Table of contents for CT-2021-04-08 in Cape Times

Adapt IT said yesterday it had entered in an agreement for Volaris to make an offer to acquire up to 100 percent of Adapt IT for a cash consideration of R6.50 per Adapt IT share.The consideration represented a premium of 56.9 percent to the 30-day volume weighted average traded price of Adapt IT shares of R4.14, as at January 26, 2021, being the last trading date prior to the date on which an unsolicited general offer by Huge Group to Adapt IT shareholders was announced. Volaris specialises in vertical market software companies and is an operating group of Toronto listed Constellation Software Inc. which has a market cap in excess of $25 billion. Meanwhile, Huge Group said yesterday it had been granted an extension to April 16 to circulate its…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za BUSINESS confidence in South Africa fell to a four-month low in March as the economy battled to gather upward momentum on prevailing uncertainty over intermittent lockdowns. The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said yesterday that the business confidence index (BCI) dropped to 94 points in March from 94.3 points in February. This was the lowest reading in the BCI since last November 2020 and after reaching a two-year high in January 2021. Sacci said the business climate had remained constricted due to continuing economic uncertainty. It said the prospects of a further lockdown in the offing with rumours of a third wave of infections becoming prevalent was also contributing to the negative climate. Sacci chief executive Alan Mukoki said the government needed to…

Francesca Villette francesca.villette@inl.co.za A DISPUTE over ownership of government-led communications platform GovChat has landed in the Western Cape High Court, with claims made by a Milnerton businessman that the program is all his. In a founding affidavit filed in a notice of motion last week Chè Overberg, a director of Silvergrey (Pty) Ltd, a social networking company with offices in Loop Street, alleges that the GovChat founder and chief executive Eldrid Jordaan fraudulently took his computer program and presented it to the government as his product; and that the core functionality currently being used by GovChat, Hashtag Let’s Talk (a wholly owned subsidiary of GovChat) in conjunction with the government is exactly the same as the one Silvergrey authored/created. It comes as GovChat was recently granted interim relief by the…

INGREDIENTS METHOD 4 tbs oil 2 cloves 1 stick cinnamon 2 green cardamom pods 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 small-medium onion, chopped 1½ tbs chopped ginger 6 cloves garlic, chopped ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbs ground coriander ½ tsp chilli powder 2 tomatoes, puréed 450g small chicken ½ tsp garam masala 1 handful chopped dhanya Heat oil in large non-stick pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and cumin seeds and fry for 20 seconds. Add onion and cook about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add ginger, garlic a pinch of salt and spices and stir for 1 min. Add tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the liquid in the pan has dried off and the oil leaves the sides of the dry masala. Add chicken and…

Staff writer THE deadline for comment on the first draft of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) revised 2016 language policy is nearing, with final submissions in by Monday, the university said. The university earlier announced it was revising its language policy as part of the five-year revision cycle prescribed in the policy itself. Section 10 of the language policy stipulates that the policy “lapses five years after the date of its implementation” and that it “must be reviewed during its fifth year of operation”. The Constitutional Court in 2019 upheld the decision of the high court that SU was correct in implementing its 2016 policy which gave preference to English over Afrikaans. SU’s motivation for introducing the 2016 policy was to facilitate equitable access to its campus, teaching and learning opportunities…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za SAMORA Machel residents yesterday went door to door searching for four suspects involved in an attack on City water officers that left one in hospital after a bullet narrowly missed his spine. The suspects also robbed the City team of belongings, including wallets and cellphones, while they were busy repairing a collapsed sewer in Helen Joseph Street. The supervisor, who was also the driver, was shot and will need to undergo surgery. The City has since the incident temporarily withdrawn its services in the area. Councillor Sithembiso Mzobe said: “What they did was embarrassing. Now the City has to withdraw its services because of young boys who can’t think properly and that affects us as a community now. We have been to the suspects’ houses and…

BRITAIN is a relatively open society and “has come a long way in 50 years and the success of much of the ethnic minority population in education and, to a lesser extent, the economy, should be regarded as a model for other White-majority countries,” boldly declared a Report published by The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (Cred) to investigate the state of race relations in the country. PM Boris Johnson established Cred last year. It has 11 commissioners, chaired by Dr Tony Sewell CBE, and comprises six men and five women. The ethnic mix of the commission includes seven Afro-Caribbeans, three South Asians and a lone White British. The fact that the report was published on the eve of April’s Fool Day may have given some of its critics…

