Indice dei contenuti per 2022-01-28 in Cape Times

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za ELECTRICAL goods group ARB Holdings has received a R698.6 million buyout offer from privately-held Masimong Group Holdings, acting with investment group Sabvest Finance and Guarantee Corporation. JSE-listed Sabvest is controlled by the family trust of its chief executive, Chris Seabrooke. The Masimong investment group was founded by its chairperson, Mike Teke. The offer to ARB shareholders by way of a scheme of arrangement would result in its de-listing, a statement from the group said yesterday. Teke is also chairperson of investment company Anchor Group, in which Masimong is a shareholder, which delisted last year. Masimong’s other investments include in Seriti Resources, Masimong Energy, Southern Cross Investments, InteliChem and Rolfe Group. The offer was pitched at R8 per scheme share, which was a 21.9 percent premium…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za THE procurement process the Matzikama Municipality followed in awarding a service provider a R650 000 contract to supply masks and gloves may have been irregular and unlawful, according to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). The unit has now referred the matter to the Office of the State Attorney with the view of declaring it invalid. The service provider was appointed to provide humanitarian relief initiatives to the poor and vulnerable in the local municipal area of Matzikama at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its appointment was done without following any competitive procurement process, read the SIU report released this week. “This matter is currently in the High Court of the Cape Town Provincial Division. The matter is defended and the SIU are awaiting a court date…

Marsha Dean Marsha.Dean@inl.co.za ATHLONE High School celebrated its 75th anniversary – or diamond jubilee – this week with an event that focused on the rich history of the school. The institution is known for its rich historical background dating back to its inauguration in January 1947, when only two other high schools for oppressed people existed in the Cape. The school's first principal was Sydney Vernon Petersen, who was also one of the first people of colour to graduate from the University of Cape Town. Today the school is under the leadership of its fifth principal,Vincent Hendricks, who took the reins in 2018. Hendricks said taht it was a great honour for him to be leading the school in this historical period marking 75 years of the iconic institution’s existence.…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za CHILD RAPIST and murderer Jakobus Petoors will serve two life-term sentences for the rape and murder of 8-year-old Reagen Gertse from Tulbagh. Petoors will serve his sentences concurrently and will also serve the remainder of the 12-year jail term he is already serving for another rape matter. Through a plea agreement, Petoors admitted to the crime committed on February 29, 2020, where he had coerced Reagen to go swimming with him at a nearby river. Petoors was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for kidnapping, life imprisonment for rape and life imprisonment for murder. Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation director Billy Claassen welcomed the double life sentence. “We believe that this sentencing will send out a strong message to perpetrators in our communities. We need to take hands…

THE WILDERNESS BETWEEN US Penny Haw Loot.co.za (R267) Köehler Books FOUR couples and old friends are set to hike the Tsitsikamma trail in the southern Cape. At the last minute, work compels one of them to withdraw. She persuades her 20-year-old anorexic daughter, Clare, to accompany her father and the rest of the party in her place. Things start going wrong on the second day when, Derek, the self-appointed leader, ignores weather warnings. Within hours, the group is separated. Clare finds herself on one side of the flooded Bloukrans River with Derek’s wife, Faye. When Clare falls and is injured, Faye, who is quietly grappling with her own issues of self-doubt and anxiety after years of gaslighting and bullying by Derek, has to step-up and take control. She builds a…

Reviewer: Orielle Berry Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead Loot.co.za (R235) Fleet COLSON Whitehead is the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys. Harlem Shuffle, released late last year, shows that this astute writer is definitely at the top of his game in this wonderfully entertaining novel of heists, shenanigans and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960s. Ray Carney appears to his customers and neighbours on 125th street as a respectable salesman of reasonably priced furniture. He’s viewed as an upstanding citizen of New York who is making a decent life and living for himself and his family. He and Elizabeth, his wife, are expecting their second child, and if her parents on Strivers Row don't quite approve of him and the tiny apartment they live…

