Tabla de contenidos para 2023-04-18 en Cape Times

ALTRON group’s operations generated double digit turnover growth in the year to February 28, but headline earnings a share growth was expected to be slower due to once-off impairments. The share price slipped 4.89% to close at R8.75 on the JSE yesterday. The IT group said in an operational update yesterday – the results are expected to be released on May 15 – that the good results were achieved in spite of increasingly challenging trading conditions. Revenue was expected to be between 14% to 18% higher, while headline earnings per share was expected to be 8% to 28% higher at 81 cents to 96c per share. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) was expected to increase by 1 to 21% to between R1.21 billion and R1.45bn.…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electoral Amendment Bill, which provides for independent candidates to stand for election in Parliament and provincial legislatures. The bill is a sequel to the judgment by the Constitutional Court, which found in June 2020, that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional by only allowing the election to Parliament and the legislatures through membership of political parties. The bill sets out provision for objections to independent candidates; requirement for the appointment of agents by independent candidates; and a revised formula for the allocation of seats and their re-allocation in the event of vacated seats, among others. It also provides for the appointment of the electoral reform consultation panel by the Minister of Home Affairs. This would be in consultation with Parliament, and the Independent…

THE United Arab Emirates’s (UAE) Justice Ministry has asserted that the submitted extradition request concerning the charge of fraud against Atul and Rajesh Gupta was attached with a cancelled arrest warrant order, which had failed to meet extradition request conditions. This emerged after DA MPs Glynnis Breytenbach and Werner Horn received several sets of responses to their parliamentary questions that were sent to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola between February and March 2023. The responses show that South Africa was not granted access to the Guptas and that it was informed that the brothers were kept in prison. Breytenbach said the UAE’s Justice Ministry asserted that the submitted extradition request concerning the charge of fraud against the Guptas was attached with a cancelled arrest warrant order. “It therefore…

DEFENCE Minister Thandi Modise has defended the precautionary suspension of a deputy surgeon-general who was paid R3.2 million in salaries and benefits since October 2020, saying it was within the provisions of departmental policy. DA MP Kobus Marais wrote to Modise enquiring about the charges levelled against deputy surgeon-general Noel Ndlovu, whom he said was suspended three years ago for his apparent refusal to sign off the order of the Cuban drug, Heberon Interferon-Alpha-B2B. Marais also wanted to know when Ndlovu would be hauled before a disciplinary hearing. In her response, Modise said Ndlovu was not on suspension, but was on “leave on instruction”. Modise also said the military police had opened a case against the CEO of Umkhombe Marine, who is married to Ndlovu. “Umkhombe Marine was allegedly…

The Asset Forfeiture Unit and Investigating Directorate (ID) has been granted a provisional restraint order for assets amounting to over R165 million connected to accused facing charges related to a police accommodation tender scandal during the 2010 Fifa World Cup. ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said a provisional restraint order of R165m was granted against Durban businessman Thoshan Panday, his ex-wife Privisha Panday and former KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni and others – Colonel Navin Madhoe, Captain Ashwin Narainpershad, Arvenda Panday, Seevesh Maharaj Ishwarkumar, Kajal Ishwarkumar and Tasleem Rahiman. “The restraint order is directly linked to the criminal case first enrolled by the ID, S v Madhoe and eight others in the Durban Magistrate’s Court in October 2021, which has been transferred to the Durban High Court.” She said the restraint…

The world has a huge waste problem. Globally, about 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated annually. In 2017 alone, South Africa generated an estimated 55.6 million tonnes of general waste. Municipal solid waste contributed 23.1 million tonnes, and it is estimated that one third of municipal solid waste is made up of food waste. A 2021 study on food waste in South Africa by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, indicates that around 10 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually. This equates to one-third of the 31 million tonnes of food produced for worldwide human consumption annually. According to World Wide Fund for Nature data, about 90% of waste in South Africa is disposed of in landfill sites, and it is estimated that almost…

Sudan’s army chief yesterday branded the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a rebellious group and ordered it be dissolved, as the faction battled the army in deadly violence that derailed a shift to civilian rule and prompted US calls for a ceasefire. Both sides claimed they made gains yesterday in a violent, nationwide power struggle, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, an activist group, said has killed at least 97 civilians and 45 soldiers, with a total of 942 injured, since the fighting started at the weekend. The government has not published a toll in fighting that has spurred fears of a wider civil conflict. Bombardments and strikes from fighter jets rocked Khartoum yesterday, including near the military headquarters, and in Bahri just across the Nile River near another base,…

