Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2023-07-06 in Cape Times

THE SOUTH African Institution of Civil Engineering has appointed Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane as its new CEO, effective from July 1, 2023. With a seasoned professional career, including as the MD of Refilwe Engineering Solutions, and non-executive director at Gateway Airports Authority, “she brings a wealth of experience, with a remarkable career in transportation planning and engineering, coupled with her impressive academic qualifications,” a statement said yesterday. “My vision for the institution is to foster collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity within the civil engineering community. “Together, we can drive positive change, address societal challenges, and enhance the profession's impact on South Africa's development,” Phayane-Shakhane said. | Edward West…

CONDITIONS for the El Niño weather pheno- menon had developed in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years, probably leading to a rise in global temperatures and disruptive weather and climate patterns, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned on Tuesday. “The onset of El Niño will greatly increase the likelihood of breaking temperature records and trig- gering more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the ocean,” the organi- sation’s secretary-general, Petteri Taalas, was quoted as saying in a WMO statement. He said the WMO’s declaration of El Niño was a signal to governments across the world to prepare to mitigate the phenomenon’s impact on health, ecosystems and econo- mies. “Early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associ- ated with this…

SENTIMENT in the manufacturing sector in South Africa has ticked up on the back of improved electricity supply in June, in spite of activity contracting for the fourth consecutive month. This comes as the S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) remained in contractionary territory in June as it posted below the 50 point neutral mark for the fourth month in a row. S&P yesterday said the PMI – a composite gauge designed to give a single-figure snapshot of operating conditions in the private sector economy – edged up from 47.9 points in May to 48.7 points in June. According to S&P, South African companies signalled an improvement in the performance of supply chains at the end of the first half of the year. This was…

AMERICAN Swiss, a distributor of precious stones and metals, said yesterday the diamond industry has undergone a significant transformation with the emergence of lab-grown diamonds. The diamonds are created in a laboratory environment using technological processes that mimic the formation of natural diamonds. American Swiss produces costume jewellery, watches, clocks, and silverware including platinum, white and tallow gold, solver, diamonds, amethyst, topaz, and garnet. The company operates in South Africa. Head of design and innovation at TFG Jewellery, Shelley Wilkinson-Rorich, said the process for creating lab-grown diamonds is renewable and sustainable and will contribute towards preserving the world’s natural resources. “Lab-grown diamonds are grown in a controlled setting, ensuring transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain,” she said. She said lab-grown diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from their natural counterparts and…

LAST YEAR WAS my first time at the Durban July, an event I have always deemed to be for the who’s-who in the entertainment industry, other high-profile celebs and wealthy horse breeders. A few days prior, I mentioned to my dad that I was going. He had never heard of it – and when I mentioned horse racing, he was perplexed, asking if I was racing or betting. I allayed his fears, informing him that I would just be a spectator in a demarcated area, networking with my peers. He still could not comprehend the concept of betting on horses. At my second attendance at the July a few days ago, I discovered that the celebs started designing their outfits months ahead. I’ve worn my current outfit once – and…

ELEVEN trillion US dollars (R205.5trln). That was the amount spent by governments across the world in 2018 to purchase public goods and services. Public money, raised through taxes and duties and distributed through contracts with private sector com- panies, is $11trln of a global gross domestic product (GDP) of nearly $90trln. In South Africa, public procurement spending was R926 billion in 2018, according to the National Treasury; that represents 20% of the country’s GDP. In addition to securing value for money and procuring public goods and services that best meet the needs of the people, procurement spending is an instrument by which the government can provide opportunities to expand the market place and advance equality and social justice. And, given the amounts involved, a very powerful instrument. A recent…

US actor Kyle Richards and CEO of The Agency, Mauricio Umansky, have separated after 27 years of marriage, PEOPLE confirmed. “Kyle and Mauricio have been separated for a while now but are still living under the same roof. They are still friendly as they figure out what is next for them and their family,” a source close to the couple told PEOPLE. Richards met Umansky in 1994. Richards was divorcing her first husband, Guraish Aldjufrie, with whom she had a daughter, Farrah Brittany. After becoming engaged later that year, the couple married in January 1996 and had three children, Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23, and Portia, 15. When The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiered on Bravo in 2010, their family was finally revealed to the public. Richards was a regular…

from page 1 be finalised is station appointments,” he said. He put the figure to save the Central Line at R1 billion, consisting of R650m from Phase 1, a further R500m in infrastructure and R480m for signalling. Emeran also said there was specific infrastructure intervention around securing the Central Line. “We talk about walling and fencing of the Central Line to protect and secure the assets. It is a programme we are rolling out on the Central Line and other high risk areas within the city and across the country.” Jackson Kondile, a community activist from the shacks erected on the rails, said: “Last year they promised to move us by November, and that date has passed. They are always blaming each other when it comes to this. The trains…

