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South Africa has witnessed a surge in crimes related to the ban on alcohol sale as well as vandalism of schools during the current national lockdown to combat the novel <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>.<br /><br /> Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said on Monday that she was "horrified" at the alarming number of 183 schools being vandalised and damaged since the COVID-19 lockdown began on 27 March.<br /><br /> The lockdown was extended for a further two weeks until the end of April as South Africa tries to keep the number of coronavirus infections in check.<br /><br /> The vandals steal valuable electronic equipment such as computers from the schools, usually to exchange for drugs and alcohol.<br /><br /> "It is quite disheartening that criminal elements in our communities could destroy the infrastructure (of schools) of their own children with such apparent impunity.<br /><br /> "I am in constant touch with the Minister of Police, and with the assistance of the <keyword id="9050155" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-intelligence-forces">State Intelligence Forces</keyword>, we are following leads for the immediate arrest and prosecution of every single criminal responsible," Motshekga said.<br /><br /> "These schools will be the hardest hit as there could be delays in the implementation of the curriculum recovery plan when schools finally reopen (after the lockdown)," Motshekga added.<br /><br /> There has also been an unprecedented number of burglaries from liquor stores which have been closed down by the lockdown regulations.<br /><br /> Police Minister Bheki Cele suggested that a syndicate could be behind the 16 burglaries at liquor stores so far, especially in Western Cape province.<br /><br /> In the latest case, two police officers and a liquor store manager were arrested for <keyword id="896222" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Colluding">colluding</keyword> in the theft of stock from a store.<br /><br /> The liquor was allegedly destined to be sold on the black market at up to four times the retail price.<br /><br /> In a similar incident in <keyword id="1141902" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mpumalanga-province">Mpumalanga province</keyword>, two officers were arrested over the Easter long weekend after the state vehicle they were driving illegally escorted three trucks laden with liquor.<br /><br /> All the vehicles allegedly belonged to a tavern owner, who was also arrested with two other drivers for contravening the lockdown regulations restricting the movement of liquor.<br /><br /> Cele said it was "alarming" that police officers have been arrested for links to illegal alcohol trade during the lockdown.<br /><br /> Later, the police ministry confirmed that 21 suspects had been arrested for some of the liquor store break-ins, four of whom allegedly initiated the first such incident during the first week of the lockdown.<br /><br /> Cele said some of the burglaries seemed planned while others were spontaneous.<br /><br /> He has called for an urgent meeting between senior police management and liquor retailers to address the situation.  <br /><br />SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/india-unemployment-job-losses-at-many-companies/articleshow/75130701.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India’s looming jobs crisis is starting to unravel within the first 21 days of coronavirus lockdown</a>

Surge in loot from alcohol stores, vandalism of schools amid lockdown in South Africa

