Sommaire pour 2021-08-18 de Cape Times

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has proposed amendments to tax legislation that could have significant implications for pension fund members wishing to take their savings offshore. The National Treasury yesterday proposed changes that could allow the SA Revenue Service (Sars) to subject the interest in retirement funds to taxation when an individual ceases to become a South African tax resident. Currently, South Africa can forfeit its taxing rights when individuals become tax residents of another country before or when they retire. Briefing the Standing Committee on Finance, the Treasury said the rules had been changed last year and a 3-year moratorium had been implemented for persons who were no longer South African tax residents, before they could access their retirement funds savings. Treasury’s chief director for economic tax analysis Chris…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za TWO local high school pupils and lifeguards will undertake a Robben Island swim to raise money in order to cover the financial losses felt by their fellow lifeguards during the pandemic. The impact of the pandemic cost them the opportunity to participate in the upcoming South African Lifesaving Championships. Funds raised will enable the Clifton Surf Lifesaving Club (CSLC) bursary fund to support individuals participating in upcoming contests, as well as at surf events at Kings Beach, Gqeberha, from October 2 to 9. Pupils Zack Waters, 15, and Savannah Voigt, 16, are training around the clock in preparation for the swim, set to take place next weekend. The two plan to cover a distance of approximately 7.5km, and currents and tides, as well as ambient and water…

Sithandiwe Velaphi sithandiwe.velaphi@inl.co.za THERE was a sombre mood, tears and anguish as some families of the people killed in a horrific bus accident on the N2 in the Eastern Cape began identifying their loved ones at the state mortuary in East London yesterday. The accident on Monday claimed the lives of 30 people. Among them were 22 women, three children under four years old, one child estimated to be between two and four months, and four men. Nine people, including a one-year-old boy, were taken to Frere Hospital in East London to be treated for their injuries while others were provided with an alternative transport as they did not require to be admitted in hospital. The DMJ double-decker bus travelling from Cape Town to Mthatha, veered off the notoriously dangerous…

WHICH of our political leaders could hold a top job with one of the leading financial houses or big industrial companies? And, should the president decide to retire, who would be his successor? Certainly not the deputy president – after all, he is “ill” and, curiously, needs to spend weeks in Russia occasionally. And then the ANC dredged up an errant defence minister as the Speaker of the House. A leadership crisis has descended across South Africa that once was the envy of the world with its model Constitution, the peaceful transition to the new order, and with the courageous, unifying and reassuring figure of Madiba at the helm. The country was at full ahead with bright horizons ahead. Sadly, shortly after that amazing man had left the bridge for…

Staff writer MASHURAH ARTS’ first exhibition, MASHURAH, at Greatmore Studios in Woodstock explores Muslim visual culture, theories of knowledge, narratives, and histories in the context of South African art. The exhibition’s title, MASHURAH, translated from Arabic means “consultation” or “to seek advice”. It serves as a means through which people consult on topics of public importance. This pre-Islamic custom has evolved and exists in many cultures and civilisations in various forms. MASHURAH draws on this process of communal decision-making, reciprocal consultation and learning, to explore Muslim epistemologies, visual culture, narratives, and histories in the context of South Africa. MASHURAH ARTS is founded by Sara Bint Moneer Khan, a curator and researcher from London. As part of her current PhD study on visual literacy and art advocacy in Cape Town’s Muslim…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za CHILD injury prevention unit and NPO ChildSafe have opposed liquor licences being issued to petrol stations under the banner of “customer convenience”. This follows a recent announcement by British Petroleum SA (BPSA) that it would become the first petroleum company to launch a “wine-to-go” pilot store at BP Radiokop, in the Westrand, with a planned roll-out of the offer to selected BP sites throughout the country. Office manager for ChildSafe Chiedza Mujeni, based at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, said the decision to have these licences issued to petrol stations would have “grave consequences”. “Children are already falling victim to drunk drivers. We should be protecting our children, not putting them more in harm’s way, by making it easier for drivers who drink and drive…

WE HAVE witnessed cunning political mastery in the past week, in what may arguably be Ramaphosa’s best political game play since the start of his presidency. It is becoming evident that Ramaphosa is consolidating his power in government and is forcing his political rivals in the ANC to the peripherals of the party. There are some interesting moments in Ramaphosa’s political journey that remain important to consider, viewed contemplating his efforts to secure a second term of office. From the start, Ramaphosa stepped into office on the ticket of #ThumaMina and the New Deal which, in retrospect, has done well to quell criticism around his leadership and policy choices. Emerging from the so-called dark Zuma years, Ramaphosa’s rhetoric was framed on the proponents of “renewal, newness and change”, later to…