For G7 diplomats meeting in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa, unity was the name of the game yesterday, with ministers lining up to insist there was no daylight between them on China policy. The two days of talks are taking place under the long shadow cast by controversial remarks from French President Emmanuel Macron, who last week suggested Europe should avoid “crises that aren’t ours”. Yesterday’s session focused on China and regional challenges, with Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi urging counterparts to “demonstrate to the world the G7’s strong determination” to defend the “international order based on the rule of law”. Host Japan has put regional challenges atop the agenda, and recent events including Chinese military drills around Taiwan and North Korean missile tests have sharpened that focus. As…

Berlin: Former chancellor Angela Merkel has received Germany’s highest honour despite facing continued criticism of her legacy since leaving office, especially over her policy towards Moscow. Merkel, who led Europe’s biggest economy from 2005 to 2021, received the special class Grand Cross from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier last night. The award has been bestowed only twice before, to former chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Helmut Kohl. Although popular through most of her time in power, Merkel, 68, has seen her star fade since she retired in December 2021. The long-time leader has faced criticism of her policy towards Russian President Vladimir Putin and for leaving Germany dependent on Russian energy – a weakness laid bare by the war in Ukraine. Merkel has also been criticised for her decisions in 2011 to exit…

Nairobi: A police officer accused of murdering two teenagers in 2017 pleaded not guilty to the charges yesterday, in a case that raised questions about extrajudicial killings in Kenya after video footage of the shootings went viral. Ahmed Rashid was filmed shooting the two young men as they lay on the ground on a busy street in the capital, Nairobi. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority watchdog recommended murder charges last year. Rashid was arrested and released on bail of 200 000 Kenyan shillings (R27 466) yesterday. Kenyan police are often accused by rights groups of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings. | AFP…

Victor Osimhen and Mike Maignan will face off for a place in the Champions League semi-finals tonight when AC Milan travel south to Naples for the decisive second leg of the all-Italian quarter-final. Nigerian striking sensation Osimhen and France’s new first-choice goalkeeper Maignan arrived at two of Italy’s most storied clubs via Ligue 1 outfit Lille, where they played together for a season before both eventually made their way south of the Alps. Osimhen hadn’t played for Napoli since the last international break before making a substitute’s appearance in Saturday’s goalless draw with Verona which cut his team’s imposing Serie A lead to 14 points. The 24-year-old only played the final 17 minutes of that frustrating stalemate, but the match came alive once he was on the pitch. He caused…

‘Poo flinger’ received death threats while mediating between Prasa and railway occupiers over relocation ACTIVIST and former Ses’khona People’s Movement leader Loyiso Nkohla had been receiving death threats before his brutal murder at the Philippi Railway Station yesterday morning. This is according to those close to Nkohla, after the 40-year old was shot and killed in a murder that shook the political fraternity and communities he advocated for. Nkohla, also a former ANC Youth League member and councillor, was the only fatality while three other people were shot and injured on the scene. Nkohla has been representing and advocating for the Langa and Philippi railway occupiers, who are yet to be relocated, in mediations with Prasa. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the circumstances leading to the incident were under investigation.…

A signing ceremony will be held this week to seal the National Union of Metalworkers of SA’s (Numsa) acceptance of a 7% wage increase with employers in the bus sector. This follows a meeting at the National Bargaining Forum (NBF), which was set up by the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council. The one-year agreement will be implemented from April 1, 2023, and expire next year on March 31. The 7% increase across the board includes allowances and the minimum wage, while the outstanding issue of medical aid or medical insurance will be referred to a task team. The task team is expected to conclude its work by November 2023, in time for wage negotiations for 2024/25. Numsa general-secretary Irvin Jim, said the union had consulted extensively and received…

A FEASIBILITY study for the planned R1.2 billion solar PV (photovoltaic) plant project announced by mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis yesterday is set to be complete by the end of the year. The plant is envisaged for a portion of Paardevlei, which the City of Cape Town said was not suitable for human settlement purposes. The feasibility study for the Paardevlei plant will be completed by the end of the year, with its full commissioning estimated by August 2026. This is one of two city projects awarded support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), which offers cities technical and financial assistance in support of a green and just energy transition. The initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UK government, and the Agence Française…

The West, not Russia, needs an off-ramp from this crisis of its making On February 24, 2022, Russia being left with no other option but to protect the people of Donbass from constant violence emanating from the Kyiv regime, which included not just threats but daily shelling and bombardments of civil residential areas, as well as tackling strategic security threats to Russia, had to launch the special military operation in Ukraine for the purpose of its denazification and demilitarisation. Russia came to stop the war against the people of Eastern Ukraine, launched by the Kyiv regime and inspired by the West through its financial, military and political support. We are a year into this conflict now. We would like to use this opportunity to explore the role of the…