By Eugene Bergh, North-West University South Africa, Feb 19 (The Conversation) South Africa boasts some of the best fossil records on Earth. <keyword id="6377866" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="fossils" source="Orion">Fossils</keyword> are found in strata and rocks in many parts of the country. Some are billions of years old. <br /><br /> There are microfossils dating back to the Archaean epoch, between 3.5 billion and 3.3 billion years ago, in the Barberton Greenstone Belt in the Mpumalanga province. The fossils of now extinct invertebrates that lived around 444 million years ago have been found in the Western Cape province. So, too, have fossils of large animals like sivatheres (giraffids) and sabretooth cats, 5 million years old. The country's fossils also contain an exceptional record of <keyword id="3516585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-ancestry" source="Orion">human ancestry</keyword>, mapping our <keyword id="442862" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="evolutionary-history" source="Orion">evolutionary history</keyword> through time. <br /><br /> But fossils aren't just pieces of the past that allow scientists to look backwards. They also provide geologists with important information about what future environments may look like, play a role in policy decision-making and have become a part of our daily lives - often without us realising it. <br /><br /> <keyword id="16575418" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fossils-in-man-made-structures" source="Orion">Fossils in man-made structures</keyword> <br /><br /> Fossils have provided humans with building blocks in architectural structures for centuries. The pyramids of Giza in Egypt are around 4,500 years old; the stones they are built from are millions of years old - 56 million to 34 million years, to be more precise. The building blocks of the pyramids contain trillions of fossilised remains of an ocean-dwelling organism called foraminifera. <br /><br /> These organisms are still found in the oceans today. When they die, their shells become preserved and fossilise in sediment; this hardens into rock over a very long period of time. The stone from which the pyramids are constructed is called nummulitic limestone - a name derived from the foraminifera species it's made of, Nummulites gizehensis. <br /><br /> And it's not just ancient civilisations that used fossils for building. Many modern buildings and structures in North America and Europe are made from building or paving stones containing fossils. These building stones were quarried from fossiliferous rock layers dated to the Jurassic or Cretaceous periods when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. <br /><br /> Even in South Africa, some imported building stones contain fossils. The Bishop Gray Monument on St George's Square in Cape Town, for instance, contains marble with Mesozoic-aged cephalopod fossils that date back more than 65 million years. <br /><br /> Fossils as indicators of economic resources <br /><br /> We use minerals, petroleum, oil and natural gas daily. These geologic resources need to be discovered and evaluated before extraction. In regions where fossils occur, geologists use them to date rocks and sediments to find and evaluate these resources. <br /><br /> Certain fossils are useful in that they provide an age to sediments or rocks; the organisms or animals that formed the fossils lived only during a narrow time period in Earth's history. Some rock strata house fossils that lived during an age and in an environment that can be linked to modern economic resources. <br /><br /> This is important in finding where certain rock units are that can point to economic reserves. Fossils, particularly microfossils - the remains of very small to microscopic-sized animals or organisms - have been used in mineral, petroleum and oil exploration globally. In South Africa, microfossils found in the Karoo Basin in the centre of the country, the south coast and offshore of the west coast have all been used in oil, mineral and petroleum exploration. <br /><br /> Fossil fuels <br /><br /> When animals, organisms and plants die in certain environments and become buried under thick layers of sediment, heat and pressure transform their remains in such a way that they become part of petroleum, natural gas or coal. <br /><br /> For the past 150 years vast amounts of these reserves have been extracted to provide a major source of the world's energy needs. Fossil fuels have played an immeasurable role in powering the global economy. They generate electricity, keep vehicles moving and keep industry running. Today it is estimated that nearly 80% of South Africa's energy needs are met by fossil fuels, particularly coal. <br /><br /> However, fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy source. Burning them contributes to both climate change and health issues. There is an ongoing debate in South Africa, as in most other parts of the world, about how to use more renewable energy rather than relying so heavily on fossil fuels. <br /><br /> Estimating future environmental changes <br /><br /> Burning fossil fuels causes environmental harm - but studying fossils helps geologists to reconstruct past environments, offering insights into likely future environmental change. <br /><br /> Geologists or palaeontologists study rocks that contain fossils to understand the environments they once inhabited. They then use this information to estimate how environments, sea levels or the oceans will change with time. An example of this is the Pliocene period (5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago). It is often described as comparable to modern climate change: during the Pliocene, several global geologic events occurred which led to today's oceanic configurations. <br /><br /> But something was missing during the Pliocene - humans. Nonetheless, scientists attempt to model what Earth's natural responses are to rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, in addition to the effects of humans, by studying the Pliocene when carbon dioxide levels were at similar levels to today. (The Conversation) <br /><br /><br />

Four ways that fossils are part of everyday life

Johannesburg, Apr 12 (AFP) South Africa's police service said it had arrested four of its members for allegedly taking part in illegal liquor trade, undermining a lockdown ban on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes.<p>Several shuttered liquor outlets have been looted since President Cyril Ramaphosa imposed a nation-wide lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus.</p><p>Police minister Bheki Cele on Sunday said there had been at 16 reports of raids on liquor stores in South Africa's Western Cape province, home to the southern city of Cape Town, since the lockdown started on March 27.Cele also "noted with concern the alleged involvement of police members in some of the liquor related crimes".</p><p>Two warrant officers were arrested on Thursday after police received a tip-off and "pounced on the suspects inside the store", Cele said in a statement.</p><p>They were caught "buying liquor that was allegedly going to be resold illegally elsewhere," he added.</p><p>Another two members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) were arrested in northern Mpumalanga province on Friday for using state vehicles to escort three pick-up trucks loaded with alcohol.</p><p>"The three vehicles allegedly belong to a tavern owner who was also arrested with two other drivers," the police said.</p><p>Cele has called for an urgent meeting with liquor retailers to address the growing black market for alcohol. He has also urged local police to crack down on shop looters.</p>To date South Africa has detected 2,028 cases of coronavirus, the highest in Africa. At least 25 people have died from the disease. (AFP) RS  RS

