Sommaire pour 2023-01-10 de Cape Times

After a decade of declining patent filings the South African Patent Office became the fastest growing intellectual property (IP) agency in the world over the past two years, according to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). The number of local filings increased by 73%, and this growth was largely due to China. The number of patent filings per year increased from 8 099 to just under 14 000. In 2022 China also overtook the US as the largest filer of South African patents, and became the dominant filer of Nigerian patents as well, according to IdeaNav, a research firm specialising in IP commercialisation. “Over the past two years, China increased its focus on Africa and now accounts for about 40% of South African patents filed,” it said.…

For the franchise sector, last year was a year to regroup, re-strategise and come back stronger after being badly impacted by two years of the pandemic, followed by the July, 2021 riots and later the floods in KwaZulu-Natal, says Freddy Makgato, CEO of the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA). He said franchises in particular, by virtue of their “strength in numbers” and their solid support mechanisms were showing signs of recovery, and the sector remained one of the most resilient. Makgato said that out of adversity came opportunities, and the franchise sector could expect to see new business models emerge that have adapted to the new normal, and will thrive going into the new year. “This is both a good thing for entrepreneurs looking to start new franchise…

MINISTER of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, has warned students and parents to be wary of illegal or “fly-by-night” colleges looking to take advantage of the last minute rush to register for studying further in 2023. With the results of the 923 460 full- time and part-time learners who wrote the 2022 National Senior Certificate exams being released less than two weeks away, scores of hopeful pupils, parents and guardians, will be looking for spaces to study further this year. The minister said this was often the time that bogus institutions took advantage of desperate parents. “These institutions lure and mislead future students into believing these colleges offer qualifications recognised by the SA Qualifications Authority. These illegal colleges offer compromised qualifications not recognised for employment purposes or…

1 tbs oil 4 green onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1½ cups frozen peas 100g spinach 150g chicken breast 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated 6 eggs ½ cup low-fat milk 60g feta, crumbled Crusty bread Heat oil in a 23cm-base flame-proof, ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until onion has softened. Add peas and spinach. Cook covered for 2 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt. Add chicken, mint and lemon zest. Season with pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Whisk eggs and milk together. Pour over mixture in pan. Lift and tilt pan to distribute egg mixture evenly. Sprinkle with…

SOUTH Africa’s Alexforbes ArchAngel team participating in the Cape to Rio race is making good progress despite facing several challenges. In a message to their supporters, crew members and their skipper Sibusiso Sizatu vowed, “we won’t stop fighting until we cross the finish line”. They started the race last Monday as one of 16 teams competing in the iconic 3 300 nautical mile race, dubbed the “adventure of a lifetime”. “Weather conditions at the start were very light westerly, which allowed us to settle in reaching out of Cape Town. By the first evening, the wind had turned north which allowed us to turn and head west which we did for two days, trying to also head north-west at the same time, the wind strength was 10 to 15…

THE Eastern Cape Department of Health said it remained vigilant following the detection of four confirmed Covid-19 cases at Motherwell NU2 Clinic this month, amid the first case of the new “Kraken” variant’s detection in the country recently. The variant, which was first discovered in gene sequencing carried out by researchers at Stellenbosch University, is said to be from the Omicron lineage. The Eastern Cape Health Department said the confirmed four cases of Covid-19, which involved three members of staff and a patient, were not linked to the new variant. “There have been four confirmed Covid-19 cases at Motherwell NU2 Clinic during January 2023. “This number consists of three staff members and one patient. “None of them are showing any life-threatening symptoms, with some not experiencing any symptoms at all…

Mutual co-operation to achieve peace, prosperity and stability the goal I AM happy to be back in South Africa. This is the first stop of my regional visit. African nations, despite the historical injustices and unacceptable external interferences, have shown monumental resilience. They have grown outstanding leaders among whom Nelson Mandela has a unique place. Africa, with its young and dynamic population, vast opportunities, rich and deep-rooted culture and history, has great potential to shape the new century. For us in Türkiye, Africa means hope, and we are partners with Africa in this crucial journey. Türkiye’s approach to Africa is built on an inclusive and equal partnership on the basis of mutual respect and a win-win strategy. Our 44 embassies on the continent bear testimony to our growing partnership.…

