Sommaire pour 2023-11-01 de Cape Times

The past weekend was a busy one, with South Africans having several celebrations. Besides the Rugby World Cup, there was also the Miss World South Africa inaugural pageant at the State Theatre in Pretoria. Hosted by Minnie Dlamini, the pageant finale was a success, with Claude Mashego crowned as the winner. Before the finale, Mashego took to Instagram to express her gratitude for making it that far. She said: “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. I’m grateful to God for years of hard work finally paid off. I’m grateful to my family, friends and each one of you who have been rallying behind me and encouraging me to keep going. “Thank you so much, and I love you all – I have done my part, and now all that is left is…

THE Constitutional Court this week slammed the government for not amending immigration law pertaining to detainees. In addition, the apex court slapped Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and his director-general, each with a personal costs order. Six years ago, the court issued an order declaring sections of the Immigration Act invalid, which meant that detained immigrants had to be brought before court within 48 hours – but to date the government has not amended the law in this regard. In showing its disdain, the Concourt now ordered that Motsoaledi to pay 10% of the legal costs, while Director-General Livhuwani Makhode had to pay 25%. Justice Steven Madjiet, who wrote the judgment, said: “The legitimacy of our judicial system, particularly the courts, will fall into disrepute if the…

AMID allegations that DA proportional representative councillor, Abdulkader Elyas, had misrepresented his medical qualifications, the party said it conducted an internal investigation. Opposition parties have called for a thorough qualifications audit to be done and for Elyas’s immediate resignation since the veracity of his medical qualification, came under the spotlight. Elyas, on his social media accounts, purports to hold a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree obtained at the University of Cape Town between 2013 and 2018. DA spokesperson Richard Newton said: “The DA has launched an internal investigation into the allegations made against councillor Elyas. This investigation will follow all the party’s processes and procedures. The DA will not speculate on these allegations and will be guided by the outcomes of the investigation.” Pressed about the allegations, Elyas said:…

YOUR October 26 edition “Time to address invisible disabilities” by Dr Isaacs and two others refers. We live in a society and in particular in South Africa that somehow people doesn’t recognise disabilities that you cannot see. These hidden disabilities are somehow either ignored or deliberately hidden. Our government has almost ignored the disability sector for the over past 20 years. I recall asking the (then) Minister of Labour almost 10 years ago (Mildred Oliphant) as to when she was going to insist that the government implement a system to ensure that those with disabilities are employed by the government itself. At the time it was recorded that over 6% of South Africans had a disability. It was also decided by the government itself that it would try to target…

OPPOSITION parties are calling for Western Cape Premier Alan Winde to take action, following reports that Western Cape infrastructure MEC Tertius Simmers is “double-dipping” for collecting rent from an investment property close to his workplace, while receiving benefits for a state-funded residence earmarked for those who live further away. Simmers is alleged to have flouted the ministerial handbook in terms of housing benefits that allowed him to rent for R9 975 per month for living 50km away from Cape Town while he owned property 11km away. Simmers has refuted the claims, saying his primary residence remains in the Garden Route which is +-450 km away and the Cape Town properties were merely for “investment purposes” and had been declared to the provincial legislature and the provincial cabinet. “The…

THE Stellenbosch High School (SHS) community and some parents were left divided on social media after the school governing body (SGB) tasked four learners who attacked a fellow learner with repairs and a building project at the school, instead of suspension. The attack on the boy, who is seen in video footage on the floor trying to cover his head and face, was captured in the school’s bathroom and shared on social media. According to the school’s SGB the incident happened last week and was investigated immediately when it came to their attention. It said priority attention was being given to the bullied boy’s mental well-being. “The incident, apparently the result of a physical game in a circle of friends that went too far, already took place several months…

When elephants fight, it is the grass that gets hurt the most. What wisdom informed the timing to put Unisa under an administrator? When the announcement was made, one could not help but remember the recent honorary doctorates awarded to exceptional South Africans. Many Unisans were sitting for their examinations, and one cannot help but imagine how they felt about it. Among some of my own questions were: what effect will this decision have on the quality of my journey and the degree itself? What effect will this have on those tasked with the duty to ensure that high quality is preserved? What role will the administrator have regarding Unisa’s core business? Is it even possible for the administrator to execute his duties without concerning him/herself with Unisa’s core business?…

