Tabla de contenidos para 2021-11-16 en Cape Times

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za AUDITOR-General Tsakani Maluleke has decried the lack of co-ordination among the government as regards its R500 billion Covid-19 relief fund for health and socio-economic alleviation, which left it vulnerable to fraud and looting. Speaking at the inaugural conference of the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors yesterday, Maluleke said with financial standards, government institutions did not operate in a co-ordinated manner, which had resulted in widespread fraud in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) spend. The Auditor-General’s office had been asked to provide real time audits. which helped to give, in real time, assurances, insight and corrections. “We found that controls, procurement systems were weak and, therefore, vulnerable to abuse. “This resulted in incidents of fraud and resource leakage such as what we saw in the quest…

Staff writer WOMEN entrepreneurs at the top of their game were celebrated as the First Lady Chamber announced the winners of its 2021 Business of the Year awards. The chamber hosts 12-month programmes aimed at developing key entrepreneurial skills in business owners, in order to create an empowerment platform for women entrepreneurs. Members recently completed the third year of the programme, and the top three businesses were chosen. The Business of the Year 2021 award winner was Faziela Harris, founder of Litchie Apple. The brand provides holistic educational resources to all children, fostering inclusive education. Harris’s products incorporate the use of play dough and building blocks as learning tools for children covering subjects such as language, maths, science and coding. The winner of the second prize was Nicole Bring, co-owner…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za AN APPLICATION by the State for Nafiz Modack’s co-accused, Amaal Jantjies and Janick Adonis to join his trial succeeded in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Modack is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Jantjies and Adonis appeared for the first time alongside Modack, Zane Killian, Jacques Cronje, Ricardo Morgan and Ashley Tabisher as the co-accused facing a slew of criminal charges, including the murder of Colonel Charl Kinnear, attempted murder of criminal lawyer William Booth, intimidation, kidnapping, extortion, money laundering and contravention of the Electronic Communications Act. The matter was consolidated despite objections from the duo’s lawyer who said the proceedings currently before court – a bail application by Modack – would prejudice his clients. The lawyer for the two said it was…

EVERYONE on this planet should learn early in life what they came to do here, what legacy they will leave behind, particularly if it’s worth believing and worthy of holding up as something to emulate. The very next day after former president FW de Klerk’s passing on Thursday, there were already obituaries in newspapers, almost as if people had anticipated his death. The fact that he had prepared his last speech, as he calls it, clearly expressing sorrow that he had not done so much earlier in his life, also points to the imminence of his leaving, and that he would have to make a final attempt to “clear his name”. In preparing for this article, I had to listen to and read quite a few comments of people locally…

THE Delhi government pushed back yesterday against a call by India’s top court to declare a “pollution lockdown”, as children stayed away from school for a week because of dangerous smog levels. Air quality in Delhi – among the world’s most polluted cities – regularly plummets to the “severe” category in winter with levels of harmful particulates at dangerous levels. On Saturday, the Supreme Court suggested imposing for the first time a “pollution lockdown”, effectively confining the megacity’s 20 million people to their homes. In a submission to the court yesterday, the city government said such a step would only be “meaningful” if states surrounding Delhi are also included, but conceded that industry was the biggest contributor to the city’s air pollution followed by transport and dust from roads and…

LONDON: Sir Paul McCartney continues to perform so he doesn’t have to think about death. The 79-year-old Beatles legend claimed that composing new music and being in the recording studio helps distract him from thoughts of his own mortality. He explained: “If I didn’t have a new project or challenge to conquer, I can only imagine I’d start thinking further or deeper about the reality of death and that’s not something I want to do, particularly.” However, the Penny Lane hitmaker – who is married to Nancy Shevell and has five children from previous relationships – went on to admit that death isn’t something that frightens him, although his awareness of it increases with age. Speaking in this month’s Reader’s Digest magazine, he added: “Death won’t ever scare me –…

NEW YORK: Those responsible for the deaths of civilians as a result of the US airstrike in Syria must be punished, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, told Sputnik, commenting on a recent publication of the New York Times. Haq said the UN would like to underscore the need for responsibility to be incurred for any actions that result in the deaths of innocent people. The New York Times reported that the US military has been concealing an airstrike that killed dozens of civilians during the 2019 battle of Baghuz in Syria and is among the most devastating civilian incidents in the fight against Islamic State.…

