Indice dei contenuti per 2021-11-22 in Cape Times

Marsha Dean marsha.Dean@inl.co.za DESCRIBED as a brilliant chess player, 16-year-old Tezihano Mnyasta has a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to fly the country’s flag high in Kenya next month. Standing in his way is a lack of funding. To address this, his teacher and coach are providing raffles, fund-raisers and tournaments among other financial support. The Grade 9 Elsies River High School pupil is not new to being crowned king on the chessboard as he represented South Africa in the Commonwealth Games in India in 2019. Due to his impressive winnings he had earned himself a spot on the Western Cape Chess team. He said his love for chess came when he was 11 years old, when his grandmother used to accompany him to the local children’s recreational centre. His growth in…

Siphokazi Vuso and Tarryn-Leigh Solomons THE re-election of convicted child rapist Jeffrey Donson as Kannaland mayor is a damning indictment of South Africa’s failure to end gender-based violence and the promise to protect children, according to Western Cape Commissioner for Children Christina Nomdo. Donson, a member of the Independent Civic Organisation of SA (Icosa), is expected to make an announcement today on his political future after widespread negative reaction to his re-election after his 2008 conviction for statutory rape. “In a country where adult men use power and control to manipulate young children, especially girls, we cannot afford to put children at risk. Where does this leave us now?” Nomdo asked. The rape that Donson was convicted for took place while he was Kannaland mayor in 2008. His victim…

Ingredients for the base: 1 cup spelt flour 2 Tbsp vegetable oil Pinch Cayenne pepper Salt Black pepper Ingredients for the filling: 800g plain tofu 250 ml soya milk 2 Tbsp vegetable stock 2 Tbsp English mustard ½ Tsp Cumin powder Dash of soya sauce 3-4 sweet potatoes (sliced and slow roasted in the oven with olive oil and sea salt) Caramelised onions Fresh basil Method for the filling: Wash and roughly chop up the sweet potato. Rub the sweet potatoes and season with olive oil, and then bake them at 200°C until done. In a food processor, add the soya milk, tofu, mustard, cumin powder and soya sauce, and blend until smooth. This is the vegan custard base. Turn the roasted sweet potato and caramelised onion into the…

Staff writer FOR her work as a leading researcher in cervical cancer and its association with the human papillomavirus (HPV), UCT researcher, Professor Lynette Denny received the Order of the Baobab (Silver) from President Cyril Ramaphosa at a recent investiture ceremony. Denny has been the recipient of many awards, including the 2006 Department of Science and Technology Award for Women in Science in the category Distinguished Scientist Award, and said receiving a National Order was particularly memorable. “This rates very highly, as it is recognition from my own beloved country, and really honours my many patients and my colleagues and teams who have supported and inspired me throughout my journey,” said Denny. Cervical cancer is the fourth-most common cancer globally in women – the most common being breast cancer,…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za A DECREASE in murders across the province, especially in notorious hot spots, has been welcomed. However, kangaroo courts continue to be a problem, with the Western Cape recording 64 of the 328 acts of vigilantism reported across the country. Police Minister Bheki Cele briefed Parliament’s police committee on Friday on the second quarter crime statistics for the period July until September this year. He commended the Western Cape for being the only province to record a decrease in its murder cases. Khayelitsha police stations recorded a 41% decrease in their murder rates, with 53 cases reported during the quarter compared with 94 during the same period last year. Nyanga police stations saw a decrease of 14% after 49 cases were reported compared to 63. Harare had a…

Charles Thomas | Claremont YOUR front page headline (November 19) titled “He who pays piper calls the tune” provided some really valuable information, and helps one to understand who really runs the country. When one reads that a tiny group of wealthy people including the Oppenheimer family contributed in excess of R30 million towards the DA and ActionSA’s recent local government election campaigns, then it becomes patently clear who owns politicians such as John Steenhuisen. It would be no exaggeration to conclude that the political parties are all captured by capitalist class interests. In this sense, Steenhuisen and others are little more than employees (I would go so far as to say puppets) of Big Capital. We, the public are nothing other than voting cattle, who, once every…

