Table of contents for CT-2021-04-15 in Cape Times

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za ZEDER Investments’ share price leapt by more than 9 percent on the JSE yesterday morning after the agri-investment company said it had received approaches from third parties regarding some of its portfolio of investments. Zeder is considering the approaches following its overall strategic review after the disposal of its Pioneer Foods and Quantum Foods shareholdings last year, and the group was engaging with certain of these parties. Chief executive Johann le Roux said the board was evaluating these approaches. “We will communicate in more detail to the market on the value-enhancing progress, as may be required from time to time. “The strategy does not have a specific time line and will be executed in an appropriate and responsible manner in an attempt to maximise shareholder value.…

Lisa Isaacs lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za THE 2.2% of health-care workers who received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine as part of the Sisonke study have reported no serious side-effects or adverse health events. In breaking down some of the findings of the study, the SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) reassured health workers who received the J&J vaccine as part of the Sisonke Phase 3b study that it has not seen any cases of clotting associated with low-platelet counts, central venous thrombosis or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) among the 289 787 people who have received the vaccine as of April 12. Of those vaccinated, 134 people were referred for further evaluation at an emergency room or hospital. Most of these events have been minor, local or systemic reactions. “One person experienced an…

Samkelo Mtshali and Athandile Siyo THE ANC and Good party in the Western Cape have called on Premier Alan Winde to remove Public Works and Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela from the provincial cabinet. Calls for the axing of Madikizela, who is also the DA’s Western Cape provincial leader, come as it has emerged that he had allegedly lied about holding a BCom degree in human resources. The issue was brought to light after media reports that Madikizela may have lied about his qualifications. In his Western Cape parliamentary biography, Madikizela is said to possess a BCom degree in HR and a certificate in information technology. The DA issued a statement yesterday saying that the Madikizela matter had been referred to the party’s Federal Legal Commission by Federal Council Chairperson Helen…

Staff writer A LACK of reliable current suicide data from low- and middle-income countries makes it impossible to know what effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on many parts of the world. Professor Jason Bantjes of the Institute for Life Course Health Research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), is part of the International Covid-19 Suicide Prevention Research Collaboration (ICSPRC) that conducted the research. Bantjes said South Africa also needs to continue to monitor suicide statistics, so that informed evidence-based decisions can be taken in the future. “This is the first study to examine suicides across the globe during the Covid-19 pandemic, and SU’s Institute for Life Course Health Research is proud to be part of this network of international world leaders in the…

Athandile Siyo athandile.siyo@inl.co.za PARENTS of the children who continue to learn under trees on an open field in Forest Village yesterday picketed outside the legislature to highlight their need for a school. They said it was also after Education MEC Debbie Schäfer announced that half of the children were either registered or will shortly be registered, as they have accepted placement. Parent Nolizwe Ndika-Ndika said that the department is spreading incorrect information, saying the numbers at Empumelelweni School, the community-given name of the informal school, have increased from more than 400 to 600. “The children are still in the dark about their academic year because they continue to learn under these conditions. “We went to picket outside the office because we wanted them to know the truth, we don’t know…

Jason Woosey Suzuki has kept things subtle with its facelifted Swift hatchback, but the midlife upgrade also ushers in some spec enhancements, albeit on the back of a R5 000 price increase across the range. The major visual difference comes in the form of a new grille, which replaces the previous horizontal slats with a mesh pattern, while a chrome bar now separates the upper and lower sections. Furthermore, the GL and GLX models also now offer the option of two-tone exterior paint schemes, these being Midnight Blue Pearl with a white roof and Fire Red or White Pearl with a black roof. This is in addition to the seven single-tone colour options that are available across the range. On the spec front, the Swift GA base model gains plastic…

MANY South Africans doubt whether politicians and civil servants will co-operate with Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke to implement the amended Public Audit Act, which came into effect on April 1. The legislation gives the auditor-general biting powers, which include referring “material irregularities” in the government spending of public funds to law enforcement for further investigation, taking binding remedial action against culprits and issuing a certificate of debt against guilty officials to recover public funds. It also came into effect in the context of discouraging revelations in the latest report showing that countrywide 74% of the auditees received unqualified audit opinions on their financial statements, a slight improvement from 71% the previous year. The report found the most common areas of non-compliance with legislation were a failure to prevent irregular, fruitless and…

