Table of contents for 2024-04-22 in Cape Times

OLD MUTUAL said on Friday that it had received approval to establish a bank, named OM Bank, subject to certain licence conditions. The insurance and financial services group that once controlled Nedbank said in a statement that approval had followed a “stringent regulatory review” of its licence application. Old Mutual’s control of Nedbank was unbundled in October 2018 in a R43.2 billion distribution. Old Mutual said the approval would allow it to proceed to the next critical stage in the process of establishing a bank. Old Mutual completed building the infrastructure and digital platform at the end of last year. “The group will now formally transition from ‘bank build mode’ and enter into a strict and rigorous industry testing phase with selected bank partners. Upon a successful error-free testing,…

From page 1 The first adopted resolution was regarding the destruction of scholarship and education in Gaza, and the senate condemned the destruction of the education sector and the massive scale of killing of teachers and university staff. “(We) call, again, for an immediate ceasefire, the passage of humanitarian aid and the return of all captives as contained in the Senate’s resolution of November 17, 2023. The Senate urges the international community to ensure that the provision of humanitarian aid includes the restoration of the education sector in Gaza. Express concern and opposition to any attempts to curtail academic freedom by labelling criticism of Israel or Zionist policies as anti-Semitism. “The Senate rejects the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s conflation of critique of Zionism and Israel’s policies as anti-Semitism in…

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is expected to table its financial statements before Parliament’s standing committee on the auditor-general after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria ruled against it in its dispute with the auditor-general. The auditor-general has welcomed the judgment of the high court and said it affirmed her mandate. “The AG, Tsakani Maluleke, welcomes this judgment and says it affirms the AGSA’s constitutional mandate to audit and report, which must be exercised without fear, favour and prejudice,” said Harold Maloka, spokesperson for the AG. However, the RAF said it was taking legal advice and could appeal the judgment of the court. Chairperson of the committee Sakhumzi Somyo said this was a protracted legal dispute between the AG and RAF. The matter was later referred to the Office of the…

Unreliable grid supply could result in industry growing by R14.7bn WITH the rising cost of electricity, the value of the rooftop solar industry is estimated to reach R88.4 billion by 2030, or grow by R14.7bn a year. Rooftop solar PV installations have become a popular and economical means for both small and large energy users to improve their resilience in the face of rising electricity costs and load shedding. Other drivers also include diverse financing mechanisms, an enabling regulatory environment, financial incentives by government institutions through the 12BA tax deductions, the Energy Bounce Back Loan Guarantee Scheme (EBB) and the Agro Energy Fund (AEF). This is according to non-profit organisation GreenCape’s 2024 edition of its annual green economy energy services market intelligence report, which provides an overview of national…

I AM a resident of the Western Cape who regularly travels to other provinces on business. The contrast in the level of service delivery is striking. Residents in the country’s eight other provinces appear resigned to their fate, whether its lack of water, flowing sewage or uncollected rubbish. I therefore find it unsettling that the Western Cape, the only functional province left in South Africa, is being targeted for vote splitting by some political parties in the coming elections. No political party is perfect. I am sure that residents in our province agree it works. Why then should anyone want to break what is working? No political party is perfect, and that includes the DA. But I will be the first person to say that the DA has tried to…

YOUR APRIL 18 edition “Zuma reads riot act to MK party members” refers. The MK Party has hardly got off the ground and is still in nappies. Despite this, already cracks are showing and already people are arguing among themselves. This actually shows that the party seems to exist to support and appoint the leadership into government positions. It doesn’t look like they are there to try and make citizens’ lives a little bit better. Everyone seems to be on the take. From a statement made by Zuma “leadership use their discretion to appoint people”, it is quite clear that no appointments have been made on merit or on the ability to govern. What is even more disturbing is that Zuma also said “members who were in the MKP for…

A MAN is expected to appear in court today in connection with the murder of Belgravia High School pupil Zamawushe Mamoti, who was shot and killed near the school gates. Police said on Friday that with scant regard for the lives of others, rival gangs randomly fired several shots at around 12.30pm, killing a 20-year-old man in Canal Road, Athlone. “A 16-year-old girl, who was standing at the gates of Belgravia High School in Vlei Road, was caught in the crossfire and sustained a fatal gunshot wound,” the SAPS said. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi has since confirmed the suspect was arrested on Friday shortly after the shooting. “One adult male was arrested on two counts of murder and attempted murder. Once charged the suspect is expected to make a court…

