Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2021-06-09 in Cape Times

Philippa Larkin philippa.larkin@inl.co.za THE BLACK Business Chamber (BBC) yesterday said it was dismayed by how British telecoms firm BT had treated its long-standing black economic empowerment partner (BEE), African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI) based on unfounded media reports. The BBC called on the Black Economic Empowerment Commission to investigate the UK firm’s conduct. “This decision goes against the spirit of BEE, especially considering that, according to media reports, AEEI has been a shareholder in BT since 2008, with a 30 percent shareholding in the multinational group. “While the BBC acknowledges BT’s commitment to BEE, we are extremely disappointed that they have terminated their relationship with AEEI, which has an excellent track record of both business and empowerment success,” the organisation said. BT intends to exercise a call…

From page 1 Then it subcontracted the work already completed by Deloitte to Gateway Limited, and paid them more than R19m. From there, the funds were diverted to Islandsite Investments – a company owned and controlled by the Gupta family. The accused face charges of fraud and money laundering. The former government officials are also charged with contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. The fifth suspect in the matter is Sharma’s brother-in-law and a representative of Nulane Investments, Dinesh Patel. He is expected to formally appear in court on June 15, owing to health reasons. They are charged together with companies Nulane Investment 204, Wone Management, Pragat Investment and Islandsite Investments. The balance of the accused listed in the charge sheet are not currently in South Africa. The…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za CONSULTATIONS on the Green Paper on Marriages in order to recognise all unions irrespective of sexuality or religion commenced in the province yesterday. The Cabinet had approved the publication of the Green Paper on Marriages for public consultation earlier this year. “Despite the efforts of the State to redress the injustices of the past, the current marriage statute still deprives certain cultural and religious communities from concluding legally recognised marriages. This includes Islamic and Hindu marriages, customary marriages concluded in some African communities and marriages of transgender persons,” the Green Paper stated. Human rights organisation Cause For Justice delivered written submissions stating that it was important religious groups were able to practise their beliefs. “It is imperative that religious groups should be able to freely express and…

INGREDIENTS METHOD 1 ½ cups (300g) dried red lentils, washed, drained 1 tbs cumin seeds 1 tbs ground turmeric 1 tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger 400g canned chopped tomatoes 1 tsp caster sugar 100g baby spinach leaves 2 tbs chopped coriander Naan bread and mango chutney, to serve Place the rinsed lentils in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Return the saucepan to medium heat. Dry-fry the cumin seeds, ground turmeric, mustard seeds and chilli powder, stirring, for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the oil to the pan of spices, then add the…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE provincial health department has cautioned tertiary education students about attending social gatherings, after it was found that new cases reported by universities were linked to such activities. Health department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said surveillance teams also reported an increase in private sector testing, which points to more affluent areas which were linked to social gatherings. Among the areas identified were Rondebosch and Mowbray, where many students live. “Irrespective of where we find ourselves, we all need to play our part in flattening the curve by adhering to the safety measures of avoiding large gatherings and indoor events with poor ventilation as well as wearing our masks in public. “Our teams have previously reported sporadic cases at these universities which were linked to social gatherings.…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za CONVICTED rapist and burglar Quinton Elias has been sentenced to life in prison and a further 15 years for raping a woman twice after he burgled the victim’s family home while they were getting ready for work and school. Elias was sentenced in the Strand Regional Court yesterday after he was convicted in March on two counts of rape and housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the state welcomed the sentences. “The court sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for both counts of rape taken together. “(State prosecutor) advocate Peter John Damon welcomed the sentence. He indicated that the…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za POLICE are investigating taxi-related murders and attempted murders that claimed the lives of seven people yesterday morning and Monday evening. In Ceres yesterday, five people were killed at the taxi rank when three yet-to-be-identified suspects opened fire randomly. On Monday, a taxi owner was killed in Zwelitsha Drive, Nyanga East, and another was killed in Mathanbeka Street in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, near the taxi rank. The shootings bring the total number of taxi-related murders in the Western Cape to 45 since the start of the calendar year, with attempted murders and injuries at 19 over the same period. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said detectives from the provincial taxi task team were combing the scene in Ceres for clues. “Reports from the crime scene indicate that three suspects opened…