Tokyo: A man attacked an elderly woman with a knife in front of Fukushima station in north-east Japan yesterday, police and local media said, the latest in a string of recent assaults on and around the country’s train network. The attacker has been taken into custody, regional police said, with local media reporting he had been caught by bystanders. A woman in her 80s was hospitalised after the assault, national broadcaster NHK reported. Television station TV-U Fukushima said the victim sustained an injury in her abdomen but was able to speak. The man has been taken into custody.…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s Aiden Markram and Anrich Nortje have earned selection to the T20 World Cup’s Most Valuable Team of the Tournament. Markram enjoyed a stellar tournament with the bat for the Proteas striking 162 runs at an average of 54.00, while fast bowler Nortje picked up nine wickets at 11.55. The duo’s performances helped the Proteas win four of their five matches, which was unfortunately not enough to see them through to the semi-finals. The Proteas’ only loss of the tournament came in their opening game to eventual champions Australia in Abu Dhabi. The team of the tournament was selected by a panel featuring commentators, former international players and journalists Ian Bishop (convenor), South Africa’s Natalie Germanos, Shane Watson, Lawrence Booth of Wisden, the Daily Mail and…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE sentencing of a former Mitchells Plain cop found guilty of sexually abusing detained inmates has been once again delayed after a report, which was crucial in assisting the court with its decision, was not finalised. David Steenkamp, a former sergeant, was expected to know his fate yesterday in the Mitchells Plain Regional Court, but instead the matter was postponed to December 14. He was charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. The matter was previously postponed on November 5 and before that on October 19 due to outstanding reports. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila said the probation officer and correctional officer's reports were only made available yesterday. This was after the case had been heard. Steenkamp was fired from…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@inl.co.za THE judgment in the court battle between Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) is expected to be delivered within the next 10 days. Gauteng Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba yesterday heard arguments from Hlophe’s counsel, Lihle Sidaki, and Max Du Plessis, who represented Freedom Under Law (FUL). This included a FUL application to intervene and a Rule 30 application filed by Judge Hlophe, which seeks to set aside the replying affidavit filed by FUL. Hlophe hit back at the JSC tribunal and further claimed that its findings may have been influenced by retired Constitutional Court justice Johann Kriegler, who is also the FUL’s chairperson. In August, the JSC voted that the judge president should be removed from office due to gross…

Staff writer AS THE first animals to take to the air, before birds and bats, new research about the pterosaurs suggests that the flying relatives of dinosaurs probably out-competed the adults of smaller pterosaur species. UCT Professor Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, of the Department of Biological Sciences, was among the scientists who contributed to a paper published in Cretaceous Research that showed that newly hatched gigantic pterosaurs were indeed fast. She explained that pterosaurs were the first animals to take to the air, before birds and bats. “When they first evolved in the Triassic (252 million years ago) they were quite modest in size, but by the Late Cretaceous they had reached gigantic proportions – with wingspans of over 10m or more, almost the size of a fighter jet,” Chinsamy-Turan said. It…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A whopping 73% of 1 851 academic staff at South African universities, who responded to a survey about perspectives on remote learning and teaching, have raised concerns about cheating. The survey was conducted by the Council on Higher Education (CHE), Universities South Africa and the University of the Free State. Titled “Staff Experience of and Perspectives on Teaching and Learning and its Future (SEP-TLF)”, the survey attracted respondents from 24 public universities. The survey asked lecturers about their experiences on a range of matters relating to remote teaching and learning. Covid-19 disrupted contact learning and exams and universities have adopted remote teaching and learning practices. “One of the most alarming findings in this study concerns the integrity of academic assessments as a result of cheating, and illicit…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za AN INVESTIGATION into SAPS members allegedly failing to act on Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) reports has shown “the way (police) information is leaked in the Western Cape”. Police watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) investigation had uncovered evidence “to the possible criminal conduct of defeating or obstructing the course of justice involving the death of Lieutenant-Colonel (Charl) Kinnear” and has made recommendations for disciplinary action to be taken. Ipid said the leaking of information was “porous” and could jeopardise the image of the SAPS and ordered disciplinary action to be instituted. “(Evidence) which points to the fact that there is substance to the allegations that certain members of the DPCI Gauteng in the form of Warrant Officer (****) and Major-General (****) failed to initiate…

