Table of contents for 2024-11-26 in Cape Times

In South Africa, breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer affecting women. The government says 90% of patients have the potential to survive for many years post-diagnosis if the cancer is discovered early. While the treatment journey often centres on chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, a crucial yet often overlooked aspect is the care of wounds and scars that result from the interventions. Dr Judey Pretorius, a biomedical scientist and product development specialist at Biomedical Emporium, highlights the significance of addressing the physical reminders of the battle, suggesting they are badges of strength. Types of wounds associated with breast cancer treatment Post-cancer wounds vary, depending on the type of treatment a patient undergoes. Each type requires specific care to ensure proper healing and prevent…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa seems to be in for an unpleasant week as he faces two separate court battles that could have significant implications for his second term of his presidency. To fire the first salvo is the EFF which is taking Ramaphosa to the Constitutional Court today over the Phala Phala scandal that has been a thorn in the president’s side for years. The party is seeking to hold Ramaphosa accountable for his actions surrounding the break-in at his Phala Phala game farm in February 2020. Just two days later, on Thursday, Ramaphosa will be back in the same court to face accusations of stalling access to books for the blind and the visually impaired. Section27, a public interest law centre, will argue that Ramaphosa’s failure to sign the Copyright…

HALF of the 10 police stations that recorded most murders in South Africa are located in Cape Town. They are Philippi East with 74 murders followed by Delft with 68, Nyanga, 64, Mfuleni, 58, and Gugulethu with 55. These figures emerged when Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released the crime statistics for the second quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, from July 1 to September 30, 2024. Nationally there were 6 545 murders, 12 765 sexual offences and 42 721 cases of assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm over this three month period. Reacting to the statistics, GOOD City of Cape Town councillor Jonathan Cupido criticised the City of Cape Town’s “army of Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers” as being of little effect to the persistently high…

While some developed nations rejected the outcomes agreed on at the COP29 conference in Baku, South African Environment Minister Dion George says the unity pact is a “step in the right direction”. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) concluded in the early hours of Sunday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Parties adopted the Baku Climate Unity Pact consisting of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, Global Goal on Adaptation and Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Programme as well as the key decisions on implementing the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.2 and 6.4. George, minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, said, in a statement, that the pact came after an intense two weeks of consultations and negotiations. He said…

SOCIAL Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe said the number of unemployed social workers was likely to decrease over the coming financial years after cabinet took a decision that a select few departments should hire social services professionals. “The Cabinet in February this year approved a strategy of employing social services professionals by the following departments: police, defence, health, correctional services and basic education. “The department held a workshop with the identified departments in September to unpack the strategy and get commitment from all these departments for the employment of social service professionals,” Tolashe said. The minister was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Bridget Masango, who enquired about the total number social workers, auxiliary workers and psychologists that were trained by her department and graduated in the past four years.…

It’s a long road ahead to restore RAF’s purpose and rebuild public trust EVERY time you fill up your car, part of your payment is a lifeline for road crash victims – or at least, it should be. South Africans contribute approximately 40% of the total current fuel levy to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) – a fund meant to provide medical and financial compensation to victims of road crashes. Yet, despite this substantial public contribution, the RAF is mired in a financial and operational crisis, leaving victims waiting up to eight years for compensation. The reality of these delays isn’t just a bureaucratic inconvenience – it’s a direct assault on vulnerable people. Victims suffer untreated injuries, worsening medical conditions, and mounting financial burdens. Meanwhile, the public’s trust in the…

A final round of talks on a treaty to curb plastic pollution opened yesterday, with deep differences between nations emerging almost immediately. The meeting opened just hours after a chaotic end to the COP29 climate talks in Baku, which agreed to a boost in climate funding that developing countries slammed as insufficient. Opening the plastics meeting, the Ecuadorian diplomat chairing the talks warned nations that the conference was about “far more than drafting an international treaty”. “It is about humanity rising to meet an existential challenge,” Luis Vayas Valdivieso told an opening plenary in South Korea’s Busan. Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that it has been found in clouds, the deepest ocean trenches and even human breastmilk. And while almost everyone agrees it is a problem, there is less consensus…

