Índice para 2023-07-31 em Cape Times

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has assured private sector players and investors that they will now play a bigger role in funding the more than R200 billion required for the expansion of the transmission grid in South Africa. This comes as the first stage of getting the National Transmission Company of SA (NTCSA) operational has received the green light, which would lead to the full unbundling of Eskom into three units. During his weekly media briefing yesterday, Ramokgopa said Eskom will need about R100bn for the 2025 financial year to expand the transmission grid, which will be ramped up to R170bn by 2029. “We are engaging with the team to see how best we can finance this rollout that is required for us to support the issues around transmission,” Ramokgopa…

POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has come under fire for refusing to disclose the number of police officers who have been criminally charged over the past few years. MPs from the EFF and Freedom Front Plus wrote to Cele enquiring about the number of officers who were arrested for various crimes. Freedom Front Pus MP Pieter Groenewald asked about officers arrested for murder, robbery, rape, stock theft, farm murders, cash-in transit heists and kidnappings in the three financial years. The EFF’s MP Laetitia Arries enquired about the number of officers who were successfully prosecuted and dismissed in the past five years, while her colleague Phiwaba Madokwe wanted to know about the statistics of officers found to be on the wrong side of the law in the past five years. In his…

A FAMILY of six was killed, and another person left in a critical condition following yet another devastating fire in Town Two, Khayelitsha at the weekend. In the neighbouring Mitchells Plain, reports emerged last night that four people, including two adults and children were killed in a fire in New Woodlands yesterday. Zukiswa Shweni, 60, Nyameka Shweni, 49, Anele Ngqoshela, 31, Avela Shweni, 7, Lelokuhle Shweni, 2, and Liyolatha Shweni, aged just nine months old, were killed in the Khayelitsha fire. A family member who asked not to be named said she went out with friends not far from her home when someone alerted her about the fire. “I rushed home and saw that indeed it was burning and I thought my mother was out with the children. While…

THE Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is hosting consultation workshops with water users in the Berg-Olifants Water Management Area (WMA), which covers many parts of the Cederberg municipality, on proposed tariff increases for 2024/25. The DWS explained that the Berg-Olifants Water Management Area (WMA) was the result of the amalgamation of the former Berg WMA and the Olifants-Doorn WMA. The WMA is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the south-west, the Orange WMA to the north and east, and the Breede-Gouritz WMA to the south. It largely falls within the Western Cape, with the north-eastern section falling within the Northern Cape. Water users include farmers, mines, industry, municipalities and irrigation boards. According to DWS, the water users including Water Management Institution’s members covers more than 5 300 properties. Every…

An Ekurhuleni metro police officer is a free man after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) overturned his murder conviction and 15-year prison sentence. According to the SCA, there were fundamental errors committed by the full bench of the North Gauteng High Court when convicting Rolston Pillay, who at the time, was attached to the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). The SCA found that a full bench of the high court, which held that Pillay's version of self-defence was not true, was not correct. Pillay was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder after fatally shooting one of two robbers - who had shot at Pillay in an attempt to not be caught - while conducting official patrols. The deceased, a 17-year-old, was shot on May 19, 2017 when Pillay…

While police still have no new developments on German tourist Nick Frischke’s whereabouts five months later, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could add more charges, including murder, against the five men arrested for his robbery. This is according to NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, who said the case against the accused has been postponed to determine whether murder charges could be added. Igshaan Fisher, Jason Abrahams, Vanroy Petersen, Carlo Guenantin and Melvin Guenantin appeared virtually in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court from Pollsmoor Prison on Friday. It is alleged that they robbed Frischke of his belongings at the Kabonkelberg hiking trail near Hout Bay in February. They are charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances. It has been nearly five months since the 23-year-old went missing after setting out on a hike alone…

What does the 21st century scramble for Africa really entail? THE price of Russo-African relations, judging by events at the 2nd Russian African Summit in St Petersburg last Thursday, graced by our own President Cyril Ramaphosa, seems to be mixed, deflationary and typically over-aspirational. It’s a far cry from the 2019 inaugural summit in Sochi amid different global geopolitics and economic headwinds, hosted by a much more upbeat Russian leader, President Vladimir Putin, bereft of the shackles of an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which will deprive him from attending the 15th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in person in South Africa in August. The Russian strongman instead has confirmed that he would be attending the summit via Zoom, thus saving his South African host and…

Kenya was ready to lead a multinational force in Haiti and will deploy 1 000 police officers to the strife-torn Caribbean nation once its offer is accepted, the foreign minister said at the weekened. Gangs control around 80 percent of the Haitian capital, and violent crimes such as kidnappings for ransom, armed robbery and carjackings are common. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry have for nearly a year sought international intervention to help support the police, but no country had stepped forward. “Kenya has accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti,” Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said at the weekend. “Kenya’s commitment is to deploy a contingent of 1 000 police officers to help train and assist Haitian police restore normalcy in the…