A dozen people were missing at sea off the US state of Louisiana yesterday after a commercial ship capsized in the Gulf of Mexico, sparking a rescue operation that saved six others. The US Coastguard and a fleet of volunteers were deployed to search for the 18 crew on board after the vessel capsized in a storm near Port Fourchon, about 160km south of New Orleans. The ship was a 39.3m lift vessel, the coastguard said, adding that the search for the remaining crew was ongoing. “We’re still looking for others right now,” Petty Officer Jonathan Lally, a spokesperson for the coastguard, told The Washington Post early yesterday. The operation came as an unexpectedly strong storm hit the area, creating dangerous conditions for boats in the Gulf. The National Oceanic…

CHENNAI: Indian monsoons are likely to become stronger and more erratic if global warming continues unchecked, threatening farming and incomes across the region, researchers said yesterday. Monsoon rains will likely increase by about 5% for every degree Celsius of warming, found the study of more than 30 state-of-the-art climate models from around the world, published in the journal Earth System Dynamics. “What is really on the line is the socio-economic well-being of the Indian subcontinent,” said co-author Anders Levermann, a climate scientist at Germany’s Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Columbia University.…

iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said that its decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60% was a response to arch-foe Israel’s “nuclear terrorism” against its Natanz facility. Tehran starting advanced centrifuges and producing more highly refined uranium “is a response to your malice,” Rouhani said in a message ro the Jewish state. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement but public radio reports in the country said it was a sabotage operation by Mossad. Iran’s announcement of stepped-up enrichment has cast a shadow over talks in Vienna aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal.…

Ashfak Mohamed THE good news for potential South African athletes is that Sascoc has raised the funds to send both the Olympic and Paralympic teams to Tokyo. But it will not be “business as usual” in the Japanese capital, due to Covid-19 protocols. Sascoc president Barry Hendricks announced during the 100-day countdown press conference in Johannesburg yesterday that the governing body will cover all costs for Team SA, after recent reports that some sporting codes may have to raise some of their own funds to compete in Tokyo. In unveiling shoe brand Veldskoen as a new sponsor, Hendricks stated that a “new sentiment” had developed among sponsors and the business community to support Team SA. “And just yesterday, we sat with another sponsor, which we will announce in the next…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi AND Reuters THE EU Commission has decided not to renew Covid-19 vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), media in the region report. Italian media yesterday reported: “The European Commission, in agreement with the leaders of many EU countries, has decided that the contracts with the companies that produce (viral vector) vaccines that are valid for the current year will not be renewed at their expiry.” Their move follows the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommending a pause in the issuing of the Janssen vaccine over “potentially dangerous” blood-clotting concerns. Of the more than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine administered in the US, the CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za IN a letter to the registrar of the Constitutional Court and sent in response to a directive from Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng that Jacob Zuma should recommend an appropriate sentence for himself after he defied the summons of the Zondo Commission, Zuma said no trial had taken place. Instead of filing the required 15-page affidavit which was due yesterday, the former president instead penned a 21-page letter. He said his decision not…

Vuyolwethu Fundam Vuyolwethu.Fundam@africannewsagency.com A clean pet is a happy pet, according to budding business owner Masakhane Sotayisi. Sotayisi, 30, has a career in the performing arts as an opera singer, which started with Isango Ensemble, a Cape Town-based theatre company, in 2013. In February, Sotayisi went from sounds to hounds. He started offering a dog-washing service in his local community in Makhaya, Khayelitsha. Like many others who have careers in the arts, Sotayisi was not exempted from the unexpected disruptions that came with the Covid-19 pandemic. In March last year South Africa went into lockdown, which saw the closure of borders and businesses, and the banning of large gatherings. Because performances require an audience, everything came to a halt and he could work only virtually. The idea of starting a…

