Índice para 2022-07-29 em Cape Times

KAROOOOO, an international provider of real-time data analytics and business intelligence, reported solid results for its first quarter ended May 31, leaving management confident enough to keep the outlook for the remainder of the financial year unchanged. Total revenue was up 28 percent to R801 million (R626m). Revenue growth coupled with ongoing operating efficiencies resulted in profit for the period increasing 44 percent to R156m (R108m) and earnings per share 42 percent to R4.96m. Chief executive and founder Zak Calisto said in an interview that he believed the revenue growth momentum was sustainable throughout the year. He said he was satisfied with the financial performance, but there were some things he wished they could have done better, such as dealing with the “uphill battle” of…

THE SACP in the Central Karoo has asked the Office of the Public Protector to investigate allegations of maladministration, negligence and improper conduct levelled against Central District mayor Gayton McKenzie. The complaint alleges that McKenzie has been in breach of municipal procurement processes and has undermined municipal legislative processes. “McKenzie has misrepresented and undermined municipal legislative processes by inviting businesses to invest in the Central Karoo, particularly Beaufort West, using the position of mayor and the name of the municipality without following proper legislative processes,” read SACP’s the letter. He is also accused of “misleading” residents by raising funds for toilets and other projects, but the funds raised have allegedly “not reached the Central Karoo municipalities”. A spokesperson for the Office of the Public Protector, Oupa Segalwe, said: “We…

THE scrapping of the ANC’s step-aside rule may not affect President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is facing Farmgate-related criminal charges. This is because money plays a huge role in ANC elections and the governing party is currently full of people who are “heavily invested” in his presidency. In addition, Ramaphosa’s opponents do not seem to have deep enough pockets to buy delegates. Possible adverse findings by the public protector against Ramaphosa will not necessarily translate into the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charging him. This is according to three political commentators who spoke to the Cape Times sister publication, Pretoria News, amid calls by the ANC in Kwazulu-Natal and Limpopo for the scrapping of the controversial rule. It bars members who have been charged criminally from occupying office and contesting leadership positions.…

His Name is George Floyd Robert Samuels, Toluse Olorunnipa Loot.co.za (R250) Bantam WRITTEN by two award-winning reporters with unprecedented access, this is the only definitive biography of George Floyd. The murder of George Floyd sparked a fiery summer of activism and unrest all over the world in 2020, with peaceful protests sometimes erupting into violent clashes. From Shetland to Sao Paolo, from Honolulu to Hobart, people marched under the Black Lives Matter banner, decrying Floyd’s death and demanding an end to racial injustice. The Black Lives Matter movement has led corporations to redouble their efforts, universities to refocus on inclusion, and government officials to examine the causes of systemic inequality. Drawing on The Washington Post unrivalled archives, in-depth reporting and award-winning series on Floyd, His Name Is George Floyd is…

THE Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s revised route has received the green light from the City of Cape Town. The route approval is the culmination of months-long consultations between the race organisers and the City to find a balance between meeting the Abbott World Marathon Majors’ route requirements and minimising the traffic impact on the city and affected areas on race day. The marathon is Africa’s only World Athletics gold label status event but this will be the event’s first evaluation year as an Abbott World Marathon Majors Candidate race. If the multi-year evaluation process is successful, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will become Africa’s first Major in 2025. “This is an important milestone and one of the major hurdles we had to cross,” said Clark Gardner, group chief executive of…

IN what his supporters have called a strategic move to frustrate former Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann, the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) has challenged the jurisdiction of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC). The bargaining council was expected to start the hearing yesterday, in which Neumann is challenging his dismissal. Neumann wrote to his supporters on Wednesday, the eve of the arbitration session. “Tomorrow we will fight in the chamber for justice, for our respect as teachers, for the poor and most vulnerable in our communities, but most importantly, for an improved education system for our children. There comes a time we must choose to fight or submit. I choose to fight for justice. “Allow me to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s abject failure to co-operate with the public protector’s investigation into his alleged criminal violations at Phala Phala farm constitutes not only contempt for the public protector’s office, but also a serious violation of the Constitution. As a self-proclaimed author of the same Constitution, Ramaphosa should know that Section 237 provides that: “All constitutional obligations must be performed diligently and without delay.” Section 237 unequivocally acknowledges the significance of timeous compliance with constitutional prescripts. On its terms, it elevates expeditious and diligent compliance with constitutional duties to an obligation in itself. The principle is thus a requirement of legality, but Ramaphosa has thumbed his nose to all that. The constitutional obligation shirked by Ramaphosa, and which is being investigated by the public protector, is enshrined in Section 96…

