Tabla de contenidos para 2021-09-22 en Cape Times

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za BATTLE LINES are drawn taut between the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and employer organisations after the union resolved to embark on a strike in a fortnight to press for demands in the metals and engineering sector for an 8 percent increase across the board for the first year, and a Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 2 percent improvement factor for the second and third years. Numsa’s national executive committee is meeting on Sunday to discuss the deadlock with all employer associations in engineering, namely the National Employers Association of South Africa, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (Seifsa), the SA Engineers and Founders Association and the chief executive of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council. This…

from page 1 Meanwhile, ANC education spokesperson Khalid Sayed noted that the teacher was fined R20 000 and given a final written warning and mandatory behavioural counselling sessions following a disciplinary hearing. “The teacher is not the victim. The teacher is the perpetrator of an assault on a pupil, under the care of the school, the principal and the WCED.” Education MEC Schafer said: “The WCED does not have the legal right or power to institute disciplinary charges against someone it does not employ. The school’s SGB, on the other hand, which is the employer, did indeed take disciplinary action against the teacher. “The other matter referred to has not been finalised yet.”…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za SIX years after she was ousted as the deputy vice-chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Lulama Makhubela has yet to either be reinstated or paid more than R4.7 million. Makhubela was shown the door for allegedly claiming to be a professor, and she was given an opportunity to file a further affidavit in response to the case put forward by the university and the panel which had dismissed her. It has now emerged that she had filed her response late and did not adhere to the rules of court regarding the timeline for filing her answering affidavit. Makhubela told Judge D Makhoba that as a layperson she did not realise that there was a deadline for filing her court papers and she had relied…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za A VOTE of no confidence against Western Province Rugby Football Union president Zelt Marais, which was set to take place on Monday, did not go ahead as planned. Marais was set to face the vote after months of legal and financial quandaries, the latest one involving his appointment of a ‘strategic committee’ and the setting up of a ‘war room’ without the input of the union’s constituents. During the WPRFU’s general council meeting last month, Marais came under fire for disobeying and acting in direct conflict with the instructions of the joint WPRFU and SA Rugby advisory committee. At the weekend, Western Province Professional Rugby (WPPR) chairperson Ebrahim Rasool sent out a scathing press release in which he addressed key issues that had been circulating. In the…

Johan Majiedt | Bellville WHAT amazes me is how many people, all over the world, see the US as the supreme trendsetter. They seem to believe that anything the Americans start is the new trend and has to be followed tacitly. Admittedly, there are aspects wherein the Americans are ahead of the rest, but this "follow the leader" mentality could sometimes make us look ridiculous. What irks me about many South Africans, especially sports writers, is the tendency to refer to Australia as “Down Under”. That term is an American sobriquet for Australia. Do those South Africans who use it know what it means? Apparently not. If you put your finger on the US, on a mapped globe, and another finger on Australia, your two fingers will be…

MOHAMED SAEED | Pietermaritzburg SINCE the emergence of the novel coronavirus in December 2019, both young and old are affected and sadly, many have succumbed to the virus. Through enormous research, funding and cooperation amongst scientists and biopharmaceutical manufacturers and regulators moving more swiftly than normal, the Covid-19 vaccine was approved for human use. This discovery of modern medical science, a well-meaning ingenuity, was comforting news after months of continuous concern. Initially I was cautious about taking the vaccine, not because I am anti-science or believed the constant weird theories of anti- vaxxers being posted on social media; I was undecided about the choice of injection to take. Finally, after discussing with medical professionals, in August, I took my first of two vaccine doses and a few…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za CONVICTED fraudster attorney Wharren Fortuin has been sentenced to nine years behind bars for the theft of just over R1 million from a trust account. Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said Fortuin, 41, committed fraudulent acts for more than two years between January 2012 and January 2014. “Fortuin, in the course and scope of his practice as an attorney, received funds which he was obliged to hold in trust. “During the period January 2012 to January 2014, the monies received from the claimants were not kept in trust, nor used for the intended purposes, but were instead misappropriated. “The court has further ordered that Fortuin be declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said Hani. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said they welcomed the sentence. “It confirms the…

What will be the best participatory process to deliver the most competent candidate? In Pretoria last week, I found everyone waiting for an announcement from Cape Town. In Cape Town, I found everyone electrified by an unexpectedly wide-open process to appoint the next chief justice. One thing, however, is clear: the next appointee will emerge out of a contest, and almost certainly of five, rather than two, contenders. That points to the deepest question underlying this pivotal South African judicial event: can a participatory appointment process deliver a competent candidate commanding the respect of the public? More precisely: can the Ramaphosa model of change through democratic consensus, of which his call for the public to nominate candidates is a prime example, produce the results our judiciary badly needs if it…

