Table of contents for 2025-02-05 in Post

What is education? What is technology? What is the relationship between education and technology? What challenges do this relationship present for students, teachers and parents? These are the questions that will be explored in this series of columns that are not directed at providing definitive answers but, rather to generate a public conversation that would empower us all. There is always the challenge that technology will shape us rather than us shaping technology, so we should be more acutely aware of its role in education. MANY of us have very little understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or its implications. Regardless of this limited understanding, we can ask some simple questions about it. We could ask whether AI is a passing fad or a step on the staircase of technology. Already…

The Shri Vaithianatha Easvarar Alayam Umgeni Road Temple held a flag hoisting on Sunday to signify the start of Kavady, which will culminate in a grand and colourful procession on February 11. At the event were:…

A GRANDFATHER made the ultimate sacrifice at Kruger National Park, dying while protecting his grandchildren from a charging elephant. Shabeer Shaik’s heroic actions saved his grandchildren’s lives in a tragic incident that has left his family both proud and devastated. The 57-year-old from Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, was spending Saturday at the park with his family when he was trampled to death by a male elephant. Shaik, his wife, Nazeera, their daughter, son-in-law, two minor grandchildren and other family members, were getting ready to leave the park at around 5pm when tragedy struck. Saber Gani, from the humanitarian aid organisation, We Feed Them, and Shaik’s brother-in-law, said the family had been taking photographs at the reception area as they were getting ready to leave. “The children were playing nearby and had…

In the mid-1950s, when apartheid was at its height, a remarkable set of circumstances propelled a group of table tennis lovers onto the world stage. Many of them would have their origins in the Casbah. It would evoke a vicious backhand from the apartheid bosses. At the same time, this episode inspired an incredible commitment to the non-racial sports movement that would be the catalyst for an international boycott. Huge sacrifices would be made by players and administrators, and this article seeks to pay homage to those whom history has forgotten. TABLE tennis was a sport squeezed into confined spaces, played at all hours in the halls and larger verandas that dotted the Casbah. In many ways, it was a counter to the snooker saloons with their gangsters, alcohol and…

HINDUS have been subjected to religious intolerance in educational and corporate sectors quite often, if not on a daily basis. Hindu pupils, students or employees being asked to remove items of religious significance such as the wearing of red strings on wrists, nose studs and red/black dots on forehead, is probably the most common occurrence The South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS), the representative organisation for Hindus in South Africa, regularly assists aggrieved individuals who are subjected to “victimisation” to ensure our Hindu Dharma is upheld. We ensure that we are not subject to this type of intolerance at any level – irrespective of where it takes place. South Africans of other faiths must respect the religion and the culture of all faiths without any restrictions. We at the SAHMS…

A CHATSWORTH security officer is in ICU after being shot three times while pursuing armed robbers involved in a deadly cash-in-transit heist, which left one woman dead and several others injured. The robbers had bombed a Fidelity ADT van on the N2, near the NPC cement factory on Tuesday morning. Steffen Govender, 44, a tactical officer for Prosecure, was stationed at the Mobeni Heights off-ramp, Chatsworth, when the suspects who were making their getaway, shot at him. He sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand which resulted in two of his fingers being shattered. The suspects were travelling in a white Mercedes Benz and were shooting their way out of the area from the sunroof of the vehicle. Despite being shot, Govender bravely chased after the suspects to Silverglen…

SHOCKING statistics have revealed that sexting occurs most among children in the 10 to 13 age group, and there was an increase in 6-to 10-year-olds creating child pornography. These statistics were revealed in a report following a survey by the National Centre for Child Protection (NCCP), which found that children were interacting with strangers while playing online games, and were dating people they met online, but had never met in real life. “From what children tell us at schools about online dating, more than 35% of children are dating someone they met online and have never met in real life. There is a 95% probability that the person they are dating used and is using a fake profile. Children as young as 12 are accessing dating apps, often bypassing age…

The Proteas will be hoping for a happy ending when they tackle yet another ICC tournament when the Champions Trophy starts later this month. History has often repeated itself when it comes to South Africa and their luck at ICC tournaments – only this time, they will get the rare opportunity to compete in the one competition they can proudly say they have won before – all the way back in 1998. The showpiece event will be hosted by Pakistan – with select games in the UAE. After having reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and then backing that up with their maiden major final at the 2024 T20 World Cup, South Africa go into the tournament having had a decent period recently. That also includes Shukri…

