Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2022-07-25 in Cape Times

INDEPENDENT Power Producers (IPPs) under renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme bid window 5 (REIPPPP BW5) shot themselves in the foot with unsustainable rates now making it impossible to deliver power to Eskom, leading to the grid’s prolonged loadshedding. Speaking to Business Report over the weekend, South African Independent Power Producers Association chairperson Thomas Garner said the programme was in a quandary after producers indicated they could not continue with the current rate which required financial close before the signing of agreements with Eskom next month. Solar and wind energy IPPs reportedly bid 37.5 cents a kilowatt hour (kW/h) to secure business when the going rate should have been between 60 to 80c a kW/h. “This is a race to the bottom, not all the projects are…

THE WESTERN Cape High Court has ordered the Beaufort West Municipality to show cause why it disconnected the electricity supply to Happie Beleggings property. Judge Vincent Saldanha issued the rule nisi against the municipality and also ordered it to motivate why it should not be interdicted from interfering with the building’s electrical supply. The matter will be heard in court on November 23. Saldanha said the municipality must motivate why a final order should not be granted that the electrical supply to the building, situated on Erf 9 456 should not be immediately reconnected, and why the municipality should not be interdicted from unlawfully interfering with the electricity supply to this specific building. Judge Saldanha also ordered the municipality, in the meantime, to file an affidavit explaining fully its decision…

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has dedicated her team’s 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) triumph to supporters of South African women’s football. Banyana players will be more than R400 000 richer each after winning their first ever Wafcon crown at a packed Prince Moulay Stadium on Saturday as they beat hosts Morocco 2-1. “It means a lot to the whole of South Africa, to the coaches and players that have come before. “This is for everyone that is connected to women’s football. Most importantly, the players were absolutely brilliant,” said Ellis. En route to becoming only the third team to win the African crown, Banyana had previously come short in the final on five occasions, dating back to 1995. But coach Ellis’ side shrugged off the misfortunes of…

FED up with an ANC leadership that appeared out of touch with the needs of KwaZulu-Natal residents, a lobby group began holding clandestine meetings to galvanise support among the ruling party’s rank and file in the province. Their undercover activities saw the group getting the nickname “Taliban” and so successful was their campaign, that they made a clean sweep at the ANC provincial conference on Saturday. Led by newly elected chairperson Siboniso Duma, the group took all the top five positions, toppling the slate which was led by Sihle Zikalala, who was seeking to retain his position as provincial chairperson. The “Taliban” emerged as the conference’s surprise package as many had predicted the tussle for the top position would be between Zikalala and Nomusa Dube-Ncube. The grouping profited from a…

IN AN application for the impeachment of Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe, Freedom Under Law - as an interested party - has made submissions to the Judicial Service Commission on why Hlophe should be suspended. This comes after Hlophe had been found guilty of gross misconduct after attempting to influence two justices of the court by trying to sway the outcome of former president Jacob Zuma’s corruption case in 2008. The submissions by FUL, ahead of a meeting expected to be held with the JSC today, are made while the Supreme Court of Appeal recently also granted Hlophe leave to appeal against his potential impeachment. FUL, in their submissions, confirmed they had recently joined as a party to the review proceedings at the SCA. In a statement,…

BANYANA Banyana’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) success was a reward for sticking with Desiree Ellis and the current generation of players through thick and thin. Banyana’s triumph came as no surprise. They were the best team in the tournament from start to finish, tactically outsmarting the opposition. Since taking charge of the women’s national team in 2016, Ellis has gone on to win three CAF Women’s Coach of the Year awards, in 2018, 2019 and, most recently, this year. Ellis has established herself as a true legend of coaching in South Africa, with her achievements being comparable to Pitso Mosimane’s successes over the years with both Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly. While Ellis inherited a talented group of players, she was responsible for fostering a very healthy team…

