Tabla de contenidos para 2025-04-29 en Cape Times

Eskort is not just about bacon or Viennas; the food processing company behind the brand has added four retail stores across the country in a growth spurt at the end of last year, with more planned for the future. As the manufacturer and processor of iconic antibiotic-free pork products, growing a retail chain may not seem like an obvious path to profit. However, for Eskort, it has proven a successful strategy. The company now operates 30 stores nationwide, with the first one opened in the Western Cape among the four new locations recently launched. Most of these are owned and operated by Eskort, while a handful are run by franchisees. In an interview with BR, Eskort's marketing director, Marcelle Pienaar, said that the company opened its first retail store in…

“I believe the national commissioner and his team are doing everything to bring them back, alive. That is all I pray for. Just bring back my wife alive." These were the words of the husband of missing police constable, 30-year-old Keamogetswe Buys, Lwazi Thepa who joined families of the other missing police officers and the SA Police Service (SAPS) in appealing for their safe return. The three police constables, Buys, 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, and 24-year-old Cebekhulu Linda were last seen in Gauteng in the early hours of Thursday, before they mysteriously vanished. They were travelling from Free State, via Gauteng and heading to Limpopo. The three police officers were travelling in a Volkswagen Polo, when they vanished. The car has not been found. National police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola…

Political parties that backed the now aborted 0.5% VAT increase face a significant challenge in regaining the trust of their constituents. The controversial proposal, put forth by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, sparked immediate backlash from a wide segment of the public. Opposition parties, including the DA, EFF, and MK Party, condemned the proposal, which they argued would disproportionately burden the poor, driving up prices on essential goods and services. In stark contrast, parties like the IFP, PAC, Bossa, and ActionSA aligned themselves with the ANC's VAT increase proposal. While these parties believed that the revenue generated could potentially address pressing national issues, the swift and negative public reaction created a wave of criticism that was hard to overcome. The sentiment among the public is palpable; many have vowed to express…

US President Donald Trump said he believed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was ready to concede Crimea to Russia as part of any ceasefire deal, as talks on a truce entered what Washington called a critical week yesterday. Trump also stepped up pressure on Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian president should “stop shooting” and sign an agreement to end the grinding war that started with Moscow’s February 2022 invasion. Trump’s comments came a day after he met Zelenskiy during the funeral of Pope Francis, breaking the ice after a major row between the US and Ukrainian leaders at the White House in February. “Oh, I think so,” Trump told reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey, when asked whether he thought Zelenskiy was ready to “give up” Crimea – despite the Ukrainian president…

Rwanda last month severed relations with Belgium following criticism of its actions in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – a move that is already having unexpected consequences. Rwanda’s support for the M23 armed group, which has seized large areas of the mineral-rich eastern DRC, has attracted international condemnation and sanctions. In March, Kigali cut diplomatic ties with its former colonial ruler Belgium, which has been among the most vocal critics of the African Great Lake nation’s involvement in the DRC. It later issued a directive banning all organisations in Rwanda from having ties with Belgian institutions. One group affected was the Health Development Initiative, a Rwandan NGO working on sensitive sexual issues, including the distribution of condoms in schools and support for sex workers. It had to return the…

BEIJING: China’s foreign ministry yesterday said President Xi Jinping had not spoken to Donald Trump recently, nor were their respective administrations trying to strike a tariff deal, contradicting the US president’s claim in an interview with Time magazine. “As far as I know, the two heads of state have not called each other recently,” Guo Jiakun, a ministry spokesperson, said. “If the US really wants to solve the problem through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop threatening and blackmailing (China),” Guo said. US President Donald Trump said in an interview published on Friday that his administration was talking with China to reach a tariff deal and that President Xi had called him. Beijing last week repeatedly denied such talks were taking place, accusing Washington of “misleading the public”. |…

Nedbank has paid tribute to board member Errol Kruger who passed suddenly on 26 April 2025. Known for his strategic acumen and unwavering commitment to excellence, Kruger’s departure marks an immense loss for both the bank and the broader banking community. Daniel Mminele, chairman of the Nedbank board, said they were deeply saddened by the news of Kruger's passing. "Errol was not just a colleague, but a dear friend to many of us. Other than being a great pillar of strength on the Nedbank boards in recent years, Errol will also be remembered for his exceptional stewardship of the South African banking sector during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008," Mminele said. "His legacy will continue to inspire us, and he willbe missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his…

Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, represented President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Freedom Day celebrations in Ermelo, where he spoke out against racism and segregation in South Africa. The 2025 national Freedom Day celebrations were held at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium in Ermelo, Msukwaligwa Local Municipality within the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga, where Mantashe delivered the keynote address. “The fact that we have a history of reconciliation over revenge, that is what we are celebrating. It is our choice for reconciliation over revenge, healing over hatred; you heal, you do not continue hating, peace over conflict. Right-wing fringes regard this gesture as cowardice rather than a noble one. That is why you find some of the people talking of an Orania, a piece of land in…

A Pretoria law firm has turned to the Constitutional Court for direct access to the highest court in the country in an urgent bid to overturn a directive introducing mandatory mediation in the Gauteng Division of the High Court. Since last week, the Johannesburg and Pretoria high courts no longer allocate trial dates for civil cases - cases where evidence is being led, such as damages claims. Litigants, who in these cases want a judge to determine their issues, must first prove that they have tried to resolve their issues via mediation. A trial date will be allocated only if mediation does not resolve the issues, and they can prove via a certificate that they did try it. Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo in March issued a draft directive and…

Strengthening municipal capacity through targeted interventions remains core focus As South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) charts its course despite challenges, the spotlight remains on delivery – and few areas are as urgent or promising as infrastructure. The stark reality is undeniable: despite years of investment and policy reform, much of South Africa’s economic infrastructure continues to underperform. As President Cyril Ramaphosa candidly acknowledged in his State of the Nation Address this year, “In many cities and towns across the country, roads are not maintained, water and electricity supply is often disrupted, refuse is not collected and sewage runs in the streets.” These challenges are evident in three key sectors: Energy infrastructure Eskom has shown modest improvements but continues to grapple with significant operational challenges. A recent report by…

A top Palestinian official told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) yesterday that Israel was blocking humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza as a “weapon of war”, at the start of a week of hearings at the UN’s top court. Israel is not participating at the ICJ but hit back immediately, dismissing the hearings as “part of the systematic persecution and delegitimisation” of the country. The ICJ is hearing dozens of nations and organisations to draw up a so-called advisory opinion on Israel’s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians, more than 50 days into its total blockage on aid entering war-ravaged Gaza. Top Palestinian official Ammar Hijazi told judges that “all UN-supported bakeries in Gaza have been forced to shut their doors”. “Nine of every 10 Palestinians have no access to safe…

ULAN BATOR: A total of 11 575 foreigners were granted Mongolian electronic visas (e-visas) in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 4.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024, local media reported yesterday. During the same period, the country’s immigration agency issued 3 629 residence permits in Mongolia, and extended 7 411 residence permits. The residence permit issuance decreased by 5.3% compared to the previous year. Currently, Mongolia’s economy relies most heavily on the export of mineral resources. Tourism promotion is considered one of the priority areas for diversifying the country’s economy and increasing the competitiveness of the domestic tourism sector. According to Mongolia’s Immigration Agency, e-visas were officially launched on October 1, 2021 in Mongolia. | Xinhua…

BERLIN: Germany has asked the European Commission for an exemption from EU borrowing limits in order to increase defence spending in the coming years, according to a letter from German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies published yesterday. Kukies said in an interview last week that Germany was likely to request the exemption. The European Commission has proposed allowing member states to raise defence spending by 1.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) each year for four years without any disciplinary steps that would normally kick in once a deficit is above 3% of GDP. “We see the Commission’s proposal for a co-ordinated activation of the National Escape Clause of the Stability and Growth Pact as an important complementary measure to enable increased national defence spending while safeguarding fiscal sustainability,” Kukies said in…

Research and advocacy project Judges Matter has called on the Judicial Conduct Tribunal to launch a full investigation into the two complaints made against Western Cape Judge Mushtak Parker. The organisation said the tribunal should get to the truth of the complaints. The Judicial Conduct Tribunal is expected to hear closing arguments today after the matter was postponed in February. The Tribunal is also expected to make a finding on whether the evidence before it amounts to gross misconduct. This was after the Tribunal, chaired by retired Judge President Bernard Ngoepe, wrapped up witness testimonies in a marathon that saw all ten witnesses testify in a single day. The witnesses included eight current and former judges of the Western Cape High Court, Advocate Andrew Breytenbach and Irfaan Parker,…

