Tabla de contenidos para 2024-02-16 en Cape Times

ESKORT has given a vote of confidence to the South African economy – in spite of domestic headwinds – with a huge expansion of its food production facility in Heidelberg, the small town where the company has produced pork products for 70 years. The leading pork manufacturer yesterday unveiled its new 10 000m² development in Heidelberg, which has expanded its Gauteng production capacity by 50% and will drive hi-tech efficiencies in its production. The enlarged factory is equipped with the largest continuous box freezer in Africa, capable of freezing 120 000kg of products to -18°C every 24 hours. Boxes move on a conveyor belt through the freezing chamber where the air is kept at -41°C – a temperature that occurs naturally only in polar regions. Chilled and frozen…

From p1 Judge Cloete then turned to Sekunjalo’s legal counsel – advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC, advocate Vuyani Ngalwana SC, advocate Karabo Mvubu, and advocate Isaac Shai – saying the move was unfair towards them. Sikhakhane said they had never heard about the decision from Standard Bank, and had to take instructions from Sekunjalo. “This has never come to us before. “We are here because there is an issue of closing accounts, nothing else. I think this offer is mala fide. “It’s typical of how this matter is being dealt with,” said Sikhakhane. Earlier in the day, arguing that Standard Bank’s application for leave to appeal the interim interdict had no merit, Sikhakhane said because the interdict was interim, and not final, it was not appealable. “This order is not final…

THE Patriotic Alliance (PA) snatched a George ward from the DA with an overwhelming victory in this week’s by-elections. The party won ward 8 with 63% votes followed by DA at 33%, ANC 2% and EFF 2%. The ward was up for grabs after a DA ward councillor resigned from the party. The DA managed to retain ward 10 in a hotly contested by-election in Theewaterskloof, Grabouw with 550 votes which represents 28%, GOOD Party followed with 26%, PA 21%, ANC 19%, EFF 3% and PMC 2%. These results, according to Brett Herron, the Good Party secretary-general, signalled that Western Cape must prepare itself for a coalition government as the “old two-horse race is at an end”. “The two old powerhouses of South African politics, the ANC and DA, could…

Two South African soldiers were killed in a mortar strike in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the force's first casualties since it was deployed to help quell an insurgency. Announcing the deaths, the SANDF said three more soldiers were wounded in the incident on Wednesday near the eastern city of Goma. “A mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African contingent military bases, inflicting casualties and injuries to the SANDF soldiers,” the SANDF said. “As a result of this indirect fire, the SANDF suffered two fatalities and three members sustained injuries,” the statement added. The injured were taken to the nearest hospital in Goma, capital of the troubled North Kivu province. The deaths mark the first fatalities since South Africa began to deploy 2 900 soldiers in eastern DR…

WITH a big petrol price hike anticipated next month, the Road Freight Association (RFA) said any gains achieved last year were steadily being eroded and road freight companies will now be faced with the reality of having to increase pricing to cover the ever-increasing costs of fuel. This as the Automobile Association (AA) yesterday noted huge petrol price hikes expected in light of data released by the Central Energy Fund. According to the AA, the current data is projecting fuel prices to breach the R24/litre mark for both grades of petrol, edging close to the R25/l record high seen last year. This would mean 95 octane petrol is set to increase by R1.35/l, 93 octane by R1.31/l, diesel by between R1.43/l and R1.59/l and illuminating paraffin by 96c/l. The association…

What the future?! Justin Cohen Burnet With the recent introduction of revolutionary new AI technologies, most notably ChatGPT, it has become evident that we are undergoing the greatest transformation in history – nothing less than a revolution in the way we live and work. Yet the only people likely to be worse off are those who don’t use AI. Instead of Artificial Intelligence, Dr Justin Cohen believes AI should be thought of as Augmented Intelligence, a way to empower us rather than replace us. Cohen sees What The Future as a software update for what is still the greatest computer in the known universe: the human brain. Install the update to turn AI into you and your team’s Augmented Intelligence, and you will discover: The chance of an AI apocalypse…

