Table of contents for 2023-11-29 in Cape Times

EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu failed yesterday in his bid to stop Parliament from considering the report of the ethics and members’ interest committee that found him guilty of breaching the code for Members of Parliament. The same applied to former transport minister Dipuo Peters when she, too, wanted her report not to be considered. Shivambu and Peters were among seven MPs that were found to have breached the code in October. National Assembly Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula said she received a letter from Shivambu asking that the complaint against him be removed from the order paper because it was before a court. “A similar letter was received from his lawyers, asking for the matter to be referred back to the committee for proper investigation,” she said. Mapisa-Nqakula said she had also…

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors without Borders (MSF), both represented by SECTION27, have been admitted by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, as friends of the court in a compulsory licence application for access to a lifesaving drug to treat cystic fibrosis, called Trikafta. “The drug is not available in South Africa but, where it is available, is priced at over R5 million per year for patients, who need to take it for the rest of their lives,” the organisations said. The case is an application for a compulsory licence brought by Cheri Nel, a South African with cystic fibrosis, against Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., an American pharmaceutical company that patented Trikafta. The case brings into the spotlight patent protection laws in South Africa and how they can hinder people’s…

IN a bid to force the hand of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana over a R1.1 billion budget shortfall to cover the public sector wage bill, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Finance MEC Mireille Wenger have declared an intergovernmental dispute with the national government. Winde said: “From the start of this process it was evident we could not afford this wage deal and all warning signs of the irrationality of the agreement were seemingly ignored. What is desperately needed is prudent fiscal consolidation, management and discipline.” This comes as Wenger tabled the 2023/24 Western Cape medium-term budget policy statement and the 2023/24 adjustments budget yesterday, where she said she could only give “broad estimates for allocations, by cluster” as a result of uncertainties. She said the centrally negotiated and agreed-to…

THE Nedbank Group’s decision to appoint former ABSA finance director Jason Quinn as its CEO-designate to succeed Mike Brown is sparking a heated debate across various sectors of society. Questions have been raised about whether the ‘green bank’ may have overlooked individuals such as Ciko Thomas or Mfundo Nkuhlu. Thomas serves as the group managing executive for retail and business banking, while Nkuhlu holds the position of chief operating officer at the bank. Buoyed by Mary Vilakazi’s recent appointment as CEO of FirstRand, some individuals expressed the hope that this “positive” trajectory would continue in other financial institutions. This debate clearly indicates that the transformation agenda in South Africa is not about to go away any time soon. The country’s rights-based approach to transformation has not always been universally embraced…

The trial of Monique Olivier, widow of a French serial killer known as the “Ogre of the Ardennes”, opened yesterday over her role in three murders dating back several decades, including the killing of a British woman whose body was found in a river in 1990. Olivier’s husband, Michel Fourniret, was charged with abduction, rape and murder in the cases but died in 2021, aged 79, before he could be brought to trial. “I will do my best,” Olivier told the lead judge in court when asked if she would answer questions. The crimes date back to 1988 in the case of Marie-Angele Domece, who disappeared aged 18 from Auxerre, and 1990 for 20-year-old British woman Joanna Parrish, whose naked body was found in central France. Olivier is charged with…

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan was denied an open court trial yesterday, as ordered by a high court after the government submitted reports citing threats to his life, his lawyer said. The special court hearing the case later said Khan’s trial on the charge of leaking state secrets will be held in jail premises but will be open to the media and the public. The trial in jail will begin afresh on Friday. The court has been conducting the trial in prison since Khan was indicted on the charges last month. | Reuters…

SILKYARA: Indian rescuers yesterday began bringing out the first of the 41 men trapped for 17 days behind tons of earth inside a Himalayan road tunnel after a marathon engineering operation to free them. The rescued men were draped in orange marigold flower garlands in celebration as they were greeted by state officials, government photographs showed, with a line of ambulances waiting to receive them. Crowds cheered as emergency vehicles with lights flashing readied to leave the tunnel entrance, where the workers had been trapped since a portion of the under-construction tunnel in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand collapsed on November 12. | AFP…

