Indice dei contenuti per 2025-05-08 in Cape Times

THE Israeli plan to conquer Gaza got its legal base when Britain issued the Balfour Declaration in November 1917, promising Palestine to the Zionists as a homeland for Jews. This was more than two decades before WW2. Albert Schneer devoted about half of his scholarly work, “The Balfour Declaration. The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict”, 2011, to the intricate web of negotiations that made it possible, drawing on information from Zionist and British archives. The Balfour Declaration reads as follows: “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing…

METHINKS Mr Charles Thomas protests too much (Cape Times, May 5). He says the usual suspects, and he names us, are all singing the same old tired tunes. As I've always said, I don’t mind what colour, creed, gender anyone is but they must do their jobs without fear or favour. Sadly we can’t say this happens within the ANC. I will give credit where it is due but it is increasingly hard to find that within the ranks of the ANC. Mr Thomas if you don’t, you should watch Carte Blanche on a Sunday evening. Their reporters are excellent and they go into every little dorp, hamlet, town and city, showing us what is happening in ANC municipalities. It is a crying shame not only…

It is for the world to say that we are not going down this crazy route and downward spiral CALL it what you want, the so-called ‘incumbency curse’ in democracies around the world. Whether it’s the figment of the stunted imagination of a political hack or activists most likely in support of populist far-right movements and phenomena, the reality is far from the rhetoric of aspirations and actual outcomes. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government was re-elected to a second term just a few days ago in a landslide victory defying not only the so-called ‘incumbency curse’ (if ever there is one) but also making a mockery of the fickleness of the so-called mainstream media in talking up the Trump effect, which the BBC said loomed large over…

Israeli strikes on a school housing displaced families in northern Gaza killed 13 Palestinians yesterday, local health authorities said, as Israeli forces continued to demolish homes and buildings in Rafah in the south of the enclave. Medics said two strikes targeted the Karama School in Tuffah, a suburb of Gaza City. Among those killed was a local journalist, Nour Abdu, Palestinian media said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army. Two Israeli airstrikes on another school, housing displaced people in central Gaza, killed at least 29 people, including women and children, on Tuesday, local health authorities said. The Israeli military said it struck “terrorists” operating from a command center in the compound. Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, said yesterday their fighters had…

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia had imposed a temporary ban on the import of livestock and related animal products from neighbouring Thailand to prevent the outbreak of anthrax, a statement said yesterday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the ministry was closely monitoring the anthrax outbreak in Thailand. “Currently, there are no cases of the disease reported in Cambodia, but as a precautionary measure, the ministry has imposed a temporary ban on the import of livestock and related animal products from all Thai border crossings,” the statement said. It added that authorities had worked with institutions at those border crossings to enforce the ban. The statement said the General Department of Animal Health and Production had also set up a network in all 25 cities and provinces with the aim…

MANILA: The performance of manufacturing production in the Philippines barely hummed in March, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said yesterday. Based on the preliminary results of the monthly integrated survey of selected industries, the PSA said the year-on-year value of production index (VaPI) rose by 0.4%, while the volume of production index (VoPI) declined by 0.2% in March. The agency said the average growth rate of VaPI for manufacturing from January to March this year was 0.9%. The PSA mainly attributed the uptrend in the annual growth rate of VaPI for manufacturing in March to the faster yearly increase in the manufacture of food products at 19.2% from an annual increment of 13.9% in the previous month. The manufacture of food products contributed 35.4% to the uptrend in the VaPI…

The moment Brok Harris went down with a knee injury in his team’s United Rugby Championship clash against Benetton, he knew his career of almost 500 matches had come to an end. The 40-year-old Stormers legend said a “popping noise” from his knee signalled the final whistle, but as untimely as the injury may have been, he retires with a happy heart. “When it happened, I knew immediately it was very serious,” the jovial prop said. “I heard the popping sound — the knee felt like jelly and was very loose. The doctor said, ‘Let’s put you on the cart,’ but I knew it was all over for me as a player, and I was determined to walk off the field. “I said, ‘No, doc, if this is my last…

There was a time when a gold watch marked the end of a successful career. You joined a company, stayed loyal for decades, and were rewarded for your time – but not necessarily your impact. However, as leadership expert Simon Sinek pointed out back in 2023, that era is long gone. Today’s workforce, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are not motivated by long-term promises or end-of-career rewards. Instead, they crave purpose, recognition, and work that reflects their personal values and ethics. Purpose over pay Gen Z and Millennials are redefining what success looks like in the workplace. Career growth is no longer tied to tenure or job titles, but to a sense of purpose and personal fulfilment. A recent HR Future article notes that 63% of Gen Z professionals consider…