She is safe - An expose of the dark world of human trafficking Emma van der Walt Loot.co.za (R201) Luca Emma van der Walt is a pastor, mother and wife, and woman of God. She is also the fearless founder of the non-profit organisation, Brave to Love. They tackle the dark world of sex trade and human trafficking head on to rescue young women from the clutches of evil. These girls are then lovingly cared for and guided as they embark on their new beginnings. Emma and her team work side by side with local and international law enforcement agencies. Together they combat human trafficking and slavery to uncover the corruption and immense suffering that goes on behind closed doors. This is her story and the shocking tales of the…

The glitz and glamour of the SA20 cricket tournament captured the imagination of local fans over the past month. The Sunrisers Eastern Cape pulled off a second consecutive title triumph as they beat the Durban’s Super Giants in the final at Newlands last weekend. But there was some controversy involved with the Proteas men’s team as a result, as all the top players were mandated to play in the SA20 by Cricket South Africa to ensure that the quality of the event was of the highest standard. As with other T20 tournaments around the world, the SA20 is regarded as the main ‘cash cow’ that can keep the sport in good financial health for the rest of the year. That meant a vastly under-strength side had to travel to New…

Desperate Nigerians have been protesting against soaring food prices as an economic crisis forces people to skip meals and eat poor-grade rice used as fish food. To feed their children, women in northern Nigeria have even resorted to digging up anthills in search of grain stored by the insects, according to videos shown on social media. Since coming to office last year President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended a fuel subsidy and currency controls, leading to a tripling of petrol prices and a spike in living costs as the naira slides against the dollar. Nigeria’s inflation rate hit a three-decade high above 28% in December, according to the national bureau of statistics. Dire conditions have sparked protests in several northern cities including Suleja near the capital Abuja, Minna in Niger…

LONDON: Facebook must face a collective lawsuit valued at around £3 billion (about R71bn) over allegations that the social media giant abused its dominant position to monetise users’ personal data, a London tribunal ruled yesterday. Legal academic Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, who is bringing the case on behalf of around 45 million Facebook users in the UK, says they were not properly compensated for the value of personal data they had to provide. Her lawyers argue users should get compensation for the economic value they would have received if Facebook was not in a dominant market position. Facebook’s parent company says the suit is “without merit”. | Reuters…

BEIJING: A cold snap is forecast to sweep across many parts of China from this weekend, with temperatures falling by up to 20°C as millions return from Lunar New Year trips, the national observatory said yesterday. Heavy snow will hit Shaanxi and Shanxi province in the north, central Henan province and eastern Shandong province from February 17-22, while temperatures in parts of the south are expected to fall to 0°C next week, the observatory said. The cold spell is expected to affect road, rail and air transport just as people are coming back from travel for the Lunar New Year celebration that lasts through the end of this week. | IANS…

Parliament has failed to adopt rules for the impeachment of a judicial officer, and its failure to do so has resulted in a flawed constitutional process for the removal of Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe. This is among the submissions Judge Hlophe made in his urgent application to interdict his planned impeachment scheduled in Parliament for next week. The suspended judge launched his application in the Western Cape High Court after Parliament decided to impeach him along with Judge Nkola Motata, following the justice and correctional service portfolio’s recommendation last year. Their planned impeachment will take place immediately after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has tabled the 2024 Budget in the Cape Town City Hall. The urgent application comes amid another bid Judge Hlophe launched in the Constitutional Court for…

Western Cape High Court Judge Judith Cloete did not mince her words when she expressed her annoyance at Standard Bank after its lawyers told the court that the bank accounts of the Sekunjalo Group of companies would remain open even if an interim interdict against the bank was not upheld. Judge Cloete said the court was under the impression that Standard Bank wanted to apply for leave to appeal the interdict against it, so as to close Sekunjalo’s bank accounts, affecting the livelihoods of more than 4 000 employees. At the very end of the court proceedings yesterday, after the legal counsel for Sekunjalo made its arguments, Standard Bank legal representative Phumlani Ngcongo dropped a bombshell when he said that even if the interdict against them was not upheld, Standard…

