Tabla de contenidos para 2024-04-25 en Cape Times

A SELECTION of photographs of the 1994 elections by Paul Weinberg will be exhibited at the Stellenbosch University Museum from next week. The exhibition will be launched with a conversation between Weinberg and Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela of Stellenbosch University on Tuesday, April 30, at 1pm. Weinberg is a photographer, curator, filmmaker, writer, educationist and archivist. He began his career in the early 1980s by working for South African NGOs and photographing current events for local and foreign newspapers. He was a founder member of Afrapix and South, the collective photo agencies that gained local and international recognition for their uncompromising role in documenting apartheid and popular resistance to it. Since 1990 he has concentrated on in-depth project-based photography. Gobodo-Madikizela is the SARChI chairperson for Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma and…

from page 1 of section 12(4) of the Political Party Funding Act, 2018.” Meanwhile, R342 million was allocated for distribution to represented political parties during the 2022/23 financial year. A further R300m was allocated in the second adjustment budget to defray expected excess expenditure by political parties for the 2024 elections. The ANC received R148.5m, followed by the DA with R62.7m, the EFF R40.9m, the Freedom Front Plus R19.5m and the IFP R14.6m. The IEC also recorded that 12 political parties made declarations totalling R133m for donations in excess of R100 000. Moepya said while the top three political parties had received substantial support, contributions to the Multi-party Democracy Fund had been lacking as it pocketed R2.5m. “The commission appeals to the South African public and the private sector to…

EXTORTION related violence has reared its head again in the city, when two security personnel escorting municipal staff attending to a sewer pipe repair in Philippi were shot and killed. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced a R100 000 reward for information leading to the successful capture and prosecution of those responsible for these murders. The armed security guards had driven to the site in Phola Park in their company vehicle, while a City vehicle transported five operational staff. On arrival, the teams disembarked to gather tools and inspect the pipe. While busy, two armed men approached the City vehicle and another two headed to the toilet block where multiple shots were fired. While the City staff and residents fled to safety, both private security guards were killed. A woman City…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is calling on interested parties to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the appointment of a terminal operator at the Port of Cape Town. Transnet said this was in an effort to foster collaboration and unlock business value to deliver fit-for-purpose port infrastructure. The scope of the RFP will require the successful bidder to acquire, operate, maintain, refurbish or construct and transfer a liquid bulk terminal for a 25-year concession period at the Port of Cape Town. “The issuance of the RFP is aligned to TNPA’s mandate to facilitate the provision of port services and facilities with emphasis on port revenue diversification, job creation, infrastructure development and collaboration with the private sector to foster sustainable economic growth. “The Liquid Bulk Precinct within the…

AN ENVIRONMENTAL awareness group has been dealt a major blow in its bid to stall the upgrade of a one-kilometre road verging on three western leopard toad breeding ponds and wetlands. Since 2017, the Noordhoek Environment Action Group (NEAG) has challenged the construction of a proposed road upgrade known as Houmoed Avenue Extension 1, arguing that this “will disturb the wetland as well as three breeding ponds used by the endangered western leopard toads and will potentially cause their extinction”. The Western Cape High Court outcome allows the City to extend Houmoed Avenue from the intersection with Buller Louw Boulevard to Lekkerwater Road in Sunnydale and from Lekkerwater Road to Fish Eagle Park in Masiphumelele. The City said while the project had been delayed for eight years, they were ready…

RICHARD Owen Dudley was an amazing boy of colour (coloured) who started Sub A (Grade 1) at the age of four because he wanted to go to school with his elder brother. His interest and that he looked up to his brother, combined with his brilliance that was later discovered, led to him enrolling for a degree at the age of 15. He became a teacher, never to be a principal because of his principles of challenging racism and defying apartheid policies. An example of his defiance was his determination not to prepare children of colour for work on farms. In 1984, he resigned from teaching to concentrate on political activities, fighting against oppression and exploitation. In the same year, he became president of the New Unity Movement (Num). Unlike…

JEFFREY Donaldson, former leader of Northern Ireland’s main pro-UK unionist party, had his bail extended yesterday in his first court appearance on sex offence charges. Donaldson, 61, one of the province’s best-known politicians, has previously said he will be “strenuously contesting” the allegations. In yesterday’s court hearing, he did not enter a plea. He is facing one charge of rape, one count of gross indecency towards a child and nine counts of indecent assault on a female, according to the Northern Ireland Court Service. The two complainants, whose accusations span a 20-year period between 1985 and 2006, cannot be named for legal reasons. The politician, who is an MP in the UK parliament, resigned as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on March 29 after he was charged by…

