Sommaire pour 2022-10-18 de Cape Times

CONSULTING Engineers South Africa (Cesa) has called on government to stop talking and start implementing infrastructure projects, warning that failure to do so is causing a loss of technical skills through emigration. Cesa chief executive Chris Campbell said in a statement yesterday that the lack of investment in infrastructure development, particularly from the public sector, coupled with a lack of government projects and the slow pace at which tenders are awarded, coupled with a high percentage of tender cancellations, was very concerning. “The impact of this on the consulting engineering and construction sector is having a devastating effect on the sustainability of companies. “The industry is experiencing an increase in the loss of technical skills through emigration. It is a well-known fact that infrastructure development underpins economic growth, and we…

from page 1 unsuitable for export. “This comes at a time when the rand is weak and therefore export earnings for the agricultural and mining sectors could have been exceptional. The spin-off in terms of lost taxes and of foreign reputation for future sales should also be factored in. “Strike action in the ports has led to extensive, costly delays to ships. Yesterday, 39 ships were anchored outside Durban harbour and 36 vessels outside Richards Bay. Other ships have diverted from local ports or are slow-steaming, hoping to arrive once the strike is over and the backlog has been cleared. Angered by delays and the enormous costs they incur following the strike, some ship operators or shippers could take their business elsewhere. Jobs are lost in the process, and it…

THE Section 194 Committee yesterday pushed through the independent legal opinion it obtained on the recusal of chairperson Qubudile Dyantyi and DA MP Kevin Mileham despite protestations from some opposition parties. Yesterday’s meeting was meant for Dyantyi and Mileham to state whether they would recuse themselves after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane made a recusal application last month. However, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa raised concern that the legal opinion obtained from Advocate Ismail Jamie, who was representing the DA in former president Jacob Zuma’s matter in the Supreme Court of Appeal. “How can the public believe that they can get independent opinion from someone representing the DA in a high profile matter? “We are informed that this senior counsel previously represented the DA when it fired (former Cape Town City mayor…

WHILE an agreement between the United National Transport Union and Transnet has been reached in attempts to put an end to the two-week strike, the backlog in the berry value chain will take weeks to clear, resulting in hundreds of millions of rand in further losses for the sector. More than 80 containers of berries destined for European markets have been sitting at the ports, with the strike currently costing the industry more than R134 million a week and putting thousands of jobs at risk. This was according to BerriesZA’s chairperson, Justin Mudge, hours before Transnet announced a three-year wage agreement yesterday. The wage agreement entails a 6% increase in the basic wage for levels H to L, and 6% on the annual cost-to-company package for level G during year…

CAPE Town has been crowned Africa’s Leading City Destination 2022 by World Travel Award voters for the second consecutive year. The awards are the gold standard for the industry and bring with them global attention. It follows other similar recognition for the mother city, including the Condé Nast Traveller readers ranking Cape Town as the 9th best city in the world, the UK’s Telegraph newspaper naming it the third-best global city, and the Halal Travel Awards (2022) awarding it as the Most Promising Muslim-friendly City Destination of The Year. Mayco member for economic growth James Vos said: “These awards are recognition of the tireless efforts of the City and its partners, including our official Destination Marketing Organisation, Cape Town Tourism (CTT), in uniquely and successfully connecting with audiences in source…

ABOUT 1 500 households were left without water in Dysselsdorp and the rural areas east of Oudtshoorn yesterday, after an Eskom transformer which supplies power to the local purification works caught fire and was destroyed. The affected areas include Rooiheuwel, Vlakteplaas, Middelplaas, and Oudemuragie. The Oudtshoorn Municipality said Eskom had a team on its way from Cape Town to install a new transformer. “Residents of Dysselsdorp and the rural areas east of Oudtshoorn will be without water due to a damaged Eskom transformer. The 500 KVA transformer which supplies the Dysselsdorp purification works with power caught fire earlier (yesterday) and was destroyed. “Oudtshoorn Municipality is in contact with the office of the provincial minister of local government to ask for emergency assistance. “Residents are warned that the supply of water…