A Malaysian court ordered the government yesterday to return rainbow-coloured watches and accessories made by Swatch Group that were seized last year for designs celebrating LGBTQ rights, a prosecutor said. Homosexuality is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, and rights groups have warned of growing intolerance toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in the Southeast Asian country. In May 2023, Malaysia confiscated 172 rainbow-coloured watches from the Swiss watchmaker’s ‘Pride collection’ from 16 outlets due to the presence of the acronym ‘LGBTQ’ on the timepieces. The government later prohibited any LGBTQ references on Swatch watches, boxes, wrappers, accessories or other items, saying such products may harm morality and public interest. | Reuters…

MOSCOW: The business platform called “Creation”, which will unite entrepreneurs who implement the idea of constructive work for the benefit of society, was established at the “Creative Entrepreneurship as Service” round table of the BRICS Forum on Traditional Values held in Moscow recently. The meeting discussed the compatibility of spirituality and business goals. The event’s organisers said the idea of creating a business platform was supported by foreign delegates and representatives of the BRICS countries and candidate states including Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and Uganda. | Sputnik…

NEW YORK: Warren Buffett has made further preparations for donating his fortune after his death. Buffett, 94, the chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway, is donating nearly all of his remaining wealth, valued on Friday at $149.7 billion, to a charitable trust overseen by his daughter and two sons. Yesterday, Buffett said three potential successor trustees have been designated to serve if his children cannot serve. He said each successor trustee is somewhat younger than his children, well known to them and “makes sense to all of us.” Buffett also said he is donating about $1.14bn of additional Berkshire stock to four family foundations. He has donated 56.6% of his Berkshire stock to the foundations and to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. | Reuters…

Psilocybin, the active compound in “magic mushrooms”, has gained significant attention in recent years for its potential therapeutic benefits in treating mental health conditions such as severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse. However, while early research suggests promise, experts warn that psilocybin is not without risks and much remains unknown about its long-term effects and safety. The South African Society of Psychiatrists (Sasop), through psychiatrist Dr Melané van Zyl, has emphasised the importance of approaching psilocybin therapy with caution. While the potential benefits are intriguing, the lack of robust, large-scale studies makes it difficult to endorse its widespread use in clinical settings fully. In recent years, there has been growing interest in psychedelics, substances that alter perception, mood and cognitive processes, for their potential mental health benefits.…

POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu says now free of the “burden” of the Stilfontein legal case, authorities were hoping the retrieval operation for the illegal miners will conclude soon. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria yesterday dismissed an urgent application brought by the Society for the Protection of our Constitution. The organisation sought to compel government departments including police to provide humanitarian aid such as food, water, medical aid and permit non-emergency personnel to go down in the 2km-deep shaft to haul out the illegal miners who have been there for a few months. In her ruling, Judge Brenda Neukircher said: “The Society has offered no cogent proof to show that the respondents’ response to the situation is not measured, considered and proportional. In my view, given that the Society has no…

30ml cooking oil 1 medium onion chopped Garlic clove, finely chopped 1 1 can (410g) Waterblommetjies 60ml vegetable stock 10ml tomato paste 5ml lemon juice Lucky Star Sardines in Vegetable Oil 2 tins 500g potatoes 60ml milk 15ml butter Nutmeg to taste 60ml cheddar cheese, grated Salt and pepper to taste Pie: Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a medium saucepan, fry the onion and garlic in the heated oil until soft. Add small quantities of the waterblommetjies at a time and brown. Add the remaining ingredients and season well with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Cover and set aside. Filling Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft and cooked, remove the skins and mash. Add the milk, butter, nutmeg and add salt and…

I’VE COME across a highly propagandised article published by a South African political analyst who makes the startling claim that the Gaza death toll in 2024 is unreliable since the source of information is the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The analyst attempts to cast doubt so as to obfuscate Israel's ongoing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and beyond. Moreover, the illegal expansion in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Syrian Golan Heights, a clear violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, is seldom discussed in pro-Israel circles. My question to any self-respecting analyst or political commentator is this: how can we, the international community, trust a government that has repeatedly violated international law and continues to dignify individuals partaking in some of the most nauseating…

