Sommaire pour 2024-09-18 de Cape Times

SUSTAINABLE transport systems are important for reducing inequality and unemployment, because they can be used as a tool for accessing opportunities. An efficient and affordable transport system is a crucial lever for access to basic human needs, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. Such transport systems should provide safe, inclusive, efficient, afford- able and clean passenger and freight movement as we transition to an economy that aids our commitment to the Paris Agreement. In South Africa, road is the third highest source of emissions after electricity and synthetic fuels and refining. Within transport, road emissions account for the lion’s share of emissions (97%) followed by domestic aviation, waterborne navigation and rail respectively. The Presidential Climate Commission is collaborating with the Department of Transport to support their development of the Just Transition…

TUPPERWARE Brands is preparing to file for bankruptcy as soon as this week, according to people with know- ledge of the plans, following a years-long effort to revive the business amid waning demand. The home-goods brand, which has for much of a century defined food storage, was planning to enter court protection after it breached the terms of its debt and enlisted legal and financial advisers, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential information. The bankruptcy preparations follow protracted negotiations between Tupperware and its lenders over how to manage more than $700 million (R12.5 billion) in debt. The lenders agreed this year to give it some breathing room on the violated loan terms, but the company continued to deteriorate. The plans aren’t final and could…

THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) yesterday allayed fears in connection with the availability of judges to consider scores of inquests and the need for special courts to deal with cases arising from investigations into Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) matters. Briefing the justice and portfolio committee, deputy director of public prosecutions Rodney de Kock said the majority of the matters would be dealt with in the high courts. De Kock explained that the allocation of judges for the inquests would happen in collaboration with the director of public prosecutions of a particular jurisdiction after engagements with the Judge President. “So there is no cause for concern. It is a normal practice in terms of enrolment of cases and the Judge President will certainly allocate an appropriate judge in each of…

DISGRACED Micael Sibiya and Teboho Noe, previously attached to the SAPS VIP Protection Unit, will have to pay R30 000 each in monthly instalments, or face three years imprisonment. They were found guilty by the Upington Regional Court of theft of 60 000 while on duty in the Upington area in March 2014. Police spokesperson, Tebogo Thebe, said the lengthy trial spanning 10 years was the result of to the pair’s “delaying tactics”. “It is reported that the members visited the local mall, where they stumbled upon cash to the value of R60 000, instead of making attempts to locate the owner, the duo decided to buy flashlights and hid the money inside the box. “They attempted to send their new found loot to their addresses back in Kimberley through…

WATER and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has once again warned dam owners to register them before they are prosecuted for non-compliance. Her department has prepared a notice to be published in the government gazette calling on owners to secure permits for operating the dams. Out of the 5703 dams, only 323 were owned by her department. She made the remarks when delivering her executive statement in the National Assembly on measures being taken by her department on dam safety. This came after the recent failure of four dams in the Swartland Local Municipality affected the community of Riverlands and destroyed houses as well as municipal infrastructure. “We must ensure the notice (in the government gazette) will give all dam owners and those who wish to construct dams to apply…

The erratic life of a struggling roofing contractor suspected of trying to shoot Donald Trump swerved from bounced cheques to a gun felony conviction and a plan to help Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion, before culminating in what appears to be a foiled assassination plot. Ryan Routh, 58, was charged with two gun-related crimes in a federal court in Florida on Monday, a day after he was spotted with a rifle hiding in shrubbery on the property line of Trump’s golf course. More charges are expected. Officials have not cited any possible motives. Routh mocked President Joe Biden on social media and suggested in a 2023 self-published book he voted for Trump in 2016. But he then wrote it was a “terrible mistake” and described the former president as a “fool,”…

London: British betting group Flutter Entertainment yesterday said it had agreed to buy Italian peer Snaitech for €2.3 billion (R45bn), expanding its global reach into online gambling. Flutter, whose brands in Britain and Ireland include Paddy Power and Skybet, said in a statement that the deal would give it an online market share of about 30% in Italy, Europe’s largest gambling market. Flutter recently moved its primary listing to Wall Street as it bets on sizeable growth from US sports betting and iGaming. Snaitech, which trades as Snai, is owned by UK-listed Playtech, a gambling technology business. | AFP…

New Delhi: Schools reopened in India’s northeastern state of Manipur yesterday, more than a week after they shuttered due to deadly ethnic violence and clashes between protesters and police, the local government said. Fighting broke out in Manipur in May 2023 between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community, an ethnic conflict that has since killed at least 200 people. Since then, communities have splintered into rival groups. These groups are spread across swaths of the northeastern state, which borders war-torn Myanmar. | AFP…