Sputnik Ratau | Spokesperson, Department of Water and Sanitation The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has opened its doors to young minds who plan to pursue water and sanitation-related qualifications next year. The department calls on learners who are in Grade 12 or have been accepted at mainstream South African institutions of higher learning within water-related qualifications to apply for bursaries made available by the department. The applications opened on June 1 and will close on October 31. The bursaries cover full tuition fees, accommodation and food, books and stationery and a monthly stipend. Bursaries will be allocated on the basis of a balanced consideration of outstanding academic performance, financial need and the relevant skills set for the water and sanitation sector. The department will provide employment…

The Canadian government has condemned the “targeted” killing of four members of a Muslim family by a pick-up driver in the city of London in Ontario province. Two women, one man and a teenager were killed when they were out for a walk when the pick-up truck hit them. A 9-year-old boy is in hospital with serious injuries. Police said the killings were premeditated as the 20-year-old driver, identified as Nathaniel Veltman, was wearing a vest that looked like body armour. Veltman could face terrorism charges even though he has already been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one attempted murder. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Islamophobia has no place in any of our communities. This hate is insidious and despicable and it must stop.” London city Mayor…

LONDON: A serving Metropolitan Police officer has suddenly entered pleas of guilty to kidnapping and raping Sarah Everard and has “accepted responsibility” for her death. Yesterday, PC Wayne Couzens, 48, pleaded guilty to rape and kidnap. He is due to go on trial in October for her murder. His lawyer, Jim Sturman QC, told the Old Bailey: “Responsibility for the killing is also admitted.” Couzens, who appeared via videolink, has not entered a plea and is being medically assessed. Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, vanished as she walked home from a friend’s flat in Clapham, on March 3.…

NEW YORK: The UN Security Council voted yesterday to give secretary-general Antonio Guterres a second term, with conflict resolution set to top his agenda at the world body’s helm. The 72-year-old former prime minister of Portugal has held the office since 2017 and faced no competition for the next term in the job. Around 10 other people also sought the position, but they were not formal candidates because none of the 193 UN member states endorsed them. As he embarked on a new term, Guterres would need “a battle plan” for all the crises around the globe, one diplomat said.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za THE youthful Bafana Bafana side that will take on Uganda tomorrow will give fans an indication of what to expect from the national team in future. New Bafana coach Hugo Broos is set to miss the game as he will be receiving a Covid-19 vaccine in his homeland of Belgium with assistant coaches Janevski Cedomir and Helman Mkhalele set to oversee the match. The national team were dealt a blow in their preparations for the game after it emerged that Percy Tau, Teboho Mokoena Sipho Mbule, Mosa Lebusa, Mothobi Mvala and Rivaldo Coetzee had to all be withdrawn from the side following positive Covid-19 tests and injuries. Denwin Farmer, Evidence Makgopa, Njabulo Ngcobo and TS Galaxy’s Ethan Brooks have since been called up to make up the…

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE WORLD Bank has revised South Africa’s 2021 growth outlook upwards by 0.2 percentage points as the continuing commodity supercycle is expected to benefit from the strong growth and demand in China. In its June Global Economic Prospects report released yesterday, the World Bank said South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) would rise from a forecasted 3.3 percent to 3.5 percent. The World Bank’s forecast comes as Statistics South Africa revealed yesterday that the economy failed to expand at a quicker pace in the first three months of this year. Headline GDP in South Africa rose by 1.1 percent in the first quarter of 2021, translating into an annualised growth rate 4.6 percent. Investec’s chief economist Annabel Bishop said the lift in…

NICTUS expected headline earnings per share of between 17.33 cents and 18.71c for the year to the end of March, which was between 153 and 173 percent higher than the previous corresponding period. The retailer of household furniture, electrical appliances and home electronics said in a trading update that earnings per share (Eps) of between 17.33c and 18.69c per share were forecast, which was between 154 and 174 percent higher than the previous corresponding period’s Eps of 6.81c per share. The financial results for the year were expected to be published by June 30. | Edward West…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za THE Eastern Cape Department of Health has won an appeal against a mother who had previously successfully sued it for her baby developing cerebral palsy, allegedly during the birth process. Relying on the expert opinion of two doctors in that province, the high court in Bhisho found that negligence and causation were proven on a balance of probabilities. But the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has since overturned this. On October 20, 2011, the highly expectant mother was picked up from her home by an ambulance and arrived at Midlands Hospital, Graaff-Reinet, at 1.45am. In terms of negligence, the issue in dispute was whether a cardiotocography (CTG) reading taken from 2.01am to 2.18am was suspicious. Whether the non-monitoring of the mother between 2am and 6am, coupled with…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za GUPTA associate Iqbal Sharma’s overseas connections and access to large sums of money abroad could result in him fleeing the country. The court heard Sharma had R265 million in an offshore account linked to his business, ISSAR Global, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – an amount the state claims he never disclosed to the court. State prosecutor Peter Serunye told the court that Sharma’s assets in South Africa only amounted to 10% of his total assets and he was a serious flight risk considering his connections to over 20 countries in Africa, Asia, the UK and North and South America. He had made more than 100 flights to and from airports in the UAE since 2010, the court heard. He had also travelled to the UK,…

