Table of contents for 2024-08-21 in Post

THE Kollywood movie Thangalaan is a majestic piece of cinema that was made on a budget of between 100 to 150 crore rupees (about R213 million to 319 million), spanning nearly two years. The crew worked under harsh and gruelling environmental conditions to make a historical movie that would be spoken about for many years. Director Pa Ranjith embarked on a journey of no-return that taxed his skills to the maximum. He chose the best cast and crew, even roping in renowned English actor Daniel Caltagirone as the antagonist opposite Vikram. In a recent interview, Caltagirone mentioned that he was in awe of Vikram’s acting prowess. Thangalaan is about the harsh conditions faced by the villagers of North Arcot on the Kolar Gold fields in the 1800s, under the tyrannical…

2½ cups full-cream milk ½ cup oil 1 cup sugar 1 tsp elachie powder 1 tsp nutmeg powder In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the above ingredients and mix well. Sift: 2½ cups flour 2 tsp baking powder ¼ cup milk powder Combine the wet and the dry ingredients. Mix well until smooth. Spoon the batter into mini bundt cake pans, each ¾ full. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes at 180ºC. Once cool, remove from the mould and cool completely. Burfi icing: 250g butter 4 cups sifted icing sugar 1 tsp elachie powder ¼ cup Klim 1 tbs cream Use a hand-mixer and mix well.…

5 cups flour 2 tsp green elachi powder 1¾ cups sugar 250ml butter ghee, at room temperature 1¼ cup full-cream milk, at room temperature extra ghee for frying In a large container, sift the flour and elachie powder. Add the sugar. Mix well and add the semi-solid ghee. Mix well with your hands and form into coarse breadcrumbs. Add enough milk to form a smooth, soft dough. Knead well. Divide into 24 to 26 portions. Roll into balls and flatten into 1cm thickness. In a karai or a thick-based pot, heat the ghee on medium heat. Once the ghee is hot enough, fry the roht, turning them occasionally. Tips to make the best roht: Use a superior brand of flour. Use green cardamom powder. Full-cream milk should be at…

1 large potato, peeled and cut into small pieces 2 large potatoes, cut into chunks 1 small butternut, cut into chunks 2 carrots, diced 6 baby marrows, diced 1 packet of soya chicken ½ tsp ground black pepper powder salt to taste 100g butter In a large pot, add 2 cups of water with the first lot of potatoes. Allow the potatoes to boil until soft. This will give you a thick gravy at the end. Add the chunky potatoes with the butternut, and 250ml water. Cook until the potatoes and butternut are cooked yet whole. Add the carrots, baby marrows, soya chicken, salt, pepper and the butter. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer.…

FOR the past four years, a Durban North father remains hopeful that he will find a donor for a kidney transplant. Sashen Gounder, 49, was diagnosed with kidney nephritis more than 10 years ago, and is one of many people on the growing waiting list for a transplant. He said kidney nephritis was caused by an autoimmune condition which resulted in his kidneys being under constant attack by his immune system. “I have no choice but to leave my life in the hands of the dialysis machine.” Gounder, who was previously self-employed, said he was diagnosed after a sudden increase in his blood pressure and severe headaches at the age of 31. “My general practitioner was concerned about my high blood pressure and decided to refer me to a nephrologist.…

PENSIONERS are having to fork out chunks of their social grants to pay their utility bills, or face having their services disconnected. Shirley Batchulal, 62, of Trenance Park, said she lived alone and paid between R60 to R100 per month for water. In December, she was stunned when she received a bill of R6 600. “This bill did not make sense. In the last two years, our taps have run dry for months on end. I visited the Sizakala Centre in Verulam to ask for help because I honestly believed it was a billing mistake. “I told them that I could not afford to pay the bill. They told me to start the process of a resolution. I needed to pay 25% of the bill upfront and then make…

CABLE theft has plunged Higginson Highway into total darkness since 2017. This has resulted in several accidents, the latest of which claimed the lives of two people. Last week, Jeselle Angamuthu, 21, of Havenside, and Kumaran Naidoo, 50, of Shallcross, were returning home from work when tragedy struck. Angamuthu worked with the administration and management team at Medina Meats in Westcliff, and Naidoo was a depot manager at DS Transport Services. Rajen Angamuthu said he was waiting at the front gate of their Sheridan Street home for his daughter, Jeselle, to return home from work when he heard a loud crash and he went to investigate. “I walked to Almond Road to see what was happening. I saw a white van at the bottom of the bank. It was damaged…

