Table of contents for 2023-11-20 in Cape Times

THE GOVERNMENT has tightened what may be the last screw in the battle against vandalism of infrastructure, especially copper, at utilities including Transnet, Eskom and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa by requiring sellers to be registered entities, which could perplex random collectors and ensure accountability between dealers and sellers. In a gazette released on Friday, the government said it would restrict and regulate trade in ferrous and non- ferrous metals waste, scrap and semi-finished metals to limit damage to infrastructure and the economy, which at the end of April this year stood at about R46.5 billion, according to data from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The latest decision follows two successive periodical bans on the trade in scrap metal which had the industry in uproar,…

THE DA and UDM have slammed the ANC’s use of an image of Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya on a voter registration poster. President Cyril Ramaphosa apologised on behalf of the ANC for the use of Justice Maya’s image on a party poster, also saying that judges must not be brought into politics. The poster, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) depicted Maya in her official Constitutional Court robe, accompanied by a call for South Africans to register to vote for the ANC. Ramaphosa was reacting to a strongly worded statement from the Office of the Chief Justice distancing itself from the use of Justice Maya’s image on the ANC social media page, saying it was not authorised by Justice Maya’s office or the Office of the Chief Justice…

The 65 alleged instigators charged in connection with the unrest and public violence that occurred in July 2021 in KwaZulu-Natal have been served with indictments. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said they were served with indictments, in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday. According to the eight page indictment, the accused were disgruntled following the Constitutional Court decision to jail former president Jacob Zuma for a period of 15 months in June 2021 for contempt of court. This was due to Zuma failing to appear before the State Capture commission which was chaired by Justice Raymond Zondo. It is alleged that Zuma’s supporters, including the accused, were disgruntled by the Constitutional Court decision and publicly campaigned against his imprisonment through gatherings and via social media. The indictment states that WhatsApp…

INTENSE power cuts are set to be another blow to the country’s economy after Minister in the Presidency for Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recently disclosed that South Africa could be losing R1 billion a day as a result of load shedding. A shortage in generation capacity due a loss of cluster units crippled the power grid leading to the intense power cuts. In order to replenish emergency reserves in preparation for the week ahead, Stage 3 load shedding had to be implemented. It is expected to remain unchanged until today; thereafter stages 1 and 3 will alternate in the morning and afternoon from Tuesday until Wednesday. “Unplanned outages are currently at 16 264MW of generating capacity including delays at Lethabo Power Station. The capacity out of service for planned maintenance is…

THE ineffective UN Security Council recently approved a resolution calling for an urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip. More than five weeks into the war, calls for a ceasefire for the sake of humanity have only grown louder around the globe. Historically, different terms like cessation of hostilities, de-escalation, pauses, safe zones and truce have been used to halt fighting around the globe. Regrettably, whatever we want to call the halt of hostility and stopping the loss of lives, in international humanitarian law and organisations such as the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council there is no effective and binding provision or structure for “ceasefire”. Hence, the UN, like the ICC, is a toothless tiger, a two-faced body, and has done nothing to resolve…

Ingredients 30ml olive oil 30ml butter One small bunch of leeks, finely chopped (white parts only) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped half a bottle of white wine (chenin blanc works well) 1.5 - 2kg fresh black mussels, cleaned* 125ml fresh cream Rind of a lemon, finely grated Salt and pepper to taste Chopped fresh herbs, to serve (parsley and dill work well) Method To clean fresh mussels, rinse them under cold tap water. Scrub the outsides if they are a little hairy, then pull off the grassy “beard” from the pointy side to the round side. Remember, any mussels that aren’t closed before cooking should be discarded. And any mussels that haven’t opened after cooking, should also be tossed. In a wide heavy-based pot/casserole, heat the oil and butter over…