POLICE Minister Bheki Cele continues to give opposition parties enough ammunition to dispel the ANC’s claim of being a caring government with his lavish lifestyle at the cost of the public purse. Not that he is alone on the gravy train. However, as a minister responsible for fighting the alarming high levels of crime, Cele should be grounded in communities living in fear of criminals instead of being a high-flyer only showing up after the fact for interviews. This does not mean we expect him to be everywhere fighting crime, but the result should align with this considering the taxpayer coughed up about R24 million to fly him, his deputy and police top brass in SAPS aircraft over the past three years. The opposite is true. Take, for example, the…

Landslides in southern China injured at least six people and trapped others, state media reported yesterday as the region braced for severe floods “seen around once a century”. Torrential downpours across swathes of Guangdong province since Thursday have swollen rivers in the Pearl River Delta and triggered deluges in mountainous areas. State broadcaster CCTV said yesterday that rains had sparked landslides affecting six villages in the northern Guangdong town of Jiangwan, “causing people to become trapped”. No deaths were reported. CCTV said six people who were “trapped and injured” in the landslides had been airlifted to the nearby city of Shaoguan. Emergency workers were racing to restore communications to the stricken area and more than 80 rescuers were working “through the day and night” to assist people in the disaster…

LOS ANGELES: Intel has built the world’s largest neuromorphic system to support research for future brain-inspired artificial intelligence. The system mimics the human brain in processing information. Hala Point advances Intel’s first-generation large-scale research system, Pohoiki Springs, with architectural improvements to achieve over 10 times more neuron capacity and up to 12 times higher performance. Researchers plan to use Hala Point for advanced brain-scale computing research, focusing on solving scientific computing problems in device physics, computer architecture, computer science and informatics. | IANS…

The Titans’ seamers and SA Under-19 star batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius delivered an exceptional performance at Newlands to seal the remaining semi-final spot in the Cricket SA T20 Challenge. The Sunday afternoon clash on a glorious Cape Town autumn day was a virtual quarter-final with the winner set to qualify for the play-offs. Junior Dala (3-13) and Corbin Bosch (3-21) ensured it would be the visitors who progressed as they restricted Province to 113-9. The Titans’ batters, in particular Pretorius, had little trouble chasing down the target as the defending champions kept their campaign alive with a comfortable six-wicket bonus-point victory. Skipper Kyle Verreynne struck a valiant 48 off 31 balls, but he did not have any support from the remaining WP batters. The demise began with opener Eddie Moore (4)…

SEA HARVEST has started its 2024 financial year, the 60th since it was established, with additional fishing vessels acquired last year. These include the freezer trawler Harvest Cap Nord, a sister vessel to the Harvest Atlantic Peace and Harvest Mzansi, as well as strategic expansions in its fresh fish fleet. This is according to Felix Ratheb, CEO of the fishing and dairy foods group – which sells its product in more than 30 countries on five continents – in its annual report released on Friday. Ratheb said that in 2023, these investments in growing capacity had been pivotal in reducing the impact of fluctuating catch rates. “Even facing the worst catch rates in recent memory, our fishing business saw double-digit earnings growth, underscoring the resilience and defensive nature of our…

In the vast world of health and wellness, supplements have become increasingly popular as individuals seek ways to enhance their nutritional intake and overall health. However, in South Africa, the lack of regulation by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) around these products leaves many consumers wondering how to determine their quality and effectiveness. With the market flooded with numerous brands and types, finding the best product can be daunting. Here are some tips to help guide your decision. Supplements can help balance hormones and tackle problems like endometriosis, PMS, and menopause. However, figuring out which product is actually good and right for you can be tricky. Women's health issues don't get enough attention and because of that many women are taking matters into their own hands to…