ARVASHNI Seeripat has led multibillion-dollar businesses over the years and presently sits as the head of innovative medicines at a pharmaceutical company in the US. But, throughout her career, she has always wondered – what’s next? One morning in 2022, she got her answer. “In February that year, I woke up thinking, ‘I may die at 81’. I can’t explain why that age specifically, but I thought to myself, ‘my life has been good’. I have been in the pharmaceutical industry for many years and done incredible things. “However, at the back of my mind, I knew I always wanted to tell stories and thought it was time I wrote a novel,” said Seeripat, who was raised in Woodhurst, Chatsworth, and has lived in New Jersey for the past eight…

THERE is little reason to cheer that Eskom has managed to keep the lights on for 150 days without load shedding. A proposed 40% tariff hike is depressing news. Such a steep increase by the power utility will be sure to put many South African households and businesses permanently in the dark. This move, which has been opposed by various stakeholders, would effectively price many households out of the electricity market. Ratepayer, civic and business associations have warned it would “bleed residents and businesses dry”. These associations have already written to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) with their objections. The Democratic Alliance has petitioned Parliament to hear its call for the proposed increase not to be approved by Nersa. Eskom’s planned tariff increase application to Nersa for…

IMAGINE what the world would be like in a century. Large portions of the population could be devastated by the ongoing senseless wars like those in Gaza, Ukraine and countries in Africa. Then we have the issue of climate change to contend with. One thing we can be rest assured of is that technology will play a major part in how the universe evolves in the future. These days, if you need to know everything about anything you simply google it and get the answers. People the world over spend a lot of their time on apps like Google, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook for information and pleasure. Countries all over the world would use Artificial Intelligence, which is nested within technology, to function. Imagine the future where all vehicles…

“DESIST from spreading hatred”, by Ela Gandhi, the POST, August 14-18, comes as no surprise. She quotes Martin Luther King jr: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” And a little later she warns against “inter-faith acrimony”. So much like grandpa dearest. I wish to remind her that King also said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Something that has been happening to Hindus ever since grandpa dearest took over the leadership of the freedom struggle from Bal Gangadhar Tilak after the latter’s death. It’s reminiscent of Gandhi’s cold, callous reaction after the Moplah genocide of Hindus in 1921 – without a word of contrition or empathy for the…

A FEW days before a Phoenix man was gunned down outside his home, he was due to testify at the disciplinary hearing of two policemen who had allegedly stolen R22 000 from his home. Klinsmann Ryne Naidoo, 28, of Longcroft, died after he was shot multiple times while seated in his vehicle in the parking lot of his residential complex, last Wednesday evening. At the time of his death, Naidoo was out on bail for the attempted murder of Blaine Pillay and his 10-year-old son. In February, Pillay, 33, was seated in a BMW M4 on the R102 near the Southgate and Broadlands intersection with son, when he was shot at close range in the head and chest. His son was unharmed. In April, Naidoo and three co-accused were arrested…

I QUITE enjoy the mixing and matching of the Springbok team this year. Outside of World Cups and dead-rubber games, you seldom see Bok coaches changing their teams for the ‘big Tests’ during an international season. Perhaps Rassie Erasmus learnt a valuable lesson from the second Test against Ireland in Durban, where the world champions went down 25-24 after winning the first encounter 27-20 in Pretoria. The South Africans lost the physical battle in the first half of the second Irish Test, having kept the same match 23. They rallied to lead in the second half, only for Ciaran Frawley to break their hearts with two late drop goals. A similar thing happened at last year’s World Cup, where the Boks saw off France in dramatic fashion in the quarter-final,…

It HAS been a memorable few weeks for Jo-Ané van Dyk – and it is about to get even better. The 26-year-old South African javelin star has been celebrating her Paris Olympic silver medal in fine style since that memorable Saturday night, August 10, at the Stade de France. Van Dyk’s 63.93m effort in the final secured second place behind Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi (65.80m), and she has been enjoying the sights and sounds of France over the past week, in the midst of Women’s Month in South Africa. Along with fiancé Johan du Plessis and other family members, Van Dyk has posted photos and videos as they criss-crossed eastern France. One of the places they visited was the town of Colmar, in the Alsace region near the German border, described…

