Índice para 2024-04-17 em Cape Times

The Gauteng Department of Health, concerned about the surge in food poisoning cases, particularly affecting children, has launched urgent investigations and community awareness campaigns. According to the spokesperson for the MEC for Health, Tshepo Shawa, there had been an increase in reported instances of food poisoning, particularly among children, in recent weeks. Shava said yesterday that 41 children between the ages of 3 to 5 years, who allegedly consumed rat poison mistaking it for candy, were treated at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Monday. “Upon medical examination of the 41 children, a total of 17 were admitted yesterday afternoon at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital for overnight observation, while the remaining 24 were discharged home in a satisfactory condition. “This incident is reported to have taken place at…

from page 1 DA leader in the Western Cape Tertuis Simmers said his party was the only organisation in the province that had a track record and the plan to deliver for the people of the province. Simmers said the premier candidate, Alan Winde, was in Athlone yesterday to unpack their pledge to create 800 000 new jobs in the Western Cape. “In contrast, where the PA governs, their track record is one of corruption and service delivery failure. It doesn’t matter who they are in coalition with, the outcome is always the same,” he said. “Ultimately, all Gayton McKenzie is doing is expanding the ANC/EFF/PA coalition of corruption in the Western Cape. One thing is clear – a vote for the PA is a vote for the ANC. In…

STAGE 16 load shedding may or may not happen but preparations have to be set in place, according to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and the National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Association of South Africa. Officials from Nersa and the NRS addressed a media briefing yesterday where they sought to clarify the reasons behind Stage 16 load shedding. This followed reports about the “National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) 048-9 Edition 3 Code of Practice” which had introduced protocols for up to Stage 16 load shedding. Stage 16, the regulator said yesterday, would be equivalent to 32 hours of load shedding. Nersa yesterday maintained that “although the protocol considers situations of up to 80% of load not met, it is highly improbable that the situation would ever arise”. Nersa’s regulator…

The City has initiated eviction proceedings against several Hangberg families living on three plots of land. The matter was heard in the Western Cape High Court yesterday before being postponed to October 23. The families, some of whom have lived in brick homes on the land for five years, said they now had to find legal representation. Speaking on behalf of the residents, community activist Roscoe Jacobs said: “The City has continuously failed the Hangberg community when it comes to addressing the housing crisis. For several years there has been all talk and no action in terms of housing projects in Hangberg. “Most projects have been in concept phase for years, now close to the election suddenly there is some movement. The community does not trust the City, because even…

Marxist base-superstructure theory offers a profound lens to comprehend power dynamics Last Tuesday, the Electoral Court set aside the decision by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to bar former president Jacob Zuma from running for a parliamentary seat. The IEC had disqualified Zuma due to his criminal record, including a 15-month jail term in 2021. The UMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) appealed the IEC’s decision. The Electoral Court granted leave to appeal and set aside the IEC ruling. This decisive turn of events paves the way for Zuma to contest a seat in the National Assembly in the general elections on May 29. The ruling could potentially mobilise ANC voters who remain loyal to Zuma and disillusioned with the party’s stewardship of unequal societies. It presents a new dynamic. This…

A fire ripped through Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange, one of the Danish capital’s most famous landmarks, yesterday, engulfing its spire which collapsed in a scene reminiscent of the 2019 blaze at Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral. Emergency services, employees from the Danish Chamber of Commerce, including its CEO Brian Mikkelsen, and even passers-by were seen carrying large paintings away from the building in a race to save historic artefacts from the flames. A video showed the flaming spire breaking in half as it tumbled down, sending a large part crashing to the ground next to a fire truck. “Everybody is crying at the Danish Chamber of Commerce right now. It’s their workplace, but also their history,” Mikkelsen said. “It’s our cultural heritage that I’m looking at. It’s 400 years that have shaped…

Meta’s oversight board said yesterday it was scrutinising the social media giant’s deepfake porn policies, through the lens of two cases. The Meta board picked its two cases to “assess whether Meta’s policies and its enforcement practices are effective at addressing explicit AI-generated imagery,” it said. The board can make recommendations, but it is up to the tech firm to actually make any changes. The first case involves an AI-generated image of a nude woman posted on Instagram. The woman resembled a public figure in India, sparking complaints from users in that country. The second case involves an image depicting a nude woman resembling “an American public figure” with a man groping one of her breasts. It was posted to Facebook. Activists and regulators are worried that easy-to-use tools employing…