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has threatened national executive committee (NEC) member Andile Lungisa over a tweet about acting Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka’s Phala Phala report. Mbalula said the National Working Committee (NWC) further reiterated its support of the Office of the Public Protector and welcomed the report by the acting public protector on allegations of the criminal events that took place at the Phala Phala Farm, involving the theft of money. “The ANC reiterates that only opportunists seek to abuse the provisions of the Executive Ethics Code to suggest the president violated the provisions therein. “The ANC welcomes the public protector’s report, which found nothing untoward in the conduct of the president, including the fact that there was no evidence of paid work outside his duties as president,” said…

MOTSEPE Foundation CEO Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe has urged Safa to stick to its word after the foundation helped resolve the impasse with Banyana Banyana. Fifa has allocated R565 000 to all 23 players of the 32 national teams that will be playing in this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup, but it emerged this week that Safa was only keen to pay each player R400 000 and stalled on signing the contracts. That didn’t go down well with the players, who boycotted their send-off match on Sunday due to the revelation and for other reasons – receiving the support of the public, who felt that they deserved the Fifa money and more. Since then, Safa had been deadlocked in negotiations with Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa and the South African Football Players…

HANOVER Park residents are reeling in shock after a gunman opened fire, killing two elderly women on Tuesday night. The women, aged 60 and 75 years, were killed while three others were wounded in Lansport Road. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said that Philippi police are investigating two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. “According to reports five women aged 32, 35, 50, 60, 75 were sitting in the house in Lansport Road when a grey VW Polo stopped in front of the house. A man got out of the car and walked into the house. Several shots were fired inside the house, hitting all five women. “A 75-year-old female was fatally wounded on scene. The 60-year-old female died of a gunshot wound to the chest…

Tuesday was the hottest day on Earth since at least 1979, with the global average temperature reaching 17.18°C, according to data from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction. As a result, some scientists believe July 4 may have been one of the hottest days on Earth in about 125 000 years, due to a dangerous combination of climate change causing global temperatures to soar, the return of the El Niño pattern and the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. In the US, 57 million people were exposed to dangerous heat on Tuesday, according to The Washington Post’s extreme heat tracker. China was gripped by a sizzling heat wave, the Antarctic is hotter than usual during its winter, and temperatures in the north of Africa reached 50°C Tuesday’s…

Racial tensions in the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax flared into violence targeting migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, dozens of whom were forcibly evicted from the city, witnesses said yesterday. Amid the disturbances this week, police detained some and deported them as far away as the Libyan border more than 300km, according to a local rights group. The latest unrest started after the funeral of a 41-year-old Tunisian man who was stabbed to death Monday in an altercation with migrants, which led to the arrests of three suspects from Cameroon. Sfax, the North African country’s second-largest city, is a departure point for many migrants hoping to reach EU member Italy by sea, landing usually at the island of Lampedusa about 130km away. Hundreds of residents massed in the streets demanding the…

BORIS Becker’s estranged wife has accused him of keeping prize horses in his bedroom to hide them from debt collectors. The three-time Wimbledon champion, 55, had son Amadeus, 13, with Sharlely “Lilly” Becker before they split in 2018, but after years of legal wranglings the pair are still not divorced and Lilly has now mocked the shamed tennis star over his bankruptcy battle. She tells an upcoming ITV documentary called Boris Becker: Rise and Fall: “The guy tries to go into the master bedroom but Boris had hid the horses. You have to pay taxes on them and he hadn’t. You see the funny side of the story because you walk into the bedroom and there’s a horse. I’m sorry, that’s funny.” Lilly says dad-of-four Boris took the step when…

