Fraudsters are devising ever more devious schemes to defraud even the most careful and suspicious amongst us. Being vigilant is more critical now than ever before! Technology has introduced greater variety and convenience into our lives, but it has also created new opportunities for cybercriminals to induce us to part with our money or information. According to The Harvard Business Review, as developing economies such as South Africa rush to go online, a fertile environment has been created for hackers to practice their skills. This is where they have the opportunity to evade detection rather than deploying their skills against…
Author: Rod Amner
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By SHAUN BERGOVER, Attorney at the Rhodes University Law Clinic The National Credit Act (NCA) and the Consumer Protection Act protect consumers by detailing the rights to which a consumer is entitled. Both these pieces of legislation aim “to promote and advance the social and economic welfare of the South Africans…” and to “promote a fair, accessible and sustainable marketplace for consumer products and services.” In this article, we will be discussing some of the rights to which consumers are entitled under the NCA. The right to apply for credit In terms of section 60 of the NCA, every natural…
By JONATHAN WALTON The appointment of senior managers and municipal managers in several municipalities across the country has always been controversial for a number of reasons. Many of the unsuccessful applicants who applied for managerial and leadership positions successfully challenged unlawful appointment decisions of municipal councils in high courts and labour courts[i]. In many cases, the courts found that the appointment decisions of municipal councils were unlawful, irregular and invalid. In several cases involving the unlawful appointments of municipal managers by municipal councils, the courts emphasized and re-emphasized that the applicable laws and regulations should not be overlooked. In this…
By ROD AMNER and CHRIS TOTOBELA Popular Makana Parks and Recreation manager Jeff Budaza was gunned down at his home at 8 pm Wednesday, 25 May. A family friend told the Daily Dispatch that Budaza was killed while closing the gate to his home. SAPS spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli confirmed the shooting and said police had opened a murder case. Budaza was appointed manager of Makana Parks and Recreation in 2015. In an interview with Grocott’s Mail shortly after his appointment, he spoke openly and passionately about his concern about dysfunction in the municipality and demoralisation amongst his staff.…
By aMan BLOOM Gavin Krastin, 2021 Standard Bank Young Artist for Performance Art at the National Arts Festival, and a team of ‘queer gnomes’ have embarked on a series of good deeds to uplift the town for his work 12 Labours – a celebration of the modern heroes who activate civic works. Krastin, is an artist, curator and educator working predominantly in live art performances. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in choreography and performance from Rhodes University’s Department of Drama and is immersed in the professional performance art scene in South Africa and abroad. From 2013 he lectured at UCT’s Centre for Theatre, Dance and…
With the fifth COVID-19 infection wave now upon us, there is no better time to get your vaccine booster. But what is a booster? And why do you need it? Prof ROSEMARY DORRINGTON, a virologist at Rhodes University and member of the Provincial COVID-19 Expert Panel, answers all the essential questions about boosters. Q: What is a booster vaccination? A: Currently, a single J&J dose or two Pfizer doses are required to be fully vaccinated. An additional booster vaccine dose (second J&J or 3rd Pfizer) can be taken that increases protection against infection. Q: If I decide to get a booster, do I…
By LOYISO DYONGMAN Families in some parts of Makhanda are resorting to buying water from people with donkey carts, “renting” capacity in other people’s rainwater tanks – and doing without when they can’t afford to pay. Some Makana communities have suffered water cuts and lack of water for more than a year. Now others are facing the same problem. In Hoogenoeg, a water tank donated to the community by Gift of the Givers has been empty for seven weeks. Resident Melikhaya Matwa said residents were now buying water from donkey cart owners who can fetch water from far away at between R20…
By STAFF REPORTER Twelve people died in two separate car accidents on the N2 outside Makhanda on Thursday and Friday. In the first accident on Thursday, four people, including a three-year-old boy, died when a Polo Vivo and a Toyota LDV collided head-on. Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said that the Polo was travelling from Makhanda, and all three occupants, the little boy and two women died at the scene. “The Toyota LDV was travelling from the Peddie direction and had six occupants, all males allegedly from a local farm. All three in the Polo died, and a passenger…
The Friends of the Library Lecture series for 2022 continues on Monday, 30 May 2022, with a talk by Prof Catriona Macleod entitled, “They all preached abstinence”: how school-based sexuality education fails South African youth. The stakes of sexuality education in South Africa are high. Research shows that young people mostly feel disconnected from the messages of formal sexuality education. ‘Danger, disease and damage’ are emphasised in classes, and rigid gendered norms and heteronormativity are promoted. Life Orientation educators experience many challenges in teaching sexuality education. So, what is to be done? WHEN: Monday 30 May WHERE: Amazwi South African Museum of Literature 25A Worcester St, Grahamstown,…
The loss of three power-generating units on Saturday, 21 May, forced Eskom to increase load-shedding to Stage 4 from 1 pm to 10 pm tonight and from 8 am – 10 pm on Sunday, 22 May. The loss of two Hendrina and one Lethabo Power Station units since Saturday morning, together with demand currently 1 200MW higher than anticipated, have forced the power utility to intensify load-shedding, Eskom said in a media statement. A Matimba Power Station generating unit was returned to service last night. “At the current burn rate, diesel supplies would be depleted ahead of new stock arriving…