Lahore: Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai faced a backlash in her native Pakistan yesterday, after the premier of a Broadway musical she co-produced with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The musical, titled Suffs, depicts the American women’s suffrage campaign for the right to vote in the 20th century. However Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, has been condemned by some for partnering with Clinton, a supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas. Pakistan has seen many fiercely emotional pro-Palestinian protests since the war in Gaza began. Yousafzai has condemned the civilian casualties and called for a ceasefire in Gaza. | AFP…

Bangkok: Thai authorities issued an extreme heat warning for Bangkok yesterday, urging people to stay indoors as temperatures soared. The mercury was forecast to hit 39°C in the Thai capital, while the heat index rose above 52°C. April is typically the hottest and most humid time of the year in Thailand, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather pattern. The kingdom has sweltered through a heatwave this week, with a temperature of 44.2°C recorded in the northern province of Lampang on Monday – just shy of the all-time national record of 44.6°C. The hot weather is expected to continue. | AFP…

A visionary, new and all-South African ballet company has been launched, seeking to reimagine how ballet can look in Africa. Established by highly respected dance figure Debbie Turner, Cape Ballet Africa aims to, through performance excellence and ongoing professional development of artists, inspire new generations to appreciate an art form that demands much of the human spirit, gives much back to the human spirit and fosters a broad appreciation and following within the African diaspora. The new company will focus on education and the upskilling of young apprentice artists and on working with more experienced artists. “Cape Ballet Africa seeks to reimagine how ballet can look in Africa using the interplay of identity and culture, the diversity in all elements of the art form, the people and the repertory,” said…

from page 1 is one of the points that Zuma can raise. “If they are going to work on a presumptuous basis to say all the points stated by the applicants are indeed correct, maybe on that basis the court will say despite the technical defects it wants to consider the matter. “It could look at it from the perspective of making sure it disposes of this matter before the elections so that no party is going to cry foul as to the manner in which our courts handled the dispute. “If you want to take away the rights of an individual, regardless of who it is, you have to be absolutely sure that what you are doing is correct,” Zikalala said. After the Electoral Court ruled in its favour,…

MOVEMENT of the People, the political party headed by former Beaufort West mayor Truman Prince, has agreed to support the Build One South Africa (Bosa) Alliance, headed by Mmusi Maimane, ahead of the 2024 provincial and national elections. Prince last year resigned from the Patriotic Alliance after he said the party’s leader, Gayton McKenzie, was a “dictator” and accused him of bringing people from Johannesburg to occupy positions which “belonged to the people of the Central Karoo”. On his decision to join Bosa in its campaign, Prince said he was approached by Maimane who met with him in person, and together with the other leaders in the party they decided on the agreement. “We will support Bosa in the provincial and national elections because we are not running and we…

Majority of registered organisations fail to submit audited financial statements ONLY 63 out of 531 political parties registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) made some kind of submission on their financial statements as at the end of March 2023. This emerged in the IEC Political Party Funding annual report for 2022/23 tabled in Parliament earlier this week. Parties registered with the IEC are expected, under the Political Funding Act, to submit audited financial statements with audit opinion within six months of the end of the financial year. IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the commission expressed gratitude to political parties that had complied with the act, submitting records and audited statements. “Unfortunately, some parties failed to comply, and the commission has taken appropriate steps. The institution will continue…

ERRANT employers are responsible for about R7 billion of unpaid pension fund contributions. Members whose employers do not pay contributions to the pension fund have recourse to the Pension Funds Adjudicator who can order employers to pay a member the benefits they are due, and this order can be executed by a sheriff of the court. Addressing the Pension Lawyers Conference, the Pension Funds Adjudicator Muvhango Lukhaimane said the bulk of complaints to her office concern withdrawal benefits and Section 13A compliance in the payment of contributions by employers. This accounts for approximately 83% of all complaints finalised. Lukhaimane said a negligible number of funds have approached her office for assistance with employers not paying contributions. “Even in these instances, the Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator (OPFA) can only…

THE Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has turned down an application by 17 men accused of murder and other offences relating to the Marikana massacre in 2012, to have the charges against them withdrawn. The prosecutions were instituted in the lower courts in the North West province and were consolidated into a single matter. This review application was brought by all the accused in those matters. They stand indicted on seven counts of murder, five of attempted murder, four each of robbery and malicious injury to property and three each for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Leading up to August 2012, miners at the Lonmin platinum mine were unhappy with the wages they received, alleging that these were low, especially in light of the dangerous work they were engaged in…