Val Boje THE Embassy of Vietnam in South Africa is, like representatives and citizens of the country worldwide, following with interest the leadership transition in the Southeast Asian country. Pham Minh Chinh, 63, was sworn in as the new prime minister on Monday, while former prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, 66, takes on the role of president of Vietnam. Phuc, who held the position of prime minister for five years, has been widely credited with successful growth in the economy and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Chinh comes to the position as an experienced politician and technocrat, having served as a senior state security official and head of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s (CPV) central organisation commission. He was elected unopposed by the 13th party conference in late…

Colombo: A Sri Lankan beauty pageant winner who had her crown yanked off by last year’s champion in an ugly on-stage fracas has been re-declared the victor and says she will sue. Pushpika de Silva, who needed hospital treatment after the incident at Sunday’s gala, was named Mrs Sri Lanka again at a smaller ceremony this week. She planned to launch legal action against her alleged attacker, reigning champion Caroline Jurie. Jurie had forcibly removed De Silva’s crown on stage during the ceremony, saying that De Silva was divorced and, therefore, ineligible for the prize. To qualify for the title, contestants must be married. De Silva is estranged from her husband, but is still legally married. | AFP…

MIHLALI BALEKA BANYANA Banyana ace Thembi Kgatlana is relishing the opportunity of being back in the national team structures and working with youngsters after an impressive stint with Spanish Primera Division side SD Eibar. Kgatlana has enjoyed unprecedented success at Eibar, a side she joined in June last year from Portuguese outfit Benfica FC. In 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, the 24-year-old striker has notched 10 goals. Kgatlana’s contribution has put Eibar 12th on the standings with 26 points, nine ahead of the bottom-placed Deportivo and 30 behind leaders FC Barcelona. Nonetheless, with the league on pause due to the Fifa break, Kgatlana says she’s happy to be back at home. “I think for me it’s about physicality,” said Kgatlana about what she’s learnt from her…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za WHEN he held the newborn in his arms, he realised he had not appreciated the psychological effect his sperm donation would have on him when he entered into the donorship agreement. While the man who donated sperm to a same-sex couple has played an active role in his son’s life up to now, the couple no longer want him in the child’s life. The boy will turn five later this year. The man, who cannot be identified to safeguard the rights of the child, and his mother will turn to the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, next week in the first part of a legal bid to have access to the child. They want immediate contact with the child, pending an investigation by the Family Advocate to…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za THE appointment of a 72-year-old retired white man as the acting deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) for transformation at UCT has been labelled a slap in the face of many suitable black, femme and queer candidates who should be encouraged to take up the portfolio. Weighing in on controversy surrounding the appointment of British historical archaeologist and Emeritus Professor Martin Hall, UCT’s Student Representative Council (SRC) in a statement yesterday said they opposed the move even if it was a temporary one. Reports emerged at the weekend that the DVC for transformation, Professor Loretta Feris, was replaced with Hall, who served in a variety of roles at UCT between 1983 and 2008, on a R2 million salary package at a time when academics, staff and unions have been ordered…

Staff writer A NEW commercial aquaponics centre in Vanderbijlpark in the south of Gauteng is expected to allow farmers to sell their harvests at higher market rates, as well as purchase seedlings, fingerlings and other inputs at bulk price. For Karah Mashava, farm manager of the first INMED Aquaponic Social Enterprise in South Africa, the charm of agriculture lies in working with living organisms. “They teach you something new every day,” he said. According to Mashava, aquaponics is an intensive form of farming combining hydroponics and fish farming in a symbiotic system that produces at least 10 times more than traditional farming and uses a tenth of the water and no chemical fertilisers or pesticides. “This model is very easy to build – and because it is made of locally…

Staff writer ESCALATING rates of overweight and obesity are a threat to the health of billions of people across the globe, and so updated guidance on total fat intake for adults and children has been developed for public comment. The World Health Organization’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, through the work of the WHO Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (Nugag) subgroup on diet and health, has developed the updated guidance as part of a larger body of work aiming to update the dietary goals for the prevention of non-communicable diseases. They have already released updated guidance on the intake of sodium, potassium and free sugars, and are preparing to release the final updated guidance on saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake. “In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za KHAYELITSHA bus commuters were robbed by two men brandishing guns and knives just before 7am yesterday. They posed as passengers to get on to the bus. The pair got away with money and cellphones after traumatising the passengers in Spine Road. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the case would be transferred to Lingelethu West SAPS for further investigation. “They robbed passengers of their belongings and took cellphones from them and an undisclosed amount of money from the driver. They jumped out of the bus and fled on foot,” said Van Wyk. A passenger, whose name is being withheld to protect her, said they have called for police presence at bus stops. “The two suspects pretended they were passengers. They got on the bus and one of…