SUPERSPORT Park will host the repeat of the 2023 SA20 second semi-final tonight, an encounter between Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) and Joburg Super Kings (JSK). This time around, the contest will be under a different banner as the knockout stage of the tournament has undergone a slight makeover in that the tournament now has two qualifiers and an eliminator with tonight’s encounter being an eliminator. Despite the slight change in structure, the stakes remain the same as one of the two teams will be knocked out of the tournament tonight. Being the victors two years ago, courtesy of Aiden Markram's first and and only T20 century, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape will fancy their chances tonight against Faf du Plessis’s Super Kings. However, Du Plessis has much more important things to…

I seldom have time to watch Manchester United in action these days, but last week’s Europa League clash against FCSB caught my eye. Part of the reason I wanted to tune in was to see how erstwhile Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana would fare. The 27-year-old was lining up as a centre-back in a three-man FCSB (formerly Steaua Bucharest) defence in front of a packed National Arena stadium, with a capacity of over 55 000. It was a wonderful occasion for the European champions from the 1985-86 season, who are still the biggest club in Romania. What a stage for Ngezana, too, as he has stated previously that he is a big United fan. He was often criticised, sometimes unfairly, on social media during his Kaizer Chiefs stint, where he…

The fruits of months of sacrifice, hard work and persistence by a group of football-crazed young men and coaching staff from Orient Islamic School in Durban, are almost ready to harvest. The U16 Orient Islamic team have been invited to play in the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup, which will be played over the weekend of February 15 and 16 at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. The Durban boys will be the only school team playing among football clubs from across the world and Abu Dhabi. The winning team wins an all-expenses paid trip to the Manchester City Football Academy in Manchester, UK and have a chance to use their world class facilities. Thirteen players and four management staff will depart South Africa next Wednesday. Head of sporting…

IN 2024, South Africa recorded the highest Grade 12 pass rate in the democratic era. While there is still concern that the pass percentage might be inflated because of the deliberate “culling” of under-prepared learners, the absolute number of learners who achieved Bachelor's passes had increased by over 50 000 from 2023 to 2024 to just over 330 000, with KZN recording a remarkable 84 470 candidates who qualified for university programmes. South Africa has 26 public universities, 50 Tvet colleges and a growing number of accredited private higher education providers. Annually, global rankings agencies use performance indicators like academic reputation and research excellence, among other criteria, to develop competitive league tables that compare universities. The universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Wits, Pretoria and UKZN are regularly featured as the…

Paul Mashatile, the deputy president of South Africa, visited the the BAPS Hindu Mandir and Cultural Complex in Northriding, Johannesburg, on Thursday, to participate in the welcome ceremony of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the global spiritual leader of BAPS. At the event were:…

A CHATSWORTH man has relived how he survived a near-drowning incident while his brother and nephew lost their lives in the tragedy at Umzumbe Beach, in Hibberdene, on Saturday. Well-known metro policeman, Asif Khan, 36, drowned when he attempted to save his nephew, Amaan. By yesterday, Amaan, 13, was still missing at sea and was presumed drowned. Ridwaan Khan, 40, of Croftdene, said five of his family members were swimming when they were caught in a rip current. Khan suffered a near-drowning and was unconscious. He has since been discharged from hospital and undergoing further treatment for his injuries. He said his brother, Asif, sister, Farzana, 42, and their families had cooked a pot of breyani and went to the beach for a day out. Khan said he recalled being…

FOR the past three decades, families have continued their fight to reclaim the land that they were forced to leave due to the Group Areas Act. Pam Naidoo, 71, said she hoped to get back two plots of land which belonged to her late paternal grandparents. “My late paternal grandfather had owned the two plots adjacent to each other in Sydenham. On the plots there were two houses where our entire family lived. My grandfather left the land to my grandmother after his passing. In her will, she left it to my father. “However, during the Group Areas Act, our entire family was moved to Chatsworth. My grandmother was paid R6 000. While it may seem like a large sum of money at that time, it was not enough…

