Índice para 2024-06-13 em Cape Times

South African actress Euodia Samson, 55, is making waves with her second book, Know Thyself, which is quickly becoming a favourite among readers nationwide. Samson’s success as an author marks a significant step in overcoming the insecurities tied to her dyslexia. In an interview with Independent Media Lifestyle, Samson described her new book as semi-auto-biographical. It delves into her journey of rediscovery, featuring personal stories on various topics, especially finding direction when feeling lost. Aside from her acting career, where she is known for roles in movies like Angeliena on Netflix and Twisted Christmas on Showmax, as well as TV shows such as Arendsvlei and Waterfront, Samson is also a remarkable cook. Her first book, a cookbook titled Heal Your Gut, showcased her passion for simple, healthy meals. The Cape…

High-stake horse trading, as parties scramble to make deals as country looks on WITH only a day to go to the first sitting of the National Assembly, political parties were locked in last-minute discussions last night to decide on whether they will join the ANC’s proposed Government of National Unity (GNU). Amid the high-stakes horse trading, some parties indicated they were waiting for the ANC to make firm offers, after talks that started last week. While the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) rushed to meet with the IFP and NFP, one of its top officials indicated their newly elected public representatives would boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the members of provincial legislatures where they have representation. The EFF threatened to nominate its election candidates for the positions of National Assembly Speaker,…

AN Eastern Cape farmworker is facing eviction from a farm at which he has worked and resided at for more than 30 years. Lulama Kapa, represented by the independent public interest law centre Legal Resources Centre (LRC), appeared in the Tsolo Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape recently against the eviction of his long-term occupancy under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA). Kapa first came to reside on the farm in Tsolo as a farmworker in 1989, and thereafter remained on the farm with the consent of the private landowner, and thereafter the State. He currently occupies the farm with his wife, their disabled daughter and two farmworkers, all of whom will be homeless if the eviction succeeds. According to the LRC, in the early 2000s…

An acting municipal manager will be appointed at the Knysna Municipality today after exiting manager Ombali Sebola was fired with immediate effect by order of the Western Cape High Court. A full Bench of the high court also made a punitive costs order against Sebola after he made an 11th-hour about-turn by withdrawing his appeal application. Sebola had his fate sealed as the court ordered he be removed from the position with immediate effect. Knysna municipality spokesperson Christopher Bezuidenhout said Andiswa Dunywa would serve as the acting municipal manager until today. “A council meeting has been scheduled where a new acting municipal manager will be appointed. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until (today’s) meeting for further information,” said Bezuidenhout. On Tuesday, Local Government spokesperson Wouter Kriel said: “The pursuance of…

AS coalition talks intensified amid the start of the seventh post-apartheid government, an appeal has been made to the successor of former international relations minister Naledi Pandor to continue the fight for the Palestinian people. Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman cautioned the ANC about whom they form the Government of National Unity with during an Israel and Palestine briefing yesterday at Desmond & Leah Tutu House. “The response to what has happened and is still happening in Gaza is a symbol of humanity that is collapsing, with the loss of all spirituality and values. It was only South Africa that really stood up and challenged the world. “However, I have to be blunt and direct that the ANC government must be very careful about what partnerships and…

The ANC has been forced to reinvent itself PERHAPS it takes an electoral catharsis for political parties to wake up from their slumber of misplaced complacency, entitlement, privilege, self-enrichment, delusion and sheer incompetence. Short of a catastrophic event, the ANC, despite losing its absolute majority for the first time since democracy, slumping from 58% of the popular vote in 2019 to 40.1% two weeks ago, emerged as the largest party by far, ahead of a static DA, the unexpected new kid on the bloc, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), launched only a month ago by the vindictive ANC defector, ex-president Jacob Zuma, and a chastised EFF. The ANC narrative has changed from the endless rhetoric of aspiration to the rhetoric of national unity and urgency. Even in his acceptance speech…

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have flocked to the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage, unfolding this year in the shadow of the Gaza war. One of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings officially begins tomorrow, and Saudi officials are trying to keep the focus on prayers. The Gulf kingdom’s minister in charge of religious pilgrimages, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, warned last week that “no political activity” will be tolerated. The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means. As of late Monday around 1.5 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia from abroad, most of them by air, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. Last year saw more than 1.8 million people complete the hajj rites,…