A regional migration and drug smuggling crisis was expected to dominate talks between US President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador yesterday. Biden arrived in Mexico City after a politically charged stop at the southern US border – his first since taking office. He was to meet yesterday and today with Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau one-on-one and also together in what is dubbed the “Three Amigos” summit. While trade and environmental issues are also on the table, Biden has put irregular migration and dangerous drug trafficking front and centre of his trip, his first to Mexico as president. “Our problems at the border didn’t arise overnight,” Biden tweeted after his arrival. “And they won’t be solved overnight, but we can come together…

Pakistan said yesterday that donors had committed to give more than $8 billion (R135m) to help it recover from last year’s devastating floods, seen as a major test for who pays for climate disasters. Officials from some 40 countries, private donors and international financial institutions are meeting in Geneva as Islamabad seeks help covering around half of a total recovery bill of $16.3 billion. Waters are still receding from the floods caused by monsoon rains and melting glaciers which killed at least 1 700 people and displaced around 8 million. Pakistan Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted that pledges had reached $8.57 billion. Among the donors were the Islamic Development Bank ($4.2bn), World Bank ($2bn), and the Asian Development Bank ($1.5bn). The EU, China, France and the US also made contributions.…

Nairobi: Five suspects appeared in a Kenyan court yesterday over the death of a prominent LGBTQ campaigner as police continue to investigate the gruesome killing. The body of Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto, popularly known as Edwin Chiloba, 25, was found last week stuffed in a metal box on a roadside in western Kenya in a case that has drawn condemnation from rights campaigners at home and abroad. The suspects appeared in court but did not enter pleas. They were ordered to return to court on January 31. Police said they had impounded the car believed to have transported the trunk the body was in. Homosexuality is taboo in Kenya and across much of Africa. | AFP…

CAIRO: Shipping traffic in the Suez Canal was proceeding normally yesterday after tugs towed a cargo vessel that broke down during its passage through the waterway, the Canal Authority said. The breakdown was expected to cause only minor delays, with convoys of ships resuming regular transit, shipping agent Leth said. The M/V Glory, which was sailing to China, suffered a technical fault when it was 38km into its passage southward through the canal, before being towed by four tugs to a repair area, the Suez Canal Authority said. The Suez Canal is one of the world’s busiest waterways and the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. | Reuters…

Chippa United coach Morgan Mammila will have the perfect opportunity to prove why Mamelodi Sundowns are the 'simplest team to play' when his side travels to Loftus Versfeld tonight. The 51-year-old surprised many recently when he claimed a test against the defending champions is not one that requires much planning but went on to later explain that it was a compliment towards the way they play. Mammila praised the Sundowns camp for their ability to instil a sustainable model of success that the players have bought into. "Sundowns are the simplest team to play against, very simple, even a Diski Challenge player will tell you how Sundowns play. “Very easy team to play against," he said. "Very easy team to play against, but the only difference is that they are…

JSE All-Share Index rose by more than 2%, surging to 78 500 points South African stocks rallied to a record high yesterday, mainly buoyed by tech stocks after the Chinese government reopened its borders and hopes of the US Federal Reserve slowing the pace of interest rate hikes. The JSE All-Share Index rose more than 2% yesterday to surge 78 500 points, the highest on record, as China reopened its borders after three years of Covid-related restrictions and indicated it could end its crackdown on the domestic tech sector. This was a significant improvement from advancing 1.9% to close at 76 858 on Friday, building up on positive sentiment as it ended 2022 in positive territory at 4.5% year on year, after reaching a peak of 78…

Who would argue? The world sends South Africa favourable grants and favourable loans to meet its CO₂ net zero targets for green energy, and at the same time buys all the coal we can export at prices 250% higher than two years ago. Financing worth $8.5 billion (about R144bn) from the US, the EU and Britain was given to South Africa. It sounds too good to be true and we all know what that means. But currently there are other strange assumptions that are not easy to explain. The production of a solar farm requires three times more mineral resources than a similar-sized coal plant, and constructing a wind farm needs 13 times as much as a comparable gas-fired plant. South Africa needs to spend $250bn over the next three…

The murder of another KwaZulu-Natal child has sparked outrage with calls for the police to swiftly find the culprits. This comes after dismembered body parts which were believed to belong to 7-year-old Philasande Shange were found in Stanger (KwaDukuza) yesterday by the police. Philasande was reported missing for three days. His murder comes after the rape and murder of 6-year-old Mayville child Anele Sphengane who was found dead after she went missing from near her home. In the Stanger incident, residents embarked on a search for Philasande which yielded no results. Resident Samukelisiwe Ndlela said that yesterday, Philasande’s mother received an SMS directing her to where she would find some of the remains of her son. Ndlela said the boy had been mutilated and on their arrival at the gruesome…

THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said its probe into corruption and fraud at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) continued, while Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande was expected to visit the campus tomorrow. UFH vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu escaped death last Friday while his executive bodyguard, 52-year-old Mboneli Vesele, was shot dead in a hail of bullets directed at their vehicle. Buhlungu has been moved from his official residence in Alice to a safe location. The incident has sent shock waves throughout the academic fraternity and elicited widespread condemnation from people across the country. While the SIU wouldn’t divulge at what stage its corruption and fraud investigations at the institution were, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “We call upon the police to investigate this matter urgently so that we can…

Your well-intended cash handout to a homeless person does not address the underlying social problems that cause begging. A cash handout in response to street solicitation is probably one of the main contributing factors to begging and homelessness. The most effective way to address street begging and homelessness is to adopt a non-cash community-wide response, typically by means of a universal and co-ordinated voucher system. The Mi-change voucher initiative is an ideal point of departure in this regard. The first of its kind in South Africa, the Mi-change voucher initiative is powered by U-turn Homeless Ministries in partnership with Mould Empower Serve (MES). These vouchers can be redeemed across the entire city and at the U-turn Johannesburg branch launching early this year. No other voucher gives equivalent access for the…

THE former owner of a Rastafarian vegetarian restaurant in Yeoville, Joburg, had his hopes dashed in a bid to receive more than R9 million in compensation from the police, after he was mistaken for a drug dealer and shot in the chest by the police more than 10 years ago. Leonard Phekani instituted the multimillion claim against the minister of police and two law-enforcement officers in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg. The police from the start admitted liability for shooting Phekani, and for shooting and killing his chef, who was a passenger when the SAPS gave chase to the car they were driving in. The police earlier paid Phekani R100 000 for unlawful arrest and detention, and a further R400 000 as an interim amount pending the second leg of…

IN AT least half of domestic violence and abuse complaints received in the metro, women refused to lodge criminal complaints against their abusers, a decision gender-based violence activists said was due to fear of repercussions from the perpetrator. In the past week, metro police officers responded to at least six domestic violence complaints, but in half of these,the complainants did not want to pursue the matter, according to the City. The incidents occurred in Wesbank, Leiden in Delft, Eersteriver, two incidents in Tafelsig and one in Eastridge. Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said there was little they could do when a victim refused to register a complaint in order to open a case. “The City responds to these incidents where resources allow, but it is very disheartening…

IN THE context of declining tobacco use on a global level, tobacco use in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to increase substantially in the coming decades. This is the result of fast economic and population growth, coupled with intensive marketing efforts by the tobacco industry. Tobacco use is a leading cause of death and disease and imposes significant economic costs on society. Increasing the excise tax on tobacco products can serve as a powerful tool for reducing the demand for these products because tax increases raise the price of tobacco products, which renders them less affordable. Higher prices result in lower smoking prevalence because fewer people start smoking, more people quit and continuing smokers reduce the intensity of tobacco consumption by limiting the number of cigarettes that they smoke. While the…

Iran’s judiciary has sentenced three more anti-government protesters to death on charges of “waging war on God”, its Mizan news agency reported yesterday, defying growing international criticism over its fierce crackdown on demonstrators. Iran hanged two other men on Saturday, one of them a karate champion with several national titles, in its attempts to stamp out demonstrations, which have slowed considerably since it began carrying out executions within weeks of arrests. Mizan said Saleh Mirhashemi, Majid Kazemi and Saeid Yaghoubi, who had been convicted of allegedly killing members of the volunteer Basij militia during anti-government protests in the central city of Isfahan, could appeal against their verdicts. The Basij forces, affiliated with the elite Revolutionary Guards, have been at the forefront of the state clampdown on the unrest sparked by…

Moscow: Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny said yesterday he spent New Year’s Eve inside a punishment cell for inmates. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal domestic critic, is serving nine years in jail on charges he says are politically motivated. Navalny said on social media he was accused of washing his face in the morning earlier than scheduled and was transferred to the punishment cell for 15 days. Navalny said he spent New Year’s Eve asleep, sharing the cell with two other inmates – one “howling and shouting” and another he described as having poor hygiene. | AFP…