ONE of the least spoken about subjects in golf is having a strong core for the golf swing. We often focus on all swing techniques yet ignore the core, which is key to a solid foundation in the motion of a swing. Having a solid core doesn’t mean having a sick pack or ripped stomach, but rather refers to the centre balance of your body composition which maintains posture. This can be achieved with some basic exercises and gym routines. When faced with awkward shots in golf and slopes to hit off, the best golfers maintain a solid posture through this. Any collapse of this during the swing, and the shot shape and ball striking is affected. The area of play I want to focus on as to showcase the…

THE slow pace of this movie makes the plot tedious as director Neeraj Pandey explores the various shades of the main characters, with a few surprises built in, especially in the climax. The title, translating as “Where Did Others Have the Courage”, takes a long time to show just who was the courageous and the coward in a love situation. Rising information technology star Krishna (Ajay Devgn) will do anything for the love of his life, Vasudha (Saiee Manjrekar). She too wants him to progress in life, to the extent that she vows to wait for him when he secures a top job in Germany. But on the eve of his departure, fate takes a hand as his determination to protect Vasudha leads to two murders to which he confesses…

250g semolina 1 tsp green elachie powder 150g ghee or butter 200g sugar 500ml boiling milk or a combination of boiling milk and water ¼ sultanas ¼ cup slivered almonds Using a thick-based pan over medium heat, fry the semolina with the elachie powder, until the grains start to turn golden. Add the ghee or butter (if it’s melted, the cooking process will be easier). Sauté the semolina with the butter. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the boiling milk or the milk and water combination, together with the sultanas and the slivered almonds. Mix well, until the semolina starts to pull away from the sides.…

Halwa: 250ml all-purpose flour 125ml sugar 1 tsp elachie powder 200ml water 250ml milk 100ml ghee Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and elachie powder. Slowly add the water and mix well until a smooth paste is formed. Add the milk and mix well. In a large thick-based pot, add the ghee and heat over medium heat. Once the ghee has melted, drop in the liquid mixture. Using a spoon, start to mix the mixture. It will start to thicken. Cook on low heat until the mixture pulls away and forms a mass. Puris: 500ml all-purpose flour ¼ tsp sugar 1 tbs semi-solid ghee 1 tbs plain yoghurt enough boiling water to make a soft dough ghee for frying In a large bowl, sift the flour with…

100g butter 2 cinnamon sticks 250g vermicelli, broken 250ml boiling water 250ml milk 250ml fresh cream 1 can condensed milk slivered almonds, optional In a thick-based pot, heat the butter on medium heat. Once the butter starts to melt, add the cinnamon sticks. Add the vermicelli and fry until it turns golden brown. Add the boiling water and cook the vermicelli. At this stage, the vermicelli will start to thicken. Add the milk, fresh cream and condensed milk. Stir and cook on low. Allow the vermicelli to simmer until it thickens; stirring occasionally. Garnish with slivered almonds.…

THREE days after Sergeant Leon Chetty, 47, hit Phoenix mother of two, Phumla Ruth Mtshali, with his police vehicle, killing her, he booked into an uMhlanga hotel and ended his life. Mtshali’s sister, Philie, a police constable at the Newcastle police station, said yesterday (Tuesday) that Chetty’s death offered no comfort to her family as he “took the easy way out by ending his life”. On Friday, Mtshali, 25, from Redberry Park in Phoenix, was killed in a hit and run on the Phoenix Highway, near Greenbury Secondary. The vehicle, a black Toyota Fortuner, was later tracked to the SAPS Presidential Protection Services, driven by Chetty. It has been alleged that after the accident, Chetty abandoned the vehicle at a farm in Canelands, just outside Verulam, and then reported it…