ATLANTIS residents yesterday detailed brutality at the hands of SAPS, City Law Enforcement and private security companies even when they were not involved in any land occupations or protests. Residents had the opportunity to make representations during the South African African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) second sitting in its provincial hearing into what it said was a “systemic issue”, in how SAPS, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and Private Security Companies conduct themselves during evictions of unlawful occupiers and interactions with homeless persons in the Western Cape. The first sitting was in April this year. Atlantis resident Will Afrika said he was shot three times by members of the Red Ants while walking to the shop, as they were evicting land occupiers in the area two years ago. “When…

New finance minister Jeremy Hunt sought to rebuild investor confidence in Britain yesterday by reversing nearly all of Prime Minister Liz Truss’s mini-budget that had sparked market turmoil, and reining in a vast energy subsidy plan. Tasked with halting a bond market rout that has raged since the government announced huge unfunded tax cuts on September 23, Hunt said the country now needed to increase taxes and cut spending to rebuild stability and confidence. The former health and foreign minister has now reversed nearly all of the programme that helped Truss win the leadership of the governing Conservative Party just over a month ago, leaving the prime minister fighting for her future. A two-year energy support scheme for households and businesses, expected to cost more than £100 billion, will…

Facing their biggest challenge in years, Iran’s religious leaders are trying to portray the angry protests over the death of Mahsa Amini as a breakaway uprising by her fellow Kurds threatening the nation’s unity rather than its clerical rule. Amini, a 22-year-old from Kurdistan province in Iran, died in the custody of the Islamic Republic’s morality police after she was detained for violating strict codes requiring women to dress modestly in public. Protests which started at Amini’s funeral in her Kurdish hometown of Saqez spread rapidly across the country, to the capital Tehran, cities in central Iran, and the south-west and south-east where Arab and Baluch minorities are concentrated. Across the country, including at universities and high schools, the rallying cry “Women, Life, Freedom” and the same calls for the…

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, 70, won six of eight national assembly seats he stood for in a weekend by-election, unofficial results showed yesterday, a vote he has called a referendum on his popularity. The by-election is the latest twist in months of political wrangling that began before Khan’s April ouster via a no-confidence vote, and comes as the nation grapples with the aftermath of devastating monsoon floods that left a third of the country under water. “He defeats many”, trumpeted the front-page banner headline on the Daily Times newspaper, echoing the tone of local media coverage which called it a personal victory for the former international cricket star. It was, however, an effective net loss for his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which had previously held all eight seats. Individuals…

Paris: France yesterday braced for nationwide transport strike actions as the government and unions remained in deadlock over stoppages at oil depots that have sparked fuel shortages. Leading unions have called for strikes today in their biggest challenge to President Emmanuel Macron since he won a new presidential term in May. Workers at several refineries and depots operated by energy giant TotalEnergies voted to extend their strike action, defying the government, which has begun to force staff back on the job. The strike, which has lasted for nearly three weeks, has crippled supplies at just over 30% of France’s service stations. | AFP…

JOSE Riveiro is skating on thin ice after Orlando Pirates’ failure to win in the last four matches, and that is why they will have beat Golden Arrows tonight. Pirates seemed to be high on confidence after the international break as they went toe to toe with Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-finals. But they have since failed to build on from that 0-0 draw, with Pirates enduring two draws and one loss in their last three Premiership matches. To make things worse, they have also been poor in the final third, having fired blanks in those matches – a feat that has put a strain on the Spanish coach. “It’s frustrating for everyone. The players want to score and celebrate goals with the fans,” Riveiro…

ACTING Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi has revealed that more than 100 civil servants were found to be conducting business with the state as of July 2022. “Based on information obtained from the Central Supplier Database (CSD) at the end of July 2022 and compared to information on the Personnel Salary System (Persal), 119 public service employees are registered on the CSD with the purpose to tender for business with the State,” Nxesi said. He said the implicated employees were not necessarily conducting business with the state. “It is possible that some of the employees on the list may have resigned in the meantime, or that they belong to categories that are exempt from this prohibition (such as traditional leaders), or are serving as directors on boards of…