MOSCOW: At least 10 people were killed in central Russia after strong winds toppled trees and heavy rains disrupted the electricity supply in hundreds of settlements, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said yesterday. Ten were killed and 29 more injured at a camping location near Lake Yalchik in the Mari-El region, the ministry said. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case into the incident that killed three children. Storms disrupted the power supply in 520 settlements, damaged the roofs of 41 residential buildings and seven buildings that provide social services in eight different Russian regions. | Reuters…

London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed plans for new fossil fuel drilling off Britain’s coast, saying he would be “pragmatic and proportionate” about reaching net zero. His government is expected to approve the development of Rosebank, near Scotland’s Shetland Isles, as well as other sites in the nearby North Sea imminently. Environmental campaigners argue that stopping all new fossil fuel exploitation is essential if Britain is to decarbonise by mid-century. They accuse the British leader of lacking conviction on climate policies and playing politics with the issue. This, as he eyes a general election due next year amid a cost-of-living crisis. | AFP…

Washington: X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, has reinstated rapper and designer Kanye West about eight months after his account was suspended. Last year, West posted an image that appeared to show a swastika interlaced with a Star of David, and tycoon Elon Musk suspended the artist from the platform, which he had bought weeks earlier. Musk at the time labelled West’s post as an “incitement to violence”. West, who is now known professionally as Ye, assured the platform he would not use his account to share antisemitic content or use harmful language. Anti-Semitic remarks by West last year cost him business deals. Adidas cut ties with him after a nearly decade-long partnership. It said the end of its successful collaboration with West hit sales by about…

Max Verstappen reeled off his eighth successive win of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix yesterday with his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in second. Verstappen also won Saturday's sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps to maintain his relentless charge to a third Formula One world title. "I knew we had a great car, it was just about surviving turn one," said Verstappen, who started in sixth on the grid despite topping qualifying after a penalty for a new gearbox. "It is a new spot P6 (to win from). We made all the right moves," added Verstappen. Perez, who led for much of the early part of the race, said: "It was a good race for the team. We had a great start, to get through Charles (Leclerc), and I was…

With the Rugby Championship trophy and Bledisloe Cup packed away for another year, the All Blacks return to New Zealand for a victory lap at Dunedin and the chance to tinker with selections in the dead rubber against the Wallabies. A year on from a first ever series loss to Ireland and calls for Ian Foster’s head, the All Blacks have regained their swagger with a flawless 3-0 start to the season while boosting their case for a fourth World Cup title in France. The All Blacks’ 38-7 thrashing of the Wallabies in Melbourne on Saturday was the latest statement win, starting with Scott Barrett’s bone-jarring tackle on Tate McDermott which created a try in the third minute. Eddie Jones’ Australia bring a litany of problems to Dunedin, with injuries…

Eskom will need at least R100 billion in investment by 2025 and about R170bn by 2029 to tackle the energy crisis. This is according to Minister of Electricity in the Presidency Kgosientsho Ramokgopa who briefed the public on the country’s energy action plan yesterday. “Clearly the Eskom balance sheet will not be able to finance this so we need alternative sources of finance and that is what we are working on,” he said. Ramokgoba said government was doing everything to end load shedding, referring to at least 25 projects to upgrade existing transformers and increase their capacity currently in construction. “The work starts now to be connected by 2026 to ensure there is additional capacity. We need to ensure we expedite the projects and bring them quicker online so we…

Ingredients: 1/2 packet of soup mix with barley A few pieces of bony meat 5 allspice 5 cloves 7 medium size carrots 2 large tomatoes 1 large onion 1 - 2 potatoes 1/2 bunch celery 1/2 bunch parsley Salt and pepper to taste Method: Rinse the soup mix a couple of times Pour it into a large deep pot add the allspice, cloves as well as the meaty bones if using. The bones and meat gives depth and flavour to the soup. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer until the soup mix are soft. Meanwhile clean and cut the vegetables into smaller pieces. Liquidise the vegetables, add water as required. Pour the liquidised vegetables into the pot with the cooked soup mix. Season to taste. Bring the…

THE effects of South Africa’s power cuts, inflation, cost of living and brain drain disproportionately affect domestic workers – 94% of whom are women. This is according to data from SweepSouth’s 2023 Report on Domestic Workers Pay and Work Conditions, released yesterday. The survey recorded the responses of more than 5500 participants, revealing that the average domestic worker in South Africa is 37 years old and earns about R2 989 a month from domestic work as the only source of income while being the only breadwinner in the family, supporting an average of four dependants. The domestic worker has to split this money among daily expenses such as food – which has seen 12% price increases over the past year – housing, transport, electricity, mobile phone data or airtime, school…