GENEVA: Mass starvation is a “very real risk” in some regions of war-torn Sudan, where conflict has made medical aid broadly unavailable, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday. Fighting broke out in the capital Khartoum in April 2023 and spread across the country, reigniting ethnic bloodshed in the western Darfur region and forcing millions to flee. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than 70% of hospitals in conflict-affected states of Sudan and 45% of health facilities in another five states were not working, and the remaining ones were overwhelmed. UN agencies have warned that about 18 million people are acutely hungry. Nearly 10 million people have been displaced. | Reuters…

Seoul: Doctors at major hospitals in the South Korean capital, Seoul, and its nearby areas are to stage indefinite walkouts, while medical professors are expected to join a planned strike by community doctors next week. The move came as professors at 40 medical schools were set to decide whether to join the planned strike, set for next week, by community doctors. However, emergency rooms and treatment for critically ill patients at the eight hospitals won’t be affected. Despite protests by trainee doctors, the government finalised an admissions quota hike of 1 500 students for medical schools late last month, first increase in 27 years. | IANS…

THE COEGA Development Corporation (CDC) has embarked on a range of complementary and innovative business activities to diversify its income streams and become more sustainable and less reliant on support from the fiscus. The CDC operates the special economic zone (SEZ) outside Gqeberha, which is in the 22nd year of an 80-year development phase. It has so far attracted 60 investments. The 11 new investments for the year to March 31 were despite the environment of load shedding, logistics issues, growing geopolitical tensions globally and low economic growth, and it has made Coega the best-performing SEZ in Africa in terms of new investments, said the CDC’s head of marketing, Dr Ayanda Vilakazi. Speaking during a media tour of the facilities this week, he said that with such a long development…

THE INTERNATIONAL Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that current poli- cies and investments in the sub- Saharan Africa region were not sufficient to ensure universal access to clean cooking by 2030, with the number of people without access to clean cooking in the region increasing, largely due to the rate of population growth outpacing access to clean cooking. This comes as estimates from the IEA and the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that 1.8 billion people globally will still lack access to clean cooking by the end of the decade. According to the IEA’s Energy Progress Report released yesterday, the number of people without access to electricity increased for the first time in over a decade, as population grew – mostly in sub-Saharan Africa – at a higher rate…

EXPELLED uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) “founder” Jabulani Khumalo has no chance of winning back his position as leader of the party after the Electoral Court yesterday rejected his bid to be reinstated. The court dismissed his case, with costs, following his attempt to have the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) record of former president Jacob Zuma as MKP leader invalidated and set aside. In May, Khumalo filed an urgent application with the Electoral Court against the IEC’s decision to remove him as party leader and record Zuma instead. This was because he wanted the IEC to recognise him as president of MKP. Khumalo had allegedly written to Zuma to inform him that he was placing him on precautionary suspension. The specialist court handed down its judgment electronically yesterday, a…

The decision on the future of Stellenbosch University’s (SU’s) Wilgenhof Residence now lies with Council after the Rectorate unanimously agreed on its closure. This comes after a scathing 151-page report dated June 10 – following the discovery of two secret rooms – that recommended the residence be permanently closed. According to the report, a number of experts and key staff members of SU conveyed the strong view to the panel that Wilgenhof as an institution is irremediable. “Wilgenhof is seen, especially by black staff and students, as a beacon of SU’s troubled and racist history rather than a symbol of change and progress. They see the continued existence of Wilgenhof as an indication of the university’s refusal to take transformation and change seriously. The panel was consequently confronted with the…

A WAR of words between controversial diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg and well-known private investigator Mike Bolhuis has turned into a legal battle. Liebenberg this week turned to court for an “extremely urgent” order that Bolhuis immediately remove “defamatory” postings made on social media regarding himself (Liebenberg) and his wife Dezi. The diamond mining mogul said the postings, made on May 28 on Bolhuis’ Facebook page, were derogatory and depicted himself and his wife in an extremely negative light. The postings were done on the eve of the elections, in which Liebenberg stood as an independent candidate. Bolhuis had in the past done work for Liebenberg, but their relationship had since soured. In an affidavit before the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, Liebenberg said he accepted that he was a public figure…

A NEW short film called Mind the People is taking a closer look at the systems used by the government to administer the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant and its human rights implications. The story by South African researcher, film-maker, and Mozilla Africa Mradi Grant awardee, Duduetsang Mokoele, highlights a “broken and opaque artificial intelligence (AI) system” which is allegedly preventing many vulnerable South Africans from receiving the social security benefits they desperately need. The Africa Mradi Research Grants are a new funding stream for researchers examining AI on the continent. Africa Mradi is Mozilla’s initiative to build movements and support trustworthy AI across Eastern and Southern Africa. The seven grant-winning projects this year, including Mind the People, explore the impact of AI on diverse communities across the…