Ukraine pressed ahead yesterday with efforts to restart grain exports from Odesa and other Black Sea ports after a missile attack that cast doubt over whether Russia would honour a deal aimed at easing global food shortages caused by the war. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced the strikes on Odesa as blatant “barbarism” that showed Moscow could not be trusted to implement Friday’s deal, mediated by Turkey and the UN. However, a government minister said preparations to resume grain shipments were ongoing, and public broadcaster Suspilne quoted the Ukrainian military as saying the missiles had not significantly damaged the port. The deal signed by Moscow and Kyiv was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough that would help curb soaring global food prices, but as the war entered its sixth month on Sunday…

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Tunis on Saturday to demonstrate against a referendum to be held today on a new constitution that they reject as illegal. President Kais Saied published the draft constitution, giving himself far more powers, reducing the role of the parliament and judiciary, and removing most checks on his power, less than a month ago. The referendum is the latest move in what his foes call a march to one-man rule since he replaced the government a year ago to rule by decree in what critics call a coup. “Shut down the coup!”, “Stop autocratic rule!” shouted the protesters on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main street in Tunis. “The Tunisian people will deal a major blow to Saied on the day of the illegal referendum and will…

GENEVA: Public Health Emergency of International Concern (Pheic) is the rarely used top alert available to the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle a global disease outbreak. The WHO on Saturday declared the surge in monkeypox to be a Pheic after experts reviewed the situation at an emergency committee meeting two days earlier. The rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak represents a global health emergency, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. The alert is designed to sound an alarm that a co-ordinated international response is needed and could unlock funding and global efforts to collaborate on sharing vaccines and treatments. |…

SEOUL: North Korea on Saturday condemned remarks by a senior White House official about Pyongyang’s cyberattack capabilities and said it would continue to stand against what it called US aggression towards it. Anne Neuberger, the US deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, reportedly said on Wednesday that the North Koreans were a criminal syndicate pursuing revenue “in the guise of a country”. North Korea is widely believed to have thousands of trained hackers and stealing cryptocurrencies has become a major source of funding for the sanctions-hit country and its weapons programmes. |…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has signed five proclamations to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe two departments, two state entities and a municipality. Ramaphosa authorised the SIU to probe the affairs of the national Department of Health and the provincial Health Departments after allegations were made as to the affairs of the institutions. He said the institutions may have suffered losses that may be recovered. “I deem it necessary that the said allegations should be investigated and civil proceedings emanating from such investigations should be adjudicated upon.” Ramaphosa ordered that the SIU probe unlawful conduct by claimants or their agents of civil action for relief against the institutions for medical negligence claims that were fraudulent. The terms of reference of the investigation include serious maladministration in connection with the…

Some CPUT students at the Cape Suites residence in the city centre say they are living in fear following the alleged rape of a female student by a staff member. The accused, understood to be a newly-appointed general worker at the residence, was arrested after the incident on July 16 and is awaiting trial at Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison, according to reports. CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the management of Cape Suites immediately investigated the incident after it was reported and alerted the police, who arrested the perpetrator. “The accused remains in custody, and the university has initiated disciplinary proceedings. The victim has been fully supported by the university and has been offered the requisite counselling and other support which may be required. “We will continue to work with SAPS…

Recruitment practices in the agricultural sector – particularly of seasonal, temporary and migrant workers – contribute to increased risks of trafficking for forced labour. These were the concerns raised by the UN Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Siobhán Mullally, in a new report. Titled: “Trafficking in persons in the agriculture sector: Human rights, due diligence and sustainable development – Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children”, the report was prepared pursuant to a Human Rights Council resolution and released ahead of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30. The report said the agriculture sector employs an estimated 28% of the total labour force globally; and an estimated 60% of the labour force in low-income countries. “The incidence…

Russia backs principle of ‘African solutions for African problems’ ON THE eve of my visits to several African countries, I would like to share my reflections on the prospects for Russia-Africa relations in the current geopolitical context with esteemed readers. Today, African states play an increasingly important role in global politics and the economy, taking an active part in solving key modern-day problems. Their voices of solidarity are a welcome sound in world affairs. Russia has consistently advocated for Africa’s strengthened position in the multipolar architecture of a world order, which should be based on the principles of the UN Charter, and take the world’s cultural and population diversity into account. In this context, we welcome the successful development of such integration structures as, for example, the AU, East African…