Staff writer THE Kruger National Park’s (KNP) newest and first-ever female head ranger, Cathy Dreyer, is looking forward to assuming the position, at a time when the park is working on its turnaround plan. Known as the “Rhino Whisperer” after kicking off her career at Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) 20 years ago, Dreyer is no stranger to the challenges faced by ranger corps in conservation management and fighting wildlife crime. “I am incredibly humbled by this opportunity, particularly at a time when the Kruger National Park is vigorously and earnestly working on its turnaround plan. “Leadership is a privilege and I look forward to working alongside the dedicated, committed and passionate ranger corps and conservation management teams in the park,” she said. KNP managing executive Gareth Coleman said SA…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za THE public protector (PP) will launch a nationwide investigation into how the gender-based violence (GBV) victim support system is working and the challenges that plague it. This was inspired by the murder of Altecia Kortje who was killed in Belhar last year, allegedly by an ex-boyfriend. The PP investigated officials at Bellville Magistrate’s Court on allegations that they had turned Kortje, 27, away when she needed help with a domestic violence issue. The institution yesterday cleared the officials of any wrongdoing, and said the case “inspired” the organisation to launch a nationwide investigation. “Through the investigation, the public protector seeks to see to it that the system that is currently in place to assist victims of GBV is less cumbersome, more welcoming, accommodating and user-friendly,” said…

THE international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has welcomed Japan’s announcement that it would dispose of treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA was prepared to provide technical support in monitoring and reviewing the plan’s safe and transparent implementation. Japan’s chosen water disposal method was technically feasible and in line with international practice, Grossi said. Controlled water discharges into the sea are routinely used by operating nuclear power plants in the world and in the region under specific regulatory authorisations based on safety and environmental impact assessments. “Today’s decision by the government of Japan is a milestone that will help pave the way for continued progress in the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant,” he said. “Tanks with the…

IT’S HARD to believe any public statement that Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande makes around the fees debate. He has been the one appearing to be undermining Struggle icon and slain SACP general secretary Chris Hani’s declaration that “we are unapologetic when we say that education must be free”. As the current SACP general secretary, you would have thought Nzimande would use his position as the minister of higher education, science and technology to champion and advance the former Umkhonto we Sizwe chief of staff’s noble cause. Instead, Nzimande appears to have made it his business that any demands poor students make do not see the light of day. He has been at odds with the same values the SACP of Chris Hani and the Freedom Charter…

Somalia’s president has signed a disputed law extending his mandate for two years, the state news agency reported, setting the Horn of Africa nation on a collision course with donors who strongly oppose the move. Somalia, with only limited central government since 1991, is trying to rebuild with international help but the path back to stability has been obstructed by a political crisis caused by a failure to hold elections that were due in February. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s 4-year term expired in February and his successor was meant to be chosen by a new crop of legislators. Uncertainty deepened after opponents accused Mohamed of packing regional and national election boards with his own supporters. On Monday, the lower house of parliament passed legislation to extend Mohamed’s tenure, the state…

ATHENS: Greece and Libya have agreed to hold talks on marking out their maritime zones in the Mediterranean, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said yesterday, after a meeting with the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi. In a statement after the meeting, Mitsotakis said the two leaders “agreed on the immediate resumption of talks between Greece and Libya on the delimitation of the maritime zones”. Libya’s new unity government took office on March 16, succeeding two warring administrations that had ruled eastern and western regions during a decade of violent chaos since the overthrow of autocratic leader Muammar Gaddafi.…

Haiti’s government has resigned and a new prime minister has been appointed, President Jovenel Moise announced yesterday, saying the change was aimed at tackling insecurity in the country, which is grappling with a rise in violence and ongoing political crisis. “The resignation of the government will make it possible to address the glaring problem of insecurity and continue discussions with a view to reaching the consensus necessary for the political and institutional stability of our country,” Moise tweeted. The new prime minister is Claude Joseph, currently the minister for foreign affairs, the president stated. Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is plagued by poverty, insecurity and natural disaster. Moise, who is facing popular anger and demands he resign amid the government’s failure to reign in criminal violence, is on…