Israeli troops pushed deeper into Gaza yesterday, driving tanks and armoured bulldozers through the rubble of shattered buildings and hunting for Hamas militants who carried out the worst attack in Israel’s history. Army footage showed soldiers, who are also seeking to free at least 240 hostages, advancing through a devastated landscape, with buildings reduced to a mangled mess of stone and twisted metal by weeks of relentless Israeli bombing. Israel said it had struck 300 targets in the fourth night of land operations in Gaza, coming under Hamas anti-tank and machine-gun fire, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed growing international calls for a ceasefire. AFPTV footage over Gaza showed a huge plume of smoke billowing up from another Israeli strike. The bombing campaign has killed 8 306 people, according to…

Two people have been killed and dozens of homes destroyed in bushfires raging across Australia’s northern Queensland state, as firefighters travel from across the country and from New Zealand to try to contain the blazes. Residents have been told to evacuate from two massive bushfires in south-east Queensland, even as dozens of fires continue to burn across the state where at least 45 homes have been destroyed and two people killed since last week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the fires “devastating” in a visit to the state yesterday and said the federal government would provide extra support to deal with what it estimates will be at least 42 000 claims for assistance as a result of the destruction. “These are heartbreaking scenes when people lose their houses,” Albanese said…

TOKYO: A suspected gunman took at least two people hostage in a post office in Japan after wounding two other people in a shooting at a hospital, authorities and media said yesterday. The government of the city of Warabi, north of Tokyo, said an undetermined number of hostages were taken by a man “in possession of something like a handgun”. Two female post office workers in their twenties and thirties were taken hostage, local media reported. A woman in her twenties later walked out of the building into police custody, national broadcaster NHK said. The suspect, apparently aged 40 to 50, was earlier involved in a shooting at a hospital. | Reuters…

Beijing: Tens of millions of people across northern China were under severe pollution warnings yesterday, with authorities urging them to reduce outdoor activities as a greyish smog enveloped the region. Several areas of north China’s Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region are suffering the worst pollution in months. Air quality monitoring firm IQAir listed Beijing as the fifth most-polluted major city on Earth, ahead of Indian megalopolis Mumbai. Authorities urged residents “to reduce going out and strenuous outdoor exercise in the near future”. Forecasters say the smog will linger until temperatures drop from mild highs later this week. | AFP…

Eddie Jones’ resignation as Wallabies coach was the “sensible outcome” in the wake of the nation’s disappointing World Cup run, Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh said yesterday. Jones revealed over the weekend he had agreed to terms with Rugby Australia (RA) regarding his exit, less than one year into a contract spanning the 2027 World Cup on home soil. RA waited until yesterday to confirm it had accepted Jones’ resignation, about two weeks after the coach insisted he was fully committed to the Wallabies. “I think we ended up at a sensible outcome, and that’s certainly something which we worked through over the last few days – and we closed it out quite well,” Waugh told a news conference at RA headquarters in Sydney. “Eddie’s put a lot into 2023…

As we approach the end of the year, many of us are feeling overwhelmed by the stress of responsibilities, expectations and financial pressures. Doryce Sher, founder of Aromatic Apothecary and a qualified pharmacist and aromatherapist, explains the importance of recognising the signs of being overwhelmed by end-of-year stress. She suggests paying attention to your breathing, as quick and shallow breaths are a sign of stress. Difficulty relaxing, anxiety symptoms and poor sleep quality are also indicators. Feeling on the verge of tears or experiencing irritability and a short temper are common signs of being overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are gentle and healthy ways to navigate the year-end challenges: Prioritise and plan You can use calendars and to-do lists to organise your schedule and make sure to include relaxation and downtime. Reduce…

EXPERTS have cautiously welcomed the World Bank’s recent $1 billion (about R18.6bn) loan to South Africa aimed at assisting to tackle the country’s energy crisis and facilitate a green transition. The World Bank last week said its Development Policy Loan would contribute to a gradual reduction in water and air pollution by reducing the reliance on coal for power generation. Deputy director-general for asset and liability management in the National Treasury, Mmakgoshi Lekhethe, said it came at a crucial time for South Africa as it “will provide much-needed fiscal and technical support, enabling us to pursue our policy priorities in the energy sector, including easing the electricity crisis in the long term, stimulating private-sector engagement and creating jobs in the renewables space”. Weighing in on the matter, independent economist Professor…