AFTER 33 years of transforming lives through dramatic arts at Eastbury Secondary, Kumseela Naidoo, retired on a high note with her 2024 matric class achieving a 100% pass rate. Her legacy of nurturing confidence through drama has shaped generations of successful communicators. Naidoo was one of the teachers recognised at the recent district awards after her pupils received 13 A symbols and 13 B symbols in the 2024 matric exams. She started her teaching career at Eastbury Secondary in 1992, and has served at the institution for 33 years. The 57-year-old said her passion for drama started at a young age, while she was still in school. “I had some brilliant mentors while studying speech and drama as a kid. They included Muthal Naidoo, Phyllis Naidoo and Saira Essa. My…

THE 75-year-old Tongaat Daily Market, a historical landmark since 1948, is set to receive R2.5 million in repairs from the Thekwini Municipality. However, long-time traders express concerns about implementation timelines and the impact on their livelihoods. Over the years the building has gone into a state of disrepair, leaving traders uncomfortable and fearing for their safety. Many of the traders said they faced daily thefts because of the holes in the roof which had not been repaired for years. They claimed vagrants slept in an adjoining vacant room, and at night they crawled through the holes in the roof and stole their wares. While R2.5 million has been earmarked for the upgrade, the traders said they were not optimistic that the repairs would be done. Thara Narain, 67, has been…

DONALD Trump is on the warpath and South Africa is the latest country in his crosshairs. He ungraciously informed us via social media that he was so upset that our government was apparently confiscating land left, right and centre, that he was compelled to cut off US foreign aid. Never mind that the land expropriation bill has not been passed yet. He further explained that he felt it was morally reprehensible that certain classes of people were being treated “very badly”. No one said that being the leader of the free world meant you had to be eloquent, or specific for that matter. South Africa, unlike the USA, has not started wars, bombed civilians, women and children (mostly brown people) and provided weapons to warlords, dictators and enabled genocides. The…

US President Donald Trump announced he was cutting off all future funding to South Africa for “confiscating” land and “treating certain classes of people very badly”, an accusation his South African counterpart rejected on Monday. The land issue in South Africa has long been divisive, with efforts to redress the inequality of white-rule drawing criticism from conservatives, including South Africa-born Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person and a powerful Trump adviser. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa last month signed a bill that stipulates the government may, in certain circumstances, offer “nil compensation” for property it decides to expropriate in the public interest. Some groups fear a situation similar to the Zimbabwe government’s seizure of white-owned commercial farms, often without compensation, after independence in 1980. Later, in a briefing with journalists,…

A DURBAN family are calling for an investigation into two public health facilities after their grandmother died due to alleged medical negligence. Cynthia Monica Naidoo, 65, of Phoenix, was taken to the Community Health Centre (Unit 10 clinic) on January 19 after she developed blood clots on her body. She was then transferred to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix, and later to the Dr Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaMashu where she died from a heart attack on January 24. Naidoo’s granddaughter, Ruane Govender, said she was taken to the clinic at about 10am. “It was a Sunday and the clinic could not do anything because all the relevant departments were closed. She was then transferred to Gandhi Hospital as an emergency case. “But when she…

TIARA Nagan, 19, from Chatsworth, said she started playing online games when she was 13. “My mom supervised me and warned me about talking to strangers. There were games where people would send messages to interact, but I was wary. When I was 16, I uploaded a photo of myself as my player profile picture and I found that more people were trying to play against me and they would send me messages and coins for the games as gifts. “This shocked me as it was just as my mom warned, and I never replied or interacted with the people who flooded me with messages. I am glad more children are aware of the dangers, but shocked that there are still those who are involved with inappropriate online behaviour,” she…

Having made an indelible mark in the healthcare sector, four retired nursing professionals shared their life’s journey, which started at RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth. They said taking up the profession had been a service to humanity, rather than just a job. They also spoke on what needed to be done to improve the lives of nurses and patients in the public healthcare sector. Nursing through apartheid: the inspiring story of Haniefa Bi “Honey” Allee Haniefa Bi “Honey” Allee, of Glenwood, was one of the first 24 nurses to be trained at the hospital in February 1968. The hospital officially opened in March 1969. She said her passion for helping others began as a young girl. “My late father was a foreman on a farm. One of his duties was…

