism to built a shortfall of about 2 “We all know that government does not create “In the last few days, we have once again been yesterday approved amendments to the Electric- 500 schools due to enormous damage caused by jobs. Business creates jobs. Around 80 per cent of reminded of the fragility of our electricity system. ity Regulation Act for public comment. These far- theft of metal on the country’s railway and electric- all the people employed in South Africa are em- Load-shedding continues to have a huge impact on reaching amendments will enable a competitive ity infrastructure. By Frank Maponya POLICE WARN police who were on patrol, the mob immediately Residents of Seshego and surrounding areas AGAINST jumped off and fled. One of the victims was certi- near Polokwane have been warned to refrain fied dead and the other was taken to hospital in a from committing acts of vigilantism by taking VIGILANTISM critical condition. the law into their own hands. BACKLASH: Mob violence claims lives of three In yet another incident on Tuesday, a 20-year- The stern warning from Limpopo police com- people and fourth injured allegedly linked to crime… old man was assaulted to death in Moletji Ga- missioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe fol- Makgongwane village after community members lows a series of mob attacks which claimed the lives allegedly accused him of theft. The victim was re- of three people and the fourth seriously injured this portedly assaulted with sjamboks and stones while week alone. Those engaging in such acts would be being forced to take the community members to a brought to book to face the full might of the law, person to whom he had sold a stolen TV set. After she warned. they failed to recover the property, the community members reportedly continued to assault the victim In the first incident on Monday 6.30am in and thereafter fled the scene. The man was certified Masesha-Spookpark, police were notified about the dead when police and paramedics arrived. body of an unknown man in the area. Upon arrival at the scene, the deceased was found with multiple Hadebe appealed to residents to cooperate with injuries all over the body. Preliminary police in- the police in the fight against crime. vestigations indicated that the man might had been killed somewhere and his body dumped in the area. “Residents must report crime and bring evi- dence to the police so that justice can be served. In another incident that took place later that These barbaric and horrendous acts of taking the day, around midday in Kwena Moloto Phase 3 area, law into own hands undermine the rule of law. The a group of people reportedly attacked and assaulted suspects should be hunted down and brought to two men who managed to escape and jumped into book,” she said. a trailer being pulled by a moving car belonging to a local resident. The suspects in all these incidents are still un- known and no arrest has been made. Anyone with The motorist then drove off with the two men information that can lead to the arrest of those inside but some of the community members also responsible is requested to contact the investigat- jumped into the trailer and continued to assault the ing officer, Sergeant Thabo Oliphant, on 084-942- men. When the motorist finally got help from the 3298, the Crime Stop number 08600-10111 or the nearest police. Investigations are continuing.

Friday 11 February 2022 CONSUMER & LEGAL MATTERS 5WEEKLY SA MIRROR Consumer Eye AWARD-WINNING CONSUMER EDITOR LOOKS 060 936 2673 INTO YOUR COMPLAINTS LAWYER IN ROW OVER NON PAYMENT OF SOLD SOWETO HOUSE TIRED: Both the seller and the buyer DISPUTE: Aubrey Lekwape stands outside the home in the centre of the row accuse the lawyer of lying to them could not speak to him as he was already driving share the sad news instead”. away when he arrived, Lekwape says. He says reporting this matter to the Law Soci- By Thuli Zungu he should occupy his house the attorney would A Johannesburg attorney Vuyo Mfono-Songca give him a day in which this would happen but Motabe said he decided to sell his two houses ety will take a long time as he wanted his children has been accused of unprofessional conduct by when the day arrived, he would postpone to an- to start a business in Limpopo where he has relo- to take occupation and be independent as soon as not paying his client the sale amount after the other week, says the frustrated father of two. cated but was frustrated that Mfono-Songca has possible. registration of the house he was contracted to not paid his money in full and cannot drive on a transfer to the buyer. He drove to the lawyer’s office at Klamson weekly basis to Johannesburg to inquire about his LAWYER Towers every week and Mfono-Songca continued outstanding payment. PROMISES It has been five months since the lawyer trans- to feed him lies, according to Lekwape. TO PAY UP ferred the house into the name of Albert Lekwape, Lekwape confirmed that they planned the of Extension 4, Meadowlands, Soweto, but the “On the 28th and the 31st last month someone strategy with the seller who later pretended that Vuyo Mfono-Songca told Consumer Eye seller only received half of the R570 559 he had in his office told me that they don’t know where he wanted to pay a deposit for a house he bought that the four months delay in paying the seller paid in cash. Both the seller and the buyer are he is as he hasn’t been coming to work. I have through an estate agent. his balance was caused by the change of his equally frustrated by the attorney’s alleged unfair a strong belief that he is now playing hide and law firm’s bank account to another bank. conduct. seek, and his employees are not honest about his Lekwape says he used a portion of his pension whereabouts”. fund pay out to buy the house for his two sons. He says they had to submit FICA docu- Several attempts to reach him at his office, Before signing the offer to purchase, he asked to ments to the new bank and this caused a de- yielded no results. It was frustrating because the Rashaka Motabe, the seller of the house that see the attorney’s fidelity certificate of Trust, but lay. lawyer had not helped to pay the seller and allow Lekwape bought, says he recently called Mfono- Mfono-Songva told him he kept it at his home and the buyer to take over possession of the house Songca’s office and pretended to be a buyer who offered to e-mail it to him, which he did, Lekwape He says all the firm’s finances were frozen which Lekwape paid for in cash. bought a house through an estate agent only to be says. ‘’ For some strange reason the email disap- while he was migrating to another bank. told that the attorney was operating from Braam- peared shortly after paying the deposit of R270 Lekwape says he is tired and frustrated by the ficherville. He was given directions where he lo- 559 which he transferred a day later. ‘’ “I will sort Lekwape out next Monday lies Mfono-Songca allegedly fed him since Octo- cated him. and will inform Motabe that he too will be ber last year. Lekwape says he was impressed at the speed paid then.” He later gave this information to Lekwape to in which the house was transferred into his name Each time he inquired about the date in which ensure that the receptionist was telling the truth. and that he also obtained the title deed immedi- ately, but now he has to chase the lawyer for the Although he located him at this address he balance. “I wanted to surprise my sons but now have to By WSAM Reporter ROLLOUT: Raj Makanjee, CEO of FNB Retail EXPAND: Jacques Celliers, CEO of FNB “The depth and breadth of FNB’s relationships FNB is expanding its insurance business with with millions of customers provides a unique op- the launch of FNB Short-Term Insurance for FNB EXPANDS ITS portunity to make significant inroads in short-term car and home, as well as free cover for purchases BUSINESS WITH ROLL- insurance, “he says. Bromfield says this was also made with FNB Virtual Cards. OUT OF SHORT-TERM a key factor in the success of their life insurance business when they entered the market in 2015, and FNB and RMB Private Bank customers who CAR INSURANCE that business quickly developed to become one of take up short-term insurance from FNB could get the leading disruptors in life insurance. up to 15% of their premiums back in eBucks, while FREE: Customers with FNB virtual cards will get those who work from home could get an additional free purchase protect cover “In line with our focus on helping customers, discount of up to 20% off their car insurance premi- those who buy homes and cars financed through ums. Furthermore, customers who make purchases “We’re very excited to partner with our cus- FNB has been rolling out its short-term insurance FNB no longer need to go to any third-party pro- with their FNB Virtual Card will get free Purchase tomers on their money management journey.” Ac- solutions in phases, with over 250,000 customers vider for insurance cover, and they get rewarded.” Protect cover for the first 30 days post purchase. cording to Lee Bromfield, CEO of FNB Insurance, on its books across retail and commercial products. Despite being a relatively new provider in in- Jacques Celliers, CEO of FNB, says: “This is surance, FNB has already established key bench- a giant stride on our journey to becoming an inte- marks for the insurance sector through FNB Life. grated financial services provider of choice to indi- viduals and businesses.” It has pioneered the digitisation of insurance so- lutions, claims processes and policy transparency, He says insurance is a vital cog in meeting the he says. FNB is the only life insurance provider in needs of their retail and commercial customers in SA that leverages Home Affairs resources to check a relevant and contextual manner through a digital for deaths and process a proactive pay-out, helping platform that they already trust. customers in times of need. Over the years, FNB has received top accolades for customer satisfaction Celliers says the roll-out of short-term insur- and its relentless efforts to pioneer efforts to deliver ance solutions complements FNB’s strong trans- insurance solutions through a digital platform. In actional and lending businesses as well as their terms of claims, FNB already pays out custom- maturing investment and life insurance businesses. ers’ claims for funeral insurance within 24 hours, with 1 in 5 claims paid out in under 30 minutes, “This demonstrates our dedication to putting and 52% paid within 2 hours. Launching short-term our customers at the centre of our solutions. We be- insurance allows FNB to disrupt the full insurance lieve that the short-term insurance sector is ripe for spectrum by setting new standards for easier take- platform disruption and innovation, “say Celliers up, transparency on insurance policies, and helping The sentiment is echoed by Raj Makanjee, CEO of theircustomers through an efficient claims process. FNB Retail, who says that “insurance premiums, FNB is committed to surpassing these benchmarks especially car and home insurance, account for a with its short-term insurance business. significant percentage of financial commitments among FNB’s individual customers. To take up any insurance solutions, customers can go to the menu section of the FNB App, scroll As a result, our new solutions will go a long and click on insurance, select the type of insurance way towards ensuring that we offer holistic money they want and submit their application for further management support to customers across several assessment. FNB and RMB Private Bank custom- areas of their lives. “ ers who have existing relationships with the bank do not have to populate their details, which means Makanjee says the additional benefits they pro- the process of initiating an application only takes a vide through eBucks and premium discounts en- few seconds. sure that customers get more value from managing and consolidating their financial affairs with FNB.