Athandile Siyo athandile.siyo@inl.co.za A PAARL Boys’ High School parent has raised concern over a suspected increase in Covid-19 infections, saying the school is not doing enough to ensure the safety of pupils. The parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said there seemed to be “very little” action taken by the school management team. “My child, and other parents, have raised this concern as well – that infections are at a high – and this has caused panic among parents. “I have been told by other parents that the school has told the pupils to come to school, regardless of whether they have tested positive for the virus or not. My concern is that we need clarity and for the (education) department to intervene, to ensure that all Covid-19 protocols are…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za WITH shortages of health-care workers and assistance needed across vaccine sites, a group of 267 University of the Western Cape (UWC) students will make history as the first nursing students in South Africa to become Covid-19 vaccinators. The Western Cape Department of Health in collaboration with UWC have trained fourth-year nursing students, who will now be added to the department’s armoury in its fight against Covid-19. They will be split into two groups and the first cohort of 134 is expected to put their skills into practice at vaccination sites from June 17. The students were introduced yesterday during a training wrap-up at Hazendal Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. Their training started last month. Student Jolindi Barkhuizen, 24, said she had mixed emotions of nervousness and excitement. “I feel…

IT DID not quite shoot people in the EFF headquarters or the Union Buildings yet, but it came pretty close. According to court papers filed by the Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac), the shortlisting of five candidates sent by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to President Cyril Ramaphosa for his consideration must be set aside because the interviews were controversial for their openly political content. This follows what it terms an attack by JSC commissioner Julius Malema against Justice Dhaya Pillay for her friendship with Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan. And yet there are few signs that Malema and Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng will pay a price for the allegations of asking irrelevant and nonsensical questions that prejudiced candidates, at best and, at worst, for…

THE sight of Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago joining anti-racism protests by “disgruntled” parents at Cornwall Hill College, in Irene last week, was comical in the extreme. The powerful head of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) joined other parents outside the private school who staged a protest against racial discrimination. Joining the angry parents were past and present pupils, who called out Cornwall Hill College for obsessing about black hair while turning a blind eye to racism. They had earlier penned a 53-page petition and shared their own testimonials regarding the systematic racism experienced at the school. The parents held placards which demanded transformation and diversity at the Gauteng private school. They also complained that the school remained “lily-white”, with only five black teachers out of 66. This forced…

More than 60 al-Shabaab militants including foreign fighters were killed in an explosion at a village about 65km west of Qoryooley in southern Somalia, the army said in a brief statement yesterday. The Somali National Army (SNA) said the al-Qaeda-allied terrorists died in the blast, which took place at their compound in Ala-Futow village in the Lower Shabelle region after the bomb which was being assembled exploded. “The explosion took place at the al-Shabaab compound after explosive materials which were being prepared by terrorists exploded on Monday,” SNA said. Al-Shabab’s bomb experts and foreign terrorists were among those killed. SNA said its forces later conducted a special operation in Ala-Futow village in Kurtunwarey district, destroying a vehicle used by terrorists to detonate explosives intended to harm the Somali people. The…

SAN SALVADOR – A Salvadoran woman who had served nearly a third of her 30-year prison sentence on charges of terminating her pregnancy and violating El Salvador’s harsh abortion ban was released on Monday, activists said. Sara Rogel was arrested in October 2012 after going to a hospital with bleeding injuries caused by what she said was a fall while carrying out chores at home. Then a 22-year-old student, Rogel was prosecuted and sentenced for killing her unborn daughter. “Sara never deserved to be in prison,” feminist activist Morena Herrera said. “Sara should have been with her family. Instead she was unjustly imprisoned.”…