ALMOST 16 years ago, a Gauteng mother was told her baby only had between five and eight months to live – if she did not receive a liver transplant. However, for Yashoda Singh, formerly of Pietermaritzburg, losing a child for the second time was not an option, even if it meant having to travel abroad and donating her liver. In September, her daughter, Jordyn Pentiah, a Grade 9 pupil, will celebrate her 16th birthday. “When doctors kept telling me my baby was not going to survive, I refused to listen. This year, we will celebrate her milestone birthday and another anniversary of having a successful liver transplant,” said Singh. She said Jordyn, who was born via C-section on September 30, 2008, had slight jaundice at the time of her birth…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za ABOUT 4 300 adults and children are awaiting solid organ and cornea transplants in South Africa; with the highest number for kidneys. There is a desperate need for organ and tissue donors in the country. The trend in South Africa is that only 0.14% of potential donors give consent each year for organ donation, and only about 350 solid organ transplants take place annually. Samantha Nicholls, the executive director of operations at the Organ Donor Foundation of South Africa, said their aim was to encourage South Africans to register as organ and tissue donors through their awareness campaigns and events, and media and social media drives. She said while the highest number of patients on the waiting list were for kidneys, these patients could receive dialysis…

A POSSIBLE 40% Eskom-proposed tariff increase will make electricity unaffordable for many households and businesses. This move has been vehemently opposed by various stakeholders, who believe it will “bleed residents and businesses dry”. Ratepayer and civic associations, together with political parties who have rejected the increase, have since written to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to state their objections. Kevin Mileham, DA MP and spokesperson on electricity and energy, said the decision by Nersa to grant Eskom’s application to retrospectively recover R8 billion through its regulatory clearing account for the 2021/2022 financial year, would translate to a 4% tariff increase in 2025. However, Eskom’s application for a further 36.15% tariff increase in 2025, would effectively price many households out of the electricity market and increase…

AS SOUTH Africa grapples with a shortage of 8 594 detectives, more than 5.4 million cases have been closed in the past five years due to a lack of leads. Last week, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu released the statistics in a parliamentary response to a question from the DA. The statistics revealed that in the last five years, 868 796 cases were closed in KwaZulu-Natal due to lack of leads, nine case dockets were lost, and six dockets were stolen. In Gauteng, 1 836 687 cases were closed due to lack of leads, while 25 case dockets were lost in the last five years. From March 2023 to March 2024, three case dockets were lost in KZN and 16 were lost in Gauteng. According to Mchunu, in the last…

ROSSLYN Moodley, an assistant manager at a shopping mall in the Eastern Cape, was recently convicted of fraud, amounting to more than R700 000, in the East London Magistrate’s Court. The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks), said Moodley was arrested on February 13, 2023. Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, the spokesperson for the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, said the fraud took place over a two-year period. “Moodley was employed as the assistant manager at Hemmingway’s Mall within the office of the centre management. From 2018 to 2020, she made numerous fraudulent ‘gift card vouchers’ for her personal gain. The matter was formally lodged with the East London Hawks for a thorough probe. “The Hawks said the investigation revealed that Moodley had prejudiced the centre cash to…

IN 2022, 31 000 women were raped in India. The rape and brutal murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata has ignited fury across the whole of India. The UN-led 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign has fallen on deaf ears as the slaughter of our women and children continue unabated. The umbrage felt by the nation is staggering. Gender-based violence is a serious violation of human rights, and a life-threatening health and protection issue. It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. During 2017, 87 000 women globally were murdered intentionally. In South Africa, a woman is murdered every three hours, and many are assaulted and raped before their death. These mindless acts have…

TRIGGER warning: This column is a controversial one as I’m going to tackle an issue that sadly is common in our society currently and is becoming disturbingly more prevalent. I was motivated to write this based on the horrendous experience suffered by a close friend of mine who henceforth I will refer to as “Bhai”. Bhai lost his daughter under tragic circumstances, basically due to gross medical negligence. As the matter is sub judice, I will not elaborate further. However that is the catalyst for my writing this column. The young lady who had gone to hospital to have her baby delivered via Caesarean section passed away in theatre but the baby survived. What ought to have been a beautiful event turned into a nightmare that is ongoing currently. Let…

NIEL Patchapen, the POST, August 14-18, is quite correct in claiming that Visvin Reddy’s record reflects his steadfast adherence to principles. Yes, the principles of opportunism and following the money. Minority Front leader Amichand Rajbansi enforced a principle that MF councillors could not jump across to the ANC which, embarrassingly, was where MF representatives 20 years ago were being enticed. Opportunism informed Reddy’s jump from the MF to the DA, where he was a member for just three weeks, because it was a stepping stone for him to gain ANC membership. Reddy never had any intention of being a serving DA member. Within a short while of joining the ANC’s eThekwini caucus, Reddy was rewarded with a committee chairmanship, a position which earned him a higher salary. As the sole…