Paris: The US’s decision to lift restrictions on incoming travellers vaccinated against Covid-19 was met with a sigh of a relief by the global airline sector, which has been dealt a body blow by the pandemic. With transatlantic flights traditionally among the most lucrative for Europe’s biggest airlines, the Monday announcement was “formidable news” for a sector that has haemorrhaged tens of billions of euros over the past 18 months, Air France-KLM chief Benjamin Smith told AFP. For most of Europe’s flag carriers – such as Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa – the restrictions on long-haul routes across the Atlantic were particularly hard to swallow. Air France-KLM, for example, generates 40% of its sales from its North Atlantic services, and for Germany’s Lufthansa, the proportion is 50%. “Today’s news…

TOKYO: Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his family, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko, have completed the move to their new residence at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, more than two years after ascending to the throne, broadcaster NHK reported yesterday. The royal family began the move on September 6, but transport of their personal belongings and space planning was completed on Monday. Naruhito was enthroned on May 1, 2019, after his father, Akihito, abdicated due to age and deteriorating health – the first to step down in 200 years.…

Rattled by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, several neighbouring countries have joined hands to kickstart joint anti-terrorism military exercises to maintain regional stability and also check the readiness of their forces. While the Peace Mission-2021 multilateral exercise of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) member countries is being held at the Donguz training ground in the Orenburg region of South West Russia, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) member states have also announced a series of large-scale exercises on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. Meanwhile, in the faraway suburbs of Ulanbaatar, the annual joint Russian-Mongolian military exercise Selenga-2021 kicked off at the Doityn Am training ground yesterday. The CSTO members – Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – announced last week that Exercise Search-2021, Echelon-2021, Interaction-2021 and Cobalt-2021 will be held according…

Panama City: Panama has called for a German auction house to withdraw from sale seven pre-Columbian artifacts believed to be part of the Central American country’s heritage. The country’s foreign ministry said it had asked Munich-based Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger to produce export permits for the pieces, set to go under the hammer. It had informed its German counterpart of its “disagreement with the sale of these objects, as they could be part of Panamanian historical heritage,” it said. Panama has also called on Germany to prevent the sale until experts determine their origin and the legal aspects.…

IT is not often that I will look towards rugby to provide an example, but the England and Wales Cricket Board can surely learn a few things from their British & Irish Lions counterparts. The Lions’ tour to South Africa earlier this year had everything going against them. There were a myriad of reasons for the Lions not to board a plane to SA, and when Warren Gatland’s team eventually arrived in the country, the situation became progressively worse. A third wave of Covid-19 infections had engulfed SA, particularly Gauteng where the initial stages of the tour were being played, which caused players in both teams to test positive for the virus, including Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. Furthermore, SA was in crisis mode with public riots and looting in Gauteng…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za Biltong, Ultra Mel custard, and Lay’s potato chips – these are just a few surprising foods South Africans say they love – that are most closely tied to their heritage. Through a consumer survey, respondents were asked to identify products they see as quintessentially South African, and most of the respondents connected these products to their heritage. A study, conducted by Game stores, found that most South Africans are using food, beauty and household products that tie back to their experiences as children. The reasons for using these products versus newer ones were multi-faceted and often hard for respondents to articulate – usually linking back to a connection to their roots and their childhood experiences. Most respondents agreed that the traditional braai is how they enjoy celebrating…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za IT IS HOPED that a Walk of Remembrance through the streets of Claremont and Newlands on Heritage Day will mobilise support to establish an inclusive Newlands/Claremont Heritage, Environmental Justice and Restitution Society. Imam Rashied Omar, of the Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM), said in partnership with St Saviour’s Anglican Church in Claremont, the institutions will be leading a walk on Friday in a journey to acknowledge and reclaim the history of the displaced communities of Newlands/Claremont. The 1.6km walk will commence at the St Saviour’s Anglican Church on the corner of Main and Bowwood roads, stop over at the Claremont Main Road Mosque, and end at the Newlands Kildare Springs. At each of the places of historical significance, a speaker will provide brief histories of the institutions…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za FORMER president Jacob Zuma yesterday scored a minor victory when arguments about making his medical records available to the presiding judge, to determine whether he is medically unfit to come to court, were temporarily put on the back burner. Zuma’s lawyers were at the Pietermaritzburg High Court to fight for him on two fronts. The first matter before Judge Piet Koen was whether Zuma was fit to come to court. In the second part of the case, after Judge Koen temporarily put the matter of the medical record aside, Zuma’s lead lawyer, advocate Dali Mpofu SC and advocate Thabani Masuku SC took turns to try to convince the court why State advocate Billy Downer should recuse himself and not lead the prosecution of Zuma for his alleged…

