Table of contents for 2024-07-10 in Post

1 packet Tennis biscuits 100g melted butter 250g creamed cottage cheese 1 tin condensed milk 250ml fresh cream ¼ cup lemon juice Crush the Tennis biscuits until smooth. Add the melted butter and mix well. Add to a baking pan and press down to form a base. Bake at 180ºC for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Add the creamed cottage cheese, condensed milk, fresh cream and lemon juice to a bowl. Mix with a hand mixer for 10 minutes on medium speed. Add the mixture to the base and bake in a pre-heated oven for 5 minutes at 180ºC. Remove from the oven and set in the fridge for 6 hours. After 6 hours, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and drizzle with the home-made strawberry sauce. Strawberry sauce: 250g…

Dry ingredients: 1 cup flour ½ cup good quality cocoa 1 tbs baking powder 1 cup sugar pinch of salt Wet ingredients: ½ cup milk 1 tbs vinegar ½ half cup oil 2 eggs ¼ cup coffee Add the vinegar to the half a cup of milk and allow to set for about 10 minutes. Mix all the dry ingredients together. After the vinegar and milk set, add the oil, eggs and coffee to it. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add to cupcake holders and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes. Icing: 1½ cup icing sugar 110g butter, soft 2 tsp milk 2 tbs cocoa powder ½ tsp lemon juice Combine the icing sugar and butter. Add the…

Dry ingredients: 2 cups self-raising flour ½ cup sugar a pinch of salt 1/3 cup raisins Wet ingredients: 100g butter, room temperature ¾ cup maas Add the self-raising flour to a bowl. Add the soft butter and mix to form breadcrumbs (rub-in method). Add the sugar, raisins and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Mix well. Add the maas and knead for about a minute. Roll the dough on a floured surface. Use a cutter to cut out the scones. Place them on a greased baking tray and brush with milk. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool and enjoy with butter or jam.…

1 packet of Oreo biscuits 175g cream cheese white chocolate (Milky Bar) about a tsp of oil Blend the Oreo biscuits until semi smooth. Add the cream cheese and mix well. Set in the fridge for 10 minutes. Melt the chocolate over a pot of boiling water on the stove. Add less than a teaspoon of oil to the chocolate to make it smooth. Remove the mixture from the fridge. Roll to medium-size balls and dip in chocolate. Dry them for a few minutes before rolling them in crushed Oreo biscuits. Set the truffles in the fridge for three hours.…

ACTORS Neha Joshi and Himani Shivpuri have spoken about their enduring love for saris and traditional attire, revealing the most precious possessions in their collections. Their wardrobes feature luxurious Kanjeevarams and intricate Chikankari saris; reflecting a deep connection with India's rich textile heritage. Joshi said: “Saris have always held a special place in my wardrobe and heart. Recently, while promoting my show Atal in Lucknow, I got myself one of the finest pieces of Chikankari cotton sari. This exquisite sari, one of the most expensive in my collection, is a true testament to the artistry and heritage of Lucknow.“ Shivpuri said: “The most precious possession in my collection of saris is my red Banarasi sari. The rich work make each Banarasi sari a masterpiece. This sari symbolises my deep respect…

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) welcomes the decision by Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer to reduce unnecessary expenditure on niceties – including goody bags for guests and politicians, along with new banners and billboards – in the run-up to the province’s budget process. The announcement, in the form of a departmental circular issued late last week, is in line with KZN Premier Thami Ntuli’s call to ensure that every rand is spent on the people of our province. Meyer’s courageous decision shows a firm commitment to this while also acknowledging the severe strain that the provincial budget is currently under. Seemingly simple things, such as not printing glossy budget pamphlets, using existing promotional materials – as opposed to procuring new ones – and eliminating budget day goody bags…

