Friday, July 17 2020
THE BIG ISSUES
LEADING THE AGENDA
Virus-hit E Cape school supplied with substandard sanitiser
Alcohol content found to be just 57.6% in tests that also covered nine other schools in Alfred Nzo district
Prega Govender
Journalist
4 min read
Seriously?! Principals livid at jail threat for mask mistakes
School heads are outraged, but independent schools’ alliance says their salaries come with responsibilities
Prega Govender
Journalist
2 min read
News FREE
‘Government is damn close to being guilty of culpable homicide’
There is increasing pressure by parents to stop contact learning until after the Covid-19 peak has passed
Suthentira Govender
Senior reporter
6 min read
SMART NEWS
IN ONE TAKE
News FREE
I regret offence, not my science: race-row prof
Author of article on black students in biological sciences hits back at critics and a Times Select story
Dave Chambers
Cape Town bureau chief
5 min read
News FREE
Why is Covid-19 killing so (comparatively) few in Africa?
Experts say factors such as a younger population and being behind the wave could be our saving graces
Claire Keeton
Senior features writer
4 min read
Diabetics with Covid-19 getting to hospital too late in SA
Head of endocrinology sounds an alarm on Covid-related deaths in those with both types of the disease
Tanya Farber
Senior science reporter
2 min read
Covid-19 patient fights for her own life after losing unborn baby
The baby boy would have been the couple’s ‘miracle baby’, as they have struggled to fall pregnant
Leonie Wagner
Reporter
2 min read
African game rangers are as marked as the wildlife they protect
Study highlights plight of wildlife staff who face life-threatening situations from poachers and animals
Tony Carnie
Journalist
4 min read
IDEAS
FEEDING YOUR MIND
EDITORIAL | As usual, government’s ineptitude ...
It was quick to implement the harshest of lockdowns, but doesn’t seem to give a hoot about its now-starving citizens
Sunday Times Daily
Editorial
3 min read
Don’t worry, taxpayers, you’re not funding ...
You’re investing in a new, viable, sustainable, competitive national airline ... and pigs might fly
Tom Eaton
Columnist
3 min read
LIFE
ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT MATTER
Life with Kelly Khumalo is about to get real
There’s more to the singer’s story than her history
By Kevin Kriedemann
3 min read
Talkin’ bout a revolution for your listening pleasure
Finding a good podcast to sink your ears into can be tricky, so if revolutions are your bag, tune in to this one
Yolisa Mkele
Journalist
3 min read
Loose Cannon shoots himself in the foot with anti-Semitic rant
After two decades, the comedian and media giant Viacom have parted ways over ill-advised podcast
By Staff Writer
2 min read
Blast from the past: Sewgolum shines again at Dutch Open
Today in SA sports history: January 17
David Isaacson
Sports reporter
2 min read
SNAPSHOT
HEADBOARD MAKES HEADWAY Two residents carry a headboard as they transport it along a street in the Kwazakele township in Port Elizabeth.
Image: Marco Longari/AFP
Image: Marco Longari/AFP
6 things you need to know
DA warns of legal battle over R10.1bn SAA reset
The DA has given finance minister Tito Mboweni legal notice that it will challenge any disbursement of funds to SAA using his “emergency powers” under the Public Finance Management Act. On Thursday, the public enterprises department announced it had secured the concurrence of Mboweni to “mobilise funds” for the restart of SAA, with a projected R10.1bn required. This amount was not included in the supplementary budget tabled on June 24. An appropriation by parliament would be required to transfer funds to SAA. Appropriations can only be made at the time of the budget or the adjustment budget, unless it was for an “emergency” under the act. The DA’s lawyer’s letter warns that funding for SAA does not constitute an emergency.
Parliament struggles to start protector probe
Parliament is struggling to put together a three-member panel that would kick off an investigation into whether public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is fit to hold that office. National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise revealed on Thursday that potential panellists who were approached declined, citing possible conflict of interest. “We must also emphasise that the declines did give reasons, and the reasons were some of those that we had not been aware of … All the reasons given to us were open and, we think, honest,” she said. Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso told the meeting of the assembly's programme committee that only one potential panellist had indicated availability.
AA expects 20,000 to back licence extension
With its petition to #ExtendtheLicence fast approaching 20,000 signatures, the Automobile Association says it believes this is an important message from the public to transport minister Fikile Mbalula to urgently extend the validity period of licences. By Wednesday evening the petition had garnered 18,000 signatures since its launch on July 10. “We expect the petition to pass 20 000 signatures this week, and far exceed that in the next few weeks,” said AA CEO Willem Groenewald. The AA launched the petition to urge the minister to extend the validity period of licence discs and driver’s licences, among others, beyond the current cutoff date of August 31.
France battles with Covid impact on minorities
At the start of France’s Covid-19 crisis in February, it had no information on how the virus was affecting ethnic minorities due to a long-standing taboo on compiling citizens’ race to prevent discrimination. French governments have long cherished their “colour-blind” policy, but now some campaigners there say it can harm rather than shield minorities. Medical researchers believe strategy to handle the coronavirus would have better targeted vulnerable people had there been more ethnicity data. — Reuters
‘IS agent’ can return to UK for appeal
A woman who had her UK citizenship revoked after travelling to Syria to join Islamic State (IS) should be allowed to return home to challenge the decision, a court ruled on Thursday. Shamima Begum, 20, was 15 when she and two other London schoolgirls left home to join the jihadist group in 2015. Her lawyer said Begum had “never had a fair opportunity to give her side of the story”, which made the government's decision unjust. Britain’s Home Office called the ruling “disappointing” and said it would seek permission to appeal. — AFP
New lockdowns for India as virus cases soar
With India’s caseload fast approaching one million and fatalities nearing 25,000 authorities are reimposing restrictions. Bihar went into a 15-day lockdown at midnight on Thursday, a day after Bangalore shut down for a week. Goa announced a three-day shutdown from Thursday and a night curfew until August 10. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said South Asia, home to a quarter of humanity was fast becoming the next epicentre for the coronavirus. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have between them more than 1.4 million cases and almost 33,000 deaths. — AFP
