Table of contents for 2024-08-14 in Post

Movie review: Ulajh Cast: Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan Matthew Director: Sudhanshu Saria Rating: 6.5/10 SUHANA Bhatia (played by Janhvi Kapoor, the daughter of Sridevi and Boney Kapoor), is a third-generation diplomat and has the weight of upholding the Bhatia family name much like in Kapoor’s real life. She is confident that she was selected for the Indian Foreign Services due to her competence and tactical intelligence, and not merely through the influence of her distinguished family of senior officials, despite doubts about the decision from her father (played by Adil Hussein). Her status as the lone female in the Indian High Commission in London is compounded by the fact that she is ranked second in the hierarchy. Meiyang Chang and Roshan Matthew are some of the men she…

ACTOR Kartik Aaryan and film-maker Kabir Khan are set to celebrate their latest film, Chandu Champion, at the 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The celebration will include a special “fan interactive session” featuring Aaryan Khan on Saturday. In the session, the two will talk about the making of the sports biopic. They will share insights into the creative process, the challenges faced, and the extraordinary dedication required to bring the story of Murlikant Petkar to life, read a statement. Released in June 2024, Chandu Champion traces the journey of India’s first Paralympics gold medallist, Murlikant Petkar. This will be the second time Aaryan will be making an appearance in the festival. He first made an appearance in 2023 as the ‘Rising Global Indian Superstar of Indian…

1 cup fresh barlotti/gadra beans 3 tbs vegetable oil 1 onion, finely sliced 1 cinnamon stick 2 small bay leaves 1 star aniseed 1 sprig curry leaf 2 green chillies 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp ground fennel seeds/soomph 2 tbs masala 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (optional) ½ tsp garam masala 3 small Roma tomatoes, blanched and grated 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes salt warm water Clean and wash the beans. Cover with water and place in a pressure cooker and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until soft and tender. Heat the ghee on medium heat. Add a cinnamon stick and star aniseed. Once fragrant, add the bay leaves, onion and curry leaf. Sauté…

UNISA CFO Dr Reshma Mathura will remain suspended pending the finalisation of an internal investigation, the university said this week. This has come about despite efforts from her legal team to have her immediately returned to office. In April, Mathura became the subject of an internal and criminal investigation after she faced bribery allegations when four “unsolicited cash deposits” were made into her private account, allegedly by students on the NSFAS student allowance list. Following the cash deposits, Mathura filed a criminal complaint with the Hawks to probe a “conspiracy to falsely implicate her in criminality”. It emerged that Mathura had played a role in responding to a subpoena the Hawks served on the institution in early February. She was asked to gather details of five Unisa staff members as…

ACCORDING to a recent report by the National Department of Health, 122 302 young females gave birth at public health facilities in the country between April 2023 and March 2024. It was reported that 2 716 girls aged between 10 and 14, and 119 586 between 15 and 19, became mothers. In KwaZulu-Natal, 610 young moms were aged between 10 and 14, and 30 478 between 15 and 19. Foster Mohale, the national health department spokesperson, said there could be more if they had the figures of girls that had given birth at private health facilities. He added that the department had introduced a number of interventions to curb teenage pregnancies, which include opening over 1 000 “Youth Friendly Zones” in primary health facilities and public clinics across the country.…

The Rage Community Outreach, which is committed to uplifting and supporting the community through various programmes, hosted a Women's Day event on Sunday at the Liberty Hall on North Coast Road. At the event were...…

THE funeral directors of the Progressive Funeral Practitioners Association of South Africa, in KwaZulu-Natal, would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the South African Hindu Maha Sabha for inviting us to a meeting at its offices last week. With more than 20 undertakers present, we appreciated the opportunity to participate and engage with your team. Your invitation allowed us to gain a better understanding of the culture and custom of a funeral. The most important aspect of the meeting was to share our expertise and learn from your leaders, and we succeeded in doing so. We were impressed by the light-hearted and informal meeting. To the sabha’s president, Ashwin Trikamjee, please extend our thanks to your entire team for their hospitality and support. We look forward to potential…