Marseille: Twenty-five people went on trial in southern France yesterday accused of butchering horses from the pharmaceutical industry and selling their meat even though it was unfit for human consumption. The main defendant on trial in the city of Marseille is a meat wholesaler, Patrick Rochette, but other people, including vets, dealers and butchers, also face charges over what investigators called “large-scale fraudulent practices”. The alleged scam saw fake documentation given to horses that had been previously used to produce serums by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Pasteur at a laboratory farm in southern France. | AFP…

Kampala: Ugandan police said yesterday that they had arrested a shopping mall manager and a concert MC over a deadly stampede at a New Year’s Eve party, bringing the total detained over the tragedy to three. Ten people lost their lives in the crush at the Freedom City mall in the capital Kampala as revellers pushed through a single exit to watch a midnight fireworks show. Kampala police said that the party’s MC, Elvis Francis Juuko, had gone on the run but was arrested on Friday in Mityana. Deputy police spokesperson Like Owoyesigire said mall manager Charles Kabiito was picked up on Sunday. | AFP…

Mergers and acquisitions are expected to increase in 2023 and drive up foreign direct investment in the Sub-Saharan African region, in spite of the looming global economic recession. This is the view of corporate and advisory firm Deal Leaders International, which yesterday remained bullish about the regional economic prospects, amid global turmoil. Deal Leaders chief executive Andrew Bahlmann yesterday said that while most of the forecasts predict tougher economic conditions in 2023, that does not mean there will be no profits to be made for investors. A global recession has been forecast for the Eurozone and the US economies, which would snowball to emerging markets’ economies as a result of inflationary pressures arising from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Bahlman said if a recession occurs, it won’t necessarily mean investors will…

New vehicle sales grew for a 12th consecutive month in December, as the motor industry’s recovery to pre-pandemic levels continued in spite of the many challenges it faced last year. The industry was impacted by global supply chain disruptions, floods in KwaZulu-Natal, elevated inflation, rising interest rates, record fuel prices, as well as record highs in the frequency and intensity of load shedding that weighed heavily on business and consumer confidence. The National Automobile Association of SA (Naamsa) said yesterday new vehicle sales at 41 783 units in December represented an increase of 5 839 vehicles or a gain of 16.2%, compared with the total new vehicle sales of 35 944 units in December 2021. Naamsa CEO Mike Mabasa said the December 2022 new car market and…

As industries and other businesses return to full operations, they are set to feel the impact of ongoing Stage 3 and Stage 4 load shedding. Experts said yesterday higher demand for electricity, which is expected due to businesses reopening, could lead to higher load shedding stages. David Lipschitz, an energy resilience expert and author of the book The Last Blackout, said the country experienced up to Stage 7 load shedding (technically) in 2022, which was a major concern. “We had Stage 3 and Stage 4 load shedding in the festive season, when a lot of businesses were closed. Now we can expect the textile and manufacturing industry to start up for 2023, which will undoubtedly lead to an increase in demand for electricity. We can expect a bumpy ride…

WITH just little over a week left before pupils get back to their school desks, parent groups and unions have reacted with scepticism at the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) ability to speedily place scores of children still without a school. However, the WCED expected 510 additional classrooms to be completed by the end of the term. This was nowhere near what was required to have about 6 000 unplaced children in a classroom in the first term, according to Founder of Parents for Equal Education SA (PEESA), Vanessa le Roux. Education MEC, David Maynier, said contractors worked throughout the builder’s holiday to ensure timeous delivery of the project for the new academic year. Pupils in the Western Cape will start their first term next Wednesday. Answering a parliamentary question…

FROM school choir to the world stage, two young men from Kraaifontein and Valhalla Park have broken boundaries following a successful audition that has landed them an opportunity to share their talent in Japan. Braiton Valentine, 23, from Kraaifontein and Diago Jackson, 21, from Valhalla Park had auditioned for Heart Global last year. Heat Global is a non-profit organisation that leads music and performance workshops all over the world to inspire, uplift, and provide hope and empowerment to youths. The singing duo were successful and were asked to join a three month tour to Japan where they will be working with different school and university groups in the performing arts sector,and be immersed in Japanese culture from mid January until the end of March this year. On the opportunity, an…

FOUR suspects made a brief court appearance in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court yesterday after their arrest on animal cruelty charges following a brutal attack on a Cape fur seal at Monwabisi Beach, Khayelitsha. Luxoli Godana, 26, Nyameko Titi, 18, Nkosinathi Ndzendevu, 19, and Sibusiso Zamani, 22, were released on R1 000 bail each and were expected back in court on February 15. The alleged incident happened on Sunday evening after the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA was alerted to a group of men who were observed trying to kill the adult seal by throwing rocks at it while it was trapped and unable to escape. The City has condemned the attack and confirmed the seal had to be euthanised. According to a statement by the CoGH SPCA, swift action…