Eshlin Vedan Though Kaizer Chiefs have been significantly below-par in terms of their DStv Premiership performances this season, Gavin Hunt’s troops did show that they have some resolve by advancing to the quarter-final stage of this season’s CAF Champions League. The Glamour Boys earned a vital 2-2 away draw to Horoya in their final Group C game last weekend which ensured that they advanced to the quarter-finals as group runners-up, behind Wydad AC. “It was very difficult in Guinea. We know how Africa is. We managed to come up with a good result which made us qualify for the quarter-finals. It is a great feeling because the Champions League is not just any cup. “We know that we are representing South Africa in Africa so it is a great feeling,”…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za TRADE conditions in South Africa have turned more positive following a meaningful improvement in March after the lockdown in December dampened trade. Sacci said that the sentiment had improved significantly from a year ago, with the Trade Expectations Index (TEI) increasing by not less than 13 index points a year ago. The pro-business lobby group said the lockdown process had an adverse effect on business and a number of regular respondents went out of business. It said the restrictions gave way to a more optimistic outlook in February and March. Sacci chief executive Alan Mukoki said the improvement of trade conditions was in all the elements of trade, particularly sales volumes and new orders. The six-month expectations on components such as sales, orders, supplies and inventories…

HULAMIN said yesterday that the Covid-19 outbreak caused a major disruption in its operations as sales volumes declined by 24 percent to 166 000 tons in the year to end December. However, the group said the London Metals Exchange price of aluminium, which mainly affects working capital and metal price lag, was stronger during the period, climbing to $2 018 (R29 375) a ton, up from $1 770 a ton a year earlier and the rand price of aluminium rose by 18 percent by the end of 2020. But group turnover fell by 20 percent to R8.55 billion, while its headline loss improved to R210 million compared to R240m reported last year. Chief executive Richard Jacob said the group faced strong…

Jura Koncius Like many other people, since the pandemic started last March, my husband and I have eaten a lot of meals with plates propped on our laps while watching Netflix. A blob of something I dropped on our new leather chair went undetected for a few days. Then, when it could not be easily wiped off, my industrious husband took the abrasive side of a sponge to it, leaving scratches that looked as if a bear had dragged its claws across the surface. More on that later. Our time stuck inside has left its mark not only on our mental health, finances and waistlines, but also on our home furnishings. We rounded up five major areas of damage and consulted experts (and TikTok) for the best ways to…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za AT LEAST 31 independent schools subsidised by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) are failing to comply with the department’s regulations. According to the department, this was due to schools experiencing challenges with registration of their teachers with the South African Council for Educators (Sace). Since the start of the year about eight schools have been found to have employed unqualified teachers or student teachers. The Darul Islam Islamic High School recently landed in hot water after it was found to be non-compliant with all the WCED registration requirements for independent schools. The department said the school relocated without informing it, did not apply for accreditation with Umalusi and due to a high staff turnover, not all teachers were registered with Sace. WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said…

Vernon Mchunu PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan meddled with the judiciary when he had asked Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng how “a friend” of his had performed during an interview for candidates to fill posts at the Supreme Court of Appeal. This is the view of two independent commentators, who hit out at Gordhan as it surfaced this week during the interviews for the two vacant posts in the Constitutional Court. The comments come as the EFF confirmed yesterday that the party had lodged a complaint of alleged corruption against Gordhan, then minister of finance, in relation to the matter. Speaking after lodging the complaint at Hillbrow police station, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu said corruption was not just about the exchange of money, but that the abuse of those in…

OWN Correspondent WHILE some gobble as much as they can, others digest slowly, and others are starving for food. These are some of the recently discovered eating habits of massive black holes made by an international team of scientists led by Dr Jack Radcliffe of the University of Pretoria (UP). The team, which included astronomers professors Peter Barthel (University of Groningen, Netherlands) and Michael Garrett (University of Manchester, UK), concluded that central black hole growth can occur in many kinds of galaxies. Published as a series of two papers in the international journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the research entailed a systematic study of the occurrence and nature of nuclear activity in galaxies. The team investigated issues including: which types of galaxies do the central black holes start eating? How does…