Owen Simons | Hyde Park I WATCHED the full live stream of the installation and inauguration of the new City of Cape Town Council. The spirit was largely that of “Congratulations” and “let’s work together”, but also of a “we will watch you” warning by opposition parties. One could feel the underlying currents bristling. One could also see the emotion on new faces, such as the Cape Coloured Congress’s Fadiel Adams and the GOOD councillor Suzette Little, formerly a DA Mayco member in the City. Something struck me though. After the Speaker rather industriously took her paperwork to that of the Speaker’s chair, I realised that here is a woman who was not only smarmy, but of a singular mentality that suggested that the “DA…

WHEN British Premier Boris Johnson last week cancelled the “Yorkshire” leg of HS2, the high-speed rail line meant to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, BBC Radio 4’s satirical Now Show could not resist lamenting that the senior management of the Yorkshire Cricket Club have been deprived of a high-speed getaway from the county. The club has been embroiled in English cricket’s latest and most brazen racism scandal as if senior officials at the famous Headingley ground in Leeds were still trapped in a neo-colonial mindset more befitting of that architect of institutional racism in sport, Cecil John Rhodes. Events came to a head last Tuesday when Azeem Rafiq, an ex-spinner at the club of South Asian heritage, gave a harrowing testimony and allegations of institutional racism at the…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za USED VEHICLE sales are soaring, driven by demand for more affordable and economical vehicles, supply problems in new vehicle stock and a switch from public transport to owned vehicles in the Covid-19 environment. Recent data from Transunion shows that for every new vehicle sold, 2.64 used vehicles are being sold, which represents a significant increase over the past eight to 12 months, InspectaCar JV head Jason White said yesterday. He said InspectaCar saw a signifi- cant increase in activity with applications increasing by an average of 9.5 percent year-on-year. “After we moved out of tough lockdowns activity increased and InspectaCar advanced on a 16 percent increase in pre-owned vehicle sales in 2021,” he said. Motus Holdings, the biggest vehicle distribution group in the country,…

Following the release of Taylor Swift’s re-record of her 2012 album Red, people in their masses started Googling “Red Lipstick”. Beauty experts Cosmetify have analysed data from the search engine and found interest spiked within hours of the re-record of the superstar’s 2012 LP dropping. A spokesperson for www.cosmetify.com said: “The highly anticipated re-release of Red (Taylor’s Version) was certain to spark worldwide attention, so it’s no surprise that interest for Taylor Swift’s signature red lipstick has rocketed 669% since its release. Red lipstick is a popular look for many celebrities, but it’s rare that we see Taylor Swift without her trademark lips. “From matte to gloss, red lipstick is a staple look all year round, especially during the festive season. “This trend is likely to continue throughout the day…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za THE ANC yesterday assured residents of hung municipalities across the country that the party would form governments with their interests at heart, and would prioritise good governance. The party held its extended national executive committee (NEC) meeting yesterday in Pretoria amid protests by staff who have not been paid since August. ”The coalition deals we are doing, we are making them in the interests of our people. “The ANC is entertaining coalition arrangements that will allow it to bring about stability in municipalities,” ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said outside the NEC meeting. He assured ANC voters that the coalitions had been formed according to the prescripts of good governance. According to Mabe, ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile and Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte were expected to issue a…

Odwa Mkentane and Chevon Booysen | SEE PICTURE PAGE 2 INSPIRED by her business-savvy mother, the woman behind Khayelitsha’s first four-star hotel, the 100% black-owned Spade Boutique, said the project had been a dream of hers for years. As an investment by prominent local business couple Bulelani and Annette Skaap, the brand new luxury hotel is set to open on December 5. As the first of its kind in a South African township, it is expected to create jobs in an industry that has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. When she worked as a flight attendant, Annette Skaap said she would often get asked about what accommodations there were in Khayelitsha. “At that time an influx of people were coming to visit Khayelitsha and it was changing back…

Staff writer AS 10 more Covid-19 deaths were reported across the country yesterday, the Western Cape department of health said recent data showed that active cases in the province continued to decline. Both new cases and admissions were also reaching the lowest levels in-between waves. The national Department of Health reported at the weekend that the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases identified in SA was 2 929 175, with 887 new cases reported by Saturday night. The 10 deaths brought the total to 89 572 deaths nationally. The cumulative number of recoveries stood at 2 820 994 with a rate of 96.3%. The Western Cape Health Department said its daily monitoring gave them some assurance that beating the pandemic was possible. “With close to four million vaccinations administered in the…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za A CASE of culpable homicide is under investigation after three boys, aged four, five and 18 months were killed when the car they were travelling in veered off the road along Bainskloof Pass in Wellington. A 60-year-old woman, the driver, was injured in the accident. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said she was transported to hospital. “Wellington Police responded to a complaint and drove to Bainskloof Pass on Saturday at about 7pm. “Upon arrival at the scene, they noticed a white vehicle that went down the slopes of the mountain. “As it was difficult to reach the vehicle, rescue services were contacted to assist on the scene. “Sadly, three boys were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. “Wellington police registered a culpable homicide for further investigation,”…