THE sooner ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa realises that the ‘negative’ media coverage that his organisation is receiving is due to his party’s monumental failures, the better if the ANC is to truly self-correct and win the hearts of the voters. The criticism the governing ANC has been subjected to must be seen as a reflection of its track record in government. In a leaked audio recording, Ramaphosa can be heard stating that: “Where there’s negative reporting, we resolved that we’ll take that up. We want fair or even more than fair treatment because we are the governing party. TV stations have no right to be negative towards us and always not reporting on our activities or just continue branding us in a negative way. “We agreed in the National Working…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned yesterday to China on his second visit in a year, as the US ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. The US diplomat will meet China’s top brass tomorrow in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates a new leader, and to raise US concerns on Chinese trade practices – a vital issue for President Joe Biden in an election year. But Blinken is also seeking to stabilise ties, with tensions between the world’s two largest economies palpably easing since his last visit in June. At the time, he was the highest- ranking US official to visit China in five years, and the trip was…

Storms and flash floods turned roads into gushing rivers and swamped homes with waist-high muddy water across the Kenyan capital Nairobi yesterday, killing at least 10 people. The East Africa region has been lashed by relentless downpours in recent weeks, as the El Nino weather pattern exacerbates the seasonal rainfall. Across Nairobi, vehicles were stuck in the deluge and people waded through floodwaters in slum areas. According to the Nairobi county governor’s office, an estimated 60 000 people, mostly women and children, have been “severely affected” by the floods. The Kenya Met Department warned that “heavy to very heavy” rainfall was forecast until May. In one incident yesterday, police fired tear gas to disperse angry residents who had blocked a main highway with long queues of cars calling for government…

Sydney: Australian police arrested seven teenagers in a wave of anti-terror raids yesterday, with top officers claiming the network may have been plotting an attack and posed an “unacceptable risk” to the public. More than 400 officers were involved in searches at 13 locations across Sydney following the non-fatal stabbing of an Assyrian bishop last week. A 16-year-old boy was already in custody for that attack but police said seven more “religiously motivated” juveniles who were part of a “wider network of associates and peers” have now been arrested. Police said the offenders were all juveniles aged from 15 to 17. | AFP…

BRAZZAVILLE: Republic of the Congo has declared an epidemic of mpox after 19 cases were confirmed across five departments, including the capital Brazzaville. No deaths have yet been recorded, Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki said as he urged people to take precautions by avoiding close contact with those who are ill and avoiding handling game meat with bare hands. The World Health Organization (WHO) has named the virus mpox to replace the older term monkeypox, citing concerns of stigma and racism. In 2022, the WHO declared an outbreak that spread to Europe and North America a global health emergency. | Reuters…

FOR a bachelor, Rulani Mokwena sure knows a lot about the art of wooing. Should he decide to go the marriage route, the Mamelodi Sundowns coach is unlikely to struggle finding a mate. And it will not be his coaching success or good looks that will do the trick, though those are sure to come in handy too. As he tries to emulate his predecessor Pitso Mosimane and bring the CAF Champions League title home to Chloorkop, the young coach likened the pursuit of continental glory to courting a potential marriage partner. He has figured out that it takes time, patience, perseverance and a lot of dates. Mokwena will lead Sundowns against Esperance in second leg of the semi-final of the continent’s premier club knockout competition tomorrow night needing to…

IT’S nearly here, and artists and fans alike are gearing up for a party with the 21st staging of Africa’s grandest gathering – the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) – happening at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on May 3 and 4. The festival’s outdoor stage – Manenberg – is the place to be to amp up the dance moves and energy, with a melting pot of musical genres and cultural influences, and where artists and DJs will come together to celebrate Cape Town's rich jazz tradition with an electrifying twist. Open-format Gauteng-based DJ Jab a Jaw kicks Friday night off and opens the festival (alongside the Kippies stage where Billy Monama will be serenading fans) with a set that lets the music tell it like it is.…

STUDENTS from The Drama Lab are performing award-winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Matilda Jr The Musical, next month at Table View Primary School. The musical is based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel, cleverly scripted by Dennis Kelly with wonderful music by Tim Minchin. It is the enchanting tale of an extraordinary little girl with a vivid imagination, a sharp mind, and a keen sense of right and wrong, who dares to take a stand against Miss Trunchbull – the biggest bully. Along with Miss Honey and her school friends, little Matilda will inspire children and adults alike. This version is adapted by the creators and is devised to be a bit shorter than the original, and is the perfect vehicle for young audiences and performers. The production is…

JUSTICE and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said he was mulling over the recommendations to form a commission of inquiry into political interference with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in apartheid-era crimes prosecution. “The minister is still considering all the options with regards to the recommendations for commission of inquiry,” Lamola said. He was responding to parliamentary questions from GOOD Party MP Brett Herron after a recent report of Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC made damning findings against the NPA for its handling of the prosecution of the apartheid-era crimes. Ntsebeza was commissioned by the NPA in January 2022 to review its truth and reconciliation component, established in September 2021, and advise whether there was political interference in the work of the TRC prosecutions between 2003 and 2017. In his report…

