Inhoudsopgave van 2023-05-30 - Cape Times

Burning food is something that happens to the best of us, but you might not have to go hungry. To help you out, we've put together a list of four tips to save your burnt food. Cut out the burned part If a particular piece of meat, vegetable or bread, for example is burned during cooking, simply cut out that part. By doing so, you can avoid spoiling the entire dish. Change the pot Generally, something has burnt because you’ve left it on the stove for too long. This means most of the damage will be on the bottom of the pan. Try moving your food to a clean pan or pot and see if that makes a difference. The downside of this is that it’s not going to work…

WITH alcohol abuse in South Africa’s higher learning institutions increasing at an alarming rate, the Department of Social Development, in collaboration with UCT, have launched an app tool to assist with early identification of substance use-related health risks and substance use disorders. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement (Assist) web app tool was launched at Groote Schuur Hospital yesterday. In 2019 a survey in the Western Cape found that 5.6% of first-year university students reported an alcohol use disorder within 12 months. Another study had found that binge drinking among university students was becoming a “public health concern” and the country was among the top nations in the world faced with the problem. Higher Health chief executive Professor Ramneek Ahluwalia said their studies found that 60% of TVET college…

Access to housing is a duel between people experiencing homelessness and people living in shacks or backyard dwellers. When answering Mandisa Makesini from the EFF in Parliament, Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said that the housing backlog is 2 456 773 households. According to the Cost of Homelessness report, there are more than 14 000 homeless people in the City of Cape Town alone. In 2019, a year before I became homeless, I attended a conference in Helsinki, Finland. The Helsinki deputy mayor of social services and health care, Sanna Vesikansa, hosted a civic reception for delegates. She mentioned that in the 1980s homelessness was still a problem, which had almost been solved through the housing first approach. The Finnish government adopted this programme in 2008. The housing first model…

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will forge ahead with its direct payment of allowances to students through their bank card in two days despite conceding that the recent violent protests on a number of campuses were an attempt to stop the system. The financial aid scheme started the pilot phase at TVET colleges last year and it now hopes to onboard universities from Thursday. However, this has been rejected by students claiming the system already had problems at colleges. Last week more than 100 students led by student representative councils (SRCs) from at least 14 institutions marched to the NSFAS Cape Town office alleging officials failed to respond to a number of funding concerns. The grievances also include the 60-credits policy, the close-out process for students with outstanding…

Increasingly critical evaluations of electoral democracy by those eligible to vote point to an imminent crisis at next year’s elections – an indicator that fewer people will turn up at the polls compared to the local government elections in 2021. This is a serious indictment on the notion of democracy and an indication that those who choose not to vote are not doing so out of apathy or a lack of voter education, but due to their disillusionment with service delivery, fraud, corruption and maladministration. Research conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council for the Electoral Commission of South Africa paints a dismal picture of the mood and atmosphere amongst South African voters. Worse still, it highlighted the reluctance of young voters to take part in the democratic process even…

President Tayyip Erdogan and supporters yesterday revelled in an election victory lengthening his rule into a third decade while Türkiye’s opposition, which once counted on winning, braced for “difficult days” against an increasingly autocratic government. His rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu ,said it was “the most unfair election in years” but did not dispute the outcome, which gave Erdogan a mandate to pursue policies that have polarised Türkiye and strengthened its position as a regional military power. The election had been seen as Erdogan’s biggest political challenge, with the opposition confident of unseating him and reversing his policies after polls showed a cost-of-living crisis left him vulnerable. But he prevailed with 52.2% of the vote to Kilicdaroglu’s 47.8%. It reinforced Erdogan’s image of invincibility in the deeply divided Nato-member country, whose foreign,…

Nigeria’s new President Bola Tinubu vowed at his swearing-in yesterday to expand the economy by at least 6% a year, lift barriers to investment, create jobs and unify the exchange rate, while also tackling rampant insecurity. Tinubu inherits a struggling economy with record debt, shortages of foreign exchange and fuel, a weak naira currency, nearly two-decades-high inflation, skeletal power supplies and falling oil production due to crude theft and underinvestment. Protectionist policies and foreign currency interventions under predecessor Muhammadu Buhari spooked investors. “On the economy, we target a higher GDP growth and to significantly reduce unemployment,” Tinubu said. This would be achieved through budgetary reform, boosting power generation and improving food security. Tinubu took his oath in an open-air ceremony in the capital’s Eagle’s Square. Buhari departed to his…

Tripoli: Gunshots rang out in Libya’s capital yesterday following hours of fighting between two armed groups both aligned with the divided country’s UN-backed government. Several residents in Tripoli were lightly wounded in the clashes. Fighters from rival militias loyal to interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah’s Tripoli-based government clashed after a member of one of the factions was arrested. Libya is split between Dbeibah’s UN-backed government in the west and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The oil-rich country was plunged into years of chaos after a Nato-backed uprising toppled and killed strongman Muammar Gadhaffi. | AFP…