Addis Ababa: Unknown assailants killed three senior police officers in the restive Ethiopian region of Amhara this week, officials said. Amhara has been the scene of unrest since a move by the federal government to dismantle regional forces and integrate them into the national army or regional police. Authorities said a curfew would be imposed from yesterday in Shewa Robit, which lies east of Dejen and 200km north-east of Addis Ababa. The killings follow the assassination in April of a member of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s party. Amhara nationalists accuse Abiy’s government of seeking to dismantle the region’s “special forces” in a bid to weaken it. | AFP…

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter will not be instructing his captains Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram to withdraw an appeal if the wicketkeeper throws down the stumps in an attempt to dismiss a batsman at the striker’s end. A global furore broke out on the fifth and final day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s this Sunday when Australian keeper Alex Carey gathered the ball and in one fluid motion under-armed a direct throw at the stumps after noticing England’s Jonny Bairstow had left his crease. Bairstow had evaded a bouncer from Cameron Green and simply touched the crease with his boot before moving towards his batting partner Ben Stokes in the middle of the pitch. Much to Bairstow and England’s surprise, the umpires referred the decision to South…

The West Indies rebounded from their failure to qualify for this year's Cricket World Cup by cruising to a seven-wicket win over Oman in Harare yesterday. Opener Brandon King made 100 and captain Shai Hope finished on 63 not out as the West Indies easily chased down Oman's total of 221/9 with 10.2 overs to spare. The two-time champions will miss the 50-over World Cup for the first time after being eliminated from contention last week following a heavy defeat by Scotland in their opening Super Six match. As a result both Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph returned to the Caribbean ahead of a two-Test series against India later this month. Shoaib Khan scored 50 and wicketkeeper Suraj Kumar added an unbeaten 53 as Oman recovered from 116/6 to give…

THE ZIMBABWE Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) recently announced the end of load shedding after revealing that the nation’s power plants are now generating sufficient electricity to fulfil the needs of both domes- tic and industrial consumers, with minimal reliance on imports. Zesa expressed that the enhanced power generation capacity has resulted in a substantial reduction in load shedding throughout the country. This news was welcomed by the business sector which can now effectively plan operational schedules and ensure uninterrupted in- dustrial processes. The improved electricity supply is expected to contribute to smoother industry outcomes and foster a more conducive environment for economic growth. Zesa attributed the end of load shedding to the successful implementation and completion of expansion projects for Units 7 and 8 at the Hwange Thermal Power…

MULTICHOICE, which is banking on economic and monetary policy reforms in Nigeria to offset exchange rate losses, considers Zimbabwe an important market that is better than its West African counterpart in terms of repatriation of earnings. The JSE-listed pay-television and streaming firm’s rest of Africa segment swung back to profitability in the full year to the end of March. Its share price on the JSE has, however, been trending down, after JP Morgan Chase revised its rating from neutral to underweight. The Multichoice share price shed 2.5% in yesterday’s JSE session while it is down by 11% and 29% in the past seven days and in the year to date respectively. On Tuesday, Multichoice plunged by about 12% on the JSE after the announcement of its downgrade by JP Morgan…

THE NATIONAL Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) announced that it secured an above-inflation wage increase of 8% across the board for all workers at Gautrain. In a statement, the union said currently the Consumer Price Inflation is at 6.3%. The Gautrain is South Africa’s first high-speed railway system linking major hubs in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. The train, which travels at speeds of up to 160km/h, transports about 40 000 passengers per day. The Gautrain bus transports about 12 000 passengers daily. “The union has been engaged in wage talks with Gautrain management since April this year, and we deadlocked in June. “Our members balloted for a strike on Friday, but fortunately, management requested a meeting over the weekend and made an offer to settle…

ANCHOR Capital has launched a fund that invests in agricultural businesses, the Anchor Ndalo Fund, which hopes to raise up to R1.5 billion from institutional investors and ensure the sustainability of the fund by owning as much as possible of the superfoods value chain. The fund would invest in diverse businesses in the horticulture sector, a statement from the company said yesterday. Anchor Group chairperson Mike Teke said: “I am expanding my footprint in investing in food security through agriculture and the Anchor Ndalo Agri Fund is one of the many ways I wish to invest in food security for humanity into the future.” By integrating businesses that comprise the horticulture value chain, the fund aimed to lower investment risk for investors and increase the profitability of the blended…