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) says it has raised its level of alertness, particularly heading towards the festive season, following the arrest of five people at OR Tambo International Airport – two Acsa staffers and three others working for companies operating at the airport – in connection with drug trafficking. In a statement, Acsa reaffirmed its commitment to taking a zero-tolerance stance against fraud, corruption and any other types of illicit or criminal behaviour by its employees both direct and indirect at its airports. The suspects were arrested following a special joint operation between Acsa and the Hawks which resulted in the identification and apprehension of the five. The arrests are linked to a consignment of drugs that was seized in Australia recently, making this the first operation of its…

In a recent revelation that has sent shock waves through the South African financial landscape, 28 banks, including the UK-based Standard Chartered, have been implicated in manipulation of the rand. The Competition Commission's decision to impose a seemingly paltry R42.7 million fine on Standard Chartered has left many questioning the adequacy of the punishment for such a severe transgression. The manipulation of the rand by these financial institutions not only raises serious ethical concerns, but also poses a significant threat to the stability of the South African economy. The financial market is the cornerstone of economic activity, and any form of manipulation undermines the principles of fair competition and transparency that are essential for its proper functioning. The R42.7 million admission of guilt fine, amounts to a mere fraction of…

THE Democratic Republic of the Congo kicks off a month-long election campaign today with 26 candidates running for president amid a tense political climate and fighting in the east of the country. About 44 million registered voters, out of a population of almost 100 million, will elect a president on December 20. They will also choose between tens of thousands of candidates for legislative and local bodies in the country with vast resources but endemic conflict and corruption. A “pre-campaign” has been underway for a while, with President Felix Tshisekedi, who is seeking a second term, attending numerous public events while his allies praise his record. With the launch of the official campaign, big rallies, media interviews, giant posters and handing out flyers will be allowed. On opening day, Tshisekedi…

BUENOS AIRES: Argentinians headed to the polls yesterday in a delicately poised presidential run-off, with voters seeking a solution to triple-digit inflation and rising poverty, and two clashing visions for the country’s future on offer. The election sees Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massago head-to-head with radical libertarian outsider Javier Milei, the slight pre-election favourite in the polls. Milei is pledging economic shock therapy, from shutting the central bank to ditching the peso and slashing spending, potentially painful reforms, but which have clicked with crowds of voters angry at the economic malaise. | Reuters…

RIYADH: A wave of ribbon-cutting ceremonies is sweeping the Saudi capital as multinationals face a January deadline to open regional headquarters in the Gulf kingdom or lose out on government contracts. In what has become a common scene, executives in suits and Saudi officials in white robes gather to inaugurate the new offices, sipping Arabic coffee in a haze of incense smoke while singing the praises of last year’s fastest-growing G20 economy. Saudi Arabia’s regional headquarters (RHQ) programme is seen as a bid to compete with Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. So far, 162 regional headquarters licenses have been granted. | AFP…

HEALING is a glaringly missing goal in the 17 goals of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The world has to be introspective and consider this goal. Because human beings are ominously spiritual as found out by the Father Lapsley Institute of Healing Memories, the omission of healing as a goal for a planet that is bleeding and people that are bleeding marks a world that is remiss, one that has relegated the idea of consciousness to a laundry list of material artefacts. On the 16th of November I had the privilege of joining Father Michael Lapsley, a fellow National University of Lesotho (NUL) student, Professor Bonke Dumisa, another fellow student of NUL, and many distinguished guests. This magnificent seminal session was occasioned by the 25th anniversary…

we love a good pie in South Africa. Flaky pastry with a tasty meat centre – what is not to love? A good pie is hard to beat as a great family meal. It’s always a good idea, especially at the weekend or when you’re too lazy to cook. You will find freshly baked pies in artisan bakeries and restaurants all over South Africa. And if you are feeling too lazy even to go out, you can make these easily at home: Chicken and mushroom pot pies Serve: 4 Ingredients 1 small whole free-range chicken 2 tbs olive oil 2 tbs butter 1 diced onion 1 large leek, washed and sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 4 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tsp dried herbs 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves 50g flour…