KABUL: US military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan restarted yesterday after the runway at Kabul airport was cleared of thousands desperate to flee following the Taliban’s sudden takeover of the capital. The number of civilians had thinned out, a Western security official at the airport said a day after chaotic scenes in which US troops fired to disperse crowds and people clung to a US military transport plane as it taxied for take-off. “Runway in Kabul international airport is open. I see airplanes landing and taking off,” Stefano Pontecorvo, Nato’s civilian representative, said on Twitter. At least 12 military flights had taken off, a diplomat at the airport said. Planes were due to arrive from countries including Australia and Poland to pick up their nationals and Afghan colleagues.…

Madrid: Spanish police said yesterday they had arrested the fugitive leader of an Irish organised crime group who is wanted in Ireland for murder. Officers arrested Gerry Hutch, also known as “The Monk”, at a restaurant in Fuengirola, where he was living, on Thursday. He is wanted for the 2016 murder of a member of a rival organised crime group during a boxing weigh-in at a Dublin hotel. Irish authorities believe the attack was in retaliation for the murder of Hutch’s nephew, Gary Hutch, in Mijas, Spain, in 2015.…

Eight-year-old Mohammed Shaban dreamed of returning to the classroom in Gaza for the start of the school year. But after an exploded missile blinded him in May, he is staying home. Mohammed used to attend school with his cousins and neighbours in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. He is one of hundreds of children the UN says were injured during fighting in May between Israel and Hamas Islamists who control the Palestinian enclave. From May 10-21, the Israeli army pummelled the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire by Hamas. Mohammed said he was walking to a market to buy clothes during the conflict when a missile exploded. As a result of the blast, his father Hani said, “Mohammed was injured which led to…

Qatar: A Kenyan security guard charged by Qatar with receiving money from a “foreign agent” to spread disinformation has left the Gulf state after paying a fine. Malcolm Bidali, under his pen name Noah, published articles on the plight of migrant labourers working on projects in the gas-rich host of the 2022 World Cup, including infrastructure for the tournament. “Fifteen weeks after being detained, forcibly disappeared, questioned without legal counsel, and finally charged for activities related to his social media posts, Bidali has been allowed to exit Qatar on August 16 after paying a hefty fine,” Migrant Rights said.…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com After weeks of unanswered controversy and a flurry of litigation, the PSL yesterday finally stepped into the public domain at a press conference to explain the expeditious sale of beleaguered Bloemfontein Celtic’s Premiership franchise to Royal AM. The transaction drew widescale derision and disbelief since Royal AM are in bad standing with the PSL. They are awaiting a Disciplinary Committee outcome after they were found guilty of no-shows at four PSL promotion/relegation play-off matches last month. It was hard to stomach that the PSL was willing to do business with a club that called for the PSL’s acting chief executive Mato Madlala to be sent to prison if she is found to be in contempt of court after the play-offs took place. Two days before the PSL…

An ecstatic Mohammed Siraj runs past a shell-shocked James Anderson, who is still holding his stance, to grab the stump he has just knocked over. The rest of the Indian players – bar captain Virat Kohli who has sprinted off in any which way - converge on to the Lord’s pitch in a manic dash to collect the remaining pieces of timber for their own piece of memorabilia. It is these crazy scenes that are cherished by everyone inside the hallowed old ground, especially during these Covid-19 times when just being a spectator at a live sports match is a privilege in its own right. In a time zone far away in Jamaica there was nobody at Sabina Park, bar the grounds staff and television crew who could appreciate an…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za South African local procurement influencer Proudly SA said yesterday that it was currently in the process of studying the draft guidelines on collaboration between competitors on localisation initiatives for public comment issued last week. Proudly SA chief executive Eustace Mashimbye said they were of the view that these would have a direct impact on them, given the work they started doing back in 2018 around Localisation Commitments at corporate level, especially now that they were actively soliciting commitments at industry level. Proudly SA’s mandate is to influence local procurement in the public and private sectors, to increase local production and to influence consumers to buy local in order to stimulate job creation. This is in line with government’s plans to revive South Africa’s economy so that millions…

Samkelo Mtshali samkelo.thulasizwe@inl.co.za THE painful struggle endured by Fatima Haffejee in a relentless quest for justice for her son who died in police custody was laid bare yesterday by the lawyer representing the Haffejee family at the reopened inquest probing the death of Dr Hoosen Mia Haffejee. The reopened inquest into the August 1977 death of the 26-year-old dentist from Pietermaritzburg began at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, and the Haffejee family’s lawyer, advocate Howard Varney, delivered a blow-by-blow account of Fatima Haffejee’s pursuit for justice for her son. In his opening arguments presented before Judge ZP Nkosi, Varney detailed how Fatima, between 1978 and 1997, had written letters to the media, including to the Post and then The Natal Witness and now defunct Rand Daily Mail, seeking justice for her…