6 WEEKLY SA MIRROR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Friday 11 February 2022 IKUSASA SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CAREER GUIDE IMPORTANCE By Thuli Zungu specifically equipped for use by all learners from OF CONTINUED When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, educators various classrooms in a school. Fibre network saw that they had no choice but to adopt virtual operator, Vuma, joined in by providing free fibre VIRTUAL learning as an essential learning and teaching connectivity to all schools that fall within their net- LEARNING tool to help schoolchildren to stay on track with work and are part of the iSchool Africa initiative. AND TEACHING the essential aspects of the academic year. PLATFORMS “Our goal is to not only play our part in helping But this was not easy as South Africa was al- bring meaningful digital experiences to classrooms CONNECTIVITY: Free WiFi, whatsapp tutorials ready facing a huge digital divide, meaning that across the country and create access to opportuni- and a varsity online high school become new way of learners from disadvantaged areas and homes ties for all, but to ensure that we are also helping academic life would suffer more, but the breach was thankfully achieve service delivery priorities to schools and filled by organisations with the spirit of Ubuntu, institutions of higher learning, as well as to unem- like fibre connectivity provider, Vuma, the Univer- ployed youth,” says Lianne Williams of Vuma. sity of Cape Town (UCT) and Foondamate. And with the pandemic not having left us completely, Williams says the increasing adoption of digi- it has become more imperative to bring gainful tal technology in schools creates more room for digital experiences to classrooms, and even for the the use of technologies like virtual reality and benefit of unemployed youth, hence the continued augmented reality, allowing learners to experi- supplementary role of digital technology platforms ence the classroom without needing to be physi- and virtual learning in the classrooms. cally present in a brick and mortar building. “The increased adoption of digital technology could also As South Africa’s education sector learns to make learning more personalised to the needs of find its feet in the digital learning space, the coun- individual learners,” Williams adds. try has welcomed the widescale corporate social investment being made into technology-based edu- “For an example, in the case of learners from cation and training, and important initiatives like disadvantaged backgrounds who may struggle with the UCT online high school (that opened its doors certain subjects, artificial intelligence can alert an this year) and FoondaMate, which allows learners educator to their progress and weak areas, allowing to easily download a wealth of learning resources the educators to offer the learners extra lessons, or via WhatsApp, are just some examples of these na- to initiate more one-on-one learning and teaching tion building-oriented investments. time to close the education gap.” Williams adds that having all this information at their fingertips Other initiatives include iSchool Africa, a non- means that educators and education and training profit organisation (NPO) that provides learners institutions can easily identify and measure the ef- from under-resourced communities with digital fectiveness of the way curricula are being taught libraries consisting of a mobile iPad lab which is and be able make adjustments where necessary to avoid students falling too far behind. ELECTRICIAN; A technician inspecting circuit breakers for possible faults By Victor Mecoamere YOU CAN EARN working order; One of the alternative career paths available for A DECENT • Inspecting circuit breakers, transformers, and young people is choosing to work as an electri- LIFESTYLE cian. other electrical components for faults; WORKING AS AN • Using testing devices to discover why electrical According to Career Builder, a famous interna- ELECTRICIAN tional career choices and advice website, an elec- products and systems are malfunctioning; trician is any skilled tradesperson who designs, in- CAREERS: Interested youths can choose • Repairing, replacing, and upgrading faulty or stalls, maintains, and repairs the electrical systems and products used in residential homes, businesses, learnerships, apprenticeships or on the job training outdated electrical equipment, fixtures, and and factories. wiring, including isolating faults for safe re- • Forming electrical circuits, by connecting elec- tion equipment; moval and replacement; Electricians work inside or outside buildings to trical wires to components and fixtures and • Installing hangers and brackets to support elec- • Training other electricians and directing them ensure lights, industrial equipment, and appliances testing completed circuits; to perform specific tasks. operate safely and reliably, says Career Builder. trical products Working as an electrician is one of the best jobs There are many special types of electricians, in- • Installing switches, circuit breaker panels, re- • Performing maintenance procedures to keep you can secure with only a high school diploma cluding residential electricians, who install wiring lays, and other electrical control and distribu- or its equivalent. Rather than attending school to and solve electrical problems in homes, and inside wiring, lighting, and control systems in good gain a degree, electricians get their education while electricians, who maintain and repair control sys- working and earning at the same time. This is often tems, motors, and electrical equipment in busi- obtained through an apprenticeship programme. nesses and factories. The specific responsibilities Apprentices must be at least 18 years of age, pos- associated with this job may vary depending on the sessing a high school diploma or equivalent, and area of specialisation, but they might include: one year of algebra, and must also pass an aptitude • Planning the electrical systems for new build- test and substance abuse screening test. There are also learnerships that offer opportunities for youths ings, including the best position for electrical wishing to work as electricians. outlets, light fixtures, heating outlets, and ven- According to the Post Matric education and tilation systems; training advice portal, preconditions for becoming • Reading and interpreting architect blueprints, a certified electrical contractor include completing circuit diagrams, and other technical docu- an electrical contractor apprenticeship and passing ments; a trade test. Most of the 50 TVET Colleges in South • Installing wiring, lighting, and control systems Africa offer education and training programmes in new and existing buildings, according to mu- which can help one to qualifications as an electri- nicipal codes; cian. A cursory online search can point interested youths to a college in their cities.

Friday 11 February 2022 FOOD AND WINE 7WEEKLY SA MIRROR SUMPTUOUS CUISINE, VIBEY AMBIENCE MAKE CO.FI COOL EXPAND: Restaurant group bucks trend, opens fourth eatery… By Len Maseko prises three bar areas that are complemented by a SUAVE: Lebo “Jojo” Mokoena relaxes at a Co.fi lounge with a glass of wine In spite of Covid-wrought economic setbacks, fusion of new features. The interior décor is a bal- GROOVES: Black Motion gets patrons boogeying at Co.fi launch South Africa’s hospitality sector is picking up ance between their signature look and a blend of the pieces, braving the pandemic’s intermittent new features such as the ‘Pink Room’, wine cellar storms on the way reclaiming its glory. and sushi to their appetising menu. With a long and winding road looming ahead, In addition, the traditional Co.fi colour scheme many restaurants are seemingly shrugging off the (grey, gold, black and white) is infused with the haemorrhaging to make a fresh start, while scores introduction of green, pink and blue to create an of others have bitten the dust while conceding de- exquisite sensory experience. feat to the pandemic’s fatal blows at the same time. Explaining the new approach Co.fi director Not so much a mark of true grit or blind bra- Jackie Mathebe says: “We are able to adapt to the vado on the part of the restaurateurs choosing to changes that have taken place in the past two years brave the hostile elements as being steered by pas- in the restaurant industry, what we did a few years sion and confidence, in the hope that the darkest back is not happening now, we are actually chang- hour may have already passed to usher dawn. ing with time”. Emerging with a measure of optimism from He adds that a larger location means that there the great Covid strain is restaurant franchise Co.fi is more space for those who want to escape the which opted to forge ahead despite the pandemic’s hustle and bustle of the city life, to do so without huge impact on the restaurant and entertainment worrying about social distancing and focus more industry. Its concept is essentially a combination of on appreciating the ambience Co.fi has to offer. a cosmopolitan dining and upmarket lounge, com- plemented by a core focus on sustainability, target- The heightened dining experience is part of ing the niche market of discerning clientele yearn- Co.fi’s strategy to solidify its foothold in the res- ing for a good food as well as a vibey ambience. taurant and entertainment industry. The jour- ney from the inception of its first group – which “We treat both the lifestyle (vibey ambience) opened its first in Brooklyn, Pretoria, in October and food quality with equal importance; we do 2005, much to resounding success – has been il- not neglect or sacrifice one area of our business luminating, yielding four stores so far. Thanks to concentrate on the other,” the group says on its to a concept that was fresh and well researched in website. the beginning, geared to cater for a niche market of discerning clientele wanting good food amid a Bucking the trend, Co.fi opened its fourth cos- vibey ambiance without sacrificing the quality of mopolitan dining and upmarket lounge opened its their surroundings, according to Mathebe. in Carlswald Midrand a fortnight ago, amid a ritzy affair graced by a top deejays Black Motion and He says the very cosmopolitan look and feel of Fresh. Unlike other locations, Co.fi Midrand com- Co.fi appeals to a wide variety of consumers and therefore amassed popularity very quickly. UK COMES By Len Maseko dation’s new crusade to re-invigorate the genre CALLING FOR South Africa-based sommelier Tinashe Ny- by generating enthusiasm among the South Afri- KUMUSHA WINES amoduka has broken new ground with a deal cans – especially the young-and-upwardly-mobile to have his wine brand Kumusha distributed hooked on Cognac – to enjoy local brandy, which FORAY: Zimbabwe-born sommelier in the United Kingdom. is renowned as world-class. Nyamoduka clinches export deal with overseas wine distributor… Thanks to an agreement between the and dis- For his part, Nyamoduka cut his teeth in the tributor Bibendum, which has been given exclu- South African hospitality industry in Cape Town, sive rights to distribute Kumusha wines. rising to become a sommelier at the renowned Test Kitchen in Cape Town. This is Nyamoduka’s second coup in three months, with the latest development following Founded in 2017, Kumusha comprises Chenin hard-on-the-heels on his naming as one of three Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, winners of the South African Brandy Innovation Cinsault, and a red blend (Bordeaux). Bidendum’s Challenge in December last year. Richard Masterston is quoted by British magazine Harper’s as welcoming the move and in full praise Winning the challenge set Nyamoduka on the of the quality of Kumusha wines. path to establishing – under mentorship – his own brandy brand in the near future. Organised by the “Not only is Tinashe’s story incredible but so South African Brandy Foundation, the competi- are his wines. We are so excited to be able to bring tion invited creatives to submit game-changing them to UK consumers and spread Tinashe’s sto- brandy business ideas for the chance to win a R30 ry, and love of wine. 000 cash award and mentorship in launching their new brand. The Bibendum portfolio is all about fantastic wines made by passionate people and that’s what The competition was part of the Brandy Foun- Kumusha and Tinashe embody,’’ said Masterston. – Additional reporting from Harpers

