Índice para 2023-05-12 em Cape Times

After nearly two decades working at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), its former acting CEO, Chantal Kisoon has resigned. Kisoon had been placed on precautionary suspension in March, after allegations emerged that she had referred to senior managers as “black babies”. The Chapter 9 institution said an investigation into the matter recommended that a charge of misconduct should be preferred against her. The SAHRC is the national institution established to support our constitutional democracy, by promoting the protection of human rights, and following the incident, Kisoon was criticised for not resigning, given the role of the SAHRC in fighting racism. On March 3, the SAHRC announced that commissioners had resolved to suspend Kisoon and that Lorinda Lynn, the acting CFO, would take over in an acting capacity, pending…

Universities delay open days, shut campuses after week of upheaval over NSFAS and accommodation issues NEIGHBOURING Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and University of the Western Cape (UWC) were forced to postpone their open days over the weekend amid violent student protests. CPUT has been granted an interim interdict blocking all students from unlawful conduct including violence and damage to the university’s property and vehicles. The Western Cape High Court issued the urgent interim interdict following a week of unrest which will be costly to the university after buildings and cars were torched and other institutional infrastructure vandalised. CPUT yesterday said a decision was taken to close all its campuses. In a communique to students and staff, CPUT said violation of the court order was a criminal offence.…

THE right to have access to a lifesaving drug sold by an American pharmaceutical company to treat cystic fibrosis, called Trikafta, will come into focus in South Africa’s courts soon, as a woman is challenging the “patent monopoly” and excessive pricing of the medication. Cheri Nel, a South African patient with cystic fibrosis has brought a case against Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc, the American pharmaceutical company that patented Trikafta, an effective new drug that changes the trajectory and impact of cystic fibrosis for patients. Cystic fibrosis is a severe multisystem illness that can cause frequent serious lung infections, including antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, liver and pancreatic damage, lung failure, and can necessitate a lung transplant. In court papers, Nel argues that Vertex’s conduct in relation to patents and the patented medicines for treating…

Inkwenkwezi Efihlakeleyo K Sello Duiker Loot.co.za (R199) Umuzi For the first time, K Sello Duiker’s well-known The Hidden Star is now available in Xhosa. This is a book of questions and answers. But you already know what you want to ask, which is why you are reading. In fact, the truth is that you already know the answer to your question – you just have to listen to yourself. Eleven-year-old Nolitye’s granny used to say: “If you mess with a woman, you mess with a stone.” When Nolitye finds a magical stone on the dusty streets of Phola, her granny’s words take on a new meaning. Along with her two friends – the somewhat pampered Bheki, and Four Eyes, a reformed member of the Spoilers gang led by Rotten Nellie…

So Shall You Reap Donna Leon Loot.co.za (R270) Hutchinson Heinemann In the 32nd instalment of Donna Leon’s series, a connection to Guido Brunetti’s own youthful past helps solve a mysterious murder On a cold November evening, Guido Brunetti and Paola are up late when a call from his colleague Ispettore Vianello arrives, alerting the Commissario that a hand has been seen in one of Venice’s canals. The body is soon found, and Brunetti is assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant. Because no official record of the man’s presence in Venice exists, Brunetti is forced to use the city’s far richer sources of information: gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim. Curiously, he had been living in a small house on the grounds…

We need to hear more stories of survivorship, to open doors I HAVE never seen anything as close to my own experience of being a survivor of trauma and family feuds until the last few days of April. It all started on April 23 with the death in Ndabakazi village Butterworth of Aunt Nophumzile due to a heart attack. While preparing for her funeral, on April 27, a car accident near the Gwadana junction in Dutywa claimed the lives of four family members: Uncle Manase and cousin Saba Nyembezi, Mbongi and Sicelo Madikane. The family were traumatised. In our everyday lives, trauma narratives are conveyed primarily by family members in isolated spaces and seen by the audiences as a motif. The tension (and tragedy) of the experience creates sympathy and…

