Indice dei contenuti per 2021-06-03 in Cape Times

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE BLACK Business Council (BBC) has lamented the lack of transformation in the commanding heights of the economy. Transformation and diversity came into the spotlight at the annual BBC summit, which discussed the role of black businesses in the economic reconstruction and recovery plan. BBC President Sandile Zungu yesterday lambasted the lack of progress since the adoption of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act. Zungu, who was very forthright with his statement, said the act was not ambitious enough to push for transformation of the industries in benefit of black executives since its passing in 2003. A study by PwC released in January found that the country’s top echelons are yet to mirror diversity according to race, age and gender. PwC reported that 81 percent…

THERE is a real threat that the Covid-19 pandemic may have reversed progress made on the world’s efforts to com- bat food insecurity and hunger affecting 130 million or more people globally. As the world clambers to rebound after the pandemic, this article outlines four policy levers that African leaders should pull for improved prioritisation and planning of food and agriculture policies in 2021 going forward. There can be no disagreement to the commonly held view that agriculture has been a boon for economic and social development in developing countries, and yet it remains largely underfunded. It has been almost 20 years since African countries pledged to spend at least 10 percent of public expenditure on food and agriculture at the 2003 Maputo Declaration, spawning the Comprehensive African…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured the country that he is handling the issue of Health Minister Zweli Mkhize as the latter faces mounting pressure to step aside. Opposition parties yesterday called on Ramaphosa to leave no stone unturned in the Mkhize affair and demanded action against the minister. But acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said they were acting against corruption and Ramaphosa should not lose heart. “The fact that the SIU (Special Investigating Unit) is investigating the allegations of corruption related to PPE (personal protective equipment) procurement and Digital Vibes’ contract point to our commitment to fight against corruption. “We recognise that the prevention, detection and prosecution of corruption goes beyond law enforcement, requiring the activation of capacities and systems across government and broader society.…

Zanele Mvana zanele.mvana@inl.co.za A SOCCER coach and a dance instructor who teamed up to host initiatives aimed at keeping young Gugulethu boys and girls off the streets are still going strong, hosting after-school programmes where children are taught valuable life skills. The Gugulethu After School Programme was initiated five years ago after coach Andile Mamani noticed many children were not safe in their communities and were often exposed to a life of gangsterism and drug abuse. “Most parents don’t know what their children are doing after school and they don’t support them emotionally – that’s a challenge. I saw that many children after school sit on street corners, smoke drugs and get involved with the wrong crowd, so I decided to start this after school programme where they play soccer…

Siphokazi Vuso and Odwa Mkentane TRADITIONAL surgeons have started initiating boys, saying they were not consulted as the province moved to put a break on the initiation season. The season was previously expected to resume in the province this month, but the provincial health department recommended a postponement, which is being reviewed. The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) has submitted the initiation risk adjusted plan to the national government and said it was awaiting approval. Traditional surgeon and Somagwaza Institute chairperson, Sikelela Zokufa, said they were taken aback by the department’s move as they had started initiating boys. “The MEC (Anroux Marais) announced the lifting of the suspension of initiation from June 1, 2021. Now, as traditional custodians, we have started initiating boys and we are…

INGREDIENTS METHOD 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 cup (240ml) soy milk 2 tsp vanilla extract ¹/³ cup (80ml) canola oil 1 tbs white vinegar Preheat the oven to 180°C Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda and salt and mix together. Add the soy milk, vanilla, oil and vinegar and give it a quick whisk with a hand whisk until just combined. Spray two 18cm round cake tins with non-stick spray and cut parchment paper into circles to fit the bottoms. Divide the batter evenly between them. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean your…

Kennedy Mudzuli kennedy.mudzuli@inl.co.za ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za A LENASIA man who took 45 pornographic pictures of a 12-year-old child in exchange for clothes and food has failed three times to convince the courts to overturn his sentence. A lower court earlier sentenced Aardiel Essop to 10 years’ imprisonment after he was convicted on 45 charges of contravening the Films and Publications Act, as well as kidnapping. Unhappy with the fact that the magistrate compared his case to another in which a man was sentenced to 10 years for 144 pornographic transgressions, Essop appealed to the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. He felt that the 45 pictures he took paled in comparison to that of the 144 in the other case. However, Judge Judy Kollapen also turned down his appeal. Still aggrieved…