South Africa’s world-famous investigator Frank Dutton was sipping tea at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Joburg, when I first met him in 2018 with advocate Howard Varney. He had been deeply immersed in investigations on apartheid deaths in detention, and without him the cases of Ahmed Timol, Nokuthula Simelane, Neil Aggett, and the Cradock Four may never have been reopened. Dutton was a completely unassuming man, but a legend in the world of unearthing human rights abuses and crimes against humanity, and his vast experience in the killing fields of our own country and those around the world left one in awe. He was particularly interested at the time in the exposures by former Security Branch policeman Paul Erasmus in the involvement of Security Branch members in the murder of…

Tokyo: Six young people sued the operator of Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant yesterday over claims they developed thyroid cancer due to exposure to radiation after the facility’s meltdown. The plaintiffs, now aged between 17 and 27, were living in the Fukushima region when a huge earthquake on March 11, 2011, triggered a tsunami that caused the nuclear disaster. Yesterday, their lawyers marched into the Tokyo District Court where dozens of supporters were gathered, to file the first-ever class-action lawsuit over health issues against plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco). The group is seeking 616 million yen (about R82m) in compensation. No causal relationship between radiation exposure from the disaster and thyroid cancer has been recognised by an expert panel set up by the regional government, and whether such…

MAPUTO: At least 18 people died because of the passage of the tropical storm Ana, which devastated the centre and north of Mozambique, National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction spokesperson Paulo Tomas said yesterday. Tomas disclosed the preliminary assessment of the damage on Radio Mozambique. Tomas said the storm partially or totally destroyed over 10 000 houses, and 391 more were flooded. Twelve hospital units were damaged and 137 schools affected, which may compromise the tuition of 27 386 pupils. Some districts were suffering from power outages.…

Houston: At least six people were injured by an explosion at a chemical plant in Westlake, a city in the southern US state of Louisiana, police sources said. The explosion occurred at Westlake Chemical on Wednesday among its ethylene dichloride storage tanks, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the local media outlet KLFY. One worker was treated on-site, while five others were taken to local hospitals. None of the injuries were life-threatening, said plant spokesperson Joe Andrepont, adding that investigations into the explosion were under way and would likely take several weeks.…

Chevon Booysen Chevon.booysen@inl.co.za STRIKING Clover employees were supported globally yesterday as the continued protest by about 5 000 workers served to again highlight their demands, including better working conditions. The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and its affiliates, the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) and the General Industries Workers Unions of South Africa (Giwusa) together with other trade unions and organisations nationally and internationally, organised a National and International Day of Action in solidarity with striking Clover workers yesterday. According to the union groups, protest action in at least six parts of South Africa, as well as nine other locations, amplified the demand for decent working conditions and an end to factory closures, employee exploitation and slashing of jobs. The strike action also aimed to gain justice…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za HEALTH MEC Nomafrench Mbombo says the whistle-blowers who exposed allegations of sexual assault against suspended Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz need to be protected. Mbombo was speaking to the media outside the Mfuleni Community Hall where anti-gender-based violence (GBV) organisation Khuseleka handed out shoes to learners from various schools, including Manzomthombo High School and Itsitsa Primary School. “The whistle-blowers who exposed this need to be protected and shouldn’t feel uncomfortable (about) reporting. “They must feel free to report. Also, what is portrayed in the media is that there is someone who came out on behalf of the victims. “There are two things here. As the employer, there are processes you have to follow regarding the disciplinary and investigations. “In parallel, you always encourage the victim or…

Ingredients Method 1 can (360g) Nestlé Caramel Treat Mint 2 cups (500ml) ready-made fresh custard 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla paste 2 cups (500ml) cream, whipped 2 Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars (60g each), roughly chopped Place the caramel, custard and vanilla paste into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and half of the Peppermint Crisp shards. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Transfer the ice cream to the fridge 10 minutes before serving, to soften slightly. Serve in cones or bowls, topping with the remaining Peppermint Crisp pieces.…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za A YOUNG woman from Ilitha Park in Khayelitsha, who is recovering at home, has detailed how she had to jump out of a moving e-hailing vehicle in fear for her life. Avuyile Adonis suffered bruises on her body, arms an legs which are swollen, making it difficult for her to walk, following the incident. Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said a case of reckless and negligent driving was being probed. According to the 24-year-old, she had visited a friend in Belhar for the weekend and was supposed to go back home on Monday. “I slept over at my friend’s place on Sunday. At about 7am I requested a ride for me and my other friend using InDriver. “We entered the back seat and greeted the driver. Along the…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za BELLVILLE Technical High School (BTHS) principal Michael Koopman has returned to his workplace and will claim more than R600 000 in back pay after his misconduct dismissal was recently found to be substantively unfair. Koopman was found guilty and dismissed last year over allegations of sexually assaulting his personal assistant and being under the influence of alcohol while on duty. He lodged an appeal with MEC Debbie Schäfer, which was dismissed. He then proceeded to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC). The ELRC ordered his reinstatement, effective from Wednesday. The assistant had testified that in July 2018, she attended a memorial service held in the school hall for a former pupil. She went to fetch the principal from his office because the pupils’ family wanted to thank…