8 WEEKLY SA MIRROR OPINION/ANALYSIS Friday 11 February 2022 Comment A SCANDAL NOT WORTH A SOUTH AFRICA’S mRNA HUB CALL TO ANYONE TO RESIGN PROGRESS IS FOUNDATION Many will attest to the efficiency of Gauteng’s FOR SELF-RELIANCE education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, when it comes to political and sometimes operational ROLLOUT: Hub a oversight of his department, and the fact that he runs a tight ship. To his credit, he has al- critical building block to ways been hands-on and on-the-ball when it comes to dousing flames racking his highly ensure whole continent combustible portfolio. has production No doubt he has handled the occupational hazards with aplomb, even though over-reaching capacity… to matters ordinarily out of his purview. Unwit- tingly blurring the lines between executive and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director- COVID: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left), Director-General of the World Health operational matters he does without ill-intentions General of the World Health Organization Organization, visits Afrigen Formulation Facilities in Cape Town. of course, but primarily to ensure there is swift (WHO), Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister of official response to issues requiring something of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzi- tiative. The central aim is to develop a training fa- recipients. fire-brigade intervention. mande, Minister of Higher Education, Science cility where mRNA technology is developed to the “The pandemic has highlighted the need for and Technology, Dr Joe Phaahla, Minister of scale required for mass production of vaccines and Pity the head of department, who might Health and Meryame Kitir, Minister of Devel- then for that full package of technology to be trans- increased local production of vaccines globally, well feel a tad overshadowed and upstaged by a opment Cooperation and Urban Policy of Bel- ferrable to multiple recipients in low- and middle- especially in low- and middle-income countries,” micro-managing boss. But who would fault the gium today visit a number of public and private income countries. said Ghebreyesus. “The WHO mRNA global hub likeable Lesufi for his well-intentioned, hands- sector partners that are collaborating to develop is a major step in that direction, by sharing tech- on management style, except those who might and build WHO’s global mRNA vaccine tech- “We’re not out of the woods yet and we are nology and building on the capacity and scientific want to stand on ceremony, citing separation of nology transfer hub in South Africa. likely to be hit by new COVID-19 variants and a expertise that already exists in South Africa.” powers, if the man gets the job done. fifth wave that coincides with our winter season, For most of 2021, limited global vaccine sup- which would compound our flu and cold season. The global hubs will act as training facilities Not for him to standby, though, especially ply led to huge disparities in COVID-19 vaccine However, we can reduce the impact by ensuring where technology is established at industrial scale in times of crisis, moving to crises promptly and access, leaving billions of people – especially in most people are vaccinated, especially the most and clinical development performed. WHO will decisively – while also engaging the media in a low- and middle-income countries – unprotected vulnerable groups,” said Phaahla.“The new hub compliment this activity and assist other coun- damage-control exercise whenever the situation against serious disease and death from COVID-19. is not just for South Africa, it provides a one-stop tries in Africa and other low- and middle-income warrants it. Anyway, managers are employed to Low levels of vaccine coverage also provided the shop for low- and middle-income countries across countries to strengthen biomanufacturing capac- take tough decisions and produce results, and ideal conditions for new variants to develop. While the world to benefit from the technology trans- ity as well as regulatory capacity. Dr Matshidiso nonetheless Lesufi has proved himself more than supply has now increased, access to any new for- ferred, along with the know-how, so they can also Moeti, regional director of WHO regional office capable when it comes to that call – something mulations of COVID-19 vaccines – tailored spe- produce mRNA vaccines, which is critical if we for Africa, said: “The mRNA hubs provide an un- perhaps some school governing bodies in private cifically to new variants – will likely also be in- are to end vaccine inequity.” Last week, Afrigen, precedented opportunity for capacity development, schools might well unsurprisingly baulk at. Be equitable because manufacturing capacity remains which is part of WHO’s mRNA consortium, gained putting Africa on the path to self-reliance. This it a case of a student stabbing another, school limited to only a small handful of companies and international plaudits as it announced it had devel- initiative will enable the continent to better pro- stairs collapsing and maiming pupils, you name countries. oped its own version of an mRNA shot, based on tect against outbreaks, control the COVID-19 pan- it, Lesufi has always sprung into action with ad- the publicly available data on the composition of demic and develop new vaccines, accelerating the mirable speed to manage things – small or big. “Covid-19 has demonstrated the importance the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which will be elimination of deadly diseases such as HIV, malaria of investments in science, technology and innova- tested in the coming months. and tuberculosis. We are opening the door to better That said, with an impeccable reputation of tion. Therefore, preparing for future pandemics is health and wellbeing for our people.” being hands-on and efficient operator behind his key and so the WHO mRNA global hub is a criti- “This virus shows how interconnected we all name, it begs uncomfortable answers – though cal building block to ensure that South Africa and are and I am proud that Belgium –and other EU “At Medicines Patent Pool, we are thrilled to – how a scandal of such magnitude as the R431- the whole continent has the production capacity countries – are now collaborating to build vaccine be able to offer the mRNA hub our expertise on million school decontamination tender scandal that is essential for equitable vaccine rollout,” said capacity everywhere,” said Kitir. “Going forward intellectual property management and voluntary could have happened under his watch, and es- Nzimande. “The mRNA technology is not only for we need more sharing of licenses, technology licensing. It is impressive how working in partner- cape his characteristic hawkish eye. COVID-19, we hope it can be adapted to help us transfer and know-how so that in this pandemic ship and in a very short time, we have established in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and future ones as we can roll vaccines out quickly the firm base from which this new technology can For the unversed, the topic about the afore- which is why we’re investing heavily, alongside in- and equitably to the whole global population.” be shared across low- and middle-income coun- mentioned scandal arises following yesterday’s ternational partners, in this initiative.” tries,” said Charles Gore, executive director, Medi- Special Tribunal judgment that set aside con- The mRNA global hub is designed to serve cines Patent Pool. “The South African government tracts awarded to services providers by Gauteng Based on the vision of the governments of low- and middle-income countries and will em- and partners have shown extraordinary commit- department of education to decontaminate, dis- South Africa and France for diversifying vaccine power countries to not only be able to make their ment, and of course this has only been made possi- infect and sanitise schools against Covid-19. The manufacturing and specifically accelerating vac- own mRNA vaccines but ultimately to have the ble thanks to our funders, who through rapidly mo- tribunal also ordered the service providers to pay cine production in Africa, a consortium including choice of which vaccines they want to make. Man- bilizing resources have demonstrated such strong back profits derived from irregular R431-million the Medicines Patent Pool, Biovac, Afrigen Bio- ufacturers from low- and middle-income countries support for the project.” deep-cleaning contracts logics and Vaccines, South Africa’s Department of are therefore encouraged to express their own inter- Science and Innovation, the South African Medical est so they can receive training, technology transfer The visit will also include the Centre for Epi- In addition, the tribunal found that the Gaut- Research Council (SAMRC), a network of univer- and any necessary licenses. WHO and partners will demic Response & Innovation, which is at the heart eng education did not follow proper procurement sities and the Africa Centres for Disease Control bring in the production know-how, quality control of South Africa’s world-class viral genomics sur- processes in awarding contracts to the service and Prevention (CDC) are driving forward the ini- and necessary licenses to a single entity to facilitate veillance programme, meetings with civil society providers, of which 173 companies were not a broad and rapid technology transfer to multiple groups and visits to vaccination centres in Cape even on the database of service providers and Town. – World Health Organisation communique their services had been sourced through What- sApp and phone calls. Some reportedly exagger- ated prices, charging 27 times the normal rate. To all intents and purposes, this saga is shocking and truly begs answers of Lesufi, other than saying he would be taking action against those involved. The buck stops with him. Period. Nothing he says in his own defence will remove that. Worse, the Covid-19 warranted highest vigilance and efficient deployment of massive resources at unimaginable scale – still, under the beady eye of all ministers, senior public servants and MECs. But, as it had happened, the country would later be hit by a billion-rand PPE scandal, again under the stewardship of MECs, ministers and senior public servants. This is a big stink. Need- less to call for anyone to resign. Because it will never, ever happen in this country. v 060 936 2673 [email protected] Weekly SA Mirror is published by Weekly SA Mirror Pty Ltd. Correspondence to be directed to: PostNet Suite 230, Private Bag X 9, Melville 2109. Website: www.weeklysamirror.news Contact: 060 936 2673 Letters to be sent to: [email protected] Weekly SA Mirror subscribes to the Press Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African Print and Online Media. As a subscriber publication and member of the Press Council of SA, the publication is thus subject to the Press Code and to the jurisdiction of the PCSA’s com- plaints procedures.