A JUDGMENT by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, highlighted how estranged parents at war can forget about the interests of their child. In this case both parents wanted to enrol their child at a different school for Grade R – and neither would budge. The father, who turned to court, said the child should attend a school in the Centurion region, as he lived in Kyalami. The mother, on the other hand, said the child should attend a school, east of Pretoria. The child was enrolled in both schools, as neither parent would relent. In the opening to the judgment, the court remarked that when parents were in turmoil, children were the ones who feel the brunt. “Sadly divorce, separation or any kind of dispute between the mother and the…

TWO of the men accused of the murder of activist Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla are expected to pursue their bail applications at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court next month. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said accused two and three, Mzubanzi Chulayo and Mzuyanda Mdlungu have indicated that they want to apply for bail. Their bail application will be on March 4. Accused one, Zukisa Tshabile, abandoned his bail application and he is expected to make his next court appearance on March 28, said Ntabazalila. The Athlone Magistrate’s Court heard Mdlungu was allegedly paid R20 000 for his involvement in the planned hit on Mabandla and faces eight criminal charges alongside his co-accused Tshabile, and Chulayo. Reading a summary of facts into the record at a previous court appearance, senior State advocate…

AN ExCERPT from The First Kudu: Building a tech start-up in Africa: Stories and Lessons from HouseME by Ben Shaw and Lorne Hallendorff. I find reasons to wear hats as often as I can. Personal favourites include a Yankees flat cap and an Ecuadorian panama which I bought from a market in Hermanus from a heavily-accented lady delighted to make her first sale of the day. A far more important hat that I wore for many of the months following my resignation was that of a salesman. And then that of the hiring manager. I took up a part-time job in order to survive day-to-day, and diverted all savings (plus the first modest angel cheque received) into HouseME’s product build, and made use of a development company based in Jaipur,…

National Development Plan relies heavily on SMMEs to provide millions of jobs GLOBALLY, the world observed the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the weekend. Amid the lofty promises is the harsh reality that considerably more needs to be done to ensure that women and girls are given the tools to succeed in science and society at large. The Chemical Industries Training and Education Authority (Chieta) is mandated to facilitate skills development, education, and training in the chemical industry. We are striving to create opportunities for the youth, women, and girls. We were proud to hear about hard-working matriculant Liyabona Ncanywa being recognised by the Eastern Cape Department of Education as one of the province’s top achievers in the National Senior Certificate Examinations. Chieta assisted her with…

Israel launched a new wave of deadly strikes on southern Gaza yesterday after vowing to push ahead with a “powerful” operation in the overcrowded city of Rafah despite growing international condemnation. After more than four months of a war that has flattened vast swathes of Gaza, displaced most of the territory’s population and pushed people to the brink of starvation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted it must press ahead into Rafah for “complete victory”. Hundreds of thousands of people have been driven into Gaza’s southernmost city, seeking shelter in a sprawling makeshift encampment near the Egyptian border. Netanyahu vowed to crush Hamas in response to the militant group’s October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1 160 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally…

Three people were in custody in Kansas City, Missouri, yesterday, facing questions about what led to a deadly mass shooting near the city’s Super Bowl victory rally and who was behind it. At least one person was killed and 21 wounded by gunfire on Wednesday outside the city’s landmark Union Station, where thousands of fans had gathered with the Kansas City Chiefs to celebrate the team’s NFL championship triumph over the San Francisco 49ers, authorities said. The bloodshed, at the end of the rally following a parade, turned the festive occasion into a scene of panic as attendees scrambled for cover at the sound of rapid-fire gunshots. Local radio station KKFI identified the slain victim as Lisa Lopez, one of its disc jockeys and host of the show Taste of…

Athens: Greece’s parliament was to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption yesterday – a landmark reform promoted by the conservative government over the opposition of the country’s Orthodox Church. Dozens of ruling New Democracy party legislators were to oppose the bill in a vote. But support from opposition parties meant it was certain to pass. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotaki urged MPs to “abolish a serious inequality” in a democracy that had rendered same-sex families “invisible”. LGBTQ associations say same-sex families face myriad administrative challenges amounting to discrimination under present law. | AFP…

