Tabla de contenidos para 2022-11-18 en Cape Times

SOUTH African markets followed global peers and ended yesterday in the red as investors continued to fret about how the looming global recession would affect appetite in local stocks. The JSE All Share Index fell 0.62% to 72 155.29 points by close of trading, mainly pushed down by tech stocks and resource-linked companies. South32 led the losses in the commodity stocks, losing 4.39% to R46.58 per share followed by Thungela Resources and Anglo American Platinum which lost 4.02% and 3.26% to R246.60 and R1 621.40 per share, respectively. The JSE’s shine darkened after the US markets also tumbled, with the Dow Jones losing 200 points and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling by more than 1% each. Investors have been worried over the prospect of an economic downturn…

As the reopened inquest into the death of Imam Abdullah Haron comes to a close, the family’s call is for justice to be served. The inquest has been adjourned to early next year when closing arguments will be heard in the Western Cape High Court. The two-week inquest wrapped up on Wednesday afternoon, presided over by Judge Daniel Thulare. Haron’s youngest daughter, Fatima Haron-Masoet, called for each person responsible for his death to be held accountable. Haron-Masoet had read into the record this week what it was that the family wanted to come from the inquest 53 years after her father had died in what is believed to have been a torturous death at the hands of the Security Branch (SB) during the apartheid regime. Haron-Masoet said the first inquest…

AT LAST some sort of sanity has prevailed in the selection of the Bok team for tomorrow’s fixture against Italy. It is obvious that De Allende is a powerful centre, but for so long his reluctance to pass, and his attitude of putting his head down and trying to make progress by sheer force have caused serious disruptions in any sort of flow from the backline. To illustrate the point, he passed the ball twice in the entire game against Ireland – now that is simply not conducive to allowing our class attacking wings to even be part of the game. Their talents are simply wasted, and the frustration they must go through is surely not the way to utilise their unbelievable talent. Now tomorrow, De Allende has…

IN 1961, in Morogoro, Tanzania, the ANC theorised that the national and class Struggles would be better fought using the doctrine of a national democratic revolution (NDR). This was meant to balance the playing field, to counter the imbalance created by the years colonialism, later apartheid, and colonialism of a special type which pattern still exist today. This was meant to elevate the national groups, imidaka, so that there would be a future that is characterised by equality. In that future, there would be no need for race-based policies like BEE, BBBEE and affirmative action. People would be all on the same level. So, the NDR was and is seen as the building of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, equal, prosperous and democratic society. Every aspect of the state should be…

The Unaccountables Michael Marchant, Mamello Mosiana, Ra'eesa Pather, Hennie van Vuuren Loot.co.za (R200) Jacana AN urgent and passionately argued call to action, The Unaccountables skilfully profiles the large corporations and private individuals who are all implicated in economic crime but have never been held to account. This book will anger many, who will now be able to put names and faces to those behind some of South Africa’s biggest corruption scandals, from apartheid to state capture. Crucially, The Unaccountables focuses on 38 profiles detailing evidence of impunity and suggesting actions in each instance that could ensure accountability. Remember, South Africa is a wealthy country. The 2022 Africa Wealth Report estimates total private wealth in South Africa to be more than $651 billion, more than R10 trillion. South Africa is home…

Now Is Not the Time to Panic Kevin Wilson Loot.co.za (R261) Ecco Kevin Wilson’s titles suggest the doleful ironies of his work. Three years ago, he published Nothing to See Here, a quirky novel about children who burst into flames when they’re angry. As a parable of the dangers of childhood – and child care – it was brilliant. Wilson’s new novel called Now Is Not the Time to Panic, is yet another disingenuous phrase uttered only when things have gone to hell. This time around, Wilson explores the tension between adolescent creativity and cultural paranoia, that urge to affect the world and the cost of doing so. Among other things, the story is an eerie reminder that the internet didn’t invent viral memes or the mental web on which…

CYRIL Ramaphosa is good at not being Jacob Zuma. The quality recommended him in 2017 to the 54th ANC conference delegates who faced an urgent need to fill a vacancy. But as he reports to the 55th ANC conference in Nasrec, many will agree that it gave him only short-term credit with the public as errors in his indecisiveness in implementing party conference resolutions and election promises began piling up. Ramaphosa’s other credential is not being like Jacob Zuma’s allies. The newly elected president emphasised that much at Nasrec 2017. He promised a new dawn, making traits that should come as standard sound like innovations when he reminded delegates: “The actions of comrades who are deployed by the movement should always be informed by the interests of our members and…