The fashion season has just been unlocked, and emerging designers proved once again that our fashion industry is in capable hands. As per the spring/summer season tradition, South African Fashion Week kicked off day one by introducing us to new designers who showcased under the Mr Price New Talent Search. Before taking to the runway, Amber Jones, head of buying at Mr Price, thanked all the finalists for their hard work because despite having only one winner, showcasing at SA Fashion Week is a win on its own. The previous winner of the competition, Cyla Gonsolves, broke the ice for the finalists and showcased an enchanting collection paired with massive colourful knitted bags. The current finalists, Belhauzen, Heru Shezi, James Presents, Mother of Gao, Ngingu, Oddity and Reina Majoko, followed…

THE Department of Basic Education has come underfire for failing to fill more than 30 000 teacher vacancies at schools across the country. This was described as “unsurprising” by the official opposition, which said as many as 70 pupils shared one teacher at some schools. “This starkly shows the ANC’s disregard for basic education, and it is, sadly, unsurprising that our real matric pass rate sits at 55.3%,” DA MP Baxolile Nodada said. Nodada made the statement after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga provided the number of unfilled positions. Nodada had enquired about the total number of teacher vacancies nationally and a breakdown for each of the provinces. He also enquired about plans to fill the vacant positions in each case. In her response, Motshekga said there were 31 462…

THE Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has spent more than R6 billion on purchasing farms for land restitution and redistribution over the last five years. This was revealed by Minister Thoko Didiza in response to parliamentary questions from DA MP Noko Masipa. Masipa wrote to Didiza enquiring about progress made towards achieving land reform targets, including the number of farms bought, post-settlement support and annual input cost support, among other things. “The Land Redistribution and Tenure Reform programme acquired 239 farms while the Land Restitution programme acquired 970 farms from January 1, 2019 to December 31,2023 at the cost of R2.138bn and R4.304 bn, respectively,” Didiza said. She said her department, through its Land Development Support programme, has supported a total of 244 land reform farms across…

THE UCT selection committee has made strides in the search for a new vice-chancellor (VC), with a final shortlist of three candidates. The candidates are Professor Mosa Moshabela, current deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) for research and innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Professor Nellie Nosisi Feza, DVC for research and postgraduate studies at the University of Venda, and Professor José Frantz, DVC for research and innovation at UWC. UCT began the search last year and applications for the position closed on January 31. The position became vacant after the departure of Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, who allegedly received a golden handshake worth R12 million following a long battle over governance issues. Professor Daya Reddy has been the interim vice-chancellor for the past 13 months. A selection committee including UCT council chairperson Norman…

THURSDAY’S editorial is unbalanced and devoid of the truth. The Western Cape, whatever one thinks of the DA, is the best-run province. One only has to look at their constantly clean audits. It is also the province most sought after for relocation of thousands from the other provinces. The majority of those relocating are from the Eastern Cape, where living conditions and service delivery are untenable and non-existent in spite of 30 years of ANC rule. The Western Cape does its best under difficult circumstances. May I refer also to the caricature juxtaposed next to your editorial, depicting the newly-appointed ANC mayor of Ekurhuleni, Xhakaza, being led blindly by the hand of the EFF, in the signing of a document with a writing utensil, the proximal…

AS THE country prepares for the most crucial general election in our lifetime, let us seriously take stock of the past 30 years of ill-governance.. Politics and governance in our rainbow nation have lost their sacredness as vultures ruthlessly embezzled funds allocated to assist the citizenry suffering under abject poverty. South Africa has witnessed endemic corruption that has cost our poverty-stricken nation billions of rand. It has enmeshed our hard-won democracy in a solid vice-grip that will take years to untangle. Greed has enveloped the land on a monumental scale that defies logic and description. We must as a matter of urgency ruthlessly tackle this contagious scourge before it decimates what’s left of our country. The wealth of both the corruptor and the corruptee is already obscenely vast.…

IN a fitting send-off for a soccer star loved by his family, community and the soccer fraternity, Luke Fleurs, the centre-back for Kaizer Chiefs, was laid to rest in Mitchells Plain at the weekend. Fleurs, 24, was shot and killed in a car hijacking incident on April 3 in Honeydew, Johannesburg. Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni appointed a specialist team to investigate and search for the suspects which resulted in the arrest of six people who have since appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court. The suspects are set to have their bail hearing in court this week. Scores of friends, loved ones, soccer supporters and players descended on Mitchells Plain at the weekend, where the funeral procession moved from the family home in Westridge to the New Apostolic Church…

