Table of contents for 2021-09-08 in Cape Times

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za THE ECONOMY’S fourth consecutive quarter of growth may be positive, but uncertainty still abounds about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and disruptive violence and looting in July, economists said yesterday. GDP figures released by Statistician-General Rhulani Maluleke yesterday indicated the economy recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of growth, expanding by 1.2 percent in the second quarter of this year, discounting the July disruptions, which marked a major milestone since the onset of the pandemic at level 3 of the Covid-19 pandemic. Economists said despite the gains made over the last four quarters, the economy is 1.4 percent smaller than what it was before the Covid-19 pandemic, implying that the impact of the wave of severe business disruption, protest action and violence in KwaZulu-Natal and…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za THE COVID-19 third wave has not affected major vegetable produce prices, but there has been high price inflation for certain food commodities over the past year, the Competition Commission said in its latest essential food pricing monitoring report yesterday. The commission said an example of one such commodity was cooking oil. A clear retail price spike in cooking oil price in the first wave had continued to creep upward – both in wholesale and retail cooking oil prices – since May/June last year. The commission said, however, that there had been oil-producing crop shortages internationally, including sunflower, palm, soya and canola oil, which could be attributed to the increases seen in the local market prices for cooking oil. Reasons cited for the recent surge in global prices…

from page 1 Hess said the assets that were expected to be to be removed this week were for June invoices owed to Sechaba and Supreme Security Services. “The sheriff informed us that they couldn’t proceed with the removal of assets because they required a big truck. “So they are now making arrangements for that and we are still hopeful that action will be taken within this week. “While I understand that the new board is trying to clean up the mess in the entity and that there are problems from the past … my clients have employees who need to be paid and other commitments which would force them to close if they are not paid,” said Hess. While Mbalula’s spokesperson, Lawrence Venkile, did not respond to questions,…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za MORE than 14 000 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 fell pregnant from April 2017 to March 2021. This emerged when the Department of Basic Education briefed MPs yesterday, attributing the rise in pregnancies in young people to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the age group of girls between 10 and 19 years old, the Northern Cape had the highest number of deliveries between April 2020 and March 2021 at 19.3%. This is followed by the Eastern Cape with 17.1%, KwaZulu-Natal 16.5% and Mpumalanga 15.5%. Gauteng recorded the fewest teen pregnancies with 8.9%. The department’s deputy director-general Granville Whittle told the committee that the country saw a 37% spike in gender-based violence (GBV) complaints in the first week of total lockdown. The lockdown, he said, had…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za YET another state-owned company under Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s watch has had its assets attached over outstanding payments. The sheriff of the court was expected to seize assets at Prasa’s Braamfontein, Joburg head offices on Monday but was delayed due to the need for a bigger truck. The execution of the seizure will go ahead sometime this week. The sheriff’s list of Prasa assets that have been attached includes 80 HP laptops, 100 office tables, 100 chairs, 20 industrial printers, a Toyota Quantum, Toyota bakkie, VW Polo Sedan, VW kombi and 10 three-piece office lounge suites. Last month Mbalula expressed alarm after the sheriff of the court attached some of the transport department's assets which included his computers and furniture. This related to unpaid Road Accident Fund…

Staff writer THE development of the Hydrogen Intensity Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) Correlator, a new component to the HIRAX radio interferometer, is set to bring cosmologists one step closer to conducting ground-breaking science experiments in the field of dark energy and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). The HIRAX radio interferometer of closely packed 6m dishes observing between 400 and 800 mHz is currently funded up to 256 dishes with a possible future expansion to 1 024 dishes. The array will be co-located with the Square Kilometre Array at the MeerKAT radio telescope site which is operated by South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) in the Karoo. The Swiss partners at ETH Zürich (ETH-Z) and Université de Genève (UniGe) have spent the last two years developing the HIRAX correlator with HIRAX partners…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za POLICE are investigating culpable homicide after a bus transporting farmworkers collided with an SUV and claimed five lives along the R321 heading to the Theewaterskloof Dam in Villiersdorp area yesterday. Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said three occupants of the SUV and two farm workers died in the accident involving more than 60 people in total. The farmworkers, who are employees of the Chiltern Farms in Villiersdorp, were on route to work. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Deanna February said a call for assistance came through to EMS’s Communication Centre at 6.50am for a motor vehicle accident. Two rescue vehicles, six provincial EMS ambulances, two tangos and two private ambulances were dispatched to the scene to assist patients. She said 36 injured patients were taken to…