ARE we going to suddenly have a resurgence of indoctrinating young minds with literature such as Orwell’s Animal Farm, which gave the lie to Russian communism at the end of World War II and blatantly praised Western capitalism and visionary democracy to the sky? To the extent that the worst-loved countries for fairness and justice at this precise moment in history are the United Kingdom, United States and India? Have we forgotten what the engineers of education did in Nazi Germany, rewriting children’s books to indoctrinate them into believing Aryan blondes were a master race? Do we know what is being taught in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries as far as religious superiority is concerned? Does anybody remember our own separate apartheid education, where no essays, compositions, history lessons…

THE current media reports about the alleged abuse at the ABH Children’s Home refers. Indeed, it is regrettable when such incidents occur. However, as a caring society, we need to contextualise them. After having spent over 20 years at the institution in various capacities, and with almost 40 years of experience with children, I felt that it is important that we understand holistically what such an environment entails. Firstly, members of the boards of management at ABH are all volunteers. Most are successful entrepreneurs or professionals who dedicate their time and energy to the various compliance, governance and strategic elements of managing such an institution. We must take cognisance of this and appreciate the valiant effort of these committed individuals. They are motivated individuals who ensure that the vulnerable in…

EBRAHIM Essa’s letter “What exactly is an Indian?”, POST, July 4-7, refers. I didn’t “decry” but asserted: “Indians have never been a homogenous group.” “What is an Indian” is ludicrous: they are not commodities, but humans. Who are Indians? Dennis Pather’s words recently in the POST apply. It is disingenuous to bring in Christians. Some supremacists among them have written and published hateful comments against Hindus. But that has to be dealt with by Hindus on a religious basis. Do they bring the politics and problems of the Christian world in- to the Indian space, making it an Indian issue? When Christians were persecuted in Egypt, Syria, Dagestan, Pakistan and so on, they did not march, yell in the streets and berate Hindus and other Indians for not joining them.…

THE Verulam Water Crisis Committee has written to newly-appointed KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Dominic Buthelezi, to intervene in the ongoing water crisis. I am writing on behalf of the Verulam Water Crisis Committee to express our deep concern about the ongoing water crisis in Verulam and surrounding suburbs. The situation has become intolerable and is bordering on criminality on the part of officials in the eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation section and Umgeni Uthukela. Many suburbs have been without water for more than five consecutive days. This lack of water is causing significant hardship for residents, affecting their lives and well-being. The impact of this crisis is far-reaching and severe: Health risks: The lack of clean water poses serious health risks as it is…

“EMBARRASSING details” of girls running off with older or married men are often left out when parents report their daughters missing to security companies, which dedicate time and resources searching for them. Private security companies are now calling for consequences for families who waste their time making them look for “runaways”. Prem Balram, head of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said he dealt with between 10 and 12 missing teenage girls a week. While some girls are reported as missing on social media, family members of others request that photographs of the “missing” girl are not circulated, but they should be searched for “quietly”. “Spending days looking for these girls, and finding them with married men or older men, is becoming frustrating,” Balram said. “Families are embarrassed to tell us…

GRAEME Swann once said ahead of a tour to India that “if we turn up expecting the spinner to win us the series, then we’re screwed”. The former England off-spinner always had a unique way with words, but he was certainly never far away from speaking the ugly truth. And while Swann was referencing a tour of the subcontinent, the same logic can be applied to the West Indies. The modern-day pitches in the Caribbean may have been transformed into feather beds that require the slow bowlers to hold up an end for significant periods of the game, but it remains the fast men that shoulder the heavy lifting of taking the majority of the wickets. Since the Proteas’ first visit to the islands for a full Test series in…

AFTER naming the most experienced Springbok team in history for Saturday’s second Test against Ireland, coach Rassie Erasmus said he would continue to play his senior citizens as long as they “don’t fall off the pace”. Erasmus named an unchanged match 23 and the 990 combined Test caps eclipses the 987 caps amassed by the team that won the World Cup final against New Zealand last year. The Bok boss explained that while he will make sure he has “at least five” top players in each position by the time the 2027 World Cup in Australia comes around, for now, winning momentum takes preference. “We are trying to build depth in every position, and we will, over the next three years, but the experienced guys that can maintain their highest…