Morocco is jailing journalists after flawed trials for non-political crimes, particularly sexual ones, in order to silence them, part of a range of “techniques of repression”, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday. “Moroccan authorities have developed and refined a full manual of techniques to muzzle the opposition, even as it claims to be simply applying the law against them in a neutral manner,” it said. The New York-based group presented the findings in a 141-page report focusing on eight journalists and public figures prosecuted in cases it said were really “veiled political attacks”. It accused the Moroccan court system of “procedural flaws that taint the handling of these cases”. Two of the most prominent cases are Omar Radi and Soulaimane Raissouni, both sentenced on appeal this year on sexual abuse…

MOSCOW: American actor Steven Seagal, who holds US and Russian passports, said he would never give up Russian citizenship despite the growing rift between Russia and the West. “I will never give up Russian passport. And, secondly, I face Russophobia every day,” he said. The star of martial arts films was granted Russian nationality at the order of President Vladimir Putin in 2016. He has since travelled Russia’s Far East in search of his father’s Russian relatives. Seagal said he had relatives in Russia in Buryatia, Yakutia, Irkutsk and Primorsky Krai, and that he might have some relatives in Ukraine too. | Sputnik…

MOSCOW: The US Senate has approved a non-binding resolution asking the Department of State to designate Russia as the “state sponsor of terrorism” over its actions in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and Ukraine. Moscow says that this move may deal a grave blow to its relations with Washington. The resolution vilifies Russia as the state allegedly “engaged in a campaign of terror” and using “brutal force targeting civilians” in the Second Chechen War, “targeting innocent civilians” in Syria and supporting “separatists” in Donbas. The US list of states purportedly supporting terrorism includes Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria. | Sputnik…

Ahmedabad: At least 42 people have died and nearly 100 others have been hospitalised in western India after drinking toxic alcohol, police said yesterday, with authorities ordering a crackdown on bootleggers. Dozens of people became ill earlier this week after drinking methanol, a poisonous form of alcohol sometimes used as an antifreeze, sold in several villages across Gujarat state. Gujarat is one of several states in India where the consumption and sale of liquor is illegal. Authorities have cracked down on illicit liquor shops across Gujarat and arrested several people, said state police. | AFP…

Absa BANK has warned that the cost of living in South Africa will rise even further towards the end of the year, in spite of easing global oil and food prices. Absa macro-economist Miyelani Maluleke yesterday said the second- round effects of supply-side price shocks continued to drive up inflation, forcing aggressive monetary policy decisions. Maluleke said they believed the headline consumer price index (CPI) inflation would peak at 7.9 percent in October, before softening to end 2023 at 4.7 percent. Headline consumer inflation surprised on the upside and surged from 6.5 percent in May to 7.4 percent in June, its highest level since 2009, mainly driven by higher fuel and food prices. Maluleke said core inflation would be critical for the path of headline inflation…

THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s (Numsa’s) election for new leadership has now been declared null and void after the union’s application for leave to appeal against an interdict for their national congress was denied. Numsa’s Western Cape convenor, Vuyo Lufele, during a demonstration at the Cape Town International Convention Centre where the 11th national congress – interdicted by the Labour Court – went ahead this week, said the union was non-compliant. “The leadership here has gone ahead with the congress on the basis that they have complied with some parts of the court ruling (interdicting Numsa’s national congress). The judgment was clear that they must comply fully. “They appealed against that judgment and on that basis they thought it’s easy for them to continue with the congress.…

RISING petrol prices have resulted in growing calls for fuel price deregulation as a solution, while some say this could have the opposite effect and result in major job losses. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) last week gazetted for public comment a notice on the introduction of a price cap for 93 Octane fuel, which it had consulted on since April, as part of a “two-phase approach” to reduce fuel prices. This was in addition to the temporary reduction in the general fuel levy implemented that month. This cap will allow fuel suppliers across the country to determine their own margins and compete on price. The move would be a test to see if the model could work, the DMRE added. The current prices of fuel stand…

Trapped Camilla Lackberg, Henrik Fexeus Loot.co.za (R229) Harper Collins An incredible new thriller you won’t want to put down! It’s a case unlike anything detective Mina Dabiri has seen before. A woman trapped inside a magician’s box, with swords pierced through. But this time, it’s not a magic trick. It’s murder. Knowing she has a terrifying killer on her hands, Mina enlists the help of celebrity mentalist Vincent Walder. Only he can give her an insight into the secret world of magic and illusions. Mina and Vincent soon discover that the murder victim has the Roman numeral III engraved on her leg. The killer is counting down. There are going to be three more murders. And time is running out to stop them. Lying Beside You Michael Robotham Loot.co.za (R240)…