NONJABULO Sikhakhane launched a financial literacy start-up the same year she completed her MBA – right after the height of the pandemic. As a black woman with an innovative business idea, it hasn’t been easy to establish herself as an entrepreneur, but she’s learned some valuable lessons along the way and is spreading the gospel of better money management and start-up savvy. As a young black woman trying to make it with her own start-up, Nonjabulo Sikhakhane, 33, admits that people often question her when she talks business. “I usually encounter two kinds of stereotyping,” she says. “Firstly, on account of being a woman and then, also because I am black. I feel as if I have to prove myself constantly.” But having an MBA next to her name has…

Anticipated changes to the employment equity landscape have been prominent in 2023. The settlement agreement concluded in the CCMA between Solidarity and the Minister of Employment and Labour on 28 June 2023 must be considered in context to determine whether it changes anything for designated employers in South Africa. It is useful to view the legislative developments over the past five years to appreciate where the contents of the settlement agreement come from and then cast a view forward to determine its practical implications. When the Employment Equity Amendment Act (Amendment Act) was first published as a draft bill in 2018, draft regulations (2018 draft regulations) were published for public comment alongside it. Nothing more came of the 2018 draft regulations since, leaving the status of those regulations in question.…

from page 1 has been compromised by the cyberattack and the WCPP was proceeding on the assumption that some or all of its data has or may have been leaked. WCPP spokesperson Matthys Odendal yesterday said an investigation showed that the damage was minimal. Odendal said a “full forensic audit” was done as part of their investigation and contingency measures to isolate the breach. “Due to the WCPP’s focus on ICT security we were able to recover from this cyber-attack with minimal/negligible disruption to our operations,” said Odendal. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development was ordered to pay a R5m fine after failing to comply with an enforcement notice after contravening sections of Popia. On May 9, the Information Regulator issued the department with an infringement…

THE DA-run Western Cape government says its pursuit of formal transfer of powers through the proposed Provincial Powers Bill is not to separate the province from the rest of the country or a mere campaign before the elections. According to DA Federal Chairperson Ivan Meyer, the bill’s objective was to execute existing powers, and not determine new ones. He encouraged other provincial legislatures to seek the same, claiming they could not sink along with the ANC’s “failed state”. Meyer was speaking at a press briefing yesterday to address a number of criticisms about the bill. “We are of the view that in order to stem the tide against state failure in South Africa it has become critical that greater powers are devolved to capable provincial and local governments such as…

Out of four, Prasa only operates two railway lines THE Passenger Rail of South Africa (Prasa) has warned that it may not fully recover the once busy Central Line without a long-term solution for the relocation of informal dwellings. The rail agency is racing against time to ensure the recovery of the occupied line for trains to operate between Khayelitsha and Kapteinsklip by March next year. “There are certain prerequisites to ensure we can achieve these timelines. This is specifically on the relocation of informal settlements. Without a long-term solution for relocation of informal dwellings, we will never be able to fully recover the Central Line. What we currently do is a limited service,” said acting CEO Hishaam Emeran in reference to the shacks erected on the railway reserves in…

“I WAS 13 when I had my first child, he (my boyfriend) was 14. I had my second at 19 and I’m married to the father.” This is the story of a now 32-year-old from Goedverwacht, who had been introduced to sex at the age of ten when she was raped. “We were together in primary school. You are in love, you think this is the person I want to be with. I was in standard five when I fell pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, the adults wanted us to get an abortion but I said no I’m going to keep the baby.” She described the birthing experience as “terrifying”. A month after the delivery, she went back to school to write her exams. “The challenge is…

A SHOPRITE Checkers employee who had hopes of furthering his career with another retail competitor business will not be able to do so for at least another year after a covenant of confidentiality and a restraint of trade order was validated by the Western Cape High Court. The employee was offered a job at Clicks and was to start on April 3, 2023. However, due to a clause in his employment contract with Shoprite, his would-be new employer was considered a “significant and direct competitor”, selling, among other things, the same pharmaceutical and household products as Shoprite. He could not take up the new position as Shoprite argued he held trade secrets. The employee, a design planner who had been in the position since 2021, was awarded a bursary by…

A TIP of R150 given to a waitress by a couple who had a meal at the restaurant where she was working, cost the waitress her job – a sanction with which the Labour Court sitting in Johannesburg fully agreed. The woman was employed at Johannesburg-based Chef’s Warehouse at Maison Estate restaurant, which had a policy that all waiters had to declare their tips so that they could be shared among the staff at the end of the evening. In this case it was claimed that the waitress, a Ms Taguzu, pocketed not only the R150, but that on a few occasions prior to this she also took tips for herself. While she vehemently denied that she received the R150 tip, she also told the court that she did not…

