Weekend Argus Saturday Saturday, July 11, 2020

REPATRIATION Citizens stranded due to steep airfare South Africans abroad are struggling to find affordable tickets TSHEGO LEPULE AND CHELSEA GEACH DAVID RITCHIE  African News Agency (ANA) SOUTH Africans stranded abroad will have to fork out as much as R35000 for a repatriation flight home as some tickets prices have doubled in the past month. Desperate citizens who can’t afford the airfare have to rely on donations and goodwill for food and temporary housing until they try to raise the money for a ticket home. The Department of International Relations and Co-operative Affairs (Dirco) said as many as 15000 South Africans have returned since the borders were reopened for repatriations. However, they are uncertain how many citizens remain stranded. As of today, 13 flights are scheduled to leave the country…

UPROOTED CYBERCRIME How a ‘lonely’ widow fell victim to romance scam KASHIEFA AJAM AND SHANICE NAIDOO BRENDAN MAGAAR African News Agency (ANA) JANE was lonely and Jackson (not their real names) arrived at just the right moment. She met him on a popular dating site, just months after her husband died. He wasn’t good-looking, but they had similar interests and Jackson was a God-fearing man. “We chatted for months, he said he was from America, an electrical engineer doing a project in Cape Town,” said Jane. But there were the warning signs – Jackson would always make excuses when Jane wanted to video chat. Then, Jackson told Jane he had to travel to Dubai to collect materials needed for a project. “When he returned, he let me know he had been…

RAINFALL Girl missing after fall Residents warned of adverse weather SAM SPILLER sam.spiller@inl.co.za HENK KRUGER African News Agency (ANA) A DESPERATE father hopes his 8-year-old daughter, who was swept away by Cape Town rains on Thursday, is found. “I’m just longing for my child and for any good news,” said Michael Steenkamp yesterday. On Thursday at around 1pm, the city’s fire and rescue service was alerted after Steenkamp’s daughter, Abieda, had fallen into a canal near 8th Avenue in Belgravia Estate. Upon arrival, the teams were informed by residents that a man had jumped into the canal in an attempt to save her. “Members of the Ottery fire crew positioned themselves in Klipfontein Road across from the Mary Harding School, while Epping’s crew was at Koedoe and Hickory streets, and…

ENERGY Load shedding continues, says Eskom TSHEGO LEPULE ESKOM has announced load shedding will continue this weekend. After a four-month reprieve, yesterday the power utility announced that they would implement stage two load shedding from 9am (Saturday) until 10pm. Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said: “Three of the six generation units contributing to the earlier breakdowns have been successfully returned to survive at the Tutuka, Arnot and Matimba power stations. This has had a net effect of reducing the plant breakdowns to 2350 megawatts of capacity with breakdowns occurring at the Arnot, Kendal, Tutuka and Majuba power stations. “The delayed return of service of a generation unit at Duvha power station has also added significant pressure to the generation system.” Last month, Eskom boss Andre de Ruyter told Parliament the utility…

TRANSPORT Taxi violence claims six lives in seven days TSHEGO LEPULE tshego.lepule@inl.co.za A FRESH outbreak of taxi violence has left commuters fearing for their lives after six people were killed in the province. In the past seven days, six people have died and another six were injured in multiple shooting incidents. Since January, 43 taxi-related murders have been registered in the province despite interventions from the provincial and national departments of transport. In the latest flare-up in Mbekweni over routes, two passers-by were shot and wounded after armed men opened fire at the taxi rank in Mohajane Street on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said in the first incident, which occurred at 7am, a 45-year-old man was injured after a taxi with an unknown registration drove around the…

COMEDY Virtually trying to crack a joke Cape Town funny man gearing up for his new show set to take place on ‘your comfy couch’ SAM SPILLER sam.spiller@inl.co.za IT’S a digital life for comedian Dr Riaad Moosa as his shows head online. The Cape Town comic is adapting his shows for a remote audience with shows premièring on streaming services, straight from his bedroom. Moosa said it’s a case of keeping busy and putting out adapted content despite national and global issues, all the while making light of the situation. “Comedy equals tragedy, plus time. “We are going through a difficult time at the moment, but a lot of humour will come out of it and we must feel fortunate that we live in a time where we can continue…