Dry ingredients 3 cups castor sugar 3 cups flour, sifted 1 cup good quality cocoa 1 tbs bicarb 1½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt Wet ingredients: 1½ cups warm water 1½ cups buttermilk 1 cup oil 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence Mix all the dry ingredients in the same order as per the recipe. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into two greased baking tins. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes. Icing: 2 cups sifted icing sugar 120g soft butter 3 tbs cocoa 1 tbs milk 1 tsp lemon juice Mix the butter and icing sugar together. Add the cocoa, milk and lemon juice, and mix with a hand-mixer…

3 eggs 1 cup oil 1 tsp vanilla essence 3 grated carrots 1 cup pecan nuts or almonds 2 cup self-raising flour ½ cup sugar 1 cup milk Combine the eggs, oil, vanilla essence, carrots, almonds or pecan nuts and sugar. Whisk well. Add the flour and milk, and whisk well. Add to the cupcake holders and bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC. Cream cheese icing: ½ cup cream cheese 100g butter 1½ cup icing sugar 3 tbs full cream 1 tsp salt Cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, full cream and salt. Cool the cupcakes before icing.…

Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp bicarb 1 tsp baking powder Wet ingredients: 2 eggs 3 tbs melted butter 4 tbs apricot jam 1 tsp vinegar 2 tbs vanilla essence 2 cups milk In a bowl, combine the sifted flour, bicarb and baking powder. In another bowl combine the wet ingredients and whisk in the sugar. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and whisk well. Pour the batter into a greased tray and cover with foil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the malva pudding from the oven, poke holes with a fork and immediately pour over the sauce while hot. Serve with custard. Sauce: 4 tbs butter 1½ cups milk ½ cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla…

A DINNER and dance to raise funds for the 12th Sari Stroll, will be held on Saturday at the Arena Park Hall in Chatsworth from 2pm to 5.30pm. Siva Naidoo, from Men in Black, will provide the entertainment which will include Eastern and Western music as well as old school and current hits. Kamlesh Gounden, the organiser for the Sari Stroll, said women attending the dinner should preferably wear saris. She said the Sari Stroll would take place on August 11 from 10am at the amphitheatre at Durban’s North Beach, and was aimed at promoting social cohesion among women. The dinner and dance is open to men and women, and costs R200 per person or book a table of 10 for R2 000. A buffet will be available. Dinner and…

Duff is a psychic medium, past life specialist, spiritual coach, healer and animal communicator. She has been connecting with spirit for more than 20 years and runs her business, Quantum Soul, from Waterfall in KwaZulu-Natal. Duff can be contacted at 072 986 5514 or email sharron@quantsoul.com ARIES (March 21 – April 19) You may be feeling a sense of loss with friendships that have moved away, or physical changes that have happened. Spirit has your back. Focus on your goals and make plans around your business if you are self-employed. Make the most of the switch-up in energies. Health focus is lungs. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Listen as spirit gives you answers to your questions. Look for the signs from your loved ones in spirit. An answer to…

THE Mommy Club: Sugar & Spice, a reality show that follows affluent mothers in Durban’s Indian community, is scheduled to premier on Showmax on August 8 with new episodes every Thursday. The series is a spin-off from the smash hit Showmax Original, The Mommy Club. The mommies are twins Resh Naidoo and Losh Naidoo, Abigail Nepaul, Asharia Parsad, Christina Devraj, Devina Kowlas, Kim Jones, Leonore Goss-Matjie and Neetasha Singh Bugwandin. A low-down on the mommies: Resh Naidoo: The 46-year-old is married to Prevan Naidoo, the owner of Baking Pan, an outlet that caters to the Durban community. Their daughter Miashca, a second-year BCom digital marketing student, received a Porsche as an 18th birthday gift, and Thishae, their 16-year-old son, is in high school. As a parent, Resh says she values…