Nkosikhulule Nyembezi WILL South Africa hold the local government elections on October 27 or will the elections be postponed for a later date, possibly, in 2024? That is the unusual question most citizens are asking following the electoral commission’s announcement that former deputy chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke had been asked to inquire on whether the Covid-19 lockdown conditions are conducive to holding free and fair elections. The inquiry report is expected by July 21 and can lead to the postponement of these elections if selfish political party interests are left unchecked by ordinary citizens. This is an unusual question because most of those calling for the postponement of the elections seem to miss out the single most important thing about our electoral democracy from a regulatory point of…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration will be remembered for its failure to keep their end of the “deal”. South Africans have largely complied with every regulation that the government has imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19, even when some of these measures were found wanting by the courts. Despite this, many continued to listen and accept some of the most ridiculous rules Ramaphosa and his officials have asked us to abide by, even when they defied logic. Remember being barred from the beach where there is sufficient ventilation, while packed minibus taxis were allowed to operate? We were once told not to buy certain food and clothing items and instructed to only go out to exercise at certain times of the day. Perhaps now that some parts of our country…

Israel’s health officials have found a probable link between Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE’s coronavirus vaccine and dozens of cases of heart inflammation in young men following the second dose of the vaccine, the Health Ministry said this week. The vaccine has been administered to more than 5 million people in the country, and the number of Covid-19 cases has plummeted. The Health Ministry said yesterday that despite the possible link, it would expand its vaccination drive to 12-16-year-olds. The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised its use for this age group. In a study by health officials, there were 275 cases of myocarditis identified between December 2020, when the vaccination drive began, and May 2021, including 148 cases within a month after vaccination. Of these, 27 cases occurred…

Zarzis: At least 23 migrants were missing and two bodies recovered from the sea off Tunisia, the Red Crescent reported yesterday. The Tunisian navy said a boat headed for Europe from Libya was intercepted on Tuesday near Miskar oil platform, 67km off the coast. A group of migrants – 37 Eritreans, 32 Sudanese and an Egyptian, all aged between 15 and 40 – were handed over to the Red Crescent and the International Organization for Migration, in the southern port of Zarzis. Tunisia and Libya are key departure points for migrants attempting the dangerous crossing from the North African coast to Europe, particularly Italy. | AFP…

Paris: A new French edition of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf was published yesterday with the text reflecting the “abominably badly written” original, according to its translator. The notorious book, first published in two tomes in 1924 and 1925, laid out the foundations for National Socialism including violence and anti-Semitism. The only other French translation, published in 1934 and still in print, improves the repetitive and turgid prose of the original, said French translator Olivier Mannoni. He said his work was true to the original. The translation includes criticism of Hitler’s manifesto and will be free for public libraries. | AFP…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za DID you know that Akani Simbine is not the fastest South African over 100m in 2021? That honour currently lies with Gift Leotlela, whose 9.94 seconds at the SA university championships in Johannesburg last month is the quickest by a local athlete – compared to Simbine’s 9.99 at the national championships. The 9.94 is also the joint-fourth fastest in the world this year, alongside two Americans in Ronnie Baker and Jo’Vaughn Martin. Three other US sprinters have gone quicker: Trayvon Bromell is on top with 9.88, followed by Isiah Young’s 9.89 and Fred Kerley’s 9.91. These are the legal times, of course, with Simbine’s astonishing 9.82 and Shaun Maswanganyi’s 9.87 ruled out by illegal wind readings above +2.0m/s. Leotlela was also a “victim” of a strong wind,…

RETAILER Shoprite Holdings said yesterday that it had sold its Nigerian operations, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited (RSNL), to local firm Ketron Investment, a subsidiary of property firm Persianas Investment. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. It includes both a franchise agreement, which secures RSNL the right to continue to use the Shoprite brand and an administration and services agreement, which provides RSNL with administration and technical support from the Shoprite Group for an initial period of five years. The sale forms part of Shoprite’s strategic review process of its capital allocation to its non-South African operations. “Accordingly, a decision was taken to dispose of its total interest in RSNL,” said Shoprite. Shoprite said 70 percent of the transaction proceeds had been received with the balance due in…