Pope Francis departed yesterday for a historic six-day visit to Canada where he is expected to ask forgiveness of indigenous survivors of abuse committed at residential schools run by the Catholic Church. The “penitential pilgrimage”, as the pontiff has described it, is seen as an important step in addressing the global scandal of clerical sexual abuse of children and decades of cover-up. It has long been awaited by Canada’s indigenous communities. The pope will begin his 37th international trip in Edmonton, in the western province of Alberta, before heading to Quebec City and then Iqaluit, Canada’s northern-most city. He plans to reiterate an apology delivered to Canadian delegations who visited the Vatican in April, which he then said would hopefully “contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation already undertaken”.…

At least 16 people were killed and 52 wounded in fighting between armed groups in Tripoli, the health ministry said on Saturday, following the latest political violence to hit the Libyan capital. The fighting began on Thursday. The clashes were between two armed groups with major clout in the west of the war-torn country: the Al-Radaa force and the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade. Several sources said one group’s detention of a fighter belonging to the other had sparked the fighting, which extended to several districts of the capital. On Friday, another group called the 444 Brigade intervened to mediate a truce, sending its own forces into a buffer zone before they too came under heavy fire, an AFP photographer reported. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah’s government suspended interior minister Khaled Mazen after…

Baghdad: Iraq said it was preparing to host a “public” meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia as the two rivals seek to mend ties. Since April last year, Iraq has hosted five rounds of talks between Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shiz-majority Iran, which support opposing sides in various conflicts in the region. Those encounters were held privately and involving security and intelligence officials. But on Saturday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said his Iranian and Saudi counterparts would be meeting publically in Iraq at an undisclosed date. |…

London: Unions, port officials and the French authorities blamed Brexit at the weekend as thousands of holidaymakers faced long delays trying to reach Europe via the English Channel port of Dover. But UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss laid the blame squarely on Paris, telling her French counterpart Catherine Colonna that “the French authorities have not put enough people on the border”. The situation has added to the bad blood between London and Paris in the wake of Brexit, scotching hopes of a reset after Boris Johnson said earlier this month he was stepping down as UK premier. |…

THERE has been mixed reaction to possible fuel price deregulation, as government called for public comment on plans to put a fuel price cap on 93-octane petrol. Mineral resources and energy minister, Gwede Mantashe published a notice in the government gazette on Friday under section 2(1)(c) of the Petroleum Products Act, giving notice of the intention to introduce a price cap or a maximum price for petrol 93-octane. Comments from stakeholders should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the notice. The notice proposes that instead of government setting a fixed price for the sale of 93-octane petrol, it would allow retailers to set their own price by introducing a cap or maximum price retailers could charge. The price of 93-octane petrol currently stands at R 26.31 per…

THE legal team representing expelled Stellenbosch University student Theuns du Toit says it is preparing to appeal the institution’s decision, charging the conclusions made were based on “unproven facts”. Du Toit was expelled after an independent Central Disciplinary Committee (CDC) found him guilty, after he was captured on video urinating on fellow black student Babalo Ndwayana’s belongings. The panel found that while it could not conclude that du Toit's use of the word "boy" was racist, it found him guilty of acting in a racist manner in saying, to the effect, that “it’s a white boy thing”. “A student shall not act in a manner that is racist, unfairly discriminatory, violent, grossly insulting, abusive or intimidating against any other person. This prohibition extends but is not Iimited to conduct…

THE African Union (AU) has welcomed the signing of a Russia/Ukraine agreement to resume grain exports under the auspices of Turkiye and the UN. Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat welcomed the agreements under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkiye and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the export of grain and agricultural products via the Black Sea. “The chairperson of the Commission commends all the parties on this successful development. “The chairperson also wishes to warmly congratulate H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and current Chair of the AU for having called for the urgent need for the resumption of cereals from Ukraine and Russia to global markets as made to President Vladimir Putin during a joint AU mission to Sochi on…