Sonny Myerson | Cape Town THE letter by Q Muller (Cape Times, November 18) was badly researched. Let’s go through it to prove my point. He states that David Miller is a prominent political sociologist. Prominent? Miller is only known for his anti Israel bias. Nothing else. He is not known by anyone in academia who does not have an interest in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and there aren't too many of those. Without providing any proof, Muller states that Zionists influenced the decision by Bristol University to sack Professor Miller. It’s very easy to just write something that is not proven by facts, so I challenge Muller to provide proof that Zionists were responsible for Miller's sacking. Muller continues to state that Zionists are responsible for all interference…

Barbie Sandler | Constantia I SEE the Basic Education Deputy Minister says 36 000 babies were delivered by girls between 9 and 10 in the first quarter of this year. That is a total disgrace as once again all these babies are left for the poor gogos to look after while the girl child goes back to school. Also I bet no responsibility from the boys who impregnated them? So another generation of fatherless children? Well, I have been writing about this for years and years. The elephant in the room has been there for ages, but no one in government has taken responsibility. Now we hear from the Deputy Police minister who says it has become clear that more needs to be done to address teenage pregnancy…

IS PUBLIC participation the bedrock of democracy and what role can ward committees play in advancing participatory governance? This question emanates from a statement made by Melene Rossouw, a human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Woman Lead Movement who was interviewed by Dr Harlan Cloete on his podcast Great Governance ZA. She exclaimed that public participation is the bedrock of democracy. Whilst this statement is ideologically sound and widely accepted by scholars, politicians and people alike, the more pertinent question that rears its head is how one ensures that such participation actually occurs. As new councillors are ushered in, in addition to the new mayors and speakers emblazoned with beautiful robes and shiny chained medallions around the neck (sometimes a millstone), the question needs to be…

WHEN Covid-19 started to affect countries through mass infections and the resultant deaths, many citizens realised that they had to bear the infringements on their civil liberties for the greater good. Words like lockdown and social distancing become part of the lexicon for the foreseeable future, with the ultimate aim being to control the virus and stop the spread of the pandemic. Almost two years after the virus was first detected, there is a growing frustration with what some see as draconian measures imposed by governments in a desperate bid to reduce infections. Unfortunately, with Covid-19 there is no blueprint on eradicating it, and the challenge remains how to protect the majority of a country’s population. The most optimistic had hoped that the virus and its impositions would last three…

