Thursday, August 13 2020

THE BIG ISSUES

LEADING THE AGENDA

News FREE

Brace yourselves, SA – we’re poised for lockdown level 2

Decision follows urging of directors-general, but hinges on a nod from virus command council and cabinet

Caiphus Kgosana
Executive editor: opinions and analysis
3 min read
News

SA felt a bit peaky towards the end of July and now we know why

Many Covid-19 statistical highs occurred between July 20 and 26. Now the figures are down, with recoveries up

Dave Chambers
Cape Town bureau chief
3 min read
News FREE

It’s been a helluva climb, but we may be over the Covid mountain

New decline in excess deaths a positive sign the virus may have peaked in parts of the country, says SAMRC

Dave Chambers
Cape Town bureau chief
4 min read
Read more

EDUCATION CRISIS

SNAPSHOTS OF A SYSTEM IN DESPERATE NEED OF AN OVERHAUL

Ideas FREE

As teachers flee or die, a new, even worse education crisis looms

Replacing a professional teacher comes at a high cost, and we are losing many with vast experience

Jonathan Jansen
Columnist
4 min read
News

Covid-19 halts ‘unfair’ medical exam rules ... for now

The Wits assessment tool, which has been suspended, is being investigated by the public protector’s office

Prega Govender
Journalist
4 min read
News FREE

How a school pushed 178 kids into the criminal justice system

Chance discovery by judge exposes horror programme that led to jailing of children over dagga possession

Jeff Wicks
Senior reporter
5 min read
Read more

SMART NEWS

IN ONE TAKE

News

Rocks and insults fly as the land war comes to Stellenbosch mafia

The Joburg-based protesters’ demands were simple: ‘We don’t want equality. We want the land’

Aron Hyman
Reporter
3 min read
News FREE

Hoo boy, that was close! How a twitch saved an owl in a dustbin

A Hartbeespoort barn owlet tossed into the rubbish cheats death with the help of caring bird rescuers

Alex Patrick
Reporter
3 min read
News

Cig ban could trigger relapse among drug addicts, warn rehabs

Some treatment centres believe the tobacco and alcohol ban can do more harm than good, survey finds

Suthentira Govender
Senior reporter
5 min read
News

Online trials may be well oiled, but it’s a no from this m’lord

A Durban high court judge has ruled in favour of an objection to a damages claim being held online

Tania Broughton
Journalist
3 min read
Read more

IDEAS

FEEDING YOUR MIND

Ideas

EDITORIAL | SA’s economy is budding, but beware ...

SA is showing signs of recovery, but lifting growth onto a stronger trajectory will require bold leadership

Sunday Times Daily
Editorial
2 min read
Ideas

Windies of change: SA cricket needs its own Frank ...

People scoff at my optimism that cricket can lead the way. It is possible with the right people

By Vince van der Bijl
4 min read
Read more

LIFE

ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT MATTER

Lifestyle

Laduma scores big as he kicks MaXhosa into Cape Town

Designer Laduma Ngxokolo proudly walks us through his brand’s ethos and new store at the V&A Waterfront

By Thango Ntwasa
2 min read
Lifestyle

Five great beauty lessons from Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’

The fashion visuals served up a feast of inspiration as our eyes fixated on beauty looks too good to ignore

By Nokubonga Thusi
3 min read
Lifestyle

Classics triumph over fast fashion in Resort collections

Saleability was at the heart of the 2020’s resort season, which forsook novelty for tried-and-tested classics

By Sahil Harilal
1 min read
Sport

Blast from the past: Four in one for SA in LA

Today in SA sports history: August 13

David Isaacson
Sports reporter
3 min read
READ MORE

SNAPSHOT

A hot day at a public pool in Hanau, Germany.
SPLASH! A hot day at a public pool in Hanau, Germany.
Image: Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach

6 things you need to know

Matric exam times decided

This year's matric exams will start on November 5 and end on December 15 - and the results will be out on February 23 2021. This is according to basic education minister Angie Motshekga, who said a decision was taken to merge the matric finals with the traditional mid-year exams, which are usually written in May and June. The decision was taken due to the closure of schools on March 18 2020 during lockdown. The basic education department said the late start to the matric finals would allow schools and pupils adequate time to cover the curriculum, and ensure ample time was allocated for revision. The department said more than 1.1 million candidates were expected to sit for the 2020 combined matric exam.

Eskom makes power-use plea

Eskom announced on Wednesday that the country's power system was “severely constrained” and asked the public to use electricity sparingly. It said the return to service of five generation units had been delayed, while a further two generation units had either been shut down or had tripped. “We urge the people of SA to reduce electricity consumption to help us power the country through the evening peak,” it said. The return to service of two generation units at the Tutuka power station had been delayed, as well as a unit each at the Duvha, Matimba and Kusile power stations. An additional unit at Tutuka tripped on Wednesday afternoon, while Kusile's Unit 1 had been shut down. The constrained system may persist for the rest of the week, Eskom warned.

Locals reeling after fourth body found in bush

The semi-rural community of Mnafu in Mtwalume, on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast, is reeling again after the decomposing body of a woman was discovered in bushes in the area. It was the fourth such discovery in five months. The body, believed to be that of Zama Chiliza, 38, was discovered on Tuesday morning. The bodies of neighbours Akhona Gumede and Nosipho Gumede, and that of Nelisiwe Dube, were found in sugarcane fields in April and July respectively. The fourth was found not far from the others. Chiliza is believed to have disappeared in July while on her way to a clinic. TimesLIVE previously reported that a detective had been assigned to investigate the possibility of a serial killer in the area.

Dem bones belong to Rex’s cuz

Four bones found on a beach on the Isle of Wight, off England’s south coast, last year belong to a new species of theropod dinosaur, the group that includes Tyrannosaurus rex, researchers at the University of Southampton said on Wednesday. The new dinosaur, named Vectaerovenator inopinatus, lived in the Cretaceous period 115 million years ago and was estimated to have been up to four metres long, the palaeontologists said. — Reuters

Coronavirus hitches a ride with shrimps

A city in China’s Anhui province found the novel coronavirus on the packaging of shrimps from Ecuador in the latest instance of the virus being detected on imported products. The virus was found on the outer packaging of frozen shrimps bought by a restaurant in Wuhu city when authorities carried out a routine inspection, CCTV, China’s state television, said on Wednesday. The news broke a day after a port city in Shandong said it found the virus on the packaging of imported frozen seafood, though it did not say where it originated. — Reuters

India considers resettling young Kashmiri militants

India is considering offering young Kashmiri militants an escape from violence by temporarily resettling them in more peaceful parts of the country, according to a top military commander in the Kashmir Valley. Recommendations have been submitted to the Indian government and the plan is said to be at an advanced stage. Past efforts to persuade fighters to put down their guns have had mixed success. More than 50,000 people have died during more than three decades of an insurgency that New Delhi accuses neighbouring Pakistan of fuelling. — Reuters

THE VISUAL SIDE

CROSSWORDS

GIVE YOUR BRAIN SOME EXERCISE