FISHING company Oceana Group grew its profits despite Covid-19 disruption for the six months ended March 31, 2021, thanks to strong demand for its products. Profit before tax increased 5 percent to R489 million, while earnings per share rose 13 percent to 284 cents and headline earnings per share were up 4 percent to 260.5c in the reported period. Its total dividends at 110c per share, increased 10 percent. Imraan Soomra, the chief executive of Oceana, said yesterday that demand had remained strong right across its product spectrum, and although Covid-19 had disrupted its supply chain of canned fish in the latter half of the six months, the company’s close management of inventory and working capital had delivered results. “I am particularly pleased that…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za A TOTAL of 4 117 personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts awarded to 2 251 service providers to the value of R14.2 billion have been referred for investigation to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Briefing the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) yesterday on the procurement of PPE for the Covid-19 pandemic, SIU head Andy Mothibi said the SIU had finalised investigations into 1 071 contracts awarded to 835 service providers to the tune of R5.7bn. The unit, however, continues to get new reports containing allegations of maladministration and irregularity. Mothibi said in addition to the 25 referrals for disciplinary action against officials since February, 63 more had been made. There were 44 more referrals made to the National Prosecuting Authority, in addition to 38 in February. Mothibi…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za ELIMINATING gender-based violence, making Ingonyama Trust land productive for the Zulu nation and working for the people were some of the many issues new Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini says will occupy him as he settles on the throne despite facing opposition from some family members. Speaking to eNCA from Mkhuze in northern KwaZulu-Natal yesterday, the 47-year-old traditional leader also spoke about, among other issues, the legacy of his late father, King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu. This was his first interview with the media since being named heir to the throne last month. He also spoke about his family life and his wife and the possibility of marrying more women in future. Speaking in English and donning a Western suit, he said when he had to be whisked out…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za A NEWLY discovered Early Jurassic theropod trackway near Storm Shelter in the Eastern Cape contains not only the smallest tracks in the Clarens Formation, but also the most elongated dinosaur footprints in southern Africa to date. Professor Emese Bordy of the Department of Geological Sciences at UCT documented the newly discovered trackway of very small, functionally tridactyl tracks near Storm Shelter in the South African Journal of Science. “In comparison to other similar tracks, these footprints are … also the most elongated dinosaur footprints in southern Africa to date. “The tracks also show that the small-bodied bipedal trackmaker dashed across the wet sediment surface at an estimated running speed of 12.5km/h. “During the dash, either as a predator or as a prey, the trackmaker’s small feet sunk hallux-deep…

Staff writer “I’VE HAD this dream to get to the Olympics for a long time and made Tokyo my goal. I put everything into focusing on achieving that.” So said 25-year-old cyclist Nicholas Dlamini, from Capricorn informal settlement near Muizenberg, as he this week became one of only three elite South African cyclists to be selected to participate in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Dlamini will join Team SA to represent the country in the Men’s 234km Road Race. “Growing up I was fortunate to have good role-models to guide me and show me the way forward, and I hope that my story is a reference of hope for anyone working towards their personal goals and that it boosts and encourages them to work really hard and…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za AT LEAST 10 private vehicles have been torched and 70 Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs) buses damaged in ongoing targeted attacks, allegedly by angry private taxi drivers who had their vehicles impounded this week. An integrated taxi operation was conducted in Nyanga last Thursday during which Avanza taxis were impounded by law enforcement officers for allegedly operating without permits. Since then several vehicles had been torched in Nyanga and yesterday seven more were gutted, including two belonging to the City and five private vehicles. A Gabs bus yesterday had its tyres slashed, one bus was set alight and three company vehicles were also set alight. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the protest action was a response to an integrated taxi operation. “This office can confirm that private…

France under Macron is what SA with history of racism should be concerned about Last month has been a brutal reminder of the legacy of European colonialism. In Africa and North America two centuries later the emotional impact is as raw as if it happened yesterday. It remains steeped in colonial powers still struggling to come to terms with loss of empire and the devastation of hasty retreats! Thanks to politics of denial, containment and a concerted effort not to monetise the consequences of colonialism, especially the “R” word – reparations – alongside an entrenched underbelly of institutionalised or hidden racism, recently on the back of a wave of right-wing populism in Europe, North and South America and Australasia, this legacy will continue to rear its ugly head. As if…