London: British airline Virgin Atlantic yesterday piloted the first long-haul flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), an event environmental groups labelled “greenwashing”. The Boeing 787 plane equipped with Rolls-Royce engines departed from London’s Heathrow airport, headed for New York’s JFK minus cargo and paying passengers. Virgin said it was the first time SAF had been used “in both engines, by a commercial airline, for long-haul flight”. SAFs are produced from renewable biomass and waste resources and can be used in jet fuel in modern aircraft to 50%, having been blended with kerosene. | AFP…

Banyana Banyana’s mentality and experience will be tested in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers against Burkina Faso tomorrow and on Monday. Banyana have been the best team in Africa in recent months, setting records by winning the Nations Cup and reaching the World Cup last 16 for the first time. But now that they are top, the challenge is maintaining all that they’ve achieved and doing even better. Sure, they’ve improved already, progressing to the third round of the Olympic qualifiers after beating the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 4-1 on aggregate last month. However, the last round of the Wafcon qualifiers should pose their biggest challenge yet, with Burkina Faso a potential banana skin. Speaking during the announcement of her 24-member squad at Safa House last…

CLOSING the door on load shedding is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most urgent priorities. The load shedding crisis has had a direct impact on lower economic growth, higher levels of unemployment and a deterioration of investor confidence. Load shedding has masked some even bigger systemic issues underlying our energy crisis – the lack of reform to keep pace with international and technology trends, rapidly ageing infrastructure, especially our distribution grid, and a rapid decline in State capacity. If the systemic issues aren’t addressed, they will ultimately prolong our heavy reliance on coal power, which is at 80% despite many of our power stations being old, unreliable, and no longer economically or environmentally sustainable. As one of the most emissions- intensive economies in the world, the global decarbonisation spotlight is…

THE MARKET gave Bidvest the cold shoulder, sending its shares 10% lower, after the services, trading and distribution group delivered a voluntary trading update for the four months to October 31, 2023, saying its performance was “muted”. Yesterday the share had tanked nearly 10% to close at R244.07 on the JSE. Year-to-date the share is up 26.41%. Bidvest CEO Mpumi Madisa said: “Group performance was muted during the first four months of FY24. Whilst the expected slowdown was signalled previously, the actual volume and margin drop, particularly in the consumer-facing activities, was greater than anticipated.“ Overall, revenue growth slowed as activity, off a high base, was diluted by contracting durable consumer spend, volume reduction in some sectors and increased price competitiveness. Travel and hospitality as well as commercial demand for…

PUMPKIN seeds may seem like simple snacks or festive garnishes, but they’re nutritional powerhouses. Science has revealed seven compelling benefits of pumpkin seeds: Heart Health Magnesium, found in abundance in pumpkin seeds, is a key player in promoting heart health. Research supports that a diet high in magnesium is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular issues. Fertility Pumpkin seeds are also a classic aphrodisiac, helping increase the number and quality of sperm. Zinc, which helps improve male fertility, is another abundant element in these seeds. This is based on research in The Journal of Reproduction & Infertility in 2018. Nutrient density Pumpkin seeds pack a punch with protein, fibre, healthy fats, and an array of essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc, which is crucial for immune function and overall…

GAZA: Israeli forces and Hamas fighters largely held their fire yesterday following the extension of a four-day ceasefire in Gaza by at least two extra days to allow for the release of more hostages. With both sides expressing hope of further extensions, mediator Qatar hosted the spy chiefs from Israel’s Mossad and the US’s CIA at a meeting to “build on progress”, a source briefed on the visits told Reuters. A US official confirmed that CIA director William Burns was in Doha “for meetings on the Israel-Hamas conflict including discussions on hostages”, without elaborating. The truce, which began on Friday, has brought the first respite to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in seven weeks, during which Israel had bombed swathes of the territory into a desolate moonscape. Although conditions on the…

