Weekend Argus Saturday Saturday, August 15, 2020

PROVINCE Desperate bid to save economy Winde to call on Ramaphosa to open all sectors TSHEGO LEPULE tshego.lepule@inl.co.za BRENDAN MAGAAR African News Agency (ANA) PREMIER Alan Winde will make a last-ditch effort to reopen the economy, which is close to crisis, when he meets President Cyril Ramaphosa today. Ramaphosa is expected to meet with all nine premiers to discuss the economy and recommendations to ease lockdown restrictions as the state of emergency ends at midnight. “My number one focus for the Presidential Command Council will be on motivating for the safe opening of the economy in the Western Cape. “We need to urgently focus on saving jobs, rebuilding the economy and addressing hunger and starvation.” He said he hoped the president would acknowledge the severe situation many South Africans face.…

METRO Bottle store burglaries rise THE Western Cape recorded the highest number of liquor store robberies in the country during lock-down as residents in the province rebelled against the alcohol ban. In the wake of the ban on the sale and transportation of alcohol, the province saw a spike in the bottle store burglaries. This was disclosed during the presentation of the police’s first quarter crime statistics that covered April 1 to June 30 in which Police Minister Bheki Cele described the overall decline in crime as “a crime holiday”. However, crime began to pick up when lockdown restrictions were eased. In the Western Cape 2838 burglaries took place at non-residential premises in the three-month period which amounted to a 8.2% increase when compared to the same period last year.…

C B D Long Street comes short in lockdown SAM SPILLER sam.spiller@inl.co.za FOR sale signs – and even a gravestone in front of a business – mark the sentiment that Long Street resembles a ghost town. The iconic party strip and surrounding bars and restaurants have felt the full effect of the ban on the sale of alcohol, and curfews which have financially crippled the hospitality industry. Spokesperson for the Long Street Association, a collection of business owners and stakeholders in the area, Randolf Jorberg (founder of Beerhouse) warned of a loss of 30 to 50% of all businesses that were operating before the lockdown. “I’m certain there are a lot of other venues on Long Street and in the whole of town that won’t reopen, or will attempt to…

WEATHER Chilly weekend expected, no load shedding WHILE Capetonians are gearing up for a frosty weekend, things have lightened up on the electricity front as no load shedding is anticipated. The forecast shows that the mercury will be a chilly 13ºC for the weekend, with rain expected today but it should ease by tomorrow. Yesterday saw the second day of Stage 2 load shedding, but it was reduced to Stage 1 from 5pm until 10pm as the generation system eased. Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said: “While no load shedding is anticipated during the weekend, Eskom reminds the public to continue using electricity sparingly as the system remains vulnerable and unpredictable. “Eskom teams successfully returned a generation unit each at three (Duvha, Kriel and Tutuka) power stations for maintenance. These have…

WHO surge teams arrive in country Health experts will help combat pandemic BONGANI HANS bongani.hans@inl.co.za HEALTH Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned South Africa not to be like other countries which have witnessed a second surge of Covid-19 that has caused more destruction. He issued the warning during a virtual event yesterday to welcome 43 health experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to help combat the pandemic, of which 16 have already arrived. Mkhize said the country needed the WHO team because it had not passed the surge especially as it had the fifth-highest positive cases globally. “We are only now considering easing some of the restrictions and we are still to cross that critical juncture of reopening of our borders. “Apart from the impact on the health system that…

Inspiring miracles in her pupils Teacher goes extra mile having defied the odds KEAGAN MITCHELL keagan.mitchell@inl.co.za BRENDAN MAGAAR African News Agency (ANA) “MY parents always said I was their miracle child which made me feel special. It also made me feel as if I had a purpose to fulfil,” says Nicole Frank. Frank was born at five-and-a-half months without the full development of vital organs such as her lungs. Her recovery was slow to the point that she was baptised in hospital. Doctors didn’t think she would survive, but she defied the odds. Fast-forward 30 years and she is as relentless as ever. Currently the head of department (HoD) of the intermediate and senior phase at Constantia Primary School, Frank said: “My parents supported all my wild ideas, from dancing…