An American subsidiary of Brazilian meat processor JBS told the US government that it has received a ransom demand in a cyberattack it believes originated in Russia, forcing some plants to cut production. JBS received the demand from “a criminal organisation likely based in Russia” following the attack that has affected its operations in Australia and North America, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday. The White House statement comes as yet another major US sector finds its operations under duress less than a month after a cyberattack temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline network supplying about 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the US east coast. “The White House has offered assistance to JBS, and our team and the Department of Agriculture have spoken to their leadership…

No one knows where they are going or why. Since last March, a family of wild elephants in southwest China has trekked more than 480km, travelling north through fields, highways, villages and towns. They have stolen crops, rolled around in courtyards looking for food, and broken into a car dealership where they drank water and left muddy footprints. The herd has been labelled “The Northbound Wild Elephant Eating and Walking Tour”. In one incident, two young elephants reportedly raided a villager’s stores of corn liquor and later appeared to pass out in a field. “We have no way of telling where they are going,” said Chen Mingyong, a professor at Yunnan University who studies wild elephants. From residents to officials and TikTok influencers, the country has been transfixed by the…

Athens: Greece’s culture ministry said yesterday that it would improve disability access to the Acropolis, the country’s top archaeological monument, as a row over a recent makeover rages on. The ministry said signs in Braille and bold would be installed for visitors with visual impairments, in addition to scaled models of the monuments. Handrails and slope warning signs will also be introduced, the ministry said. The move comes after months of controversy over a new concrete walkway installed at the Acropolis late last year, which opposition leader Alexis Tsipras said constituted “abuse” of Greece’s cultural heritage. | AFP…

Members of the vast trans-Pacific trade deal agreed yesterday to start the process for Britain to join the pact as the country pursues its post-Brexit commerce strategy. After an online meeting of the members hosted by Japan, they said in a joint statement that they had “reached a decision to commence an accession process” for Britain. The move would be “significant from the viewpoint of establishing a free and fair economic order”, said Japan’s Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura. He added that it would strengthen the relationship between Japan and the UK, which in October signed their own post-Brexit trade deal. British Trade Secretary Liz Truss said the membership would give Britain the benefits of a free trade area without having to cede control of borders, money or laws. |…

Andre Botha IN THE RECENT past, we have seen the rand strengthen quite dramatically against most currencies. While we accept the explanations of terms of trade and yield-seeking behaviour, the rand has been classified as a commodity currency in the past. We have seen the rand being buffeted about in the past decade by local and international events, yet we still want to know whether commodities still play a significant role in the rand. Making a simple comparison with the four main commodities – platinum, palladium, gold and brent crude – and the rand over the past 10 years draws up an interesting graph. The question of whether commodities influence the rand is a resounding yes, with the correlation between the changes in the commodity prices and the change in…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za ENVIRONMENTAL justice organisation the Green Connection has lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environmental (DFFE), regarding the alleged failure of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAP) to comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations pertaining to the Proposed Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Saldanha Bay. With the department set to make a decision on the Karpowership initiative, small-scale fishing communities and environmental activists have continued to voice their opposition against the floating power plants in South African waters. Karpowership, a member of Karadeniz Energy Group, based in Istanbul, Turkey, could possibly be adding its fully integrated power plants to the country on a 20-year contract in three provinces – Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape, Richards Bay in…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za ALTHOUGH police minister Bheki Cele yesterday triumphantly announced that the alleged killers of former ANC youth league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa will have their day in the Pietermaritzburg high court on July 19, Magaqa’s family and friends are not happy. They want to know who ordered the July 2017 hit, how it was hatched, and why. Cele revealed the latest developments during a press conference in Durban where the interministerial task team established by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2018 to probe the wave of political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, was giving an update. Among those already in the dock for Magaqa’s murder are Mbulelo Mpofana, Sibonelo Myeza and Mlungisi Ncalane; the latter two are former SAPS officers (14 other SAPS officers are allegedly involved in political killings) who…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za AS TENSIONS over land continue to simmer in Stellenbosch, a municipal office bearer in the region is among three suspects expected in court today on charges relating to the 2019 murder of former deputy mayor Cameron Mcako. The accused official, a 56-year-old whose identity is known to the Cape Times, was arrested along with his wife, aged 46, and a third male suspect aged 48 on Tuesday night. Mcako was the second prominent political figure to be killed in Khayamandi amid intense clashes for prime land to be made available for the poor. In August that year, land activist and politician Midas Wanana was shot dead outside his home in the township. Wanana had spearheaded the establishment of Azania, an informal settlement on slain landowner Stefan Smit’s…

