Table of contents for 2024-06-10 in Cape Times

Global beauty brand Kylie Cosmetics is finally in South Africa. At the launch in Kramerville, Sandton, leading Joburg beauty influencers and the media got to experience the products from the brand. Hosted by Nomalanga Shozi, with DBN Gogo behind the decks, the launch introduced a range of Kylie Cosmetics products, including the iconic Matte Lip Kits, Kylash Volume Mascara and the latest Power Plush Longwear Foundation. “I am so excited to launch Kylie Cosmetics in South Africa and share my collection of make-up products that I use and love with all of my fans there,” said Kylie Jenner, the founder of the brand. The beauty mogul launched her brand in November 2015 and her debut product, the lip kit, sold out immediately after its release. In other news, Jenner, who…

From page 1 assuring voices and not witnessing fast enough movements to improve public confidence. Nelson Mandela famously remarked: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ If we are to save the nation, now is the time for bold action. Let all play their role in doing it.” UWC Political Studies associate professor Cherrel Africa said setting up a Government of National Unity was an extremely complex process. “Political leaders are facing a complex and difficult set of decisions – they are dealing with both internal and external pressures and at the same time need to consider the long-term impact of their decisions. “Additionally, they have to do this in an extremely short period of time. At the moment there is a lot of scrutiny and pressure from all quarters.…

An Indian court has refused bail to two members of the Gupta family in connection with allegedly abetting the suicide of a businessman. Last month, Ajay Gupta, 58, and another family member, Anil Gupta, were arrested in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand State. The case concerns the death of Satinder Singh Sawhney, 52, a building developer working on housing projects with the Guptas. His corpse was found at the bottom of an apartment block on May 24. Sawhney’s son said he left a suicide note in which he accused the two men of threatening him. The Times of India quoted director of prosecution Girish Pancholi saying Sawhney had accused Ajay and Anil Gupta of having “forced him to commit suicide” after filing “fake cases against him”. The two Guptas were…

THURSDAY’S edition, “Numsa plans to take fight with SA Steel Mills to the IDC”, refers. This dispute between the union and SA Steel Mills has been going on for ages. Each time the union tries to do something that is completely ineffectual. The strikes have just caused more misery for workers. And the ongoing threats have fallen on deaf ears. The trade unions have lawyers and a legal division. In essence, the accusations made against management have been of a legal nature. The allegations about unfair dismissal and violations of health and safety regulations are allegations that have to be tested in courts and not through power. If the demands are of a nature that boils down to a legal right, only the courts are able to make that final…

WHEN the books of the Gaza war between Hamas and the Israeli Defence Force are written in the years ahead, history will reveal the true heroes. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers, will be first on the list. Who you are, your colour, your religion, your political beliefs mean nothing to him. If you need help anywhere in the world, his team is on a plane in 24 hours with food, medical supplies, water, personnel and whatever else is required. Many heroes will emerge ... those who died in service, caregivers, voluntary doctors ... the list is endless. Standing at the head of the queue, however, will be Imtiaz Sooliman, whom history will judge with kindness and respect for his dedication to humanity and to those in…

THE City has seen a surge in escorts for staff and contractors since the inception of its Facility Protection Officers (FPO) initiative a year ago. The initiative was launched in May 2023 with a mandate to protect City facilities against vandalism and theft, but also to help safeguard projects and staff amid an increase in extortion-related incidents that have severely impacted service delivery. The number of escorts provided to City departments and contractors increased from 759 within nine months in 2022/23 to 1 292 during the same period in the current financial year, representing a 70% increase. Safety and security Mayco member, JP Smith, said: “‘The massive spike in safety escorts speaks to our commitment to keeping staff and contractors safe, and to ensure that service delivery happens as needed.…

AS THE reality of these election results sinks in, the concerning slow progress of negotiations on forming coalition governments between elected political parties looms ever larger. Some things we can say about these election results are how they have brought some parties down and others up and how they significantly impact our political practices inside and outside government from now on. Whenever we glimpse the proposals under consideration in these parallel negotiations and contemplate several scenarios in which each might result, we realise that unpredictability, surprises, ructions and new lessons mark the facets of politics to change. But what about the face of South Africa’s politics itself? This question matters as these elections bring us to uncertain territory with many unknowns. The outgoing parliament will not be missed much, primarily…

