Table of contents for 2022-02-03 in Cape Times

THERE are growing fears among careful economists that South Africa’s descent into a cesspit of neoliberal ideals such as the current development by dispossession may have now crossed an inflection point. The consequences, both economic and social, could be unfathomably dire. Development by dispossession is a route through which accumulation by dispossession is first achieved using the parliamentary money bills process. Interested politicians and aligned bureaucrats seek to enfeeble the state and the population at large in a static and monolithic logic of subsidising profit accumulation by private firms of the local elite and their connected foreign counterparts. The rest of the private sector (majority) is fed on an ever-slimming diet of credit, chokingly high interest rates and drying state support. South Africa’s dispossession is attained by encoding in economic…

Oluthando Keteyi Racy dancer and reality TV star, Zodwa Wabantu, is enjoying every minute of her relationship with Olefile Mpudi. Zodwa is seemingly in love with her Ben 10, so much so that she has even inked his name on her wrist. The happy couple took to Instagram to debut their new body art, which could be described as a form of them professing their love to each other. In the video, Zodwa says getting a tattoo of her boyfriend’s name as old as she is, people are going to say her boyfriend is making her crazy. Despite the anticipated judgement, Zodwa explained that they got the ink for their love and happiness. In her caption on Instagram, Zodwa referred to her man as the love of her life. “Getting…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za AUDITOR-General Tsakani Maluleke says her office is concerned that few municipalities have presented credible and useful performance information during the audit period. She told the National Council of Provinces during a workshop on local government yesterday that if 24% of municipalities could present credible performance information, it showed there was a lack of discipline in performance planning, monitoring and oversight. She said this was also the case where 28% of municipalities submitted credible financial statements for audit. These issues must be addressed in municipalities, she said. Maluleke said these problems also pointed to the fact that their recommendations as the office of the auditor-general were ignored. The last audit report of the AG, released last June, showed a number of problems in municipalities. “If you turn to…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za A LOCAL black contractor has taken the Stellenbosch Municipality to court for “abruptly” ending a 3-year contract he and 12 other contractors were awarded, a month after they had already started working. The contractor, Deon Klaasens, from Deon Garden and Construction, feels he and others were prejudiced against as they were all black contractors and the municipality’s reasons for ending the contract were allegedly unsubstantiated. Klaasens filed a civil claim against the municipality in the Western Cape High Court for damages amounting to more than R4 million. The municipality maintains Klaasens was paid what he was owed. According to court documents the municipality appointed Klaasen’s company to clear invasive alien vegetation from an area within the municipal boundaries from May 30, 2019 until June 30, 2021.…

Ingredients Method 250g soft butter or margarine (at room temperature) ¼ cup cooking oil 1 extra large egg 1 cup white sugar 4 cups self-raising flour 2 cups coarse dessicated coconut 1 level tsp baking powder 3 tsp ground cardamom (powder) 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground naartjie (satsuma, citrus) peel, optional Topping: Saucer filled with white sugar Glacé cherries Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, coconut, baking powder, spices and mix to a fairly stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, to about 5mm thickness, and scrape the top with a fork for a rough surface. To prevent the dough sticking to the rolling pin, cover the dough with a piece of…

Marsha Dean Marsha.Dean@inl.co.za A STUDENT debt stokvel has enabled 102 South African graduates to pay off their existing academic debt. The pilot phase of the Wesolve4x Student Debt Stokvel has been described as a resounding success, having raised R1.3 million, with its founders now calling on more people to contribute towards decreasing debt that oppresses many youth. The initiative was established in November last year. Founder and chief executive Tsietsi Ngobese said he was familiar with the struggle of not being able to pay tuition fees and had experienced the uprising of the #FeesMustFall movement while studying at the University of the Free State in 2015. “I understand the pain and frustration of not knowing whether you are going to return to campus the following year. We are told education…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za A PAARL assistant teacher was arrested for allegedly raping a 17-year-old leaner with his friends, prompting calls for all teacher assistants to provide police clearance when applying for positions. The incident is alleged to have taken place last week at Ihlumelo Secondary School in Paarl. Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said the rape case docket was registered on January 24. “A 24-year-old assistant teacher was arrested on (January 25) on rape charges. According to the victim … she was at school for extra-maths classes then she went to the toilet to relieve herself. When she was done the suspect (maths assistant teacher) came and grabbed her. His friend pulled down her (underwear) and the suspect raped her; after he was done the other guy raped her as…

THE DA is not fooling anyone by thinking its silence on the scandal involving its Western Cape chairperson and suspended Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz will put the party in a much better position. Quite the opposite, this scandal will have a devastating impact on the party’s already compromised image and will fuel the perception that the DA is vocal on matters concerning other organisations, but keeps quiet when its own are involved. The voices of John Steenhuisen and Helen Zille have been notably missing since the news broke about allegations against Fritz. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde suspended him following allegations that he sexually abused young women who were part of the Extended Public Works Programme while he was Social Development MEC. These allegations are so serious that they…

Two out-of-control bushfires yesterday threatened lives and homes in Western Australia, with blistering temperatures set to intensify in the coming days. An emergency warning for the outskirts of Perth was issued after a blaze, that has now burned through about 100 hectares, began Tuesday. Authorities are concerned about the fire reaching residential areas, as fierce winds strain containment lines. Emergency services have told residents they are “in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes”. Perth is forecast to hit near 40°C until Saturday. “The emergency warning remains in place due to the wind intensity that is impacting the fire ground today, which continues to put pressure on containment lines,” the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said. Meanwhile, a second bushfire…