Allowing them to contest the elections is the start of a slow revolution THIS is what South Africa’s democracy should look like on election day: thousands of people queueing from sunrise to sunset, seeking to take control of a political system from unaccountable and uncaring political parties that treat voters like an afterthought. In the May 29 national and provincial elections, a remarkable democratic experiment will reach its first conclusion through the election of independent candidates for the first time since the dawn of democracy in 1994. A process of entrenching human rights that began 30 years ago with the operation of the Interim Constitution in 1994, the Final Constitution in 1996, and electoral laws over many years proceeded with successful high-level litigation over opening the space for independents and…

The Israeli settlers who rampaged through the West Bank village of al-Mughayyer on April 12 came in greater numbers and carried more weapons than during any of the previous raids on the Palestinian community, residents said. Days later, torched homes and cars still bear testament to the attack, which residents said lasted several hours and that they said Israeli soldiers did nothing to stop. With few means to defend themselves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, they fear more such assaults on the village. “We have stones and they have weapons, and the army supports the settlers,” said Abdullatif Abu Alia, whose house came under attack. His roof was spattered with the blood of Palestinians wounded as they tried to repel the attackers with rocks. One of them, his relative Jihad…

Despite gloomy weather, Ukrainians in the capital Kyiv were cheerful and cautiously optimistic yesterday after their biggest ally Washington approved $61 billion (R1.17 trillion) in new war-time aid. The package, which the US House of Representatives passed on Saturday after months of infighting, comes as Ukrainian forces face a critical shortage of munitions on the battlefield and air defences to protect civilians. “It’s finally happened,” 50-year-old nurse Oksana said. “It will help a lot.The most important thing is to have something to defend ourselves with.” Washington is Kyiv’s leading financial and military backer, delivering much of the hardware it uses on the battlefield. The bill passed on Saturday would provide Ukraine with nearly $14bn to train, equip and finance the needs of its army. But Kyiv would also receive $10bn…

The Stormers will bring their heavy hitters back for this weekend’s United Rugby Championship (URC) game against a depleted Leinster in Cape Town. After losing to the Ospreys 27-21 there is no room for error in the last four games of the tournament as the inaugural champions look to seal a play-off berth for the third year in a row. The expectation is that utility back Damian Willemse, locks Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden, hooker Joseph Dweba and tighthead prop Neethling Fouche will all return to the starting fold to bolster the team on Saturday (kick-off 7.05pm). It was a poor display by the Cape side in front of a healthy crowd and a result that set them back in their search for a spot among the top four…

The two-pot pension system will be one of the most important legis- lative reforms since 1994 and will provide badly needed relief to millions of struggling workers. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and its Affiliate, the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) first proposed allowing workers who had not been paid during the Covid-19 pandemic, early access to their pension funds so they could feed their families and avoid resigning from their jobs to cash out their pension. Whilst Covid-19 is no longer a challenge, workers are still struggling with high levels of debt. Many workers have seen their wages cut or received below inflation increases. Inflation hits workers the hardest, not only because they earn the least, but the goods they need to…

From page 1 “South Africa has duty free access to the US export market through the AGOA free-trade agreement. It is an important stimulus for the creation of EV manufacturing supply chains in Africa through the market stimulation of a strong US market that is looking to diversify supply chains away from China. South Africa could leverage this global strategic advantage to develop a local EV manufacturing capacity. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can potentially also create the opportunity for regional trade and the establishment of regional supply chains. “According to the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM 2023) there was approximately R24bn in automotive exports from South Africa to the US in 2022. Many of these supply chains consisting of components such as tyres…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has ridiculed opposition parties looking to unseat the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, describing their efforts as pointless actions of a “deranged man”. Ramaphosa said the ANC was the “only bull in the kraal” and after the May 29 elections, it will return to power. The president was on a charm offensive this past weekend as he criss-crossed KwaZulu-Natal on the ANC’s campaign trail. He defended his party’s record in government and dismissed any concerns that the ANC might lose power after the elections. The ANC finds itself with its back against the wall in the province, facing a real prospect of being pushed out as the governing party. While the ANC was already facing a trust deficit with voters, the emergence of the MK Party and…