The Philippines justice department has labelled Vice-President Sara Duterte the mastermind of a plot to assassinate the country’s president, giving her five days to respond to a subpoena. Duterte is being asked to explain herself in the wake of a blistering weekend press conference where she said she had instructed that President Ferdinand Marcos be killed should an alleged plot to kill her succeed. “The government is taking action to protect our duly elected president,” Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said yesterday.“The premeditated plot to assassinate the president as declared by the self-confessed mastermind will now face legal consequences.” Speaking to reporters an hour later, Duterte said she planned to respond to the subpoena. “I will gladly answer the questions they want to ask, but they must answer my questions as…

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Morocco during a brief visit to Casablanca last week. After his state visit to Brazil, Xi made a technical stop in Morocco, where he met Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. The Chinese leader emphasised his country’s readiness to collaborate with Morocco after the recent Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation and the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum. He also spoke of more co-operation within the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese is investing in Morocco’s railway and electric vehicle battery manufacturing sectors. | Sputnik…

MONTEVIDEO: Centre-left opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi secured victory in Uruguay’s presidential election over the weekend, with 99% of votes tallied. Orsi secured a margin of 49.81% of the vote to conservative Alvaro Delgado’s 45.90%, results showed. Orsi, 57, has said he would avoid raising taxes that could scare off business and focus on attracting investors, He has also signalled closer co-operation with Europe on fighting drug trafficking and more funding for prisons. Orsi says he does not plan a sharp policy shift in the moderate, relatively wealthy nation. Unlike sharp right-left divides in elections in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, Uruguay’s political arena is relatively tension-free. | Reuters…

Madrid: Spain’s disgraced former king Juan Carlos is being sued for alleged tax offences by a group of retired judges, one of the complainants said yesterday. Spanish prosecutors in March 2022 closed three probes into his finances due to insufficient evidence, but said several irregularities had been found.Among them were gifts from Gulf Arab monarchies and private trips funded by a foundation based in the European state of Liechtenstein. The complainants say a court must decide if he fulfilled his tax obligations. | AFP…

EFF leader Julius Malema has once again reiterated that any of his detractors who thought that he was a dictator and divisive should leave the party. Malema was answering questions from the media yesterday during the party’s walkabout at Nasrec, the venue for its elective conference in December. Attacking his detractors, he asked why individuals would join a party that was created by a dictator. “Why did you join a divisive party? Why did you join?” Malema asked. “I was accused of being a dictator since my days in the ANC Youth League... so there is nothing new.” He added that the party was not going to waste time nursing people’s feelings. “If you want to leave, the door is open. Leave now! We are not begging anyone,” he said.…

Neurologist dumps healthcare provider for hosting hospital with close ties to Israeli military HUMANITARIAN organisation Gift of the Givers (GoG) has thrown its weight behind a boycott of Discovery, backing neurologist Dr Aayesha Soni’s decision to cancel her health plan. In a letter, Soni, a Gift of the Givers volunteer, accused the healthcare provider of being “complicit in the Israeli genocide and ongoing occupation of the Palestinian people”. Soni cancelled her health plan with Discovery with immediate effect, saying she was appalled at Discovery’s hosting of representatives from Sheba Medical Centre, an Israel hospital with close ties to the Israeli military. Alerted to Soni’s disdain, Discovery Health chief executive Dr Ron Whelan, said they have engaged with Soni directly. “Discovery Health confirms that it is aware of Soni's request…

Sick and severely dehydrated – this is how Sun bear cub Anuk was brought to Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh in Northern Vietnam. The five-month-old female bear has been nursed back to health with round-the-clock care since her arrival at the sanctuary. Global animal welfare organisation Four Paws, who took the cub into its care in mid-August, highlighted that little Anuk is one of many Sun and Asiatic black bears falling victim to the illegal wildlife trade. Anuk was most likely smuggled from Laos into Vietnam and confiscated by the Vietnamese police from a taxi at a bus station in Thanh Hóa, where the trader sought to send her off to Southern Vietnam. After the quick intervention, the Thanh Hóa police were able to bring her to Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh.…