S.African policemen arrested for illegal liquor deals during lockdown

Johannesburg, Apr 13 (AFP) South African authorities on Monday reported that close to 200 schools have being broken into in the first 17 days of a five-week anti-coronavirus lockdown.<p> Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said she was "horrified" after it emerged that 183 schools had been burgled since the lockdown came into effect on March 27.</p><p> "It is extremely disappointing for criminals, ... to randomly destroy the same infrastructure meant to provide decent spaces of learning and teaching," said the minister in a statement.</p><p> With 73 break-ins, eastern Mpumalanga province recorded the most incidents followed by Gauteng -- seat of the capital Pretoria and the economic hub Johannesburg -- with 55 robberies.</p><p> The attacks have ranged from arson, to theft of computers, printers and even classroom chairs, according to local media reports.</p><p> The rash of school attacks come just days after police minister Bheki Cele reported a dramatic fall in crime since South Africa imposed the coronavirus lockdown, crediting a ban on the sale of alcohol for the drop.</p> In his weekly emailed note, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that "it is a great indictment of our society that dozens of schools have been burgled, trashed or burnt to the ground". (AFP)  INDIND

Nearly 200 schools burgled during S.Africa's virus lockdown

<p class="source"><span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ShortFordbus.jpg">Wikipedia</a></span></p>A driver and 19 school children were killed in South Africa when the minibus they were travelling in collided with a truck and exploded in a ball of fire in Mpumalanga province, emergency services said on Friday.<p>The vehicle was ferrying children from school when it collided with the truck between the towns of Verena and Bronkhorstpruit, northeast of the capital Pretoria, Russel Meiring, ER24 spokesman said.</p><p>Several children were injured, he said.</p><p>The dead children lay trapped inside the burnt out shell of the vehicle that stood on its side, he said.</p><p>It was not clear what caused the collision, police said.</p><p>"The (minibus) was transporting learners from school and it collided with the truck and caught fire," Mpumalanga police spokesman Gerald Sedibe said. He said the minibus driver was killed, while the truck driver survived.</p><p>Even though it is Africa's most industrialised economy with a modern road network, South Africa has a dire road safety record. Road deaths rose to 235 during this year's Easter weekend compared with 156 fatalities last year, transport officials said earlier on Friday.</p>