Staff writer ENVIRONMENTAL rights groups have decried the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) apparent approval of electricity generation licences for the Karpowership project. The project has been mired in controversy since it was touted more than a year ago to supply about 1 220 megawatts of electricity in a contract worth an estimated R218 billion over two decades. Karpowership SA proposed to locate the three powership projects at the Ports of Richards Bay, Ngqura and Saldanha to generate electricity from natural gas to be evacuated through transmission lines to substations linking to the national grid. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) said Nersa approved generation licences for seven preferred bidders in the Risk Mitigation IPP power programme, including three Karpowership licences, despite public opposition and without any explanation.…

Isaac Sileku | DA Member of the NCOP. Permanent Delegate: Western Cape July 13, 2021 will stand out to me as the day when South Africans in every corner of this beautiful country were left breathless by the unpreparedness of our security cluster. Especially, the South African Police in the face of the worst politically driven protests and violence since democratisation. Sadly, what happened in July of this year was not the first sign of a police service that was inept, lost my faith and certainly the faith of South Africans. We cannot wait for SAPS ’next failure, and instead need to take pre-emptive actions such as extending competent provinces the mandate to include the South African Police Service. As we know, the face of crime differs from…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za ANC ward councillor Xolisa Peter, who has been charged with crimen injuria for allegedly disclosing the HIV status of another member during an argument, will be removed from the party’s list for the upcoming local elections. ANC provincial convenor Lerumo Kalako said the member, in turn, has agreed to step aside from party matters. Peter made a fourth appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court yesterday after ANC Women's League member Ntombi Dywili lodged a criminal complaint against her. Peter is alleged to have verbally attacked Dywili about her HIV status after an ANC meeting on August 7. Tensions were high outside court yesterday between two opposing groups in support of Peter and Dywili. Peter and her supporters refused to talk to the media and accused journalists of…

When I received the news of Jolidee Matongo’s passing, I broke down and cried. I can’t imagine what his closest friends and family must be going through, to lose someone who was so full of life and an outstanding generosity of spirit. A man not apologetic for his Zimbabwean roots, he knew that the future of all of us here in the South is intricately linked to all those in the hinterland of our mother continent. Similarly, his charity begun here in the city where the coalition-government tensions have turned colleagues into enemies. Jolidee, even in the few weeks he was mayor, did not display arrogance. If anything, he had already set a tone of collaborative governance that places the people of this city first. Our friendship started in council…

A German environmental group said yesterday it was suing car giants BMW and Daimler to force them to reduce emissions faster, following recent court victories for climate activists. Environmental Action Germany (DUH) has submitted applications to courts in Stuttgart and Munich, arguing that the carmakers need to set themselves more ambitious climate goals, including ending the sale of fossil-fuel cars by 2030. While the manufacturers have announced plans to transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles, the plaintiffs say their strategies are insufficient to meet global targets. The companies were “torpedoing climate protection and the Paris agreement with highly polluting vehicles”, DUH vice-president Barbara Metz charged. In early September, DUH and Greenpeace sent letters to the two carmakers, as well as Volkswagen and gas company Wintershall, asking them to…

LOS ANGELES: Jada Pinkett Smith celebrated her 50th birthday with a 70s-themed skating party. The Hollywood star and her husband Will Smith built the skating rink at their Los Angeles home especially for the party. The guests were asked to provide shoe and sock sizes beforehand. A source said: “It was the happiest I’ve ever seen them.” Jada has been married to Will since 1997. “It was probably the best time anyone has ever had, and the DJ played the best music. It was mostly ’70s … it was like a ’70s party,” the source said. Will, 52, didn’t skate because he is shooting a film. Although guests were required to undertake a Covid-19 test before attending the party, the event was staged in typical “Smith family style”. “There was…

MONTREAL: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday acknowledged he will need to work with other parties after he fell short of winning a majority in parliamentary elections, leaving him again dependent on opposition legislators to govern. Trudeau, 49, was re-elected to a third term after calling a vote two years early. Since 2019 he had been working with a minority, forced to make deals with other parties to push through legislation. But results showed virtually no change from the 2019 election, delivering up another minority and questioning why he had called a vote the official opposition Conservative Party said was a cynical power grab. | Reuters…