PHARMACEUTICAL retail giant, Dis-Chem Pharmacies, said it stood by its transformation plan despite withdrawing an original memorandum sent to staff for being “poorly worded” and a moratorium on external and internal appointments of and promotion of white individuals, still stands. This follows controversy sparked by the company’s transformation plan after an internal circular from Dis-Chem’s chief executive, Ivan Saltzman was posted to social media, announcing the moratorium so it they could address the company’s “inadequate” transformation plan. Dis-Chem spokesperson Colette McRobert said: “The original letter to staff was withdrawn as it was poorly worded but its intention remains. “Dis-Chem stands by its commitment to drive transformation and the sense of urgency of this imperative to middle management throughout the group.” The Dis-Chem board said it regretted the “wording and tone…

400 g can chickpeas ½ cup plus 2tbs grapefruit juice 4 free-range eggs 130g sugar 75g cocoa powder 2 tbs baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda A pinch salt For the icing: 250g butter 65g icing sugar ½ cup chickpea brine A pinch salt 100 g pistachios, blended, plus extra to decorate Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 21cm springform cake tin. Blend the chickpeas with half their brine, reserving the rest. Combine with all the remaining cake ingredients, taking care not to overmix. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For icing, beat butter with half the icing sugar using an electric beater. Add remaining icing sugar. With the mixer…

AS A continent, Africa cannot forget that hundreds of millions of people have died of preventable, infectious diseases in the past century while authorities negotiated for prices to come down, for technology to be shared and for those who need it most to be prioritised. Deputy Minister of Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said it was never sustainable to depend on others for Africa’s own needs and the AU has therefore called on all to shift gears and create domestic capacity. Dhlomo was speaking on the sidelines of the 2022 World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. “By 2040 the world population will have increased to an estimated 9.4 billion: this represents a growth of 1.4 billion between 2020 and 2040. Last year, an IMF publication reported that Africa,…

PANDEMONIUM broke out in court yesterday after the father of a raped and murdered 4-year-old girl tried to manhandle her alleged killer, who had to be whisked to safety by police. Bokgabo Poo’s angry father, Irvin Ndlovu, supported by some community members, attempted to attack Ntokozo Zikhali, who has been charged with the rape and brutal murder of his daughter at Wattville, Ekurhuleni, in Gauteng. Some of the girl’s remains were found in different places last week, after what is believed to be a ritual killing. Some of her body parts are still missing. Her mutilated body was found buried in a shallow grave in Tamboville near Benoni. Zikhali had to be protected by a contingent of police officers after Ndlovu charged at him inside the Benoni Magistrate’s Court, in…

HOW can we make sure that people who made sacrifices are not forgotten? September 18 marked the 61st anniversary of the death of Dag Hammarskjöld. People differ in how they make contributions in other people’s lives, personally, politically, and otherwise. Therefore, how we honour them will differ. Hammarskjöld was the second secretary of the UN. He was re-elected for a second term at the UN. Of course, re-election speaks volumes. Perhaps it suffices to say that it can be attributed, to a certain extent, to the region he hailed from, Scandinavia. And that should not prevent us from saying that even Sweden, as a country, is a force to be reckoned with. Later, after Hammarskjöld, Sweden produced Olof Palmer. Palmer was one of many people from Europe who was opposed…

Ethiopia’s government yesterday recommitted to peace talks over Tigray but did not address AU appeals for a ceasefire, vowing instead to carry out “defensive measures” including seizing airports and other federal facilities in the region. “These measures are necessitated not only by the repeated attacks of the TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front), but also by its active collusion with these hostile foreign powers,” the Government Communication Service said, without naming those powers. On Sunday, AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called for an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire” as combat intensifies in war-torn Tigray, and for both sides in the war to “recommit to dialogue”. Authorities in Tigray said they were “ready to abide by an immediate cessation of hostilities” and called on the international community to press the government to come…

Russia attacked the centre of Kyiv during morning rush hour with drones yesterday and shelled other cities around the country, the second time in a week it has unleashed strikes across Ukraine while its forces face setbacks on the battlefield. Soldiers fired into the air trying to shoot down the drones after blasts rocked central Kyiv. Residents fled for shelter. An anti-aircraft rocket could be seen streaking into the morning sky, followed by an explosion and orange flames. An official in Ukraine’s presidential office said three people were killed in an attack on a residential building in Kyiv. Black smoke poured out of the windows of a blasted building and emergency service workers toiled to douse flames. Ukraine said the attacks were carried out by Iran-made “suicide drones”, which fly…