NEW YORK: Five more prospective jurors were dismissed from Donald Trump’s historic hush-money trial yesterday, as lawyers try to choose a panel of 12 residents of heavily Democratic Manhattan to hear the Republican former US president’s criminal case impartially. Roughly half of 96 potential jurors summoned on Monday were dismissed after saying they could not impartially judge the polarisng businessman-turned-politician, who is mounting a comeback White House bid while battling four separate criminal cases. Those dismissed yesterday said they had scheduling conflicts, concerns about balancing juror service with their jobs, or had come to the conclusion they could not be fair. | Reuters…

Sydney: Australian police are treating a recent stabbing incident at a Sydney church as a terrorist attack, New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said yesterday. Police were called to Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, western Sydney, on Monday evening, following reports of a stabbing in which two people were injured. A 16-year-old boy was arrested by police. He was taken to hospital where he remained under police guard. The suspect had undergone surgery for injuries sustained during the alleged attack. Several officers were injured when they were pelted with projectiles by a crowd while responding to the incident, she said. | IANS…

Zululand District Municipality mayor and traditional Zulu prime minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi has initiated a defamation case against KwaZulu- Natal MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane for alleging that Buthelezi solicits sexual favours from married women. Buthelezi’s lawyers had previously served Simelane with a letter demanding a retraction of the comments she had made during a recent rally in Vryheid, or there would be a R10 million defamation lawsuit filed against the MEC. “We are instructed to demand that you immediately, formally and publicly retract the statement within seven days of receipt hereof, failing which our client will have no option but to seek damages in the amount of R10 million against you as compensation for your wrongful and unlawful conduct,” the letter said. Buthelezi, who is a senior member of the…

from page 1 been unable to award a new tender. Since now impeached Judge President John Hlophe granted an order in 2019, the dispute between Prasa and the security companies has come before five other judges. “While the (service providers) continue to benefit from the tender for more than a decade longer than it was awarded, neither Prasa nor the public win in the current arrangement. Prasa is stuck with a tender that almost certainly does not meet its current requirements. And it has been unable to appoint new companies who may be able to perform a better job at better prices. The public suffer for the same reason long-term incumbency breeds inefficiency and is unlikely to be cost-effective. But the alternative is far worse than no security at all,”…

Smaller parties throw their weight behind Patriotic Alliance in Western Cape The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has received a boost in its attempt to challenge the DA in the Western Cape not just as a kingmaker, but as a contender to govern the province after the May 2024 elections. Five smaller parties in the Western Cape yesterday pledged to support and to ensure that their members vote for the PA. The parties are Advieskantoor, Karoo Gemeenskaps Party, Witzenberg Aksie, Oudtshoorn Gemeenskaps Inisiatief and Karoo Democratic Force. In their pledge signed at a Cape Town hotel, the parties affirmed their intent to join forces with the PA for the purpose of campaigning collaboratively in the upcoming national and provincial elections. “All parties agree to co-ordinate their campaign strategies, communication and public messaging…

The Western Cape Provincial Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism has adopted a report detailing operational inefficiencies at the Port of Cape Town, as well as recommendations to address the issues. In response to President Cyril Ramaphosa's commitment to revitalising the Port of Durban, the committee was adamant that similar attention and urgency be given to the Port of Cape Town, and copies of its report have been sent to Ramaphosa, Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, and the CEO of Transnet, said Cayla Murray, the DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism. The document follows public engagement with key stakeholders in the maritime and logistics sectors on February 22. The engagement included Transnet, MSC, the Western Cape Government, Exporters Western Cape, South African…

TWO Chinese nationals were convicted and sentenced after entering into a plea agreement with the State following the seizure of abalone worth R6.5million at a Bellville facility. The Khayelitsha Priority Court this week further granted a confiscation order of R200 000 for the benefit received by Chaoyuan He, who was ordered to pay the amount into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (Cara), and a confiscation order of R50 000 for the benefit received by Liang Jun Liang, who was also ordered to pay the amount into the Cara. Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the conviction and sentencing followed a joint operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Bellville, Crime Intelligence Counter Narcotics and Gangs Western Cape and the Department of Forestry, Fishery and the Environment. In…