The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou is setting up makeshift hospitals and quarantine sites with capacity for nearly 250 000 beds for Covid-19 infections, officials said yesterday, as cases across the country hit their highest level since April. China is battling Covid-19 outbreaks in numerous major cities, including Chongqing and the capital Beijing, while it takes steps to try to ease the burden of its strict zero-Covid-19 policy, which has caused severe economic damage and widespread frustration nearly three years into the pandemic. In the hard-hit central city of Zhengzhou, authorities said they would investigate the death of a 4-month-old whose father said she was denied timely treatment while they were in central quarantine, the latest such case to stir online anger. Guangzhou, a manufacturing hub home to 19 million…

Los Angeles: Oscar-tipped actor Brendan Fraser will not attend next year’s Golden Globes ceremony, he said this week, four years after he publicly accused the former head of the awarding body of sexual assault. The 1990s star has raked in plaudits for his role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. But even if his performance as a 250kg English professor does score him a Globes nod, he will not attend the January event, organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. “It’s because of the history I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite,” he said. | AFP…

AMMAN: The global economic crisis has pushed UNRWA, the UN agency that delivers basic services to millions of Palestinian refugees, into a “danger zone” that could result in it no longer being able to fulfil its mandate, the agency’s head said yesterday. UNRWA said spiralling costs were pushing many of the 5.7 million registered Palestinian refugees in the Middle East to unprecedented poverty levels. Multiple crises that had hit the region had been worsened by the war in Ukraine. UNRWA provides aid relief in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The renewal of the agency’s mandate for three years will be put to a vote at the UN. | Reuters…

Seoul: North Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea yesterday, its first missile provocation in a little over a week, said the South Korean military. It said it detected the launch from the Wonsan area in Kangwon Province. The launch came after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui warned that the North would take “fiercer” military actions if the US stuck to its commitment to use the full range of its military capabilities to defend its allies. US President Joe Biden reaffirmed that pledge during a recent trilateral summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Phnom Penh. | IANS…

It will be another nine months before Rassie van der Dussen’s left forefinger functions properly again. But for now he can bat, and as far as the Proteas are concerned, that is all that matters. Van Der Dussen had his first serious innings in almost three months yesterday, spending around two hours at the crease in Potchefstroom, to score 45 for the DP World (Gauteng) Lions in their 4-Day Series clash with the North West Dragons. Van der Dussen injured the finger while fielding during the second Test against England in Manchester. The knuckle was effectively shattered when struck by the ball and he still can’t straighten it, but it’s good enough to bat. “I was expecting a lot more pain and discomfort, but it actually went Okay,” he said…

After all the drama that has engulfed his life over the last few months, Elton Jantjies is now ready to get back to what he does best – playing rugby. The 32-year-old Springbok flyhalf was left out of the squad for the End of Year tour to the UK and Europe, having had little game-time in 2022 due to injuries and then selection decisions during the international season. But things became murky after he was sent home from the Bok tour of Argentina after reports of an alleged affair with team dietitian Zeenat Simjee, and the fall-out from that resulted in Jantjies opting to stay at the Harmony Clinic in Hout Bay, Cape Town, to get away from the spotlight, and also treat his insomnia issues. Over the last few…

THE Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa (Saapa) and residents have expressed their opposition to an application by Checkers and Pick n Pay outlets to extend liquor trading hours in Lakeside, Noordhoek and Muizenberg. Saapa said extended trading hours meant increased alcohol availability and increased alcohol harm. Saapa SA spokesperson Terri-Liza Fortein said: “We want to reduce alcohol availability in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) best buys for reducing alcohol. Long hours increase harm. We don’t want these trading hours to be granted. Alcohol harm is a major challenge and we need the whole (of) government approach to tackle it. The WHO best buys to reduce alcohol harm include increasing price and decreasing availability. Extending these trading hours is not in the interest of public health…

THE ongoing spat between the ANC’s Cameron Dugmore and DA provincial leader, Tertuis Simmers has now turned the subject of a police probe. Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie confirmed Calitzdorp police were investigating a crimen injuria complaint lodged by Dugmore against Simmers on Wednesday. “It is alleged that the suspect made a post on a social media platform during August this year with the accusation that the complainant misused funds from his political party. “The docket will be submitted to the senior public prosecutor for a decision,” he said. Dugmore said this was in relation to defamatory remarks allegedly made by Simmers via WhatsApp messages with another councillor in Kannaland. “In that conversation … on social media he accuses me of having knowledge of looting of funds by the ANC.…