BANGKOK: Authorities in Thailand issued flash flood warnings for eight southern provinces yesterday ahead of more rain expected this week, with areas in nearly 40% of the country’s provinces still inundated and dealing with flood waters. The warning include the resort island of Phuket, where a flash flood on Sunday disrupted local transport and tourism businesses in some areas. Navy personnel in the island’s main town were seen carrying elderly people on their backs through streets, knee-deep in brown water. Heavy rain and tropical storms since last month have caused flooding in 59 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, impacting 450 000 homes, according to the interior ministry. | Reuters…

Brussels: Nato yesterday launched its regular nuclear deterrence drills in western Europe, after tensions soared with Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s veiled threats amid setbacks in Ukraine. The 30-nation alliance stressed that the “routine, recurring training activity” was planned before Moscow invaded Ukraine and is not linked to it. It will involve US B-52 long-range bombers, and up to 60 aircraft will take part in training flights over Belgium, the UK and North Sea. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has rejected calls to scrap the drill after Putin ratcheted up his nuclear rhetoric. “Nato’s firm, predictable behaviour, our military strength, is the best way to prevent escalation.” | AFP…

A fully-fit Njabulo Blom says he’s happy and ready to help Kaizer Chiefs win matches after a slow personal and collective start to the season. Blom is one of the most technically-gifted players in the local top-flight, thanks to his versatility of playing in multiple positions and his use of both feet. But he was a shadow of himself in the opening stages of the season before reports resurfaced that he was locked in contract negotiations with Amakhosi. His agent, Rob Moore, revealed that Chiefs were refusing to pay him what he is worth for a new deal – a feat that appeared to affect Blom’s focus then. At the time of the reports, Chiefs were not at their best either – with new coach Arthur Zwane enduring a quite…

TRANSNET’S strike will continue to cripple the economy severely as thousands of employees have vowed to remain on the picket lines for the second week in a row, in spite of the company signing a three-year wage agreement with the majority workers’ union. The State-owned freight and logistics firm signed a deal yesterday with the majority union, the United National Transport Union (Untu), to increase their wages by up to 6% for the period April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025. This is a remarkable feat for the union after gruelling negotiations in which the employer initially tabled 1.5% wage increases, leading to the strike. The wage negotiations were mediated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). According to the wage agreement with Untu, workers will receive…

from page 1 effect to the guide, pending a review. He is attuned to the challenges that South Africans are faced with on a daily basis,” Magwenya said. He said that the amendments were not made with ill intent. “I suppose with hindsight we can say the intention behind the amendment was not a nefarious one. The intention was to try and find some form of balance between what ministers could afford to pay versus some of the costs they have.” Magwenya said ministers “inherit” two official residences, which they must then maintain in addition to their private homes. “You have a scenario where you have costs for three homes,” he said. “Be that was it may, we can no longer further debate that outcry and the merits of that…

DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille has dismissed claims that she thwarted a motion of no confidence supported by four of the party’s black leaders to remove Swellendam mayor, Francois du Rand. Du Rand is accused of racism, and of providing superior services to white residents and businesses, and perpetuating inequality in the town. The GOOD party alleged the motion was supported by all four DA councillors of colour in the municipality who wanted him removed. However it was withdrawn after the councillor who was set to propose the motion was apparently called by Zille on the morning before the meeting last week. But Zille refuted the claims yesterday, saying: “I did not call anyone in Swellendam. Everyone in the party has to follow the DA's rules and due…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has made an about-turn on the newly approved amendments to the ministerial handbook, saying the free perks and benefits for cabinet ministers will be up for a review. Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa has ordered the withdrawal process of the ministerial handbook for 2022. “The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the executive guide pending a review,” he said. The U-turn on the amendments made in the ministerial handbook came in the wake of public outrage after it emerged that amendments were away from public scrutiny. It was reported last week that ministers and their deputies did not pay for water and electricity. It was also reported that the ministerial handbook increased the number of personal staff…

AS UK company Searcher is attempting for a second time to undertake a seismic survey in South African waters, environmental activists, The Green Connection say their draft basic assessment report raises several environmental concerns. The organisation has made a submission as an interested and affected party to the draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR) prepared as part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process being undertaken in respect of an application for authorisation by Searcher Geodata UK Ltd (Searcher) to undertake a 3D seismic survey over multiple blocks off the West Coast. The proposed project area is located between approximately 256km offshore of St Helena Bay, extending north along the western coastline and approximately 220km offshore of Hondeklip Bay over a number of petroleum licence blocks, extending 30 000 km2.…