INGREDIENTS METHOD 4 medium apples, peeled and coarsely chopped 6 large eggs (room temperature) 1 & 1/3 cup (165g) cake flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp fine cinnamon 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 1/2 tsp extra cinnamon and 1 tbs of icing sugar mixed for dusting. Whisk eggs until creamy about a minute with an electric mixer. Add sugar little at a time and whisk for about 8 minutes with a electric mixer. Add vanilla essence. Sift in flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Use a spatula to fold it in. Fold in coarsely cut apples, reserving about a cup full. Line the bottom of a 22cm springform pan with grease proof paper. Pour the batter into the pan, no need for greasing. Spread the remaining apples evenly over…

Staff writer THE Animal Welfare Society (AWS) of SA has dispossessed the suspected Manenberg serial cat killer of his hunting partners: a vicious pit bull cross and feisty, short-haired terrier cross. Despite the breakthrough, yesterday morning another two cats’ bodies were found in Renoster Walk, Manenberg. Having viewed CCTV footage from two independent sources, AWS said it strongly suspected the dogs were used by the individual to catch the unsuspecting cats before he tortured, disembowelled and dumped their bodies. “Both dogs have extensive scarring to, especially, their faces – indicative of cat claw lacerations. This will be independently verified by our senior veterinarian, whose findings will form a crucial part of the case file,” AWS spokesperson Allan Perrins said. Onlookers said the dogs were vicious and had bitten people. “We…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za THE biggest dam in the province, Theewaterskloof, is currently at 101.8% full. During a visit to the dam near Villiersdorp yesterday, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) provided an overview of the water situation in the province and highlighted interventions to ensure a sustainable supply. A recent provincial hydrological report shows the condition of dams in the Western Cape has improved due to heavy rains. However, for the past few years, the Gouritz River catchment on the eastern side of the province, which includes large parts of the Karoo, has experienced dry summer rain seasons. DWS provincial acting head of department Boniswa Hene said there has been a prolonged and lower-than-normal rainfall for the past five years in the Gouritz River catchment system which has caused…

We shouldn’t rely on an inquiry to have the ANC’s approach to corruption explained to us FOR A long time, a lot of people have been waiting for corrupt individuals in the government to be found out. Over 10 years, with each misfiring or disastrous policy, from the ANC cadre deployment of corrupt individuals to key positions of power and BEE tenderpreneurship, an expectation has grown that, at some point, the corrupt individuals will be – must be – decisively called to account. The best hope for the government’s critics are pinned on the Zondo Commission into State Capture to finally recommend concrete measures that will lead to the arrest and conviction of corrupt individuals. The sheer scale of our loss due to corruption has meant that even President Cyril…

Armed men killed 37 civilians in a flashpoint region of western Niger where hundreds have died in jihadist attacks this year, local sources said yesterday. The assailants “arrived on motorbikes” in the village of Darey-Daye in the Tillaberi region on Monday afternoon as people were working in the fields, a local official said. “The toll is very high – there were 37 dead, including four women and 13 children,” the source said. A local journalist confirmed the toll and described the attack as “very bloody”. “They found people in the fields and shot at anything that moved,” he said. The deaths bring the unofficial death toll from jihadist attacks in western Niger to more than 450 since the start of the year. It is also the fifth attack in this…

BEIJING: Pop star Kris Wu, whose Chinese name is Wu Yifan, has been arrested in China after being detained two weeks ago for allegedly raping a Beijing student two years ago. Over a month ago, the Beijing student claimed on Weibo, under the handle “Du Meizhu”, that Kris had assaulted her when she came to his home from a casting interview at the age of 17. The student claimed the singer had “tricked” many young women into sleeping with him. ​“Du previously revealed to the media that Kris used various methods to identify and lure young girls for sex. Du claimed that the number of victims, including herself, far exceeds eight, among whom two are minors”, The Global Times reported, citing the student. The student said she had returned Kris…

NAPLES: Archaeologists have uncovered a well-preserved skeleton at a burial site in Pompeii which has shed new light on funeral rites and cultural activity in the doomed, ancient Roman city, officials said yesterday. The body of the man, believed to be in his 60s, was found in a tomb which dated to the final decades of Pompeii, before it was destroyed by the Vesuvius volcano in 79 AD. A commemorative inscription named the man as Marcus Venerius Secundio and made a reference to theatre performances at Pompeii in Greek – the first time archaeologists have found direct evidence of plays performed there in Greek as well as in Latin.…