Beauty influencer and YouTube sensation Kay Yarms just dropped her very own Scarlet Hill make-up range, created in collaboration with Mr Price, and her fans are here for it. The affordable range consists of a contour kit, a lip kit that includes a lipliner, matt lipstick and a gloss, a blusher and eyeshadow palette, as well as her favourite strip lashes. It even includes beauty blenders and sponges. The pallets are all in neutral shades that work for day and night. Yarms took to Instagram to announce the arrival of her limited edition Kay Yarms x Scarlet Hill collection. “Even though we have been working on this for months it still feels sooooo surreal! I cannot believe it, a whole me!! I have brought to you some of my favourite…

The suspension of nine parliamentary staff members facing disciplinary action has been welcomed as a step towards accountability over the fire that destroyed the National Assembly and Old Assembly buildings. Last month a probe into the fire found that minimum physical standards of security measures were not adhered to, and that enabled Parliament to be breached without detection. The investigation uncovered various system and maintenance failures, from perimeter issues to malfunctioning emergency exits, a lack of monitoring, the absence of on-site protection services and CCTV monitoring, which all contributed to security breaches and the inability to prevent and contain the fire. Zandile Christmas Mafe, who was charged with arson, is currently before the Western Cape High Court in connection with the incident. Parliament at the weekend said the causes and…

THE recent Auditor-General report tabled in the Eastern Cape legislature has once again raised serious concerns regarding the financial management of the ANC-led Eastern Cape. The report has revealed an alarming state of affairs, indicating that irregularities, non-compliance and suspected fraud have resulted in a staggering material and financial loss estimated at a whopping R632.82 million. This revelation underscores a deeply troubling situation where the hard-earned money of taxpayers gets mismanaged, misappropriated and ultimately wasted. In stark contrast, the Western Cape government received unqualified audits for all departments and entities, and 21 of the province’s 30 municipalities obtained a clean audit opinion. These municipalities account for 94% of the province’s R84,50 billion local government expenditure budget. Additionally, 55.2% of all unqualified audit opinions in South Africa are in the Western…

I REFER to the article: "4 Held over clashes in pro-Israel march," Cape Times, November 13. What a sad day for the lofty concepts of democracy and freedom of speech. The pro-Hamas group has had their chance to march and express their views. Why do they not allow another group with different ideas to present theirs? The concepts of freedom of speech and religion are enshrined in our Constitution. Does the pro-Hamas group have no respect for our Constitution? It would appear not. If groups with divergent ideas cannot tolerate and respect the views of other groups, how will the world ever solve problems? Sadly, (last) Sunday part of hard-won democracy was killed! A complete tragedy. Kevin Meineke | Hout Bay…

THE Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating the death of a 39-year-old suspect, alleged to be the mastermind behind the killing of activist Loyiso Nkohla. Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi said the man was expected to appear on Friday in transit at the East London Magistrate’s Court in connection with the murder. He was found dead in the holding cells. This comes after the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team arrested the suspect on Thursday in the small town of Peddie. “No foul play is suspected as it is confirmed that he died of a heart attack early in the morning,” said Vukubi. The case was now being handled by Ipid as the oversight agency, he said. Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said he was waiting for their Eastern Cape officials to…

Hamas militants battled Israeli forces trying to push into Gaza’s largest refugee camp yesterday and Israeli air strikes to the south killed dozens of Palestinians, witnesses said, as a US media report of a nascent hostage release deal was denied. The Washington Post said yesterday that US mediators were close to a deal between Israel and Hamas to free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in their war that would help boost emergency aid shipments to Gaza civilians, citing people familiar with the matter. The Post had reported that a tentative deal had been reached, and this was denied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US officials, with a White House spokesperson saying efforts were continuing to clinch a deal.…