The shopping event of the season, Black Friday, is set to take place this week with consumers around the country looking for the best deals from retailers ahead of the festive season. One of South Africa’s biggest banks, First National Bank (FNB) said it is anticipating its customers to spend over R3 billion. FNB yesterday said that the improved economic landscape and sustained recovery in consumer income will likely boost sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday compared to last year. The bank stated that with the increase seen in retailers offering extended specials over the course of the month or week leading up to Black Friday, FNB expects spend to exceed R3 billion over the Black Friday weekend as well as a significant shift towards digital payments. CEO of…

The comparison of the extortion gangs that are running rampant in the country to the organised crime elements or mafia that operate in the United States has become commonplace. What is clear is that the extortion gangs started as disorganised structures that initially targeted public sector projects and over a period of time have evolved into structured syndicates that use extortion, intimidation, violence and sabotage against contractors in both the public and private sector. The cost to the taxpayer and the State in the construction sector alone is estimated to be R63 billion since 2019, affecting 180 projects. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, during the National Construction Summit on Crime Free Construction Sites held in Durban recently, warned that those benefiting from activities on the ground while “sitting in posh suburbs…

Namibia’s ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), which has been in power since independence, fears the same fate as other liberation-era parties crushed in elections across the region when the country goes to the polls tomorrow. In the past six months, South Africa’s ANC lost its parliamentary majority, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was ousted after almost six decades in power, and though the ruling Frelimo won elections in Mozambique, civil society and opposition groups have demonstrated for weeks claiming fraud and demanding change. In Namibia, five candidates are running for the top job, including Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling Swapo party which faces its tightest race since 1990. With results expected as early as Saturday, all eyes are on whether the sparsely populated country rich in mineral…

A march by hundreds of supporters to demand the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan reached the fringes of Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad yesterday, his party and officials said, amid reports of violence elsewhere. Authorities have enforced a security lockdown for the last two days to block the protesters, whom Khan has called on to march on parliament for a sit-in demonstration, while highways into the city have been barricaded. The government has used shipping containers to block major roads and streets in Islamabad, most of them patrolled by large contingents of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear. Khan’s party accused the government of using violent tactics to block the protesters, saying it had arrested hundreds of workers and leaders. “They are even firing live bullets,” one…

LUSAKA: Zambia, which is facing severe power shortages due to a record drought affecting its hydropower sources, is considering a proposal by the Chinese-owned Wonderful Group to build a $900 million, 600MW coal-fired power plant, after Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema met Wonderful Group chief operations officer Frank Mulenga. Hichilem declared a national state of emergency earlier this year due to a drought caused by the El Niño effect in the rainy season, and called on local and international partners to help combat its effects in the country. | Sputnik…

DAR ES SALAAM: The Kilimanjaro Film Festival (KFF), scheduled for July 2 to 6 next year in the city of Moshi, aims to boost Tanzania’s creative and tourism sectors, KFF’s founder and director Vicensia Shule told a local media. The festival is part of a broader initiative to connect Tanzania’s film and tourism industries. Unlike many festivals, KFF prioritises authentic African stories, particularly those from indigenous communities. The event is seen as a platform to promote Tanzanian films internationally, providing filmmakers with income opportunities, networking potential, and recognition, the director said. | Sputnik…

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has suffered a hamstring injury, said the Spanish club yesterday, ruling him out of the upcoming Champions League match with Liverpool. “After tests taken today our player Vinicius Junior has been diagnosed by Real Madrid's medical services with a hamstring injury in his left leg,” the club said in a statement. Spanish media reported the Brazilian winger is expected to miss almost a month, which would also keep him out of the Champions League visit to Atalanta on December 10, as well as tomorrow’s visit to Anfield. Vinicius played the full 90 minutes of Madrid's 3-0 win at Leganes in La Liga on Sunday, setting up Kylian Mbappe for the opening goal. The 24-year-old has started the season in superb form, outshining summer arrival Mbappe…