Sommaire pour 2023-05-10 de Cape Times

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa(Denosa) has called for independent investigations to look into complaints of deplorable and inhumane conditions for staff and patients at a Northern Cape Hospital. The nursing organisation has also threatened to remove staff from the maternity ward of the Kuruman District Hospital if conditions do not improve by May 14. Denosa reported the provincial health department to the SA Human Rights Commission, SA Nursing Council, and Office Health Standards Compliance over a range of issues relating to medical care at the maternity ward including the risk of stillbirths. In a statement, the nursing organisation said: “Denosa has called on these entities to do their own inspections and investigations on the violations of both patients and healthcare workers’ constitutional rights and dignity due to the…

A NEW report is sounding the alarm on the “silent emergency” of preterm birth as long under-recognised in its scale and severity, and impeding progress in improving children’s health and survival. An estimated 13.4 million babies were born preterm in 2020, with nearly 1 million dying from preterm complications. This is equivalent to around one in 10 babies born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) worldwide. Born too soon: decade of action on preterm birth, produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) together with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, the world’s largest alliance for women, children, and adolescents, includes updated estimates from WHO and Unicef, prepared with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, on the prevalence of preterm births.…

I REFER to the article “Search is on for new public protector” in the Cape Times of May 5. I think it is disgraceful that the Public Protector of South Africa has made available an additional R4 million for Busisiwe Mkhewebane’s legal fees when everyone knows she is flogging a dead horse. The only person who will benefit from this additional allocation is Dali Mpofu and his legal team, who have pocketed tens of millions since the investigation began. He must be laughing all the way to the bank.…

The St Augustine R.C Primary School community is reeling in shock after their principal was brazenly robbed by three men in the school parking lot. In a letter sent to parents, the school said the principal was accosted by the men on the school grounds on Monday. While this is an extremely traumatic experience, thankfully no one was injured. “For the safety of our learners we urge all parents to collect their children punctually in the afternoons. There are far too many learners on the premises, waiting on parents or transport, long after dismissal,” read the letter. SAPS spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed police were investigating the incident. “Wynberg police are investigating an armed robbery case following an incident at a school in Clare Road, Wynberg on Monday, May 8, 2023…

Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed three Islamic Jihad militant group leaders and 10 others, including several children, yesterday, officials in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory said. Islamic Jihad vowed to “avenge” the deaths in the pre-dawn raid involving some 40 Israeli aircraft, which hit targets in the crowded coastal territory for nearly two hours. The Gaza health ministry said four children were among those killed and 20 people were wounded, some of them in serious or critical condition, in the attacks which left buildings ablaze and reduced others to rubble. The Israeli army said that in its Gaza strikes it had targeted three leaders of Islamic Jihad, which it considers a terrorist group, as well as its “weapon manufacturing sites”. Asked about child casualties, army spokesperson Richard Hecht said: “If…

Residents of Sudan’s capital reported air strikes and sporadic gun battles yesterday amid what they call a surge in looting, with no sign of progress in ceasefire talks taking place in Saudi Arabia. The violence has accelerated a wave of people fleeing their homes, with the number of people internally displaced inside Sudan more than doubling in a week to more than 700 000 the UN’s migration agency said. “The biggest danger is the spread of robbery and looting and the total absence of the police and the law,” said Ahmed Saleh, 45, from Khartoum’s adjoining sister city of Bahri. Homes, shops and warehouses have all been targeted, residents said. The eruption of conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary risks a prolonged war that could…

SYDNEY: A cross-party delegation of Australian MPs said yesterday that they met US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, urging her to help drop the pending extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and allow him to return to Australia. The Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Group said it had informed the US envoy of “the widespread concern in Australia” about the continued detention of Assange, an Australian citizen. The meeting comes ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Australia this month for the Quad leaders’ summit. “Mr Assange is being treated unjustly,” the MPs said after meeting Kennedy in Canberra. Assange is battling extradition from Britain to the US where he is wanted on criminal charges over the release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables in 2010. Assange’s…

NEW YORK: The UN Security Council has expressed concern over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Haiti. It condemned increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which it said undermined the security of Haiti and the region, calling on the perpetrators of the “abhorrent acts” to be brought to justice. It stressed the importance of restoring efficient judicial institutions in Haiti. The council noted illicit trafficking flows of firearms and ammunition that enable gangs and other criminal networks to fuel violence in Haiti. The council called for free and elections there. | Xinhua…