The UN yesterday urged countries with influence in Africa to help end the conflict in Sudan after reported progress in truce talks between the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.Clashes rocked Halfaya, an entry point to the capital, yesterday as residents heard warplanes circling over Khartoum and its adjoining sister cities of Bahri and Omdurman, but the fighting appeared calmer. In public, neither side has shown it is ready to offer concessions to end the conflict that erupted last month, threatening to pitch Sudan into a civil war, killing hundreds of people and triggering a humanitarian crisis. The UN said that both sides had trampled international humanitarian law. The army said that the talks should aim at removing the Rapid Support Forces from Khartoum, merging its fighters into…

GENEVA: The number of internally displaced people reached a record 71.1 million worldwide last year due to conflicts and climate calamities, according to data published yesterday. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre said this was a 20% increase since 2021, with an unprecedented number of people fleeing in search of safety and shelter. It said nearly three-quarters of the world’s displaced people lived in 10 countries, including Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine and Sudan, due to conflicts. The war in Ukraine triggered nearly 17 million displacements last year. The bulk was due to floods, droughts and landslides. | Reuters…

Espoo: Some 27 young people, mostly children, were injured in Finland yesterday when a temporary footbridge near a construction site collapsed and they fell several metres onto a road, officials said. The accident occurred in Espoo, near Helsinki, when wooden planks are believed to have given way and the group fell 5m to 6m onto the carriageway of the small side road. Most of the injured were pupils aged 14 or 15, on a school field trip, city officials said. Their teacher was among the injured. Twenty-four people were taken to various hospitals in the Helsinki region. No one had life-threatening injuries The cause of the collapse was being investigated. | AFP…

The South African Post Office (Sapo) would not confirm if any bailout funding it received from the National Treasury would be used to settle historical debt owed to medical scheme, Medipos – affecting over 12 000 principal members. The state-owned entity (SOE) recently confirmed in response to a parliamentary question that it owes the medical scheme R561.7 million for outstanding medical aid contributions. Currently 12 715 medical aid members – 1 740 of them pensioners – are affected by the SOE’s dire financial position. The question posed to Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele revealed that “partial payment of medical aid contributions commenced on April, 2020, and that R561 667.106 is currently owed to Medipos”. “This amount is historical debt. There is no current amount outstanding; Sapo is up…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has defended Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s appeal against a court ruling exempting hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations from load shedding, saying the appeal aimed to shed light on the impracticalities of implementing the directive. Ramaphosa, who was answering oral questions in Parliament yesterday, said while they noted the judgment, they needed to deal with the reality of reducing the severity of load shedding. “The view that we, as government, have taken is that we do need to deal with the practicality of that decision, because the whole process of load shedding is really to manage the grid. When a number of units are not available to generate energy, you could be tempted to drive those remaining units and you could drive them to a point…

THE “African morning star” Professor Bongani Mayosi is indeed multiplying, with medical graduate Lindani Mkhabela, who not only resembles Mayosi’s academic excellence but his altruistic values, vowing to keep his legacy alive. Makhabela, a University of KwaZulu-Natal Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) graduate was the recipient of the prestigious Bongani Mayosi Award. The awards recognise final-year medical students who epitomise the academic, and selfless life of the late dean and world-renowned cardiologist. MBChB students from universities across the country select a classmate who in their opinion is skilled in balancing academic excellence, interpersonal skills and social accountability. Mkhabela, 24, came from humble beginnings in KwaZulu-Natal, raised in a woman-headed household where the value of humanity and love for education was instilled in him. When he was not at home…

A spell of good things Ayobami Adebayo Canongate A story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the rip tides of wealth, power, obsession and political corruption. EniOlá decided to pretend it was just water. A single melting hailstone. Mist or dew. It could also be some good thing: a solitary raindrop fallen from the sky, lone precursor to a deluge. The first rains of the year would mean he could finally eat an àgbálùmò. (African star apple) The fruit seller whose stall was next to his school had a basket of àgbálùmò for sale yesterday, but Eniolá had not bought any from her, and he’d convinced himself this was because his mother often said they caused cramps if eaten before the first rainfall. But if this liquid was…

