Sylvester_TUTjourn

By Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Syvester_tut Bread, breakfast cereals, maize meal (which is used to make popular South African cuisine Pap) and other food products that are produced by using grain, are all set for price increments, according to South Africa’s largest food producer Tiger Brands. These food price increases are going to hammer already under pressure consumers, who have been hit with continued fuel price hikes. Tiger Brands anticipates that wheat and grain food products are likely to surge at a rate of between 15% and 20%. And it doesn’t end there, Tiger Brands Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Noel Doyl, says Koo baked beans and other food products packaged in tins should be expected to rise in costs. Consumers have certainly been feeling the pinch of food price inflation. Picture: Albany via their website. The context from which these food price hikes should be drawn from is the conflict in Europe, between Russia and Ukraine, and China’s ...

By Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut Although South Africa has no reported and confirmed cases of Monkeypox, experts urge the public to be cautious about the person-to-person transmissible virus. Monkeypox is a virus that is a family to the genus Orthopoxvirus and Poxviridae, and these viruses are carried by different animal species and are known to infect human beings as well. Monkeypox disease in humans causes blister-like lesions (mostly resembling chickenpox) that appear on the face, and in extreme cases it develops on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands and other parts of the body. Its signs and symptoms are visible averagely between 7-14 days, and initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backaches, chills and exhaustion. Monkeypox patient | Picture: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The monkeypox virus is transmissible through person-to-person and via human contact with an animal that has the virus, also through t...

By Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut Researchers have found a rising level of covid-19 virus particles in wastewater plants in Gauteng, which houses the Klipgat wastewater plant, and this plant services Soshanguve. The study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) shows that the Omicron variant, the sub-variant of Omicron and elements of the deadly Delta variant were found in wastewater plants in Gauteng and in 18 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in five other provinces.   The report also indicates that SARS-COV-2 found in wastewater treatment plants is rising countrywide, particularly in the Gauteng province. This also explains why we have been seeing a spike in covid-19 infections and a resurgence in clinical cases. South Africa is not in the 5 th wave just yet and this is shown by the low number of severe cases, ICU admissions and a small number of deaths due to covid-19. Wastewater testing | Picture: NICD / Twitt...

  By: Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut More than two years into the covid-19 pandemic, the impact of the virus’ presence is still being felt here at home and across the continent and the globe, debate continues how the South African government should handle the effects that came with this widespread disease. Thousands of people have died, millions have lost their jobs, and some are beginning to get fired from work because they refuse to vaccinate. Some employers are starting to enforce covid-19 vaccine jabs on their employees, and those who resist getting inoculated get dismissed from work. Whether this method by employers will work or not remains to be seen. On the other hand, employees who refuse to be vaccinated will find it hard to successfully challenge their dismissals at the Commission for Conciliation and Arbitration (CCMA). Some Twitter users' reaction to the CCMA ruling. The CCMA has on two different occasions ruled in favour of em...

By: Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut The stage was set, and all systems were a go for the biggest two-day music, fashion and art event in South Africa. The occasion, held on the 23 rd and 24 th of April, saw a line-up of more than 100 musicians whom Ricky Rick had worked and collaborated with throughout his career. Some of the biggest names on the line-up were rappers AKA, A-REECE, Cassper Nyovest and the popular Amapiano duo Amaroto, Gqom pioneers Destruction Boyz, legendary muso and Osama hitmaker Zakes Bantwini among others. Ricky Rick successfully started Cotton Fest in 2019 and the recent one was no different, its production and sound was well put together and event organisers did justice to the man’s legacy. The concert convened at The Station on Mandela Bridge in Newtown, Johannesburg. Concertgoers were visibly excited as they were walking into the venue, most of them dressed in style (eating cotton as Ricky would say), a  young...

By: Sylvester Raraza Twitter: @Sylvester_tut  Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com A report commissioned by WP Engine ( https://wpengine.com/ ) found that generation z (people born between 1997-to-2012) is, “… inextricably tied to the digital world, and the way they identify with it is rooted in their deep connection and familiarity with the Internet.” To simplify this statement, the report found that generation z is the most internet connected generation in history and their world views and thinking are influenced by the digital world. The relevance of this information is prompted by the fact that kids nowadays do not feel the need to go outside, play and muddy their clothes a little – all they do is sit on the couch, eat and play with their smartphones and computers all day. What happened to playing ‘diketo’? People who were born before generation z are children of diketo. Diketo is an indigenous game played mostly in South Africa and Lesotho, other African countries up north play i...

By Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut South Africa is a country with an apathetic youth. This is unsurprising when you consider the fact that the country’s youth unemployment rate is sitting at 46,3%, according to Statistics South Africa. Young people are filled with hopelessness, they are demoralized and downhearted. Boitumelo Thage is trying to change that. The newly elected African National Congress (ANC) branch secretary, in Pretoria Ward 98, says youth involvement and participation is pivotal in attempting to change the country’s prospects and its young population. “Here is to championing the interests of young women, and young people. Here is to community development. A bright future awaits us as young people, and young women in particular #wetheyouth”, Thage tweeted when announcing her election as branch secretary. Leading up to the 2021 local government elections, Boitumelo Thage was declared as the ANC’s Ward 98 councillor candidate. Alth...