Sibusiso Mboto Sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform has dismissed suggestions that it should enlist the assistance of the police or even the army in order to enforce the movement ban on livestock. Since news broke of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Mtubatuba in northern KwaZulu-Natal a few days ago, there have been calls for Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Thoko Didiza to take drastic measures to ensure compliance in the affected districts of King Cetshwayo and uMkhanyakude. DA spokesperson on agriculture, land reform and rural development Noko Masipa said the minister should unlock bio-security funds to help fight the outbreak that has the Red Meat Producers Organisation concerned. “Where necessary, the minister must engage the SANDF and SAPS to assist with…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za INTERVIEWS for the much-anticipated City of Cape Town mayoral candidate position are ongoing and about half way through, DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille said. The deadline has also passed for new candidates entering the race. “Some candidates have withdrawn, one so far in Midvaal and one in Cape Town. I think there may be one or two more in smaller towns but cannot say for sure, but the deadline has passed for new candidates entering the race, so no new candidates have been admitted,” she said. Zille said she could not confirm when an announcement could be expected. The update comes as Al Jamah-ah president Ganief Hendricks announced yesterday that he had also joined the candidates running for the position to “redress the imbalances of the…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za WHILE the experience of losing your home and possessions in a fire may be traumatic enough, close to 20 families living in council flats in Manenberg have also been waiting for more than two years for the City to repair the damage. The Manenberg Women’s League (MWL) says the inhumane living conditions have severely affected the health, family life and income of mostly women from the area. Magdalene Booysen, 63, has been living in a container with seven bullet holes in it and no toilet for more than a year now. “They come, they do a survey… three or four months ago they told me before winter I’d be in my house. It’s winter now. I am still here and it’s terrible. Every time they tell a…

Following the announcement of the registration for vaccination of citizens over 60, my wife (75 years old) and I (87) registered online on April 16. Up till Monday , there was no confirmation of date and venue for the vaccine programme. We phoned the Covid-19 hotline number 080 002 9999. The response was to wait until we got confirmation. Our registration on April 16 was acknowledged as it had been received. Subsequently the vaccination programme was carried out in Tongaat at the Tongaat Community Health Centre, Gokhale Hall/ Vishwaroop and the sports centre. Many of our friends and neighbours had gone to these venues and were vaccinated as long as they were over 60. No confirmation was required. On Monday, we visited the sports centre in Tongaat at 1.30pm.…

A cargo ship carrying tons of chemicals sank off Sri Lanka’s west coast, its navy said yesterday, and tons of plastic pellets have fouled the country’s rich fishing waters in one of its worst marine disasters. The government yesterday suspended fishing along an 80km stretch of the island’s coastline, affecting 5 600 fishing boats, and hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to clean affected beaches. The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1 486 containers, including 25 tons of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored off Sri Lanka’s west coast when a fire erupted onboard after an explosion on May 20. Flaming containers laden with chemicals tumbled into the sea from the ship’s deck as emergency crews sought to contain the blaze over the ensuing two…

LONDON: A large group of men brandishing what appeared to be machetes and 30cm knives chased a young man in Hyde Park in London before stabbing him as onlookers screamed in terror. The attack, which saw the teenage victim hospitalised with his injuries, has once again thrust Britain’s knife crime problem into the spotlight and reignited calls for the government and police force to do more to tackle the issue –which resulted in more than 46 000 offences and 237 murders involving a knife or sharp instrument last year. As Covid-19 restrictions ease, there is growing concern that crime will once again begin to rise. | The Washington Post…

WINDHOEK: Namibia’s opposition party the Popular Democratic Movement wants the Botswana-Namibia ratified 2018 boundary treaty recalled and revoked pending consultations with the public. The party’s MP Geoffrey Mwilima said there had been no public consultation before the treaty was signed. The party made the call after the communities living along the Namibia-Botswana border in the Zambezi Region complained of harassment by the Botswana Defence Force within Namibia. He said what used to be residents’ grazing lands and tourist attraction sites were now in Botswana following the 2018 signing of the border treaty. | African News Agency (ANA)…