AHEAD of World Aids Day on Friday and the upcoming holiday season, South Africans are encouraged to keep their HIV and other chronic medications up to date and ensure they can stay on their life-saving treatment through the festive season. “Many people don’t know they can go to the clinic and collect a holiday’s worth of ARVs, preventative HIV medication like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other chronic or critical medications to last them until mid-January, said Dhirisha Naidoo, BroadReach Health Development’s chief of party of the Pepfar-funded APACE programme. “The holidays can be a fun and exciting time of year for many. As we plan for and look forward to the break, we urge all South Africans to protect and maintain their health during this period. “We see many people…

“WE ARE almost there. They will pay for this crime.” This is how Nyameka Mabandla, the widow of slain community activist and former councillor Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla, reacted to the news of the arrest of the fourth suspect for the murder of her husband. Mzubanzi Chulayo appeared in court in East London yesterday and is expected to join his co-accused Mziyanda Mdlungu on Friday when they will both appear at Athlone Magistrate’s Court. The 41-year-old was traced and apprehended in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape this week by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. “His arrest emanates from an incident that happened on April 17 where Mabandla was killed in a hail of bullets at Philippi railway station. It is believed that Mabandla was targeted for his role in talks…

A DIAGNOSTIC and support plan is being finalised to assist the embattled Knysna municipality which faces financial woes. The municipality has been battling with service delivery, including the distribution of water and issues with sewage and refuse collection, due to lack of maintenance and investment in basic infrastructure. According to Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, engineers from the department were dispatched to Knysna to formulate an emergency plan to address the challenges. Bredell met with municipality officials yesterday to evaluate issues. “The department is finalising a diagnostic plan for Knysna, and concurrently to this, a support plan, which is being compiled with the support of both provincial and national departments, is being finalised. These two documents will be presented to the Knysna council next week, and if it is accepted,…

THE tendencies of politicians to shoot from the hip on matters they know nothing about must fall. Take for instance the statement in July by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who was adamant that load shedding would come to an end before the year was over. Mbalula made these pronouncements while addressing ANC Veterans League during its third national conference. At the time he said “we are convinced that we can put load shedding behind us by the end of December 2023 if comrades in government remain true to the Energy Action Plan adopted by the ANC NEC in February 2023”. This week, Mbalula backtracked on his claim, while Eskom officials have forecast that in the best-case scenario there will be rolling blackouts every day during December and January – except…

The UN said yesterday it is still possible to reach the “end of Aids” by 2030 – but only if communities and services on the ground are given the means. The UNAids agency said in its annual World Aids Day Report that community-led responses are unrecognised, under-resourced and in some places under attack. “The message of this report is one of active hope. Although the world is not currently on track to end Aids as a public health threat, it can get on track,” the report said. The UN first set out in 2015 the target of ending Aids as a public health threat by 2030. There are 39 million people around the world living with HIV – the virus that causes Aids. Of them, 20.8 million are in eastern…

LOS ANGELES: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will face a trial next year after her half-sister Samantha Markle accused her of defamation. The 59-year-old author is suing the former actress for $75 000 (about R1.7m) in damages over the “malicious lies” she alleged were told about her during an interview Meghan, 42, gave alongside husband Prince Harry, 39, to Oprah Winfrey. The case was thrown out in March. But a new complaint was filed, and the trial will now take place in November 2024. Samantha wants the duchess to admit she “lied” when she claimed to Oprah that she and her half-sister had “little to no relationship” for the sake of selling a “rags-to-royalty story.” She also wants Meghan to retract her suggestion that the late Queen Elizabeth was “racist” .…

MADRID: Spain is ready to sign a deal on the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar as early as today, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said, before setting off to meet newly appointed British Foreign Minister David Cameron in Brussels. Albares said he had spoken with Cameron and both men agreed to meet in Brussels to further discuss the status of Gibraltar there. The status of Gibraltar, an enclave at the southern tip of Spain under British rule since the 18th century, and how to police the border with Spain, has been a point of contention since Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU. The enclave was excluded from the exit deal. | Reuters…