Friday 11 February 2022 OPINION/ANALYSIS 9WEEKLY SA MIRROR ‘IN DEFENCE OF OUR OWN’ CONCERNED: A group of advocates join hands to defend Mpofu against attacks following the chief justice’s post interviews... COLUMN: Adriaan Basson, News24 editor- in-chief On 7 February 2022 Mr Adriaan Basson, Ed- SIGNATORY: Advocate Dumisa Ntsebenza CO-AUTHOR: Advocate Muzi Skhakhane itor-in-Chief of News 24 published an article not tolerate them because they are what Africans in which he sought not merely to differ with have endured for centuries since white settlers set of whiteness, an arro- of the media to be more responsible in their natu- our own brother and senior colleague, Dali their oppressive, thieving, murderous and exploit- gance that seeks to keep the land, the economy, the ral instinct to dislike African people. This racist Mpofu SC, but also sought to pour upon him ative foot on our shores. rule of law and the legal profession in the control campaign and political vendetta against Mpofu gratuitous insults typical of the colonial and of white people. Furthermore, this is a tendency and other senior African advocates is unhelpful barbaric attitude of whiteness towards Afri- To the extent that we may be dealing with that is borne out of the arrogance of some among for our country. It detracts from the real mission cans in general, and more recently, African embedded journalism, we may be dealing with us, who have arrogated to themselves the position of creating a truly free society for Africans in the professionals in particular. journalists who are actually embedded with inter- of super democrats who are the high priests and land of their birth. ests that have always sought to direct South Africa priestesses, masters, guardians and custodians of We consider the article an irresponsible at- towards a neo-liberal reality, and away from the modernity, democracy and constitutionalism. We know how it feels to face the wrath and or- tack on a legal practitioner performing his consti- goal of creating a society that is the antithesis of ganized persecution by an army of journalists and tutional duties. The Judicial Service Commission apartheid colonialism. No white legal practitioner, Only through what their world view and what commentators as they consistently pour scorn on performs a constitutional duty and it is in that no matter what crook or rapist they represent has they imagine to be democratic does democracy all of us. We expect the attacks that will come our context that we must view his contribution. ever been attacked or insulted by the likes of Bas- exist. Anything that resides outside their imagina- way as a result of this statement and call upon all son and his ilk. They reserve their attacks for Af- tion and does not coincide with their pi notions of progressive structures in the legal profession like If Basson is so committed to polite language rican professionals because they arrogate to them- democracy is undemocratic, and those who dare AFT, BLA, PABASA and NADEL to join us in as he claims, his point and even criticism of the selves the role of superior to Africans, whom they challenge their illusory and self-serving notions of defending ourselves against this racist onslaught. process or Mpofu and Malema, could be done see as sub-human. democracy are the barbarians at the gate. One of ISSUED AND SUPPORTED BY: without resorting to narcissistic insults. Basson the challenges facing South Africa today is a net- chooses to refer to Mpofu as “a scoundrel, im- One of the things betrayed by the racist at- work of whiteness, propagated through the main- MUZI SIKHAKHANE SC moral and a nincompoop”. Of course, the term titude in Basson’s article is the extent to which stream media, which transcends ideology, par- DUMISA NTSEBEZA SC nincompoop is drawn from the Latin phrase “non social, political and economic reality is domi- ties and political interests. In many ways, it even JOE NALANE SC compos mentis”, which means a person not of nated by another reality – the fact that whiteness transcends race, in so far as some of its allies are THABANI MASUKU SC right mind. Really? has become South Africa’s new majority, whose people who are on the periphery of whiteness, but ELIZABETH BALOYI-MERE SC world view, and ways of being have become the through assimilation into its culture, have become MAHLAPE SELLO SC We note the racial undertones in his attack dominant reality in our neo-apartheid state. The adept at mimicking its disdain towards blackness, NOMGCOBO JIBA and find it an outrage that in his desire to differ agenda is to make sure that the interests of the new its grammar and superior tone and have therefore MBETANA MALOBOLA with Mpofu SC, he resorts to gratuitous insults cultural majority are imposed, enforced, promoted become its useful idiots. MENZI SIMELANE and slurs, whose roots are clearly what he (Bas- and maintained . NQABA BUTHELEZI son) inherits from his colonial racist heritage that We are outraged by the language used by Bas- NKOMOTANA MOTSEPE settled on our shores to rape, to plunder, to ex- One of the ways in which this happens is son against Mpofu and understand that it repre- MPATI QOFA ploit, to maim and to colonize. He naturally sees through the imposition of an echo-chamber, sents, not only his bigoted attitude towards Mpo- MPILO SIKHAKHANE Mpofu, the same way the colonial forefathers which, in the main, is governed by a cannon of ra- fu, but also his inherited prejudice against African SKHUMBUZO NHANTSI saw an African: an immoral, depraved and irra- tional opinion, and anything that falls outside this people. His language and insults are part of the BRIGHT SHABALALA tional being, whose race is so inferior it deserves cannon is base, immoral and irrational, and any- culture reserved for black professionals. No white NDUMISO XULU the master’s sharp tongue and reprimand. thing that falls outside this cannon is as barbaric professional, no matter how uncultured, has had MXOLISI ZONDO as what the white colonizer imagined the African to endure the kind of insults Basson and his ilk XOLISWA SIBEKO Basson could well differ with Mpofu SC, and to be. This is a logic of whiteness which is the direct at black professionals and black people in TINY SEBOKO he is entitled to do so, but we take exception to the offspring of coloniality, a logic that is governed general. LWAZI MTSHIZO seeming colonial logic that informs the insults he by the belief that those who are not white are not ENQUIRIES throws at him. What inspires the insults? It comes as human as those who are, and it is therefore not Basson occupies a very important media space Dumisa Ntsebeza SC from the same people, who, not so long-ago immoral to visit upon them the barbarism of colo- and should use that space more sensitively than to 082 467 2490 lynched Minister Lindiwe Sisulu when she ex- nialism and apartheid. propagate his own insults towards Mpofu. We ask Muzi Sikhakhane SC pressed a world view that does not coincide with Basson to reconsider, not his views, because he 010 900 2170 theirs. Clearly, like some among us, Basson is It is actually in defense of this barbarism, is entitled to them, but the painful import of his Lizzy Baloyi- Mere SC unhappy with the outcome of the JSC interviews which today exists as neo-apartheid that people insults against Mpofu, and by extension, against 082 679 2181 for the position of Chief Justice. Save to state that like Basson can, with no sense of irony, engage all of us. we respect each and every candidate that appeared in the double-standard we see in his article. At the before the JSC recently, we make no comments centre of this bigoted tendency is the arrogance We call on Basson, News 24 and all the about the process because that is not the focus of NGO’s of super democrats and certain sections our statement. Basson employs the old device made popular by whiteness when insulting us. In the hope that they, like his minions, crave white approval, he draws a line between Mpofu on the one hand and the likes of Semenya, Ntsebeza and Mtshaulana on the other. How patronizing. How cheap. Nt- sebeza, Semenya and Mtshaulana can never join him as he insults one of their own. He, typically, as the superior one, arrogates upon himself the knowledge of what Mpofu and Malema had in their minds. It is ironic that Basson descends to gratuitous insults in order to challenge what he views as in- sulting and unfair to certain candidates. Many like Basson are just unhappy that an African woman, Justice Maya, was recommended and have con- jured up a plethora of excuses and feeble legal ar- gument to justify what is at best their displeasure or at worst, their prejudice. Ironically, it is they, the self-appointed super democrats, and not Mpo- fu, who are inspired by misogyny. We will defend both Mpofu and Justice Maya and we consider it a national disgrace that after 27 years of almost five male Chief Justices since the democratic break- through, there is opposition disguised as consti- tutionalism, to a recommendation we should all celebrate. We must expose the mindset that inspires these insults and state categorically that we will

10 WEEKLY SA MIRROR FASHION/LIFESTYLE Friday 11 February 2022 PHILANTHROPY: In this article (her last) for the Mirror, WSAM Lifestyle and Deco Editor Kuli Roberts interviews Ms Tammy Greyling, managing director of the non-profit arm of Clothes to Good… LEVI’S RECYCLING INITIATIVE HELPS CREATE JOBS MICRO: Donate worn-out levi’s jeans to change lives… SEWING: One of the women employed happy to be empowered the current South African unemployment rate would still be time to feature it. of 99% among this community. They remain Might you still be interested and, if possible, critically dependent on their parents, particu- would we be able to publish this side of the year? larly their mothers, who are often forced to remain at home to provide care, hindering the Looking forward to hearing from you and family’s opportunities and potential to find trust you’ll continue to enjoy your day. pathways out of poverty. One of CTG’s focus FADED; Tammy Greyling showing off a pair of old jeans areas is therefore on a micro-business devel- opment programme for mothers of children with disabilities. By Kuli Roberts selling of post-consumer pre-loved clothes, How can people get involved with Clothes To Valentine’s Day is not just about lovers, but a CTG programmes collaborate with high re- Good? love for empowering. We love Levi’s initiative sourced schools, businesses, non-profit or- Clothes To Good (CTG). Can you tell us a bit ganisations, the public, people with disabili- The public can recycle their pre-love jeans about Clothes To Good? ties and their families, and people previously at Levi’s retail stores nationally and will disadvantaged into a sustainable ecosystem. be rewarded for their kind donation with Clothes to Good (CTG) finds great joy in Together, the value-cycle includes people, a 20% discount on their new pair of Levi’s using what others categorise as “waste”, to passion, technology and post-consumer en- Jeans. Clothes to Good can be contacted via empower community women through micro- vironmental change resulting in sustainable, of website on https://clothestogood.com/ or business development, create jobs for people high social impact. email us on [email protected] or call us on with disabilities and creating educational re- Tell us a bit about the ladies who work with 0126634168 or 0742427414. sources for children in low-resourced early Clothes To Good and how their lives have been childhood development (ECD) centres. We impacted? Can you tell us a bit about the process of con- SHADES; Jeans come in predominantly are passionate about using an asset-based ap- We are especially passionate about people sumers dropping off their jeans at participating three different colours proach and empowering communities to “use with disabilities and the challenges generally Levi’s stores? what they have, where they are”. prevent people with disabilities from becom- Through the sourcing, sorting, up-cycling and ing gainfully employed. This is reflected by A simple process of just dropping off their pre-loved jeans and they get 20% off their next purchase per jeans recycled. The drive has been extended until next year so there By Mpumi Brown SOKO PICKS SOCKS New local retailer Soko, located in Rose-bank Mall, is on a mission. Soko District’s goal is to fill a FOR CHARITY need which is often overlooked. DRIVE A lot of initiatives tend to focus on the sup- DEAR: Uniforms are cost-effective for low- ply of school shoes, school bags and stationary; income families whereas Soko District has decided to focus on an unlikely item, often easily forgotten but is essential to a learner...SOCKS! The reality is, while middle-class families may find uniforms cheaper than purchasing high-end clothing, low-income families often do not see it that way. School uniforms are an expensive purchase for many parents. They require parents to buy clothes, often at deliberately inflated prices. However, at Soko District, for every R300 spent, you will help donate school socks to a child in need. But that’s not all... Soko District will also ac- knowledge those who make this charity drive a, success. As a thank-you for supporting local busi- nesses, shoppers who qualify will receive an eco- friendly, reusable shopping bag when they spend R300 or more.

