Sommaire pour 2024-07-31 de Cape Times

As Mzansi braves the cold, the gym can seem like a distant, icy castle – an easy excuse to stay snug under layers of blankets. We’ve all been there, conjuring hilariously creative reasons to skip our workout: “It’s too cold to get out of bed” or “I’ll start again next week when it’s warmer”. But let’s face it: going to the gym isn’t just about sculpting abs or toning biceps anymore. It’s about embracing a lifestyle that nurtures body and mind even when the allure of a warm sofa beckons. Trevor Lagerwey, Virgin Active’s head of athletic training, reveals five hilariously relatable reasons we use to dodge the gym and how to power through them anyway. Hunt for parking Finding parking will have you circling the gym lot like you’re…

Three teacher unions are at odds with the DA over the delays in the contentious Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (Bela Bill) being signed into law. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to send the Bela bill back to Parliament and for it to be amended, while the unions – the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), National Teachers’ Union (Natu) and National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) – are in support of the bill in its current form. The bill seeks to amend key education laws in South Africa and has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from various quarters. Sadtu KZN secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said the bill had gone through all the necessary processes and was even passed in Parliament in May.…

THE SABC and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have suffered a major blow in their quest to recoup R2.42 million from ex-COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and nine other members of SABC’s executive and operating committees. The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg found that, among others, Motsoeneng and his former colleagues had “not personally benefited” from the Mzansi Music Legends scheme and neither was it suggested that the scheme was adopted in bad faith or for some ulterior purpose. The SABC and SIU were ordered to pay the legal fees of Motsoeneng and Bessie Tugwana in respect of the court finding that the SABC’s claim had been prescribed. Motsoeneng, Tugwana, Audrey Raphela, Sully Motsweni, Leslie Ntloko, Nomsa Philiso, Simon Tebele, Tshifila Mulaudzi, Nompumelelo Phasha and James Aguma were accused by the SABC…

POLICE watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is probing the killing of five alleged cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers following a shoot-out with police. The suspects were shot and killed after they were found at a location that appeared to be a hideout on Monday. Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the matter is under investigation. “It is alleged that a group of people were involved in a CIT (robbery) near Macleantown. The Mthatha Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) together with a Combat Team followed up information which led them to KwaKom location, Keiskammahoek. When they approached the house the suspects spotted them and they ran out of the house shooting at the police. The police allegedly retaliated and five suspects were fatally wounded and died at the scene. “About…

The adage “the more, the merrier” doesn’t always hold in stakeholder relations. While proactive engagement is crucial for maintaining strong relationships, there is a fine line between effective communication and overwhelming involvement. Overdoing stakeholder engagement can lead to unintended consequences, diminishing the trust and rapport one aims to build. Excessive communication can be a significant issue. When stakeholders are bombarded with frequent updates, meetings, or emails, it can lead to fatigue and disengagement. For instance, a project manager who holds daily status meetings with stakeholders may find that attendance and participation dwindle over time. Stakeholders, particularly busy executives or high-level managers, may consider these interactions time-consuming and unnecessary. While understanding stakeholders’ preferences and interests is valuable, over-personalisation can be perceived as intrusive. A stakeholder relations professional who sends personalised gifts…

Opponents and supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro planned to rally yesterday as protests and clashes spread after a weekend election was awarded to the long-ruling socialist despite opposition claims of a landslide victory. Renewed instability in the South American oil producing nation elicited divided international reaction: the US said Maduro’s re-election had no credibility and it was weighing more sanctions, while China and Russia congratulated him. Protests began after the election board declared on Monday that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of the votes to extend his “Chavista” movement’s quarter-century rule. The opposition, which considers the election body in the pockets of a dictatorial government, said the 73% of vote tallies to which it has access showed its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had more than twice as…

Landslides in India triggered by pounding monsoon rains struck tea plantations and killed at least 108 people yesterday, with at least 250 others rescued from mud and debris, officials said. The southern coastal state of Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours, with blocked roads into the disaster area in Wayanad district complicating relief efforts. “Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters: “This is one of the worst natural calamities that our state has seen.” Another 128 people had been hospitalised for treatment after their rescue, he said. Wayanad is famed for the tea estates that crisscross its hilly countryside and which rely on a large pool of casual labourers for planting and harvest. Several estates in the district were hit by two successive landslides before dawn when most of…