THE recent arrest of school principal Lydia Masiu and a high-ranking education department official in Ventersdorp Petrus Mokobe, for selling teacher posts for R15 000, must raise alarm bells and consternation of a deep-rooted problem of corruption endemic in the Department of Education countrywide. With hundreds of qualified teachers sitting idle, without jobs, the likelihood of possible corrupt activities by senior officials to post such teachers is real – at a negotiated price, of course. Besides nepotism and cronyism, another endemic problem of South African society; the untoward activities diminish teacher morale and perpetuate destruction of our education system. Like the proverbial new broom that sweeps clean, as the minister of basic education, you are charged with cleaning the rot that has become a pathological blight on a critical…

A COWIES Hill mother had to carry her 15-month old baby and run out of her dream house as she watched it burn down. This was after an electrical fault allegedly caused a fire in the three bedroom home last Tuesday. Sameera Safla, 39, said her husband, Adheer Hansraj, 45, woke up just before 4am to make a bottle of milk for their baby boy, Areehan. She said he returned to their bed, but he heard the dogs barking and something burst. It sounded like glass. “He went to check what was going on. We feared being robbed and he thought maybe the dogs dropped something in the yard. We have seven French Bulldogs. “They were our babies before Adheer was born. “But when my husband got to the passage,…

SOUTH AFRICAN religious and community organisations have condemned the “genocide” of Hindus in Bangladesh and heightened their calls for global intervention to end the violence against the minority group. According to international media reports, hundreds of Hindus in Bangladesh are alleged to have been killed or injured in attacks in their homes and businesses since the fall of Sheikh Hasina, who resigned as prime minister and fled to India, earlier this month. Her resignation followed protests by thousands of university students in early July, who demanded that quotas in civil service jobs be abolished and for an end to her 15-year rule over the country. However, this has since led to violence erupting in various parts of Bangladesh, with homes, businesses and Hindu temples being destroyed over the past few…

ICY and dry! The conditions have been perfect if you are a polar bear. For the rest of us, a decent jacket and some hot coffee have been mandatory for early morning adventures. Nonetheless, the fish have still been biting. With all the different facets of angling, there are a few essentials that you always need. A good set of pliers goes a long way and can be used in most facets of angling, from fly fishing to big-game trolling. Quality sun protective clothing allows you to keep fishing even in the heat of summer. A decent headlight makes all the difference if you fish in any form of low light. With our need for technology and our sport involving water, a waterproof pouch is essential. These are but a…

WHEN the 1860 Indian indentured workers arrived in Natal colony, the bulk of them were assigned to Mount Edgecombe and surrounding sugar estates. Mount Edgecombe therefore became one of the hubs of Tamil in South Africa and the birthplace of a few Tamil bands, such as Santana Eastern. Initially, Dixon and Bala Pillay, brothers from Mount Edgecombe, together with other members named Sunil, Jacob, Vanindhran and Alec, founded a Western band called New Mother’s Creation in 1972. As the demand rose for Indian music, the band changed to specialise in Indian music and changed its name to Santana Eastern with the inclusion of a few more members, namely, Nans Sanker and his brother Krishant and their first female vocalist Leelu Pillay. More members soon joined the band, including sisters Loshini…

TUSSHAR Kapoor, an actor and producer who practises Buddhism, says he believes in “good and bad fortune”. “I believe in good fortune and bad fortune. We have come into this world with certain karma. “Some people work hard, but they don’t get beyond a certain amount of benefit because there is always something (obstacles) coming their way,” said Kapoor. “And sometimes, people are not so hard-working, but things fall into place.” He believes that “in the long term, hard work pays off more”, but “luck definitely has a part to play in the short term at least,” said the son of veteran actor Jeetendra. Talking about how luck can be changed, Kapoor said: “I am a Buddhist follower, so I think you can always change your karma and destiny, add…