AXED City of Cape Town Mayco member for housing Malusi Booi has tendered his resignation from council with immediate effect. This comes after he was suspended in March following a police raid at his then offices in connection with an alleged R700 million mega-fraud probe. Booi said that the decision came after careful consideration about his future and where he currently finds himself. “I have waited for the longest time, and I thought that there would be a possibility of charges or the ventilation of issues by now, but none of that has happened. I've decided to go and focus on other things than this because it's almost a year now and nothing has been concluded. I have not been charged so I don't know whether I'm coming or going,…

IT COMES as a surprise that not a single South African player was given an award at the World Rugby Awards despite four straight World Cup wins and our defeating four of the five top teams in the world on our trip to the final. They got it dead right by awarding Andy Farrel coach of the year for pushing Ireland into No 1 spot. But what about Pollard, Eben, Kolisi etc? The World Rugby Union is dominated by the British. Are they still fighting the Boer War? Get over yourselves, gentlemen, we beat you in the war and we beat you on the rugby field. Learn to live with it.…

THE ANC has accused the Matzikama municipality led by a DA/Freedom Front Plus coalition, of failing to deliver basic services to residents, following the desperate plight of Vredendal and Vanrhysdorp residents who have been without water for six days. Vredendal resident Salvester Coetzee said the water crisis was impacting their livelihoods. “The current water crisis has been evading this administration and we have witnessed the lack of political will shown by the DA/ FF Plus-led coalition. This is a matter of utmost importance that affects the very essence of our community’s well-being, persisting for over six days. “Our right to clean and accessible water is non-negotiable. It is a fundamental necessity for life, and it is the duty of our elected officials to ensure its availability. The water crisis…

A DUNOON man who sexually groomed a child, buying her silence with money, food, data and allowing her to watch DSTV has been sentenced to life imprisonment for repeatedly raping her. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the State would not name the Dunoon man as his partner was the nanny of the victim which may indirectly identify the victim and expose her to secondary victimisation. The Cape Town Regional Court handed down its judgment to the 69-year-old on Monday following his conviction for sexually grooming a minor for more than seven years. He was sentenced to six years direct imprisonment for sexual grooming and life imprisonment for the rape. Ntabazalila said the court further ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex…

IN THE modern-day South Africa, the concepts of “spaza shops” and the “township economy” have been subjects of considerable debate and controversy. They are often romanticised as symbols of black resilience and entrepreneurship as well as mechanisms to address the historical marginalisation of the black majority from the mainstream economy. However, it is important to recognise that these entities are a product of desperation and economic marginalisation. Black South Africans have been forced to find creative ways to survive in a system that has historically excluded them from mainstream economic opportunities. Thus, this article sheds light on the misconceptions surrounding these concepts and the underlying economic challenges that persist in South Africa. Ghanaian economist George Ayittey was critical of the lack of serious economic thinking by post-colonial states in Africa.…

More than 10 000 Afghans living in Pakistan rushed to the borders yesterday, just hours before a deadline for 1.7 million people to leave Pakistan voluntarily or face arrest and deportation. The Pakistan government has said it would begin arresting undocumented Afghans and taking them to new holding centres from today, from where they will be processed and forcibly returned to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, the Taliban government has imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law since seizing power in August 2021, banning girls from secondary and university education and forcing women to stay out of work. While hundreds of thousands of Afghans are estimated to have fled to Pakistan since the Taliban’s return to power, millions more had already settled there over decades of conflict, making Pakistan the host of…

Paris police shot and critically wounded a woman wearing a hijab in a metro station yesterday, after commuters reported her shouting Jihadist slogans and behaving in a threatening manner, the government said. France is on its highest state of alert after the October 13 murder of a schoolteacher in a suspected Islamist attack, which officials have linked to what they called a “Jihadist atmosphere” linked to the Israel-Gaza war. The fully veiled woman was shot at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France station. Commuters had earlier reported her “uttering aggressive, Jihadist comments”, government spokesperson Olivier Veran said. When police arrived, “they pulled the woman aside and first asked her to calm down but also to show her hands to show they presented no particular danger,” he added. “Law enforcement officers had…