20 dead in South African school bus crash

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div>When I was younger, my family moved to Zurich, Switzerland for five years because of my dad's job.</p><p>Not only was Switzerland <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-switzerland-is-a-great-place-to-be-an-expat-2015-3">a great place to be an American expat</a>, it was also a great home base for all the traveling my family did both <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/15-places-in-europe-that-are-worth-seeing-2015-2">in Europe</a> and in other continents.</p><p>Out of all the amazing trips we took, there is one that really sticks out in my mind: our two-week trip to <strong>South Africa</strong>.</p><p>This is one of the only trips my family ever planned with the help of a <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> agent. It was an investment, but a worthwhile one, because the trip left me with countless memories that I'll hold onto forever.</p><p>South Africa is a diverse country with so much to offer. There are larger cities to visit such as Johannesburg, Capetown, and the capital, Pretoria. Then there's Kruger National Park, which is a must for adventurous travelers hoping to experience a safari. There are beaches for surfers or sunbathers, and vineyards for wine aficionados. <strong><br /></strong></p><p>Here are the highlights from my family's visit.</p><h3>Johannesburg</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>We started our trip with two days in Johannesburg. Because we were short on time, we didn't see a whole lot of the city.</p><p>We did go to one of Johannesburg's many flea markets though, where you can find all kinds of unique arts and crafts that are handmade by South Africans. Bargaining is a must at these markets. I walked away with a beautiful painting that is still hanging in my room today - for a fraction of its original price. Besides artwork, you can find everything from jewelry to clothing to fresh produce from local farmers. They're a great place to look for a gift for someone back home or a souvenir for yourself.<strong><br /></strong></p><p>Some of Johannesburg's best markets include the Rooftop Market in Rosebank, the Bryanston Organic &amp; Natural Market in Bryanston, and the Hillfox Market in Weltevreden Park.<strong> </strong>Click here for a <a href="http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=181&amp;Itemid=9">full list</a>.</p><h3>Kruger National Park</h3><p>We then took a short flight to Kruger National Park, a large game reserve in South Africa's northeastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>After a seemingly endless bumpy ride in a van along a dirt road we arrived at the <a href="http://www.newmarkhotels.com/accommodation/game-reserves/motswari-private-game-reserve/">Motswari Private Game Reserve</a>, the resort we stayed at during our five<strong> </strong>days in Kruger National Park. We slept in private bungalows that were fully equipped with a large bed and bathroom. A bungalow for two runs around $670 per night; if you book three nights, you'll get a discounted rate of $570 per night.</p><p>Resorts like Motswari are built right into the wilderness, which is why you shouldn't be surprised if you run into a family of warthogs on your way back to your bungalow from breakfast (yes, that happened to me). Watching the sunset is breathtaking, as is the unobstructed view of the stars at night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>During our stay we went on multiple safaris and were lucky enough to see four out of <a href="http://goafrica.about.com/od/africanwildlife/ss/The-Big-5-Images-Facts-And-Information-About-Africas-Big-Five.htm">South Africa's "Big Five</a>:" a lion, a leopard, an elephant, and a rhino (the only one we didn't see was a cape buffalo). Besides those four we also saw zebra, giraffe, a hippopotamus, and an impala.</p><p>Our safari guide took us through the park in an open jeep. The guide sits in the jeep, and then there's also a patroler who sits in a seat up front built outside of the car with a gun, just in case. This isn't your average trip to the zoo. You're seeing these animals in their natural habitat and you're getting close enough to actually touch them.</p><p>On our first trip, our guide instructed us to always keep all limbs in the vehicle, and to not make any sudden movements or loud noises. You're never permitted to leave the vehicle - although my dad did lean pretty far out once to snap a picture of an elephant. The goal is to avoid scaring off any animals, or worse, frightening them, which depending on the animal, can cause them to charge the vehicle (hence the patroler with the gun).</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>It's hard to describe the adrenaline rush you feel when a rhino jumps out of the bush directly behind your vehicle, or when your eyes meet those of a lion mother laying with her cubs. It's just something you have to experience for yourself.</p><h3>The Wine Route</h3><p>With a unique climate that's like the Mediterranean, South Africa has multiple <a href="http://www.winesofsa.co.uk/visiting-sa/">wine routes </a>that weave through its scenic wine lands and vineyards. The wine routes are all pretty much within an hour of Cape Town, and the vineyards along them not only offer beautiful scenery, but sophisticated wine and delicious food. The country's signature variety is known as pinotage, a red wine grape that was bred as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut. Some of South Africa's best wines include the <a href="http://www.broadbent.com/sadie-family/">Sadie Family</a> Columella, the <a href="http://mullineuxwines.com/mullineux-wines">Mullineux Wines Granite Syrah</a>, and the <a href="http://www.kanonkop.co.za/product/paul-sauer/">Kanonkop Paul Sauer</a>.