EVIA: More than 200 firefighters backed up by helicopters and water-carrying planes battled a wildfire on Greece’s second-biggest island of Evia for a second day yesterday as authorities ordered the evacuation of two villages. The fire broke out near the village of Petries in the centre of the island at about 3pm on Monday and strong winds fuelled its spread. While the situation had slightly improved yesterday, flare-ups remain a risk due to the windy conditions, a fire service spokesperson said. Thirteen aircraft and six helicopters were at the scene yesterday about 60km northeast of Athens. A coastguard vessel was on standby for evacuations. | Reuters…

ROME: Authorities in the northern Italian Alps killed a mother bear deemed to be “dangerous” yesterday after she injured a French tourist earlier this month, spurring protests by animal rights groups and criticism from a government minister. The local forestry corps shot the bear, known as KJ1, after tracing her via her radio collar on the orders of Maurizio Fugatti, head of the provincial authority in Trento. The local authority said that the bear had come into contact with people seven times, including the incident in which a French jogger was hurt. The area around the city of Trento, re-populated with bears from 1999, has seen several bear attacks recently. | Reuters…

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was at his colourful best in describing how new players had “marked their territory” in the recent match against Portugal and he wants others to do the same on the tour to Australia. The Boks leave today for Rugby Championship matches in Brisbane on August 10 and Perth the following week. In the recently ended United Rugby Championship, it was the Bulls that went deepest and that precluded their players from the experimental Springbok friendly against Wales in June, although Bulls forwards Johan Grobbelaar and Jan-Hendrik Wessels featured in a similar type of game in Bloemfontein. “I told the new caps that they were the new dogs in the neighbourhood and maybe they should (lift) their legs and make a mark. Some of them did just…

SMALL Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said yesterday her department has a solid foundation and legal instrument to champion the interests of small enterprises. Delivering her policy speech in the National Council of Provinces, Ndabeni-Abrahams said her department would continue to build on the work undertaken in the previous administration to invest more in underserved micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and co-operatives. “We are starting this seventh administration on a solid footing,” she said. Ndabeni-Abrahams said although the department’s budget was cut, they have tried as much as possible to ensure delivery of services would not be affected. The department is aiming to reach out to 50 000 competitive MSMEs, 10 000 youth start-ups and 30 000 township and rural enterprises during 2024-25. Ndabeni-Abrahams said South Africa now has…

Education MEC decries victimisation of learner who brought the claims forward ONE OF the pupils who lifted the lid on racism allegations at Pretoria High School for Girls was victimised, according to Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane. He disclosed this when he announced the 3-month suspension of principal Phillipa Erasmus following allegations of racism which saw 12 learners suspended. It also emerged that eight of the pupils were prefects and have since been stripped of their titles. It was further disclosed that there was new evidence regarding complaints of racism raised in 2023 by some of the learners. “One of the whistle-blowers came forward and what makes me sad is that she was victimised. We were able to get her evidence,” he said. The school governing body (SGB) was set…

Transnet says the rail reform process, which entails the vertical separation of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) into a Rail Operating Company and an Infrastructure Manager, is on track. In a statement this week, Transnet said it was making considerable progress in implementing institutional reform measures in accordance with the Freight Logistics Roadmap and the Guarantee Framework Conditions issued to Transnet by the National Treasury. These include the reform of the rail business, corporatisation of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), and disposal of non-core assets. “Since the publication of the draft railway Network Statement in March 2024, Transnet actively participated in a consultation process facilitated by the Interim Rail Economic Regulatory Capacity (IRERC). This was in preparation of the finalisation of the final Network Statement to open train slots for…

SOUTH African learners made the country proud at the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) 2024, where they competed against 609 contestants from 108 countries, bagging one silver and two bronze medals. The competition was held in Bath, UK, from July 11 to 22, with six learners representing the national team, including Moied Baleg (Grade 11) from The Settlers High School, Youkyum Kim (Grade 11) from Reddam House Durbanville, Yian Xu (Grade 11) from Redhill School in Johannesburg and three Westerford High School learners – Eli Williams and Ben Maree (Grade 10) and Ellen Grant-Smith (Grade 11). At the IMO, the team won three medals, including a silver for Ben and two bronze medals for Ellen and Moied, and bringing the country’s ranking to 53. The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) said…

Both countries are working on measures to facilitate trade August will mark a year since President Xi Jinping’s state visit to South Africa. The visit coincided with South Africa hosting the BRICS Summit in which several other countries from the Global South were admitted into the original BRICS group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. From Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia; and from the Middle East, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were admitted, enlarging the group to 10 members. During the state visit, the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, noted that although China was South Africa’s biggest global trading partner, the risk of a growing trade imbalance between the two countries would be discussed during bilateral talks between the two leaders. Almost a year later,…