NEW YORK: Returning from vacation to his CNN show on Monday, Chris Cuomo said he is a brother, not an adviser, to outgoing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. “My hope is that ultimately everyone involved can get to a better place, that some higher good will be served in all of this”, the 51-year-old said, adding that he refrained from covering the scandal on CNN due to his conflict of interest. The CNN anchor admitted he gave his brother some advice pertaining to the sexual harassment allegations against him, revealing that he urged the 63-year-old to resign.…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has announced a R340 million fund to support small and medium-sized businesses with funding, particularly in the manufacturing and green economy sectors. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) yesterday launched the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), in partnership with international financial services firm, JP Morgan. The deployment constitutes JP Morgan’s initial R300m through the fund and R40m through grants. The fund is expected to result in R2 billion worth of financing transactions, and create a minimum of 1 000 jobs over the eight-year period. Minister Ebrahim Patel of the dtic said JP Morgan was the first international bank to undertake an EEIP programme. He said the EEIP was part of the government’s broad-based black economic empowerment framework, which allowed multinational corporations that…

Staff writer FOUR municipalities out of 30 in the Western Cape are currently in arrears with Eskom – Matzikama, Cederberg, Kannaland and Beaufort West – local government MEC Anton Bredell said yesterday. When it comes to bulk water services, there is currently no arrears debt owed by any municipality. Bredell said the Department of Local Government in the province monitors municipalities to determine if bulk service accounts are being settled timeously. “We are pleased to note that 26 of our municipalities are currently in good standing with Eskom and none are in arrears when it comes to water.” Bredell says most municipalities in the province are rural and struggling with severe financial challenges. “There is, however, no excuse to not pay your Eskom bill. Municipalities are able to reallocate the…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons Tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@inl.co.za A GROUP of concerned gender activists has called on the National Assembly to institute an inquiry into the “extreme dysfunction” at the Commission of Gender Equality (CGE). In a letter penned to the acting Speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli, the group, which consists of 15 institutions including 32 individuals, says the dysfunction impedes the CGE from fulfilling its constitutional and public service mandates. The group further criticised the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities’ handling of CGE matters, claiming that the biased conduct of the committee hindered effective oversight of the CGE. “In particular, we are deeply concerned about the Parliament Portfolio Committee’s (PPC) apparent interference in the operations of the CGE, and the PPC’s recent partisan media statements on the CGE.…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za AN ANC Councillor in Khayelitsha is facing crimen injuria charges after publicly shouting at another party member during a heated altercation that she had HIV. Ward 92 Councillor Xolisa Peter made her first appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court yesterday concerning the incident, which was captured on video. The case was postponed to September 6 for further investigation. According to Ntombi Dywili, they were coming out of a meeting on August 7 when an argument erupted with Peter. “We were waiting for our transportations when Peter and her people wanted to hit another woman within the party. They roughly chased her away. I tried to intervene because a fight was about to erupt and people were taking sides. Doing what she does in most meetings when people…

Staff writer THE Association For Visual Arts (AVA) celebrates 50 years of operation from its 35 Church Street premises this year, with an exhibition Circle – AVA 50 Collectors, including seminal work by artists that began their journey at the AVA. The exhibition includes work by artists such as William Kentridge, Igshaan Adams, Willie Bester, and other household names and opened at the AVA Gallery last Saturday, as one of a series of events to mark the legacy of the association. The online publication of five decades of archives, as well as an independently authored book by Dr Kim Gurney, will follow. “This exhibition presents a novel hybrid model for an art show. In juxtaposing valuable works from collections shown alongside new works by the same artists, offered for sale,…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za THE State and the police came under fire for using “underhanded tactics” in the criminal case of alleged underworld figure Nafiz Modack and his co-accused, Zane Kilian, Jacques Cronjé, Ricardo Morgan and police officer Ashley Tabisher. It emerged in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court yesterday where a bail application hearing was to get under way that there were two “concerning” matters. Defence counsel was restricted from consulting with their clients at the court police cells after alleged instruction by the prosecutors and police officers obtaining a warning statement from Kilian’s wife in the absence of any legal representation were put on record first. Dirk Uys, senior counsel for Modack, said they were aggrieved by the restriction of consulting with their clients ahead of court proceedings yesterday, submitting…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za YET another woman has been murdered in Samora Machel, allegedly by a man known to her. Nozipho Singatha was stabbed to death, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend who had given her money before the attack. The 27-year-old’s friend who was present at the scene managed to escape after the suspect allegedly attempted to stab her as well. The incident on Sunday came days after 34-year-old Siphokazi Bokili’s body was found half-naked following a night of drinking with the man who has since been charged with her murder. The suspect in Singatha’s murder has yet to be arrested, said police spokesperson Andrè Traut. “The circumstances surrounding the death of a 27-year-old female are being investigated after she was stabbed to death on Sunday in Hintsa Ka Phalo Street, Samora…