Cook, Eat, Repeat – Ingredients, Recipes and Stories Nigella Lawson Loot.co.za (R495) Chatto and Windus Cook, Eat, Repeat is a delicious combination of recipes intertwined with narrative essays about food, all written in Nigella’s engaging and insightful prose. Whether asking “What is a Recipe?” or declaring “Death to the Guilty Pleasure”, Nigella’s wisdom about food and life comes to the fore with tasty recipes that readers will want to return to again and again. “The recipes I write come from my life, my home,” Nigella says, and in this book she shares the rhythms and rituals of her kitchen through more than 50 new recipes that make the most of her favourite ingredients. Dedicated chapters include “A is for Anchovy” (a celebration of the bacon of the sea), “Beetroot and…

Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday declared the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan “invalid”, in a ruling that came two days after his detention sparked deadly clashes and huge protests nationwide. Khan was ordered to remain in the court’s custody under police protection for his own safety until his appearance at another court hearing on Friday. “Your arrest was invalid so the whole process needs to be backtracked,” Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial told Khan at the hearing in the capital Islamabad. “What we propose is that Islamabad police need to provide security, and he (Khan) will provide a list of his immediate family members and lawyers that should meet him at police lines headquarters,” said Bandial. He said the headquarters, where Khan was taken into custody, should instead be…

Israel and Gaza militants traded more heavy fire yesterday, the third day of the worst escalation of violence in months that has killed 26 people in the blockaded Palestinian enclave. Air strikes by the Israeli army since Tuesday have killed fighters as well as civilians, including several children, said officials in the crowded coastal territory. Cairo mediated in efforts toward a truce between Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group, while France, Germany, Jordan and Egypt called for an end to the violence. Militants in the Gaza Strip have fired more than 550 rockets at Israel, causing no casualties so far, the Israeli military said. Of these, over 440 rockets made it over the border and at least 154 were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system, while one…

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that it was ending a 10-month global health emergency for mpox, a viral disease that led to confirmed cases in more than a hundred countries. Mpox spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, but it has come under control. Almost 90% fewer mpox cases were reported in the past three months, compared with cases in the same duration before that. More than 87 000 mpox cases have been confirmed from the beginning of 2022 to May 8 this year. The WHO also recently declared an end of emergency status for Covid-19. | Reuters…

Wellington: New Zealand will celebrate the Maori New Year on July 14 this year and mark its newest public holiday for the second time after last year’s inaugural celebration as a statutory holiday. Celebrations leading up to Matariki began yesterday as a booklet containing karakia (Maori prayer) for each of the nine stars of Matariki was launched at an event at the Dark Sky Sanctuary in Lake Tekapo of New Zealand’s South Island. Matariki marks the start of the Maori New Year, signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in the night sky. For Maori, the appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy and peace. | IANS…

A freak accident during a friend’s engagement party, when a man was pulled from behind and twisted his knee, has cost him dearly after his leg had to be amputated. This was because the hospital took more than seven hours to attend to the blockage in a blood vessel to his knee. It resulted in the cut of the blood flow to his leg, which in turn necessitated the amputation. The man, only identified as TM in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg judgment, instituted a multi-million rand damages claim against the MEC for Health in Gauteng. The man’s case was not that the hospital staff did not immediately attend to his injuries – this was done by a medical student who sent him for X-rays and scans – but…