AMONG many of history’s roles is to dispel myths and eradicate distortion and lies. Whether one believes in having women in leadership or not, it happened in the past. Therefore, it is a misinformed, false presentation and impression that women were not involved in political leadership in their organisations/movements. The Western Cape has a history of diversity in most if not in all respects, especially in politics. It excelled in politics. Without any fear or favour, let me categorically state there were four major political tendencies or ideologies in the Western Cape. Those are workerism (Trotskyites/Trotskyists), Pan Africanism, Black Consciousness (Zim-zim) and Chartists (ANC and aligned). That was a true reflection of the politics of the left in the country. It is not surprising that Cape Town was the centre…

West African nations imposed economic and travel sanctions on Niger’s new military leaders yesterday, threatening to use force if they fail to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Bazoum within a week. The 15-nation Ecowas bloc’s response to the Sahel region’s seventh coup of recent years came as pro-junta supporters in Niger’s capital Niamey burned French flags and stoned the former colonial power’s embassy, drawing tear gas from police. Images showed fires at the walls of the French Embassy and people being loaded into ambulances with bloodied legs. At an emergency summit in Nigeria to discuss the coup last week, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) called for the constitutional order to be fully restored, warning of reprisals if not. “Such measures may include the use of force,”…

Human lifespan is expected to increase to up to 120 years within decades thanks to technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and knowledge gained from the Covid-19 pandemic, Swedish Television (SVT) reported yesterday. “Our prognosis is a lifespan between 100 and 120 years within 50 years or so, at least in developed countries,” Ignat Kulkov, a researcher at Malardalen University (MDU), said. Elderly people are also expected to be as healthy as those in their forties – thanks to rapid technological advancements, Kulkov explained about a study findings which was done with colleagues at universities in Finland, France and the UK. “More and more people will wear wearable devices to track their health status. These devices will be connected with doctors and hospitals,” Kulkov said, adding that some of these…

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: At least 40 people were killed and over 130 injured when an explosion tore through a political rally in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province yesterday, police said. The police said there was no confirmation yet about the cause of the blast that took place at a gathering of the conservative Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, known for its links to hardline political Islam, in the former tribal area of Bajaur. Pakistan has seen a resurgence of attacks by Islamist militants since last year when a ceasefire between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Islamabad broke down. | Reuters…

Dakar: Firebrand Senegalese opposition politician Ousmane Sonko, who is in custody after being arrested this week, began a hunger strike yesterday. Senegal’s public prosecutor has announced seven new charges, including fomenting insurrection, against the politician. Sonko’s arrest on Friday and the new charges announced on Saturday are unrelated to a moral corruption case against the politician that sparked deadly protests last month, the prosecutor said. On June 1, his sentencing in absentia to two years in prison sparked clashes that left at least 16 dead. The two-year sentence makes him ineligible to contest next year’s presidential election. | AFP…

Colombia scored a 97th-minute winner to stun Germany 2-1 on a night of Women’s World Cup drama yesterday which also saw Norway and Switzerland into the last-16, but co-hosts New Zealand dumped out in tears. Germany smashed Morocco 6-0 in their opener to underline why they were among the pre-tournament favourites, along with Spain and England, to snatch away the US’ crown. But they came crashing back down to earth at the hands of a Colombia team inspired by 18-year-old Linda Caicedo and roared on by the majority of a rowdy 40 000 crowd in Sydney. The Real Madrid attacker scored one of the goals of the tournament so far, darting past two Germany defenders before curling the ball into the top corner to open the scoring. Germany thought they…

Counterfeit products worth more than R100m seized IN A SITUATION described as out of hand, police have been called to double-up on their efforts in cracking down on fake and illicit goods in the Bellville area, following an operation that saw counterfeit products worth more than R100 million seized. Police, along with Customs and Excise and brand protectors for various famous high-end products, descended on a shopping complex in Durban Road in Bellville, in a multimillion-rand integrated operation on Friday. At around 10am, the multidisciplinary team executed a search warrant after an investigation where intelligence was gathered over a period of time. Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said the operation saw truckloads of counterfeit goods comprising an assortment of popular brands as well as illicit tobacco products being transported to…

