Table of contents for 2026-04-07 in Cape Argus

A case involving the winding up of a high-value property estate, comprising a hotel and a portfolio of residential properties, has exposed a costly and often overlooked gap in South African estate planning: liquidity at death. While the estate held significant value on paper, it was almost entirely tied up in immovable assets, leaving little to no cash available to settle estate duty, taxes, and administration costs. As the estate moved through the formal winding-up process, these obligations became immediately payable, placing pressure on the executor to raise funds. With no liquidity available, the heir was forced to sell off assets, including income-generating properties, under time-sensitive conditions. The result was not only financial strain and disruption to the estate’s long-term value, but also exposure to interest and penalties from the…

CONCERNS over fuel availability in the Western Cape have intensified after a long-time petrol station owner alleged irregular supply deliveries just days before this month’s fuel price increase. Makkie Isaacs, 70, the owner of the Weltevreden petrol station in Mitchells Plain, said his business – along with several others – faced repeated fuel shortages. Isaacs said the current situation was highly unusual and concerning. “The concern I have is that Engen is one of the only companies that have not supplied their service stations regularly.” Isaacs said the lack of fuel has created mounting pressure not only on operations but also on safety. He said when the fuel goes up and you can’t supply customers, tensions rise, people become frustrated, and that can put staff and management at risk. “We…

THE Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is expected to continue with its work today after a short Easter break. Jeremy Michaels, the Commission’s spokesperson, said 49 witnesses have testified over 84 days of hearings to date. The Commission has yet to announce the next witness. On the last day before the break, Deputy Chief of Police for Asset Protection and Security Services at the City of Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), Deputy Commissioner Revo Spies, testified about the infiltration of municipal governance by criminal syndicates. Spies detailed a highly irregular tender process for guarding municipal properties, involving Gubis 85 Solutions, a security company implicated in the testimony of Gauteng Organised Crime Unit officer Sergeant Fannie Nkosi. Spies said Gubis 85 Solutions was allegedly favoured over 21 other service providers in the…

AS CAPE Town’s dam levels dropped to 47.8% last week, water consumption continued to exceed targets, placing households at the centre of efforts to avoid water restrictions later this year. Daily water use was 1 014 million litres per day, down from 1 022 million the previous week, but still 39 million litres per day above the City’s target of 975 million, set to help manage supply ahead of winter. The City said it is not in a drought and is not approaching “Day Zero”, but has entered an early warning phase as the margin to avoid restrictions begins to narrow. Household consumption remains the single biggest driver of demand, accounting for about 70% of total water use in the city. Water and Sanitation mayco member, Zahid Badroodien, said the…

Mikel Arteta has urged a shell-shocked Arsenal to embrace a major test of their character as they seek to recover from a pair of devastating defeats in today's Uefa Champions League quarter-final at Sporting Lisbon. Arteta's side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, a fortnight after losing 2-0 to Manchester City in the League Cup final. The Gunners had been chasing an unprecedented quadruple until their domestic cup dreams were demolished in painful fashion. The chastening loss to Southampton was only Arsenal's fifth defeat this season and marked the first time they have been beaten in successive games in this campaign. Arsenal's slump has plunged the club's long-suffering fans into a bout of soul-searching. The north Londoners haven't won a trophy…

It was a disappointing weekend of near misses for the Stormers, Bulls, and Sharks, as all three teams were squeezed out of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions, respectively. But they did go down fighting, and it was heartening to see players returning from injury shrugging off the rust, while others marked a return to form. We look at five players who raised their hands in South Africa’s losing cause at the weekend. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu The 24-year old provided arguably the play of the weekend with a nonchalant chip-kick to create the try that put his team into a 20-14 lead against Toulon, briefly silencing the Stade Mayol. The French crowd clearly appreciated the Springbok’s silky skills following his second-half introduction. Feinberg-Mngomezulu had been enduring a quiet patch in…

When the cost of living spikes overnight, people understandably look for anything they can cut, says Hayley Parry, Money Coach and Facilitator at 1Life’s Truth About Money. She says, but cancelling or missing an insurance premium to get through this month can expose you to a much bigger financial crisis next month. “One accident, one burglary, one unexpected loss, and a family can be set back by years. In tough times, protection matters even more,” she says. According to Parry, just as many South Africans were beginning to feel a little breathing room, today’s sharp fuel price increase and electricity tariff hike are a stark reminder that household budgets remain under serious pressure. Recently, petrol has increased by R3.06 per litre, while diesel has surged by as much as R7.51…