Thousands of police have been drafted in from across Britain to beef up security for what organisers promise will be disruptive and “annoying” protests when G7 leaders gather for a summit this week. The first in-person meeting of the leaders of major developed economies for nearly two years will take place in Cornwall, on the south-western tip of England, with the focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. Police have closed off roads and coastal paths to Carbis Bay, the small seaside resort which is hosting the event, erecting steel fences and putting other restrictions in place. An extra 5 000 officers have been drafted in to help the operation, with about 6 500 officers and staff involved altogether, Devon and Cornwall Police said. “Everything that we do…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za WEST Indies coach Phil Simmons expects the battle between his side’s fast bowlers, and South Africa’s potent set of quicks to be the deciding factor in the two Test series between the teams starting in St Lucia tomorrow. The conditions the teams will encounter seem unlikely to be what the tourists had anticipated when they departed Johannesburg last week. “There’s been a bit of bounce. It’s been different to what people thought it would be,” South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi said after the team’s two-day practice match. Last week Dean Elgar said the data the team had received prior to departure suggested a ‘slow and low,’ pitch at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, which will host both matches in the series. Perhaps no-one was listening to…

SOUTH African-born mixed martial artist Igeu Kabesa will kick-off a new season and campaign in getting that elusive Ultimate Fighting Championship contract at EFC86 this weekend. The Extreme Fighting Championship featherweight king returns to the hexagon on Saturday for the first time in over two years to defend his title against Brazil’s Reinaldo Ekson (15-4). The Democratic Republic of Congo-rooted Igeu has been nothing short of sensational since making his debut in the EFC, losing only once (at EFC57) to now UFC-signed athlete Scotland’s Danny Henry. Prior to, and following that bout, Igeu has been unstoppable, racking up a record of 12-1. It is well-known in all corners of the MMA community that Igeu has long deserved a shot at a bigger promotion following his impressive exploits. EFC…

STATIONER CNA, which has fallen behind on payments to suppliers, is set to follow its former owner Edcon after it emerged yesterday that it had officially been placed into business rescue. Sources confirmed yesterday that Tashya Giyapersad and Simi Maharaj have been appointed as business rescue practitioners for the business, which has been in existence for over 100 years. The business rescue process is to help the group over the rough financial patch and possibly prevent strenuous legal action from its suppliers and landlords as it battles to keep its doors open. The retailer has been hard-hit by the extended lockdown period due to the Covid-19 pandemic as shoppers were scarce at malls and stores where it has a presence. The Edcon division was sold to investment group Astoria last…

THE BULK of South African investors’ assets still goes into a few large funds. At the same time, over the past decade, there has been an explosion of funds from which investors can choose. How then should investors select funds and how many is enough? The South African unit trust industry has well over 1 000 funds. According to the latest Morningstar Fund Observer, close to a quarter of all unit trust assets are held in the 20 largest funds, and the largest fund is bigger than the combined size of nine of the 15 Asisa categories. More than half of South African investors’ fund assets is spread across just three Asisa categories, reflecting the important historical role funds have played as a vehicle for retirement savings (in South…

From page 1 “This period of special leave will enable the minister to attend to allegations and investigations concerning contracts between the Department of Health and a service provider, Digital Vibes. “The Special Investigating Unit is investigating this matter and the president awaits a report on the outcome of this probe. Minister of Tourism Ms Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane will serve as acting Minister of Health until further notice,” Ramaphosa’s office said. Another political analyst, Xolani Dube from the Xubera Institute, said Mkhize’s situation differed from how Gauteng Premier David Makhura dealt with the former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku. “He (Ramaphosa) is giving Mkhize a long rope to hang himself and his political career. “Mkhize is the only one who is a potential contender against Ramaphosa for the ANC presidency, so…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za TO MARK World Oceans Day yesterday, community organisation Coastal Links, the small-scale fishing community and activists held a protest against Karpowerships, saying the floating power plant planned for Saldanha Bay will have negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. A group of about 50 people protested at Friday Island Beach, Langebaan, saying there was a lack of recognition of small-scale fishing livelihoods. Karpowership SA, a member of Karadeniz Energy Group, based in Istanbul, Turkey, could be adding its fully integrated power plants to the country on a 20-year contract in three provinces – Saldanha Bay, Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal and Coega in the Eastern Cape. The plants operate on regasified liquid natural gas (LNG). The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is set to make…

