DINNER PARTY INTEL: Payday for soldiers — three years late

1. Late pay parade

Some soldiers in a regiment called up to suppress the riots of 2021 are to be paid — three years late. After two boards of inquiry into the volunteering of 815 soldiers of the Umzimvubu Regiment, 106 soldiers are being paid, 708 are still being audited and another two are being finalised, according to DefenceWeb. The cost of the call-up is estimated at R23m. Eighteen soldiers have since died.

2. Not gay in Ghana

It may soon be illegal to be gay in Ghana. The country’s parliament passed a bill last week that imposes jail terms on people identifying as LGBTQ or organising gay advocacy groups. The law, once it is signed by President Nana Akufo-Addo, will jail offenders for three years. It follows other anti-gay legislation in Africa, enacted in Tanzania, Niger, Namibia and Uganda, where the penalty could be death.

3. New move on old slang 

The British Board of Film Classification has downgraded the movie Mary Poppins from U (suitable for all) to PG (parental guidance). The reason is the use of “Hottentot”, an archaic slang word for the Khoikhoi coined by the Dutch in the 17th century. The board said use of the word was discriminatory.