The blockade constitutes a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of human rights ON MARCH 27 and 28, tens of thousands of people from around the world raised their voices to reject the unjust and criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US against Cuba for more than 60 years. Under the slogan “Bridges of Love”, Cuban emigrants, personalities and solidarity, political and union organisations in the five continents carried out public demonstrations on foot and in caravans of cars, motorcycles and bicycles. South Africa also joined the initiative. On Sunday, March 28, a march was organised by the Association of Cuban Residents in South Africa. Gathered next to the gigantic statue of Nelson Mandela in the Union Buildings, the participants made public their demand for an immediate…

Myanmar troops fired at anti-coup protesters yesterday, killing at least 13 people and wounding several, media said, as a series of small blasts hit the commercial capital Yangon and a Chinese-owned factory was set on fire. The country’s military ruler said the civil disobedience movement was “destroying” Myanmar. More than 580 people have been killed, according to an activist group, in the turmoil in Myanmar since a February 1 coup that ended a brief period of civilian-led democracy. Nationwide protests and strikes have persisted since then despite the military’s use of lethal force to quell the opposition. Security forces opened fire on protesters in the north-western town of Kale as they demanded the restoration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, domestic media said. A resident of the area and…

MAPUTO: Mozambique has told the international community what support it needs to deal with and insurgency, but for reasons of sovereignty it will tackle some aspects of the problem unassisted, its president said yesterday. Filipe Nyusi was speaking two weeks after an attack by insurgents on the coastal town of Palma, near natural gas projects worth tens of billions of dollars that are meant to transform the country’s economy. The government has said dozens died in the latest assault, and tens of thousands were displaced. French energy major Total withdrew all staff from its Afungi site outside Palma when the militants appeared to be approaching, but the army has since said the town is secure. | Reuters…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za REBOSIS Property Fund’s share price shot up more than 34 percent yesterday after the group said it was in negotiations with local and offshore institutions and pension funds for a deal that “could change the financial matrix of Rebosis and crystallise value for shareholders”. This follows a fractious shareholder meeting at the end of February where two large shareholders went into a dispute – the Amatolo Trust, which is controlled by Rebosis founder Sisa Ngebulana, and Zunaid Moti. Ngebulana held about 26 percent of Rebosis, while Moti also claimed he was unfairly barred from voting on certain resolutions. The group has struggled over the past three years, as evidenced by its share price, which traded at 31 cents yesterday after falling steadily from R8.41…