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za THE POSSIBILITY of further load shedding and the security of Eskom’s assets hang in the balance as the utility and the national intelligences service pass the buck on vandalism reported to the nation by chief executive Andre de Ruyter on Friday. De Ruyter said power pylons were being cut down, coal laden trucks with fake authentications seals were discovered and acts of sabotage were evident in power stations. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Philane Nkwalase told Business Report that there had been no urgent matter filed by Eskom to the elite crime investigating reporting division while De Ruyter on Friday told the media that Eskom was working in tandem with the Hawks to resolve urgent issues regarding vandalism on Eskom’s properties. “The last issue we have with Eskom…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za Swedish fashion company H&M has partnered with Normani, Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber on its upcoming collection “Circular Design Story”. The collection celebrates two themes: sustainability and joy, to embrace the future. They used recycled materials to create the collection . “The Innovation Circular Design Story is the latest addition to H&M’s Innovation Stories, a ground-breaking new sustainability initiative that focuses on forward-thinking design and innovative materials. “The collection is for those who love to experiment and express themselves, and this jubilant ethos is also reflected in the campaign, shot by the pioneering photographer Rafael Pavarotti and titled ‘Just before the party starts’,” said H&M. “The theme captures the sensation of getting ready, and the optimism and individuality of those who love fashion, glamming up, choosing looks,…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za A FORMER Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) employee living with a disability is headed to the Labour Court as she alleged she was discriminated against and unfairly dismissed. Makgosi Letimile, 37, who uses a wheelchair, was hired as part of a targeted recruitment of disabled people initiated by the CTICC in 2019. Her legal representative Tzvi Brivik, of Malcolm Lyons and Brivik Inc, said Letimile was told that her disability would be “accommodated”. However once employed, the CTICC’s promise of a disability-friendly workplace allegedly did not materialise. “Its recruitment promises remained unmet and its (CTICC) conduct fell woefully short of its duty to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled employees,” Brivik said. Brivik added that Letimile’s claims did not arise out of an isolated instance of discrimination,…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za CONVICTED double murderer and City Law Enforcement officer, Morné Horn, remains employed by the City as he expects to be sentenced for his crimes soon. Horn was found guilty of two murders in the high court last week. He remains out on bail while he awaits sentencing. A law enforcement officer for the City of Cape Town, Horn was convicted for the murder of Constable Thandimfundo Sigcu, which occurred on January 7 last year. City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said the City noted the judgment and would not divulge if Horn would face further disciplinary action. “Horn is employed by the City. “The City is considering the judgment and its implications,” said Tyhalibongo. Sigcu, who had tried to explain that he was an undercover police officer, had…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za AS THE festive season sets in, the Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS) has urged families to make provisions for their pets when they leave on holiday. “The festive season represents our busiest time of the year and this has been the case since we started 92 years ago,” clinic spokesperson Allan Perrins, said. There has always been a massive increase in demand for our services. “A lot of people go on holiday and we find that there is an increase in unwanted animals at this time. “We hope that people who go on holiday will make adequate provision for their animals. “We are in actual fact anticipating such an increase,” he said. In celebrating 92-years of providing a full range of veterinary services to the…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za HUNDREDS of environmental activists and concerned residents from across the city protested outside the Cape Town harbour at the V&A Waterfront yesterday, against the arrival of the Amazon Warrior ship. The ship was commissioned by multinational company Shell to conduct a seismic survey in search of oil and gas deposits between Morgan’s Bay and Port St Johns off the Wild Coast, starting on December 1. More than 145 000 people have already signed a petition calling on the South African government to withdraw approval. Activists say the high noise blasting of sonar canons under water for seismic testing was a direct threat to whales, dolphins, fish and marine life. They also say it is a threat to the livelihood of communities along the Wild Coast who use…

FAROUK ARAIE | BENONI BRUTAL murders, the mutilation of women's bodies and the ever-increasing incidents of kidnapping reveal a disturbing chronicle of terror and uncertainty of life in our dysfunctional country. Our women are brazenly assaulted every 90 seconds without any consequences. Grim reports offer tragic insights into the nature of our country’s present peril and a nuanced account of the human consequences of a rapidly disintegrating state. Violent crime has turned the rule of law into a mere myth. Lawlessness is an overwhelming fact of South African life. Assaulting women is a serious offence. These assaults are inconsistent with the standard of a civilised country. It creates a moral imperative to act. Society must ostracise the abuser, not the abused. Violence against women continues to be a…

Keith Gottschalk | Claremont PROBABLY six months ago, technicians came to my front door with a paper saying they were outsourced to Telkom to replace copper cable with optic fibre. After that nothing else changed, except that my phone sounded slightly fainter. Then these past weeks I have been bombarded with a stream of Telkom emails and SMSes telling me that I am being “migrated from broadband to fibre” and mentioning a price double the R200 odd I currently pay Telkom. Next Telkom sends me a bill quadrupling my monthly phone from the R200 to R800 when there was no change to the number of calls I make. When my wife phones to complain, Telkom alleges I “activated” this change when I did no such thing. How widespread…

Pressure inside the coalition negotiating rooms remains intense IF A venomous spider was hurtling towards a toddler in the middle of the room, no one within reach would take merely one step to get that child out of the way. They would dart, at speeds previously unknown to them, using every muscle in their body, to get that toddler to safety. On the coalition talks to constitute more than 66 hung municipalities across the country and strengthen our multiparty democracy, a spider is careering towards us, and as leaders in various sectors of our society we have still not flexed all our muscle power to get ourselves to safety. Instead, we allow politicians to reduce the coalition talks to a private dialogue full of disclaimers and political distancing by potential…