THE recent elections in South Africa have marked a watershed moment in the country’s political trajectory, signalling a significant shift in the balance of power. The ANC, once the unrivalled behemoth of South African politics, has lost its majority grip on power, forcing the party to navigate uncharted waters. While coalition negotiations have captivated the headlines, I seek to provide a more nuanced and structural analysis of the evolving political topography, for now, and will get into coalitions at a later stage in this article. Here, structural theoretical analysis of the neo-Marxists school of thought may help. The recent election results have made it rather clear that South Africa is experiencing a sharp political polarisation, with the Right and Left increasingly at odds. I agree…

More than 49 people were killed and dozens injured after a fire broke out at dawn in a building housing nearly 200 foreign workers in Kuwait, officials said yesterday. Forty-three people were injured, the health ministry said, in the blaze in the Mangaf area south of Kuwait City which is heavily populated with migrant labourers. Images from the scene showed soot blackening the exterior of the six-storey building which housed 196 workers, according to information given to the minister by their employer. Oil-rich Kuwait has large numbers of foreign workers, many of them from South and Southeast Asia, and mostly working in construction or service industries. According to a source in the General Fire Department, the victims suffocated from rising smoke after the fire broke out on the ground floor.…

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s Security Bureau said yesterday that it would use powers in a new national security law against six self-exiled activists living in Britain, including cancelling their passports, after they fled the China-ruled city. Hong Kong authorities have outlawed more than a dozen overseas activists based in the US, Britain and other countries. A bounty of HK$1 million (R2.4m) for information was also offered. The new measures for the six in Britain prohibits providing them with funds and cancels their business dealings in Hong Kong. The bureau criticised British politicians, NGOs and media for “discrediting” the Hong Kong government. | Reuters…

LONDON: Former British nurse Lucy Letby, convicted last year of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six others, went on trial yesterday accused of the attempted murder of another newborn in her care. Letby, 34, was found guilty last August of committing the crimes between June 2015 and June 2016 while she was working as a nurse in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England. The former nurse is now on trial at Manchester Crown Court charged with one count of attempted murder of a further young baby girl, known as Child K, in February 2016. She denies the accusation. Prosecutor Nick Johnson said the jury should not guard against convicting Letby solely because she had been found guilty in the other cases.…

from page 1 no agreement be reached with the ANC. “We are definitely to field candidates for all positions,” Shivambu said. The MK Party was still engaged in negotiations with various parties and has shown interest in working with the IFP. MKP interim secretary-general Sihle Ngubane said they had identified political ideologies and characteristics pointing to similarities with the IFP. “It is warranted that both political parties must prioritise to meet and start engaging in relations to coalitions and working together in KwaZulu-Natal,” Ngubane said. The party’s head of elections, Muzi Ntshingila, confirmed meeting with the IFP, NFP and EFF, and a planned meeting with the Patriotic Alliance. “We will release a statement in relation to those engagements. These engagements are continuous and very positive and the outcome will be…

Months after the vibrant personality of beloved Edith “Eddie” Sanders from Kalk Bay fell silent when she was reportedly knocked down by a cyclist participating in the Cape Town Cycle Tour and succumbed to her injuries, her loved ones are desperately seeking information to piece together the events that led to her death. Sanders, 90, known by many locals for her adventures in Muizenberg waters while body-surfing, managing her own shops in the area and maintaining a picturesque garden, was seen celebrating as a spectator at the Cape Town Cycle Tour on March 10 before she was reportedly knocked down. Sanders’s son, Gordon Brace, said the family were appealing to anyone who may have seen what occurred to contact the police with any information that could assist in the…

5 tbs vegetable oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 tbs cornflour (corn starch) 90g all-purpose flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper ½ tsp garlic salt 2 tsp paprika 3 chicken breast fillets, chopped into bite-size chunks Sauce: 1 tbs vegetable oil 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks 1 red pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 1 green pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped/crushed 1 tsp minced ginger 150 ml (2/3 cup) tomato sauce 2 tbs vinegar 6 tbs dark brown muscovado sugar 475g canned pineapple chunks in juice To serve egg fried rice or boiled rice 1 tsp sesame seeds Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot. While the oil is heating, place the egg in…