NAIROBI: Britain’s tarnished colonial past took centre stage in Kenya yesterday as King Charles began a four-day state visit, poised to acknowledge “painful aspects” of the countries’ long shared history as local leaders press demands for reparations. Accompanied by Queen Camilla, Charles was welcomed to the Presidential Palace by a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour and, accompanied by President William Ruto, planted trees in the palace grounds. The royal couple then laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Uhuru Gardens, where Kenya declared independence in December 1963. | Reuters…

MADRID: Princess Leonor, the heir to Spain’s throne, formally stepped into the spotlight by swearing allegiance to the constitution on her 18th birthday yesterday, although boycotts by leftist and separatist politicians underlined divisions over the monarchy. The ceremony in parliament marked her coming of age, meaning she will now directly become queen after her father King Felipe VI, assuming he does not go on to have any male children. The princess, who went to school in Wales and started three years of military training in Spain in August, vowed to uphold the law, respect the rights of citizens and regions and be faithful to the king. A 2022 poll by Sinaptica found that 51.6% of Spaniards wanted the country to become a republic while 34.6% preferred a monarchy. |…

A troubled Orlando Pirates side will look to revive their DStv Premiership aspirations tonight with a positive result away at Cape Town Spurs. The Urban Warriors have been the league’s whipping boys in their first season back in the top-flight and will arguably provide the Buccaneers with their best chance to get back to winning ways. The two teams will meet at the Cape Town Stadium tonight (kick-off 7.30pm) in a match that is expected to provide mouth-watering action. Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has seen his side fail to make use of their cup form in the league, drawing two and losing one of their last three outings. That has seen their chances of chasing down Mamelodi Sundowns halted as they currently occupy 12th spot on the league standings, 15…

Shein, the online fast fashion retailer founded in China in 2008, has attracted more than 70 million people worldwide to use its viral app-based store – and it has now been announced that they have acquired UK-based store Missguided, which collapsed into administration after owing more than £80 million (about R1.8 billion) last year, from credits group Frasers. Donald Tang, SHEIN’s executive chairperson, said in a statement: “The joint venture we have entered ushers in a new format of partnerships for SHEIN, as part of our unwavering commitment to meet customer demand. “SHEIN aims to reignite the Missguided brand, capitalising on its unique brand personality, and fuelling its global growth through SHEIN’s on-demand production model, unparalleled e-commerce expertise and global reach.” The monetary amount of the deal remains unknown, but…

Parliament has confirmed that former Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has become a member of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services. Mkhwebane was formally assigned her new parliamentary duties by her political party, the EFF. The announcement was made in the daily parliamentary notices which revealed that Mkhwebane will be deployed to the justice and constitutional development portfolio committee, the very same committee to which Mkhwebane reported to for at least seven years before she was impeached by Parliament a month ago following the Section 194 inquiry which recommended her removal. After joining the EFF over three weeks ago, Mkhwebane was subsequently sworn in as an EFF MP, replacing Yoliswa Yako as the EFF’s sole MP on the justice committee. In this position, she will be working side-by-side…

No choice for minister but to raise more debt to fund capital investment in infrastructure FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana will have to walk a tightrope when he tables the 2023 medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) as revenue remains behind budget, expenditure was exceeding budget, resulting in the need to borrow, according to economists. He is also facing mounting pressure not to cut public expenditure despite a shortfall in tax revenue as the economy deteriorated since he tabled the budget in February. Godongwana’s MTBPS will be a mixture of what many expected considering his address at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation’s Inclusive Growth Forum at the weekend, said economist Azar Jammine. “He signalled that he needs to restrict expenditure and at the same time borrow a little more. What we…

THE gruesome bombing of a hospital in Gaza has started an information war that is shaking the communication world into a new dimension. Time magazine in a recent issue stated that “misinformation is warfare”. It is a torrent of true horror, violent pronunciations, sadness and disinformation. This brutal assault on a medical institution is shrouded in deception, disinformation and misinformation that involves digital warfare on a monumental scale. The scope and depth of digitised combat is unprecedented in 21st century military assaults. Propaganda is in full swing. This form of warfare has the potential to polarise public opinion. In essence, this devious method of combat is a strategy designed to make people convinced of something. In today’s mass non-stop global media, war does not take place only on…