Athandile Siyo athandile.siyo@inl.co.za THE suspected Kraaifontein serial rapist who has been on the run from police was nabbed 30km from his house on Monday night, in Mfuleni. Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said: “A 36-year-old male was arrested and detained on Monday after detectives tracked and arrested the suspect to an address in Extension 3, Mfuleni.” The man is alleged to have raped five eight-year-old children – four girls and a boy – in Wallacedene. Angry parents and residents on Sunday night tore down his shack in Masondo Street. The parents yesterday welcomed the arrest and called on the law to take its course. A parent whose identity is being withheld said he was relieved that the man was in custody. “I can now sleep at night because him being on…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za MURDER-accused Melvin Volkwyn has admitted to a “wrong decision” he had made when he took slain one-year-old Orderick Lucas with him to a drug house to buy a mandrax tablet, the day before the toddler’s disappearance. This emerged in the Western Cape High Court yesterday as Volkwyn was questioned by Acting Judge Nolundi Nyati, after he gave his testimony in court earlier this week. Nyati questioned Volkwyn about why he had taken the toddler from the home of State witness Eon Adams, where he was in a “protected environment” and watching cartoons and eating homemade chips. “It isn’t such a safe environment. Everybody comes there and smokes and Orderick isn’t used to staying at Adams’s place,” said Volkwyn. According to Volkwyn, he had taken Orderick as it…

Zama Mthunzi THE formation and announcement of the ANC Youth League National Youth Task Team (ANCYL NYTT) on April 8 has brought back the much-needed discussion of youth leadership in the country. Although the primary objective of the ANCYL NYTT is to deliver the long-awaited congress of the ANCYL that has been postponed several times now, the revival of a once powerful political force in South Africa is on the cards. One cannot forget the vibrant ANCYL from way back, the ANCYL of Anton Lembede with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo to the more recent ANCYL under the likes of Malusi Gigaba, Fikile Mbalula and lastly Julius Malema. It is no secret that the ANCYL has been in disarray for almost 10 years now…

A western Japanese city cancelled the Tokyo Olympics torch relay over spiking coronavirus cases yesterday, fuelling fresh fears about whether the pandemic-postponed Games should go ahead with just 100 days until the opening ceremony. Even as Tokyo unveiled installations featuring the Olympic rings and mascots to celebrate the 100-day milestone, organisers face monumental challenges as the virus surges. Organisers have barred overseas fans and postponed test events, but they insist preparations are on track. Cancellation was “certainly not” on the table, International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president John Coates said yesterday. “The Tokyo Games will be the light at the end of the tunnel.” For organisers, there are some causes for optimism. The Olympic torch is on its way across Japan, despite being forced off public roads in the Osaka region…

Yaoundé: Cameroonian security forces have arbitrarily arrested, beaten or threatened at least 24 people since February under a law that criminalises same-sex relations, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. “These recent arrests and abuses raise serious concerns about a new upsurge in anti-LGBT persecution in Cameroon,” the HRW’s Neela Ghoshal said in a statement. “The law criminalising s ame-sex conduct puts LGBT people at a heightened risk of being mistreated, tortured, and assaulted without any consequences for the abusers,” wrote Ghoshal, associate director of HRW’s gay rights programme.…

BRUSSELS: A coalition of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan will leave the country in coordination with a planned US withdrawal by September 11, Washington’s top diplomat said yesterday. Around 7 000 non-US forces from mainly NATO countries, but also from Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, outnumber the 2 500 US troops in Afghanistan but still rely on US air support, planning and leadership for their training mission. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was time for NATO allies to make good on its mantra that allies went into Afghanistan together and would leave together.…

Stuart Hess South Africa 203/5 (Markram 63, Malan 55; Nawaz 2/38) Pakistan 205/1 (Babar 122) Pakistan win by 9 wickets Babar Azam delivered another masterful innings at SuperSport Park as Pakistan successfully chased a total of more than 200 for the first time. The Pakistan captain has already produced an innings of rich quality on this tour - in the opening ODI at the same venue - and yesterday’s performance was also packed with classical shots. Babar, made 122 off just 59 balls, hitting 15 fours and four sixes, and was more aggressive than in the ODI, because this situation demanded it, after South Africa had batted along at 10 an over throughout their innings. The pursuit of a target as substantial as 204 was completed comfortably with 12…

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged his side’s 1-0 defeat by Porto on Tuesday might not have been a spectacle for neutrals, but he revelled in their willingness to scrap as they reached the Champions League semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate. Chelsea had the advantage from the first leg and spent most of the 90 minutes cancelling out the Portuguese, who finally scored two minutes into added time with a tremendous overhead kick from Mehdi Taremi. “We accepted what was needed was a tough, tough fight. Maybe on the television it was not so nice to watch, but on the sidelines, it was a very intense game, a very fast game,” Tuchel told BT Sport. “It was a pleasure to watch the fight and be on the sideline with them to see…