Friday 11 February 2022 ENTERTAINMENT 11WEEKLY SA MIRROR BROTHERS SIZE RESONATES WITH RIVETTING STORYLINE DRAMA: A tale of serious reflection on brotherhood, freedom, black excellence, lifted by spellbinding poetry, music and dance… By Gugu Sibiya icans. It also means taking stock of the gains they These thought-provok- have made, and motivate each other to strive for ing dialogues are backed by Play: Brothers Size. greatness far beyond their circumstances. Most im- poignant moments of poet- Cast: Nhlakanipho Manqele-Ogun, portant, they need to acknowledge and appreciate ry, music and vibrant dance Katlego Chale-Oshoosi, Marlo the strides made in their quest for black excellence. moves. Minaar- Elegba. Talk of West African Playwright: Tarell Alvin, McCraney. Credibly articulating the message in Brothers mythology fused with a Director: James Ngcobo. Size are brothers Nhlakanipho Manqele, who plays contemporary tale of free- the eldest son Ogun. Katlego Chale’s role is that dom. The inherent need In celebration of Black History Month, the of Oshoosi, the youngest son. Ogun is named after to belong somewhere, to Market theatre in Newtown, Johannesburg, has the spirit of iron and labour, while Oshoosi’s name something or someone. HISTORY: Nhlakanipho Manqele, who plays eldest son Ogun brought back the popular play, Brothers Size for is the spirit of forest and wanderer. Enter Elegba Credited with being one and Katlego Chale portrays Oshoosi, youngest son another season. played by Marlo Minaar who answers to the spirit of the most brilliant play- of chaos and the good of crossroads. wrights in the United States fluence is known to reach the highest of offices. Hosted at Manie Manim Theatre for a short of America, Tarell Alvin McClareney penned the Market theater’s award-winning artistic direc- season that started on January 28, it’s going to run Befriending the two brothers, Elegba lives up to Brothers Size. tor, James Ngcobo is on the director’s chair. He has until February 28. Brothers Size should enthrall its his namesake’s action of chaos by rocking the boat. The Oscar award-winning writer is highly ac- carved a name as a man who delivers only excel- audience with its refreshingly realistic and thought- He instigates discord between the two brothers. As claimed for his talent and significant contribution lent, quality plays at the precinct, boasting interna- provoking outlook to life. The well-structured dia- you follow the discussion, you may be fascinated to theatre and film. In 2016 he co-wrote the film tional reach too. logue should resonate with theatre lovers during by its brilliant analytical exploration of the com- Moonlight, which is about his work. It led to him Tickets cost between R90 – R150 for various this time of remembrance and reflection. plexities of brotherhood, devotion and freedom. receiving an Academy Award for Best Adapted days. They can be booked through Anthony Ezeke Screenplay. A man of many hats in the arts, his in- on 011 832 1641 ext 203 or 083 246 4950. Black History Month is a significant, yet emo- Enriching the narrative, are the electrify- tive, commemorative time for many African Amer- ing speeches that have, not only interrogated, but grasped the intricate brotherly relationships.

12 WEEKLY SA MIRROR MOTORING Friday 11 February 2022 EIGHT IS MOTORING:Briefs ENOUGH FOR BMW SA VEHICLE SALES OFF TO GOOD START REFRESHED: But questions linger if this will be the marque’s SA vehicle sales off to a very good start; these swansong following mild makeover and were the top brands in January, 2022. disappointing sales worldwide 1. Toyota Hilux - 2803 2. Toyota Starlet - 1472 GEAR KNOB: Not much change from previous model 3. Volkswagen Polo - 1455 4. Toyota Urban Cruiser - 1454 ELEGANT: Large 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Display and three-spoke steering wheel 5. Volkswagen Polo Vivo - 1373 6. Toyota Corolla Cross - 1356 By Ali Mphaki It would seem the exclusivity of the 8-se- the 840Ciwith production coming to end after the 7. Isuzu D-Max - 1141 One, two, three up to eight, in the motoring ries was not a deterrent enough for the hijackers, 1999 model, thanks to the global financial crisis. 8. Toyota Hiace - 1076 world these numbers can easily be associated who according to unconfirmed reports also took a 9. Suzuki Swift - 1069 with brand BMW. You have the I-Series, 2-Se- swooshing drive past Soweto on their way to their It resurfaced in 2018, albeit in an 6-series 10. Haval Jolion - 1038 ries, the unmatchable 3-Series right up to the hide out. That, in all fairness, should rate as the guise, reinventing itself and still sporty. Just four iconic 8-Series etc. best drive they will ever enjoy (endure) in all their years into its life, the brand’s high-end luxury line- END OF THE ROAD FOR AUDI miserable lives. Whatever the circumstances, it up has undergone a mild makeover. The major A1 But it is the coolest BMW’s to ever emanate may just well be that the scumbags could not resist makeover is that all model variants come with an from Bavaria, the 8-Series, now approaching its the 8-Series’s drop-dead super GT timeless design, M sports package as standard, but underneath the Audi has decided to discontinue the A1 hatch- 40th birthday, which has had its unprecedented fair which somehow seem to get better with time. bonnet is the same petrol and diesel powertrains as back after the model lives out its current gen- share of the smooth and the rough. before. Some commentators feel the sparse facelift eration. Speaking to German newspaper Han- It will be worth to remember that the 8-Series in the face of ever dwindling sales is a last desper- delsblatt, Audi’s chief executive officer Markus First shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show was apart from offering a formidable challenge to ate measure to save the 8er, and will not necessar- Duesmann said “we have decided not to build in 1989, it debuted in South Africa in somewhat the likes of top of the range Mercedes Benz and ily translate into sales. the A1 anymore, and there will be no successor spectacular fashion during a year or two later when even the Aston Martin, it was birthed as a competi- model from the Q2 either. news broke out that it had been hijacked around tor to the then runaway success, the indomitable For all its beauty, but a commercial flop, it Sandton only to be discovered by the then ever- 7-Series. Reports show an immense interest for would seem eight is just more than enough for We have also realigned Audi as a premium alert SAP a few days later in the Indian suburb of the newcomer, even wooing fans from the likes of BMW. brand.” The Audi A1 will join the Q2 as a dis- Lenasia, south of Johannesburg. Porsche and Lamborghini’s, as buyers voted with continued car come next generation. For those their wallets. fearing the demise of the model, the change There were only four of them in South Africa, won’t happen overnight and is likely to only produced at BMW’s Rosslyn plant, after Germa- First available as the 850i with a 5-litre V-12 take place after the models current lifespan of ny had only built 98 right-hand drive 850s with a engine, the 8er went on in its life-span to produce approximately six to eight years. clutch, according to an article in the Sunday Times. various derivatives like the 850CSi, the 850Ci, LANDCRUISER PRADO GO- QUAD TAILPIPES: It does not scream but ING ELECTRIC purrs as it goes about its business The 2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado may end IMPACTFUL; A fascinating luxury and a confident appearance up with a pure-electric powertrain, according to a new theory out of Japan. Website Creative311 is reporting the Lexus Electrified SUV – the pre-production concept of a future model shown in recent days – could actually be giving us a glimpse of the luxury version of the future LandCruiser Prado. Lexus currently sells the Prado as the GX in North American markets, and an industry rumour says the premium model will be introduced to Japan (and potentially other right-hand-drive markets, such as Australia) in the coming years. This latest report suggests the Lexus Electri- fied SUV could actually be previewing the GX, meaning Toyota’s next-generation Prado could end up being based on a fully-electric platform. BEST SPY SHOTS OF THE MONTH US magazine Motor 1.com, has released spy shots of 15 upcoming vehicles, including ones from BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Lam- borghini, Porsche, and more. This gallery of the refreshed 3 Series in- cludes looks at the wagon and the sedan. Both of them have tweaks to the nose and tail. This example of the BMW 3 Series refresh is a bit different because it has the wing from the M Performance package. It has rectangular ex- haust outlets, too. The refreshed BMW X6 doesn’t change much on the outside, while the next generation Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasts a very similar styling to the cur- rent one, but it rides on a completely different platform, with Mercedes using a C-Class body as a test mule for their future SUV. US ROAD ACCIDENT TALLY GOES UP An estimated 31,720 people died in crashes from January through September last year, which represents a significant increase of about 12 percent compared to the same period in 2020. NHTSA says this is the highest projected num- ber of fatalities for the first nine months since 2006. Even worse, this increase is the highest percentage increase for the period in the NHT- SA annual analysis’ history. “This is a national crisis,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg comments. “We can- not and must not accept these deaths as an in- evitable part of everyday life..” Last month, the US Department of Trans- portation announced the so-called National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), a plan which proposes concrete measures in an at- tempt to avoid those fatalities and heavy inju- ries, including building and maintaining safer roads, rulemaking on automatic emergency braking and pedestrian automatic emergency braking, and investing in road safety.