South Africans in need of life-saving stem cell transplants face an uphill battle due to a high rate of donor attrition, says international non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer, DKMS. While more than 30 000 South Africans registered as stem cell donors in 2023, a 43% increase year-on-year, more than half of matched donors, changed their minds when they received the call. Head of Community Engagement and Communications at DKMS Africa, Palesa Mokomele said donor attrition reduces the chances of survival for many patients. “Unlike other medical donations, such as donating blood, which take place immediately, stem cell donation is a multi-stage process, meaning that those who have registered may be contacted weeks, months, or even years after they have signed up if they are a possible…

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into the tragic death of a three-year-old toddler who died after falling into a pit toilet. Little Unecebo Mboteni fell into the toilet at his crèche in Unit 6 in Mdantsane on April 18. Police spokesperson Priscilla Naidoo said they were alerted to the incident after the toddler’s death. “It is alleged that on April 18, a three-year-old boy fell into a pit toilet at his crèche in Unit 6 in Mdantsane. The child was taken to hospital and died on April 19. The matter was only reported to police after his death. An inquest docket was opened,” said Naidoo. Eileen Carter, from the SAHRC Eastern Cape office, said the case was opened after they were alerted to the…

For over a decade, white-owned media giants like the Daily Maverick and News24 have relentlessly attacked their media rival, Dr Iqbal Survé, and his companies through a deluge of negative reporting. Rather than fair criticism, these hostile outlets have engaged in an apparent disinformation campaign using smear tactics and propaganda hit pieces masquerading as journalism to unfavourably portray Survé’s businesses. Before the takeover of Independent Media through one of the Sekunjalo companies, Survé’s name was not widely circulated in the mainstream media, let alone reported negatively. In fact, before that, he enjoyed positive coverage as a businessman, industrialist and philanthropist, even winning awards. Since acquiring what was a hotly contested bid for Independent Media, one of South Africa’s big four media groups, he has faced a never-ending barrage of negative…

Some Palestinian civilians were fleeing their homes in northern Gaza yesterday, just weeks after returning because of an Israeli bombardment which they said was as intense as those at the start of the war. Much of the shelling was focused for a second day on Beit Lahiya on the northern edge of Gaza, where the Israeli military gave evacuation orders to four areas on Tuesday, warning they were in a “dangerous combat zone”. After weeks of relative calm, Israel intensified its attacks overnight on Monday, focusing on areas, particularly in the north, from where it had previously withdrawn troops, saying the Palestinian militant group Hamas was no longer in control. Israel’s military said yesterday that it was ready to launch a ground assault on the southern city of Rafah,…

Four people were taken to hospital yesterday after spooked army horses broke loose during morning exercises in central London and galloped through the streets at rush hour, the army and emergency services said. Two horses ran along busy roads, dodging buses, taxis and other traffic. Both were wearing saddles and bridles, with one apparently covered in blood. A number of prestigious army cavalry regiments have stables in the British capital and horses are a regular sight around government buildings on Whitehall, Buckingham Palace, The Mall and in nearby Hyde Park. The driver of a Mercedes car said he had been waiting outside a hotel in Buckingham Palace Road when he felt something smash into his car. He said he saw three or four horses near the vehicle, and that an…

GENEVA: Global immunisation efforts have saved at least 154 million lives in the past 50 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday, adding that most of those to benefit were infants. That is the equivalent of six lives saved every minute of every year of the half century, the agency said. In a study published in the Lancet, WHO gave a comprehensive analysis of the impact of 14 vaccines used under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. Thanks to these vaccines, “a child born today is 40% more likely to see their fifth birthday than a child born 50 years ago”, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. | AFP…

Berlin: German police said yesterday they had arrested 11 suspected members of a Nigerian mafia group behind a large-scale dating scam. The Black Axe gang was involved internationally in “multiple areas of criminal activity”, with a focus in Germany on romance scams and money-laundering, Bavarian police said. “Using false identities, the fraudsters signalled their intention to marry and over time repeatedly demand money.” About 450 cases of romance scamming had been reported in Bavaria in 2023, with damages of €5.3 million (R109m). The suspects, who all held Nigerian citizenship and were aged 29 -53, were arrested in nationwide raids this week. | AFP…

Richards Bay head coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi has promised to use his mission to help the club secure survival in the DStv Premiership as a way to show his potential as a young tactician. The 41-year-old mentor presented a boastful figure after guiding the Natal Rich Boyz to a monumental win over Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday. That 1-0 triumph saw the club make huge stride towards avoiding automatic relegation, as they stretched their lead over bottom-placed Cape Town Spurs to eight points. Simphiwe Mcineka’s header also helped Richards Bay move to 20 points in 15th position, and within six points of 14th-placed Moroka Swallows with six games left in the campaign. “Kanu”, as Vilakazi has been affectionately known since his playing days at Golden Arrows, was at first handed…