Table of contents for 2026-03-31 in Cape Argus

For many South Africans participating in the gig economy (freelancers, part-time workers, content creators, or logistical service providers), the National Budget Speech can feel far removed from their daily reality. However, for those within this sector, the announcements such as tax updates are critical, as they directly impact your take-home pay and long-term savings potential. Without a traditional payslip or employer-sponsored benefits, the mechanics of tax policy determine exactly how much of your hard-earned income you get to keep. The silent erosion One of the most significant impacts on the gig economy is a phenomenon known as fiscal drag (also known as bracket creep). This occurs when tax brackets are not adjusted enough to keep pace with inflation. As you increase your rates or take on more projects to keep…

The 23rd Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2026 wasn’t just a concert; it was a homecoming. Under the meticulous curation of Rayhaan Survé (chairman of the Survé Family Office) and the visionary direction of Georgia Jones and Carolyn Savage, espAfrika transformed the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) into a living, breathing map of global sound. While the Metro Police ensured the city moved swiftly despite the “lockdown” buzz of a busy weekend, inside, the energy was purely electric. A prelude of remembrance: Robben Island The festival’s emotional weight was anchored by a profound pre-event at Robben Island titled Music for a Shared Humanity. In a full-circle moment, former political prisoner James Mange returned to the soil that once held him, performing his iconic anti-apartheid anthem Robben Island. His presence,…

Seven suspects accused of running an alleged extortion network targeting long-distance bus operators across multiple provinces appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing serious organised crime charges including racketeering, kidnapping and money laundering. Bonke Makalala, Simphiwe Matshala, Mzuvukile Mbiyo, Siyanda Dyanti, Gwendoline Mazele, Siphelele Kwaza and Simphiwe Gxumayo face charges including racketeering under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, extortion and attempted extortion, intimidation, kidnapping, interference with essential infrastructure and money laundering. They also face charges under the Tax Administration Act, with more charges expected as the investigation continues. The case was postponed to April. The State indicated that it would oppose bail. Their court appearance follows a four-year investigation by the Western Cape Taxi Violence Task Team into alleged co-ordinated criminal activity targeting long-distance bus operators between…

MURDER-ACCUSED Aletta Rose, 63, made her second appearance at the Bellville Magistrate’s court on Monday morning after allegedly beheading her 79-year-old sister Constance Scholtz. Rose was arrested on March 19 when police found the decapitated body of “Aunty Connie”, as her sister was known, inside her home in David Street, Bellville South. Not only was Aunty Connie decapitated, but her killer cut off her hands too. It isn’t the first time Rose is charged with murder, after she was also charged with murdering her brother-in-law – her husband’s brother – in 1996. It is believed that she stabbed her brother-in-law during an argument with her husband. Rose was convicted of murder and sentenced to six years in prison – three of which were suspended for five years. She ended…

Chaos erupted in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape, yesterday as cars were set ablaze and property vandalised following a protest against the alleged coronation of a Nigerian national as king. The situation escalated to the point where fire services were dispatched, and police used teargas to disperse the crowd. The protest began peacefully, sparked by videos of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko being crowned ‘Igwe Ndigbo’ in the city, formerly known as East London. Various groups, including ActionSA, the Patriotic Alliance, and traditional leaders, condemned the ceremony as unlawful. Police spokeswoman Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed the police response, stating, “The protest began as a planned peaceful demonstration by various traditional leaders over the alleged coronation of an Igbo king.” Violence broke out when some participants moved away from the city hall, where…

With the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) voter registration weekend set for June, political parties’ election campaign is increasingly building up steam and momentum in the lead up to the upcoming local government election. While the IEC announced the first voter registration weekend for June 20 and 21, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has yet to gazette the date for the elections. That has not stopped political parties, with several making strategic announcements at the weekend ranging from provincial leadership roles, all the way to mayoral candidates. Other parties are also on the brink of kickstarting their election processes. ActionSA announced the appointment of Dereleen James as the provincial chairperson in the Western Cape. This follows the party’s three-day Senate Strategic Planning meeting, where they…

Community activist Lucinda Evans has realised another long-held dream with the launch of the Philisa Young Minds Academy, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Retreat dedicated to uplifting underprivileged children in her community. The name Philisa, means “to bring to fruition”, reflecting the centre’s mission of nurturing young potential for a positive future reality. The facility caters for 70 children between the ages of three and five. Each child receives early childhood education and two meals a day. The centre has an estimated annual operational cost of R800 000. Families contribute R25 per month, with priority given to households earning below R350 per month, often dependent on social grants, as well as children being raised by grandparents or extended family members due to circumstances such as gender-based violence and…