The pressure that comes with representing South Africa on the biggest stage is very different to other countries, purely because of how the Proteas have performed at International Cricket Council events. The recently concluded Cricket World Cup campaign in India was no different in that the South African public made their thoughts and views known through social media platforms. There is one individual who took most of the criticism and that is captain Temba Bavuma. It was not just the normal heat that a skipper has to brace themselves for after crashing out of a World Cup, instead in this instance it seemed personal. It is nothing new for Bavuma, because throughout his career, his spot in the team has always been questioned. Within the team, it is a different…

GLOBAL decarbonisation commitments and actions by South Africa’s trade partners in their transport sectors has caused a need to transform the manufacturing of vehicle and components from internal combustion engines (ICE) to new energy vehicles (NEVs). The consequences of the global energy transition are not only felt in the energy sector, but all other sectors of the economy, and the transition to NEVs is one of the many moving pieces in South Africa’s pursuit of a just energy transition. Specifically, the EU and the UK, major importers of our vehicles, have set targets for phasing out all new sales of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2035. However, impacts to outlaw the manufacturing of ICE vehicles will begin to sting the vehicle manufacturing industry even before 2035 as the operational…

DELTA Property Fund, a black-managed and substantially black-owned real estate investmen trust (Reit) with a significant sovereign underpin, says it is making steady progress in whittling down its debt through non-core asset disposals as it posted its interim results for the period ended August 3, 2023. It said yesterday that its debt of R3.1 billion, which was mainly on a month-to-month basis was renewed, positively impacted the group’s weighted average debt maturity by 73%. In addition, Delta concluded a revolving credit facility of R37.5 million with Nedbank, which would be utilised for working capital, capital expenditure and tenant installations. The board of directors had taken a decision to dispose of Delta’s minority shareholding in the Grit Real Estate Income Group to reduce debt. “To ensure a timeous disposal,…

SOUTHERN Palladium yesterday posted the appointment of mining expert Roger Baxter as the chairperson of the board, commencing on January 1, 2024. Baxter was CEO of the Minerals Council South Africa for more than eight years from May 2015. He recently retired from this position. In that role he played a key part in guiding the country’s mining sector to achieve an improved safety record with a significant focus on the implementation of mine site solutions based on the adoption of leading global safety practices. Baxter also led the complete brand rejuvenation, reputation enhancement and modernisa- tion of the Mineral Council into becoming a much more effective, strategically driven, agile, assertive and capable organisation. Baxter was the founding chairperson of the World Platinum Investment Council – a position he continues…

The ANC says it will challenge the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that ordered it to pay a service provider R150 million as it faces a looming threat of liquidation. On Friday, the SCA upheld a decision of the Gauteng High Court which ruled against the ANC in a dispute with KwaZulu-Natal-based Ezulweni Investments which had provided the party with banners and campaign materials for the 2019 elections. Two previous lower court rulings, in 2020 and 2022, granted Ezulwini permission to seize assets worth more than R102m from the ANC after the party did not pay their debt. The debt, including interest, has now risen to R150m. Shafique Sarlie, the attorney representing Ezulweni, told the SABC that his clients were considering seizing and selling assets belonging to the ANC…

‘Negative media coverage’ cited as the reason to refuse Andile Lili bank account ANC politician Andile Lili has become the latest prominent figure to be rejected by a bank as a potential client due to a pending assault case, with Standard Bank citing “negative media coverage”. In a letter to Lili over a request to open an account, Standard Bank said: “The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (“the Bank”) has, after careful consideration, decided not to commence its business relationship with you. It is a matter of public record that you have been the subject of negative media coverage. “While the Bank does not wish to be drawn into a debate about the veracity of the allegations, the adverse publicity regarding individuals associated with the Bank has the potential…

ACCUSED Boland serial killer Johan Williams boasted about the alleged rape of his ex-girlfriend, who he had kidnapped, to her new love interest in the days leading up to his arrest, it has been claimed. This week, the now-husband of Williams’ ex-girlfriend told the court that his wife had confided in him about her abusive relationship with Williams. The 50-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his wife, who also testified, came face to face with the alleged serial killer at the Western Cape High Court yesterday for the first time. According to the man from Parkwood, their relationship started in 2018 when they were introduced to each other through a mutual friend. “We started chatting and she confided in me a lot over time as…