CAIRO: The UK Navy yesterday said that a vessel caught fire after being hit by a projectile in the Gulf of Aden. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency, which is part of Britain’s Royal Navy, said that the vessel was hit “by an unknown projectile on the aft section” at about 11.40pm on Saturday, about 70 nautical miles south-west of Aden in Yemen. The hit “resulted in a fire,” the agency said, adding that no casualties were reported. Damage control was under way, and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call. The agency did not provide details about the vessel hit but advised to transit the area with caution. The Gulf of Aden, off the Yemeni coast, links the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. The…

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in yesterday for a third term after worse-than-expected election results left him reliant on coalition partners to govern. Modi, flanked by officials from his Hindu-nationalist party and coalition members, vowed in a ceremony marking his formal assumption of power to “bear true allegiance to the constitution of India”. Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled outright for the past decade but failed to repeat its previous two landslide wins this time around, defying analysts’ expectations and exit polls. He was instead forced into quick-fire talks with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a 15-member coalition, to gather the parliamentary numbers needed to govern. Honour guards lined the steps of the presidential palace and a military brass band played as he made the oath. But…

SOUTH Korea was to begin loudspeaker broadcasts directed at North Korea yesterday that would be “unbearable” for the Kim Jong Un regime, its National Security Council said, after Pyongyang resumed sending balloons carrying trash across the border. The council met yesterday, after dozens of balloons with trash were found in Seoul and in areas near the border earlier and overnight. “The measures we will take may be unbearable for the North Korean regime but they will send a message of hope and light to the North’s troops and its people,” the council said. South Korea has warned it would take “unendurable” measures against the North for sending the trash balloons, which could include the blaring propaganda broadcasts. Pyongyang started sending balloons carrying trash and manure last month, saying the move…

The Stormers’ inability to adjust as well as the Glasgow Warriors did against the wind, and some staggering calls against them by referee Chris Busby, proved their undoing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final this past weekend. A late blitzkrieg of tries against them when they were chasing the game saw them lose 27-10 in the knockout match at a windy and wet Scotstoun Stadium. It is the first time that the Stormers do not make it past the quarters. With the score 13-10, and with the wind at their backs, head coach John Dobson felt his side were still in the game, but errors stopped them from overhauling the Warriors. “I am disappointed because I felt with the wind behind us at 13-10 we could’ve closed it out.…

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has appealed to landlords not to evict students, committing to clear its debt with private student accommodations next week. It previously emerged that the entity owed private student housing operators millions in rent and the frustrated residence owners threatened students with evictions. The SA Union of Students (Saus), representing university students, and the SA Technical Vocational Education and Training Student Association (Satvetsa) have since called on the scheme to urgently address the matter. Saus national spokesperson Asive Dlanjwa said both university and TVET students were affected. “The issues predominantly exist in TVETS compared to universities. It is institutions that were under the new pilot project that faced a crisis in terms of student accommodation because it is centralised. “We know that students are…

Former Eskom and Transnet CEO Brian Molefe might take Corruption Watch (RF) NPC to the cleaners. The non-profit organisation last week filed a notice of withdrawal against Molefe to be declared a delinquent director for alleged violation during his tenure at Eskom. Molefe was accused of state capture during the Zondo Commission led by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. The matter is between Corruption Watch as the applicant and Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, Molefe and other executives. “Please take notice that the applicant withdraws the application against Molefe by agreement between the parties, each party to bear their own costs,” said the notice, which is dated June 7. Molefe’s attorney, Mpho Molefe of Molaba Attorneys, told the Cape Times’s sister paper The Star that his client is vindicated by the withdrawal…