Siyavuya Mzantsi, Baldwin Ndaba and Sihle Mavuso PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s move to place embattled Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on special leave could be the beginning of the end for the minister’s career. But this depends on what else journalists uncover, according to political analyst Keith Gottschalk. Yesterday, Ramaphosa announced that Mkhize had been placed on special leave pending the outcome of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation into the R150 million Digital Vibes contract. Pressure had been mounting on Mkhize to resign for his alleged involvement in the awarding of the R150m contract. The R150m communications contract was irregularly awarded, an internal investigation by the Health Department had found. The company Digital Vibes is reportedly run by Mkhize’s associates. Media reports claimed that the company had funded renovations at…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za CANCER-related morbidity and mortality is expected to rise as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated response, with the greatest increase in mortality expected from breast and colorectal cancers. The first wave of the pandemic resulted in a substantial decline in the number of new cancer diagnoses, implying a delay in diagnosis, experts from the National Health Laboratory Service, Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University found in new research published in the SA Medical Journal. A retrospective laboratory-based audit was performed at a large anatomical pathology laboratory in the province. The numbers of new diagnoses for six common cancers – breast, prostate, cervix, large bowel, oesophagus and stomach – from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020 were compared with the corresponding period in 2019. Histopathological…

Staff writer WHEN she grows up, she wants to be a fairy so that she can use magic to heal other children the way doctors repaired the hole in her heart. Amara Ngwenya, 4, has big ambitions – even though she is physically small for her age. Thanks to life-saving donations from Medipost Holdings and the Netcare Foundation and a committed medical team, she is recovering well after recently benefiting from intricate cardiac surgery. Amara recently underwent the operation to repair her heart defect at the Maboneng Heart Institute at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg. She is the latest beneficiary of the Heart-to-Heart Campaign, a corporate social investment match-funding challenge to raise resources for life-saving operations for children suffering life-threatening heart conditions. Cardiothoracic surgeons Dr Eric Schürmann and Dr Martin…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za ILLEGAL dumping next to Manzomthombo High School in Mfuleni has led to illness and less teaching time as the stench is too much to bear for pupils and teachers. Using World Environment Day recently to highlight their plight, pupils at the school shared their experiences with peers at Fairdale and Bardale high schools, also near Mfuleni. Manzomthombo pupils highlighted their learning conditions, which include the adjacent field being used as an illegal dumping site. There is also a blocked drain nearby that is affecting the reception area. Teacher Nombeko Sogalela said some of the pupils at the school were suffering from chest pains and rashes due to the pollution. “In summer, it becomes very bad. It becomes difficult to breathe and most of the time our pupils…

WESLEY SEALE STANDING in a Beijing skyscraper, one is often mesmerised by the mountains surrounding the “north capital”. As someone who hails from a mountain city, the mountains in Beijing often reminded me of OR Tambo’s description of the Engeli Mountains. “Looking out from my home,” Oliver Tambo wrote, “the site of it commanded a wide view of the terrain as it swept from the vicinity of my home and stretched away as far as the eye could see – the panorama bordered on a high range of mountains that faced me. “The Engeli Mountains were a huge wall that rolls in the distance to mark the end of a very broken landscape, a landscape of great variety and, looking back now, I would say of great beauty.” Beijing…

The Hague: Police have arrested more than 800 people worldwide in a global sting involving encrypted phones that were secretly planted by the FBI, law enforcement agencies said yesterday. Cops in 16 countries were able to read the messages of global underworld figures as they plotted drug deals, arms transfers and gangland hits on the compromised Anom devices. Mafia groups, Asian crime syndicates, motorcycle gangs and other organised crime syndicates across the world were all monitored using the spiked phones as part of Operation “Trojan Shield”. The sting, jointly conceived by Australia and the US FBI, prevented around 100 murders, foiled several large-scale narcotics shipments and led to seizures of weapons and cash, they added. “The results are staggering,” FBI Assistant Director Calvin Shivers said at the headquarters of…

ISLAMABAD: The death toll from the collision between two trains in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province early on Monday morning has risen to 62, a government official said yesterday. The death toll rose after rescue teams pulled out more bodies from the damaged compartments of the trains, said Commissioner of Sukkur Shafiq Ahmed Mahesar. He said more than 100 people sustained injuries in the accident and the condition of at least 15 is critical. At least 13 compartments of the two trains were derailed and overturned, and seven to eight were completely destroyed in the accident, sources from the Pakistan Railways confided.…

new delhi: In a massive internet outage, several popular websites including leading news portals yesterday faced outage globally. These included Reddit, Spotify, Twitch, GitHub, Hulu, HBO Max, CNN, the Guardian, the New York Times, BBC, Financial Times and more. The technical glitch is likely to be from Fastly, a popular CDN provider. Fastly confirmed it was facing an outage on its status website. “Error 503 Service Unavailable,” was the message that appeared on the affected websites. It was unclear if the glitch was due to a cyber-attack. Other popular websites affected were gov.uk, Quora, PayPal, Shopify and others.…