A third child died yesterday and five others remained critically injured after a knife attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in a quiet seaside community in northern England, police said. The 9-year-old girl died in hospital yesterday, Merseyside Police said, as the force confirmed that two victims who died in the “ferocious” stabbing spree on Monday were also girls, aged 6 and 7. Eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack in Southport, near Liverpool, which has shocked the UK and beyond. Two wounded adults were also in a critical condition. A 17-year-old male suspect from a nearby village arrested after the incident remained in custody, police said, warning against speculating about his identity or details of the probe. “This incident is not currently being treated as terror-related…

Researchers have criticised billionaire Elon Musk for promising that his brain implant technology could eventually provide patients with vision superior to normal human sight. Musk has long promised that his Neuralink company was working on implants that could restore sight to blind people, telling his 190 million followers on X in March that the product would be called “Blindsight”. He said it was working in monkeys.” But Ione Fine, psychology professor at the University of Washington, said it was “a dangerous thing to say”. Fine co-authored a paper published this week saying that Musk’s idea rested on a flawed premise that high- resolution vision could be created by implanting millions of electrodes into the visual cortex. Creating an image in the brain involves also generating a “neural code”, and scientists…

Paris: France’s meteorological service yesterday put Paris and its surrounding suburbs on a major storm alert as the city hosts the Olympic Games. Strong thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail and lightning were likely over the French capital, the weather service warned. This could be accompanied by “intense precipitation (around 20mm to 40mm in less than an hour)”, it said. The storm alert comes as Paris swelters in heat forecast to reach 35°C yesterday as it hosts the fourth day of the Games. Other cities in France hosting Olympic events have also been affected by a strong heatwave, with temperatures in some central and southern parts hitting 40°C in recent days. | AFP…

MADRID: Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declined to testify yesterday as a witness in a judicial investigation into alleged corruption and influence peddling against his wife that led him to consider resigning in April, lawyers said. The proceedings are part of a preliminary investigation into whether Begona Gomez used her position as the premier’s wife to secure sponsors for a university master’s degree course that she ran. Sanchez has denied the accusations against her, saying they were baseless and orchestrated by right-wing political foes, and yesterday, the state attorney’s office filed a lawsuit on his behalf against the investigating judge for alleged malfeasance.…

FROM his South Africa Under-19 days, it was clear that Kagiso Rabada was a cut above the rest. Now, almost a decade after getting Virat Kohli caught by Dean Elgar at cover in Mohali to claim his first Test wicket, Rabada is only nine wickets away from reaching the 300 Test wickets mark. The 29-year-old is in line to join an elite club of Test-match quicks but might just do it faster than most should he bag these nine scalps during the coming two-match series against the Windies in the Caribbean. Despite this being a monumental achievement, Rabada pays it no mind and rather places all his focus on winning the series and taking the team higher up the ICC World Test Championship table. “I am aware (that I need…

French food relies on simple combinations of rich, natural flavours that come together to create unforgettable, world-renowned dishes. For many people, their introduction to French food comes in the shape of wine and cheese. From brie and burgundy to Camembert and chardonnay, there are plenty of delicious pairings to choose from. With the 2024 Paris Olympics in full swing, here are some of the top French dishes that you can savour while watching the games. Escargots Escargots are a delicacy of French cuisine. Although the variety of snails eaten are terrestrial, they are technically molluscs and therefore classified as seafood. Escargots are usually served as an appetiser. In France, they are typically removed from shells and then prepared before returning them to the shells for presentation purposes. They are usually…

OPPOSITION parties are calling for the complete scrapping of the sub-council system to free up millions for other service delivery priorities, saying the current delegated functions they have “are mostly duplications of council duties”. Comment on the City’s revised sub-council by-law which proposes new sub-council boundaries closed yesterday. The revised sub-council by-law proposes to disband 21 sub-councils “in order to establish 20 metropolitan sub-councils in the area of jurisdiction of the City of Cape Town; and to cluster wards for each sub-council area”. Council has also considered new sub-council boundaries. According to the City, the proposed changes are to create “greater synergy in service delivery by aligning sub-council boundaries with line departments’ service delivery areas as far as possible; streamline sub-council boundaries by reducing the number of sub-councils from 21…