A QUICK glance at the low number of convictions emanating from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) investigations into the conduct of officers gives a clear picture of where the case involving the thuggish behaviour by VIP protection unit may likely end up. While police management has been quick to issue four of the officers with letters of intention to suspend them, that has hardly allayed fears that the case will not go far and result in dismissals and convictions. The heavily armed officers whom we now know were part of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail were filmed assaulting a motorist and two passengers on the N1 highway in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, over the weekend. Mashatile, who was not part of the convoy, condemned the…

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) struck Gaza early yesterday after five rockets were fired towards Israeli territory from the strip, the military said, amid high tensions following a major Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin. The IDF said that its defence system had successfully intercepted the rocket launches from Gaza. In response, the IDF fighter jets hit what it claimed were underground weapons and raw materials manufacturing facilities for rockets belonging to Hamas, the militant Islamist group that rules the Gaza strip. The new strikes came hours after Israeli officials said they were withdrawing their forces from Jenin after a two-day incursion left at least 12 Palestinians dead and some 100 injured. One Israeli soldier was killed by gunfire during the military operation in Jenin, the…

Australia’s indigenous affairs minister accused those campaigning for a “no” vote in an upcoming indigenous rights referendum of disinformation and “importing (Donald) Trump-style politics” yesterday. The referendum will see Australians decide whether the indigenous population is recognised in the constitution and gets a dedicated “voice” in national policymaking. Supporters say the changes will help address the legacy of colonial rule and inequalities that see Aboriginal Australians more likely to be poor, undereducated, unhealthy or jailed. The centre-left government has backed the proposals but, with polls showing the “yes” campaign losing ground, minister Linda Burney hit out at the “no” campaign’s tactics. Opponents argue the referendum is “divisive”, with conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton claiming the “voice” will “change our whole system of government”. | AFP…

TEHRAN: Iran is still meting out harsh punishments to people suspected of involvement in mass protests, including “chilling” executions, a UN fact-finding mission said yesterday. Iran was rocked by protests sparked by the death last year of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for allegedly violating the dress rule for women based on Islamic sharia law. The UN said that 10 months on, the Amini family’s right to transparency around a probe into her death remained unfulfilled. Iran has said that 22 000 people have been pardoned in connection with the protests, which “suggests that many more were detained or charged”, it said. | AFP…

Reykjavik: Some 1 600 tremors have been recorded in the area around Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, signalling that a volcanic eruption could be imminent, the country’s weather office said yesterday. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) noted that the earthquakes began on Tuesday beneath Mount Fagradalsfjall, which rests atop a volcanic system and where two eruptions took place in the past two years on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland’s south-western tip. Four of the tremors had a magnitude over four, which is considered a light quake. Iceland is Europe’s biggest and most active volcanic region. | AFP…

Western Province are through to the unofficial final of the Craven Week following a hard fought 35-24 win over a courageous Sharks side yesterday. WP shaded the opposition by four tries to three after leading 24-14 at half-time. It was the accurate goal kicking of flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who contributed 15 points, that proved decisive in the end. WP made the perfect start by scoring inside two minutes. From a line-out their fullback JC Mars ghosted into the backline and flummoxed the defence with some dazzling footwork, before linking up with scrumhalf Haashiem Pead who dotted down. Ahmed converted the first of his six successes at goal and WP was 7-0 up. The Sharks refused to lie down and hit back 10 minutes later when, after a series of…

EMIRA Property Fund has installed 16 beehives at eight of its commercial properties in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu-Natal, and more are planned, where suitable. COO Ulana van Biljon said in a statement yesterday that the project was chosen to address the decline of global bee populations, “which contribute so much to society, as well as the biodiversity of our properties”. Bees are vital for pollinating plants, including food crops. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, a third of global food production depends on bees as pollinator. Bees are also increasingly threatened by human activity, and under grave threat from habitat loss, pesticides, air pollution and climate change. | Edward West…