MOSCOW: Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev described the AUKUS alliance of Australia, the UK and the US as another military bloc directed against Russia and China, also emphasising that this “venture” puts the entire Asian security architecture at risk. In an interview with Russia’s Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, Patrushev said: “A short while ago, a new military bloc was formed in the region, the US-UK-Australian AUKUS … Remarkably, the Americans squeezed their French partners out, grabbing a profitable deal for construction of nuclear submarines for Canberra. “Apparently, Atlantic solidarity has a price.”…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com BANYANA Banyana laid the foundation for a hard-fought 4-2 win over Nigeria’s much-vaunted Super Falcons with a 3-0 first-half advantage in Lagos yesterday. The match was the final encounter of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. Nigeria threatened soon after the kick-off and breached South Africa’s penalty area, but failed to create a scoring chance. The home crowd was silenced in the sixth minute when South Africa fortuitously opened the scoring through an own goal. Nigerian defender Chidi Alozie steered the ball into the net as she tried to clear a cross into the penalty area. The gift goal seemed to lift South Africa’s play, and Nigeria were forced to go on the defensive for a sustained spell. The Banyana pressure was…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s GDP could contract again in the third quarter as July data indicated economic activity was shrinking, following a respectable rebound in the second quarter. The composite leading business cycle indicator, released by the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) yesterday, fell by 4.4 percent and 2.5 percent in June and July, respectively, after it reached a peak in May. The SARB said nine of the 10 available component time series decreased, while one increased. The largest detractors were decelerations in the six-month smoothed growth rate of job advertisement space, and in the number of new passenger vehicles sold, as activity virtually ground to a halt during civil unrest in July. The only positive contributor was the increase in the number of residential building plans approved…

From page 1 The organisation works with small-scale fishers and coastal communities around the country to promote the protection of oceans, especially from oil and gas drilling. As part of its #WhoStoleOurOceans initiative, the environmental justice organisation is raising awareness about issues of human rights, to empower small-scale fishing communities – historically marginalised and ignored – to confidently engage with decision-makers on issues that affect them and their livelihoods. “GC finds it totally unacceptable that the Nersa has approved electricity generation licences for the Karpowership project, which has been mired in controversy since it was touted as a so-called emergency solution, more than a year ago.” In a statement, Nersa said: “The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) confirms that based on the available information and analysis conducted on…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za A TRIP to school for special needs pupil Cayley Habelgaarn is not without its challenges. Her mother’s heartfelt plea now is for the public to donate towards a fund-raising campaign for a wheelchair lift to be fitted to Cayley’s scholar transport. Charnay Habelgaarn, from Rustdal in Kuils River, said that after Cayley suffered a near-fatal drowning about eight years ago, her daughter acquired physical challenges and their lives were changed forever. “Cayley attends a special school which is not within our area and as a result, she must make use of the school transport. “Unfortunately, the bus she travels on does not accommodate wheelchairs. It therefore takes two adults – my dad and myself – to lift her on to the bus and to secure her on…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE family of slain Heinz Park Primary School teacher Thulani Manqoyi in Philippi believe his killing may have been planned, as the suspects allegedly held security guards at gunpoint before going to his car and shooting him in the head and shoulder. Manqoyi’s murder has left the education fraternity, which continues to grapple with the scourge of violence, in shock. The 53-year-old had pulled into the school’s parking lot at about 7.45am yesterday when he was ambushed and shot dead inside his car. Earlier this month Bloekombos High School principal Ntombizandile Goniwe received death threats when a car reportedly following her was seen parked outside the school premises. Goniwe has been placed on special leave by the Western Cape Department (WCED) and is still at a safe…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za LEGAL Aid South Africa (Legal Aid SA), which represented the mother of a former Grade 9 Sans Souci Girls’ High School pupil filmed being slapped by a teacher, claims that preparations to approach the Western Cape High Court are at an advanced stage. A R150 000 claim in damages was lodged in the Equality Court against Clarissa Venter following the 2019 incident where a video showed the teacher slapping the pupil and the learner pushing a desk at the teacher. Venter had taken the pupil’s phone away, which led to the argument. The assault charges against the teacher were withdrawn in the same year in which the incident occurred and the damages claim was withdrawn in 2020, but Legal Aid SA said it would reinstate the matter.…