TRADE, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said yesterday that the US Congress has assured that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) will be re-authorised and that South Africa’s exclusion was not on the cards. Tau said the issue now was whether Agoa would be authorised before or after the US election in November. Agoa provides duty-free access to the US market for almost all products exported from more than 40 eligible countries in Africa. Briefing the media following South Africa’s delegation to the Agoa Forum in Washington, Tau said their key message was to reset and create partnerships with an emphasis on industrialisation, building a capable state and job creation. He said they presented proposals on the extension of Agoa for stability, improved rules of origin and adjustments…

ZELDA VENTER IT is inconceivable that trading in liquor can constitute “a right”, let alone “a basic right”, as opposed to an indulgence given to a person by a public authority, a judge said in turning down an urgent application by 48 businesses who wanted the court to intervene as they are awaiting their licences. The businesses, which include food outlets, a hotel and some restaurants, turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, as they have been waiting for months for the Gauteng Provincial Liquor Board to issue them with liquor trading licences. They said the fact that the board was dragging its heels is costing them money. They wanted the court to either order the board to grant them these licenses or for permission to trade pending the issuing…

THE police statements of a witness to the May 2021 Khayelitsha mass shooting incriminating Yanga “Bara” Nyalara and Wanda Tofile have come under sharp scrutiny from the defence after they contradicted what was found in video footage. This comes after the witness identified as Mr Z gave damning testimony on Monday during the proceedings held in camera at the Goodwood Prison Court about how he watched the group of about 11 or more armed men go on a shooting spree. He pointed out the accused as being part of the shooting, in which 12 people were killed and six others wounded. The two accused have pleaded not guilty to all 20 charges, which include unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Cross-examination of the witness started yesterday with the defence, which…

YOU do not find a military camp with 95 trainees from another country and then carry on as if it is just another crime or case of illegal immigrants. Whether the 95 Libyans arrested following a raid by Mpumalanga police on a farm misrepresented themselves on their visa applications or not, national security has been breached. For all we know, the White River military camp said to have been set up in April may not even be the only one occupied by militants in the country. On Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said at this stage, the militants were facing a charge of misrepresentation on their visa applications. More charges will depend on the investigations. The officers who raided the base found military tents, licensed firearms and other equipment,…

Druze residents of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights distanced themselves yesterday from Israeli threats to retaliate against Lebanon’s Hezbollah group for a deadly rocket strike on a Druze Arab town in the territory. Most of Majdal Shams’s around 11 000 residents still identify as Syrian more than half a century after Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria and later annexed it in a move not recognised by the international community. On a visit to the town on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israel would deliver a “severe response” to the strike, which killed 12 children aged between 10 and 16 as they played football on Saturday. Yesterday, the Israeli army said it had struck around 10 Hezbollah targets overnight and killed one of the Iran-backed group’s fighters. Scores of…

London: A judge yesterday sentenced Anjem Choudary, one of the UK’s most recognised radical Islamist preachers, to life in jail after he was found guilty of directing a banned “terrorist organisation”. Sentencing Choudary, 57, at Woolwich Crown Court in London to a minimum term of 28 years, Judge Mark Wall said that Choudary had “encouraged young men into radical activity”. He will serve more than 26 years behind bars due to the time he has already spent in custody, meaning he will not be released before the age of 85, Wall said. Choudary has already spent time in jail for supporting the jihadist Islamic State group. | AFP…

RABAT: France recognises a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty as the only way of resolving a long-running dispute over the territory, President Emmanuel Macron said in a letter yesterday. The dispute, dating back to 1975, pits Morocco, which considers Western Sahara its own territory, against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state there. Most of France’s Western allies already back Morocco’s plan. The decision angered Algeria, which decided to withdraw its ambassador to France. Macron said Paris views Western Sahara as part of Morocco’s present and future sovereignty. | Reuters…

There is a moment in every sportsperson’s career when it’s now or never. When every last ounce of energy is required for that final push if golden glory is to be achieved. For Tatjana Smith, that moment arrived in the dying stages of her Olympic 100m breaststroke final in the Paris La Defense Arena pool on Monday night. The Tokyo silver medallist in the same event had turned at the wall in fourth place and was looking likely to be bumped off the podium three years later by China’s Quinting Tang, Ireland’s Mona McSharry and Italy’s Benedetto Pilato. But Smith was not going to be denied. Not with her husband Joel and a raucous bunch of South Africans inside the arena, and a further 56 million people back home…