</p><p>My family drove what's known as the Garden Route. We started in Oudtshoorn, made our way down south to Plettenberg Bay and the Cape Agulhas, then drove north to Gansbaai, continued to Stellenbosch, and ended our route in Cape Town. It took us a total of five days. During our drive we stayed at some beautiful guest houses, and made multiple stops for activities.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>One of my favorite guest houses that we stayed in was the <a href="http://www.rosenhof.co.za/">Rosenhof Country House</a> in Oudtshoorn. The rooms were luxurious and elegant, and they looked out onto the Rosenhof's impeccably maintained garden and pool. With only 12 rooms and 2 executive suites, the hotel is small. A luxury double room for two people is around $190 per night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>My family visited an ostrich farm while we were in Oudtshoorn, which gave my sister and me the opportunity to actually ride an ostrich. I can't remember the particular farm we went to, but the <a href="http://www.safariostrich.co.za/">Safari Ostrich Show Farm</a> and the <a href="http://highgate.co.za/">Highgate Ostrich Show Farm</a> are both good options.</p><p>It was a thrilling experience - they're a lot faster than you would think! Even though they're not particularly friendly, I thought the ostriches were adorable, so I was more than upset when my dad ordered ostrich for dinner that night. I refused to try it, but he said it was delicious, and it's a common dish in South African cuisine.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>We also stopped at the <a href="http://www.cango.co.za/index.php">Cango Wildlife Ranch</a>, which is basically South Africa's version of a zoo complete with cheetahs, lemurs, tigers, crocodiles, and snakes. During our visit, my dad suggested we take a family photo all holding a huge boa constrictor. My dad and I thoroughly enjoyed it, my sister was petrified, and my mom basically stopped talking to my dad for the rest of the day because she was so mad at him for suggesting it.<strong><br /></strong></p><p>We took a look at the <a href="http://www.faceadrenalin.com">world's highest bungee jump</a> (Bloukrans Bridge) - unfortunately we didn't actually try it - and saw the Cape Agulhas, which is South Africa's southernmost tip and the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.</p><p>Just before we made it to Cape Town, we stayed at <a href="http://www.grootbos.com/en/home">Grootbos Private Nature Reserve</a> in Gansbaai. The luxury eco-lodge describes itself as a "floral and marine eco-paradise." At Grootbos, guests can do anything from a nature walk to horseback riding to whale watching to shark cage diving. There's also a spa.</p><p>My mom and sister opted for the nature walk, while my dad and I went whale watching and horseback riding. We saw both whales and seals, and witnessed some shark cage divers. We only stayed there for a few days, but we probably could have stayed there for our whole trip and not run out of things to do. Grootbos' room rates are seasonal; in the high season - September through April (when my family was there) - a one bedroom luxury suite goes for $428 per night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Cape Town</h3><p>Cape Town was the last stop on my family's South Africa trip. We were only there for a couple days, so we didn't get to see all that much. One of the city's most popular attractions is Table Mountain, which overlooks Cape Town and provides great views. Unfortunately it was extremely foggy when we were there, so it wasn't worth taking a trip to the top. You can take a cable car up the mountain, or take a helicopter ride which provides stunning views of both the mountain and city itself.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Instead, my family explored the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Besides the waterfront, Cape Town is home to many visitor attractions. You can take a trip to <a href="http://www.robben-island.org.za/map/">Robben's Island</a> to see the maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela served 18 years, lounge on Beta Beach or Oudekraal (both just 10 minutes from Cape Town's center), see endangered penguins at the <a href="http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php#boulders">Boulders Penguin Colony</a>, and of course sample some mouthwatering seafood at restaurants all over the city.</p><p>I made the decision to get my whole head braided, which in retrospect, was not my best idea. After four very painful hours at a local salon, my family headed back to our hotel and flew back home the next day. Let's just say the flight was anything but comfortable.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-earth-would-look-like-if-ice-melted-world-map-animation-2015-2">Animated map of what Earth would look like if all the ice melted</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5xam5iczrSx4Ibx8MvarDsu3zOG88omE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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Surge in loot from alcohol stores, vandalism of schools amid lockdown in South Africa

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Four ways that fossils are part of everyday life

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S.African policemen arrested for illegal liquor deals during lockdown

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Nearly 200 schools burgled during S.Africa's virus lockdown

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20 dead in South African school bus crash

Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Ja…

Here's why a trip to South Africa was the best vacation I've ever taken

Sarah Schmalbruch

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