THE world’s eyes will be fixated on Qatar on Sunday as the tiny Persian Gulf nation in the Middle East sets the stage for this year’s Fifa World Cup. The first game will see hosts welcoming Ecuador in the opening fixture – one that will reportedly be viewed by 5 billion people across the world, according to Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Qatar will be the first Middle Eastern nation to host a Fifa World Cup and this is also their first World Cup appearance. The journey has not been one without controversy for the host nation, with the legacy of Qatar 22 already in doubt without a ball being kicked. While Qatar has been transformed since Fifa awarded the tournament in 2010 with a new metro, skyscrapers, highways,…

WHILE Town Two, Khayelitsha, residents have insisted they had no idea about the activities in the shack where Abirah Dehktar was kept or who lived there, it was heard at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday that some of the accused stood guard outside the structure. Seven men made their first appearance yesterday facing charges of kidnapping and extortion. One revealed he was 47 years old after magistrate Goolam Bawa questioned him. Bawa gave an order that the accused cannot be photographed or named yet as their legal representatives were not in court by the time the matter started. Five of the seven said they had a private attorney who may have been at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court where he thought they would appear. A few minutes later the attorney arrived…

A QUOTE by our renowned former president Mr Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education is also one of the critical means for driving growth in many countries. Thus, it is a significant element for our country as we pursue our growth objectives. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been accepted at the Paris Business School to study for my doctorate in business administration for the cohort starting in December 2022. This opportunity came to me right as I prepared for the next step in my career. Seeing the challenges facing our country – unemployment, inequality and poverty – made it easy for me not to hesitate and to forge ahead with my studies. The current political climate in South…

The Boys From Biloxi John Grisham Loot.co.za (R249) Hachette The master of the legal thriller, John Grisham, returns to Mississippi in his most gripping tale yet. For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, drugs… even contract killings. The vice was controlled by a small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumoured to be members of the Dixie Mafia. Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith’s father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to “clean up the Coast”. Hugh’s father became the…

Rugby, Resistance And Politics Buntu Siwisa Loot.co.za (R205) Jacana Daniel Dumile Qeqe (1929-2005), also known as Baas Dan or DDQ, was a Port Elizabeth leader whose struggles and triumphs ran the gamut of political, civic, entrepreneurial, sports and recreational liberation activism in the Eastern Cape. Siwisa tells the story of Qeqe’s life and times and has written a social and political biography of Port Elizabeth. Central to the transformation of sports towards non-racialism, Qeqe paved the way for the mainstreaming and liberation of black rugby and cricket players in South Africa. He co-engineered the birth of the KwaZakhele Rugby Union, a pioneering non-racial rugby union that was more of a political and social movement. This is an attempt at understanding a man of contradictions. He was generous and kind to…

Chinese President Xi Jinping scolded Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an on-camera dressing down at the G20 summit, an unusual public spat that could further complicate strained relations between the countries. Video recorded by reporters at the Bali summit for world leaders this week showed Xi appearing to upbraid Trudeau after details of talks between the two leaders were leaked to the media. Trudeau had raised with Xi the issue of what he called Chinese “interference” with Canadian citizens after Ottawa in recent weeks accused Beijing of meddling with its democratic and judicial systems. In the clip captured on the sidelines of the Indonesian summit, Xi tells Trudeau through an interpreter: “Everything we discussed has been leaked to the papers. That is not appropriate. And that’s not the way…

Fresh Russian strikes hit cities across Ukraine yesterday, officials said, the latest in a wave of attacks that have crippled the country’s energy infrastructure as winter sets in and temperatures drop. The new barrage came with snow falling for the first time this season and after officials in Kyiv warned of a cold spell approaching. The salvoes of Russian missiles this week came as officials announced good news yesterday on the extension of the agreement allowing Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea, which aims to help the global supply of food. Yet the fresh strikes have pounded Ukraine and come on the back of another stark battlefield setback for Russian forces, which retreated from the southern city of Kherson. “Two cruise missiles were shot down over Kyiv. Information…