Dr Karen Schwabe, an academic at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine​ (Isem), has been appointed the Spar Proteas netball team​'s sport physician for the Netball World Cup 2023​. Schwabe is the programme co-ordinator of the MSc degree in sport and exercise at Isem. Schwabe, who said she felt “extremely blessed and proud" to have been appointed as the team doctor, has more than two decades' experience of working within the sports medicine field, including all the pre-screening and medical care of the Proteas up to the World Cup. “Among others, I was part of previous Olympic, Youth Olympic and Commonwealth Games; Western Province and Stormers rugby; Springbok Sevens teams; the Fifa World Cup (2010); the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup (2023); and the Australian Netball Team.…

ELEVEN suspects are expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court today in connection with robbery and the kidnapping of a Kuils River businessman. The arrests were initiated through efforts by the provincial multi-disciplinary anti kidnapping task team to curb incidents of kidnapping in the province, police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said. “On July 26 a business robbery was perpetrated at a supermarket in Kuils River, where the suspects took cigarettes, smoking equipment, a substantial amount of cash and kidnapped a 34-year-old businessman. “The multi-disciplinary team sprang into action and an investigation commenced. All available leads were followed up which led to the arrest of a total of 10 suspects.” Further investigation into the matter led the multi-disciplinary team to an address in Tamrisk Street, Delft, where they found…

FORMER Oudtshoorn mayor Chad Louw was elected ANC Victor Molosi Southern Cape region chairperson at the weekend. Louw was elected unopposed, making him the youngest regional chairperson at the age of 26. The ANC in the Southern Cape region held its 8th regional conference in George at the weekend. Aubrey Tsengwa was elected deputy chairperson, Phamela Nosa secretary, while Lilian February was elected deputy secretary and Samkelo Majo treasurer. ANC provincial secretary Neville Delport congratulated the newly-elected leadership, calling on them to unite the region and ensure that the party builds on its steady growth. “We commend the branches for being active participants in the ANC's democratic process in a disciplined manner. Chad is amongst the youngest regional chairpersons in the country. This young regional leadership brings us hope of…

South Africa is preparing to host the 15th BRICS Summit next month, with heads of state of the bloc and more than 50 leaders of global south countries expected to attend. The summit will be one of the largest gatherings of developing countries and on the agenda will be geopolitical and geoeconomic issues. These issues will determine the shape of what is effectively being described as a new world order. The summit will shape the future of discussions that involve developing nations and BRICS could soon expand to more than 30 countries, including the UAE, Argentina and Egypt. With the majority of the global population, BRICS countries and any expanded grouping should have the ability to shape global trade and to resolve global conflict through peaceful resolution. The countries that…

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from high-risk areas of Beijing and another northern city as much of China was lashed by torrential rain yesterday. Deadly storm Doksuri has been sweeping northwards over China since Friday, when it careened into southern Fujian province after battering the Philippines as a typhoon. The Chinese capital and surrounding region were drenched over the weekend, with officials warning of potentially hazardous conditions including floods, swelling rivers, mudslides and landslides. More than 27 000 people in high-risk areas of Beijing have been evacuated, and another 20 000 were relocated from parts of neighbouring province Hebei’s capital Shijiazhuang, state media said. Hundreds of millions of people in northern China, including in Beijing, remain under a red alert, the highest level, for heavy rain through at…

Twelve people were killed and more than 100 injured when firecrackers kept in a warehouse exploded in southern Thailand, an official said yesterday. The firecrackers set off a fire on Saturday at the unauthorised warehouse at the Muno market in Su-ngai Kolok district in the southern province of Narathiwat bordering Malaysia, Narathiwat’s Governor Sanan Phongaksorn said. “There are 10 deaths plus the remains of two unidentified persons, which were sent for DNA checks,” Sanan said. He said 121 people were injured, two severely, while 111 had been discharged from hospital. “But there should be no more deaths.” More than 200 houses surrounding the warehouse were damaged by the explosion, affecting 365 people. Some 19 people were still staying at a shelter and several families have moved to their relatives’ houses,…

Herat: Authorities from Afghanistan’s vice ministry created a bonfire of confiscated musical instruments and equipment in Herat province at the weekend, deeming music immoral. “Promoting music causes moral corruption and playing it will cause the youth to go astray,” said Aziz al-Rahman al-Muhajir, the head of the Herat department of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The bonfire saw hundreds of dollars worth of musical gear go up in smoke, including a guitar, two other stringed instruments, a harmonium and a tabla, as well as amplifiers and speakers. | AFP…

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis yesterday called on Russia to reverse its decision to abandon the Black Sea grain deal, under which it had allowed Ukraine to export grain from its seaports despite the ongoing war. “I appeal to my brothers, the authorities of the Russian Federation, so that the Black Sea initiative may be resumed and grain may be transported safely,” Francis said during his weekly Angelus message. Global wheat prices have spiked since Russia quit the pact, and began targeting Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure on the Black Sea and Danube River. | Reuters…