OUTSURANCE is paying a special dividend of 40 cents per share for the full year to June 2024 after the South Africa unit raised normalised earnings by 17.4% to R2.2 billion, boosted by strong income although its Irish division incurred start-up losses of R180 million. n The 40c special dividend OUTsurance paid was on top of a 29.4% upswing in the full-year ordinary divi- dend to 174.4c. Shares in the company closed 8.23% higher at R55.25 on the JSE yesterday, expanding its 20.97%, 7.11% and 2.18% upswing in the year to date, one month and seven day comparatives, respectively. After OUTsurance SA raised normalised earnings to R2.2bn, the Youi Group also had 12.8% stronger earnings of R1.5bn while OUTsurance Life was 47.9% stronger at R210m. This left…

THE City and provincial government’s “double-up trial redeployment” plan has been met with sharp criticism, with opposition parties and community organisations saying it fails to address the underlying root causes of the alarming crime rate. The Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety and the City of Cape Town yesterday announced plans to implement a “double-up trial redeployment” for Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers to combat organised crime and extortion syndicates in crime hot spots. They said Leap would redeploy members to focus on six precincts and the strategy would be assessed and revised after six months. These included Delft, Khayelitsha, Philippi East, Nyanga, Mitchells Plain and Gugulethu. A reaction unit of 120 members would also be used in Hanover Park, Manenberg, Atlantis, Kraaifontein, Elsies River…

A JUDGE was shocked at the conduct of a magistrate who earlier convicted and sentenced a man who was in possession of dagga, under a section of the Drug Trafficking Act which had been declared unconstitutional 28 years ago. A magistrate for the district of Chief Albert Luthuli, sitting in Mayflower, convicted Michael Mkhonza in May last year of dealing in drugs (dagga) in contravention of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, conditionally suspended for five years. A further sentence of a fine of R5 000 or 24 months’ imprisonment was also imposed. The matter came under review in the Mpumalanga High Court, sitting in Mbombela, a year ago. The judge dealing with the matter at the time sent questions to the magistrate…

The full story of the co-operation between Africa and China has not yet been told. This statement echoed through the National Botanical Gardens in Pretoria on Friday night, where the National Press Club and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in South Africa hosted a discussion event focusing on the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation Summit, which took place in Beijing from September 4 to 7. With 51 African heads of state in attendance, it was the largest diplomatic event China had hosted in recent years. Under the Pretoria night sky, Chinese ambassador Wu Peng said that during the summit, China established or elevated strategic partnerships with 30 African nations. This means China now has strategic partnerships with all African countries with which it has diplomatic ties. It also…

Israel announced the expansion of its war aims yesterday, widening its nearly year-long fight against Hamas in Gaza to focus on Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon. The announcement came with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken due back in the region this week to try to revive stalled ceasefire talks for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Until now, Israel’s objectives have been to crush Hamas and to bring home the hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 7 attacks that sparked the war. While the focus of the war has been on Gaza, the unabating exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon have forced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes. “The political-security cabinet…

Iranian authorities have released an Austrian who was jailed in the country’s north-east, the judiciary said yesterday. Austria had in October 2022 confirmed that one of its citizens had been arrested in Iran on charges “unrelated” to a wave of protests that rocked the Islamic republic at the time. “Austrian citizen Christian Weber, imprisoned in West Azerbaijan province, was released from prison in accordance with Islamic mercy,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. The website said Weber had been convicted after “committing crimes” in Iran, but did not specify what those were. “After his release, the convict was handed over to the Austrian ambassador for his departure,” it added. Austria’s foreign ministry said it was “relieved” over Weber’s release which it said took place on Monday. It added that its…

GENEVA: Sanctions against Russia have led to an increase in the share of BRICS countries in Russian trade, said Ekaterina Mayorova, the director of the trade negotiations department at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. “Sanctions against Russia are leading to us curtailing our trade with the West, while, on the contrary, we are increasing it with the BRICS countries. If we look at the dynamics of our trade relations with BRICS, the share of trade with them has clearly increased. Yes, there are difficulties, but we are working,” she said on the sidelines of a session organised by the Russian World Trade Organisation Expertise (WTO) Center as part of the WTO Public Forum. | Sputnik…