In January 2020, fear and anger gripped the nation after Parktown Boys’ High School pupil Enoch Mpianzi drowned while on a school orientation camp. In Grade 8 and aged just 13, he drowned in a river at Nyati Bush and River Break lodge, near Brits, after the makeshift raft he and others were on overturned. Keamohetswe Shaun Seboko, a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil from Laerskool Bekker in Magaliesburg, was found dead in the school hostel’s swimming pool in 2020 during swimming lessons with 59 others. Four years later, Latoya Temilton, a Grade 7 pupil from Laerskool Queenswood in Pretoria, drowned in January during a school excursion at Wag ‘n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen. It was barely bedtime on Monday when news spread of the drowning of two pupils from the…

Anti-tourism movements are multi- plying in Spain, the world’s second most visited country, prompting authorities to try to reconcile the interests of locals and the lucrative sector. Rallying under the slogan “The Canaries have a limit”, a collective of groups on the archipelago off northwest Africa are planning a slew of protests on Saturday. The Canaries are known for volcanic landscapes and year-round sunshine and attract millions of visitors from all over the world. Groups there want authorities to halt work on two new hotels on Tenerife, the largest and most developed of the archipelago’s seven islands. They are also demanding that locals be given a greater say in the face of what they consider uncontrolled development which is harming the environment. Several members of the collective “Canaries Sold Out”…

FERIZAJ: As sculptor Agon Qosa put some of the finishing touches to a statue of Tony Blair, he thought about what the former British prime minister had done for Kosovo a quarter of a century ago. Qosa and other ethnic Albanians in Kosovo idolise Blair for his leadership role during a Nato bombing campaign in 1999 that halted Serb forces’ advances and ultimately helped the small Balkan nation win independence. Twenty-five years on, Qosa is completing a life-size clay statue of Blair that will be cast in bronze and placed on Blair boulevard in the eastern town of Ferizaj on June 12, which marks the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo war. “I decided to have him in our town, in our Kosovo, to arrive happy and joyful,” Qosa said. More…

Dubai: Torrential rains and high winds lashed parts of the Gulf yesterday as the death toll from storms in Oman rose to 18, many of them children. Flights were cancelled in Dubai, the region’s financial hub, while schools were shut in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Flooding hit many areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, and cut off major roads. Some inland areas of the desert country recorded more than 80mm of rain, approaching the annual average of about 100mm. The storms descended on the UAE, Bahrain and areas of Qatar after passing over Oman, where they caused deadly floods. | AFP…

Bogotá: Colombia has halted electricity exports to neighbouring Ecuador as its hydropower plants reach near-critical levels due to a biting drought, the government said this week. The severe dry spell, associated with the El Nino climate phenomenon, has also led to water rationing affecting 10 million people in Bogota and surrounds. The Mining and Energy Ministry said that the country, which gets most of its energy from hydroelectric sources, was taking “all measures” to avoid energy cuts. Reservoirs stand at 29.8% of their capacity. A level of 27% is considered critical. | AFP…

The Momentum Proteas Women will look to deliver the knockout blow and score maximum points when they play their final match of the ODI series against Sri Lanka at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom today. With the first match rained out, the Proteas go into the final encounter – which is also their final game of the season – hoping do what they have often failed to do over the past few months: finish a series well. Sri Lanka, currently ranked seventh in the ICC women’s ODI rankings, cannot win the series but a draw will hand them a critical two points to go home with. It will also improve their chances of automatic World Cup qualification, edging them closer to the West Indies, who occupy the sixth and…

Two years ago the Shanghai International Circuit hosted a Covid hospital, but this weekend it will stage Formula One once more as the sport returns to China for the first time since the pandemic. Adding to the excitement of fans, they will see Shanghai native Zhou Guanyu drive at his home track in Formula One for the first time. “I’m extremely excited, in these 5 000 years of (Chinese) history there has only been one Zhou Guanyu,” said fan Wang Xiaotian. Tickets for the action-packed Formula One weekend, which begins with Friday morning practice, sees a sprint race on Saturday and ends with the grand prix on Sunday, sold out within minutes of going on sale in January. Ma Qinghua, the first Chinese to drive an F1 car when he…