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has been rightly accused of reopening the candidate registration process to favour the ANC, an allegation which does not bode well for its independence. IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini has rejected claims it gave a lifeline to the ANC, which missed the previous deadline, saying it was “reasonably necessary” to amend the timetable. He announced September 18 and 19 as the new voter registration weekend after the Constitutional Court dismissed its application to postpone the local government elections. Echoing Mashinini’s sentiments, vice-chairperson Janet Love said the IEC could only act on the basis of the court order and within its mandate. What she says may well be true. But given the circumstances in which the IEC’s decision was taken, it raises the suspicion that…

The soldiers who seized power in Guinea over the weekend have consolidated their takeover with the installation of army officers at the top of the country’s eight provincial regions and various administrative districts. West African countries have threatened sanctions over the overthrow of President Alpha Conde, who was serving a third term after altering the constitution to permit it, which his opponents called illegal. Regional leaders will meet for talks tomorrow. Coup leader Mamady Doumbouya, a former officer in the French Foreign Legion, has promised a transitional government of national unity and a “new era for governance and economic development”. But he has not yet explained exactly what this will entail, or given a time frame. State television RTG broadcast images of junta-appointed General Aboubacar Diakite taking over from civilian…

An Australian mother said yesterday she felt “blessed” after her three-year-old son with autism was found alive, scooping muddy water from a creek in dense outback terrain after a three-day hunt that gripped the country. Police sent a helicopter with thermal imaging equipment but failed to spot the little boy in the hours after he was first reported missing on Friday morning at his family’s remote property in the eastern state of New South Wales, 150 kilometres north-west of Sydney. Rescue workers and police, including some on horseback, searched through the weekend before finally spotting the boy, AJ Elfalak, during a helicopter sweep of the area on Monday. “He is with us. He is safe and well and healthy. That is all that matters,” his mother Kelly Elfalak told television…

MEXICO CITY: The Venezuelan government and opposition have found common ground on the protection of sovereignty of the Essequibo region, disputed by Guyana, and the social protection of Venezuelan citizens during Norway-mediated second round of negotiations in Mexico. “The participants of the negotiating table on Venezuela, set up in line with the MoU signed on August 13, met in Mexico City from September 3 to 6 as a result of which the agreement on the protection of Venezuela’s sovereignty over Guyana- Essequibo and the partial agreement on the social protection of the Venezuelan people,” a statement by Norway read.…

BRUSSELS: The European Commission was taking Poland to court to request financial sanctions for the Polish authorities’ decision to set up a special chamber for disciplining judges, EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said yesterday. On July 15, the EU Court of Justice ruled that Poland’s judiciary system was inconsistent with European law, as Poland refused to abolish its supreme court’s disciplinary chamber. “Today the Commission takes #Poland to the EU Court. It is my duty to ensure the independence of European judges,” Reynders wrote.…

Aishah Cassiem aishah.cassiem@inl.co.za RECENTLY awarded bidder e-Movement may have not submitted documentation or proposals on the Cape Town Formula E track to the City of Cape Town, before being awarded the bid for the City’s first Grand Prix event. This, after claims that the City was using the intellectual property of the sidelined Cape Town Grand Prix South Africa (CTGPSA), who were in the running for the same bid for 22 years. E-Movement asked Independent Media’s Special Investigations Unit to hold back with a story on the Grand Prix bidding dispute, and to give them a few weeks to reveal their complete track intellectual property. “May I suggest that you wait a few weeks for the unveiling of the route,” reads the emailed communique sent to Independent Media’s investigations unit.…

from page 1 desperately needed the money paid out to them by the RAF to survive,” the Judge noted. Acting Judge Nolundi Nyati agreed with this. During the court proceedings the LPC said Baumann’s victims may enjoy claims against the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund, and the court additionally directed the LPC to inform the victims thereof in writing. The Fidelity Fund’s claims executive Jerome Losper yesterday said they have so far received 19 claims with a combined value of R13.4m, and they have paid five claims totalling R3.2m. LPC spokesperson Sthembiso Mnisi said they welcomed the judgment. “We believe that it sends a clear message that Mr Baumann’s conduct will not be tolerated. “The LPC is established to protect members of the public against errant legal practitioners. “We have already…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za NO cases of “Mu”, the recently classified PANGO lineage B.1.621 variant of interest (VOI) have been detected in South Africa yet, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said. The variant was first detected in Colombia in January, and has since spread across North America, South America and Europe, with some detections in Asia. “The majority of the Mu sequences (5 123) have been detected in North America (55%), followed by South America (23%), Europe (18%), and Asia (0.1%). “As at September 3, there have been no cases of Mu detected on the African continent, including South Africa. Currently, it accounts for less than 1% of the globally circulating viruses, with Delta accounting for 88%,” the organisation added. The mutations within the spike protein, that define Mu,…