A DRAMATIC rescue of a paddler on a surf-ski offshore of Kalk Bay Harbour ended in tragedy when a Good Samaritan who attempted to save his life died yesterday. The local man, aged 35, had, on seeing the 57-year-old paddler appearing to be in difficulty at his surf-ski, jumped off the Kalk Bay Harbour wall and swam to him in efforts to assist. NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said NSRI Strandfontein, Cape Medical Response, the SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS and Law Enforcement were all activated following eyewitnesses reporting the paddler to have capsized about 150 meters offshore of the Kalk Bay Harbour wall. He said their NSRI Simons Town crew had been at their base at the time, conducting routine training when they were called to respond. “A…

THE City’s Environmental Health Practitioners have recorded a 57% increase in noise complaints in the past two years. The top sources of noise complaints are places of late-night entertainment, events with amplified sound and residential business/workshop noise. At the height of load-shedding in 2023, generator noise complaints too increased dramatically. This, along with the launch of an online service request system resulted in a 57% increase in noise complaints in the 2023/24 financial year, from 1 216 to 1 905, the City said. In the current financial year, the number of complaints is yet again nearing the 2 000 mark. “Noise ranks as one of the top complaints to City Health. Our specialised health services work to resolve as many complaints as possible, but this is a shared responsibility. “It…

On this May Day, we pause to honour the long and difficult journey of South African workers. This journey was never just about wages – it was a revolution to dismantle the apartheid system and its oppressive and unjust workplace laws. This history resonates deeply with the legacy preserved at our very own KwaMuhle Museum. The museum stands as a powerful tribute to the struggles and triumphs of workers, particularly Black workers, under apartheid. Its exhibits vividly document the brutal realities of the migrant labour system, the dehumanising pass laws, and the tireless fight for basic human and labour rights. That is why Workers' Day holds such deep significance. It is not merely a public holiday; it is a solemn commemoration of the sacrifices made by countless individuals who resisted…

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, on a rare visit to Baku, marking the latest sign of a thaw in relations between the neighbouring countries. Tensions between the two have run high for years, largely due to Baku’s close ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel and a January 2023 attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran. Last week, Pezeshkian expressed hopes for a “rapid and serious improvement” in relations and co-operation between the two countries as part of efforts to “mend ties”. | AFP…

NIMES: A man suspected of stabbing a young Malian to death in a mosque in southern France and filming his victim writhing in agony has surrendered to police in Italy, a prosecutor said. The suspect, “Olivier A”, a French national born in Lyon in 2004, “surrendered himself to a police station in Pistoia”, yesterday, Abdelkrim Grini, the prosecutor of the southern city of Ales, who is in charge of the case, said. “This is very satisfying for me as a prosecutor,” Grini said. A European arrest warrant will be issued for his transfer across the border to France, the prosecutor said. More than 70 French police officers had been mobilised since Friday to “locate and arrest” the perpetrator, considered “potentially extremely dangerous”, the prosecutor said. | AFP…

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has urged his team to shake off the disappointment of failing to progress to the CAF Confederation Cup final quickly if they are to remain on course for a “special season”. The PSL rookies have shattered glass ceilings this season, reaching a first-ever MTN8 final, and enjoying a magical maiden continental journey, which ultimately ended with a goalless draw against Tanzanian giants Simba FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday. Stellies had lost the first-leg 1-0 away in Zanzibar and could unfortunately not find an equaliser in KwaZulu-Natal to push the match into extra-time. But now having failed to win the Confederation Cup at their first attempt, Barker’s team need to switch their focus back to the Betway Premiership where they currently…

The Springbok Women’s Sevens squad are on a clear upward trajectory as they gear up for the biggest tournament of their season so far in their bid to return to the HSBC SVNS from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. The HSBC SVNS play-off at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles will feature the top teams in the Challenger Series who will compete against the bottom four teams in the HSBC Sevens for four places in next season's main competition. The South African women have shown steady improvement so far in the three Challenger series tournaments. They started the first tournament at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town with bronze, before following that up with silver in the second round at the same venue. Kenya won both…