An energised Faf de Klerk has warned that the Springboks are ready to “prove the world wrong” by retaining their World Cup crown. The feisty scrumhalf with flowing blond hair is one of rugby’s most recognisable players and was key to the Boks’ World Cup triumph in Japan four years ago. He is now playing for Yokohama Canon Eagles after leaving England’s Sale Sharks last year and was one of nine Japan-based players on South Africa’s tour of Europe last year. De Klerk said that Japan’s comparatively shorter league season means he is feeling “much better off” physically and believes the Boks will benefit at the World Cup in France in September. “If you peak too early you will burn out,” the 31-year-old said. “I feel in a good spot…

Olivier Giroud said yesterday that he has a young man’s hunger for European success ahead of AC Milan’s all-Italian Champions League semi-final with Inter Milan. Veteran France striker Giroud won the competition with Chelsea in 2021 and wants to continue his Indian summer at Milan with another triumph after winning the Serie A title last season. Milan host local rivals Inter tonight in the first leg of the biggest local derby the Italian city has seen for nearly two decades. “I’m motivated more than ever. For me it’s a big opportunity to win it again. Almost 37-years-old, but still hungry like a young boy,” Giroud said. “In football it’s never good to underestimate the others. I know what I’m talking about. At that level every single game is very tough…

Patience will be the keyword for Justin Geduld as he makes his long-awaited return to the World Sevens Series in Toulouse this weekend. Geduld (29) last played when the Blitzboks were on a roll and won six tournaments in a row. In that sixth win, he injured his knee ligaments and coupled with various setbacks, he hasn’t played since then. That was 15 months ago in Seville, Spain. But on Friday in Toulouse, he will be back on the field with the Springbok Sevens side hoping his experience can help the team clinch a first tournament win since Dubai in December last year. Over the last seven Sevens tournaments, the Blitzboks bagged mixed results with only one final in Sydney. They lost that final, but performed way better than in…

BUSINESSPEOPLE will have to dig deep in their pockets to share a table with EFF president Julius Malema at the party’s upcoming gala dinner. The exclusive dinner, meant for July 27 at Emperors Palace, will cost R1.2 million in a “platinum package” to sit at the same table with Malema. It will be a curtain-raiser for the party’s 10th birthday bash expected to take place at the FNB stadium two days later. This was revealed on the party’s website on Monday night which included a video of Malema pleading for donations as small as R10. In a separate video the party’s treasurer-general is seen asking EFF supporters to donate cows, vegetables, groceries, T-shirts or buses. A gold package will have business leaders rubbing shoulders at various tables for R750 000…

Electricity minister warns about a threat to collapse SA economy Keeping the lights on during load shedding by burning diesel will cost Eskom R30 billion, says Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. “The question is not whether the fiscus can afford it but whether the South African economy can afford it,” he told the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) during his maiden question-and-answer session yesterday. While purchasing the diesel would come at great cost to the fiscus, Ramokgopa warned that if there was no burning of diesel, there could be higher stages of load-shedding. “We run the open-cycle gas turbines so that the stages do not exceed Stage 6. It is desirable to bring lower stages of load shedding,” he said. There was R8bn dedicated to purchasing diesel, and out of…

THE future of an increasingly popular mobile pancake shop trading on the Muizenberg beachfront is uncertain as the City says its permit to be there has expired. The mobile shop known as The Pancake in Muizenberg has been selling pancakes, coffee, ice cream milkshakes and more at the beachfront for more than three years. Claims that the City has taken a decision not to extend its permit due to complaints from formal businesses in the area have caused an uproar on social media. But the City said yesterday that the permit period for the mobile shop had expired. “Their contract was from 2018 to 2021. Because of Covid-19, this period was extended to accommodate permit holders. “All informal beach trading permits have a contractual period of three years. “The allocated…

I RECENTLY switched on the TV, are you kidding me? We are going to have a new-look currency. I bet we don’t get to know how much that will cost. Are you totally insane, we have an electricity crisis and we “have no money”. I heard that the fuel bill for the buses never got paid, so they are parked waiting. Guess who struggles again? The man in the street. The new currency is for security: will that stop corruption then, we are told it is in Eskom, perhaps the guilty parties could return some of the thousands of the old money and give it back and wait for the new stuff. In case the government is not aware – there are thousands of South Africans who at this…

THE EFF made a statement that the City of Cape Town had refused to collect garbage in Samora Machel over the past few weeks, blaming, of course, the DA. The truth is that extortionists were targeting the removal vans. A contract worker had been murdered. Police have to follow the vans into Samora Machel to safeguard the collectors. This all costs the council extra money. How about the EFF using its clout and, instead of blaming the City, it cracks down on the community who have allowed extortionists to take over? How sad that garbage collectors have to take their lives into their own hands when helping the community! The City has also asked the community not to resort to illegal dumping but this usually falls on deaf ears. We…