AFTER nearly a decade’s wait for permanent residency approval by the Department of Home Affairs, a United Kingdom (UK) pensioner has been assisted by the courts to have his application approved. The Western Cape High Court has ordered the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to issue the UK pensioner permanent residency in South Africa after the department denied such an application without proper reasoning. The decision by high court judge Elizabeth Baartman was made after she noted that the department “persists with an obstructive attitude and expects the court to condone the abuse” after the pensioner, who owns an unbonded R3.5 million St James property with a monthly income, could provide all documents meeting requirements for his permanent residency to be approved. Judge Baartman said the department’s mysterious verification process,…

AS next month will mark a year since baby Ivakele Imvano Yeko from Strand disappeared with an unknown woman, a R30 000 reward has ignited his mothers hope of being reunited with her child. Ivakele vanished on December 5 under mysterious circumstances after he was taken from his caregiver by an alleged Zulu-speaking woman and they were never seen again. At the time of the abduction he was six-months-old and was seen wearing a red t-shirt with a nappy. Security footage reportedly showed the unknown woman getting into a taxi with the child and making off. In efforts of getting a breakthrough in the case police are offering a monetary incentive of up to R30 000 to anyone with information that would lead to the safe return of the…

A PUBLIC holiday in celebration of the Springboks’ momentous achievement at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris on December 15, a month and a half later. Addressing the nation on Monday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa explained that as much as many wanted a holiday now, most would agree that matriculants must be given time to focus on their exams, after which the celebrations will continue. He said this could be a day of hope, celebration and unity. Hours before the World Cup final kicked off on Saturday, there was already a buzz about an expected public holiday. This kind of holiday, where a nation declares a public holiday to celebrate a sporting victory, is nothing new. Saudi Arabia declared a public holiday to mark the national team’s stunning World…

Two Bangladeshi opposition activists were killed yesterday after police clashed with hundreds of anti-government protesters launching a three-day strike blocking roads and railways after their top leaders were charged with murder. Police said violence broke out in multiple cities and towns as members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, demanded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down from power ahead of elections due by the end of January. The BNP said it launched its transport blockade after police broke up a rally on Saturday, when more than 100 000 supporters of the two major opposition parties demanded Hasina allow a free and fair vote under a neutral government. On Sunday, police charged BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and more than 150 other top…

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said yesterday that he intends to end the participation of Gabon, Niger, Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR) in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) trade programme. Biden said he was taking the step because of “gross violations” of internationally recognised human rights by the CAR and Uganda. He also cited Niger and Gabon’s failure to make progress towards protecting political pluralism and rule of law. Biden intends to terminate these countries as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries under the Agoa, effective from January 1. He said he would continue to assess whether they meet the programme’s eligibility requirements. | Reuters…

Copenhagen: Nordic migration and justice ministers yesterday announced a deal to strengthen efforts for migrants to return to their countries of origin, and to deport illegal residents to third countries. Denmark has spearheaded harder lines on migrants in the Nordics and stepped up initiatives to discourage immigration. The deal followed a two-day meeting with ministers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark in Copenhagen. They will increase collaboration between migration attaches tasked with deportation, co-operate on joint flights from “a Nordic country to a third country” and increase support for “stranded irregular migrants in North Africa”. | AFP…

LOS ANGELES: Matthew Perry was in the starting stages of setting up a foundation to help substance abuse sufferers before his sudden death. The Friends star, 54, was found dead in his hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles at the weekend. After his own sobriety battle, Perry focused on helping others with drug and alcohol problems. It is believed his family will continue the work to get it up and running in his memory. No illegal drugs were found at his home. | Bang Showbiz…

Rulani Mokwena stopped short of calling Al Ahly ‘cry babies’ as he anticipated Mamelodi Sundowns’ African Football League (AFL) semi-final second leg clash with the Egyptian giants at the Cairo Stadium tonight (kick-off 8pm). He probably should have given the African Club of the Century’s history of succeeding courtesy of their propensity to intimidate and dupe match officials. Mokwena’s South African champions have a precarious 1-0 lead and at a pre-match media briefing in the Egyptian capital yesterday, the Sundowns coach sounded irritated by a question about the officiating from the first leg at Loftus Versfeld. The Al Ahly coach had claimed that his team should have had a penalty in the first leg that they lost to a Thapelo Maseko goal and an Egyptian journalist questioned Mokwena about it.…