Indice dei contenuti per 2023-02-13 in Cape Times

AUTHORITIES have so far confirmed three deaths following devastating floods in the Eastern Cape over the past week. Four local municipalities - Enoch Mgijima, Dr AB Xuma, Emalahleni, and IntsikaYethu - were affected by the flooding which left road infrastructure and bridges severely impacted, while some have collapsed. Flooding occurred after torrential rainfalls and adverse weather conditions persisted in the area last week, leaving thousands displaced. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu confirmed three bodies were found during search operations and searches continued for other possible drownings. The Chris Hani District Municipality said rescue teams were still in the area to search for missing people who may have been swept away by the heavy floods. “Disaster management teams, emergency staff, and the SAPS have confirmed that bodies have been recovered…

While the EFF has given National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula an ultimatum to apologise or face court action over her handling of their ejection from Parliament last week, the institution wants the party disciplined. Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo said they have referred the conduct of the EFF MPs to the joint rules committee. They communicated their decision via the parliamentary communication service known as ATC (Announcements, Tablings and Committees) reports on Friday. “The circumstances of the physical removal of members from the Chamber during the State of the Nation address (Sona) on February 9 2023, together with the relevant parliamentary records, are referred to the Joint Rules Committee for consideration,” read the ATC. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Sona was delayed by…

A rapist – who admitted that he became aroused when two nine-year-old girls got on to his bed – will now serve a lesser prison term after his life sentence was discounted to 20 years’ direct imprisonment. This comes after the Western Cape High Court upheld the appeal of self-confessed rapist Melvin Jacobs, 60. Judge Derek Wille, in his judgment, said that the application from Jacobs was an “automatic appeal” after Jacobs was convicted on one count of rape and one count of attempted rape. Appealing against his life sentence after pleading guilty and entering a plea bargain with the State, Jacobs submitted that the sentence imposed was harsh and inappropriate, that he was “sacrificed at the altar of retribution as opposed to that of rehabilitation” and that there were…

THE Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force (Sweat) says it will launch a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to obtain more information about the death of sex worker and activist Robyn Monstumi in police custody in April 2020. Montsumi, 39, died after four days in police custody at Mowbray police station where she was detained on a drug charge. Sweat provincial area manager Eugene Van Rooyen alleged that Montsumi was threatened and physically assaulted before the arrest. “They took Robyn to the police station where she was detained unlawfully. During the days that she was detained, various community members tried to visit Robyn but were not allowed to due to Covid regulations. They managed to communicate with Robyn by shouting through the window of the…

Military-ruled Myanmar is set to allow civilians “loyal to the state” to apply for licences to carry firearms, according to media reports and an unverified government document. The leaked document, purported to originate from the home ministry, sets out criteria for those seeking a gun licence. Experts worry that allowing civilians to carry guns would empower pro-junta groups and only serve to escalate the violence and near-daily clashes between the military and armed resistance forces that have raged nationwide. US-based conflict monitoring group Acled says about 19 000 people died last year as the military’s crackdown on protests led many to take up arms against the junta. | Reuters…

JERUSALEM: US President Joe Biden has called for wide agreement to be reached in Israel on sweeping changes to the judiciary pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government which have sparked nationwide protests. Israel’s parliament may today begin legislation for the judicial overhaul, which would increase the government’s sway in selecting judges while weakening Supreme Court power to strike down laws or rule against the executive. Biden said: “Israeli democracy is built on checks and balances, and on an independent judiciary. Building consensus for fundamental changes ensure people buy into them so they can be sustained.” | Reuters…

BERLIN: Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will end his term as planned in October, a spokesperson for the alliance said, after a newspaper reported a further extension was in the works. “The mandate of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has been extended three times, and he has served for a total of almost nine years,” NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said. “The Secretary-General’s term comes to an end in October of this year and he has no intention to seek another extension of his mandate.” Earlier, Welt am Sonntag reported Stoltenberg’s term was to be extended again as the alliance sought to maintain stability during the war in Ukraine. Stoltenberg, an economist by training and a former leader of Norway’s Labour Party, had his Nato term extended last year. He was prime minister of…

The leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner said yesterday that his troops had taken an eastern Ukrainian village a few kilometres from the key city of Bakhmut which Moscow has been trying to capture for months. “Wagner’s assault units took the town of Krasna Hora,” Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said. It was impossible to independently confirm the claims. Experts have debated the strategic importance of Bakhmut, but the city has turned into a key political and symbolic prize in the battle. Rivalry between the paramilitary Wagner group and the Russian army have come to the surface during the fight for Bakhmut – though the Kremlin denies any rift. On January 11 Prigozhin claimed his fighters had taken control of the city of Soledar near Bakhmut. The Russian defence ministry…

The Sharks have a fight on their hands to keep star fullback Aphelele Fassi in their ranks, with the Stormers known to have him in their sights when he comes off contract at the end of this year. The 25-year-old has been at the Sharks since he finished school at Dale College in King Williams Town in 2017 but could be in the market for a change in scenery in December. It is known that Stormers coach John Dobson is keen on adding Fassi’s brilliant attacking skills to his already potent backline. Fassi, however, is on the books of Roc Nation, the American sports marketing giants, and with their affiliation with the Sharks, they are unlikely to steer him in the direction of their arch-rivals from the Cape. Fassi is…

Marcus Rashford extended his hot streak with the late goal that inspired Manchester United's 2-0 win against old rivals Leeds on yesterday. After Rashford scored to spark United's comeback from two goals down in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Leeds, Rashford tormented the Yorkshire club once again. Rashford netted with 10 minutes left at Elland Road to make it four successive Premier League games with a goal for the England forward, who has scored in eight of his last nine appearances in the competition. Following Alejandro Garnacho's frustrated reaction to being substituted on Wednesday, the Argentine teenager made amends as he came off the bench to seal United's hard-fought victory five minutes after Rashford's goal. United's win was just their second in their last five league games, although they have now…

from page 1 where they happen fairly regularly, especially linked to taxi operations. Some people live in fear of them and even fear to travel from their areas as that is when they are most vulnerable to being tracked and killed.” De Haas added that the common thread was people could easily find a hit man. She added that the motives for murder varied. “It could be personal, or taxi-related, or related to other business. Some of the mass killings are probably linked to drugs or other gangster activities.” Chad Thomas, organised crime investigator for IRS Forensic Investigations, said that there had been a marked increase in murder for hire throughout South Africa. “At one stage, assassinations seemed to be most prevalent among taxi bosses fighting over routes, and gang…

EFF leader Julius Malema said at the weekend his organisation would bring South Africa to a standstill with their planned national shutdown on March 20 despite opposition to their action from some quarters. Addressing the party’s Western Cape plenum in Cape Town on Saturday, Malema said his party did not need permission to embark on its planned action. “Fighters, the militancy and protest character of the EFF, the fearless character, the ground forces of the EFF, your determination to liberate the people of South Africa is going to be seen on March 20 when you bring South Africa to a standstill,” he told the members. Malema told the province’s delegates that they should identify which road, shopping complex and city they would occupy on that day. “On 20 March there…

ENVIRONMENTAL activist organisations The Green Connection and Natural Justice say the environmental and social impact assessment for the proposed offshore oil and gas exploration by TotalEnergies EP South Africa around 75 km to 120km in the Knysna, George, and East Coast areas, has several shortcomings. The groups argue the assessment is “lacking” when it comes to assessing the full impact of the proposed project on marine life and ecosystems and on climate change. TotalEnergies EP South Africa and its partners applied for a production license on September 5, and an environmental and societal impact assessment was initiated. This assessment is meant to provide a description of the project’s economic, social, and environmental impacts, the measures planned to preserve the environment, and the related social and economic benefits. However, the organisations…

Looking back, it was surprising that black people following boxing had a soft spot for Gerrie Coetzee – until, of course, he had a black boxer or any non-white as an opponent. Nobody dared to support an Afrikaner against a black person; Afrikaners represented oppression against black people. It was no wonder then when in 1979, in his world heavyweight title fight against black American boxer John Tate, black people were behind Tate, somebody they had probably only heard of for the first time. Gerrie lost the fight, to the jubilation of black people. However, the upset from black people was obvious when Coetzee won against Leon Spinks. He kept the belt (title) for a short while, losing it to Greg Page the following year . The jubilation among…

Tehran: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will head to China within days for a three-day visit aimed at strengthening economic co-operation, state media reported yesterday. Raisi is expected to hold private talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and delegations from both countries are due to sign “co-operation documents”, according to Irna. The agency added that Raisi will also take part in meetings with Chinese businessmen and Iranians living in the country. Iran and China have strong economic ties, especially in the fields of energy, transit, agriculture, trade and investment. In 2021, both countries signed a 25-year “strategic co-operation pact”, said to include “political, strategic and economic” components. | AFP…