Frying the prawns 2 tbs vegetable or light olive oil 400g soya prawns 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste 1 tbs Kashmiri chilli powder Rice 1 cup basmati rice 5 cardamom/elachie pods 2 pieces cinnamon stick 4 cloves 2 bay leaves 1 star aniseed salt egg yellow food colouring Curry 2 tbs vegetable or light olive oil 2 large onions 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp ground fennel/soomph 1 tbs masala 2 green chillies 3 Roma tomatoes 1 cup fresh or frozen peas a handful of chopped mint a few sprigs fresh thyme 50g butter 1 ½ cups water ½ cup oil to fry the onion and potatoes 2 potatoes cut into wedges salt coriander for garnishing…

500g butternut 420g cream style sweetcorn 125ml fresh cream 1 tsp chilli flakes 100g cheddar cheese salt pepper paprika Steam the butternut until tender. Preheat oven to 180°C. Smash the butternut once cooked and place in an oven-proof dish. Pour the cream style sweetcorn over the butternut and roughly mix it together. Don’t over mix. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the chilli flakes. Pour the fresh cream over. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top. Sprinkle a little paprika over the cheese and bake for about 45 minutes. I usually add about a ¼ cup of water to my chopped butternut and allow it to simmer on a low heat until soft and tender. You can cook it in the microwave too if you prefer.…

1 cup yellow split peas or mung dhall 4 cups water, you may need a little more 1 ½ tsp turmeric 1 ½ tsp salt 1 cup basmati rice Tempering 2 tbs butter ghee 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaf 4 dry chillies broken in half ½ tsp ginger garlic paste or a pinch of ginger powder pinch of black pepper Rinse the dhall and place it in an Instant Pot with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric. Cook for 30 minutes. If you are cooking it on the stove-top, cook it on a low-medium heat until the dhall is soft. Once the dhall is cooked, wash the basmati rice and add it to the dhall. Add another…

A CHATSWORTH teenager almost lost her life and that of her newborn baby after she waited more than two hours, with the umbilical cord still attached, for paramedics to arrive. The 17-year-old, from Silverglen, gave birth to a girl at her landlord’s house last Tuesday. She had experienced labour pains from about 1am and assumed it was Braxton Hicks contractions. Her boyfriend, 24, said by 8am the pain intensified and she went to her landlord’s house to call for an ambulance. “At 9am, her water broke and the baby was delivered by 9.15am. By then, her mother had arrived and was on the second call to the emergency number, requesting an ambulance. “The first time they said they were on their way. This time, the person on the line was…

SOUTH Africa is at war – and rampant crime is the enemy. The authorities must stop denying that crime is not out of control. As police battle a shortage of 8 500 detectives and dwindling resources, the battle against criminals is being lost. Crimes are being committed with impunity because criminals know the chances of getting caught are low. Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu recently said in Parliament that between October 1 last year and July 19 this year, 527 detectives had left the SAPS. More disturbing is that 5.4 million case dockets had been closed since the 2018/19 financial year “due to insufficient evidence or leads”. Among the number of dockets closed were 76 655 for murder, 256 162 for aggravated robbery and 61 740 for rape. Despite KwaZulu-Natal…

IT WAS massive disinformation, religious and racial prejudice, brazen hooliganism and shameless looting that set the UK ablaze. Events were choreographed by extremists who were rehearsing Enoch Powell’s racist warnings of 1968, when he spoke of “Rivers of Blood”. Religious and racial hatred are consuming the UK in menacing proportions that could, if left unchecked, trigger a conflict that would have global ramifications. The grisly display of hatred in the rural and urban areas of the UK are revolting. Mindless hatred produces energy for destructive power, as graphically filmed in the mayhem of the English cities. The world is heading for a destructive war that could set the whole of Europe ablaze. Hatred is the political virus that is consuming innocent lives. Many parts of the world have become a…