WHAT to do next after the People Have Spoken? Shew! The debates are heated and hectic, within various political parties, but particularly around and amongst the ANC leadership about what to do about forming a new government. I am simply astounded at some who think that the ANC still has all the aces up its sleeves. Let's get real folks, the ANC is no longer in power and this must not be about saving the ANC but about saving South Africa as a country and doing what is right for all of us! The other parties must also stop their gloating – they were also not the victors. None of them got an outright majority and none of them are so-called kingmakers. The voters are the kingmakers and we did…

PEACE and harmony is the fundamental prerequisite of our life and an ideal path to follow. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and all who have lost their loved ones in conflicts raging across the world. We mourn these losses as we struggle to rebuild our shattered lives. The enemies of freedom have pushed the false narrative that democracy is in decline because it is incapable of addressing people’s needs. In fact, democracy is in decline because its most prominent examples are not doing enough to protect it. Death, destruction and killing have torn at many of our relationships and global communities. The fundamental concept of living in peace and harmony is founded upon the triad of tolerance, forgiveness and forgetting. It was iconic philosopher Bertrand Russell…

A SECURITY company has failed in its Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) bid to halt a new tenderer from rendering services at Western Cape Government sites vulnerable to illegal occupation and vandalism. Tyte Security Services had unlawfully been awarded a two-year contract. In the opening lines of the judgment, SCA Judge Visvanathan Ponnan said: “State tenders have become fertile ground for litigation” in which “tendering has become a verifiably ‘messy business’ and the courts are increasingly drawn into the quagmire in review proceedings.” During 2021 Tyte Security and Seal Security were jointly awarded a security tender, but this contract was opposed by unsuccessful tender applicant Red Ant Security Relocation and Eviction Services (Pty) Ltd. This application succeeded before Judge Ashley Binns-Ward. The provincial government invited fresh bids for a new…

BUS and taxi owner Bonke Makalala’s legal woes have worsened after he was charged with a 2020 murder while awaiting trial on a number of charges in Brandvlei Prison. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said that according to reports, the victim, Anele Nyameli, was building his flats at Crossroads, Nyanga area, when he ran out of nails and went to a nearby shop to borrow money for supplies. On the way back to his flats he was attacked and shot at by unidentified men. “The victim, who was shot multiple times, was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died due to injuries sustained. “After following up on information received by Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes detectives, the team managed to build a watertight case against 33-year-old Bonke Makalala.”…

Political parties should condemn any attempts to foment more violent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal following the outcome of the national and provincial elections. This comes amid growing concern over the possibility of violence in KZN in the wake of disputed election outcomes by various political parties and the subsequent court action led by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. More than 300 additional police officers have been deployed to the province following voice notes and social media posts that have been doing the rounds, warning people of possible looting and unrest following the poll results. Law enforcement, made up of the police and the SANDF, should do their utmost to enforce law and order, especially in the volatile province of KwaZulu-Natal. Post-election violence is the last thing we need, especially since the devastating…

ANKARA: Two people have been killed, and 30 others injured in a bus crash in eastern Turkey’s Van Province, Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported yesterday. The incident reportedly occurred yesterday morning near the Kuskunkıran tunnel on the Van Bitlis highway, when a passenger bus and a truck collided for unknown reasons. Rescue teams and medical personnel were dispatched to the area, the newspaper reported. The bus driver and one passenger died, while 30 others sustained injuries, with four of them badly hurt, it said. The injured were taken to hospitals and an investigation into the incident was launched.…

MOSCOW: The Somali Information Ministry said that the country’s armed forces eliminated 47 militants of the radical al-Shabaab terrorist group (linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist group, banned in Russia) in the province of Galguduud in the central part of the country, Somali news portal Mogadishu24 reported. The ministry added that five Somali soldiers were killed during the operation, the report said on Saturday. Al-Shabaab is a Somalia-based jihadist militant group linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist group. It wages armed resistance against the Somali government and obstructs UN humanitarian missions in the country.…