Manchester City easily topped the spending charts in the January transfer window with the signing of Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez on Deadline Day to complete a busy month for the ailing Premier League champions. City have endured a testing time on the pitch and sit fifth in the Premier League table with their hopes of a record-extending fifth successive domestic championship in tatters. But the rebuild appears to have started in earnest with more than 180 million pounds spent by Pep Guardiola’s outfit – more than the combined amount paid by the other 19 English top-flight clubs in a relatively quiet window. City’s spending was the second- biggest outlay worldwide by a club in the January transfer window behind Chelsea’s £274 million (R6.3 billion) in 2023, according to Transfermarkt. City…

With just a couple of weeks left for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, former India batter Suresh Raina shared his thoughts on how crucial star batter Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma’s form will be for the upcoming mega event and said that if the duo perform well, then India’s campaign will benefit immensely. Sharma and Kohli are two of the three surviving members from India's successful Champions Trophy side that won the final against England at Edgbaston in 2013. But the current form of the two stalwarts of India's batting unit are a bit shaky. The veteran duo endured a tough time during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 3-1. Sharma managed only 31 runs in five innings, while Kohli contributed just 190 runs in nine innings.…

Viduthalai 2 is a gritty, intense and excellently-crafted Kollywood movie by director Vetrimaran, who continues to push the boundaries of his craft. The film is a sequel to Viduthalai, which released in 2023 where actor Soori excelled and surprised the film fraternity with his award-winning performance as a simple policeman, who pits his anger against the very system that employs him. Karuppan (Ken Karunas), a young revolutionary, rages a vehement battle against unscrupulous landlords in his native village. An evil practice carried out by the landlords is to sexually abuse the wives of the local peasant farmers, who toil under atrocious conditions while eking out a meagre livelihood. Perumal Vaathiyar, played to perfection by Vijay Sethupathi, a local teacher, steps in to assist the farmers by engaging with the…

CITING the Indian Postal Department’s move to release a picture postcard album of his dad Sivakumar’s paintings, actor Suriya has now penned an emotional post to his dad in which he said he was even more proud of him. Recently, the Indian postal department released a picture postcard album titled “Tamil Nadu 1960s” based on the drawings of actor and artist Sivakumar. Suriya wrote on X: “Passion makes art timeless. My dad’s selfless love for watercolour and spot painting is now immortalised as postcards by the Indian Postal Department. Even more proud today, Appa.” The postcards features Sivakumar’s paintings of various places across the state, including the famous LIC building on Mount Road, the world famous Tanjore Big Temple, also known as the Brihadeeshwarar temple, and the Trichy Rock fort.…

A Malvern couple put a unique spin on wedding favours by gifting their 300 guests lottery tickets, creating excitement and honouring the groom’s late father in a touching tribute that had some guests walking away with surprise winnings. Preshen and Suvarna Maharaj, both 26, gifted their guests two sets of lotto tickets at their wedding last month at the Kendra Hall, in Durban. Suvarna, a sales enablement administrator, said her husband Preshen, a salesman, came up with the lotto ticket idea as wedding favours. “It was Preshen’s idea to get the lotto tickets. He had seen his dad buying a ticket. “He thought it would be a playful twist on the typical wedding favour by giving our guests something with an element of surprise or chance. It was a great…

RESIDENTS of Chatsworth and Northdene have protested against the ongoing water cuts, demanding accountability from the eThekwini Municipality as they face ongoing water cuts. Frustrated residents took to the streets last week, in protest over the ongoing water cuts and the lack of communication from eThekwini Municipality. Residents claimed their taps had run dry since December. Mo Sheik, 85, who has been living in Moorton since 1970, joined the protest and described the situation as dire. “We have no water from 7pm to 5am or 7am. We have not had water for the last seven days in a stretch. This morning the water came on for two hours from 5am. Residents are forced to store water in containers and cut down their usage for washing, cleaning and bathing. “This is…

THE controversy that has erupted at an Estcourt school with regard to a Hindu pupil being asked by a teacher to remove a red prayer string on her hand, has led to consternation and disapproval from many quarters. The “offending” string is religious paraphernalia that is worn as a symbol of an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar. It is neither gawdy nor of any inappropriate disposition that would contravene the uniformity that is generally a norm at schools. It would seem that a teacher took umbrage at the fact that Hindu pupils donned such a string and made it her duty to enforce the removal of the same, allegedly in a manner unbecoming. Religious tolerance is a hallmark of our constitutional democracy whereby the practice of one’s religion should…