Kenya yesterday said tens of thousands of people across the country had been impacted by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides that had also interrupted cargo services at Mombasa port. The Horn of Africa has experienced intense rainfall linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon in recent weeks that has claimed dozens of lives, including at least 46 in parts of Kenya. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said at least 80 000 households in Kenya had been affected “with numbers rising every day”. He said the government was responding to “save our people” including with helicopters and other emergency services to deliver aid and rescue marooned families. “This situation has continued to threaten lives,” he said, urging the public to avoid floodwaters and evacuate homes in low-lying areas. The prolonged rainfall…

LONDON: A dozen departments in the UK have been profiling government critics in order to block them from speaking at public events, UK media have found. The Observer reports that 15 departments, including health, culture, media and sport, and environment, food and rural affairs, were running checks on experts and occasionally disinviting them from government-funded events. Guidelines told officials to monitor social media of potential invitees and to look through up to 10 pages of Google search results on them covering three to five years. The Education Department vetted its speakers in October but the true scale of it was uncovered recently. | Sputnik…

PARIS: France has successfully test-fired an M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, boosting the credibility of France’s nuclear deterrence capabilities, the defence ministry said yesterday. The missile, which did not carry a nuclear weapon, was fired from the French army’s Biscarosse missile testing site in southwest France and landed in the North Atlantic, “hundreds of kilometres from any coastline” the ministry said. “The flight has allowed to confirm a major improvement of the missile which will contribute to the lasting credibility of France’s oceanic deterrence in coming decades,” the ministry said yesterday. | Reuters…

C-SUITE positions are those with the word “chief” in the title, those execu- tive posts that are the highest decision-making positions in an organisation, where the cream of the crop gets to be rewarded by rising to those levels. Ambitious employees, especially young professionals, are constantly observing and trying to learn the behaviours, qualities and aptitudes that enable one to get to those levels. Business schools charge significant amounts of money and retain their relevance as the best schools to choose by offering courses that best assist would-be aspirants with the necessary skills. The Black Management Forum (BMF) is also constantly involved in developing its members to exude these crucial managerial leadership skills, to drive the transformation that the organisation advocates for. Business schools spend consider- able time observing trends…

THE Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has published a bill on the establishment of a South African National Petroleum Company to ensure the State derives maximum benefits from the country’s petroleum resources. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe published the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) Bill for public comment in the government gazette. The establishment of the SANPC will result in the amalgamation of many entities that fall under the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy petroleum sector. Some industry experts said they would adopt a wait-and-see approach until the bill was finalised and others said the idea was a non-starter. But the DA said this could be the first step towards the country forming an oil exploration company. The functions of the company were to hold…

Doctors Without Borders blame Israeli forces for deadly attacks on convoy evacuating 137 people in Gaza WHILE a World Health Organization-led joint UN humanitarian assessment team decried the state of the Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza where they were greeted by a mass grave at the entrance, their colleagues at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) were mourning the loss of a staff’s relative, killed in an attack on the convoy trying to evacuate 137 people. These included MSF Palestinian staff members and their families who were trapped for a week in MSF premises located near Al-Shifa Hospital. The humanitarian organisation believes the incident was a “deliberate attack” by the Israeli Defense Forces as parties to the conflict were made aware of the evacuation. “(Saturday) morning, at 9am local time, an…

NOW that the great anti-Israel protest is a thing of the past we are left more bewildered than before since no solution to the conflict is forthcoming. Article 7 of the Hamas Covenant of 1988 has the following to say. “The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them.” Article 13 rejects any compromise or peace, until Israel is destroyed. Good heavens this is the perfect recipe for everlasting conflict. Shame on Hamas! After centuries of suffering the Jews deserve a piece of land that they can call their own. Small, dry, arid and without oil! The history of the Jews regarding what is now called Israel dates back 4000 years. Of course they have a claim to it! The bitter irony here is…