| OWN Correspondent We are not like them Christine Pride, Jo Piazza Loot.co.za (R229) HQ NOT every story is black and white. Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen’s husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager and everything changes in an instant. This one act could destroy more than just Riley and Jen’s friendship. As their community takes sides, so must Jen and Riley, and for the first time in their lives the lifelong friends find themselves on opposing sides. But can anyone win a fight like this? We Are Not Like Them is…

MO SALAH’S dream of leading Egypt to glory at the Africa Cup of Nations lives on, and despite Salah’s massive international media profile the Egyptian goalscoring king is not the only reason there has been such extensive and mass international coverage of the African continent’s most elite competition. It is because of the quality of players competing at Afcon and the familiarity of these players in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. I’ve followed the international coverage very closely in the past fortnight and, in especially English-speaking publications, there has been saturation when compared with the meagre offerings of the very popular Copa America. South America’s premier international competition, for me, has always been a tougher one to win than even the World Cup because of the quality of…

The Jordanian army killed 27 alleged drug smugglers in a clash early yesterday as they tried to enter the kingdom from Syria, it said in a statement. The traffickers were supported by an armed group, the army said, adding that “a preliminary search was conducted in the area, and large quantities of narcotics were found”. It was the deadliest clash in the Jordanian army’s fight against smugglers on the Syrian border, whose activities have intensified in recent months. The military operation at dawn “thwarted attempts to infiltrate and smuggle large quantities of narcotics from Syrian territory into Jordanian territory,” the army said. “The smugglers were supported by other armed groups,” added the army, which said its troops also wounded an unknown number of traffickers while others fled back into Syrian…

Aceh Jaya: Nearly a dozen poachers were jailed by an Indonesian court yesterday over the 2020 killing of five critically endangered Sumatran elephants and the illegal trade of their lucrative tusks, as the South-east Asian archipelago’s battle with wildlife crime continues. Deforestation has reduced the elephants’ habitat and brought them into increasing conflict with humans, while their ivory tusks are prized in the illegal wildlife trade. Aceh Jaya district court in Sumatra handed nine men jail sentences of between 10 months and nearly three-and-a-half years for the poaching. Two others were jailed for almost two years for trading in elephant tusks.…

JERUSALEM: Protesters against Covid-19 measures who liken themselves to Jews under Nazi persecution are stoking global anti-Semitism, the Israeli government said in a report marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Such Holocaust tropes have become “widespread” and, along with violent demonstrations linked to Israel’s May war in Gaza, were main factors behind physical or online attacks on Jews in Europe and North America last year, said the 152-page report by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry. Some demonstrators have worn yellow stars like those the Nazis forced on European Jews.…

A ruthless Ashleigh Barty swept into her first Australian Open final yesterday with a clinical, straight-sets demolition of Madison Keys to set-up a title match with the hard-hitting Danielle Collins. The world No 1 overwhelmed 51st-ranked Keys 6-1, 6-3 in just 62 minutes with another American awaiting after the all-business Collins crushed Polish seventh seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-1. Barty is the first Australian woman into the decider of her home Grand Slam since Wendy Turnbull in 1980 and is aiming to become the first winner since Chris O’Neil two years earlier. But the tenacious Collins stands in her way tomorrow with the 28-year-old enjoying a second coming after surgery last year for endometriosis left her pain free. Nine months on and she has 32-7 win-loss record, capturing her maiden…