ESKOM needs to work extremely hard in the next weeks to ensure that the process of marking the 2021 matric examination scripts is not compromised by rolling blackouts. Load shedding has had a devastating impact on the writing of matric exams, where pupils across the country had to study in the dark while preparing for the most important exams of their lives. Last week the departments of Basic Education and Public Enterprises held a meeting with Eskom to try to prevent a repeat of what happened during the writing of the matric exams. As the process shifts to the marking of Grade 12 exam scripts, it is imperative that Eskom works hand in hand with the Education Department to ensure that marking centres in all nine provinces are exempt from…

At least 11 people, including two children, were killed in two armed attacks in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, media reported yesterday. El Universal said both attacks occurred at the weekend. The first took place in the municipality of Silao. Armed men reportedly opened fire on a group of people gathered in a private house for a child’s party. Three men, two women and a minor were killed. Four other people were injured. Later, another attack happened in the municipality of Apaseo el Grande. Five family members, including a 14-year-old girl, were reportedly killed in their own house. An 8-month-old baby was wounded in the arm and taken to a hospital. Guanajuato is one of the most dangerous and violent Mexican states due to the continued struggle between the…

British counter-terrorism police were questioning four men yesterday after a “heroic” taxi driver reportedly foiled a plot to bomb a packed Remembrance Day service in Liverpool. An explosion engulfed a cab outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Sunday, seconds before Britain fell silent at 11am to honour its war dead. A passenger was killed but the driver escaped with light injuries, after city authorities and newspapers described how he had locked the man inside after growing suspicious about his intentions. The passenger had wanted to go to the annual Remembrance Day service in the north-west city’s Anglican cathedral, according to UK media quoting investigators and friends of the cabbie. But road closures forced the taxi to detour and they ended up at the nearby hospital, where the bomb went off just…

TEHRAN: Removing the US sanctions in the upcoming Vienna talks is “of importance” to Iran, said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh yesterday. “What is important for us is how to reach a good agreement in Vienna. From which point the talks will start in Vienna is less important,” Khatibzadeh told a weekly press conference in response to a question about some European officials’ remarks that the talks would resume from the point they stopped. Iran and the remaining parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the “2015 nuclear deal”) agreed to meet in the Austrian capital of Vienna on November 29 to resume negotiations.…

PARIS: French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Britain’s labour laws encouraged migrants to attempt the perilous crossing of the Channel by dinghy. British frustration at migrants crossing the Channel from French shores has resurfaced after more than a 1 000 reached England in a single day last week. But Darmanin said :“Why do they go to Britain? Because its labour market functions… with an army of irregular workers.” Britain’s Home Secretary Priti Patel insists France must stop every boat loaded with migrants. But French police say the migrants are too numerous, the shore too long and the smugglers too good.…

THE most challenging of weekends turned into one of the best for Lewis Hamilton with a victory in Brazil that brought back memories of another epic win as a junior fighting for his future. The seven-time world champion went from 20th and the back of the field in a Saturday sprint to 10th on the grid for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos and then to the top of the podium. Hamilton said his father had reminded him of how in a F3 weekend in Bahrain in 2004 he went from 22nd in qualifying to 11th in the sprint to decide the grid and then won the main race. “After that showing McLaren resigned me,” he said. “I was fighting for my career at the time. Without them I…

Mayibongwe Maqhina, Loyiso Sidimba and Siphokazi Vuso Political parties were locked in negotiations to decide who would run hung councils after the local government elections. Parties were under pressure to finalise these talks as the deadline nears this week. The DA is expected to provide an update on its progress in coalition talks with other political parties today. Party leader John Steenhuisen and federal council chairperson Helen Zille will hold a briefing on the current developments in the ongoing talks. Several parties also met in Joburg yesterday for further coalition talks. They include the FF Plus, ActionSA, Patriotic Alliance (PA), ACDP, IFP and the UDM. The ANC and the EFF were not invited to the meeting. ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba stuck to his guns yesterday that his party would…