A 10% surge in average gold price boosted DRDGold’s revenues for the quarter ending 31 March by 4% despite a dip in gold produced and sold during the period. Gold prices for the quarter averaged R1 685 760 per kilogram, representing a 10% surge compared to the previous quarter ended December 2024. Revenue for the quarter subsequently firmed up by 4% compared to the previous quarter to about R1.8 billion amid gold sold for the period declining by 169kg to 1 109kg. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) decreased by 2% from the previous quarter to R761.7 million. “Gold sold and produced decreased by 13% and 12% respectively, due to a 5% decrease in tonnage throughput and a 7% decrease in yield to 0.181g/t,” said DRDGold on…

THE deadly confrontation between India and Pakistan marks the worst violence between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades, further heightening regional instability. The two intensified the exchange of heavy artillery fire along their contested frontier yesterday, following deadly missile strikes launched by New Delhi against its long-standing rival. At least 38 people have been reported dead, with Islamabad claiming that 26 civilians were killed due to Indian strikes and cross-border firing, while New Delhi cites 12 fatalities from shelling initiated by Pakistan. The outbreak of violence follows accusations by India that Pakistan supported a recent attack on tourists in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir, which Islamabad vehemently denies. The history of conflict between the two nations spans back to 1947, when they were partitioned from British India. Since then, they…

There's this wall painting in Johannesburg CBD that one just cannot miss nor ignore. It spells out CALL YOUR MOTHER in white letters on a black background. It's right there at the back of that high-rise Nota Bene student accommodation building in Braamfontein. Closer to home, right here in Cape Town, the facade of Iziko South African National Gallery has been emblazoned with the very same CALL YOUR MOTHER mural by artist, Ed Young. Cheeky. Simple and effective. A message that pricks izazela zamagoduka [the conscience of refugees]. I found myself thinking about this particular Ed Young artwork whilst watching the preview of a new South African film called SABBATICAL. Set to hit cinema screens this Friday, May 9. SABBATICAL is written and directed by UCT alumna, Karabo Lediga,…

OFFICERS confiscated homemade rifles and handguns, hand radios and other items in a joint operation to clamp down on a hijacking syndicate in Lingelethu West in Khayelitsha. Safety and security Mayco member JP Smith said this comes amid a surge in the hijacking of City vehicles. Between July 2024 and April 2025, a total of 113 City vehicles have been hijacked, which increased from 57 vehicles during the previous financial year. Of the 133 vehicles hijacked in recent months, the City has been able to recover 42 vehicles, Smith said. The statistics show that the Urban Waste and the Water and Sanitation Directorates are most affected and in most of these incidents City officials are held at gunpoint. The hijackings were most prevalent in Lingelethu West, Makhaza, Harare, Khayelitsha…

I WRITER to express my firm opposition to the DA’s legal challenge against Section 15A of the Employment Equity Amendment Act. The DA claims this legal action is in defence of constitutional rights and economic growth — but in truth, it is an attack to meaningful transformation. Let us be clear: challenging this amendment will not fight unemployment, nor will it reduce poverty or inequality. In fact, it protects the very structures that continue to exclude the majority of South Africans from economic participation. Every day, the coloured youth on the Cape Flats are dying — not because of employment equity laws, but because of unemployment, inequality, and neglect. The DA has consistently failed to act decisively in addressing the root causes of the crisis in our communities. Their selective…

FASCISM is described as an ultranationalist authoritarian far right ideology characterised by a dictatorial leader. Fascism is also associated with suppression of dissent, individual rights and the suppression of all opposition including the judiciary. History shows that Italy’s Mussolini was the first 20th century fascist. He was idolised by Adolf Hitler who adopted the same philosophy which gave birth to Nazism. Both North Korea and Russia are cut from the same cloth. Fast forward to 2025 and new kid on the block Donald J Trump is sniffing around the very same doctrine with his authoritarian undemocratic rule by sidestepping Congress and passing hundreds of decrees at his whim. Both Australia and Canada are saying no to fascism by swinging to the left thanks to Trump. It needs to be understood…

IT WAS unseasonably hot in last week’s Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development’s virtual meeting, and the shining ring-light beams brought a combative glow to the lawmakers’ faces, as members clashed over the adoption of a report recommending candidates for the newly established Office of the Small Enterprise Ombudsperson. The session, which was meant to streamline support for small businesses, instead devolved into a battleground of partisan politics, procedural disputes, and allegations of manipulation. The acrimony is widespread as citizens are brimming with anger, despondency or misery about the state of our government which does not feel sustainable. That is completely understandable, and what has fundamentally caused that wave of negativity might be a lot simpler than some people would like to think. Poor oversight on the R500 million Spaza…

Chinese President Xi Jinping headed to Moscow yesterday for a key three-day visit including a grand Victory Day parade and a show of support for Vladimir Putin. Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits partnership” weeks before Putin ordered Russia’s Ukraine offensive in February 2022. The expanded military and trade ties since have troubled the West. The visit comes with rising China-US tensions over biting US trade tariffs, while President Donald Trump has also made overtures to Putin in a bid to mediate the conflict in Ukraine. In an article for Russia’s Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper published Wednesday, Xi hailed “resilient” China-Russia ties and called for other countries to stay out of their relationship. “The two sides should jointly resist any attempt to interfere with and undermine the China-Russia friendship and…