New Delhi: Lauding the Indian-origin engineer Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first recruit of Tesla’s Autopilot team, Elon Musk yesterday expressed gratitude to him, saying that “without him and our awesome team, we would just be another car company looking for an autonomy supplier that does not exist”. This comes after Elluswamy, in his detailed note, said that Musk has been the key driver of AI and autonomy at Tesla. “He has always pushed us to achieve great things, even when such ideas were seemingly impossible at the time,” he wrote. Later, the tech billionaire quoted Elluswamy’s post on X and wrote: “Thanks Ashok! Ashok was the first person to join the Tesla AI/Autopilot team and ultimately rose to lead all AI/Autopilot software.” Elluswamy, in his note, wrote: “Back in…

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler says he is just starting to move past his arrest on driving-related charges at last month’s PGA Championship and the incident will stay with him throughout his career. The reigning Masters champion enters next week’s US Open at Pinehurst still trying to get past being hauled off to jail and returning to play the second round of the PGA at Valhalla after having a mug shot taken and spending hours behind bars. Charges were dropped last month, but Scheffler says that simply gives people more freedom to bring up the subject in conversations he would rather avoid. “Now it’s almost more appropriate for people to ask me about the situation,” Scheffler said. “It’s not something I love reliving, just because it was fairly traumatic for me being…

FORMER Bytes Technology Group chief executive Neil Murphy appears to have escaped unscathed after his fall from grace, following an admission he traded shares without letting the relevant parties know. He has only to pay back bonuses from the time of the company’s listing in London in December 2020. Murphy left Bytes under a cloud on February 21, after failing to disclose more than a hundred share transactions he made on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to either the dual-listed company or the market, in compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition, it later transpired that Murphy also made 15 transactions on behalf of his wife between December 29, 2021, and November 20, 2023. Bytes disclosed all these deals to the relevant bourses. The disgraced former chief executive, who traded…

NOW HAT THE elections are concluded and the 7th administration will soon be constituted, we need to focus on growing the economy, protecting workers, giving relief to the unemployed and modernising the State. A stable, progressive and coherent government is key to tackling these difficult tasks. Naturally as a trade union federation, Cosatu will not agree to any attempts to roll back workers’ hard-won constitutional and labour rights painstakingly achieved over decades of struggle. Nor should they be abandoned, as the real obstacles to growing the economy are load shedding, congested ports, struggling railways, ageing infrastructure, endemic crime and corruption, lack of investment, fragile sectors and SMMEs in need of support. Providing mothers with maternity leave and unemployment insurance is not what causes weak economic growth. Labour market stability is…

‘DA and other white minority parties represent the colonial and apartheid systems’ THE ANC’s proposed Government of National Unity (GNU) appears to be facing a mammoth task as rivals EFF and DA have already indicated that they are not prepared to be in the same government. Within its alliance partners, the signs of a push-back were visible from the Cosatu-affiliated Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru). At its 10th provincial congress in Gauteng, the union rejected any partnership with the DA, saying it did not want a minority “right-wing government, or a convergence of harmful neo-liberal policies which have only entrenched poverty, inequality, and unemployment in our country”. This followed the ANC’s special National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday, at which the party agreed to invite political…

THE future political affairs of South Africa look very unclear as political parties face tough challenges to either form a coalition government or a government of national unity. The ANC, the former liberation movement that led South Africa since the first democratic elections in 1994, and the end of the racist and repressive system of apartheid, has lost its majority position. This uncertain and tense period in politics can be calmed if the dictates and stipulations of the Constitution and the interests of all South Africans are placed above everything, including party politics, ideological disagreements and the craving for authority, positions and power. People-driven processes would definitely aid economic development, decrease unemployment and poverty, heal social and national differences, and bring about social cohesion, co-existence and moral, ethical and virtuous…

I WOULD like all those analysts and ANC members who don’t want a DA and ANC coalition to give honest reasons why not, and then give the DA a chance to reply. It’s all very well (Mathews) Phosa and (Lindiwe) Sisulu saying they are against a coalition with the DA. Why? Sisulu says: “We are ideologically at variance with the DA. I cannot imagine having to drag people who do not have similar issues into our problems and be able to take our country forward.” I’m not sure what she is speaking about. We all have similar issues in this country, and we need to find common ground to get us back on track and take us forward. Then Mr Roscoe Palm asks: “If the ANC enters into a grand…