POLICE have urged members of the public not to handle or pick up any explosive devices, after a passer-by picked up what appeared to be a bomb-like object at Macassar beach this week. Esmarie Fourie was walking on the beach on Tuesday evening when she picked the object up. “We were at Macassar beach and I walked around to look for interesting stuff to pick up. I saw this part of this device that was in the sand. I moved a rock to actually see what it was because at first I thought it was the handle bars of a bicycle. I was struggling to get it out but my boyfriend came to help get he thing loose. “At first, I did not know what it was. I tried to…

US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had their first conversation since March yesterday, a call the White House says is intended to keep relations stable despite rising tensions over Taiwan and the war in Ukraine. The discussion is the fifth time the two presidents have spoken since Biden took office. It lasted about two hours and 20 minutes, according to the White House. Chinese state media also reported the call took place, in the first official confirmation from Beijing of talks between the two leaders. The exchange is overshadowed by friction over a possible trip to Taiwan next month by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a prospect that has prompted warnings of a “firm and strong” response from China. US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said in June…

South Korea’s biggest arms deal will make it a major supplier of weapons flooding into Europe since the Ukraine war began, with sales to Nato member Poland involving more than 1 600 tanks and howitzers, and nearly 50 fighter jets. South Korean and Polish officials signed an agreement in a deal that Poland says is a key part of their efforts to rearm in the face of the war in Ukraine, where it has sent at least $1.7 billion (R28bn) in military aid. The scale and speed of the multi-billion dollar deal caught some analysts off guard, as Poland has also been buying additional Abrams tanks from the US and has been in a dispute with Germany over a request to obtain more Leopard tanks. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak…

LONDON: US supermodel Bella Hadid has stepped from the catwalk into the metaverse with the launch of CY-B3LLA – a collection of non-fungible tokens featuring artwork based on 3D scans of her face and body. Hadid, 25, said that she was intrigued by shared virtual world environments and that she wanted to make “cool versions” of herself after becoming obsessed with video games during the Covid-19 lockdown. NFTs are a digital asset that exist on blockchain, a record of transactions kept on networked computers. All kinds of digital objects – including images, videos, music and text – can be bought and sold as NFTs. Hadid’s collection comprises 11 111 NFTs and they were made in collaboration with the NFT minting platform reBASE. Inspiration for the CY-B3LLA NFTs came from 10…

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday, part of increased Western efforts to court the major oil-producing state amid war in Ukraine and faltering talks to revive a nuclear deal with Iran. French opposition and human rights groups have criticised Macron’s decision to invite a man Western leaders believe ordered the murder in 2018 of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. France and other European countries are looking to diversify their sources after Moscow cut gas supplies to Europe. Macron wants Riyadh, the world’s largest oil exporter, to raise production. | Reuters…

THE SHARE PRICE of South Africa’s biggest steel producer, ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa) slid 15 percent yesterday despite it reporting a 22 percent increase in interim headline earnings to R3billion. The firm did not declare a dividend. Chief executive Kobus Verster, however, warned that economic headwinds had intensified both internationally and domestically, significantly affecting the trading environment. “The international price correction in a soft local demand environment will impact the financial results,” he said. The shares traded at a low of R5.50 in mid-morning trade following the release of results for the six months to June 30. Its revenue rose by 19 percent to R22.17bn. The net debt position was 61 percent lower at R1.09bn. “The company has successfully delivered against its predicted outlook and in some instances…

The head of the Office of Public Protector in the Free State said yesterday it was not his expectation that the parliamentary impeachment inquiry would just believe his speculations and make conclusions. Sphelo Samuel made the statement while being cross-examined by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s legal counsel, advocate Dali Mpofu. This was after Mpofu accused Samuel of expecting the committee to rely on his speculations about a meeting Mkhwebane had with former Free State premier Ace Magashule while the Vrede Dairy farm project was under investigation. “That could potentially be dangerous to the career of advocate Mkhwebane,” Mpofu said. In his defence, Samuel said it was not his expectation that the committee should believe and reach conclusions based on his speculations. “I gave the evidence as it happened. As to…