Staff writer SNACK buying is at its highest level since market research company Ipsos started tracking it in January 2020, with business booming for manufacturers and retailers. In the latest Ipsos Consumption and Shopper tracking study, the value of snack sales increased by almost half (+43%) compared to the previous year, with cheaper brands gaining traction in various categories. The value growth for snacks was largely attributed to the 4% growth of the total sweet category, with ice cream (+5.9%) and sweets (+6.3%) recording significant increases. While ice cream and sweets remained stable across most age groups, it was the sweet-toothed 25 to 34-year-olds driving the growth. Smaller in size but big in potential, there was a slight push back from peanuts (+2.3%) in the total savoury category. “At-home consumption…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za THE Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) has found the dismissal of Van Wyksdorp Primary School principal Danville Esau substantially fair, but procedurally unfair, and ordered the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to pay him compensation. Esau, employed as principal from July 2010, had been found guilty of misconduct charges including that around 2017, he misrepresented to the WCED that the school had paid 80% of the Grade R subsidy. In reality, the actual amount paid to the Grade R teacher was less than 80%, which resulted in an amount of R45 630.28 being unaccounted for. He was also charged with misconduct for submitting incorrect pay sheets pertaining to the payment of the educator and failure to take reasonable steps to prevent any financial maladministration or mismanagement. He…

GWEDE Mantashe is a law unto himself. The Mineral Resources and Energy minister approaches his constitutional duties to promote the law and human rights the way a toddler handles broccoli. He understands the idea that it contains some goodness, but it will touch his lips only if a higher authority compels it there. He is now inciting massive protests and protracted litigation at a time when the country and the world is seeking solutions to stop climate change. Take his retrogressive plan to build more coal plants, and his declared willingness to go to court to fight for it because he knows “we’re going to end up in court for it. Everything we do, you end up in court, but I think we should”. Addressing reporters at the African Energy…

ADDIS ABABA: With thousands of people dead, two million displaced and mounting fears of a rebel march on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s war threatens to unleash instability across the fragile East African region even as envoys scramble to end the year-long conflict. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the worry felt by many when he warned on Friday that a failure to strike a deal “would lead to the implosion of Ethiopia and spill over into other countries in the region”. “That would be disastrous for the Ethiopian people and also for countries in the region,” said Blinken, who is due to arrive this week in Kenya, one of many neighbouring countries concerned by a refugee crisis sparked by the war. Tens of thousands of Ethiopians have already fled westward…

Manila: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday filed to contest the Senate elections next year, seeking a way to stay in politics while facing an international probe into his deadly drug war. Duterte, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term, filed his candidacy at the Commission on Elections office, minutes before a deadline to join the race. A lawyer submitted the paperwork on behalf of the president, according to documents seen by AFP, quelling speculation he would run for vice-president – the same post his daughter, Sara, is contesting.…

Austria slapped a lockdown on people unvaccinated against the coronavirus yesterday as winter approaches and infections rise across Europe, with Germany considering tighter curbs and Britain expanding its booster programme to younger adults. Europe has again become the epicentre of the pandemic, prompting some countries to consider re-imposing restrictions in the run-up to Christmas and stirring debate over whether vaccines alone are enough to tame Covid-19. Covid-19 spreads more easily in the winter months when people gather inside. Europe last week accounted for more than half of the average 7-day infections globally and about half of latest deaths, according to a Reuters tally, the highest levels since April last year when the virus was at its initial peak in Italy. Governments and companies are worried the prolonged pandemic will derail…

Quito: Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso has replaced the head of the national penitentiary service after violent clashes between prisoners in Guayaquil prisons, killed almost 70 people, a decree posted yesterday by the General Secretariat of Communication under the President of Ecuador said on Twitter. On Saturday, 68 people were killed and 25 injured during a riot in an Ecuadorian jail in the city of Guayaquil, the same facility where more than 100 died in riots in late September. On Sunday, new clashes broke out prompting deployment of the police and armed forces. “The head of state … accepted the resignation of colonel Bolivar Garzon Espinosa,” the decree says.…