KHAYELITSHA residents are once again reeling in shock following a shooting that claimed the lives of four people, including three children, at a local barbershop at the weekend. Western Cape police spokesperson, Andrè Traut said detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit were investigating the circumstances leading to a multiple murder in Khayelitsha following the incident at about 4pm on Saturday. “At around 4pm, unknown gunmen entered a barbershop and opened fire at the occupants of the premises. Two children, aged 11 and 12, and an adult, aged 30, were killed on the scene while three children were admitted to (hospital). “The 5-year-old later succumbed to death due to his injuries. The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be apprehended. “The motive for…

South Africa’s fruitful co-operation with China shows benefits of such partnerships AT THE recently concluded G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting led by the US, a statement was issued once again hyping the so-called issue of “overcapacity” in China’s new energy industry. Following the recent imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other products, the US is eagerly rallying its allies, attempting to form a “protectionist alliance” to curb China. From both the principles of market economy and the laws of value, this issue is a false proposition. By examining South Africa’s fruitful co-operation with China in the new energy sector, we can illustrate the broader benefits of such partnerships. Revisiting concerns about overcapacity The criticism of China’s capacity in clean energy is reminiscent of historical double…

China has seen new progress in the development of its marine economy and promoted co-operation and partnership in international maritime governance, an official said at the weekend. The country has made constant efforts to improve the protection and development of marine resources, said Sun Shuxian, Vice-Minister of Natural Resources and head of the State Oceanic Administration at a ceremony in China’s Fujian Province to mark World Oceans Day. Official data showed that China’s marine economy accounted for about 8% of its GDP during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). In 2023, the economic aggregate of China’s marine industry reached 9.9 trillion yuan (about R25.8 trillion), playing a key role in stabilising economic growth. In the first quarter of this year, the container throughput for foreign trade at China’s ports increased…

BOGOTO: Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on his social media account that his country will suspend coal export to Israel due to its attacks on the Gaza Strip, which he again called a “genocide”. The draft decree shared by Petro on Saturday will be published by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism on its website from tomorrow to June 17 for comments before entering into force, says Xinhua News Agency. Official data show Colombia exported $447 million (R8.45 billion) of coal to Israel last year, a 57% drop from 2022, while in the first four months of this year, $88m of coal was exported to Israel. Since the Gaza war erupted, relations between the countries have grown more tense.…

ISLAMABAD: At least five people, including two police officers, were injured in a terrorist attack on a polio vaccination team in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police officials said. According to the police officials, the incident happened on Saturday in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district of the province when unknown attackers opened fire indiscriminately on the polio team, injuring two police officers and other staff of the polio team. The assailants fled the scene after the attack, police said, adding that law enforcers have launched an operation in the area to find the suspects, the Xinhua News Agency reported. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.…

MOSCOW: The condition of Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, who was reportedly hospitalised after an asthma attack, is stable, his office said yesterday. It was speculated that he could be sent abroad for treatment. “After a week of intense activity, on Saturday June 8, Prime Minister Garry Conille felt slightly unwell and went to hospital to receive help. “His condition is stable at the moment,” the office said in a statement on X. In late May, the Haitian Transitional Presidential Council selected Conille to lead the interim government.…

GERDA Steyn smashed yet another Comrades Marathon record with a new up run best time and immediately turned her focus on the next goal. The darling of South African road running ran an incredible 5:49:46 in the world-famous KwaZulu-Natal ultra from Durban to Pietermaritzburg for her third victory in the Ultimate Human Race, beating her nearest competitor by a massive quarter of an hour. “I will be heading straight back to training camp. I am going to France from now on all the way until the Olympics. If I can find something nearby, maybe I might do a race. But there won’t be any races easily accessible. So, I don’t see myself doing any other races before the Olympics.” Steyn was speaking during the post-race media conference at the Scottsville…