A MAN accused of double murder is expected to appear in court this morning in connection with the deaths of his 65-year-old mother and 12-year-old niece. The murders sparked an outcry as Kalksteenfontein residents and neighbouring communities called for justice to be served for a family “who was failed by the system”. Police spokesperson, Joseph Swartbooi, confirmed that the 39-year-old was arrested on Saturday after the SAPS responded to a scene where the two bodies were found. “The circumstances surrounding the discovery of two bodies in a house in Kalksteenfontein, is under investigation. Bishop Lavis police attended to a complaint on Saturday morning. “On arrival at the scene in Panoster Square, they found the bodies of two females inside the dwelling. The victims, aged 65 and 12, were both declared…

POLICE are investigating the discovery of the bodies of a man and a woman found bound and dumped on Strandfontein beach on Saturday morning. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the motive for the murders was unknown. “Mitchells Plain police attended a crime scene early on Saturday. On arrival at the scene near Mnandi Beach at around 7.15am, they found the bodies of a male and female lying in the sand, covered under white sheets. “Both victims sustained gunshot wounds to their bodies. The victims were declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. “The unknown suspect/s who fled the scene is yet to be arrested. Mitchells Plain police are investigating two counts of murder,” said Swartbooi. Stranfontein community activist Elton-Enrique Jansen said more police visibility is needed in the…

AN IMPORTANT sign that the global economy is on a sustained post-Covid-19 economic recovery trajectory is the strong rebound in foreign direct investment (FDI). Investors, whether government or institutional, for manifold reasons are the acid test for perceptions of business confidence, a country’s credit risk, economic competitiveness and efficacious FDI incentive regimes. The latest FDI figures released by the OECD on July 20 show that global FDI flow reached its highest level in five years, increasing by 28% in Q1 2022 to $535 billion. On a year-on-year basis, global FDI flows increased by 15% compared with Q1 2021. Despite global geopolitical and economic uncertainties, China was the largest recipient of inward FDI in Q1 2022 at $101bn, followed by the US at $67bn and Australia at $59bn. Similarly, the…

A wildfire ripped through thousands of acres in California’s Yosemite National Park at the weekend as millions of Americans sweltered through scorching heat with already record- setting temperatures due to climb. Evidence of global warming could be seen elsewhere in the country, as more than a dozen states were under a heat advisory. The heat wave encompassing multiple regions has increased the risk of fires, such as the major Oak Fire in the California, which broke out on Friday, where giant sequoia trees have already been threatened by flames in recent days. Central US metropolitan areas such as Dallas and Oklahoma City were expected to reach highs of more than 38°C for at least the next five days. The wildfire – described as “explosive” by officials – grew to around…

Washington: Film star George Clooney and soul legend Gladys Knight are among this year’s crop of Kennedy Centre honorees, one of America’s most prestigious arts awards. Irish rockers U2, Cuban-born American composer Tania Leon and the contemporary Christian and pop artist Amy Grant round out the 45th class, which will be feted at the centre’s annual gala on December 4. The Kennedy Centre – Washington’s performing arts complex that serves as a living monument to slain president John F Kennedy – has like all arts institutions suffered during the pandemic and been forced to cancel, postpone or rein in previous celebrations. But barring the unexpected this year’s appeared to be on track to bring the glitz to Washington, where such red carpet events are rare. Last year, President Joe Biden…

Kinshasa: Dozens of rights groups have urged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to release a Congolese journalist detained last week, after intelligence agents set free a US reporter arrested with him. On July 13, the DRC’s intelligence service detained Joseph Kazadi and American journalist Stavros Nicolas Niarchos in the south-eastern city of Lubumbashi in Katanga province. They were then held in Kinshasa, a senior government official told AFP that the journalists had allegedly made unauthorised contact with armed groups. Niarchos, a 33-year-old freelancer who writes for American magazines The Nation and The New Yorker, was released on Tuesday. |…