CHILD pornography represents a deeply entrenched and pervasive crime that knows no borders, posing an urgent threat to the safety and well-being of children around the globe. Governments worldwide bear an essential duty to safeguard minors from exploitation and abuse, yet despite this crucial responsibility, numerous child pornography rings continue to operate, often slipping through the cracks of detection and enforcement. These networks frequently utilise advanced techniques and technologies to exploit gaps in legal frameworks and law enforcement resources, complicating the efforts of authorities striving to dismantle these criminal operations. The advent of the internet has fundamentally transformed the landscape of content distribution, including the spread of pornographic materials. Tragically, this increased accessibility has simultaneously fuelled the ongoing crisis of child pornography online – a significant societal problem that not…

Generations nurtured from my seeds will clasp their hands and say our ancestors carved those fields which have given us meanings meanings to stand tall This land is ours too. LAND ownership remains one of the most fiercely contested debates well into 30 years of South Africa’s democracy. The right to land has been the rallying call of the landless masses, who have been historically dispossessed by colonial and apartheid violence. The clamour for constitutional amendments to take back the land without compensation remains an emotive topic despite assurances that land restitution will be “just and equitable and in the public interest”. In understanding the deep roots of resentment, let us consider the acquisition of land by sugar baron, Sir Liege Hulett, knighted for his contributions to the colony…

IN TODAY’S digital age, online gaming has become an integral part of children’s lives, providing opportunities for entertainment, socialising, and skill development. However, as with all online activities, it is important for both children and parents to be aware of the potential risks associated with online gaming. From exposure to inappropriate content to online predators, the virtual world can present dangers that may be difficult to navigate without proper guidance. As a wellness counsellor, I believe it is crucial to balance the benefits of online gaming with awareness and precautions to ensure a safe gaming experience for children. Here are some key steps parents can take to safeguard their children in the world of live online gaming: l Understand the games your child plays The first step to ensuring your…

EXPERTS have called for increased parental vigilance due to children engaging in risky digital activities. Rushil Raghavjee, a lecturer at UKZN with experience in Information Systems Security, said the statistics were not particularly surprising in this day and age. “The intellect of children is still developing and they can be easily manipulated by individuals online. The reason that the survey says what it says is due to parents not having a clue on how to handle the current generation and the virtual/online environment that their children are involved in. “This lack of awareness coupled with the belief that ‘my child knows’ is the most concerning. Online awareness sessions have been introduced at schools but attendance is poor. There are plenty of resources to assist but lack of awareness and initiative…

Marcus Rashford says Aston Villa’s “constant ambition” attracted him to the club after he arrived from Manchester United on a loan deal until the end of the season. The 27-year-old has not played for United since mid-December after falling out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim. He was linked with a move to AC Milan and Barcelona before finally making the switch to Villa Park on Sunday. Unai Emery’s side, eighth in the Premier League, are eight points ahead of struggling United and have a Champions League last-16 clash to come in March. Rashford said the club’s ambition and the prospect of playing in Europe’s top competition persuaded him to make the switch to Birmingham. Villa reportedly have an option to buy the forward for £40 million (R932m). “It's an…

Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram does not want to dwell on the past and believes that “its time to start playing good cricket now” ahead of the SA20 Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings at Centurion on Wednesday. The double defending champions have seen it all before with the clash against JSK a rematch of the Season 1 semi-final at the very same ground. Markram led from the front in that encounter with a scintillating century that saw the Sunrisers progress to their first-ever SA20 final. But three years down the line, Markram feels that history bears no impact on the pending clash against their rivals from Johannesburg. “A completely new game of cricket. You can’t walk on the field thinking you’re ahead because you’ve been in that position before,…

Long irons, typically consisting of two-four irons, are designed for distance and accuracy. They have a smaller sweet spot and less forgiveness compared to shorter irons, making them more demanding to hit. However, with the right technique and practice, you can develop the skills necessary to consistently hit accurate and powerful long iron shots. Key elements of hitting long irons 1. Ball position: Play the ball slightly forward of centre in your stance, about two-three inches inside your left shoulder (for right-handed golfers). This position helps you hit the ball with a slightly ascending blow, reducing the risk of hitting it fat. 2. Stance and posture: Maintain a slightly wider stance than usual, with your weight evenly distributed between both feet. Keep your posture straight, with a slight tilt forward…