The reality of the scale and magnitude of South Africa’s major water challenges as well as, in some cases, crises, vary in the specific type, frequency and magnitude and/or intensity. The water challenges have been developing and intensifying over the past two to three decades, reaching an ever-increasing tipping point to ensure current and future water security. Unfortunately, continued poor water governance and mismanagement, non-enforcement of legislation, poor or no planning, inaction and an entrenched culture of unaccountability and non-transparency have either created new water challenges in locations which have not had major water-related issues in the past, or have exacerbated the challenges into various water crises. Dysfunctional, insolvent and/or non-performing district/local municipalities and other institutions responsible for water delivery have, in some cases, together with continued power blackouts and…

Israeli forces and Hamas fighters held their fire beyond the original deadline of a truce yesterday, extended at the last minute by at least two days to let more hostages go free. With both sides expressing hope of further extensions, mediator Qatar hosted the spy chiefs from Israel’s Mossad and the US. CIA at a meeting to “build on progress”, a source briefed on the visits told Reuters. A single column of black smoke could be seen rising above the obliterated wasteland of the northern Gaza war zone from across the fence in Israel, but for a fifth day there was no sign of jets in the sky or rumble of explosions. Both sides reported some Israeli tank fire in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City in the…

Overseas workers invited to the UK to plug gaps in the health and social care sectors are being “exploited on a grand scale” with some being paid as little as £5 (R118) an hour, according to a media report. About 78 000 people got visas to come to the UK and work in social care in the year to June 2023. Most of these recruits have come from Nigeria, India and Zimbabwe and are charged thousands of pounds in unexpected fees, the Guardian newspaper reported. Ever since the Home Office added care workers to the shortage occupation list, 14% of them in England are now from non-EU countries (excluding the UK), while 7% are from the EU. An employer demanded £4 000 for “training costs” when a migrant care worker…

Beijing: At least 11 people were killed in an accident at a coal mine in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province yesterday, state media said. The incident took place at a mine outside the city of Shuangyashan in the province’s east, about 130km from the Russian border, state broadcaster CCTV said. “It was initially determined to have been caused by the impact of ground pressure,” the report said, adding that an investigation was under way. State media did not say if any others were missing or injured. Coal production represents the main industry in the far north-eastern city of Shuangyashan, where temperatures had dipped to -17 °C by yesterday. | AFP…

Paris: French authorities yesterday arrested 41 people in raids against a controversial yoga sect, including its leader, the Romanian guru Gregorian Bivolaru, a source close to the case said. The sect is accused of numerous abuses under Bivolaru, who has been in the crosshairs of judicial authorities in Romania, Sweden and France in the past few years. About 175 police officers were deployed for the operation, during which 26 women were freed, the source said. The arrests follow a probe into the sect launched by Paris prosecutors in July, on suspicion of kidnapping, rape and people trafficking among others. | AFP…

AS highly decorated as he is, Pitso Mosimane still has a dream he hankers after – to coach a national team that can win the Africa Cup of Nations and compete at the Fifa World Cup finals. And with Africa set to have nine nations (possibly 10 though a play-off) representing it at the next global showpiece in 2026, the multiple domestic and continental championship winner believes there is an opportunity for him to realise that dream. Now jobless after prematurely parting ways with Al-Wahda of the United Arab Emirates, the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach – who elevated himself to global status with a successful spell at African Club of the Century Al Ahly of Egypt – said earlier this week there is interest in his services from Asia, as…

Richards Bay’s coach Kaitano Tembo is confident they’ll put home-ground advantage against Stellenbosch in the Carling Knockout semi-final to good use, though he’s asked his troops to remain grounded. The Natal Rich Boyz have had an up-and-down first half of the season. They are rooted in the basement of the DStv Premiership, having won two games, drawn four and lost seven. However, their knockout campaign has been a different story altogether. They are in the semi-final of the new knockout cup, where they’ll host Stellies in uMlazi on Saturday. And for a team that was promoted to the top flight last season, reaching their first cup final in just their second season would be an impressive feat and a dream come true. This would be a first final…