ISRAEL is the most powerful mini super-power in the world. The country’s sophisticated nuclear arsenal is capable of delivering atomic weapons from land, sea and air. Its first and second strike capabilities have a range of 4 800km, which enables it to hit the entire Middle-East, Asia and parts of Southern Europe. Israeli military doctrine envisages strikes against its enemies, potential enemies and friends if they are about to lose a conventional conflict. Israel came within a hair’s breadth of using nuclear weapons on three occasions in the past. It is a recorded fact that Israel tested nuclear weapons with South Africa in 1979, the flash from which was detected over the South Atlantic by a US Vela satellite. Israel currently has 80 nuclear weapons; 30 are gravity bombs, for…

A LOCAL man has expressed his frustration after a DNA test kit ordered from Ireland was intercepted by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) at OR Tambo International Airport and is yet to be released after a month. The man said the package consists of two swab tubes and earbuds. He was advised on October 20 by the courier company meant to deliver the goods that the item he was importing was currently under investigation by Sahpra, after it was detained by Port Health at OR Tambo. “I am not the first South African to request a DNA test. What is there to investigate: It’s 2X a swab tube and earbud(s),” he said. He added that he was informed by the courier company that customs only allowed 14…

A few years ago, I gave a presentation at a South African Aids Conference in Durban on the topic of “Multiple Concurrent Partners” (MCP). Research had uncovered MCP as a high-risk factor for HIV transmission. MCP is defined – by the HIV experts – as having more than one sexual partner at the same time. After giving a 30-minute presentation, I fielded questions and comments from the audience and one of the most memorable contributions was from a middle-aged black activist and leader of a community-based organisation. She said: “I hear you speak about this MCP or whatever! I think you are being evasive, Sir. What you are talking about is called ubufebe. We must tell people the truth; ubufebe is what is spreading the HIV disease in our communities.…

The Ukrainian army said yesterday that it has pushed Russian forces back “3km to 8km” from the banks of Dnipro River – the first meaningful advance by Kyiv’s forces months into a disappointing counteroffensive. Ukrainian and Russian forces have been entrenched on opposite sides of the vast waterway in the southern Kherson region for more than a year, after Russia withdrew its troops from the western bank last November. Ukrainian forces have staged multiple attempts to cross and hold positions on the Russian-controlled side – with officials in Kyiv finally reporting a “successful” breakthrough last week. “Preliminary figures vary from 3km to 8km, depending on the specifics, geography and landscape of the left bank,” army spokesperson Natalia Gumenyuk told Ukrainian television yesterday, without specifying if Ukraine’s military had complete control…

More than 200 Thai nationals trapped by the surge in fighting in northern Myanmar between junta soldiers and armed ethnic-minority groups are being evacuated to Thailand via China, the Thai foreign ministry said yesterday. Myanmar military, which seized power in a 2021 coup, is losing control of several towns and military outposts around the country as well as being overrun in parts of its north as they battle the biggest co-ordinated offensive, launched last month by an alliance of three ethnic-minority groups. The Thai foreign ministry said a group of 266 Thais and an unspecified number of Filipinos and Singaporeans are being evacuated from Laukkaing the Myanmar-China border with help from the Myanmar authorities. Thai authorities earlier said some were victims of human trafficking and some might be involved with…

SILKYARA: Indian authorities were exploring five new plans to rescue workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in the Indian Himalayas after a week of failed attempts. Forty-one men, stuck in the highway tunnel in Uttarakhand state since November 12, are safe and being fed through a pipe, the authorities say. The cause of the accident has not been determined, although the hillside region is prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods. Rescuers had been drilling horizontally through the debris toward the trapped workers in the 4.5km tunnel until the auger drilling machine broke on Friday and a new one was flown in. | Reuters…

HOUSTON: Donald Trump took his US presidential campaign down to the border with Mexico yesterday, as he seeks to double down on the hardline immigration policies that were a hallmark of his first White House term. The former president warned that undocumented migrants were “poisoning the blood of our country”. The Texas legislature has passed a bill that would make entry into the state without papers a crime punishable by up to two years in jail, or up to 20 years if the person refuses to leave the US. Trump says that if he is re-elected, he will engineer a tough crackdown on the undocumented, including detention camps and mass deportations. | AFP…