LOS ANGELES: Rapper Akon believes Kanye West’s recent offensive outbursts are part of a plan to become US president. The Gold Digger hitmaker, who has changed his name to Ye, has sparked outrage over the last month with a string of anti-semitic remarks and the wearing of a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt during Paris Fashion Week, and though his behaviour has resulted in him losing various contracts, his friend thinks he is employing a “brilliant” tactic to win over voters that would otherwise back Donald Trump’s bid to return to office in 2024. Akon said: “This the brilliant side of him. What is his next plan? To run for office. Who was his main endorser? Trump. In order for Kanye to have a shot, he needs to have a piece…

Washington: The US will have a divided government for the next two years as the Republican party finally secured the House of Representatives this week after polling in midterm elections closed. Democrats will control the Senate and the White House. The days of ambitious legislation for infrastructure, climate change and health-care extension are over. Republicans have threatened to launch congressional investigations into the Biden administration’s handling of the migrant crisis on the southern border and of the Afghanistan exit. They also plan to probe his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings when the senior Biden was vice-president. | IANS…

The upsetting truth has been coming for some time and now that it’s here, it’s time for those in power in South African football to accept it and seek to improve our game going forward, no matter the cost. After Bafana Bafana lived up to expectations by failing to qualify for the World Cup, all eyes were fixed on other nationalities to represent the DStv Premiership at the showpiece event in Qatar, starting on Sunday. Strangely, our hopes were put on Ghana, who shadily booted us out of the qualifying group stages before beating Nigeria in the play-offs. The masses were rallied behind Orlando Pirates’ Richard Ofori to make the final cut in Ghana’s squad and be the only player from the PSL in the Middle East. But that didn’t…

Evan Roos has waited so long for a second Springbok cap that he even packed down in a new position in training ahead of tomorrow’s Test against Italy in Genoa (3pm kick-off). “I can cover at No 7, and if needed at six – and I even scrummed at lock today! I’m a bit short, but if they need me there, I’ll scrum – they must give me 21-inch studs and I’m there … I am trying to focus on eight as my main role, and seven secondary,” the Stormers star said this week. The 22-year-old Roos was one of the standout players in the Cape side’s journey to the United Rugby Championship title, and many rugby pundits clamoured for him to go straight into the Bok starting line-up against…

DEPUTY President David Mabuza yesterday said he would co-operate with Parliament as the leader of government business to ensure that the Zondo Commission recommendations concerning the interplay between the executive and legislature were implemented. Responding to oral questions in the National Assembly, Mabuza said the organs of state were working on a range of interventions. “We are mindful that Parliament will employ its own procedures and processes to implement the recommendations concerning the effective interplay between Parliament and the executive. “These include strengthening existing oversight mechanisms over the executive,” he said. “As the leader of government business in this Parliament, I will make every effort to co-operate with the presiding officers to put the commission’s recommendations about the work of the executive and the ministerial branches into action,” Mabuza said.…

PARLIAMENT will consider the report of the three-member panel of experts which will determine whether President Cyril Ramaphosa has a case to answer on Phala Phala on December 6. This will be just 10 days before the first day of the ANC elective conference, where Ramaphosa is expected to stand for re-election amid a cloud of alleged crimes on his farm two years ago. The choice of the day will fall within the now extended programme of the National Assembly, which was initially to rise on December 1. The turn of events came a day after National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula granted a 13-day extension to the panel to submit its report on November 30 and communicated her decision to the chief whips’ forum. The panel, which started its 30…

MANY Hout Bay residents were left stranded yesterday as local taxis were not operating owing to a dispute between taxi operators and City officials over the impoundment of vehicles. Taxi drivers took to the streets in Imizamo Yethu and burned tyres, and incidents of public violence were reported after vehicles were allegedly pelted with stones and had petrol poured over them. Road closures in the morning included Victoria Road towards the local police station and Constantia Nek towards Hout Bay’s main road. Mayco member for urban mobility and ward 74 councillor Rob Quintas said the impoundments were due to unroadworthy and unlicensed taxis. Quintas condemned the violence, saying it was instigated by those who “are happy to drive unsafe vehicles and who operate illegally”, which also led to conflict among…