CONGRATULATIONS to Kamini Prakash for not pussyfooting around the issue in her letter, “Plight of minorities in Muslim countries is concerning”, the POST, August 14-18. The media is also guilty of selective censorship, often suppressing views, opinions and news it does not want aired, and uncomfortable truths. However, in the US, Republican Pat Fallon issued a strongly-worded tweet as early as August 9; the fearless Vivek Ramasawmy has been tweeting visuals of what he called a targeted attack on Hindus in Bangladesh. Relatives of victims from Bangladesh in the US have been giving first-hand information to McCormick. Two prominent democratic lawmakers, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi, both tweeted about the deliberate targeted attacks against the Hindus on August 9. They also said the failure of Congress and the administration to…

THE head of the Hawks in Gauteng has warned that police would spare no resources to ensure those involved in criminal activities faced the full might of the law. This was after four crime intelligence officers, an FNB employee, and a civilian were charged with corruption, extortion, kidnapping and assault. They allegedly kidnapped a Johannesburg man earlier this year and robbed him of R180 000. “Police officers are supposed to uphold the law and protect the public. Let this serve as a warning to those who think they can abuse the resources of the state for nefarious purposes,” said Major- General Ebrahim Kadwa. Macdonald Musundwa Nethavhani, 31, Ayanda Meya, 29, Fhumulani Netsianda, 31, and Wisani Ngobeni, 31, are constables attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit in Johannesburg. They were arrested…

PROTEAS T20I captain Aiden Markram will be reunited with Dolphins batting all-rounder, Jason Smith, who earned his maiden Proteas call-up for the three-match T20I series against West Indies. Markram previously led Smith during the 2014 Under 19 World Cup, a campaign that the South African team won emphatically. Back in those days, Smith could certainly hold his own on one end with ball in hand. However, since turning pro the medium pacer has had very few opportunities to put his bowling skills to the test, especially in T20 cricket where there is little room for trial and error when putting together a bowling attack. Instead, it is his batting credentials that have seen the 29-year-old break into the T20I side and Markram aims not to tamper with Smith’s development.…

There have been plenty of whales around enjoying the Durban sun. Please keep an eye out for them and respect their space. The fishing has been a good combo of gamefish and bottoms. The North Coast has seen the bulk of the gamefish action. There have been some very good catches of couta, dorado, tuna and sailfish to name the top four. Live bait has been (and always will be) king. All of the species will rarely turn down a well-presented and lively baitfish trolled behind a boat or ski. When bait is scarce then lures will still produce good results. Cape Vidal has been the place to be with social media full of amazing catches from there. The central section of the KZN coast has produced a lot of…

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) Remember that you are being protected by your loved ones in spirit. It might feel like the world is against you, but this is only energy making a way forward for you. A crossroads coming up for some of you. Decide with your head, not your heart. Health focus is circulation. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Your health needs your focus. Watch high blood pressure and digestion issues. Take a holistic approach to healing and to problem…

SAIF Ali Khan, who will make his Telugu debut with the film Devara: Part 1, had once bashed Bollywood award shows for its lack of ethical grounds. A video of the actor shows him talking to Anupama Chopra, as he said: “...there’s no such thing as an award function.” He called it the “biggest joke in the world” as every channel had its own award show. “They give these guys an award for turning up, and then they make amazing categories like ‘most beautiful smile’ and ‘most glamorous diva’. You don’t even remember who got the best actor (award) for what. “There’s not enough money spent on the humour. They spend money on the songs and the dances, and everything that suits the sponsors,” he added. Meanwhile, Devara: Part 1…

Greens: 1 large onion, chopped 5 green chillies, coarsely chopped ½ bunch dhania, washed and chopped 1 bunch spring onion, washed and chopped Mixture: 250g chickpea flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp freshly ground dhania and jeera powder ¼ tsp hing 1 tsp salt 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp yoghurt or Maas water oil for frying Combine all of the dry ingredients and the greens. Place into a dish. Add the yoghurt and enough water to form a thick dough. In a frying pan, heat up the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, scoop some of the mixture with your fingertips and drop into the hot oil. Fry evenly. Remove from the heat and place onto paper towels.…