A DRASTIC increase in the number of foreign-qualified doctors who failed the recent Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) medical board exam, has raised concerns about their future. The South African Internationally Trained Health Professionals Association (Saithpa) has now called on the HPCSA to provide the doctors who failed, with their exam records, or it will approach the Constitutional Court. Advocate Rene Govender, the chairperson of the Saithpa’s legal desk, said this followed the pass rate “slumping” from between 60% and 80%, to 10% and 30%. The exam were written in October last year and March this year. “We want to know why? “The exam was previously held by the Sefako Makgatho Health Science University (SMU). However, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) was elected as the service provider since October…

KwaZulu-Natal voters handed the ANC its worst defeat in the May 29 elections, in the hope that a new government would fix the problems in the province that the ANC government left behind. What is clear now is that the recent elections are also having an impact on KZN local governments such as Umzumbe and eThekwini. In sending a clear signal that change begins now, the IFP’s Reverend Buthelezi, the new Cogta MEC in KZN, has appointed two governance experts, Dr Mike Sutcliffe, and Dr Cassius Lubisi. Buthelezi wants Sutcliffe and Lubisi to rescue the ANC-run eThekwini Municipality from its dire state of paralysis. eThekwini’s problems are well known. They include collapsing public services, ageing and crumbling infrastructure, mismanagement, service delivery issues, corruption, struggles with generating revenues, and rampant lawlessness.…

CHARLES Moore, an international marine researcher, once said: “Only we humans make waste that nature can’t digest.” Durban’s beachfront – the jewel in the tourism crown in KwaZulu-Natal – is being marred by critical levels of Escherichia coli (E coli) in the water and fisherfolk failing to clean up after themselves, who are turning the beaches and piers into a filthy, foul-smelling zone. This week, the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT) at the Durban University of Technology conducted water quality tests at some of Durban’s popular beaches and the results from 14 were alarming. IWWT scientists advised beachgoers that these beaches should not be used for recreational purposes until the E coli levels dropped to acceptable standards. The city also warned fisherfolk to fish only at designated piers…

I DIDN’T mean to startle you with the title of this column. It has nothing to do with Catholicism or anything religious. It also has nothing to with the series of comedic spaghetti westerns starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. Trinity intrinsically means three of something. The trinity of my life is books, films and music. All three have had profound effects on my life in varying degrees. I am going to take you down memory lane, which incidentally was the title of my initial series of columns in this newspaper. They ran successfully for many years, even resulting in a sold-out first book for me. It now being July Handicap season, let’s look at the trifecta of my life. l Throughout my life, I have had a fascination with…

THE newly-formed MK Party has finally stubbornly surrendered and withdrew its court action against the IEC disputing the outcome of the 2024 general elections. Up to now, their actions have been pregnant with purposeful ambiguity, perhaps as a protection against the burden of specificity. I, like many others, was mildly surprised at the MKP’s performance in the recent general elections. But at 40% of the vote, the ANC still seems unsinkable, a submarine in a world of rowing boats. We all know that former president Jacob Zuma has a huge following in KZN, but their showing at the polls was no fluke. Taking a chunk off the others, they were instrumental in the ANC losing its majority – a sweet revenge for Zuma. All the naysayers, apostates and quislings are…

THE Electoral Court has found Visvin Reddy and Bonginkosi Khanyile, of the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) guilty of contravening the electoral code after they threatened to stop the elections from going ahead. Last Wednesday, Judge Esther Johanna Steyn ordered Reddy and Khanyile to pay a fine of R150 000 each, suspended for five years. According to the judgment, Reddy and Khanyile had made the statements in two separate video recordings, while applications from the ANC were being made before the high court for the MKP to be deregistered. Reddy, an MP for the party, made his remarks on March 5, while being interviewed by a journalist and dressed in MKP regalia. He said: “It’s not the same; you don’t have a trademark on this MK logo. So, what gives you…

ENGLAND take on the Netherlands tonight (Wednesday) in Dortmund in a Euro 2024 semi-final clash, bidding to lift a major trophy for the first time since the 1966 World Cup. Here we looks at some of the key battles in the game with the Three Lions vying with the Euro 1988 winners to reach the final in Berlin on July 14. Kane v Van Dijk England striker Harry Kane has endured an underwhelming tournament, far from the goal machine he proved in his first and recent season at Bayern Munich. Finishing the season with a back problem, Kane clearly is nowhere close to his physical peak and now must tussle with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. The giant Dutchman has not been at his best either but like his team,…