Friday 11 February 2022 PERSONAL FINANCE/BUSINESS 13WEEKLY SA MIRROR FINANCIAL EXPERTS MONEY a cappuccino is only R30, but if you have one every GIVE TIPS TO NAVIGATE day over 20 days, suddenly you have spent R600 market that month! If you saved that R600 over a year, you CRIPPLING have R7 200.” ECONOMIC CRUNCH How to get started then? “First, list all of your SAVE: Consumers urged to pay their debts and necessary items: expenses and income,” says Nko- si. “Sort through your expenses and see if it’s pos- to save money By Isaac Moledi pound interest. Kenosi Magosha, head of client sible to trim some of these. Do this monthly. Track While the country and the world have experi- solutions savings at Sanlam, explains: “When you your progress and adjust accordingly.” Kenosi Magosha, head of client solutions enced one of the devastating financial crisis ever, start saving, most of what you get is what you put savings at Sanlam financial experts say being prepared is essential. in. But as time goes on, you get interest on what For those who have been retrenched, Nkosi ad- you save. And you get interest on top of that. Then vises: “Do not spend money on unnecessary items One thing that experts agree on is that a fi- the growth starts compounding on itself. So later, and don’t dip into your savings unless absolutely nancial crisis is nothing new; they have occurred most of your money’s growth is down to the fact necessary. If you receive a retrenchment package, over the years and will probably occur again. But that you’ve managed to grow money on top of what concentrate on paying off debts first and carefully none have hit the world tougher and harder than you put in. That’s why the role of compound inter- spend on necessities (needs). Forget about ‘the the events leading to Covid- 19 in 2020. Worldwide est is so vital.” Magosha says compound interest is wants’ for now.” It’s also time to negotiate with events during pandemic have disrupted how people money you earn just for having money saved. companies to whom you were paying monthly interact, how they celebrate, and how they can earn Pay down your debts debit orders. their livelihood. And experts believe that this new normal is likely to be around for some time, so it’s South Africans have shockingly high levels But for Magosha, its a big no-no: cashing in up to communities to figure out how to survive and of debt. According to DebtBusters’ (the country’s pension. “Every time you make a withdrawal, you possibly thrive during these times. It is without any largest debt counsellor) 2019 Quarter 3 analysis are just punishing yourself in the future.” Rather, doubt that during the period, millions of people lost report, people who earn less than R5 000 a month see what debit orders you can pause, what repay- their jobs and others have had theirs rendered re- need 63% of their income to repay their creditors. ments you can negotiate and what expenses you dundant. The advice from experts is, if you want to Those who earn over R20 000 a month have debt can cut back on first – drawing from your long-term weather this storm, you should take charge of your levels of, on average, 133% of their net annual in- savings should be your last resort. finances and this is what they say: pandemic-proof come. As a nation, we’re also three months or more Diversify your investments your finances with these 4 practical money tips for behind our debt repayments. During uncertain navigating through tough economic times. times, it can be challenging to cover day-to-day ex- Blignaut says most of the people are familiar Have an emergency fund penses – let alone debt repayments – and this can with the saying ‘don’t put all your eggs in one cause your debt to spiral out of control. basket’, and this saying could be applied to your As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s un- investments. An economic downturn could be a fi- derstandable that money may feel too tight to allow “In normal circumstances, we encourage indi- nancial disaster if all your money is tied up in one for saving. But it would be a big mistake to neglect viduals to make a budget monthly and pay extra type of investment. your savings or not to start a savings pot at all. money whenever possible to pay down debts to kill When an economy starts to dip, our jobs and our in- the interest and ultimately get rid of debt faster. It Blignaut describes diversification as a type come can easily be put in jeopardy, and it’s for this is especially important to pay debts down in this of investment strategy whereby you invest your reason that a savings fund is crucial. Whether your trying time,” says Nkosi. money into several different financial instruments, hours have been cut back, you’re out of a job, or industries and sectors. “Diversifying your invest- your business isn’t making money, “a savings fund “Sidestepping debt is merely compounding the ments is one way to protect your money from the can provide a much-needed safety net to fall back interest you are going to pay and therefore increas- ups and downs of the markets.” on in case of a financial emergency,” says Nomvula ing your debt,” according to Nicki Blignaut, senior Nkosi, a financial planner at Sanlam4u. financial planner at 2one2 BlueStar. “Rather pay as Describing diversification as key, Blignaut says much as you can whenever you can” . : “Markets are changing all the time with different Remember: you don’t need a lot of money to portfolios performing differently. Fund managers start saving; even putting away as little as R50 Nkosi says in this situation, one must come up have different goals and targets, and by having in- a month can help you to take advantage of com- with a strategic debt pay-off plan and stick to it. vestments in a few, you catch them up somewhere “Take stock of your financial situation and identify to make up for the down somewhere else. spending areas where you can cut back on the go.” Create a budget and stick to it “No one knows what the future holds,” says Magosha. “Something may look good today, but “We don’t realise how much we spend on things you don’t know what happens five years down the if we don’t budget,” says Blignaut. “You may think line. You could invest in one sector, and if that’s negatively affected, then all your savings are nega- tively affected. Spreading your money across dif- ferent sectors, asset classes and companies can help protect you from losing all your money in one place. It’s minimising what will happen if things go bad.” This, according to Magosha, is where a fi- nancial planner comes into play, as they have the knowledge and expertise to know how to invest your money in a way that offers good diversifica- tion, based on your needs and goals. Get person- alised advice on how to keep your finances under control by speaking to an expert financial planner. By Isaac Moledi BUSINESSES FACE A said Åsa Skogström Feldt, managing director, with A survey by the Independent Polling System of GLOOMY FUTURE DUE IKEA Social Entrepreneurship. Society has established that 63% of small, me- TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC Empowering men and women to become success- dium and micro enterprises (SMME’s) were not ful entrepreneurs performing well following the introduction of the TRAIN: Programme launched to help the government’s lockdown regulations. unemployed to run small businesses Unemployed men and women (mostly parents) join the two-year training programmes at TCB and Almost four in every ten business owners (38%) officer of TCB, which creates self-employment and tween corporations and social enterprises, reveals quickly start their small business by trading, mainly estimated that it would take more than a year to re- small business opportunities for unemployed indi- how social enterprises meet corporate customer in the informal sector, in the clothing or appliances cover, while nearly three in every ten (28%) said viduals while also reducing retail chain waste. She needs by offering product differentiation, cost sav- that they buy from the group at discounted prices. they did not know how long the recovery period said the group was delighted to feature among the ings, or increases in efficiency while delivering They also learn life-long technical and business would be, as things were still too uncertain. This is world’s social enterprise leaders in the prestigious more jobs and better livelihoods for marginalised skills to ensure that their small businesses remain the status of the SMME’s around the world. Glob- global report. “Our group’s success has always been and vulnerable groups. sustainable. “We don’t believe you can learn busi- ally, the financial sustainability of the SMME’s has built on power partnerships with corporate South ness in a classroom. Our programmes are practical been under significant pressure. Whether entrepre- Africa. We have a blueprint that can work globally. The research was supported by SAP, Ernst & and experiential. We create a nurturing and support- neurs work in the service or the manufacturing in- Our programmes create self-employment opportu- Young LPP, Autodesk Foundation, solidaridad, ive environment for our trainees. They are exposed dustry, SMMEs have reported that the pandemic and nities and address retail supply chain waste – it’s a Porticus, Argidius and 60 Decibels, and developed to over 1000 hours of practical training and sup- lockdown have had a ‘significant’ impact on their win-win situation. We are thrilled that our work has under the auspices of the World Economic Forum port, covering modules from money management, businesses. However, despite the downturn and on- been formally recognised in this highly respected Covid Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs, business skills, computer skills and life skills,” said going economic uncertainty, some small firms and global report.” a network of more than 85 organisations supporting Gilmore. In the Appliance Bank programme they non-profit organisations, such as South Africa’s in- the social enterprise ecosystem. Yasmina Zaidman, also teach the technical skills needed to repair small novative social enterprise group, The Clothing Bank The group’s programmes, which include the Chief Partnerships Officer at Acumen, commented, appliances. (TCB), have managed to buck the trend with re- Clothing Bank programme for unemployed moth- “This research has shown us how the success of so- markable success. Incredibly, during