DUBAI: The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday that public debt in some Middle East and North Africa (Mena) states is of “concern” and that governments need to build resilience through fiscal policies to protect against shocks in uncertain times. Kristalina Georgieva, speaking at the Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, urged authorities to adopt “robust” fiscal frameworks and address climate change. The IMF forecast last month that economic growth in Mena would slow to 3.2% this year, before ticking up to 3.5% in 2024. Inflation was seen surpassing 10% in 2023. | Reuters…

Rescuers pulled a seven-month-old baby and a teenage girl from the rubble yesterday, nearly a week after an earthquake devastated TÜrkiye and Syria and killed more than 28 000. UN relief chief Martin Griffiths said he expected the death toll to at least double after he arrived in southern TÜrkiye to assess the quake’s damage. Tens of thousands of rescue workers are scouring flattened neighbourhoods despite freezing weather that has deepened the misery of millions now in desperate need of aid. Security concerns led some aid operations to be suspended, and dozens of people have been arrested for looting or trying to defraud victims in the aftermath of the quake in TÜrkiye, according to state media. But miraculous tales of survival still emerged from the destruction and despair. “Is…

New Zealand’s prime minister Chris Hipkins has warned residents to hunker down and prepare an evacuation plan as a cyclone was to begin pummelling the northern tip of the country yesterday. Cyclone Gabrielle is forecast to envelop the upper half of the North Island over a 48-hour period from yesterday evening, two weeks after parts of the same region had devastating floods. Auckland remains under a state of emergency after flash floods swamped the city on January 27, resulting in four deaths and forcing thousands from their homes. Debris from that deluge remains on the streets of the country’s biggest city, which now faces another bout of heavy rainfall and severe winds. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said everyone should be ready to face the threats posed by flooding, huge ocean…

THE National Assembly is one step closer to finalising the bill that will allow independent candidates to contest elections to be elected as public representatives in Parliament and provincial legislatures. This comes after the home affairs portfolio committee on Friday adopted the report and further amendments made to the Electoral Amendment Bill. The bill was sent back to the National Assembly late last year after the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) came up with material amendments that required public consultation when it was brought to it for concurrence. The National Assembly passed the bill in October 2022, but could not pass it by the December 10 deadline after the NCOP made various amendments that sought to address concerns raised by various parties and stakeholders during the public participation process. The…

The proverbial “you snooze, you lose,” truism has come into play at the court. A decade ago, Absa obtained judgment against a family struggling to pay their monthly instalments to sell their property in execution. But over the past 10 years, the bank didn’t execute the order and the family lived on in the house. They made payments over the years in amounts they could afford. But now a decade later, the bank returned to court for an order to go ahead with the sale. But a Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, judge questioned why Absa didn’t act on the judgment, take the money the family offered over the years, but now wanted to sell the house in execution. Judge Stuart Wilson suspended the order issued 10 years ago and ordered…

AN Independent Panel expected to investigate governance issues including resignations of staff at UCT has been officially established and begun its work. The four-member panel is chaired by former President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa Judge Lex Mpati, retired Judge Azhar Cachalia, Dr Bernadette Johnson and Dr Trish Hanekom. In October last year, the UCT Council resolved that the allegations of breach of governance by vice-chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng and council chairperson Babalwa Ngonyama be probed by an independent panel. This was after the departure of deputy vice-chancellor of learning and teaching, Associate Professor Lis Lange, who claimed in a letter to the Senate that she was forced out. UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the panel was going to investigate whether Phakeng and Ngonyama misled the…

THE Oudtshoorn rugby community is mourning the loss of “big-hearted” rugby player Boutros ‘Boelie’ May who was killed in a stabbing incident yesterday morning. A 24-year-old woman has since been arrested in connection with his killing. It is alleged that he was involved in an argument with the suspect outside a nightclub and was stabbed in the shoulder with a sharp object. May was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival. His death follows that of another young sports star, Oshiwn Andries, who was also killed in a stabbing incident last Sunday. Andries, a defender of the Stellenbosch Football Club team, was described as a young and promising “gifted star”. His death is still under investigation. Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said: “Oudtshoorn police are investigating a…