PROTEAS stand-in captain Aiden Markram feels the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan is the ideal preparation for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Markram will be leading the Proteas in the absence of regular captain Temba Bavuma, who has been ruled out of the opening clash in Sharjah due to illness. The Proteas have already rested a number of regulars and have arrived in the desert sands of the United Arab Emirates with a fresh-looking squad eager to experience conditions that may await them in Pakistan. “We feel like we are in a good space as a team,” Markram said yesterday. “We don’t need to repeat that we’re a growing team and exposing guys to the next level, which is fantastic. That’s where we’re at. “It is really important.…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou’s assertion that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club means the spotlight will be focused firmly on his side when they face Coventry City in the League Cup third round today. The Australian was in typically pugnacious mood yesterday as he clarified the comments he made after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the Premier League 48 hours earlier, a result that left Tottenham in 13th place in the standings after four games. Speaking to reporters at the club’s training ground, Postecoglou said he had simply been stating facts, having won silverware in his second seasons with Australia’s Brisbane Roar, Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos and Scotland’s Celtic. “I just stated a fact and it seems like am I supposed…

‘Reimagined, rejuvenated’ male residence will replace Wilgenhof THE well-being of the students housed at Stellenbosch University’s soon-to-closed Wilgenhof residence was one of the biggest concerns on the table when the institution’s council ultimately made the call to shut the residence in its current format and replace it with a “reimagined and rejuvenated” male residence. The decision, announced on Monday, came after a report recommending the residence be permanently closed over initiation-like allegations in light of two secret rooms that were found at Wilgenhof with “disturbing items” during an audit of its spaces and amenities. In June, Council, the highest decision-making body at the university, opened a public participation process inviting interested parties to submit written representations on the closure or non-closure of Wilgenhof for consideration. This process then led…

AT JUST five years old, little Liam Fagan has bravely fought the daunting battle against cancer and is today leading a normal life. Despite a positive outcome, the young boy still has to attend a paediatric oncology follow-up clinic every two months. The Western Cape Health Department highlighted Liam’s journey as part of a global initiative using the month of September to raise awareness about childhood cancer and supporting families impacted by it. Liam, from Bellville South, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (blood cancer) in March 2022. He presented with unremitting fever, pallor, loss of appetite and weight loss. Reflecting on the moment she learned her son had cancer, mom Desiree Fagan said: “Liam was taken to the private doctor twice, but the antibiotics prescribed didn’t help him.…

The role of a leader in any organisation is not just significant; it’s crucial. When leaders fail to fulfil their responsibilities, the consequences can be severe for all stakeholders involved. In today’s interconnected world, leadership is not just about holding a title; it's about steering an organisation and its people toward success. However, when leaders fail to lead correctly, the impact can be disastrous, affecting employees, investors and the broader community. The fallout from ineffective leadership can be significant, underscoring the need for effective leadership. A leader who doesn’t lead properly fails to provide clear direction, needs more accountability and inspires and motivates their team. Such leaders often avoid making difficult decisions, shy away from responsibility when things go wrong and neglect their role as a guiding force. This failure…

Volunteers in the Polish town of Nysa fortified floodwalls to stem swollen rivers yesterday after heavy rain and flooding round central Europe that has killed at least 18 people. Rivers were still spilling banks in the Czech Republic, while the River Danube was rising in Slovakia and Hungary, and flooding has also affected Austria. The Czech-Polish border areas are among the worst-hit since the weekend, as gushing, debris-filled rivers devastated some towns, collapsing or damaging bridges and destroying houses. Poland has declared a state of disaster in the area and set aside 1 billion zlotys (about R4.5bn) for flood victims. Overnight, volunteers helped rescue workers heave sandbags to build up the broken embankment around Nysa, a town of 40 000 in southern Poland. Some residents were looking to check homes…

Moscow: Two Chinese Coast Guard ships arrived in Russia’s far east yesterday for joint drills and patrols with Moscow’s forces, the Russian foreign ministry said. The exercise, dubbed “Pacific Patrol 2024”, comes just a week after Chinese and Russian warships sailed through the Sea of Japan for a different drill, and as both countries ramp up their military co-operation. “The Chinese Coast Guard ships Meishan and Xiushan are visiting Vladivostok,” a local branch of the Russian foreign ministry said. “During the visit, a number of events are planned, including joint exercises and patrols. “A welcoming ceremony for the flotilla was held on September 17,” it added. | AFP…

JUBA: South Sudan’s economy has been strained in recent years due to a combination of factors: communal violence, a decline in crude oil export revenue following the 2013-2018 civil war, and more recent export disruptions caused by the war in neighbouring Sudan. Oil exports are a crucial revenue source for South Sudan, with Sudan collecting a transit fee. The main pipeline transporting South Sudanese oil through Sudan for export has been plagued by stoppages since February due to the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces. “Engineers from South Sudan will visit Sudan in the coming weeks,” said its foreign minister. | Sputnik…