WITH about 18 months left in office, UWC’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius hopes to bring the institution closer to its goals, including producing world-class research that transforms lives. The university’s search for a new Rector and VC has commenced and applications for the position close on May 12. Pretorius was appointed as the seventh vice-chancellor of the UWC in 2015, his first five-year term commenced in January of that year. He was appointed for a second term in 2020, which comes to an end in December next year. UWC Student Representative Council (SRC) president Mandla-Onke Notyawa said they wanted accommodation and safety and security issues to be among the VC priorities for this year. At the weekend the university’s third-year accounting student Kamva Dasi was laid to rest in his…

It may not be that plausible in SA, given parties’ vast ideological differences THE 2024 general election season is nearly upon us. Naturally, many people are wondering about the outcome of these results. There are some mumblings about a possible coalition government after the elections. One question to be asked is: Is the South African governance structure conducive to a coalition government? Firstly, let us try to understand what a coalition government is. A coalition government is a government formed jointly by more than one political party. Parties may decide to form a coalition government if there is a hung parliament, where no single party has a clear working majority following a general election. This is according to the UK Parliament glossary. I specifically utilised the UK definition of a…

Protests erupted across Pakistan yesterday after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested during a court appearance in the capital for one of dozens of cases pending since he was ousted last year. His arrest follows months of political crisis and came hours after the powerful military rebuked the former international cricketer for alleging that a senior officer had been involved in a plot to kill him. Some protesters took out their wrath on the military, storming the residence of the corps commander in Lahore and laying siege to a gate of the army’s general headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse Khan supporters in Karachi and Lahore, while protesters blocked roads in the capital Islamabad, Peshawar, and other cities. Khan…

British police have expressed regret over the arrests of anti-monarchy protesters during the coronation of King Charles, saying they will not face criminal prosecution, following criticism that the security response was heavy-handed. London’s Metropolitan Police said six people were arrested on Saturday under new powers from the Public Order Act, a law to restrict protests that came into force days before the coronation, the biggest ceremony seen in Britain for 70 years. As crowds gathered, police arrested the leader of the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic and six of its members who were planning to take part in its biggest protest. The incident cast a shadow over what had otherwise been a weekend of largely positive coverage for the royal family. Police said protesters were arrested because they had items that…

Paris: Calls grew yesterday to halt an auction of jewels that belonged to Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten, whose German husband made his fortune under the Nazis. Labelling the auction in Geneva, which opened online last week and begins in person today, “indecent”, the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) called for proceedings to be suspended. The collection, valued at between $150 million and $200m, consists of 700 lots, including “unique and exceptional pieces” from 20th-century designers including Cartier, Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels. Heidi Horten died last year aged 81. According to Forbes, she was worth $2.9 billion. | AFP…

London: The Church of England yesterday said it would vote against a “green” transition plan proposed by energy giant Shell, joining other shareholders in calling for more ambitious carbon-cutting targets. The church made its position known ahead of Shell’s annual general meeting due on May 23, noting its dissatisfaction also with BP, another British oil and gas major. The church will back a resolution put forward by activist investor group Follow This that calls for more ambitious targets by the company on cutting carbon emissions. Shell defended its action and said that its strategy “to become a net zero energy company by 2050” remained unchanged. | AFP…

While Orlando Pirates try to nail down the runners-up slot, the relegation axe looms large over three teams in the penultimate round of DStv Premiership fixtures on Saturday. Pirates are under threat from SuperSport United, who are also well-placed to win the battle for a CAF Champions League place next season. SuperSport (48), in third place, trail Pirates (50) by two points. Fourth-placed Kaizer Chiefs are mathematically out of the running even if they win their remaining two matches as they have a seriously inferior goal difference. Chiefs will play SuperSport, who have been living a nomadic existence since dumping Lucas 'Masterpieces' Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville as their home venue. They will host Chiefs at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. Pirates have an interesting match-up with Sekhukhune United at…

FORMER Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter apparently declined a Hawks request to meet senior investigators over his allegations about corruption at the power utility implicating a Cabinet minister. This emerged when Hawks boss Godfrey Lebeya briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) yesterday, saying they had through Major-General Nicholas Jacobus Gerber, the provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, reached out to De Ruyter as a courtesy call immediately after his media interview to ascertain the information first hand. “De Ruyter declined to meet Major-General Gerber, but referred him to his lawyer, Willem Janse van Rensburg, who promised to talk to De Ruyter and revert to the DPCI. Unfortunately the promise was not fulfilled,” Lebeya said. The Hawks also revealed that De Ruyter only furnished his corruption report…