THE South African Hindu Maha Sabha condemns the brutality and atrocities being committed against Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh. Fellow Hindus and other religious minorities are being murdered and driven out of their homes by extremist elements that have gripped their nation and have permanently disrupted the lives of people of all backgrounds of Bangladesh, including many peace-loving Muslims. Despite the government having made concerted efforts to contain the situation in Bangladesh over the years, the last decade has seen the glaring rise of extremism there to the extent that Hindus and other religious minorities have had their temples and other places of worship vandalised and destroyed without any provocation or reason. We call upon all peace-loving people across the globe to loudly raise their voices against such…

A REVOLUTION against a regime is taking place in Bangladesh. The Arab Spring happened as did many other revolutions around the world. What is clear is that discontent with governments is spreading across the globe. Some are populist, anarchical movements, which wreak havoc for themselves and their countries. Martin Luther King jr pointed out that “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” In that spirit, we call on the youth and the discontented to restrain their anger, as violence, destruction, wild prejudices and cruelty will not help to build a better society. We condemn the destruction and violence, killing and looting, generally and in particular those acts committed against other communities based on prejudices on the basis…

“THREE months after the murder of my sister, the parents of the perpetrators, who are prominent in our community in Benoni and Springs and are known to our family, have not shown any remorse or even reached out to us.” Those were the words of Jeremy Moonsamy as he told of how the death of his sister, Michaela Abigail, had changed his life and that of his parents, Pastor Jason and Savy Moonsamy. He said while they were a forgiving family, they still wanted swift justice for Michaela. In May, Michaela, 28, of Benoni, was shot dead after two men, who were allegedly intoxicated, opened fire on her, her husband, Cameron Yellapan, brother Jeremy and two of their friends outside a restaurant in Boksburg. Michaela, a financial accountant at a…

FOLLOWING the court’s ruling, non-profit organisations who utilised the course for their annual fundraising events were hopeful that they would not be impacted. Anoosha Hanuman, chairperson of Fundraising KZN Blind and Deaf Society, said they had been hosting their annual fundraiser event at the course for more than 15 years. She said they held a successful golf day on June 7. “If we are unable to host our event at the golf course it will be a great loss to the organisation. The golf course is reasonably priced for us to raise much-needed funds. Funds raised were used to offer valuable services to our blind and deaf beneficiaries and towards the opening of our Adult Training Centre, where we offer accredited sewing and computer training for the blind and…

Richards Bay professional angler Dean Reddy, 39, walked away with multiple accolades at the recent Zululand Shore Angling Association’s awards ceremony, after a consistent performance throughout the fishing year ending June 2024. Reddy, who was a part of the Proteas angling team in 2018 and 2019, said it was a hard-fought year, but he was glad to have finished in a top position. This, he said, propped him up for the national event at Mossel Bay in February 2025. KwaZulu-Natal is divided into two regions due to its size. The Zululand Shore Angling Association includes fisherfolk from north of the Tugela River, while everything south of that falls within the KZN Shore Angling Association. Reddy and the rest of the members from the region were judged based on their performances…

FINDING the rough is a result of a missed tee shot to the fairway and we do not want to add more error to the hole with a bad hit from the rough. We need to analyse this situation to accept what the best option would be, so as to not follow with two bad shots in a row. First, the lie of ball is of all importance. You would need to ask if the ball is sitting below the grass or above it, which would cause it (the ball) to fly further. Are there any hazards in front of me in the direction of the green? After deciding on this, your plan of play should be your next step. Choose a club suited to the distance you want to…

SHARVANI, fresh off the success of the horror-comedy Munjya, has received the IMDb “Breakout Star” STARmeter Award. The actress, who had earlier worked as an assistant director, made her debut in 2021 with Bunty Aur Babli 2 in which she was paired opposite Siddhant Chaturvedi. While it didn’t receive much positive response coupled by Covid-19, the actress registered a landslide success with her second film, Munjya, which released almost three years after her film debut. Munjya, which belongs to the Maddock Films’ supernatural universe, has become a surprise hit of 2024, and continues to play in theatres. Talking about receiving the “Breakout Star” STARmeter Award, Sharvari said: “Thank you so much, IMDb. I am so overwhelmed to receive the IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award. I’m so grateful to all the…