THE widow of slain Ethiopian Church of South Africa pastor Lizo Xolilizwe says she has been left with many questions about his killing. Xolilizwe from Eerste River was killed in a hail of bullets in Khayelitsha on Sunday. Xolilizwe’s widow, Nonkosi said her husband was visiting his sister in Khayelitsha when an unknown gunman forcefully entered the house and shot him. “The man forced his way in, he went straight to my husband and shot him in the mouth. He fired eight shots. What I find odd is the fact that he is the only one who was killed. The gunman went straight to my husband, I do believe it might have been a hit.” She said that there had been conflict within the church relating to a bishop whose…

ANIMALS rights activists have applauded a decision by the Gqeberha sports club to withdraw permission to host the controversial McLaren Circus on its grounds. The event, which was expected to be held from May 24 until May 28 on the grounds, was cancelled by the Londt Park Sports Club on Wednesday. “Please note: the McLaren Circus will no longer be hosted at Londt Park Sport Club,” the club announced on its social media platform. McLaren Circus spokesperson Karl Hildebrandt said they were taken aback and saddened by the Londt Park Sports Club committee's decision “McLaren Circus’ proposed arrival, in Gqeberha, was May 23, with shows commencing from May 24 until May 28 2023. We were excited to return to Gqeberha, as we haven’t visited the area for quite sometime…

Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet Tom Hunt Exclusive Books (R650) Kyle Books Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet by Tom Hunt is a hybrid of Michael Pollan and Anna Jones. A combination of food politics and flavour-packed modern recipes is a call to arms for a different way of eating which seeks to lead us there not through lectures, but through a love for food. Hunt’s mission is to teach a way of eating that prioritises the environment without sacrificing pleasure, taste and nutrition. His ‘Root to Fruit’ demonstrates how we can all become part of the solution, supporting a biodiverse and regenerative food system, giving us the skills and knowledge to shop, eat and cook sustainably, while eating healthier, better-tasting food for no extra cost. t…

ON THE western edge of the city Ramallah in occupied Palestine where I live stands the largest statue of Nelson Mandela outside South Africa. I pass by it every day going back and forth between the city centre and my home. It is something I am very proud to have in my city and which, among other things, provides me with an opportunity to educate my young children about injustice and the strength of human will to overcome it. Out of this my two kids have developed a tradition that whenever we pass by the Mandela statue they raise their clenched fists and shout “HI MADIBA”. It fills me with love and hope every time. Every now and then the Israeli army blocks the inner-city road that passes by Mandela…

The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Türkiye’s presidential elections this weekend received a boost yesterday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a closely watched poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage. The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday’s presidential vote, could reshape the last days of campaigning in what is seen as Erdogan’s biggest test in his two-decade reign. Financial markets are on edge given Kemal Kilicdaroglu has pledged to reverse Erdogan’s unorthodox economic policies. The survey by pollster Konda put support for Erdogan on 43.7% and Kilicdaroglu on 49.3%, leaving him short of the majority needed to win in the first round and suggesting the election would go to a run-off between the two on May 28. The findings in the…

Thousands of American troops are being deployed along the US-Mexico border, facing a chaotic surge of migrants as Title 42, a public health policy that allowed the swift expulsion migrants during the Covid-19 pandemic, came to an end yesterday. The Title 42 policy was introduced in March 2020 by the administration of former president Donald Trump. Under the policy, US authorities turned back would-be migrants – including those seeking humanitarian asylum – attempting to cross the border from Mexico more than 2.5 million times using the Covid-19 pandemic as justification. About 2 500 US National Guard troops have already been at the country’s southern border. The White House has said another 1 500 troops will be sent there before the end of this month, taking the military presence at the…

BRIENZ: Swiss authorities have ordered residents to abandon a tiny mountain village in the eastern canton of Graubunden because of fears it will soon be buried beneath a collapsing mountainside. Yesterday, a thick coat of fog covered the mountaintop overlooking the village of Brienz, where vegetation has been replaced by slopes of mud and rocks. The Brienz population of less than 100 people have been given until tonight to evacuate. Climate change is putting Switzerland at increased risk of natural hazards, including an increase in erosion due to higher temperatures, officials say. | Reuters…