THE Road Accident Fund (RAF) should pay the claimants – the majority of whom are poor, vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves due to injuries – as soon as possible. RAF chief executive Collins Letsoalo and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula recently boasted that the fund had a surplus of R3.2 billion. However, the fund is still failing to pay some of the law firms that claimed hundreds of millions of rand on behalf of road victims. For years, various law firms have been fighting endless court battles with the RAF to secure money for their clients. Now six law firms have taken the fund to court after it failed to pay claimants within 180 days as promised. Others are challenging Letsoalo’s appointment in court, saying he is a…

French firefighters hampered by strong winds were battling to contain a fast-spreading wildfire in the hills behind the coastal town of Saint-Tropez yesterday as campsites packed with holidaymakers were evacuated. Planes carrying water and 900 firefighters were tackling the blaze, which began late on Monday at a highway service area, according to local media. Waves of extreme heat have hit much of the Mediterranean region in recent weeks, with wildfires from Spain and Greece to Turkey raising uncomfortable questions over global warming and countries’ preparedness. The French fire, which hit several villages in the southern Var region, spread quickly overnight as high winds propelled the blaze across 5 000 hectares of land, burning through 3 500ha so far. “We were completely surrounded by flames,” said Stephane Gady, mayor of…

Heavy rains lashed Haiti yesterday, complicating rescue efforts and drenching thousands left homeless by a devastating earthquake that killed at least 1 419 people, as hopes dimmed for survivors. Tropical Depression Grace churned over the regions of southwest Haiti worst-hit by Saturday’s quake of magnitude 7.2, whipping devastated towns with high winds and torrential rains, causing flooding in at least one area. The earthquake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the poorest country in the Americas, which is still recovering from a major quake 11 years ago that killed more than 200,000 people. The latest disaster comes just over a month after Haiti was plunged into political turmoil by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7. Several major hospitals were severely damaged, hampering humanitarian efforts, as…

MOSCOW: The only flight prototype of Russia’s new Il-112V light military transport aircraft crashed in the Moscow region yesterday, killing all three crew members. The turboprop plane hit the ground landing at the Kubinka airfield near Moscow, its producer, the United Aircraft Corporation confirmed. Before the crash, the right engine caught fire and the plane tilted to the starboard side, losing speed and turning over, Tass news agency reported, adding that the aircraft was completely destroyed in a blaze on the ground. An internal commission has been established to investigate the accident.…

BANGKOK: Police in Thailand used water cannon to break up a demonstration at the national police headquarters yesterday, a day after clashes during which a young protester was left in a coma with a bullet lodged in his head. Protesters gathered in central Bangkok for a third successive day to demand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha resign amid rising anger over his handling of the country’s Covid-19 epidemic, which saw a record 239 deaths yesterday. At least six people were injured in clashes on Monday near Prayuth’s near residence. A medic working with protesters said a minor was also struck by a bullet.…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za Western Province head coach John Dobson has made seven changes to the team for their crucial Currie Cup encounter with the Lions at Newlands today (kick-off 7pm). Province will be looking to make the most of their last regular-season game at home after drawing 40-40 with the Pumas on Sunday. Following the short turnaround there are four changes to the forward pack and three in the backline for the clash. Up-front, Dian Bleuler and Neethling Fouche will start on either side of hooker Scarra Ntubeni, with Ernst van Rhyn back in the starting line-up to captain the team at lock after Juan de Jongh donned the armband in their last run-out. In the loose trio, the experienced Deon Fourie starts at openside flank, with Nama Xaba getting…

Staff Reporter Michael Canterbury was announced as the new chief executive officer of Western Province Cricket Association yesterday. Canterbury is a seasoned professional with a diverse skillset – a combination of engineering and finance. He is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, achieving first class honours in his BCom degree. Canterbury takes over the role from Tennyson Botes, who served as interim chief executive officer for the past 12 months. Botes reverts to his role as WPCA finance manager. Veteran administrator Nabiel Dien was the previous permanent chief executive officer at WPCA. Canterbury’s first order of duty will be to find a new coach for the Province senior team after Ashwell Prince resigned last week to take up a permanent position as Bangladesh’s batting coach. Assistant coach Faiek…