4 large potatoes, peeled, sliced thinly and washed oil for deep frying Sauce: 100g butter 250ml sour cream 250ml fresh cream 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp nutmeg powder ½ tsp egg-yellow powder 125g cheese salt to taste Deep fry the potatoes until tender. Set aside. Using a casserole, place the potatoes in layers. In a large saucepan, gradually heat up the butter on low heat. Spoon in the sour cream together with the fresh cream, while stirring. Add the balance of the ingredients and mix well. Cook until the cheese has melted. Once cooked, spoon over the fried potatoes in the casserole. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. For a healthier version, steam the potatoes.…

2 potatoes, peeled, diced and rinsed 1 large brinjal, cut into 8 cubes 12 green beans, broken into pieces 250ml cauliflower florets 2 carrots, peeled and cut into rings 1 of each robot peppers, cut into chunks 250ml baby marrow, cut into pieces 250ml pineapple chunks oil for deep frying In a frying pan over medium heat, fry each vegetable until tender. Set the vegetables aside. Sauce: 4 grated tomatoes ¼ cup sugar ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper 5 green chillies, chopped 125ml tamarind paste 2 tbs oil In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the balance of the ingredients, mixing well. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the…

AT the age of 24, newly married and with a job opportunity, Don Perumall was living his best life. However, the joy ended abruptly when he found out he had end-stage renal disease. This would be the start of his journey of dialysis and finding a suitable donor – twice – for kidney transplants. Perumall, 49, of Tongaat, said that despite his fears, he remained hopeful throughout and now spent his days speaking on the importance of organ donations and advocating for people to become donors. “You never know the difference you can make in just one person’s life and their future." Perumall, who is now unemployed, said he was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in 1999. FSGS is a rare type of kidney disease that causes scarring in the…

ALL potential live donors are assessed by medical professionals, a psychologist or social worker to ensure the following: The donor and recipient are a blood and tissue match. He/she is physically and emotionally healthy. He/she understands the risks. He/she wants to donate for the right reasons. He/she understands that they will not be paid. A potential donor also needs to be in optimal health and have an ideal body weight. How does one register to become a donor? Visit www.odf.org.za Visit Facebook page – Organ Donor Foundation of South Africa Call 0800 22 66 11 (toll-free line)…

A PHOENIX pensioner – who has to care for her bedridden husband – is locked in a battle with the eThekwini Municipality after her lights and water were disconnected because she could not pay her utility bill. Anadrai Jaglall, 67, of Redfern, returned home recently after spending almost a month in hospital recovering from second degree burns from a fire at their flat. Jaglall, 67, of Redfern, is now fully reliant on his wife Oosha, 56, for his day-to-day needs. “Anadrai cannot move due to the extent of the burns. He is in a lot of pain and is basically bed-ridden. I have to bathe him, change and feed him, and he is in diapers. “Caring for him has become more difficult because we don’t have piped water. It was…

Rajathi Gnanaraj, the Gqeberha woman who was snatched by seven balaclava-clad criminals, has been reunited with her family. The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) confirmed that the 41-year-old had been rescued on August 8 at around 10pm. Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba, a Hawks spokesperson, said this was due to the pressure and efforts of a multidisciplinary team of investigators and support from the media and community. “We are relieved the victim, who was recently kidnapped, has been safely reunited with her family. The investigation remains active and ongoing. As such, it is requested that the family and the victim be given the necessary space and privacy to recover after this traumatic experience.” He said police were working tirelessly, following all leads to ensure justice was served. “Further updates will be…

IF it were not for the British rule over India, I would not have grown up outside of India. If it were not for the British rule over India, my family would not have had to toil under the South African sun in sugar cane fields. If it were not for the British rule over India, I would not have forgotten my mother tongue. On the other hand, if it were not for the British rule over India, I would not have been able to experience the beauty and brilliance of South Africa. If it were not for the British rule over India, I would not be a proud Indian South African. If it were not for the British rule over India, I would not have a rich history behind…