The Warriors have hit a stumbling block after two losses in the last three matches blighted their almost perfect start to the season – and the losing run could continue when they come face-to-face with an in-form Lions team roaring with confidence. The Joburgers are peaking at the right time and are only four points away from topping the former runaway leaders. The Warriors are still in pole position, but the Eastern Cape side find themselves in the unfamiliar position of having to go back to the drawing board with their top spot under serious threat. The Warriors were humbled by bottom side Boland at the weekend, losing by a surprising five wickets with 18 balls to spare. Captain Matthew Breetzke’s knock of 48 off 34 balls was not enough…

SOUTH Africa has initiated a dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in relation to phytosanitary trade regulations imposed on the country’s citrus by the European Union (EU). This was announced by the Department of Agricul- ture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on Monday evening. SA said this action was initiated to find a lasting solution to the EU’s phytosanitary regulations on Citrus Black Spot (CBS), in order to protect the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in the local citrus industry. CBS is a fungal infection that could result in cosmetic blemishes on the affected fruit. Despite the world’s leading scientists proving that CBS cannot be transmitted through the actual fruit as a pathway, the EU has continued to enforce…

Purple Group’s share price shot up 23.33% yesterday following a “transformative” six months to February 29 that saw it turnaround to a solid profit, while further platform initiatives would generate future growth. CEO Charles Savage said the results heralded a return to profit- ability and their “innovation journey … as we venture into new horizons with the introduction of EasyTrader and the anticipated launch of EasySubscriptions and EasyRetire,” would continue unabated. “These initiatives, along with our robust growth across all our value drivers, signal a bright future ahead,” he said. New regional growth, while slow, was worth the time ... and their work in the Philippines to deliver on an always-on, 24-hour global operations platform, and a cost-effective engineering capability, would provide “future growth opportunities that far exceed those of…

A Durban metro police officer allegedly shot dead his wife before turning the gun on himself at Illovu, south of Durban. The couple’s 19-year-old son, who is believed to have tried to intervene, suffered a gunshot wound to his arm. This is the second gender-based violence (GBV) incident involving a Durban metro police officer in the past two months. Last month, officer Sizwe Ngema allegedly stabbed fellow metro officer Bianca Khuzwayo to death. His matter is before the court. KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda confirmed Monday’s incident. “A 45-year-old man who allegedly shot and killed his 40-year-old wife shot and injured his 19-year-old son before turning the gun on himself.” He added that the police had opened a case of murder, attempted murder and an inquest docket. “When the…

IT IS unlikely that the merits of the application brought by former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane will be decided this week, in her battle against the office of the public protector to pay the R10 million gratuity she claims to be entitled to. Her urgent application to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, was yesterday stood down to tomorrow, when the parties will pave the way forward. Judge Colleen Collis was told by advocate Dali Mpofu, acting for Mkhwebane, that although he and his team were ready to proceed, some documentation was still outstanding, a fault he attributed to the respondents. He said the office of the public protector and the other respondents knew since March 4 about the application, when it was served on them. They were given timelines…

BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga has outlined measures put in place to ensure the safety of teachers and pupils at schools. This comes after DA MP Marina van Zyl wrote to Motshekga, asking about the full details of her department’s plan to ensure the safety of staff and learners at educational facilities across the country. Van Zyl noted that the SAPS crime statistics revealed there were seven murders, 24 attempted murders and 252 cases of assault with intent of grievous bodily harm committed on educational premises between October 2023 and December 2023. She said the crime statistics showed 38 pupils between Grades 1 and 12, six pupils with special educational needs and six day and aftercare children were raped in the same period. In her response, Motshekga said the national…

As we celebrate 30 years of democracy in South Africa, it is important for the women of this beloved country to pause and appreciate the progressive policies adopted by the ANC government that have ensured that we take our rightful spaces in all spheres of influence. Most importantly, we must also reflect on how we have used our positions to move the needle, and defend our democratic gains. In pursuit thereof, l have thought it best to start at home by examining my twin sister’s performance at the helm of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) as l believe that women’s representation in decision-making structures is not an end in and of itself but a stepping stone on the path to creating an equal, inclusive and diverse society. My…