THE argument advanced by the SA Local Government Association (Salga) in KwaZulu-Natal regarding the taxation of churches has some merit, and its feasibility should be investigated further. According to Salga, the Income Tax Act of 1962 exempts churches and schools from paying income tax, and they also receive other favourable treatment under tax laws as they hold the status of public benefit organisations. Salga has called on the taxman to start a national debate on the current act as circumstances have changed dramatically. Churches across South Africa play a significant role in assisting the government tackle social ills and fight poverty, homelessness and drug abuse, and in counselling the sick and promoting social cohesion. It is true that they have taken up some of the responsibilities that belong to the…

Brazilian police amassed at a camp of supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro in the capital yesterday, a day after rioters launched the worst attack on Brazil’s state institutions since its return to democracy in the 1980s. After thousands of Bolsonaro’s backers stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace on Sunday, hundreds of police in riot gear and some on horseback were deployed at the pro-Bolsonaro camp outside Brasilia’s army headquarters, while soldiers in the area withdrew, Reuters witnesses said. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro’s leftist rival who took office on January 1 after a narrow October election win, promised to bring those responsible for the violence to justice, after demonstrators broke windows and furniture, destroyed art work and stole guns and artifacts. Lula, who…

Final preparations were under way yesterday for the first rocket launch from UK soil, catapulting it into the “exclusive” club of nine nations able to send crafts into Earth’s orbit. A repurposed Boeing 747 carrying the 21m rocket containing nine satellites will take off from a spaceport in Cornwall, south-west England. The rocket will detach from the aircraft at a height of 10 670m over the Atlantic Ocean to the south of Ireland before later discharging the satellites. The aircraft will then return to Spaceport Cornwall, a consortium that includes Virgin Orbit and the UK Space Agency, at Cornwall Airport Newquay. The launch will be the first from UK soil. UK-produced satellites have previously had to be sent into orbit via foreign spaceports. “Joining that really exclusive club of launch…

LONDON: Prince Harry has branded Camilla, Queen Consort, a “villain” who “traded information” in a bid to rehabilitate her image. The Duke of Sussex, 38, opened up about his relationship with his stepmother, who married his dad King Charles in 2005, in a new US TV interview to promote his memoir Spare in which he called Camilla “dangerous”. During his chat with 60 Minutes host Anderson Cooper, Harry said: “She was the villain. She was the third person in (Charles’s marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales) … She needed to rehabilitate her image. “That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press. And there was open willingness on both sides to trade of information.” The duke also opened up about why he and…

LONDON: British ministers met trade unions yesterday to try to bring an end to a wave of strikes across sectors from health care to transport as workers demand higher pay. With pay rises failing to keep up with double-digit inflation – now at 40-year highs – nurses, ambulance staff and rail workers are among those who have staged walkouts, with teachers also being balloted over action. Unions said they will only call off strikes if offers are made to resolve the disputes over this year’s pay settlement. The government has argued that inflation-matching pay rises will only fuel further price increases. | Reuters…

Now without a win in six games, Stellenbosch FC will be looking for a positive result as they prepare to tackle league strugglers Marumo Gallants at the Danie Craven Stadium tomorrow. The Western Cape-based side head into the game on the back of two draws against TS Galaxy and Chippa United, two games which they would have considered winnable. They have also lost three out of their last six league games with their last victory coming in their 3-0 triumph over Maritzburg United back in early October. With a goal difference of minus three, Stellies have struggled in attack this season. The loss of Ashley du Preez, in particular, to Kaizer Chiefs appears to have taken a toll on their attacking depth. Given their limited resources, Stellies cannot really be…

Roberto Martinez was named as the new coach of Portugal yesterday, having stepped down as Belgium coach after their elimination from the World Cup in Qatar in the group stage. The 49-year-old Spaniard takes over from Fernando Santos and the most pressing issue in his in-tray will be to clarify the situation of skipper Cristiano Ronaldo, who has just signed for Saudi club Al Nassr. "My point of departure will be the squad of 26 players who played in the World Cup, and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them," Martinez said. Martinez added that he would make his decisions "on the pitch and not in an office". Martinez, who cut his managerial teeth at Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton, took over as Belgium coach in 2016, leading the side…