these gloomy ers and the Appliance Bank programme for unem- cial enterprises and of corporations are intertwined. The programme approaches the development economic times, TCB has made it onto a list of ployed men, train individuals to run informal small These corporate-ready social enterprises are helping of women and men holistically. “We understand global corporate-ready social enterprises along with businesses selling clothes and repairing and selling corporations solve business challenges while driv- that you have to engage the head, the heart and the similar organisations from 43 countries. Acumen, a appliances donated to the group by national retail- ing major progress on their sustainability and inclu- hands to create a healthy small business. We have leading non-profit impact investment fund, with the ers. Beneficiaries of these programmes made R60 sion goals.” an extensive support system that includes coaching, support of IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and part- million’s worth of estimated profit in their micro- mentoring and counselling. The objective is that ners, recently launched the Corporate-Ready: How businesses in 2020. “There are still many hurdles the research iden- each person should earn at least R4 000 per month,” Corporations and Social Enterprises Do Business tified, but also many examples of solutions and suc- added Gilmore. She hopes that organisations such Together to Drive Impact report, highlighting new Driving social impact through powerful cesses. It is our hope that the insights and inspira- as TCB, which have achieved global recognition in survey data that demonstrates how social enterpris- partnerships tional cases will open opportunities for many and the report, would be able to grow their networks and es bring inclusion, sustainability and social impact different types of partnerships, ultimately increas- partner with other corporates locally and globally. into corporate value chains. The ‘Corporate-Ready’ report, which includes ing support for the people who need it the most,” “Just as successful entrepreneurs solve many of the a list of 100 examples of business partnerships be- world’s problems through innovation, we believe Based on data gathered through a first-of-its- that social enterprises hold enormous potential to kind survey of more than 150 social impact ori- partner with corporates to help them address their ented businesses worldwide, the report provides challenges while broadening their horizons to solu- recommendations for how companies can use their tions that may lead to a positive impact on society.” procurement spending, estimated at $13 trillion globally, to source from social enterprises and ad- TCB’s operations include a national footprint vance their environmental and social commitments. providing over 1 000 previously unemployed South Tracey Gilmore is co-founder and chief operating African men and women with the tools needed to create and sustain their micro-enterprises every year.

14 WEEKLY SA MIRROR SPORT Friday 11 February 2022 GROTESQUE TACKLING SIDELINES SIYA BALL PASSED: Springboks captain out of the game for around six weeks after Hurricanes hooker blindsided him with a shoulder into the knee By Sports Reporter ‘If this becomes the general trend of the com- New Zealand-based writer Mark Reason has petition, then I would be very worried,’ Dobson suggested that some of the Hurricanes’ tackling added. ‘It was disappointing. If you have a Pieter- in the opening game against the Stormers was Steph du Toit who is World Player of the Year and ‘grotesque’. the way of dealing with him is cheap shots, then it is a problem.’ One of the main talking points from that Vo- It was a view that also seemed to be held by dacom Super Rugby clash at Newlands was the Reason in an opinion piece on Stuff.co.nz. off-the-ball tackle on Siya Kolisi, which is set to ‘The worst hit was the “tackle” of Ricky Ric- sideline the Stormers and Bok skipper for several citelli on Siya Kolisi. It was an act of cowardly weeks. thuggery. The Springboks captain had already long passed the ball when the Hurricanes hooker blind- Hurricanes hooker Ricky Riccitelli is said to sided him with a shoulder into the knee. It was ri- have apologised for the incident after the game, but diculously late and has put the Springboks captain when reflecting on the injury, Kolisi also admitted out of the game for around six weeks. that he hadn’t expected to be hit in the tackle as he’d ‘Riccitelli did not even look at Kolisi, an icon already passed the ball. of the game, as he was helped off the pitch. And to rugby’s shame, nothing has subsequently been done Stormers coach John Dobson was also fuming about it. We need sanctions for this sort of thing. in the following days. Why should the victims, the Stormers and Kolisi, suffer, but the thugs escape unpunished. ‘I thought that was a mean-spirited game,’ he ‘You would have liked to think that the Hur- said. ‘That was not good for the tournament going ricanes coaching staff would have publicly apolo- forward. It had nothing to do with the referee. It was gised after the game for this and many other cheap very subtle stuff. But when we reviewed the game a shots their players perpetrated. But we know what few times, we got more and more angry. happens when New Zealand rugby is criticised. They jump into the sand pit and go into the denial ‘I think Pieter-Steph went through quite a hard mode of a small child.’- SA Rugby Magazine OUT: Siya Kolisi will be out for the next six week nursing an injury time. There was one movement where Seabelo’s hair was pulled twice. We were not happy with that game at all, we weren’t happy with lots of stuff that happened on the field. By Own Correspondent Behind the glory, enjoyed by successful foot- NOTHING SMALL ballers today, there are always stories to tell. ABOUT ‘DOWNS Some of these present stars have experienced LADIES TSETSE tribulations from an early age. In some cases, whilst growing up in the streets, the future KGADIETE players were working around the clock to earn their livelihood. DOGGED DETERMINATION: Oftentimes, the only thing that gave them Perseverance pays off for the comfort was kicking that magical spherical ob- Mdantsane-born female player who ject made from ‘pigskin’ and ‘cowhide’ with their barefoot. Simply put, life was not handed to them used to play with boys on a silver platter; they had to continuously grind to reach their dreams. MERCURIAL: Melinda Kgadiete evading a slide tackle during the 2021 Cosafa Womens Championship semis against Malawi Thanks to sheer determination and persever- ing the game and I got to appreciate the role they “Joining Mamelodi Sundowns has been a great there is a lot that we want to achieve. One of the ance, one footballer who broke the chain of her played on match days. The training sessions were experience because the club is huge both on and reasons I joined the team was to win accolades and early years of struggle is Mamelodi Sundowns La- intensive and heavily demanding,” the forward off the pitch,” Melinda said. “Considering what the club has afforded me that opportunity,” Kga- dies striker Melinda “Tsetse” Kgadiete. stated. I have been through, I feel blessed to be handed diete confidently declared. the opportunity to play for such an illustrious club. The Banyana Ba Style and South African The soft-spoken player, who joined The brand is synonymous with excellence and this Although the Mdantsane-born attacker is of- Women’s National Team forward (was frank) as Masandawana at the start of the treble-winning shows in the way we dominate games and win ten praised for her ability to put the ball in the back she recalled the struggles that she faced while season after a great spell with Siwelele Ladies, de- trophies. As a team, we work hard daily because of the net, there is a lighter side to her personality growing up in her neighbourhood. scribed what it means to play for The Brazilians. off the field. -Sundowns Digital magazine “I grew up in Mdantsane, a township on the outskirts of East London in the Eastern Cape, which was one of the toughest experiences of my life.” Kgadiete continued to describe her life growing up, “During my tender age, surviving was challenging but I was fortunate that my par- ents were very supportive.” The 29-year-old attacker excitedly explained how she fell in love with the game during her formative years, “My love for soccer came from my father who was very passionate about the sport and played for the local team. My first taste of or- ganized football came when I was just nine years old. At the time, I played for a club named ‘Fu- ture Stars’, and remarkably, I was the only female player on the team.” She continued to express how awkward it was on game days, “I had to get dressed on my own. This often made them scepti- cal about me, but I was a very good player and my coach always ensured that I got the respect that I deserved.” Melinda Celebrating with Teammates after a Sundowns attacker is often regarded as one of the least argumentative towards the referees, “Earlier in my career, I was doubling up as a match official to boost my knowledge of the game. This happened when I was still playing for a club named Birmingham City Ladies in the Sasol League. As a match official, I spent time study-