CAPE Town has continued to draw global travel interest, with recent figures released by Statistics SA showing 121 612 visitors arriving at Cape Town International Airport in February alone. According to StatsSA’s International Tourism release for February, Europe accounted for 72.5% of all overseas tourists, with Cape Town accounting for 90 427 of 161 707 arrivals from that continent. Economist Dawie Roodt said living standards in countries like China and India have also increased, and South Africa is seeing more tourists from those countries. According to StatsSA, 3 792 travellers from Asia flew directly to Cape Town in February. Roodt said global shifts in travel patterns are emerging. “What I’ve picked up recently is that there are more and more other BRICS countries’ tourists coming to South Africa, like Russians,…

YET another death related to smash-and-grabs along Jakes Gerwel has highlighted the dangers faced by adjacent communities. In the latest incident on April 1, one suspect was left dead. ActionSA’s provincial chairperson, Dereleen James, in a social media post showing an image of the suspect lying along the side of the road, said: “Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy. While driving home, a terrible incident occurred almost right in front of us. Here lies the lifeless body of a young boy who was shot and killed on Jakes Gerwel Drive after a smash-and-grab incident. “As he ran into the open field, the motorist opened fire. Response from community, ‘Is reg so’. Reaction from the kids, they continued playing around the body. Response from law enforcement, this happens…

PRINCIPALS and teachers will have to play a significant role in ensuring the schooling careers of young girls are not derailed by pregnancy. This directive is contained in a set of draft regulations put forward by the Department of Basic Education, currently out for public comment. The regulations have been welcomed by social justice experts who say the regulations will provide guidance to schools in handling pregnancy. However, they warned that it could also place additional strain on teachers who are not trained to deal with medical situations. “A learner must be informed in writing of the dates when the formal assessment tasks, including controlled tests and examinations, are to be administered in the subjects for which the learner is enrolled,” said the document. It added that, “a learner must…

FOR years, residents have walked their dogs, jogged along the slopes, and paused to take in sweeping views over False Bay, often unaware they were moving through one of the Cape’s most historically significant sites. Now, the Battle of Muizenberg landscape has officially been declared a Provincial Heritage Site, bringing long-overdue recognition to a place where global history unfolded in what is today a quiet coastal suburb. The City of Cape Town confirmed the site was formally gazetted on March 27, following a nomination process submitted in 2024 and approved by Heritage Western Cape in June last year. “I’ve walked here for years and had no idea what happened on this ground,” said Muizenberg resident, Sean Edwards. “You see the views, the mountain, the sea, but not the history.” The…

This past Sunday marked 90 days until the Springboks play their first match of the year, the Nations Cup opener at Ellis Park against England on July 4. While three months seems a fair way away, it won’t seem like that to South Africa’s top players — they need no reminding that the month of June is taken up by the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, and then it is straight into a 14-match Springbok itinerary that stretches, pretty much without a break, until the end of November. South Africa’s involvement in the URC play-offs is set to be significant. With four rounds to go, the Stormers are second, the Lions fifth, the Bulls seventh, and the 10-placed Sharks are knocking on the door of the top…

Centuries are the currency of any batter, and Proteas Women’s coach Mandla Mashimbyi has expressed his disappointment in his team’s failure to do so on the recent tour of New Zealand. None of the Proteas batters were able to cross the three-figure mark in either white-ball series, resulting in a 4-1 T20I and 2-1 ODI series defeats. Anneke Bosch made a successful return to the Proteas team after missing the home summer by registering the visitors’ top individual score of the ODI series with 91 in the second ODI in Wellington. Captain Laura Wolvaardt also made two half-centuries in three ODIs, but even the skipper would have been disappointed with her return having been dismissed for 69 on two occasions. Overall, six Proteas made half-centuries, including Annerie Derksen’s 72 during…

In a judgment that will matter far beyond one taxpayer’s dispute, the Supreme Court of Appeal has sent a clear message to Sars: you cannot issue a tax assessment on one set of facts and then, once the litigation starts, try to rebuild the case on another. The case, Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service v Erasmus, arose from dividends of more than R1.2 billion paid by Treemo (Pty) Ltd to businessman Pieter Erasmus. Sars believed the transactions behind those dividends formed part of an impermissible tax avoidance arrangement under South Africa’s General Anti-Avoidance Rule, or GAAR. It assessed Erasmus for about R183.5 million in dividends tax, plus understatement penalties of roughly R137.6 million and interest. At first, Sars’s case was built around one central allegation: that a Newshelf…