THE shore-based fishing has been a combination of spinning, scratching and a hint of big fish fishing. All that and the sardines are here in numbers! The North Coast has had the most effective spots to target the snoek on spoon. Small but heavy spoons that can be retrieved very fast without losing stability are essential. You also need tackle that can throw said spoon a long way and retrieve it rapidly. This means long rods and fast reels. The North Coast has seen some decent scratching along the ledges and in the gullies. Pink prawns have been the best bait all around. The Central Coast has also seen some good fish being caught on lures. There are fish for all levels and interests. The shad have been full up…

½ cup maizena ½ cup icing sugar, sifted 2 tbs oil 2 cups flour vanilla essence or almond essence baking chocolate Cream the butter and icing sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the maizena, your choice of essence and oil. Add the flour and bring the mixture together by kneading until a soft dough is formed. Use a flower nozzle to pipe out the biscuits on to a baking tray. You can also roll out the dough and cut in equal squares. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC. Melt baking chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Cool the biscuits and then dip into melted chocolate. Allow the dipped biscuits to dry for about 1 hour.…

Syrup: 3 cups white sugar 1½ cups water 1 cup cornflour 3 cups water 1 tsp cream of tartar 4 tbs rose syrup 1 tbs red food colouring (gel) pinch of salt Boil the sugar and water in a pot on medium heat until it becomes a golden syrup. In another pot on medium heat, add the cornflour, water, cream of tartar and salt. Mix until a paste is formed. Add the sugar syrup and mix. Cook for 30 minutes on medium to low heat. Stir at intervals. Remove from the heat and add the red food colouring and rose syrup. Mix well. Place in a square tray lined with baking paper and set at room temperature for about 7 to 8 hours. After it is set, cut into equal…

A 34-year-old foreign-qualified doctor, who declined to be named, said his future was in limbo, after he failed the exam in March this year. He graduated from the Jinzhou Medical University in China in January last year. He said it cost his family more than R500 000 for him to study abroad. The doctor, who lives in Morningside, said only one month before the exam he received a scope (range and extent of topics, subjects, and areas that are tested during an exam), which did not provide him with enough time to prepare. “It was quite lengthy and could not be covered in a month. Furthermore, the scope we were getting from seniors was the same. I honestly think it should be reviewed by the board because some topics were…

AWARD-WINNING actor Rajesh Gopie has achieved what not many – if any – South Africans have been able to: An invitation to the wedding reception of the wealthiest family in India, the Ambanis. “I got an SMS that I have been invited. I was like, ‘really?’ It was such a pleasant surprise. When the next day, the doorbell rang and a well-dressed courier handed me this beautiful box, I went ‘wow’. I was truly taken aback,” said Gopie, who then posted photographs of the invite gift box on social media. The photographs were accompanied by the following post: “I’m not a big wedding attender type ... but this delightful invite gift box arrived at my door this morning ... mmmh ... I wonder if I should attend ... mmmh ...…

I MAY be wrong, but to the best of my knowledge it is not mandatory to display portraits of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the premiers of respective provinces, ministers and the relevant MECs in government buildings. But over the next few weeks, official photographs will be commissioned for hanging in prominent positions in the reception areas and foyers of hundreds of offices of government departments throughout the country. Given the number of new incumbents in national and provincial political and executive government positions, the cost of having official photographs taken and displayed will run into millions. That’s a super state procurement tender to land. I am certain that if the auditor-general (AG) were to carry out an investigation, the cost of such photographs will be considered fruitless and wasteful expenditure because…