Russia yesterday sentenced Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in a “strict regime” penal colony on treason and other charges for criticising the Ukraine offensive. International leaders and supporters immediately condemned the verdict, the longest against an opposition figure in recent years, and called for his release. A Moscow court found the 41-year-old guilty of treason, of spreading “false” information about the Russian army and of links to an “undesirable organisation” after a closed-door trial. Kara-Murza appeared in a cage for defendants. He smiled and gestured to his supporters to write to him in prison. “A quarter of a century is an ‘A+’ for your courage, consistency and honesty in your year-long work. I am infinitely proud of you, my love, and I’m always by your side,” his wife…

The BRITISH parliament’s commissioner for standards opened an investigation into Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this month, according to a list of open inquiries yesterday. The matter under investigation was a “declaration of interest”. The inquiry began on April 13. A spokesperson for Sunak said the investigation was linked to his wife’s shareholding in a childcare firm. The Liberal Democrats, an opposition party, called for an investigation after media reports said Akshata Murthy was a shareholder in a company that would benefit from a government policy on funding for child care. Under a code of conduct, all MPs are required “to provide information about any financial interest which might reasonably be thought by others to influence a member’s actions”. If the investigation finds Sunak has broken the code, a commissioner…

YANGON: Myanmar’s junta released 3 113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners, to mark the country’s traditional New Year yesterday, according to the military government It has jailed thousands of opponents and pro-democracy activists since it seized power in 2021 and brutally put down protests, drawing global condemnation. Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and figurehead of opposition to military rule, is serving 33 years in prison after a marathon of trials condemned as a sham. At least 17 460 people remain in detention and 3 240 have been killed by the junta, an activist group said. | Reuters…

PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony to mark the completion of a building project in which 10 000 housing units were constructed in Pyongyang, state media said yesterday, describing the project to supply more homes as one of the top policy priorities. Kim attended the ceremony, which marked the completion of the first stage of the housing project in the Hwasong district of the capital. It comes a year after the North began the construction in February last year under a five-year project to build 50 000 new homes in Pyongyang by 2025. The project is being driven by Kim to improve people’s lives amid economic hardships. | IANS…

FORMER South Africa winger Bryan Habana said yesterday he is "not surprised" about Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber's upcoming departure after this year's Rugby World Cup. Nienaber was an assistant to Rassie Erasmus during the 2019 World Cup success before taking over a year later. The 50-year-old will join Irish province Leinster in November, after the World Cup final on October 28. "I'm definitely not surprised," Habana said. "It's a massive opportunity for him, in my opinion, to come out of Rassie Erasmus' shadow and really show his characteristics and ability as a strategic coach, manager," he added. According to South African Rugby sources, a foreigner will not be considered for the position. Nienaber's assistants Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids are among the front-runners, alongside Stormers head coach John Dobson…

The THREE-day 2024 African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTFA) Business Forum, which got under way at the Cape Town International Conference Centre yesterday, is the first in-person forum of its kind since AfCTFA was established in July 2019, and is aimed at implementing an actionable plan arising out of their first report “AfCTFA: A new era for global business and investment in Africa”. This report was released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this year, which detailed an enthusiasm for investment in Africa and all its attendant opportunities. As a WEF veteran, media owner, businessman and someone who has a deep commitment to fostering Africa’s economic growth and prosperity, it is therefore a pleasure to welcome so many delegates, VIPs, former heads of state, ministers, members of the…

FORMER President Jacob Zuma has filed a new application to arms deal trial Judge Nkosinathi Chili, asking for State advocate Billy Downer to be removed from the trial when the matter is heard in August. Zuma’s new application for Downer’s removal is based primarily on the fact that the former president is seeking to privately prosecute Downer for breaching the National Prosecuting Authority Act for allegedly sanctioning the leaking of confidential medical information in 2021 to News 24 journalist Karyn Maughan. His original basis for Downer’s removal was based on a special plea application. Previous trial Judge Piet Koen recused himself from the case in January because he had dealt with Zuma’s initial application for Downer’s removal and ruled against it. Downer yesterday told the court they had received a…

For the fish cakes 1½ cups mashed potato 3 cans shredded tuna in brine, drained 60ml Thai red curry paste 1 egg 1 garlic clove, minced 10ml fish sauce Zest and juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper, to taste 15ml coriander, finely chopped 1 spring onion, thinly sliced 180ml breadcrumbs Oil for frying For the spicy sauce 250ml canola mayonnaise 30ml sriracha 10ml smoked paprika Zest and juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper, to taste To assemble: 6 burger rolls 60g rocket 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced 2 cups coleslaw mix ½ red onion, thinly sliced For the fish cakes: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed potato, tuna, Thai curry paste, egg, garlic, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice and seasoning. Pulse until just combined. Stir in…