DENMARK’S Joachim Hansen took a one-shot lead in the opening round of the Dubai Desert Classic after carding an error-free 65 to finish at seven under yesterday. The 110th-ranked Hansen hit four birdies in a row to edge ahead of South Africa’s Justin Harding in second, who was on the 18th when play was ended due to the fading light. Dubai has been a happy hunting ground for Hansen in recent months, with the Dane claiming his second European Tour title at the AVIV Dubai Championship in November last year, before finishing tied ninth at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in the same city. “A bit of a shame there weren’t any more tournaments at the end of last year but I try to keep it going,” he said.…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za THE replacement of steam generators at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is set to cost Eskom R20 billion. This came to light at an Eskom briefing yesterday, where the power utility confirmed the coal fleet “remains unsatisfactory” with loadshedding still very likely. Eskom said Unit 2 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station had recently been taken offline for a long-term outage with a major project to extend its operating life by another 20 years. “Considering that the power station has been largely depreciated, the Steam Generator Replacement (SGR) project, at a budgeted R20 billion for both units, will enable Koeberg to continue to deliver zero-carbon electricity at a highly competitive cost, making the SGR project one of the most financially attractive projects in the Eskom portfolio.” Eskom…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za RAPIST and ousted Kannaland mayor Jeffrey Donson suffered another blow when the Western Cape High Court dismissed his bid to set aside his removal from his position. Donson, axed deputy mayor Werner Meshoa and councillor Hyrian Ruiters launched an urgent application on Tuesday, following their removal through a recent motion of no confidence. The motion was put to the vote and four out of seven councillors had voted in its favour. Following their removal, councillor Nicolaas Valentyn took over the position of executive mayor, with Leonie Stuurman as the deputy mayor and Rodge Albertus as the new speaker. But Donson, Meshoa and Ruiters launched the application on an urgent basis, challenging their dismissals. They sought to have all resolutions taken at the special council meeting suspended…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za FOR Khayelitsha high school pupils who face social ills and economic strife, the support of teachers and principals can make the difference between failure and success, with some schools having morning, afternoon, weekend, and holiday classes up until the day pupils write their matric exams. Siphamandla High School, situated near Enkanini informal settlement, achieved a 93.5% pass rate for its 2021 matric class. School principal Lonwabo Mbeke said the school often receives learners not properly equipped for high school, and they needed to be taught the basics before getting acquainted with the actual content for the year. “Teaching and success is not a secret, it is something that is well known to everyone else. Naturally, if you go to the very affluent schools you are going to…

Staff Reporter Severe heat, relentless climbing, flash floods and road closures made the Cross Cape Im’possible Dream Tour an agonising 38-hour ride for Grant Lottering. The international speaker and Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador, successfully finished the tour at the Waterford Estate in Stellenbosch on Monday, in aid of the Reach for a Dream Foundation. This 8th Im’possible Tour turned into 38 hours of excessive heat and suffering during an average ride temperature of 29°C. Lottering completed the single, non-stop, two-day and two-night ultra-endurance cycle from Plettenberg Bay to Stellenbosch in 37hrs 24min. Unfortunately he could not traverse the infamous Swartberg Pass via Prince Albert, due to flashfloods closing Meiringspoort as he approached from the Kammanassie Mountains, which were on fire, losing over 100km. He ultimately covered a total distance…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za WHILE noting that the case had not been registered yet, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said he supported the investigation into one of the provincial government’s most senior members, MEC Albert Fritz. Allegations suggest that Fritz, who previously served as social development MEC, allegedly sexually assaulted young women in his office. He withdrew from his position as DA provincial leader on Monday following his suspension the previous day. Four other employees have also apparently been suspended in connection with the matter, which Winde has referred to as involving “serious allegations”. Advocate Jennifer Williams has been appointed to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations. Winde said yesterday: “I also fully support the SAPS’s reminder that their doors remain open to the complainants. I have echoed this call…