You earn a decent salary, drive a nice enough car, and enjoy regular dinners out. You’ve made it, right? Then why is there still too much month left at the end of your money? After the debit orders have gone off, the school fees paid, and the groceries bought, you should be able to relax a little and enjoy your hard-earned randelas. But many working people are still left wondering where their payslip went – and not because of reckless spending. Instead, it’s the result of lifestyle creep. Lifestyle creep is the gradual increase in spending that follows rising income. You get a raise and decide to finally upgrade your phone or subscribe to that extra streaming service. Maybe a new job bumped your salary up and you can buy…

A Cape Town mother wept inconsolably after both her sons – one after the other – were shot and killed at the weekend. The deaths of her sons, Luchen Samuels, 19, and Angelo Hufke, 32, whose bodies she had to identify alone, just years after she buried her first child, who died the same way, come exactly 47 days after President Cyril Ramaphosa promised to deploy the army to the Mother City. And though soldiers are finally set to put boots on the ground tomorrow in the crime-ravaged city, at a staggering cost of R832 million, for families like hers, it comes too late. Samuels and Hufke, of Uitsig Avenue, were among five people killed in Gugulethu and Philippi East on Saturday, police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said. Three others,…

AN OFF-DUTY policeman allegedly involved in a culpable homicide case, which claimed the life of Alex Scott, is reportedly still actively performing duties despite the ongoing investigation into the victim’s death. Scott, 21, tragically passed away on November 30 after he was struck by a vehicle in Bellville. Reports later surfaced that the driver may have been an off-duty police officer, who was allegedly picked up from the scene by a marked police vehicle before investigators arrived. Scott’s family was notified of his death on February 14; however, they are still waiting for answers to questions about what exactly transpired. Member of Parliament Nicholas Gotsell says the DA is deeply concerned that the investigation into Scott’s death has dragged on for months without clear answers. He wrote to Parliament addressing…

Police are investigating alleged death threats against Theewaterskloof Municipality Speaker Weldon Wells, after a complaint was opened in Villiersdorp. Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that a case of intimidation towards Wells and his wife and child has been registered for investigation. Van Wyk said the suspect claimed to know the complainant’s movements, as well as details relating to his wife and child, including the child’s school. “Investigations continue, no arrest as yet,” he said. According to the GOOD Party, the threats, sent via text message, warned that Wells and his family would be killed if he did not step down from his position. GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron condemned the threats, describing them as an attack on democratic processes. “Speaker of Theewaterskloof Municipality, Weldon Wells, and his family…

For many residents of Gugulethu, the housing waiting list has come to symbolise broken promises, where the hope of having a place to call their own has been replaced by deep frustration. Disgruntled residents believe they are being systematically excluded by the City of Cape Town from accessing homes they have long been promised. Last week housing beneficiaries from the area gathered to discuss ongoing housing challenges and to demand the handover of more than 70 completed houses at the 8448 site. The residents’ association, Gugulethu Uprising, which advocates on their behalf, said it had grown weary of engaging with what it described as “an uncaring City administration”. Association member Marc Matebe said beneficiaries are demanding clarity on when the houses will finally be handed over. “These houses were supposed…

Woolworths was cleared following a complaint which challenged its advertising for the welfare of animals in its supply chain relating to pig gassing practices. The Directorate of the Advertising Regulatory Board dismissed the complaint and found that Woolworths’ statements in its advertising and on its website are not misleading consumers. The complainant stated that Woolworths had confirmed to her that it buys pork from abattoirs that gas the pigs in the production of their pork products. She said that it is a known fact that gassing pigs results in great distress and pain for the pigs, which does not align with the five animal freedoms advertised by Woolworths. Woolworths, in its advertising, says: “We believe that it’s our responsibility to ensure our suppliers treat the animals in our supply chain…

Last Friday, the SANDF and the SAPS presented a joint briefing to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and the Portfolio Committee on Police. The session detailed the state of preparedness for the internal deployment of the SANDF in support of the SAPS under Operation Prosper, as announced by President Ramaphosa in his 2026 State of the Nation Address. As an EFF Member of Parliament who participated actively in the proceedings, I left the meeting with a mixture of cautious acknowledgment and profound unease. While some modest progress has been made in joint planning, the establishment of provincial joint structures, the co-signing of strategic guidelines on March 15, and the development of a comprehensive 13-module mission-readiness training programme, the briefing left far too many critical questions unanswered. South Africa cannot…