4kg skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips 500g Royco Chicken ala King Cook-In Sauce 1 litre cooking oil 5 tins coconut 2kg large onions, finely chopped 1kg large carrots, chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 leaves dry bay leaves 500g chicken spice mix 1kg egg noodles (or pre-cooked according to packet instructions) Salt and pepper, to season 1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped Water or vegetable stock, as needed Blend onions, carrots, and celery until fine and sauté in a large pot, stirring every few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften, for about 10 minutes Stir in the chicken strips, spice mix, garlic, bay leaves, and continue to cook, while stirring constantly to prevent burning at the bottom for about 2-3 minutes. Pour…

IRAN’S unprecedented retaliatory response against apartheid Israel is not an attack on apartheid Israel but a response to apartheid Israel’s crossing of a red line. Bombing Iran’s embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, and killing several high-ranking Iranian officials is like bombing a sovereign country. Diplomatic compounds are entitled to broad protection from attack or other interference in terms of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. As usual, the so-called flag bearers and speech makers of international law, the US, Germany, the UK and France, refuse to condemn the strike on Iran’s embassy. The hypocrisy of Western countries, the leaders of which often voice concern over upholding the so-called principles of international law, is very noticeable. Very often Western leaders summon non-Western countries in terms of the rules of international law…

SIYAVUYA Mzantsi’s editorial (“DA’s fear in Western Cape is justified”, Cape Times, April 18) refers. Since 2009, when the DA was elected to govern the Western Cape for the first time, the Western Cape government has emerged as the best-performing provincial government in the country. The Western Cape has the lowest unemployment rate in South Africa – more than 10 percentage points lower than the national unemployment rate of 32.1%. In the last five years, four out of every five jobs in South Africa were created in the Western Cape. It is the only province where murder has declined, due largely to the work of 1 300 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, and the province’s Rural Safety and K9 units.…

A Chinese tourist was pronounced dead after CPR efforts were unable to resuscitate him when he reportedly surfaced unconscious from a scuba dive yesterday. NSRI Gqeberha station commander Justin Erasmus said their duty crew was activated Sunday morning following reports from Transnet National Ports Authority Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control of CPR efforts in progress on a man on a dive charter boat that was heading towards the Port of Port Elizabeth and was, at the time, in the vicinity of the outer Bell Buoy. The NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft was launched and EMS and Relay ambulance services were activated. “Responding to the scene, our NSRI rescue craft rendezvoused with the dive charter boat a half a nautical mile from the entrance to the port. We found the dive…

IN A country like South Africa, teachers play an important role in improving the reading skills of learners, especially those in the foundation phase, Grades R to 3. By enhancing the reading proficiency of learners, teachers help lay the foundation for future learning and academic success. It is, therefore, crucial that effective reading instruction takes place in the classroom. However, intense debates such as the “Reading Wars” continue to rage in literacy education. Reading Wars have been characterised by disagreements over the best approaches to teaching reading, particularly focusing on the debate between phonics (a component of reading instruction that focuses on the relationship between individual sounds and the letters that represent them) and whole language instruction methods, that is methods used to teach reading. They are not just about…

In Mali’s capital Bamako, Aboubacar Pamateck runs a scarf under a trickle of water and wraps it around his head to cope with the West African nation’s soaring heat. Africa’s Sahel region experienced a deadly heatwave early this month, exceptional both in terms of duration and intensity. “I drink a lot of water and wear my turban, which I often get wet,” Pamateck said. “I even avoid wearing nylon boubous. I prefer to wear small cotton boubous to avoid the heat.” From April 1 to April 5, temperatures in Mali exceeded 45°C and peaked at a record 48.5°C in the western city of Kayes. A few days later, the thermometer fell back to a more familiar but still difficult 43°C at midday in the shade in Bamako. As the sun…

TENERIFE: Thousands of people protested in the Canary Islands yesterday, calling for the Spanish island to temporarily limit tourist arrivals to stem a boom in short-term holiday rentals and hotel construction that is driving up housing costs for locals. Ahead of the tourist season, demonstrators said changes must be made to the tourism industry that accounts for 35% of gross domestic product in the Canary Islands archipelago. Environmental organisations say authorities should temporarily limit visitor numbers to alleviate pressure on the islands’ environment, infrastructure and housing stock, and put curbs on property purchases by foreigners. | Reuters…