Sommaire pour 2023-10-20 de Cape Times

GERMAN textile group Falke, which is a fourth generation, family-owned business, has appointed Michael de Koker to manage their South African operations. The com- pany is run by the fourth generation of the Falke family and owned by cousins Franz-Peter Falke and Paul Falke, who have managed the business since 1990. The firm said in a statement yesterday that De Koker had a well-rounded background in the manufacturing, retail and distribution industries. “Having headed up some of the largest and well-known brands, specifi- cally Guess SA/Africa, being retail director of Guess Australia, and more recently, the CEO of a proudly South African clothing manufacturer, De Koker brings a wealth of experience to Falke South Africa. “De Koker worked for the Studio 88 group, Woolworths and other retailers and is…

PARLIAMENT resolved yesterday to recommend Deputy Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka as the new public protector for the next seven years. This, while the DA, EFF and ATM had strongly opposed Gcaleka’s recommendation, but were absent during the voting. The ANC, with backing from smaller parties, easily secured 244 votes against 12 from the ACDP and Freedom Front Party yesterday. “The question is agreed to and advocate Kholeka Gcaleka is accordingly recommended for the appointment as public protector,” said National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. The debate on motion was marred by the denigration of Gcaleka, and insults were thrown at Mapisa-Nqakula by the DA, while those who voted in favour of her were labelled as thugs. Introducing the debate, ANC MP Cyril Xaba said all of the 38 candidates interviewed for…

THREE suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of six-year-old Zakaria Noble. The Western Cape’s Anti-Gang Unit made the arrests yesterday after Zakaria was buried on Wednesday. “In the early hours of October 19, members attached to the Anti-Gang Unit arrested three men, ages 20, 21 and 30, in connection with the murder of the boy who succumbed to a gunshot wound to his upper body after he got caught in crossfire believed to be from rival gangs in the area. “The three suspects will make their first appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court, once charged,” Pojie said. He said in the meantime, Philippi SAPS has increased visibility in the area. “(We have also) intensified integrated crime prevention initiatives within identified crime hotspot areas to police and eradicate…

FOUR people, including two City officials alleged to be involved in a housing scam, which saw at least 11 people conned out of close to R1 million, have been nabbed. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that two of the accused made their first court appearance in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where their case was rolled over and was scheduled to be heard along with the other accused today. The two City officials, aged 51 and 55, along with the two other suspects aged 28 and 36, face 11 charges of fraud. They stand accused of the illegal sale of municipal plots at the City’s Extension 2 Mfuleni project. The City last year made the plots available to qualifying beneficiaries for the development of housing. The two City…

AS THEY brace themselves for their final exams, with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, matric pupils reflect on a journey filled with ups and downs while clinging onto their dreams of a bright future. This year’s National Senior Certificate examinations starts on October 30, with over 60 000 candidates expected to sit for their exams across the Western Cape. The exam will conclude on December 6, with Basic Education, Minister Angie Motshekga announcing the outcomes on January 18, 2024. For Tafelsig High School representative council of learners pupil, Mauricio Fortuin ,18, the moment feels surreal, with 12 years of school culminating into this final exam sitting. “It’s very emotional for me. I had to deliver a speech at school reflecting on the past year. I realised how much I've…

It’s not often that you see South Africa taking on England in two major World Cups on the same day, but that’s what sports fans across Mzansi will be able to enjoy tomorrow. The bigger game is obviously the Rugby World Cup semi-final between the Springboks and the English at the Stade de France in Paris tomorrow night, as the winner of that fixture will have a chance to clinch the Webb Ellis Cup the following weekend. The Boks and England have a storied history at the World Cup, with the South Africans having won the 2007 and 2019 finals against their arch-rivals. So, the English will have a score to settle in tomorrow’s semi-final, but master Bok strategist Rassie Erasmus was already at it again this week when he…

A joke doing the rounds after last week’s quarter-final is that France’s big mistake was to allow Eben Etzebeth to rest for 10 minutes (in the sin-bin due to a yellow card). The Springbok enforcer was colossal, and his captain Siya Kolisi said Etzebeth is the pillar of the team ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup semi-final against England in Paris (9pm kickoff). “Eben is the enforcer, the guy who makes sure the discipline is good among the team – and he is always there for anyone who needs help,” Kolisi said. “He will fight through anything to put on that green-and-gold jersey. He is the most experienced guy in the team. “He will fight through injury, and he inspires all of us. That really embodies what being a Springbok player…

Two steps away from Boks becoming first team to win World Cup four times IT WILL be a case of “my cup runneth over” for sports fans tomorrow, and it is not just any cup because the rugby and cricket World Cups have coincided to have the Springboks and Proteas playing old rivals England on the same day. What are the chances? Sports fans are asking as they look forward to a feast that begins at 10.30am, with the Proteas aiming to hit back from a humiliating loss to The Netherlands by beating England in the 50-over World Cup in India. And not long after that game is predicted to end, the Boks play a semi-final (9pm kickoff) against England at the Stade de France in Paris. Unlike the Proteas,…