Francesca Villette francesca.villette@inl.co.za THE wheels are in motion to claim back millions of rands owed to poor people who were bamboozled by disgraced Bellville-based attorney, Brian Baumann. His name was officially struck off the roll of attorneys this week, after Western Cape High Court Judge Patrick Gamble ruled that the convicted fraudster’s actions in swindling clients who had lodged claims for compensation with the Road Accident Fund, were “scandalous, to say the least”. Baumann, 53, is imprisoned in Goodwood after he, in November last year, pleaded guilty to and was convicted on 16 counts of fraud and sentenced to 12 years direct imprisonment. The high court noted that Baumann misled his clients as to the extent of their respective settlements, telling them that they were entitled to only a fraction…

Ingredients: Method: Sugar syrup | Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights ¾ cup sugar 2 eggs Pinch salt 1 dessert spoon butter 2 dessert spoons vanilla essence 2 dessert spoons almond essence ¼ cup oil 4 x 250ml cup plain flour 1 packet instant yeast Approx 175ml milk 750ml oil for frying Mix together the sugar, eggs, salt, butter, oil, vanilla essence and almond essence, until light and fluffy. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the liquid mixture and a little milk at a time. Mix to combine well to a soft dough. Set the dough aside, covered, to rise until double in size. Divide the dough into about 30 small balls on a slightly oiled surface. Heat the oil in large saucepan. Once the oil is hot, gently…

Staff writer A PASTOR, his wife and a hitman have been convicted for the murder of Hlompo Koloi in order to benefit from a life insurance policy they took on her behalf without her knowing. Last week Melisizwe Monqo, his wife Siphosihle Pamba and hitman, Phumlani Qhusheka were convicted on charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder of Koloi at the Western Cape High Court. They were also convicted of defeating or obstruction of the course of justice, housebreaking in order to commit murder, attempted murder of Nomfundiso Booi, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to murder Booi. Monqo and his wife were separately convicted on 13 counts of fraud. A pastor at God’s Work International Ministries, 32-year-old Monqo and 26-year-old Pamba took out…

LITERACY, a basic human right, is defined as the quality or state of being literate. Put simply, it refers to the ability to read and write. Unfortunately, only some people in our country are able to enjoy the pleasure of being able to read and write adequately. Understanding the intricacies and science behind what it entails to learn to read and write should be our point of departure when attempting to address the persistent literacy crisis. Answering fundamental questions like whether we really understand what it means to learn to read, and what foundations are needed for anyone to acquire this skill, could be a good place to start. This process is dependent on what happens in early childhood. Our journey towards literacy development begins very early. The more children…

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans yesterday to raise taxes on workers, employers and some investors to try to fix a health and social care funding crisis, angering some in his governing party by breaking an election promise. After spending huge amounts of money to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, Johnson is returning to an early pledge to address Britain’s creaking social care system, where costs are projected to double as the population ages over the next two decades. He also moved to try to tackle a backlog in Britain’s health system, which has seen millions waiting months for treatment from the state-run National Health Service, after resources were refocused to deal with those suffering from the coronavirus. “It would be wrong for me to say that we…

MEDINA (Washington): Former Amazon chief executive and the world’s richest person, Jeff Bezos, has invested in a new anti-ageing company called Altos Labs, MIT Technology Review writes, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the Review, the research-based firm is working on biological reprogramming technology, seeking ways to rejuvenate cells that some scientists think could revitalise entire animal bodies, and ultimately prolong human life. Media have so far been unable to get comment from the Amazon founder.…

Myanmar’s security crisis deepened yesterday after its shadow government, allied with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, called for an armed revolt against the ruling military junta, sparking an escalation of fighting in parts of the country. The declaration sets the stage for a further unraveling in the crisis-hit Southeast Asian country, where the military has violently cracked down on protesters since it seized power in February. More than 1 000 have been killed by security forces, and dozens of soldiers have lost their lives in retaliatory attacks that have increased in frequency and intensity. “Today... we launched a people’s defensive war against the military junta,” said Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), in a video address posted to Facebook. He called on citizens to…

HARARE: Zimbabwe’s government has ordered state employees who are unwilling to be vaccinated to resign to reduce the risk of them spreading the virus to others. “If you are working for us, we are now saying get vaccinated,” Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said yesterday. “You can enjoy your rights in the streets or at your home ... but if you are a government employee, for the protection of others and the people you are serving, get vaccinated. “If you want to enjoy your rights ... you can resign.” Zimbabwe has 125 671 confirmed coronavirus cases and has recorded 4 493 deaths from the disease.…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za HUNDREDS of ANC candidates would have missed out on standing for the upcoming local government elections, had the party not been allowed to re-register councillor candidates. ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte yesterday said there were 359 candidate councillors that the governing party failed to register in the North West, Limpopo and Gauteng. “We will live with whatever comes up,” she said. Duarte blamed party officials, who procrastinated and took too long – and were too late to meet the August 23 deadline, set by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) for the submission of candidate councillors. She said there would be no forgiveness for those found to have bungled the process. According to Duarte, the failure to register candidate councillors affected about 35 municipalities, where people’s registrations…