APARTHEID – the Afrikaans word for “apartness” – suffocated the country’s majority non-white population under the thumb of a small white minority from 1948 until the birth of democratic South Africa in 1994. Every facet of life for Africans, Indians and coloureds was affected by racist policies in a country locked in centuries-old history of colonisation and slavery. The pass laws required those who were not white to carry identification papers at all times and restricted their movement in certain areas. The Group Areas Act designated areas for different races to reside and trade in. Everywhere from hospitals to beaches was segregated. Education for non-whites was of an inferior standard. So too were sporting and recreational facilities. Public places such as theatres and cinemas had racist reservation. Whites rode on…

RECENTLY, residents in Phoenix have been receiving bills for supposed “free” water backdated to 2021. Why should we, the citizens, now be responsible for the incompetence in the municipality? Valuations of properties have been increased so that we can now all pool in and pay for this incompetence. We are paying a heavy price with this municipality. Going to their offices is futile. We are informed to make arrangements and pay up, not much of a choice with no other explanation. Going to the area councillor also seems futile. I have tried numerous times and was promised I would be called back to no avail. What options does one have? Pay up or risk being cut off? People are trying so hard to make ends meet and here we are…

A PRIMARY school security guard has been arrested after he allegedly stabbed a Phoenix woman 42 times and left her for dead in the school yard. Anuradha Tani Naicker, 48, is lucky to be alive after she sustained multiple stab wounds to her face, body and head. She was also robbed of her belongings. A 21-year-old suspect appeared in the Phoenix Magistrate’s Court last week, on charges of attempted murder and theft. A second suspect is on the run. Naicker’s daughter, Daylene, said her mother was visiting family and friends in Stanmore, on August 11, when she was attacked. She said her mother was walking past the school, when the security guard allegedly grabbed her mother and dragged her into the school yard. “My mother recalls seeing the security guard…

A SHALLCROSS family has vowed to “never stop fighting for justice” after the case against the man allegedly responsible for the deaths of siblings Olysha and Owen Ganas, was not placed on the court roll due to “insufficient evidence”. Olysha, 27, a beautician, and her brother, Owen, 25, a plant manager for a construction company, were killed on July 27. It is alleged that while making a U-turn at a traffic light, the driver of a BMW one series, an alleged street racer, slammed into their vehicle along the M19 near Reservoir Hills. The siblings’ Audi A3 caught alight. At the time, the family said they were spectators, and not racing. They said the car was not built for racing, but instead for “show”. Following the double death, the family…

WHEN I attended the unveiling ceremony of the memorial bust of Dr Kaiseveloo Goonaruthanam Naidoo, affectionately known as “Dr Goonam”, on national Women’s Day, it was a reminder of our rich history as a South African nation to have had a communitarian of her calibre. Dr Goonam, the first Indian woman doctor, lived her life with verve, courage and beauty. She straddled between the Indian and African communities with ease because she knew who she was, a South African of Indian origin. Her life was aligned with the principles of an inclusive society. I was reminded of 1994 when former president Nelson Mandela phoned me at his usual early morning rising time, inviting me to breakfast at 7.30am. He always watched the news at 7am, and then breakfast – mealie…

BANGLADESH’S cricket captain expressed his confidence that ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will compete at his best in a Test against Pakistan this week, after protests over the former lawmaker’s inclusion. Shakib, 37, was a member of the now-dissolved Bangladesh parliament led by ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, who was forced to flee the country at the start of the month after mass protests. The interim government last week gave permission for Shakib, who has not commented on the political crisis, to feature in the two Tests against Pakistan, the first of which starts today. “He has played this game for so long, so he knows his role and how to prepare himself. I am not thinking about his political career,” Bangladesh skipper and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said at a media…

AmaZulu head coach Pablo Franco has admitted to the difficulty of keeping his team mentally sharp as clubs wait for the start of the 2024/2025 Betway Premiership season. Despite the MTN8 already being in full swing, the start of the league campaign has been heavily delayed this season with the change of sponsors said to be a key factor. At least eight teams from the top flight will get their first taste of competitive action on September 14 when the first round of fixtures takes place, meaning clubs will have had at least 12 weeks of pre-season work. Usuthu head coach, Pablo Martín, who is entering his second season with the club, is one of the coaches with a lot of eyes on his back heading into the new campaign.…