I REFER to the article: “Intercape slams Mbalula’s ‘failure’” (Cape Times, November 15).The article makes mention of the “failure” of Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to address the ongoing attacks on long-distance buses. The Makhanda High Court has ordered the minister to produce a workable plan to address these ongoing bus attacks. How can it be that the minister is allowed to appeal against the court’s decision? Surely it is his duty to address “life-threatening” situations on public roads. If not, who is? How can someone appeal against a court order that is only trying to compel him to do what he is employed to do – and be well-paid, at that? The real problem is that no one in the ANC is accountable or responsible for their actions or…

The Elephant Conspiracy Peter Hain Loot.co.za (R219) Muswell LEADING politician and anti-apartheid campaigner turns the spotlight on to elephant poaching in South Africa. Gripping and pacey, this is an epic tale of corruption, collusion and courage. Having thwarted murderous poachers in The Rhino Conspiracy, Thandi and Mkhize are back in a new fight – battling to save elephant herds from being callously killed for their ivory, while trying to block wholesale political corruption and money laundering in contemporary South Africa. Will diminishing elephant numbers be reversed? Will the forces of good triumph over the vicious looters? Can the annual trillion-dollar money laundering trade be brought to heel by a brave whistle-blower? Peter Hain’s gripping second thriller builds to a dramatic climax, the action switching from wildlife to politics, from bushveld…

The report delivered by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the 20th national congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) outlined a vision for the nation as a modern socialist country, holds high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and is strategically situated and profound. The discussion about education contains new ideas, new strategies, new connotations, and also puts forward new requirements. In past reports, like those delivered at the 18th or 19th national congresses, education was usually embedded in the module about improving people’s well-being and quality of life. This time, however, education, scientific and technological innovation, and talent development have been deployed systematically and synergistically, highlighting the importance of the strategies of invigorating the country through science and education in the process of Chinese modernisation. Also,…

As its political stalemate festers, Libya risks sliding back towards civil war with diplomacy at a standstill, politicians thwarting progress towards elections and military leaders, including eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, threatening violence. A move by forces aligned with the Tripoli government this week to blockade a meeting by a legislative body, a bout of deadly fighting in August and Haftar’s warnings of a new war all underscore the risks. New UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily warned this week that “some institutional players are actively hindering progress towards elections”. In Tripoli, many people fear that gridlock raises the chances of violence, which has flared several times in the capital this year and always risks escalating into wider conflict. The prospects of more conflict are also high for an inattentive world. War could…

More than 150 countries have now signed up to a global pact to reduce methane emissions, 50 more than signed on when the initiative launched last year, the US and EU said yesterday. The pledge to cut emissions of greenhouse gas 30% this decade is seen as critical to global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. China and India, the top two methane emitters, have not signed up for the pact. The EU’s climate policy chief, Frans Timmermans, said yesterday at the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, that a lot of work was needed to turn a draft of a COP27 deal into something the nearly 200 countries at the climate summit can agree on. The draft document repeats many goals from last year’s UN climate talks while leaving…

YANGON: Myanmar’s military rulers granted amnesty to Sean Turnell, an Australian economist and former adviser to democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, among nearly 6 000 prisoners to be freed to mark a national holiday, state media reported yesterday. Turnell and former British ambassador to Myanmar, Vicky Bowman, had been freed and had left Myanmar by plane, officials said. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military’s coup in February last year, when it arrested civilian leaders including Suu Kyi, ending a decade of tentative democracy. Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government said yesterday that the world should not be duped by the junta. | Reuters…

Tehran: At least five people were killed and 10 others injured in a drive-by shooting attack on a market in the south-western Iranian city of Izeh this week. Armed assailants driving two motorcycles on Wednesday opened fire on people as well as police and security forces in Izeh’s central market in Khuzestan Province, Tasnim news agency quoted Khuzestan’s deputy governor for security affairs Valiollah Hayati as saying. He said three young men, one 9-year-old girl and a 45-year-old woman were killed in the attack, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. | IANS…

Owen Farrell will become only the third player to win a hundred caps for England when he leads out the team against New Zealand at Twickenham tomorrow. England captain Farrell, who will start at inside centre having previously lined-up at fly-half, joins scrum-half Ben Youngs - who is on the bench - and retired prop Jason Leonard in reaching the landmark. England coach Eddie Jones, asked what made Farrell such a good player, told reporters after naming his side yesterday: "Just his competitive spirit. If you look at his record, he's the third highest point-scorer in the history of the game. "A hundred caps won, multiple titles with his club Saracens, he has won everything with England apart from the World Cup." The veteran Australian coach added: "Whatever team he…