TOKYO: Japan put its ballistic missile defences on alert yesterday and vowed to shoot down any projectile that threatens its territory, after North Korea notified it of a planned satellite launch between May 31 and June 11. The nuclear-armed North says it has completed its first military spy satellite and leader Kim Jong-un has approved final preparations for the launch. It would be the North’s latest step in a series of missile launches and weapons tests in recent months. Tokyo expects North Korea to fire the rocket carrying its satellite over Japan’s south-west island chain, the defence ministry said. Analysts say the new satellite is part of a surveillance programme. | Reuters…

TWO days before the time lapses for a teenager to obtain a legal termination of pregnancy, Section27 rushed to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, to obtain an urgent order that the Gauteng Department of Health had to see to it that she received a legal abortion. The teenager’s plight was presented to the court on Saturday; by that time, she only had two days left in which she could receive a legal abortion. The court issued an order on Sunday directing the department to make arrangements to provide the minor with a termination of pregnancy by yesterday. Section27 said it turned to court on behalf of the teen as a public health facility in Gauteng refused point blank to terminate her pregnancy. The court was told she…

THE school governing body of Beaumont Primary School believes allowing an 8-year-old transgender boy to wear a male swimsuit may “cause social discomfort”. Their decision to decline an application made by the pupil’s parent to use the swimwear option for boys has been met with outrage. Human rights body Triangle Project said ignorance and prejudice were still prevalent in schools. The school’s governing body (SGB) said it had a duty not only to act in the individual child’s interest, but also in the collective interest of all children in the school. “An application by the parents of one of the transgender learners for the child to use the swimwear option for boys was not successful. The SGB has a duty not only to act in the individual child’s interest but…

THE Good party wants the upcoming by-election in ward 27 in George interdicted after the party and the councillor who resigned smoked a peace pipe. The by-election follows the resignation of the party’s ward councillor, Richard Hector, who joined the DA. Days later, Hector withdrew his resignation from Good following engagements with the party leadership. But despite Hector’s change of mind, George municipality speaker Sean Snyman went ahead and declared a vacancy, said Good secretary-general Brett Herron. The party has now turned to the Western Cape High Court to interdict the by-election. “The facts are that Hector did consider resigning as a councillor due to feeling frustrated at systemic under- delivery in his community. Although they knew it would have no legal standing due to being addressed to a politician…

THE ANC and Patriotic Alliance (PA) used their numbers to ensure the re-election of ANC councillor Johanna Botha as mayor of the Central Karoo District Municipality (CKDM) yesterday. Botha retained the mayoral seat following the resignation of mayor and leader of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, after only serving a year in office. ANC regional spokesperson, Trudy Dijana, said Botha who has previously served as the mayor of the Central Karoo, was well experienced in local government. “The ANC wants to welcome the election of Johanna Botha as the Executive Mayor of Central Karoo District Municipality. “We have all the confidence in the comrade, more so being a woman who is well experienced in the local government sphere and has served Laingsburg and district councils with excellence. “We hope that…

IS SECULARISM synonymous with liberal democracy, being civilised, modern, free and firmly pro-West? If you believe the narrative emanating from the US, UK and the EU – from politicians, business, media and NGOs – in various countries, it definitely seems so. Never mind the ungodly hold of the evangelical movement on far-right politics in the US; the fact that the daily business of the UK House of Commons starts each morning with the Lord’s Prayer and despite the head of the Church of England, King Charles III, preferring to be the ‘Defender of Faiths’ instead of the Faith; and that the EU, despite its supposedly liberal instincts, in the immortal words of past proponents such as ex-German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, remains a staunchly “Christian Club”. Never mind the fact that…

Shanghai recorded its hottest May day in more than 100 years yesterday, the city’s meteorological service announced, shattering the previous high by a full degree. Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing deadly heatwaves and temperatures hitting records across Southeast and South Asia in recent weeks. “At 1.09pm, the temperature at Xujiahui station hit 36.1°C, breaking a 100-year-old record for the highest temperature in May,” a post on the service’s official Weibo account read, referring to a metro station in the centre of China’s largest city. The temperature at the bustling station climbed even higher to 36.7°C later in the afternoon, the meteorological service said. That put it a full degree above the old record, 35.7°C, which has been recorded four times previously, in 1876,…

Gunshots and artillery fire rocked the Sudanese capital yesterday, the last day of a frequently breached ceasefire, as calls to arms stoked fears the six-week war will intensify. Residents said they could hear street battles in northern Khartoum, as well as artillery fire in the south of the capital of over 5 million people which has been turned into a deadly war zone. Since the truce began a week ago, frightened residents have ventured out to try to get food or water, the costs of which have doubled since the start of the war. But thousands of families continue to shelter in place, rationing water and electricity. In Darfur, the UN said intermittent fighting between Sudanese armed forces and Rapid Support Forces had seen civilians killed, homes looted and tens…