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za TWK INVESTMENTS, a diversified agriculture and forestry company, yesterday reported a 41.8 percent surge in profits after tax to R89.53 million in the six months to end February and expects a good second-half ahead. The group, which operates in a number of divisions that include timber, retail and mechanisation, financial services, grain and vehicles and tyres, is listed on the ZARX exchange. Chief executive André Myburgh said the diversity of the firm’s income streams provided resilience amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “Noteworthy contributors to the improved results came from the Sawmills, BedRock mining timber, Sunshine Seedlings, general trade and the fertiliser divisions, translating into a 41.8 percent increase in profit after tax. With the careful management of working capital and cost-saving initiatives, TWK has been…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa used the commemoration of Struggle stalwart Charlotte Maxeke to escalate their fight for the soul of the organisation and the country. Magashule has again strongly defended the policy of radical economic transformation (RET), saying the economy needed to be in the hands of African people and “that dream should be realised today and not tomorrow”. He was addressing a congregation during the wreath-laying ceremony for Maxeke in Kliptown, Johannesburg, yesterday. Maxeke would have celebrated her 150th birthday yesterday and in commemoration of the pioneering woman, the ANC declared 2021 the “Year of Unity, Renewal and Reconstruction in the Year of Charlotte Maxeke.” Magashule led the celebrations in Gauteng while Ramaphosa was in Maxeke’s birthplace of Alice in the Eastern…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za THE Covid-19 pandemic necessitated rapid changes in health-care systems, including at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH). Experts from RCWMCH and UCT, in this month’s SA Medical Journal, detailed the experience of the hospital where specific Covid-19 planning was required, and lessons learnt from other international children’s hospitals. The first Covid-positive patient in SA was confirmed on March 5, 2020, with the first paediatric Covid-positive patient seen at RCWMCH on March 23. By December 21, RCWMCH recorded 244 patients and 212 staff member Covid-19 infections. The hospital recorded four deaths of Covid-positive paediatric patients. All the patients who died had significant underlying comorbidities, with one of the patients having previously been placed on a palliative-care plan. Three confirmed Covid staff deaths were recorded, and several severe…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za TWO BROTHERS from Elsies River hope to inspire communities across Cape Town to start their own food gardens, spreading an educational message of farming, food and food security. Feed the Future for Life community project manager and co-founder, Geronimo de Klerk, 18, said after starting the project with his brother Valentino, 20, in one of the city’s most crime-ridden and poverty stricken areas, youth of Elsies River have become inspired. “Our aim is to provide valuable information and training to our communities where there is a real need for food and food security. “At the moment we have transformed open spaces in and around Elsies River that were used for illegal dumping and started food gardens there. “We provide feeding schemes in the community who also…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za IN THE next step towards their rights journey in the metro, 11 homeless people have taken the City of Cape Town to two courts, launching their applications challenging the constitutionality and discriminatory impact of municipal by-laws. The homeless group are the same people who successfully during 2019 obtained a court order which placed an interim interdict on fines being issued to them for “conducting ordinary life-sustaining activities, like sleeping, camping, resting, bathing, erecting a shelter or keeping personal belongings in public”. The applicants challenging two by-laws are being represented by social justice group Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) in both applications before the Western Cape High Court and the Equality Court. In a statement by NU, the group said the by-law relating to “Streets, Public Places and the Prevention…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za COMMUNITY leaders have expressed concerns that the deployment of 200 additional SAPS members from other provinces is only a temporary solution to combat violent crimes in the Western Cape. The personnel comprising Vispol, detectives, crime analysts and others have been deployed as well as 50 vehicles to crime hot spots Kraaifontein, Khayelitsha, Delft, Mfuleni, Nyanga and Philippi East. They will focus on crimes including gang violence, revenge killings and taxi-related violence. According to acting provincial police commissioner Thembekile Patekile the team started working last month and will be “in full swing now”. Launching the unit yesterday in Belhar, Police Minister Bheki Cele joined by his deputy, Cassel Mathale, and other top cops, said while crime was seasonal it remained stubborn in the province. “Violent crime issues, murders,…

Indie Boyce APART from driving economic growth in South Africa, the roll-out of 5G mobile technology and infrastructure, led by Chinese company Huawei, will be a big boon for the building of smart cities. The smart cities plan was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation address to Parliament in February. A draft master plan was completed in November last year for the construction of South Africa’s first post-apartheid smart city in Lanseria, north-west of Johannesburg. The new city is expected to accommodate between 350 000 and 500 000 people in the next 10 years, be 5G-driven and set a benchmark for green infrastructure. It is expected to take about 25 years to complete. The airport will be the main economic driver for the city’s…

An expert in the use of force by police yesterday faulted the actions of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin in last year’s deadly arrest of George Floyd, testifying that no force should have been used after Floyd was handcuffed and prone. Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Jody Stiger appeared as a prosecution witness at Chauvin’s murder trial, as prosecutors sought to further demonstrate that the fired former officer disregarded his training when he knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Stiger told jurors that Floyd did not pose an immediate threat or actively resisted arrest at the time when Chauvin used deadly force on the 46-year-old black man while he was handcuffed in the prone position in the May 2020 incident. “My opinion was that no force was…

London: Amid concerns over the potential link between the AstraZeneca jab and rare blood clots, the UK yesterday rolled out a third Covid-19 vaccine developed by the US-based Biotechnology company Moderna. The Moderna vaccine follows the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs. The government said it has ordered 17 million doses, which will be the third since the rollout began in December last year. A trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on children in the UK has been paused even as the country’s medicines regulator probes a possible link of the vaccine with rare blood clots in adults. | IANS…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za UNDERSTANDABLY, the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, David Miller, Quinton de Kock and Lungi Ngidi from the last ODI – a series decider – against Pakistan yesterday, angered a lot of South Africans. ‘Country first,’ is the argument, backed up by ‘international cricket is the highest form of the game’. It made Proteas captain Temba Bavuma’s job a little bit harder. That quintet took 371 ODI caps’ worth of experience with them on their chartered flight to Mumbai on Monday. In addition, Miller and De Kock had been crucial performers in the win last Sunday that tied the series – and were in form – while Nortje’s been the best bowler in the series. South Africa’s starting XI yesterday contained a total of 154 caps. From…