A Ugandan woman’s appeal against being listed on the Visa Entry and Stop List (V-list) has been successful in the Western Cape High Court to be reviewed by the Department of Home Affairs. This comes after Florence Najjemba’s workers and relative visa was allegedly fraudulent after it expired. She had only found out about this when she tried to travel to Botswana. Najjemba had approached the court to review and set aside the decision of the Minister of Home Affairs who had deemed her a prohibited person in terms of the Immigration Act. Najjemba initially visited South Africa in 2009, accompanying her sister on a short-term visitor’s visa. She subsequently successfully applied for a relative’s visa which was valid for two years. In 2011, she applied for an extension of…

The family of a woman who has accused DA councillor Antonio van der Rheede of sexual assault said they were upset and disappointed after he was released on R1 000 bail yesterday. The 56-year-old councillor appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on rape and sexual assault charges. Van der Rheede was arrested on Friday following allegations that he sexually assaulted a young woman in his community under the pretence of promising her a job. The incident is alleged to have occurred in 2018. While Van der Rheede has maintained his innocence, the women’s mother said they were upset and disappointed that he was out on bail. “We are very upset about the bail being accepted and also very disappointed that he continues with his lies without shame. One would have…

NEW mechanisms must be developed when it comes to future amendments of the ministerial handbook to ensure that the whole process is not shrouded in secrecy. President Cyril Ramaphosa has come under fire in the past two weeks following revelations that he made secret changes to the ministerial handbooks in April, a move that saw government ministers and their deputies not paying for electricity and water in their ministerial homes. It also emerged on Sunday that Cabinet members were also enjoying perks that include support staff at taxpayers’ expense. Ramaphosa’s latest altering of the ministerial handbook has led to the expenditure on the budget item rising to more than R80 million per year. It is not clear why Ramaphosa chose to amend the ministerial handbook under the cover of…

As Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the landmark Communist Party Congress, the country’s vast financial bureaucracy has been busily tamping down ripples of turmoil across its currency and stock markets. Chinese state banks are stepping up intervention to defend the weakening yuan, banking sources said yesterday. Scores of companies have announced share buybacks or executive share purchase plans since Friday, when regulators unveiled plans to ease share buyback rules. State-owned banks vowed in unison that they would boost support for the economy, while state-run asset managers pledged their “confidence in the long term and healthy development of China’s capital markets”. The well-coordinated, wide-ranging efforts going into the twice-a-decade party congress, which opened on Sunday, have restored a sense of calm and stability, at least for now, in the financial markets.…

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has said that it will commit $1.2 billion to support efforts to end all forms of polio globally. Polio is a highly infectious disease spread mainly through contamination by faecal matter, that used to kill and paralyse thousands of children. Three injections of the vaccine provide nearly 100% immunity. Governments and foundations aim to end polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the virus remains endemic. The announcement came ahead of a key pledging moment today that is being co-hosted by Germany and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which the Gates Foundation is part of. | Reuters…

STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s parliament confirmed Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson as prime minister yesterday as head of a three-party minority coalition with support from the anti- immigration Sweden Democrats. The Moderate, Christian Democrat and Liberal party coalition plans to cut taxes, cap benefits, tighten immigration rules and give police more powers as part of a policy deal with the Sweden Democrats, which is now the biggest party on the right after September’s election. Until 2018, no party would have anything to do with the Sweden Democrats. But their message that decades of over-generous immigration policies are behind a surge in shooting and gang crime has struck a chord. | Reuters…

The Serum Institute of India plans to manufacture 20 000 to 30 000 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine by the end of November for use in trials against an outbreak in Uganda, its developers and a company source said. The response to Uganda’s outbreak has been blunted by the absence of a proven vaccine against the Sudan strain of the virus. There have been 54 confirmed cases and 19 deaths since last month and the first case in the capital, Kampala, was recorded last week. Vaccines against the more common Zaire strain of Ebola have proven highly effective during recent outbreaks in Democratic Republic of Congo. | Reuters…