HONG KONG: A closely watched trial involving 13 people who stormed Hong Kong’s legislature during pro-democracy protests in 2019 began yesterday, with seven people pleading guilty to a rioting charge. On July 1 that year, hundreds of protesters stormed Hong Kong’s Legislative Council building after a protest march against a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed authorities to send individuals to mainland China for trial. The protesters smashed glass and furniture, destroyed pictures and daubed walls with graffiti. Rioting is punishable by up to 10 years in jail. The trial is expected to last for 44 days. | Reuters…

Nairobi: Kenya said yesterday it had agreed to boost trade ties with Moscow, during a surprise visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the East African powerhouse. Lavrov’s trip came after an African tour last week by his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, with the warring sides each seeking to bolster support. Ruto said trade between Nairobi and Moscow was low despite “huge potential” and that the two countries would be signing a trade pact. He also pressed the case for Africa to be represented on the UN Security Council, where Russia is a permanent member. | AFP…

A look at the options in the Springbok halfback jerseys suggests there is a feast in one department and something approaching a famine in the other, in terms of quality depth. At the Bok training camp underway in Durban, coach Jacques Nienaber is running the rule over no less than five scrumhalves, all of whom are in decent form. At the same time, he has included just two flyhalves in Damian Willemse, who has been playing fullback for the Stormers, and Manie Libbok, the man who has been steering the Cape side’s ship. It is true that Handre Pollard is still to join the Bok set-up and is with his club, Leicester Tigers, undergoing treatment for yet another injury. The 29-year-old Pollard played in just five of the Boks’ 13…

Luciano Spalletti confirmed yesterday that he will leave Napoli at the end of the Serie A season after winning their first league title in over three decades. Spalletti said that he would take time away from football and would not be immediately moving to coach another team. “I need to take some time to rest because I'm pretty tired,” Spalletti said. The 64-year-old guided Napoli to the Scudetto with five matches to play after a magical campaign in which his team played some of the most thrilling football in Europe. Spalletti will bow out as Napoli coach on Sunday evening when the newly-crowned champions host relegated Sampdoria at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. | AFP…

THE RAND yesterday remained subdued as emerging markets currencies tumbled due to the strengthening US dollar as the largest economy in the world debt ceiling agreement while the energy crisis dimmed sentiment against the currency. The rand started the day trading at around R19.71 against the greenback, not far from a recent record low of R19.80/$1, before claiming some ground back to return to Friday’s close of R19.65/$1 by 4pm. The US dollar hovered near its highest levels in ten weeks yesterday, supported by strong US economic data that bolstered expectations of further policy tightening by the US Fed- eral Reserve, and news that a tentative debt ceiling deal was reached over the weekend. On Saturday, US President Joe Biden and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy reached a deal to…

Entrepreneurship can be an incredibly rewarding journey but it can also be stressful and overwhelming. The constant pressure to keep hustling and remain on the grind can have a huge impact on your mental health. Serial entrepreneur, singing sensation and Vuma ambassador Jimmy Nevis and future mogul Lindo Buthelezi have had to learn how to prioritise their well-being in order to be the best business owners they can be. They say these five hacks helped give them the edge: Practise self-care As an entrepreneur, it’s crucial to prioritise self-care. This can involve taking a break from work, exercising, meditating or engaging in an activity that promotes relaxation. It’s important to set aside time to do things that bring joy and happiness. This enhances mental health and boosts productivity.…

PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has accused Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane of attempting to “capitalise on the suffering of citizens for political mileage”. Maimane lodged a criminal complaint against Gordhan at the Cape Town police station yesterday, following the death of a 3-year-old asthmatic allegedly linked to load shedding, as her oxygen-driven nebuliser stopped running due to power cuts. Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed a culpable homicide case was reported. The child is reportedly from Bromhof, Johannesburg. “Because of load shedding, the hospital did not have enough electricity to keep the oxygen running, which resulted in the tragedy,” according to Bosa spokesperson Sbu Zondi. Maimane added: “I’m laying culpable homicide charges against this ANC government. Every life lost due to electricity outages is on their hands.…

Provincial government called out for reducing its spend on overburdened NGOs that are struggling to stay afloat AS CHILD Protection week got under way on Sunday, the provincial government has cited “financial constraints” as among the reasons NGO budgets were severely slashed. The provincial government has now called on the private sector to help with funding NGOs, while the national government says the state can not afford to put money where there was no accountability. The Western Cape Child Protection Alliance, consisting of designated child protection services across the province – including ACVV, Badisa, Childline, Child Welfare South Africa, Community Action Partnership, Jelly Beanz, the Trauma Centre and others – has called out government for cutting its spend in the sector, despite high levels of violence against children in the…