Francesca Villette francesca.villette@inl.co.za IN A HIGHLY-anticipated verdict, poor and working class families that have lived in Bromwell Street in Salt River for generations have praised a Western Cape High Court judgment that ruled against their displacement to rural hinterland, Wolweriver. It is hoped their victory against the City will lead the municipality to further reconsider its approach when displacing the vulnerable to the outskirts of the metro. This, however, remains to be seen as Mayor Dan Plato says the City is “considering its options”. After more than six years, the Western Cape High Court on Monday declared the City’s emergency housing programme unconstitutional in responding to the emergency housing needs of people being evicted from the well-located inner-city, Woodstock and Salt River areas. The Woodstock Hub had bought the Bromwell…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE Paarl family of slain Siphokazi Booi have urged women to leave toxic relationships while they still can, during an emotional candlelight memorial on Monday night. White City residents in Mbekweni found the dismembered, burnt body of 27-year old Booi on Sunday afternoon at a dumping site near the railway lines. Booi was last seen by her friends at around 2am on Saturday in an alleged heated argument with her boyfriend in his shack. The boyfriend, who was taken in for questioning as a person of interest,has now been charged and has allegedly confessed to murder. Irate residents had demolished his home and set alight his car. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said he was expected to appear at the Paarl Magistrate’s Court today. “A man aged 30…

Nowadays, the Russian city of St Petersburg – one of Cape Town’s sister cities – is a modern metropolis that nevertheless has not lost its historical and cultural heritage. In 2019, about 10 million guests, half of whom were foreigners, visited the city inhabited by 5 million people and located on the banks of the Neva river. But even now, during the crisis of international tourism and closed borders, the city hosts major international events: at the beginning of June, the city hosted an annual economic forum visited by many foreign delegations; in June-July this year, six football matches of the Euro 2020 tournament (postponed until 2021 due to Covid-19) were held at Gazprom Arena, the city’s main stadium. However, the northern capital of Russia is really nice just as…

As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks draws near, some family members of 9/11 victims are urging US President Joe Biden to steer clear of memorials as they consider his decision to continue the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan disrespectful. Nic Haros jn, the son of a 9/11 victim who died at the World Trade Center, stated to Fox & Friends on Monday that Biden lacked compassion for the families of the 13 service members who died in the recent Kabul blast. “I am demanding that President Biden do not show his face at Ground Zero on 9/11. It is now holy ground and I really don’t think he has a place there,” Haros said. “It’s shameful for him, I think, to use the dead bodies as…

Sao Paulo: Brazilian football great Pele has undergone surgery for a suspected colon tumour and is recovering, the hospital in Sao Paulo treating him announced on Monday. “The tumour was identified during routine cardiovascular and laboratory examinations and the material was sent for pathological analysis,” said the Albert Einstein Hospital, where Pele has been treated since August 31. “I thank God for feeling very well,” the 80-year-old wrote on his Instagram page on Monday. “Fortunately, I’m used to celebrating great victories alongside you. I will face this match with a smile on my face, a lot of optimism and joy for living surrounded by the love of my family and friends.” Pele was due out of intensive care yesterday, the hospital said in a statement. His former club, Santos shared…

Kiev: Nine miners plummeted to their deaths and another 19 were injured when a steel rope of a cage broke at a coal mine in Ukraine’s separatist-controlled east. The workers were descending into the mine shaft in the town of Voznesenovka in the eastern Lugansk region when the accident occurred. “The rope of a cage which was lowering the miners to their workplaces broke,” the emergencies service said yesterday. The emergencies service said that the bodies of nine people were brought up to the surface, while 19 people were hospitalised. “A government commission that will investigate the accident has been put together,” a statement added.…

MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday it was verifying reports of 18 missing fishermen after tropical storm Conson made landfall on Monday night. PCG spokesperson Armando Balilo said the missing fishermen from Samar province in the central Philippines ventured into the sea despite warning signals. The PCG said over 2 500 passengers, drivers, cargo helpers, 26 vessels, and more than 970 rolling cargoes were stranded in at least 15 ports in areas affected by the storm. It added the storm also triggered flooding in the central Philippines.…