THE RENEWED institutional interest in cryptocurrency sent Bitcoin (BTC) surging to a new 12-month high, with its price jumping above $31 300 in June. Although BTC lost some of its gains in the last week of the month, it still finished the first half of 2023 with an impressive 85% growth, putting it on track for its best annual performance since 2020. The world’s largest and most expensive cryptocurrency also hit an impressive trading volume in the six months of the year. According to data presented by BitcoinCasinos.com, Bitcoin’s trading volume hit more than $4.2 trillion (R78.47trln) in the first half of the year. After a significant slowdown in December 2022, the last month of one of the hardest years for the entire crypto industry, the global crypto…

WHATSAPP is used by more than a quarter of the world’s population and it has an astounding 98% open rate. A recent Mailchimp study found that the open rate of email is 21.33%. Customers’ journeys with brands are vital, and no matter where you look or which insight report you read, customer experience (CX) generally, and the ability to communicate on a platform of the customer’s choice specifically, is almost always front and centre. WhatsApp is used by more than a quarter of the world’s population and it has an astounding 98% open rate. A recent Mailchimp study found that the open rate of email is 21.33%. The power of WhatsApp is therefore abundantly clear – if you send 1 000 emails, 213 will be opened, whereas of…

According to a recent study conducted by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, around one in three South African employees suffer from burn-out. This research highlights the prevalence of burnout in South Africa’s corporate sector. However, one of the main reasons why employees may not be aware that they are suffering from burnout is a lack of understanding and recognition of the symptoms. Burnout is often misunderstood or overlooked as simply feeling tired or stressed, while in reality it is a much more serious condition that can have significant impacts on both mental and physical health. Sadly, the corporate culture in South Africa often promotes a “workaholic” mentality, where long working hours and high levels of stress are seen as a badge of honour. This can lead to…

WHILE the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) says cyber security has been beefed up following a data breach, the Hawks investigation into the matter continues. WCPP information and communications technology (ICT) services were compromised overnight on May 23 by a malicious attack during which their systems were temporarily inaccessible. The cybersecurity breach was reported to police and the State Security Agency (SSA) and police. SAPS confirmed the matter was handed over to the Hawks as it was a “crime against the state”. Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, said: “We confirm that the matter is under investigation and at this time we are not going to divulge any further details due to the sensitivity of the matter.” The SSA did not respond to numerous enquiries by deadline. The WCPP in June had…

A PETITION has been launched to oppose the closures of certain hiking trails, particularly in the Jonkershoek and Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserves, by CapeNature. The petition, which has more than 2 000 signatures, is calling on Cape- Nature to reconsider the decision, saying it will badly affect hiking enthusiasts who enjoy these trails. But CapeNature said the long connecting trails were rarely used and it did not make sense to spend a huge amount of resources maintaining them. Trevor Rennison, who launched the petition, said the reasons given for the closures, that will affect the hiking public, were not comprehensive. “Without feet on the trails, the paths become overgrown and eventually reclaimed by nature. In the end, they will be lost, and all the history associated with these trails will be…

THE Department of Public Service and Administration has urged departments to implement contingency measures to ensure essential services are not impacted during Cosatu’s nationwide strike. Trade union federation, Cosatu and affiliates are expected to take to the streets today. They plan to protest against a number of socio-economic issues hurting workers. It would also call for the creation of decent sustainable jobs and prevention of corruption and crime. Cosatu also wants the high interest rates to be reduced and speedy implementation of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations. In the Western Cape, memorandums are expected to be handed over at the provincial legislature and Parliament. Cosatu’s Malvern de Bruyn said this was a protected strike, and a Section 77 strike certificate had been issued by the National Economic Development and Labour Council…

When it comes to double cab bakkies South Africans are spoilt for choice and when GWM entered the market with their well-priced and even better specced P-Series, that really threw the cat among the pigeons. We’re also a sucker for a good looking exterior and with the recent launch of the range topping P-Series LTD, GWM have done just that. Bold and rugged is what we like and it does that very well. The leisure market is a big industry locally and this offering that slots in above the LS and LT models, not only looks the part but backs it up practically as well. They’ve added 18-inch Gloss Black rims shod with decent Cooper All Terrain tyres, black sports bar, a plastic bin liner, steel front and rear bumpers,…