Coach Hugo Broos says he is close to finalising the Bafana Bafana squad that will represent the country and continent at the Fifa World Cup 2026, although there are still areas he wants to focus on. Bafana have already begun their preparations for the global showpiece. They will face Panama national football team in their second international friendly of this window at DHL Stadium tonight (kick-off 7.30pm), after the two sides played to a 1–1 draw in their first encounter in Durban last Friday. Broos, pictured, was satisfied with his team’s preparations, despite their wastefulness in front of goal. He has urged his players to be at their best in the Mother City and give the sold-out crowd value for their money. Speaking during a pre-match press conference at the…

As we reach the end of the first quarter of 2026, now is an ideal time for South African investors to pause and reflect. The new tax year is underway, the National Budget has been announced, and you still have nine months to work toward your financial goals. A Q1 check-in is more strategic and less emotional than a New Year’s resolution. January is often busy, and decisions can be rushed. At the end of March, you’ll have more room to breathe. Instead of reacting to every market headline – and there have already been plenty of those this year – take a moment to review your portfolio, look over your plan, and make sure your investments still match your long-term goals. Five simple checks can help you gauge whether…

The decision by Nicky Newton-King not to seek re-election to the council of Stellenbosch University marks a significant leadership shift at the institution after months of governance turmoil linked to the handling of the Wilgenhof Residence controversy. The university confirmed that Newton-King’s term as council chairperson will end on April 1, and that she will not stand again as either chairperson or a council member. Her departure follows sustained scrutiny and comes amid mounting pressure over council decisions, particularly the handling of an investigation into residence culture, which led to legal threats from alumni and parents and raised wider concerns about governance and transparency. In response to media enquiries, Newton-King said she had acted in the best interests of the university and its stakeholders throughout her tenure. “While I am…

CAPE Town’s silky footballers have long provided the attacking stimulus for Bafana Bafana. From the erstwhile days of Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlett, Quinton Fortune and, of course, Benni McCarthy, it is the men from the fairest Cape that have provided the goals and assists that have carved out the most magical of memories for the national football team. The legacy has dimmed in the current era but the talent reservoir has not run dry with Oswin Appollis still flying the flag proudly. Apollis may be plying his trade at Soweto giants Orlando Pirates, but the Bafana forward is a true-blue Capetonian, having been born-and-bred on the Cape Flats of Bishop Lavis, and is a product of the former Ajax CT youth academy. The 24-year-old is comfortably Bafana’s most influential player,…

Italy have one more obstacle standing between them and a return to the Fifa World Cup in the shape of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who host the Azzurri today in what promises to be a tense qualification play-off final in Zenica. A battling win over Northern Ireland in last week’s semi-final did little to ease Italian supporters’ fears about missing out on a third straight World Cup; goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean stopped a lacklustre display from turning into another disaster. Coach Gennaro Gattuso called the showdown in Zenica “Everest” due to the weight of expectation weighing on his shoulders as he tries to guide Italy back to the world’s biggest football tournament after 12 years away. The prize for Italy is a spot in Group B at this…

John Dobson says his Stormers team requires the stars to align in the Milky Way if they are to beat Toulon away on Saturday, but they will nevertheless “give it a full go” in the Champions Cup. Dobson’s men are second only to the Glasgow Warriors on the United Rugby Championship standings, and he is maybe guilty of talking up a Toulon side that are 11th in the Top 14 and have won just nine of their 20 games played in that tournament. “We want to respect this competition, and we want to go as far as we can,” he said. “No South African team has made a semi-final, so that’s something we’re very aware of.” The Stormers are coming off a good win over Edinburgh and have better squad…

There’s a simple idea floating around whenever a superstar leaves a club: replace the numbers, move on, problem solved. Football, unfortunately, doesn’t work like a spreadsheet – especially not when it comes to Mohamed Salah. Liverpool are preparing for life without the “Egyptian King” at the end of the season. And when that day comes, the biggest mistake they can make is thinking this is just about goals. Because replacing Salah isn’t about finding another forward who scores 20 a season. It’s about trying to replace certainty in a league that has quietly run out of it. Look around the English Premier League and you’ll notice something odd: everyone is searching for goals, and very few are actually finding them reliably (Erling Haaland aside, but even his output has dropped…