‘R2 trillion investment’ unlikely amid ongoing electricity crisis Another year, another State of the Nation Address (Sona). For millions of South Africans, this is when the government of the day showcases its programme for the year ahead, consolidated by the impending National Budget for the next financial year, its performance in delivering what was promised in the previous year, what went wrong and what hope there is for the future. Sona 2023 was no exception. When President Cyril Ramaphosa stood at the lectern to address the nation, I wonder how aware he and his colleagues were of the enormity of his speech, nay, the proposed recipes to remedy the disastrous stewardship of the nation, country, economy and society by his governing ANC administration, now in its 29th year of uninterrupted…

BRUSSELS: Belgian prosecutors have charged another EU lawmaker, Marc Tarabella, with corruption in a cash-for-influence scandal that shook the European Parliament. Tarabella, a Belgian socialist, was detained on Friday. Le Soir quoted prosecutors as saying he was charged with corruption, money laundering and membership in a criminal organisation. Tarabella’s lawyer, Maxime Toller, said his client denied any wrongdoing. The so-called Qatargate started last December when authorities charged four people linked to the European Parliament – which sits in the Belgian capital Brussels – over allegations that World Cup host Qatar lavished them with cash and gifts to influence decision-making. | reuters…

SEVILLE: The Spanish film academy’s Goya Awards paid tribute to the late Spanish film-maker Carlos Saura, while French actress Juliette Binoche picked up an international honorary award. Saura, who died on Friday aged 91, had been due to receive the academy’s honorary Goya Award at the annual ceremony. It was awarded posthumously, and, to applause, his widow Eulalia Ramón read out Saura’s own words, written before his death: “I am sorry I cannot be with you”. Saura was credited with leading the awakening of Spain’s art cinema after decades of fascist dictatorship under Francisco Franco. | Reuters…

A British crime boss has been arrested in Thailand after five years on the run, Thai police said yesterday. Richard Wakeling, 55, fled Britain in 2018 after he tried to smuggle £8 million (R172m) of liquid amphetamine into the country in 2016. He was sentenced in absentia to 11 years and placed on the British National Crime Agency’s (NCA) “most wanted” watch list. Wakeling was caught on Friday in the Thai capital Bangkok by the Central Investigation Bureau working with the NCA. “Since 1993 he regularly travelled to Thailand. “But after being charged he changed his name and his passport’s nationality to Irish, that’s why it didn’t show up on the system,” a senior Thai police officer said. Wakeling will appear in court today to begin the extradition process, he…

A US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object over Canada on Saturday, the second such incident in North American skies since the dramatic downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon a week ago. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a joint US-Canadian military operation led to the takedown of the object, the latest in a series of mysterious air intrusions. “Canadian and US aircraft were scrambled, and a US F-22 successfully fired at the object,” Trudeau tweeted this weekend. Shortly after the 3.41pm local time downing of the object, aviation authorities shut down part of the airspace over the northwest US state of Montana after detecting what they called a “radar anomaly,” the US Northern Command said. In a sign of jitters over possible intrusions, Northern Command said US fighter…

The Stormers will this week head to Pretoria as favourites for their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash with the Bulls but Jake White, back from illness and with a new outlook on rugby, might have a surprise or two up his sleeve for John Dobson's defending champions. White and Dobson are set to continue their rivalry at Loftus Versfeld and judging by how the last clash went, fireworks can be expected from both coaches in the build-up this week. Dobson's Stormers are heading to Pretoria in a comfortable position in the URC but a rejuvenated White, after his near-death experience, can be just the inspiration the Bulls need for Saturday. The Bulls mentor made a miraculous recovery after emergency surgery due to illness and will be hoping the miracles continue…

The Champions League knockout stage kicks off this week with a blockbuster showdown between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich topping the bill and doubts surrounding all of the English contenders. Since the World Cup in Qatar there has been another transfer window of record spending by Premier League clubs, whose £815-million (about R17.6-billion) outlay on new players in January represented 79% of the total across Europe’s biggest five leagues according to analysts Deloitte. There are, nevertheless, doubts surrounding all the English sides taking part in the last-16, even Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. The Abu Dhabi-backed club will still be favourites to overcome RB Leipzig, but they have appeared flawed domestically of late and perhaps the uncertainty surrounding the future will leave them feeling greater pressure to perform in Europe this…