HANOI: Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had reaffirmed the country’s commitment to achieving an economic growth rate of 8% or higher this year, despite mounting challenges, Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday. Speaking at the government’s monthly meeting this week, he acknowledged that some export sectors, such as textiles and wooden furniture, had been adversely affected by the US tariffs, while domestic consumer demand was recovering. He emphasised that this period presented an opportunity to restructure the economy, diversify markets and expand the range of export products. The leader stressed that negotiations with the US would be conducted with the goal of protecting Vietnam’s rights, fostering sustainable trade and ensuring compliance with international agreements to which Vietnam was a party. | Xinhua…

King Alexander Investments has officially launched its innovative linked investment service provider (LISP) platform, in a bold move set to disrupt the retail investing landscape in South Africa. Founded by seasoned financial services innovator David Lloyd, the platform is designed with financial advisers and their clients in mind, promising a simpler, more transparent investment experience that finally addresses the longstanding inequities of traditional retail investing. The vision behind King Alexander Investments stems from Lloyd's conviction that the existing models are fundamentally flawed. “Since day one, these platforms have been too expensive, and investors take on all the risk regardless of the performance that is actually delivered,” said Lloyd at the launch on Wednesday. “King Alexander Investments changes this as clients now only pay when they are ‘winning’.” Backed by the…

A REVIEW of what the Western Cape Children’s Commissioner (WCCC) achieved in its first term will be necessary to determine which issues to give priority to and focus on as the search for a new head is set to get underway in the coming weeks. This is according to Molo Songololo director Patric Solomons who said there were many serious and pressing issues that affect and impact children in the Western Cape, and need to be urgently addressed. His remarks come amid the conviction of missing Joshlin Smith’s mother Kelly, her boyfriend Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis, and their friend Steveno 'Steffie' van Rhyn for Trafficking in Persons for the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping. Joshlin went missing in February last year while in Appolis’ care. The state maintained during the recent…

YOUR Friday edition “Tau says Transformation Fund aims to consolidate black empowerment efforts,” refers: Unfortunately, I have extremely negative thoughts about this. A hundred billion rand for the transformation fund appears, to my mind, to be a great big pot from which many greedy hands can help themselves. The history of these funds have in the past been an invitation to wholesale theft and misuse. It is a crying shame that we come from that history but there is very little to show this won’t reoccur. Hopefully our “Independent Business Report” will keep a very close eye on this and will be reporting back to the people on where the money has gone and how it has been used. Hopefully they will also call for…

GAUTENG High Court Judge President Dustan Mlambo was on to something with the directive that compels mandatory mediation in civil matters before opting to have a judge presiding over the case. Of course, the directive has not gone unchallenged by some in the legal fraternity who believe that, among other things, such an instruction makes accessing the courts difficult. Judge Mlambo’s move is informed by the fact that most of the civil matters that are allocated to a judge get settled on the day they are to be heard, meaning that judges spend hours preparing for a case only for it to be settled. This takes away the time they could have spent reducing the alarming backlog. As of February 2025, the Division’s Civil Trial roll has trial dates issued…

India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery fire along their contested frontier yesterday after New Delhi launched deadly missile strikes on its arch-rival, in the worst violence between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades. At least 34 deaths were reported, with Islamabad saying 26 civilians were killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, and New Delhi adding at least eight dead from Pakistani shelling. The attack came days after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing a deadly attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir. The South Asian neighbours have fought multiple wars since they were carved out of the sub-continent at the end of British rule in 1947. The latest violence exceeds India’s strikes in 2019, when New Delhi said it had hit “several militants” after a…

A drone strike targeted Sudan’s biggest naval base yesterday, an army source said, marking the fourth straight day the seat of the army-backed government has come under attack. “They (the drones) were met with anti-aircraft missiles,” the source said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. A correspondent reported a series of explosions and then a cloud of smoke coming from the direction of the Flamingo Base, just north of the city. War has raged since April 2023 between Sudan’s regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which the government has called a “proxy” of the United Arab Emirates. Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast had been a safe haven, hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced people and UN offices,…

LOS ANGELES: Another US fighter jet fell into the Red Sea this week after falling over the side of the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier on Tuesday, NBC News reported, citing officials. It was the second US fighter jet loss from the carrier in over a week. The aircraft, an F/A-18 Super Hornet, went overboard during an attempted landing when it failed to engage the arresting wire, a mishap known as a “failed arrestment”, US officials were quoted as saying. Both aviators aboard the jet safely ejected and sustained only minor injuries, they said. Investigation is under way. A similar incident occurred on April 28, when an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the Harry S Truman fell into the Red Sea. All personnel were accounted for, with one sailor sustaining…