WHAT is the reason for load shedding at midnight or 2am when the demand for electricity is presumably at its lowest? Has anybody ever asked the question and has it ever been answered? Eskom or the energy minister should give citizens daily updates on what is happening with our power structure, what the issues are in maintaining it and what plans they have for increasing South Africa’s energy infrastructure. Right now, it feels as if we are literally and figuratively being kept in the dark.…

South Africa is faced with a huge problem of poor journalism where more than three-quarters of reported news is negative reporting about the country. Reading or listening to news in the country, one would be forgiven for thinking nothing good is happening in the country. The only time our journalists will happily report positively is when they report about events that happen in other countries, particularly in Europe. Also, when you listen to the beneficiaries of apartheid and opposition parties, one can see where our journalists get their ideas from. Listening to radio news can be depressing to patriotic South Africans as none of their achievements and other excellent initiatives get wide coverage.…

FOR the third year running, the much-vaunted Abantu Book Festival in Soweto will provide a platform that espouses the view that black writers can be free, independent and self-determining through racial separatism – that is, doing their own thing in their own areas away from white people. On the face of it, this is an overreaction and rejection of the concept of “race” as constructed by alleged white supremacists who own and control the publishing industry. This has resulted in frustrated and angry black writers wishing to create their own platforms where they can speak freely, according to conscience, and be true to their people. Over the past three years, organisers, exponents and supporters of the festival have convinced themselves that they are turning alleged discrimination, racism and the abuse…

President Vladimir Putin yesterday vowed Russia would be victorious in Ukraine during a military parade on Red Square, and blamed Western countries for the conflict, comparing the fighting to World War II. But his defiant address was overshadowed by scathing comments from Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russian mercenary group Wagner, who accused Russia’s military of repeated failures in Ukraine. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark Europe Day that celebrates peace and unity, a symbolic retort to Moscow’s Victory Day parade. Soon before Von der Leyen arrived, Ukraine’s air force said it had downed 23 out of 25 cruise missiles launched by Russia in the night between Monday and yesterday. During his address, Putin told columns of military personnel in ceremonial uniform in…

VATICAN CITY: Sexual abusers are disgusting “enemies” who deserve to be condemned and punished – but also deserve Christian love and pastoral care because they too are children of God, Pope Francis said. Francis made his comments on April 29 in a conversation with Jesuits while he was visiting Hungary. Francis is also a Jesuit and his comments were published yesterday in the Italian Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica. Abuse scandals have been a major challenge for the pope, who has passed a series of measures over the past 10 years aimed at holding the Church more accountable. | Reuters…

KALEHE: More than 5 500 people are still unaccounted for and 411 bodies had been found in an area in east Democratic of Congo where floods killed more than 400 people last week, a local official said yesterday, as shaken survivors waited for food. Scores of bodies have been recovered from the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in South Kivu province’s Kalehe territory since torrential rain caused landslides and flash floods. Mass graves were dug over the weekend to dispose of the dead, many of whom were women and children, prompting complaints from some civil society groups who said the burials were undignified. | Reuters…

BEIJING: An unmarried Chinese woman, Teresa Xu, 35, made a final appeal in a court yesterday to sue a hospital for refusing to freeze her eggs because she is single. Teresa Xu, 35, a freelance writer, lodged her complaint against the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital in 2019 in a landmark case. Xu’s appeal comes as authorities’ attitude to giving unmarried women access to reproductive technologies has begun to soften as China grapples with a falling birth rate. It is difficult for unmarried women to access fertility treatments – they must be married. But due to the ageing population, government advisers proposed single women be allowed the treatments. | Reuters…

The Motsepe Foundation Championship race for automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership will run its course on Saturday when all 16 teams play at the same time (3pm kick-offs). It promises to be a cracker of a weekend as three teams vie for the honour of winning the NFD, with any slip-ups potentially ruining those chances. A three-point spread separates first-placed Cape Town Spurs from third placed Polokwane City, with Mpumalanga-based Casric Stars wedged in-between the two clubs. Spurs – formerly Ajax Cape Town – lead the Championship standings heading into the final weekend with 56 points, and all they need to do to earn automatic promotion is win their match against ninth-placed University of Pretoria FC. Should the Shaun Bartlett-coached Spurs win on Saturday, they will join fellow Cape-based…