Last month, the NationaHealth Insurance (NHI) Bilwas passed by the South African NationaAssembly. From there, the Bilwilbe sent to the NationaCounciof Provinces and if also passed there, it wilbe signed into law by the President. This process may, however, stiltake years to complete. The provision of universaaccess to healthcare has long been envisioned by not only the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which states in section 27 that everyone has the right to access to healthcare, but also by the NationaHealth Act of 2003 which in its Preamble declare an aim of the Act as providing for a framework for a structured uniform health system within the Republic. The NHI Bilis the manifestation of this statement. The Bill aims to ensure that alSouth Africans have access to…

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron’s government faced a backlash yesterday after the centrist leader called for powers to “cut off” social media in case of widespread violence like riots over the past week. “We have to think about the social networks, about the bans we’ll have to put in place. When things get out of control, we might need to be able to regulate or cut them off,” Macron said. Macron and his ministers have singled out platforms like Snapchat, TikTok and encrypted messenger Telegram for their role in spreading images of the nights of violence following the June 27 police shooting of a 17-year-old teenager, Nahel M. “When (social media) becomes a tool for organising or for attempting to kill, it’s a real problem,” Macron said. “This is worrying, when…

LAS VEGAS: Singer Adele warned her Las Vegas residency audience not to throw things onstage, following a spate of incidents that saw fans chuck items at artists including Bebe Rexha. Rexha suffered an injury to the eye after a fan threw a phone at her as she performed in New York, while a fan tossed a bag containing their mother’s ashes onstage where Pink was performing. “I dare you to throw something at me,” said Adele. “Stop throwing things at the artist!” She said there was a lack of on stage “etiquette”. | AFP…

Ulaanbaatar: Hundreds of people in Mongolia’s capital have fled their homes as heavy flooding inundated basement apartments, with authorities placing the city on high alert yesterday. Swathes of Asia have been hit by extreme weather that scientists say has been exacerbated by climate change, with over a dozen killed by heavy rain in China since Monday. Heavy rains have inundated rivers, flooding basement apartments and trapping cars. Residents living near the river Selbe said they had been working to boost the height of a local dam and stem rising waters caused by heavy rain. The rain is set to continue for another two days, officials said. | AFP…

KRAMATORSK: The Kremlin said yesterday that Ukraine was preparing an attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russia-occupied territory, raising fears of a disaster as each side accuses the other of sabotage at the facility, which Moscow’s forces control. Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia has planted explosives around the plant’s nuclear reactors and has mined its cooling pond. Ukrainian officials have said the odds of an accidental release of radiation at the Zaporizhzhia plant have increased since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, an act that Kyiv has blamed on Russian forces. Russia yesterday blamed the destruction of the dam on Kyiv. | Washington Post…

England captain Ben Stokes insisted yesterday it was time “everyone moved on” from Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. Australia won the match by 43 runs to go 2-0 up in the five-match series despite Stokes’ stunning 155. But his on-field heroics were overshadowed by the extraordinary fall-out from Bairstow’s unusual exit. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have even traded verbal bouncers over the issue, which started when Bairstow was given out stumped by opposing wicketkeeper Alex Carey during what the England batsman thought was a break in play. Bairstow’s dismissal sparked a chorus of boos at a normally sedate Lord’s and led to three MCC members being suspended for allegedly abusing visiting players in the pavilion. Stokes indicated he…

Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to become the first foreigner in almost 60 years to coach Brazil's national team the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Tuesday. Ancelotti (64) has a season remaining on his contract with Real, which he has said he would like to honour, and will take over Brazil in time for the Copa America, in the US from June 2024. The Brazilian federation had announced earlier Fluminense's Fernando Diniz would take charge of the team for the coming year. "This guy (Diniz) is a coach who has a nice style of play," Ednaldo Rodriguez president of the CBF told CNN Brazil. "His style is similar to the coach who will assume the role at the Copa America, Ancelotti." Ancelotti's agreement…

From experience Safa officials know that when their national teams play in CAF or Fifa tournaments, their 'silly season' kicks in, and players demand more money. True to form, with the national women’s team set to fly out to New Zealand for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup later this month, there was an outcry for more money. While this was not unusual, it was a unique situation because never has a team, regardless of gender, been assured of a R570 000 windfall just for playing in the tournament. But South Africa’s national women’s football team Banyana Banyana, with the South African Football Players Union (Safpu) in tow, demanded more money or else they would not play in a warm-up fixture. It must be said they were unhappy about facets…