Dhall filling ½ cup gram or chana dhall 2 tbs butter 1 tsp turmeric 3 tsp coarsely ground cumin ¼ cup chopped spring onion ¼ cup chopped coriander 1 tsp salt Roti 3 cups flour 3-4 tbs butter plus extra for brushing the rotis 1 ½ cup freshly boiled water ¼ tsp salt Dhall filling: Boil the gram dhall until tender but still firm. It should still keep its shape but be soft when pressed between your fingers. Add it to a food processor and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Do not process too much or it will be mushy. Heat butter on medium heat. Add the spring onion and sauté for a few seconds. Add the cumin and dhall. Season with salt and mix well. Cook for a…

1 cup red lentil 1 tbs butter ghee ¼ tsp fenugreek ½ tsp cumin seeds 2 small bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick 1 onion, finely diced 2 green chillies (optional) 1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 3 small Roma tomatoes, skin removed and blended 2 cups vegetable stock salt only if required Tadka 1 tbs butter ghee ½ tsp mustard seeds ¼ tsp fennel seeds 2 small green chillies or more 3 red dried chillies or more 2 sprigs curry leaves 3 small cloves garlic 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder Soak the red lentils for 30 minutes. Heat the butter ghee in a pot on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.…

2 tbs vegetable oil or coconut oil 1 x 400g canned chickpeas 3 medium potatoes, cut into cubes 4 cups baby spinach, chopped 2 small bay leaves 1x 5cm piece cinnamon stick 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste 1 green chilli 3 Roma tomatoes, skin removed and blended 1 tsp ground cumin/jeera 1 tsp ground coriander/dhania ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp ground fennel/soomph 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 1 cup vegetable stock 1x 400ml coconut milk 1 tbs lemon juice salt If you are microwaving the potatoes, place it in a plate with a few drops of water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Fry until fragrant. Add the onion…

GUNRUNNING, drug trafficking, a taxi war and police corruption were allegedly part of the motive behind a drive-by shooting in Westham last Thursday, which claimed the lives of a Phoenix taxi owner and his three bodyguards. Claude Denver Mariah and his three unnamed bodyguards were at the Extreme Carwash, in Gillham Avenue, when they came under fire. The manager of the car wash was also shot and is in hospital. Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said four suspects travelling in a red Toyota Tazz had opened fire on the men. “It alleged that the suspects robbed the victims of their firearms before fleeing from the scene,” said Netshiunda. Several police sources told the POST that Mariah was the stepson of Gonaseelan Jaypal Nadesan, popularly known as Scrooty. His biological…

A FUN day at the beach eight months ago changed Tylor Pillay’s life forever, when he suffered a broken spine after being hit by a freak wave. Tylor, 17, from Unit 4 in Phoenix, is now a quadriplegic and requires 24-hour care. But despite his injury, Tylor remains optimistic and believes “God will help me heal so I can walk again”. His father, Reggie Pillay, said the last eight months had been a “tough” journey for their family. Reggie said their family had gone to the beach on December 15, just five days after Tylor had turned 17. “Tylor was in the water with his younger twin brothers and sister. They were swimming in the designated area under the watch of the life guards. Tylor is a good swimmer and…

CALLS for more sex education and awareness have heightened following an “alarming” report of more than 120 000 pre-teen and teenage pregnancies in the country, with KwaZulu-Natal having the highest number. In Chatsworth alone, between six and eight teenage pregnancies are reported a month. Dr Shaheda Omar, director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, said: “We can no longer refer to the increasing number of teenage pregnancies as a crisis. It is a pandemic. We have 10-year-olds birthing babies – how is this not wrong?” Omar said the foundation received about 20 referrals in a week. “Some weeks these numbers are higher. But the reality is that many of the pregnancies are kept hidden by families due to the fear of embarrassment and stigma, or because the girl’s family were…