Lenore Faddell | Claremont THE editorial column in Thursday’s Cape Times, in which J.P. Smit is criticised for not at least trying to pronounce someone’s surname. In my experience, the pronunciation of a surname to the satisfaction of the person requiring it, is not possible. Few South Africans can adequately pronounce the surnames of all the different languages. I have found that sometimes the insistence on someone getting the pronunciation right, is used as a means of humiliating the person who is trying but cannot succeed because it is not their home language. Inclusivity would not demand it or consider it disrespectful if a person was not brave enough to attempt it in a public setting. Instead of being critical, should we not all be understanding of each…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za ANIMAL activists reeling from the death of Betty Bay’s beloved baboon Scarface are calling for a holistic community-driven baboon monitoring programme. This comes as the Overstrand Local Municipality has defended the decision to euthanise Scarface, saying all other options had been exhausted. The municipality said a case history of the animal had 94 reported incidents, of which 21 were raiding of occupied houses, 11 incidents of threatening behaviour and 35 incidents of breaking and entering, and damaging property. Scarface, also known as BBM1 had also charged and challenged the staff appointed to manage baboons on numerous occasions. “Also considered was the interest, safety and welfare of the Betty’s Bay/Kleinmond troop as a whole, the safety of local residents, and the risk of BBM1 being injured or…

THIS could be a case study where by-laws may be reconsidered on using the roadside for “fruitful endeavours”. He gave himself the moniker “The Cabbage Bandit”, and now Joe “Djo” Nkuna is going to court to contest a fine the Tshwane Metro Police Department gave him for his roadside vegetable patch. On social media, Nkuna has described how he has “become a criminal”, was fined R1 500 and told to get rid of the cabbages, pumpkins and other vegetables growing on the corner outside his property in the northern Pretoria suburb of Theresa Park. “Let the court decide; maybe we can change this apartheid law,” he announced with reference to municipal by-laws that allow the planting of grass on the city’s verges, but not veggies. Nkuna said he started…

Authorities in Sudan thwarted a coup attempt at dawn yesterday, officials announced on state media. A statement from the prime minister’s office said those involved had been arrested, though the coup plotters were not identified. Hamza Baloul, minister of culture and spokesperson for the government, described those behind the attempt as “remnants of the past regime.” Sudan was led for 30 years by President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, before massive demonstrations led to his ousting in 2019. Baloul said on Sudanese state TV that the government would keep people updated on “the failed coup attempt that is trying to turn back the hands of time.” “We assure the Sudanese people that the situation is under total control,” he said. “The leaders of the coup attempt have been detained, including military personnel…

The Australian government has completed the first comprehensive assessment of sharks, rays and ghost sharks, revealing that the nation’s waters are home to more than a quarter of all the world’s shark species, but 22% face some level of risk of extinction. The Action Plan for Australian Sharks and Rays was published yesterday by the National Environmental Science Program Marine Biodiversity Hub, a government organisation funds marine conservation research. Lead author Dr Peter Kyne said current rates of shark population decline puts many species on the brink of extinction and in dire need of conservation action. “Around Australia, many of our threatened sharks and rays are not commercially important so these are largely ‘out of sight, out of mind’, but they require protection at national, state and territory levels,” he…

LONDON: Police appealed yesterday to anyone with information about the murder of a Nigerian boy whose torso was found in the River Thames 20 years ago to come forward to help them solve the case. . The boy was aged five or six when his body, which had had the head and limbs severed, was found. Police believe he was trafficked from Nigeria to Britain, possibly via Germany. The boy’s identity remains a mystery. Police have named him “Adam” and say forensic tests show he was from Nigeria. The case has been the subject of numerous high-profile appeals over the years, including by Nelson Mandela who asked all African communities to help the police.…

Los Llanos de Aridane: A new fissure emerged in the erupting volcano on Spain’s Canary Islands, belching out more lava and forcing another 500 people to flee, officials said yesterday. The Cumbre Vieja volcano has forced 6 000 people from their homes and destroyed around 100 properties since it erupted on Sunday. Emergency services said in a tweet late on Monday that “a new eruptive fissure has opened” and that the “population is being evacuated”. The volcano straddles a ridge in the south of La Palma, one of seven islands that make up the Atlantic archipelago which lies off the coast of Morocco.…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za RYAN Rickelton will captain the Central Gauteng Lions’ senior team in the inaugural T20 Knockout, the first competition in the 2021-22 season. Rickelton, a big hitting left-hand opening batsman, has been a steady contributor in the limited-overs formats for the now defunct Highveld Lions franchise team, having first gained national prominence in the inaugural season of the Mzansi Super League in 2018-19. It will be Rickelton’s first time captaining at senior level, reflecting his growing influence at the Lions in recent seasons. He was called up for the South African squad that played a T20 series in Pakistan in February - although he never got a start - and then went to Zimbabwe in June as part of an SA A side and scored a hundred in…