Israel and Iran traded threats after Tehran’s first ever direct attack on its arch foe sharply heightened Middle East tensions as the Gaza war ground on with no truce in sight. Israel’s military chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi has vowed “a response” after Iran and its allies launched a barrage of more than 300 missiles, drones and rockets at Israel at the weekend. Iran said its large-scale attack was an act of self-defence following a deadly Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, and that it would consider the matter “concluded” unless Israel retaliated. However, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi also warned that “the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response”. Washington, Israel’s top ally and arms supplier, has made clear it…

The US is helping 50 countries build up their healthcare systems as part of its new global strategy to prevent another pandemic, officials said yesterday. This comes as uncertainty surrounds the fate of international talks aimed at securing a historic agreement on tackling future disease outbreaks, which resume later this month in Geneva. US officials have identified gaps in each of the 50 partner countries’ technical capacities to respond to biological threats, including surveillance of new pathogens, lab capacity to test samples, and preparedness to communicate about an outbreak. The nations’ progress will be published on a new website that went live yesterday. Alongside the countries Washington is directly supporting, it will urge its G7 partners to deliver on commitments to reach 50 more, for a total of 100 nations.…

PHILADELPHIA: US President Joe Biden kicked off a multi-city tour of the battleground state of Pennsylvania yesterday with a stop in his hometown of Scranton where he renewed calls to increase taxes on wealthy Americans and large corporations. With 19 electoral votes, one of the highest counts among all 50 US states, and voters who swing between backing Democrats and Republicans, Pennsylvania is a top prize in the 2024 presidential election that pits Biden against Republican rival Donald Trump. | Reuters…

LONDON: British MPs were voting yesterday on moves by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban anyone aged 15 and under from buying cigarettes. Sunak’s plan to impose some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules has angered some members of his governing Conservative Party including former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, who say the state should not interfere in how people live their lives. MPs will be given a so-called free vote on the bill, meaning they do not have to vote along party lines. A similar law in New Zealand was scrapped this year by the new coalition government before the legislation went into force. | Reuters…

While Manchester City midfielder Bernando Silva said he and his teammates are motivated by the possibility of winning their second consecutive treble, manager Pep Guardiola cautioned against dreaming too far ahead. City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie tonight at the Etihad having overcome them in the semi-finals last season on their way to winning the competition for the first time. They also lead the Premier League standings and are in the final four of the FA Cup. “I am not going to say ‘don’t feel this’ to my players, but I have a different opinion. We are far away from those hypothetical dreams,” Guardiola said yesterday. “When we are in the final of the FA Cup and (there are) two or three…

YOU have to go back to September 27 to find the last time Stellenbosch FC lost a match. Then, Steve Barker’s team were beaten 3-1 by Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership match. Ever since, the outfit from the Winelands has gone an incredible 22 matches unbeaten. It is a remarkable run that has delivered them the Carling Knockout trophy and taken them to second in the league behind the self-same Sundowns. Such is their form that last weekend they hammered SuperSport United 4-0 to progress to the Nedbank Cup semi-final where they have been drawn to host Rulani Mokwena’s Brazilians. Barker must be thinking “revenge is a dish best served cold”, right? Continental football clearly beckons for Stellies and with Sundowns seemingly out of reach in the championship, you…

Having seen them follow two consecutive victories with two defeats in a row, defence coach Jaque Fourie has warned his Lions team that there are “no more second chances” left to make their United Rugby Championship campaign a success. The highlight of the Johannesburg side’s season came three weeks ago in Galway, when they dispatched Connacht 38-14 to record a bonus-point victory and make their intentions clear of pushing for a quarter-final spot. That day saw tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye red-carded for a dangerous tackle, but star No 8 Francke Horn scored a brace as the Lions ran in six tries in a memorable display. That came on the back of a 40-10 walloping of the Sharks at Ellis Park on March 2, but coach Ivan van Rooyen’s side lost…