PARLIAMENT will not proceed with considering a bill that sought to relocate the seat of the national legislature from Cape Town to Pretoria. This comes after the withdrawal of the Relocation of Swat of Parliament Bill was announced by National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in the ATC (Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports) on Wednesday. Mapisa-Nqakula said the bill was withdrawn in line with the parliamentary rule 334. The reasons for the withdrawal were not immediately provided, and the EFF could not be reached for comment yesterday. But, Secretary to National Assembly, Masibulele Xaso, told the programming committee yesterday that rule 334 provided for the sponsor of a bill to withdraw it before the second reading of the bill. “This is a private member’s bill. The party concerned or a member…

AS RETIREMENT looms for four teachers at Hillwood Primary School in Lavender Hill, they say they are overcome with mixed feelings and wouldn’t change their experience at the school for anything. Maria Botha, Reginette Marais, Shahiema Brown and Hillary James will retire at the end of this year after having served a combined total of almost 135 years in teaching, dedicating their hearts and passion to the children of Lavender Hill. Botha served as teacher for 41 years, Marais for 33 years and Brown for 20 years, and while only having served five years at Hillwood, James has been a teacher for 37 years. Despite teaching in a community plagued by gun and gang violence and other social ills, the teachers say they were proud to have chosen Hillwood Primary…

THE Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) labour directorate will conduct its own investigation after a 43-year-old teacher appeared in the Mossel Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing 19 charges including sexual grooming of children, sexual assault, rape, exposing children to pornography, and using a child to procure child pornography. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the Grade 7 teacher was arrested on September 20, and made his first court appearance two days later. “His bail application was rolled over to (yesterday). The State intends to oppose his Schedule 6 bail application where he is expected to show the court that it is in the interests of justice for him to be released on bail. “The victims were learners in his class. His name cannot be published/mentioned to the media as he…

The trap Catherine Ryan Howard Loot.co.za (R249) Bantam The Trap is an unsettling mystery inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances in Ireland in the 1990s, wherein one young woman risks everything to catch a faceless killer. One year before, Lucy’s sister Nicki left to meet friends at a pub in Dublin and never came home, becoming the third Irish woman to vanish inexplicably in as many years. The agony of not knowing what happened that night has turned Lucy’s life into a waking nightmare. So, she’s going to take matters into her own hands. Angela works as a civilian paper-pusher in the Missing Persons Unit, but wants nothing more than to be a fully fledged member of An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force. With the official investigation into…

While the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board has moved to end the contracts of fin-tech service providers to distribute student allowances, there has been mixed reaction on the continuation of the direct payment system. This as NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khosa expressed the entity’s view of still forging ahead with the direct payment system. According to Khosa the board was satisfied with policy changes, including the introduction of the direct payment method, saying the system was not the problem but how it was implemented was important. “The board views the direct payment solution as a necessary measure to reduce instances of unauthorised access to beneficiaries’ allowances, payment of ghost students (and) inconsistencies and delayed payments of allowances. "The direct payment solution is in line with the student-centred model…

THE ANC and the GOOD Party have welcomed the election of a new leadership in the Witzenberg Municipality, saying they will waste no time in taking action against corrupt, ineffective officials and restore stability. This follows motions of no confidence against the previous speaker Elizabeth Sidego and Mayor Hennie Smit. Katriena Robyn of the GOOD Party was elected unopposed as the mayor during a special council meeting on Tuesday. Petrus Heradien, of the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) was elected as the municipal speaker, while Witzenberg Aksie’s Gert Laban will continue to hold the seat of deputy mayor. Their election follows two previous votes with similar outcomes, which were deemed unlawful by the DA. GOOD Party secretary-general and MP, Brett Herron, said Robyn brought a wealth of experience…

THE Saldanha Bay Municipality is set to issue a tender to buy energy from independent power producers (IPPs) who source power from gas or renewable energy. The three-year project has been earmarked to make a significant impact on the local economy, end load shedding and provide economic opportunities for residents. Saldanha Bay mayor André Truter said the tender will go to market by the end of October for five months. “Our tender speaks specifically to base load and what Saldanha Bay’s energy needs are, which are about 100MW. The tender is written in such a way that whoever it is awarded to can scale up beyond 100MW,” he said. Base load power refers to the minimum amount of electricity needed to be supplied to the power grid at any given…

Capture in the court- In defence of Judges and the Constitution Dan Mafora Loot.co.za (R225) Tafelberg Someone was inevitably going to take issue with the wave of anti-intellectualism that was born during the “nine wasted years”. It is brave of Dan Mafora to take up cudgels on behalf of those of us too timid to do so. He speaks up for the judiciary, and this is enough – baby steps – until someone zooms in on other areas of the body politic, such as business. It is difficult to understand how the Guptas could have been a boon to SA Inc, but those tasked with peddling this narrative have frothed at the mouth trying to drive the point home. Which point it is exactly, is lost in the milieu…