THE SPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH Howard Blum Loot.co.za (R555) Harper Collins AN unmanned sailboat ran aground on the shore of Chesapeake Bay. The cabin was in disarray, and papers marked “Top Secret” were found, along with a phone directory filled with 351-prefix numbers, a classified CIA exchange. As veteran investigative reporter Howard Blum tells it in his intriguing new book, “The Spy Who Knew Too Much: An Ex-CIA Officer’s Quest Through a Legacy of Betrayal”, things then moved quickly. The boat’s owner turned out to be John Arthur Paisley, later described by the agency as a “low-level analyst”. A week later a corpse was discovered floating in the bay, identified by the chief medical examiner as Paisley. Cause of death: suicide. Never mind that the examiner’s office did not…

After Steve Ever wondered how Apple Inc has fared since the death of its iconic founder, Steve Jobs? Tripp Mickle’s After Steve is “the dramatic inside story of Apple’s top lieutenants Jony Ive and Tim Cook, and how the fading chief design officer Ive and the rise of COO-turned-CEO Cook led to Apple losing its soul”. Yes, After Steve could be tagged a business book, but Mickle’s telling of the Ive/Cook/Apple story is as centred on the people involved as it is on the company’s performance. In so doing, more than 200 past and present Apple employees and executives have been interviewed. Mickle’s research showed that Apple’s success “came at a cost and the price is a company that has lots its soul”. The contrasting skills and personalities of Tim…

HOUSING advocacy groups have welcomed the release of the Salt River Market precinct for development and construction of social housing as a step forward in addressing the crisis. The City tabled the release of the Salt River Market precinct for development and construction of social housing, as well as the release of a second and even larger site at Pickwick Road yesterday. The Salt River site will deliver over 200 social housing units within a mixed-use development. The Pickwick Road site will deliver a 600-social housing unit development. The release of the developments form part of the City’s commitment “to faster release of well-located city-owned land to deliver more affordable housing for Capetonians”. Woodstock Residents Association chairperson Andrea Couvert said: “We are in favour of creating social housing projects, although…

Pope Francis’s visit to Canada’s Arctic territory of Nunavut draws attention to a focal point for global climate change, with sea ice disappearing fast and permafrost thawing. Francis, who arrives in the capital Iqaluit of predominantly indigenous Nunavut today, has been in Canada to apologise in person for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in abuses that residential schools inflicted on indigenous children. The pope, who has made protection of the environment a cornerstone of his pontificate, last week called on world leaders to heed the Earth’s “chorus of cries of anguish” stemming from climate change, extreme weather and loss of biodiversity. “Talking about climate change and the north, ground zero is a good way to put it,” said Brian Burke, executive director of the Nunavut Fisheries Association. “Any profile he…

Ukraine said yesterday that Moscow’s forces had struck a military base in Lyutizh, north of the capital, Kyiv. Senior Ukraine military official Oleksiy Gromov said one building was destroyed and two were damaged in the attack on the town 30km north of the capital. The missiles, one of which was shot down by Ukrainian air defences, were fired from the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, he added. Gromov also reported attacks on Ukraine’s northern region of Chernigiv, with shells fired from Belarus, an ally of Moscow. In the east, Russian forces were trying to advance towards Siversk and Bakhmut, cities in the industrial Donbas region. In the Russia-controlled region of Kherson, three villages had been recaptured. In the north-east, Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, was shelled…

Manila: Anxious residents slept outside after hundreds of aftershocks rattled the earthquake-hit northern Philippines, locals said yesterday, as President Ferdinand Marcos jr inspected damage in the region. Five people were killed and more than 150 injured when a 7.0-magnitude quake struck the lightly populated province of Abra on Wednesday, authorities said. The death toll rose to six yesterday when a man was hit by a landslide caused by an aftershock, a local disaster official said. The powerful quake rippled across the mountainous area, toppling buildings, triggering landslides and shaking high-rise towers hundreds of kilometres away in Manila. | AFP…

Abidjan: Ivory Coast reported a fresh discovery of offshore oil and natural gas by Italian firm Eni yesterday, expanding the potential of reserves found last year by 25%. In September 2021, the country announced a find of deposits estimated at between 1.5 and 2 billion barrels of oil and around 51 to 68 million cubic metres of gas. The latest discovery off the eastern coast “increases by about 25%” the previously announced deposits, the ministry for mines, oil and energy said, with extraction due to start in early 2023. The West African nation’s current output is modest, at around 30 000 barrels per day, but it aims to become a major oil producer. | AFP…