Seoul: Scientists in South Korea have developed a new type of sustainable hybrid food – a “meaty” rice that they say could help solve food crises and climate change. The new grain was grown in a lab by researchers at Seoul’s Yonsei University and is packed with beef muscle and fat cells. The result is a pink rice that could offer a cheaper and sustainable meat alternative. “Imagine obtaining all the nutrients we need from cell-cultured protein rice,” said Park So-hyeon, who co-authored the study. The grain was coated in fish gelatine to help beef cells latch onto the rice and then left to culture in a petri dish. The final product contained 8% more protein and 7% more fat than regular rice. | AFP…

Primedia Outdoor, a division of Primedia, has been slapped with a R2.7 million penalty and has to give R1.3m free ad space to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The Competition Commission yesterday said it welcomed the Competition Tribunal’s green light to a consent deal reached between the Commission and advertising company Primedia Outdoor. The February 13 Tribunal order follows an investigation by the Commission. It found that between September 2004 and March 2018 media firms, under the auspices of an industry association Out of Home Media South Africa (OHMSA), had entered into collusive agreements, which fixed prices and trading conditions in contravention of the Competition Act. OHMSA members include: Boo! Media, Insight Outdoor, Outdoor Network, Adreach, Tractor Outdoor, SP Media, Primedia Outdoor, JB Media, Likhwane Media, Anchor Zedo, Jonet…

President Cyril Ramaphosa said yesterday a profound change was taking place in the country, away from the noise and spectacle. “Our country is being steadily and fundamentally transformed for the better,” Ramaphosa said. He made the statement while responding to the debate on the State of the Nation Address (Sona) that took place over the past two days. Ramaphosa said the achievements of decades gone by also included the work of the last five years. In his response to criticism that his address did not reflect his legacy, he said it was not about his legacy, but that of the ANC-led government. “I never want to be said it is Cyril Ramaphosa’s legacy. No, it is our people’s legacy. Our people struggled to get to where they are today and…

OPPOSITION parties in the City of Tshwane have slammed the DA-led coalition over reports that the National Treasury intended to cancel at least R629 million, which is part of conditional grants allocated to the municipality for 2023/24 financial year. This was after it emerged this week that the National Treasury penned a letter to municipal manager Johann Mettler, expressing the intention to withdraw millions of rands from the City owing to “underperformance of grant allocations”. The EFF blamed both the DA and ActionSA for financial mismanagement, saying it prompted the National Treasury to take drastic measures. Regional party leader, Obakeng Ramabodu said: “The cessation of these financial resources suggests that Tshwane will face a significant shortfall in urban development funding. This will adversely affect transportation subsidies, placing a heavy burden…

Ernest Khosa accused of getting millions in kickbacks from service providers The law firm appointed to investigate allegations against National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board chairperson Ernest Khosa has about a month to produce legal advice and will also be expected to write a report for presentation to the board. Khosa took a leave of absence last month after the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) released a report accusing him and Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande of getting millions of rand in kickbacks by NSFAS service providers as well as at least R1 million towards an SACP conference. Outa claimed this was done in return for tenders, and protection for service providers, and the evidence was in voice-recorded meetings. Four service providers, Coinvest Africa, Tenet Technology,…

KNYSNA residents continued to bear the brunt of what has been described as a waste management crisis, with only three waste trucks reportedly servicing 11 wards in the municipality. The embattled municipality communicated via its social media platforms about backlogs since January with no refuse collections on a number of days. Community activist organisation Knysna United said it would be intervening to ensure basic service delivery for the community as the municipality faces “near collapse” in “a waste management crisis”. Knysna United’s Ralph Stander said: “The community is fed up and the poorest of the poor are taking the brunt. They are the ones suffering. We need to do something to look after the vulnerable and restore the dignity and human rights of the people.”The municipality did not respond to…