Ezemvelo says co-governance arrangements entered into with communities that sought to reclaim land occupied by the entity are going well, and have ensured proper functioning of the many game reserves across KwaZulu-Natal. The government entity recently told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) that some of KwaZulu-Natal’s prime nature reserves are subject to ongoing land claims by individuals and communities that seek either the return of their land or some form of financial compensation. According to Ezemvelo, the land claims targeted Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), Ithala Game Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, Vergelegen Nature Reserve, Weenen Nature Reserve, and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site. Scopa members in the KZN Legislature had been concerned about the impact of the land claims on the future sustainability of the entity,…

THE Department of Social Development (DSD) has set aside R29 million to roll out alternative power supply in the form of generators at about 90 South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices. The department is the third to take this route after the Justice and Constitutional Development and Health Department which are installing generators in courts and conducting due diligence to roll-out solar panels and generators at health facilities, respectively. This emerged when Social Development minister Lindiwe Zulu was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Alexandra Abrahams when she enquired about the date generators will be rolled out at all Sassa offices to enable staff to assist grant recipients during load shedding. In her written response, Zulu said due to the emerging national crisis, a task team has been…

THE DA in Gauteng is warning that terrible condition at schools in the province are resulting in thousands of pupils being lost in the system. Khume Ramulifho, DA education spokesperson,said many pupils dropped out of school while others were moved to schools with better resources. Out of 2 513 350 pupils who the department enrolled in 2021, only 2 252 291 returned to school in the 2022 academic year in grades 1 to 12. An alarming 110 381 pupils are unaccounted for. This information was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, in a written reply to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng legislature. Of the 110 381 pupils who were lost in the system, 53 935 are of school-going age. Ramulifho said: “This is concerning…

IF South Africa was a country that held politicians accountable for their actions, Ronald Lamola, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, and Police Minister Bheki Cele would have been sacked for their poor handling of the Thabo Bester escape saga. Since the story emerged of Bester’s dramatic prison break from Mangaung Prison, which is a privately managed correctional facility in Bloemfontein, embarrassing details have emerged about the government’s handling of the escape. The story of how Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, allegedly planned and orchestrated his escape from one of the country’s most secure prisons has left the government with egg on its face. As a result of this unfortunate saga, the country has been portrayed locally and abroad as lacking in the rule of law, with…

SpaceX yesterday postponed the first test flight of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, designed to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars and beyond. Lift-off of the gigantic rocket was called off just minutes ahead of the scheduled launch time because of a pressurisation issue in the booster stage, SpaceX said. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said a pressure valve appeared to be frozen, forcing a postponement of the launch which had been planned from Starbase, the SpaceX spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas. “Learned a lot today, now offloading propellant, retrying in a few days,” Musk tweeted. SpaceX said the launch would be delayed for at least 48 hours. The US space agency Nasa has picked the Starship spacecraft to ferry astronauts to the moon in late 2025 –…

LONDON: Britain’s King Charles and his wife Camilla have picked a recipe for Coronation Quiche for celebrations to be held next month when they are crowned, Buckingham Palace said yesterday. The dish, featuring spinach, broad beans and tarragon, is a nod to Coronation Chicken, a curry and mayonnaise-based dish invented for the 1953 coronation of Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth II that is still enjoyed today. The palace said the dish had been chosen personally by Charles and Camilla for hundreds of community lunches planned across Britain to mark the May 6 event. | Reuters…

ROME: Almost 2 tons of cocaine with a market value of more than €400 million (R7.9 billion) were found floating at sea off eastern Sicily, in what Italy’s tax and customs police yesterday called a record seizure. The drugs were stored in about 70 waterproof packages, carefully sealed, held together by fishermen’s nets and equipped with a luminous signalling device, police said, which suggest the haul was dumped at sea by a cargo ship in order for it to be recovered later. According to police, Italy is a key transit route for the cocaine trade, and where Balkan criminal gangs were consolidating their positions. | Reuters…

PARIS: A wildfire destroyed nearly 1 000 hectares on the French-Spanish border on Sunday and yesterday, authorities said, as parts of southern Europe remain gripped by a drought. France’s first major wildfire this season was brought under control yesterday, the Interior Ministry said. The fire spread around French villages on the Mediterranean coast, fanned by strong winds. Fire crews had managed to prevent the fire from engulfing the villages. About 300 people were evacuated. The blaze later spread across the border into Spain, burning 500ha and prompting the evacuation of about 50 people. On the French side, a second fire later broke, burning about 10ha. | Reuters…

Under a fortnight ago, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly picked up the phone and called Blues great Frank Lampard to come back and try to steady the ship, with the team in shambles. In another world, it might have been Carlo Ancelotti on the line to the American. Instead, Ancelotti returns to the Stamford Bridge dug-out strictly as an opponent, representing Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg clash tonight. It was Madrid president Florentino Perez who brought the Italian back for a second stint at the helm, after Zinedine Zidane walked away again in 2021. Ancelotti’s Real picked off Chelsea in the first game, carving out a 2-0 lead through Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, and they could have added further goals as they controlled proceedings. At the…