Friday 11 February 2022 SPORT 15WEEKLY SA MIRROR SPORTS: Briefs BOTSWANA/NAMIBIA TO TENACIOUS: Nkululeko Mhlongo has successfully defended HOST 2027 AFCON? SA jnr middleweight crown for more than a decade Botswana proposal to co-host the 2027 edition of BULLDOG SHOWS HIS the Afcon with Namibia has been met with enor- BITE IN THE RING mous skepticism by local sport analysts. They have all questioned Namibia’s infrastructure and UNDISPUTED: Nkululeko Mhlongo has been RIN GSIDE V fiscal capacity to host the continent’s premium ruling the roost having successfully defended IEW football competition. the crown six times Neighbouring Botswana recently extended an By Pule Mokhine A quick glance at his resume suggests Bull- PULE invitation to their Namibian counterparts putting If there is any local boxer that has punched his dog, who derives his moniker from fighting like MOKHINE forth a gigantic proposal to co-host the 2027 Af- way commendably above his pound of flesh in an enraged bulldog, acquitted himself pretty much rica Cup of Nations edition with Namibia as they the ring in recent times, then Nkululeko “Bull- commendably in all national title bouts as a junior About his upcoming contest, Bulldog believes aim to bring the tournament back to southern Af- dog” Mhlongo’s name must fit the bill perfectly. middleweight. He lifted then then vacant crown he will up to task of making a successful defense. rican shores. in 2011 after beating Page Tshesane on points at Mhlongo can proudly lay claim to the brag- Mhluzi Hall in Middleburg. “I know nothing about my next opponent While both the Botswana Sports Council and ging rights after earning outright ownership of his Mthembu’s style of boxing except that he is a te Botswana Football Association have reportedly championship belt from Boxing SA (BSA). This Bulldog was in his element when he stopped tough customer. I won’t allow him to take my title. already gotten approval from that country’s cabi- feat comes after the fighter been ruling the roost as all his foes in the next contests. They include Yan- net to prepare to host the 2027 football showpiece, undisputed SA junior middleweight champion for ga Petani (March 2013, Fort Hare, Eastern Cape), “I am extremely comfortable fighting in this Namibia on the other hand is faced with a crag of more than 10 years to date, having now successful- Tebogo Malose (Nasrec, September 2013), Frans big division and I’m determined to prove my worth challenges on almost all accounts. ly defended the crown six times without a defeat. Ramabolu (2014, Bloemfontein), Walter Dlamini by making a successful defense. Mthembu may be (Pretoria, 2014) and Branden Thysse (Emperors a good contender, but I will definitely knock him SKATER VALIEVA THROWS Now Bulldog wants to make history by captur- Palace, 2017). out as I’ve done so with the others before.” BEIJING GAMES INTO CHAOS ing another title in the heavier class which is the middleweight category and become the only local No local boxer has ever done so commend- Mahoko says with Mhlongo having defended The Beijing Games were thrown into chaos on pugilist ever to own two national championship ably in the ring to punch his way above his weight his crown successfully six times, their camp is Friday with 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Va- belts. than this man who was born Eshowe in KZN but planning to celebrate the fighter’s achievement at a lieva confirmed as failing a drugs test for a banned nowt fights out of Bloemfontein in the Free State. boxing tournament billed for 2 April. substance, and the International Olympic Com- To date, Mhlongo captured the crown as the He trains under a watchful eye of Lebo Mahoko, mittee going to battle with Russia over the deci- middleweight after defeating Walter Dlamini by a the man credited for owning a thriving fitness gym “Bulldog has done our team proud by winning sion to let her continue competing. technical knockout in his last bout in 2019 to be- called Dream Team. the championship belt outright. We therefore deem come king of this weight class. Now he is due to it fit to celebrate his achievement in style. After The International Testing Agency said it will put that diadem on the line for the first time when At the ripe age of 40, Mhlongo who turned all, he is the pride of our entire boxing team,” says lead an appeal on behalf of the IOC after Russia’s he squares up against Ayanda Mthembu from professional in 2002, believes having already cap- Mahoko. anti-doping agency (Rusada) opted to lift the teen- KwaZulu- Natal in Durban on February 27. tured the championship belt outright, nothing will age skating superstar’s provisional suspension stop from him from making history by owning an- which was applied earlier this week for testing One of the BSA rules stipulate that that a box- other one. positive for banned heart medication trimetazi- er shall keep outright ownership of the belt if he dine. has made five successful defenses or more. This “I want to make history by becoming the first makes Mhlongo a cut above the rest of his peers, boxer in recent times to win two SA title belts in The sample had been taken on Christmas Day having now made an unprecedented six defenses in two different weight categories. At 40, I feel age but the result was only returned by a World Anti- a row. This feat also earns him the bragging rights is nothing but a number and I would like to keep Doping Agency-accredited lab on Tuesday. The as the legitimate national kingpin, as he has now on winning and thereafter retire from boxing hav- Court of Arbitration for Sport will now hear the conquered the ring with a great deal of alacrity. ing achieved dream,” said Mhlongo, who turned case before her scheduled appearance in the wom- pro in 2002. en’s singles event, which starts on Feb 15. FIFA INUNDATED WITH WORLD CUP REQUESTS FOR TICKETS Fans have sought 17 million tickets for this year’s World Cup finals in Qatar, FIFA said on Tuesday, making it more than five times over-subscribed. Higher prices being demanded for the best tickets – which cost up to $1, 600 (about R17 000) for the final – and controversy over Qatar’s bid did not deter followers of the world’s most popular sport.“Fans across the globe have proven their en- thusiasm,” FIFA said. Demand was highest from the host country of the November-December event, but FIFA says it had been inundated with requests from Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United States. PITSO CRIES FOUL OVER CLUB WORLD CUP SCHEDULES Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly were knocked out of the Club World Cup after going down 2-0 to Palmeiras of Brazil in their semi-final clash on Tuesday. Mosimane was without several of his star players due to Afcon where Egypt lost to Senegal in the final after a penalty shootout on Sunday. Before the game, Mosimane hit out at FIFA for scheduling the competition while Afcon was winding down. His counterpart at Al Hilal, coach Leonardo Jardi, has also urged FIFA to reconsider the Club World Cup format that sees the European and South American champions play fewer matches than their rivals. F1 DRIVERS HAVE NO KNEES Formula One will no longer set time aside for drivers to take the knee ahead of races as it looks to introduce more concrete actions to combat rac- ism, chief executive Stephano Domenicali said. Formula One launched its “We Race As One” diversity, inclusion and sustainability platform in 202o, which included a pre-race moment when drivers gathers on the grid to express their support for the initiative with a gesture of their choice. “I think it was time to move from just a ges- ture recognizing something that’s really important to a plan,’ Domenicali said. Some drivers, most notably seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton who is a vocal ad- vocate for human rights, ending racial inequality and environmental causes, chose to take the knee. Others remained standing while wearing T- shirts bearing messages in support of various causes.

MIRROR SPORTWEEKLY SA Insight to connect the dots... CHIEFS WOOF FOR REVENGE NEDBANK CUP 32: KAIZER CHIEFS FACE “HOODOO” TEAM TS GALAXY WHICH BEAT THEM IN THE FINAL OF THE COMPETITION IN 2019 By Ali Mphaki Defender Njabulo Blom, as quoted in the When it comes to cup games, Kaizer Chiefs club’s website, said he knows it is going to take tend to be like a teabag – they don’t have a a huge effort to get past Galaxy and adds that long life. Amakhosi are looking to put in the hard work to continue their proud history in the competi- History will record many a tragic outcome tion. “We are working very hard leading up to especially when the Amakhosi face minnows, this game. The guys are gelling well with the like when they were denied by TS Galaxy in the coaches and the technical team and our aim is 2019 Nedbank Cup Final. With history wont to to get to move beyond Saturday’s game and get repeat itself, there is some obvious trepidation into the next round,” Blom told www.kaizer- among their legion of faithful supporters ahead chiefs.com. A lifelong Chiefs fan, Blom is des- of their last 32 clash against TS Galaxy in the perate to be part of a generation that follows same Nedbank Cup, this evening. The Rockets, in the footsteps of successful past Chiefs teams as TS Galaxy are known, probably buoyed by and bringing silverware to the Club is a huge that famous win three years ago, did not seem priority for him. worried as they went through their preparations this week. “Growing up and seeing Chiefs win tro- phies it was always my ambition to do the There was some noticeable zeal and zest same. Now that I am here, it is something that I among their contingent of players under the will work on with the guys to make our dreams watchful eye of head coach, the former VfL come true,” says Blom. Wolfsburg goalkeeper Sead Ramovic. Khama Billiat believes the team are in the Having arrived early last October to the right frame of mind to do well in the Nedbank club, Ramovic has brought some sense of ur- Cup. “We have rested well and we have gotten gency or what may be termed German precision enough time to boost our energy again,” said to the Rockets, who aim to shoot to astronomi- Billiat of the recent break Chiefs had as a result cal heights at the expense of Chiefs tonight. of the Africa Cup of Nations. The arrival of former Swallows FC veteran de- fender Vuyo Mere, 37, an added tonic. “It’s a new campaign and we need to start strong. We need to make sure that we go Chiefs, on the other hand, in beginning through all the way and bring it home.” The their 50th campaign in the Nedbank Cup, say current Amakhosi squad and technical team they are looking to renew their affinity with a certainly know how to navigate their way in competition they have won 13 times over the this competition and will be looking to use years. Amakhosi first participated in this com- that experience. Chiefs assistant coach, Arthur petition all the way back in 1971, winning the Zwane, won the cup as a player in the 2005- inaugural competition, and have reached 19 fi- 06 season when Amakhosi defeated arch-rivals nals in that period. They last won the competi- Orlando Pirates in the final and the technical tion under the tutelage of current Chiefs coach team will be looking to use all that experience Stuart Baxter in 2012-13, and will be aiming and acumen to help Chiefs launch a winning to launch a successful start in search of a 14th start successful start in search of a 14th Ned- Nedbank Cup title. bank Cup title. PRODIGIOUS: Chiefs Njabulo Blom confident ahead of their Nedbank tie with TS Galaxy