The Kind Kitchen Jason McNamara Loot.co.za (R270) Penguin Random House THE Kind Kitchen is not just the title of a cookbook, or the name of a restaurant, it embodies a way of living for Jay Mac. As he says: “We don’t have a Planet B to call home. This one is all we have, and we have the power to change the way we treat mother Earth through the foods we choose to eat.” Being vegan doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of lentils and lettuce leaves. Jay’s innovative and imaginative recipes reimagine all your favourite dishes, from mac ‘n cheese, chicken wings, burritos, bao buns and maki rolls, to burgers and bunny chow. When it comes to sweet treats, he has adapted family favourites, such as milk tart, pumpkin…

The Every Dave Eggers Loot.co.za (R229) Hamish Hamilton THE electrifying follow-up to Dave Eggers’s New York Times bestseller The Circle is The Every. When the world’s largest search engine / social media company merges with the planet’s dominant e-commerce site, it creates the richest and most dangerous-and, oddly enough, most beloved-monopoly ever known: The Every. Delaney Wells is an unlikely new hire. A former forest ranger and unwavering tech sceptic, she charms her way into an entry-level job with one goal in mind: to take down the company from within. With her compatriot, the not-at-all ambitious Wes Makazian, they look for the company's weaknesses, hoping to free humanity from all-encompassing surveillance and the emoji-driven infantilisation of the species. But does anyone want what Delaney is fighting to save? Does humanity…

CRICKET South Africa (CSA) is arguably feeling the best about itself in a very long time. Not only was it able provide the Board of Control for Cricket in India with the assurance that it would be able to host the India men’s team in a safe and secure environment when the entire world was turning its back on South Africa due to the Covid-19 Omicron variant, it also managed to pull off a tour consisting of six matches – three Tests and three ODIs – across two bio-bubbles in different cities, without incident. That is a major achievement if you consider that England withdrew midway through a tour in 2020, and Australia would not even come at all. Everyone at CSA who was involved in making the tour a…

The junta that overthrew Burkina Faso’s government warned ex-ministers not to leave the capital or obstruct its military officers during talks over how to return to democratic elections, one of the politicians present said yesterday. The officers, who call themselves the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), ousted President Roch Kabore on Monday, blaming him for failing to contain worsening violence by Islamist militants. The MPSR has said it would propose a calendar for a return to constitutional order “within a reasonable time frame” but has not elaborated on its plans for a transition. The MPSR’s leader, Lieutenant Colonel Henri-Paul Damida, met members of Kabore’s government on Wednesday, according to one of the ex-ministers present, who asked not to be named. Damida warned them not to do anything to…

Copenhagen: Ukraine yesterday welcomed Russia’s plans to continue talks in early February as “good news” and a sign that Moscow was intent on finding a diplomatic solution to the current crisis. Global concerns are growing over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, as tens of thousands of Russian troops have been stationed at the border in recent weeks. Russian and Ukrainian officials met on Wednesday with represent-atives of France and Germany. “The good news is advisers agreed to meet in Berlin in two weeks, which means at least for the next two weeks, Russia is likely to remain on a diplomatic track,” said Ukraine Minister Dmytro Kuleba.…

PROMINENT former UN judges and investigators have called on UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet to investigate the 1988 “massacre” of political prisoners in Iran, including the alleged role of its current president, Ebrahim Raisi, at that time. The open letter, released yesterday was signed by about 460 people, including a former president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Sang-Hyun Song, and Stephen Rapp, a former US ambassador for global criminal justice. Raisi, who took office in August, is under US sanctions over a past that includes what the US and activists say was his involvement as one of four judges who oversaw the 1988 killings. His office in Tehran had no comment yesterday. Iran has never acknowledged that mass executions took place under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the revolutionary leader…

WYNONA LOUW wynona.louw@inl.co.za IT’S not like the Stormers taking on the Sharks is ever not a fixture to look forward to, but their upcoming United Rugby Championship bout seems to have even more anticipation coming with it. It might have something to do with the fact that the Sharks are packing some rich Cape Town flavour, with former Stormers captain and SA Rugby Player of the Year Siya Kolisi and No 2 juggernaut Bongi Mbonambi both in the Sharks’ starting line-up for tomorrow’s clash. Speaking during a press conference earlier this week, Stormers head coach John Dobson spoke about his former star hooker, saying that he is expecting the Bok front-rower to be “fired up” for the Sharks at Kings Park. Mbonambi swapped the Stormers for the Sharks last year.…