A crash between a taxi and a group of cyclists on Victoria Road near the Twelve Apostles in Bakoven yesterday has renewed calls for improved safety measures to protect cyclists on Cape Town’s roads. One cyclist was injured in the collision and airlifted to hospital, where he is in a stable condition, according to authorities. According to preliminary information, the taxi is understood to have struck several cyclists. Pedal Power Association CEO, Neil Robinson, said the incident highlights ongoing risks faced by cyclists, particularly on busy and narrow routes such as Victoria Road. “The Pedal Power Association is working with traffic and SAPS on updates in terms of the investigation,” he said. Robinson said early indications suggest the taxi may have attempted to overtake another vehicle before veering into the…

AS FAMILIES gathered to celebrate Easter, Jolene Jordaan faced a stark reminder of her loss, a holiday marked not by joy, but by grief, anger and unanswered questions. Her 3-year-old son, Khy’ree Jordaan, died on November 9 last year, after he was struck by a vehicle on Alard Road in Clarke’s Estate, Elsies River, allegedly driven by an off-duty City law enforcement official, according to earlier reports. In the immediate aftermath, police opened a culpable homicide case and confirmed the matter was under investigation, with the docket expected to be submitted to the Goodwood senior public prosecutor. Nearly five months later, with no arrests publicly confirmed, Jordaan says she is still waiting for answers. “Nothing has been done. “The case was handed over to the Goodwood court, but the detective…

ARCHBISHOP Thabo Makgoba used his Easter sermon at St George’s Cathedral to highlight the growth of online gambling, among other issues plaguing the country. The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town also said challenges posed to President Cyril Ramaphosa by corruption among leaders of the police service, and the conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan needed to be urgently addressed. “The Middle East is consumed by war, and those celebrating Easter in Jerusalem and other cities and towns across the region do so under the threat of drones and missiles. Not only that, the conflict threatens to spread, and its effects – especially the restrictions on oil and gas exports – are being experienced across the globe. “The war in Ukraine continues, with South Africans unwittingly and tragically dragged…

WHILE communities have welcomed the large-scale security deployment of the SANDF on the Cape Flats, they also have mixed feelings about whether this will have any impact. During a joint parade in Belhar last week, Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili said Operation Prosper, bringing together the SAPS, SANDF, and the City of Cape Town, in a show of co-ordinated force, was fully prepared. Cape Flats Safety Forum chairperson, Abie Isaacs, said they have welcomed the deployment of SANDF as a force multiplier to the SAPS in hot spot areas. “We have observed in affected areas that the community have been accepting them. We call on communities to assist these agencies in rooting out crime. We would only be able to see the impact after 21 days.” Mitchells Plain…

A SURGE in maritime emergencies unfolded along the Western Cape coastline over the Easter weekend, with rescue crews responding to multiple incidents ranging from a near-drowning at Clifton 2nd Beach to offshore mechanical failures, while a 70-year-old fisherman remains missing. On Sunday morning, a 23-year-old Angolan national was pulled from the water by a Good Samaritan surfer at Clifton, after getting into difficulty while swimming. According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), a witness raised the alarm shortly before 8am, prompting the activation of rescue crews and the City of Cape Town’s water rescue network. NSRI Bakoven station commander Bevan Geyser said: “While responding to the scene an eyewitness reported that a female surfer had launched her surfboard to go to the man’s aid. On arrival on the scene…

Stellenbosch FC will be seeking to extend their eight-game unbeaten streak in the Betway Premiership when they face off against Richards Bay at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Tuesday. Stellies, under new coach Gavin Hunt, have not suffered a league defeat since last December, with their recent 2-1 victory over Chippa United keeping their hopes of finishing in the top eight alive. Hunt has certainly improved Stellenbosch’s defensive organization since arriving at the Danie Craven Stadium as the former Carling Cup champions have become incredibly hard to break down. However, the Western Cape side are up against a bogey team, with Richards Bay having enjoyed a better run of results in the fixture with six wins across 13 meetings between the two sides across all competitions, including a 1-0 triumph…

Defender Zuko Mdunyelwa has stressed Mamelodi Sundowns are fully focused on their Betway Premiership clash against Durban City on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm). Sundowns are once again competing on both the local and continental fronts with the Masandawana gearing up for an away trip to Espérance of Tunisia for the first leg of their CAF Champions League semi-final on Sunday. But before the trip to North Africa, they have to tackle an in-form Durban City. The clash — at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban — is crucial as Sundowns are currently top of the Premiership table, and although they are enjoying a nine-game unbeaten streak, they are still only two points ahead of rivals Orlando Pirates. Any slip up at this stage of the season could open the door for the…