THE tug-of-war often encountered between divorced parents over their children must immediately stop and parents must act like responsible adults and realise that the ones suffering are the children. This was the message from an acting judge who had stern words for the parents of two daughters, aged 6 and 7. The parents are fighting over the custody of the children, each party lashing out at the other over their ability to be a good parent. To make matters worse in this case, which landed before the High Court in Bloemfontein, the children’s nanny had badmouthed the mother. But when confronted by the legal parties about her claims that the mother left the children with her to go and “drink at the bar her new lover owned”, the nanny chose…

A SUSPECTED robber was shot dead after he apparently tried to stab a police officer with a knife when he was cornered following a foot chase in De Doorns. Breede Valley deputy mayor Juben von Willingh said witnesses reported that the suspect had been found at a tavern, where his victim identified him to police. “The victim had taken police to the tavern where the suspect was found and when he was confronted by police he ran away. However, when he was caught, he tried to stab a police officer which is when a shot was fired by SAPS and this killed the suspect. “It was then that the brother of the suspect allegedly went on a rampage and he set two police vans alight. “When police had also then…

THE recent death of Philasande Yende, a bright Grade 7 pupil killed while witnessing a protest action in Mpumalanga, is a tragedy. Yende is not the first person to be killed during a protest. Violent protests have become the norm, with a “service delivery” protest taking place almost every week, marked by burning tyres, rocks blockading roads and stoning of vehicles. As I pen this letter, a violent protest by Dunlop workers is taking place in Ladysmith. One source informs me the unionised workers are demanding suspended colleagues be reinstated after disciplinary action had been taken against them. Clearly, many South Africans are not yet mature enough to embrace the idea of a “democracy”, an ideology like any other, meaning different things to different people. If the writers of our…

This positive momentum means more opportunities for the world AMID slowing world economic growth and significant external uncertainties, China’s economy made a good start this year. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of China in April, GDP grew by 4.5% in the first quarter year-on-year, 1.6 percentage points higher than the previous quarter. Market confidence picked up significantly, consumption and investment bounced back stronger, and employment and prices remained stable overall. This speaks to the remarkable resilience, potential and vitality of the Chinese economy as well as the sound fundamentals sustaining long-term economic growth, and shows the vibrancy of China’s economy in its spring. (The growth) beats previous forecasts by many institutions. The country's optimised Covid-19 prevention measures are credited for this growth. Data from…

Russia fired a barrage of missiles at Kyiv yesterday, sending panicked residents running for shelter in an unusual daytime attack on the Ukrainian capital following overnight strikes. A series of explosions rang out in Kyiv yesterday as Russia targeted the city for the second time in 24 hours. There were at least 10 explosions, starting just a few minutes after an air raid warning sounded. Authorities said Ukrainian air defences had downed every Russian missile launched against the Kyiv region. “Sergiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s city administration, said that Russians struck in the morning when “most residents were at work and on the streets. The Russians are clearly demonstrating that they are aiming to destroy the civilian population. “Debris was recorded falling in different parts of the city,” Popko said,…

Kampala: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni yesterday signed into law a controversial anti-gay bill, his office and parliament said, introducing draconian measures against homosexuality. Uganda’s parliament said Museveni had approved a new draft of the legislation that had been passed this month by MPs, who defended the measures as a protection of culture and values. The president had called on MPs to rework the bill, although most of the hardline provisions that caused an outcry in the West were retained. “Engaging in acts of homosexuality” would be an offence punishable with life imprisonment, and “aggravated homosexuality” is a capital offence. | AFP…

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday warned that global plastics pollution was a “time bomb”, as diplomats began five days of talks in Paris to make progress on a treaty to end plastic waste. Representatives of 175 nations with divergent ambitions met at the Unesco headquarters with the aim of reaching, by next year, a historic agreement covering the entire plastics life cycle. Macron said that the first priorities of the negotiations should be to reduce production of plastics and to ban “as soon as possible” the most polluting products. Annual plastics production has doubled in 20 years to 460 million tons, and is set to triple in four decades. | AFP…

Khumjung: The sons of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa led celebrations in Nepal yesterday to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic first ascent of Everest. The scaling of the 8 849m peak on May 29, 1953, changed mountaineering forever and made the New Zealander and his Nepalese guide household names. “It was not just Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay that reached the summit of Mount Everest, it was all of humanity,” Peter Hillary said at a school founded by his father in the village of Khumjung at 3 790m. “Suddenly, all of us could go.” In the past seven decades, more than 6 000 climbers have climbed the world’s highest mountain. It remains dangerous, with more than 300 losing their lives in the same period, including 12…