LUTCHMEE Govender may be hard of hearing, but she is still in good health and celebrated her 100th birthday on Women’s Day last Friday. Govender was born and raised in Clairwood. Her mother was a housewife and her father was a chef at a hotel. “I have seven siblings; four brothers and three sisters. We lived on a farm where we grew green beans, herbs and bananas. I cannot recall when it was, but I was very young when my parents passed away,” said Govender, who lives in Umhlatuzana township. She added that she left school at a young age. Govender said a family friend introduced her to her husband, Poonsamy, and their arranged marriage followed when she was 20. They wed at the Clairwood Hall. “We got married the…

MANY readers would surely have found Yogin Devan’s column on reincarnation fascinating, the POST, August 7-11, “On recalling a life before”. Allow me to draw attention to some facts associated with it. Reincarnation is not a Hindu belief. It has nothing to do with belief. It is a scientific fact but of little significance. As Devan’s column indicates, many people across the world have given evidence, indeed proof, of it. It is a global phenomenon that affects every human being on Earth. If there are any religions that dismiss its relevance, one has to draw attention to the limits of their reasoning. Above all, many questions arise about their claims to being revealed by their private gods. Reincarnation was discovered by the ancient Rishis (wise seekers of truth) of…

DUNCAN Du Bois’s recent letter attacking Visvin Reddy, “Reddy’s frugality absurd”, the POST, July 31-April 4, reeks of hypocrisy and historical amnesia. Du Bois’s history of supporting racist political parties and his tenure as a councillor during apartheid undermine any credibility he may attempt to claim in his critique. His political career, marked by opportunistic party hopping – from the DA to the Freedom Front Plus – highlights his desperate attempts to remain relevant. Unlike Du Bois, Reddy has consistently been a champion for justice and humanity, dedicating more than three decades to fighting for the downtrodden. Reddy’s outspoken views have earned him positions, not through seeking them, but through his unwavering commitment to the public good. Reddy’s record speaks volumes. He is the only politician known to have turned…

THE curtain has come down on the biggest, most spectacular event on the planet – the Paris Olympics. It brought together the nations of the world in the Olympic spirit of peace, regardless of race, creed, colour and sex. An incredible 10 714 athletes from 206 countries tried to outdo each other to get that most sought-after medal in the world. While some were over the moon and went back to their countries proudly displaying their Olympic medals around their necks, many others went back home downcast with no medal to show off for all their years of training and sacrifice. And some of these unfortunate athletes were from India. The world’s most populous nation had no gold to show off to the world. Its medal tally stood at one…

THE DGC Golf Development (DGC) has been ordered to vacate the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course in Clare Estate by no later than September 15. The DGC challenged its eviction by the eThekwini Municipality in the Durban High Court last week and asked that its access to the golf course be restored. Following two urgent applications, acting judge Jabu Thobela-Mkhulisi ruled last Thursday that the non-profit company (DGC), “be restored peaceful use and possession” of the golf course in Reservoir Hills, without any interference by the city of their right to receive payment of green fees. However, the company will have to vacate the golf course “by no later than September 15, 2024”. The court battle ensued after DGC, which had been managing the golf course for almost two decades, received…

In a dramatic turn of events, the apartheid government pronounced that there would be an election on March 26, 1980, for 40 members of the South African Indian Council (SAIC). Until then, the SAIC was predominantly populated by people sanctioned by the government. This announcement led to consternation in the ranks of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC). How should it respond to this opening up of the political space? It was a debate that would move from the streets of the Casbah to London and back again. The debate led to the public becoming aware of the words “rejectionist participation”. While a seeming oxymoron, it had precedent. The Irish Republican Party, Sinn Fein, won seats in the British Parliament but never graced the institution with its presence. The practice dates…