THE South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has approved a request for a small stockpile of Tecovirimat for the treatment of mpox disease, formerly known as monkeypox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) will support as a donation to South Africa. “Our intention is to obtain a stockpile of tecovirimat treatment for rapid deployment in case the current situation leads to a wider outbreak. The stock will be donated by the WHO,” said Health Minister Joe Phaahla during a media briefing yesterday. South Africa has recorded a total of five laboratory-confirmed cases and one death. Phaahla said a global outbreak of mpox disease has been ongoing since 2022. “The last time South Africa recorded positive cases of mpox was in 2022, when five cases were confirmed in the Western…

LAWYERS representing Czech-born mobster Radovan Krejcir have accused prison doctors of prescribing a highly addictive drug to treat the underworld boss for his undisclosed health condition. Yesterday, with an army of no less than 15 SAPS and private security officials guarding him, Krejcir, who reported in 2021 that he feared for his life in prison, returned to the Gauteng High Court, seeking an order to be allowed access to private medical services after he claimed that prison officials were denying him this right. Krejcir is facing an array of charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and the alleged possession of an unlawful firearm. However, his appearance yesterday was a separate matter as he wanted an order by the court to grant him access to private…

SOUTH Africans will tomorrow observe the swearing-in of MPs to form the 7th administration. The event at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) is preceded by attempts to interdict the sitting over allegations of widespread rigging during the May 29 elections. Among the MPs to be sworn in will be the group that has already undermined the oath they took during the previous administration. We are referring to ANC MPs who chose a party line above the interests of the country when they voted against a resolution to adopt the s89 panel report into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala saga. A brief reminder: The panel led by respected retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo was established by then National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula. It came to the conclusion that Ramaphosa…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday that Hamas had proposed numerous changes, some unworkable, to a US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, but that mediators were determined to close the gaps. The proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden envisages a truce and a phased release of Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians jailed in Israel, ultimately leading to a permanent end to the war. At a press conference with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha, Blinken said some of the counter-proposals from the militant group administering Gaza had sought to amend terms that it had accepted in previous talks. Negotiators from the US, Egypt and Qatar have tried for months to mediate a ceasefire in the conflict – which has killed tens of thousands of…

Dozens of migrants detained by UK police before the start of controversial deportation flights to Rwanda have been released on bail, lawyers said yesterday. The government said last month it had detained an unspecified number of migrants after MPs ended months of parliamentary wrangling and passed a law allowing some asylum seekers to be deported. But after calling a general election for July 4, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded that deportations would only take place “after the election” if he was re-elected. Duncan Lewis Solicitors said that a tribunal had “rightly assessed them to not carry a risk of absconding”. Protesters in May tried to stop the removal of migrants from their accommodation. Rwanda, home to 13 million people, claims to be one of the most stable countries in Africa.…

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday urged rival parties on both sides of the political centre to join him in forging a democratic alliance against Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in upcoming snap legislative elections. In what amounted to a campaign speech just days after his shock call for an election, Macron acknowledged making mistakes, saying the French had expressed their indignation but felt they were not being heard. The election would provide clarity, Macron said. He pledged to take a firmer hand in questions of immigration, security and justice. In a dig at the leader of the conservative Republicans party, Macron decried political horsetrading. | Reuters…

LONDON: Argentina yesterday lost an appeal in a London court to reverse a ruling which left the nation facing a €1.56 billion (R31.1bn) bill over GDP-linked securities. Four hedge funds, holding around 48% of the securities issued between 2005 and 2010, sued Argentina in 2019. London’s High Court ruled in their favour last year – leaving Argentina on the hook for €1.33bn plus interest. The country appealed last month, as its economy faces 300% annual inflation, the world’s highest. Its appeal turned on the terms of the securities, issued in the wake of Argentina’s economic crisis culminating in the world’s biggest sovereign debt default. Last year, a judge found Argentina had sought to use a measure for GDP growth not permitted under the securities. | Reuters…

SCOTTIE Scheffler appears unstoppable as today’s first round of the US Open approaches, with many top rivals amazed the World No 1 already has five wins this year – including the Masters. “He’s the gold standard right now,” said 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau. “Undoubtedly the best player in the world at the minute, by a long way. It’s up to us to try to get to his level,” said four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, who dubbed Scheffler “relentless”. Two-time Major winner Jon Rahm – who has withdrawn with a foot injury – said Scheffler is “basically replicating a Tiger Woods season. It’s fantastic”. What can stop Scheffler? Well, he did settle for eighth at May’s PGA Championship after being arrested on driving- related charges that were later dropped.…