I CANNOT recall being prouder of being a South African than when we took Israel to the ICJ for committing genocide in Gaza. An act that no other country had up to that point the courage to do. The national elections were just a hop, skip and a jump away, and that move was a genius political stunt to strengthen the ANC’s waning support among the middle class barely featured in my mind. I was firmly convinced that the ANC had finally found its moral compass. But I had got it all terribly wrong in thinking that. The ANC is lacking in moral fibre given the corruption, maladministration and gross incompetence that had come to be its defining characteristics. And the show of solidarity for Palestine did not stop there.…

I WAS dismayed to learn of the “50% tariff increase for eThekwini cremations”, POST, July 3-7, which has sparked outrage and resistance among undertakers and the public. In my honest opinion, this increase is not only disturbing but also disrespectful to the people of eThekwini. It prompts me to ask: Have we lost our humanity? These exorbitant increases, far exceeding the current inflation rate, will leave poor families financially strained. eThekwini has always been touted as a caring city, but sadly, the majority of its citizens no longer believe this to be true. The public’s strong response to this increase is a clear indication that the municipality has lost touch with reality. Our problem lies in a corrupt and greedy municipal administration, which will have devastating consequences for the poor,…

Something good is happening at Eskom. After many years of disruptive electricity supply, it is at last managing to keep the country lit up. On Friday, we reached the 100-day milestone of continuous supply of electricity. Remembering how often we cursed and swore while we grovelled in the dark all those many years without lights, Eskom must be commended for this wonderful achievement. I was one of those who was very sceptical about Eskom’s ability to keep the lights on for a prolonged period. Like many others, I thought the suspension of load shedding was an election ploy and that sure as day is to night, load shedding would make its ugly return after the elections. Well, I was wrong. Of course, it has been burning diesel and lots of…

A DRY fire hydrant, as a result of the ongoing water outages in Phoenix, saw a family’s home go up in flames on Saturday night. The home belonged to 69-year-old pensioner Ernest Pillay, which he shared with his daughter, Shantal Pillay, 42, and her two children, aged 14 and 6. Pillay’s son, Tino, said his sister and her children were at home at the time of the incident at 6.30pm. Pillay was at a ceremony. “My sister went to the kitchen to boil water for tea. My dad had prepaid electricity and to save on costs, they used a gas stove to cook and boil water. “When my sister turned the gas stove on, a flame suddenly sprung up and went straight to the gas line. Scared of an explosion,…

TWO newly-appointed deputy ministers believe they have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions in their respective portfolios - which will see the betterment of the country. Ashor Sarupen, 36, of Gauteng, who was appointed as one of the two Deputy Ministers of Finance, said it was an incredible opportunity to contribute towards “fixing” South Africa. The other is David Masondo. “Furthermore, I have served on finance committees in the Gauteng legislature and Parliament, and this validates my hard work and dedication over many years in becoming an expert on public finance,” he said. Sarupen, who hails from Pietermaritzburg, said he attended Wits University where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree, before entering politics as a research analyst for the DA in Gauteng. He subsequently acquired a BSC Honours…

THE number of teenage girls luring older men on social media and running away with their boyfriends, is steadily on the rise in Chatsworth and Phoenix. Recently, a 15-year-old girl from Crossmoor in Chatsworth ran away with a 40-year-old man from Tongaat. He was a family friend and her parents were the same age as him. An 11-year-old girl who had run away with a 49-year-old man from Overport, was recently found in Empangeni. The number of “missing girls” – aged between 11 and 17 – has raised alarm bells in local communities as authorities and private security companies spend thousands of rand in resources searching for them. The Phoenix Community Police Forum (CPF) deals with between 12 and 15 cases a month, where girls who have been reported “missing”…

THIS week we had an awesome turnout for my Golf Day at Mount Edgecombe Country Club. A closed field and feelings of intensity before a huge golf tournament took centre stage. All great players enjoy the pressure that a medal format brings, the format used by the PGA Tour and other professional tours. Every shot counts until your ball is in the hole so there’s no picking up or relying on your partner. Playing this format can help your game and improve your mental toughness. The best advice to all golfers is to embrace this format since it demands more of a game plan than simply bashing the golf ball around. Rajen Reddy won the tournament which was played in cold temperatures. The tip for this week focuses on using…