Manner of death Robin Cook Loot.co.za (R 270) Pan Macmillan In the new medical thriller from Robin Cook, Jack and Laurie are drawn into a dangerous vortex of a series of murders that have been cleverly staged as suicides. After Dr Jack Stapleton’s near-death experience with a medical serial killer, his wife, Laurie Montgomery, is carrying the load both at work and at home. When Laurie insists that an underperforming senior pathology resident – who is spending his required month at the medical examiner’s office but who truly detests doing forensic autopsies – assist her on a suicide autopsy in the hope of stimulating his interest in the field, the last thing she expects is to be unwittingly drawn into a major conspiracy that puts her own life in jeopardy.…

The Knowing Emma Hinds Bedford Square I just finished reading The Knowing by Emma Hinds, and wow, was it a ride! The title alone piqued my curiosity – I mean, who doesn’t love a good mystery, right? And with my soft spot for tarot, I was hooked from the start. We’re introduced to Flora, a character with such a compelling backstory that you can’t help but root for her. Can you imagine being a living canvas for an abusive tattoo artist in the slums of 19th-century New York? That’s Flora’s life, until she crosses paths with the mysterious Minnie and the sinister Chester Merton. Love, obsession, betrayal – they all weave into Flora’s story as she navigates Merton’s lavish town house, wrestling with her gift of “the Knowing” – a…

A WAR of words and threats has emerged as a result of the DA’s Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill (WCPPB). This piece of legislation, which aims to achieve greater devolution to the Western Cape government, has been branded as “secessionist” by the ANC, with their allies in the SACP vowing to make the province “ungovernable”. For a supposed liberation movement that brought “democracy” to South Africa, they are seeking to undermine democracy in the Western Cape at every opportunity. I was due to deliver an oral submission at the WCPPB public hearing in Moorreesburg on the January 30, 2024. Upon arrival at the packed town hall, there was a sizeable protest taking place inside the venue (consisting of mostly ANC members), in an attempt to delay the start of the…

Protesting Indian farmers relaxed on their tractors yesterday as they awaited orders from leaders to advance on the capital, vowing they’d last longer than the police currently blocking their route. “We are here for the long haul,” said Mela Singh, a 70-year-old from Punjab state’s Mansa district, one of the thousands of farmers setting up camp on the highway after their column was stalled by roadblocks about 200km north of New Delhi. “A month, six months, a year, it does not matter, we will only retreat when we win this battle.” Community kitchens and makeshift medical clinics have been established, while other farmers snooze beneath tarpaulins stretched over their tractor trailers. Thousands of farmers this week launched what they have dubbed “Delhi Chalo”, or “March to Delhi”, to demand a…

Ukraine needs almost half a trillion dollars to cover the reconstruction costs to areas damaged as a result of Russia’s invasion, the World Bank, EU, UN and the Ukrainian government said yesterday. And Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said that confiscated Russian assets should foot most of the bill. Kyiv is trying to marshal international resources to help it rebuild the nation’s cities, roads, bridges and energy facilities destroyed or damaged by Russia’s two-year assault. “The total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is $486 billion (about R9.2 trillion) over the next decade, up from $411bn estimated one year ago,” the European Commission said. The assessment was prepared by the four organisations. It said Ukraine would need $15bn in 2024 alone for repairing houses and critical transport links. Ukraine…

Madrid: Spanish police said yesterday that they had smashed an international ring that smuggled about 200 Senegalese nationals into Europe via Madrid airport, which has been overwhelmed by an influx of asylum-seekers. Officers arrested 12 alleged members of the ring, which had created a manual that outlined in detail how to request asylum in Spain by falsely claiming to be a minor from war-torn nations like Mali or Ethiopia, police said in a statement. Among those arrested is the suspected leader of the network. A total of 56 852 migrants entered Spain last year, an 82.1% jump from 2022 due to a record number in the Canary Islands. | AFP…

London: The wife of Julian Assange said yesterday that the WikiLeaks founder would die if extradited to the US, ahead of his latest appeal against the UK ruling. The situation was “extremely grave”, as his mental and physical health were “in decline”, she said. Assange, 52, is wanted on espionage charges in the US and has been detained in Belmarsh Prison in London since April 2019. Stella Assange said her husband could be on a plane to the US “within days” if he loses the appeal, with a High Court hearing to begin on Tuesday. If successful, Assange could argue his case before the UK’s domestic courts. | AFP…