Ethiopia’s human rights body yesterday implicated security forces in the killings of more than a dozen civilians last year in an incident that has stoked tensions in the restive Oromia region. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said the victims were “cruelly killed with gunshots in the presence of local officials and security officials after being arrested and forcibly taken to a forest” roughly 200km east of the capital Addis Ababa. “EHRC has reasonable grounds to believe this amounted to extrajudicial killings,” it said in a statement, referring to the incident last December in the Fentale district. The dead were members of the Gada system of traditional governance practised by the Oromo ethnic group, Ethiopia’s largest. In 2016, Unesco inscribed the Gada system on its list of intangible cultural heritage of…

KABUL: Two Afghan journalists who disappeared this week have been released, their employer said yesterday, after the UN called on the Taliban to provide information on their whereabouts. Two reporters for broadcaster Ariana News were taken by unknown abductors on Monday, according to their news agency. The Taliban denied arresting them but said they were investigating the matter. Ali Asghari, the news manager at Ariana News, said they had been released but gave no more information. A spokesperson for the Taliban, Bilal Karimi, said he was not aware of the men’s release but would seek further information.…

KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that Kyiv was focused “only on peace”, but insisted his country had the right to defend itself amid fears of a potential Russian invasion. The Kremlin, which has deployed troops to Ukraine’s borders, has complained about Western arms deliveries to its neighbour. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday accused the West of using Ukraine as a “tool”. Zelensky said: “For us it is very important that these weapons are all for our defence. Our only concern is peace and ending the occupation of territory through purely diplomatic means.”…

Yogashen Pillay yogashen.pillay@inl.co.za POLICE Minister General Bheki Cele says detectives tasked with investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal are making good progress and have secured convictions. Cele was briefing the media in Durban yesterday following an Inter- Ministerial Committee meeting on political killings. Concerns have been raised about the killings of councillors and politicians in recent weeks after the murders of ANC eThekwini councillor Minenhle Mkhize and Amajuba speaker Bhekumndeni Ndima. Regarding those cases, Cele said progress was being made. He said that the police task team has since 2018 investigated 258 dockets in which 289 arrests have been made on politically-related cases; this is 32 more dockets compared to the last update in June 2021, with a 54% detection rate and 33% court rate and an 83% conviction rate. Most…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za JUSTICE Mandisa Maya, the only woman Chief Justice nominee, has promised to bring synergy between the superior and lower courts, defend the independence of the judiciary and push for the Office of the Chief Justice to be given full powers to manage the affairs of the courts, if appointed to the position. Justice Maya, who is the President of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), rejected suggestions that appointing her would weaken the SCA, because she was doing a good job, and said these comments were “patronising”. Responding to suggestions that it would destabilise the SCA if she were to be moved to the apex court, Justice Maya told the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interview panel yesterday: “I, and many other colleagues, find it most patronising and…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za ALTHOUGH the provincial Community Safety department has been rocked by serious allegations of sexual misconduct against suspended member of the executive council (MEC) Albert Fritz, it has been applauded for a clean audit and for the programmes it is planning. According to head of department Yashina Pillay, following concerns about Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers who don’t have an oversight body, a “high level” task team which includes the police, the department and the City of Cape Town will be established to look into the gap. During the 2020/21 financial year, there was a substantial funding increase of R417 million to capacitate the recruitment, training and deployment of LEAP officers. “The department recently had a meeting with the national minister of police, his senior management team,…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za Judgment in the review application case of anti-abortion doctor Jacques de Vos has been reserved in the North Gauteng High Court. The matter was heard yesterday where De Vos argued that his right to be heard had been infringed when a pregnant woman he was alleged to have treated in an unprofessional manner said she no longer wanted to proceed with the matter. During 2017, the woman lodged a complaint with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) against De Vos, who was an intern at 2 Military Hospital, for allegedly dissuading her from terminating her pregnancy. It was alleged that he likened her terminating her pregnancy to the “killing of a human being”. De Vos was charged with allegedly dissuading the patient from terminating her pregnancy,…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za THE ANC in the Western Cape said the City’s auction of properties would close the door on land being used for social housing, during a visit to one of the sites in Claremont due to be sold. However, the City said all properties up for auction have been thoroughly assessed and are not required for municipal purposes. The ANC yesterday held a briefing at a College Road property in Claremont saying the City wanted to auction the site located close to transport routes, shopping centres and schools, which could have contributed to both integration and densification. The ANC’s Cameron Dugmore said this and a Mitchells Plain plot were among 17 properties the City wanted to auction. Dugmore said building houses on this land could make a positive…

He joined black people in the Struggle against oppression from his fellow white people This Saturday marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Neil Aggett. As a history learner in high school, we were undermined and mocked as dumb for studying about the dead. You were seen as a person with no future because you were doing what was considered a worthless subject. Then you would be asked, how is it going to help as a career in studying the dead? This took its toll, frustrating some of us. It is unfortunate that that narrow narrative got its way for a long time. In a way it is still getting its way, because the curriculum of history has not undergone a complete transformation. It is because of this perception…

DUBAI: The US will send a warship and fighter jets to help defend the United Arab Emirates, officials said yesterday. after a series of missile attacks by Yemeni rebels left three dead in the wealthy Gulf state. The deployment, to “assist the UAE against the current threat”, follows a phone call between Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the US embassy in the UAE said. The UAE, part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran- backed Houthi rebels and a major financial hub, suffered its third missile attack in consecutive weeks on Monday. As part of the new arrangements, the USS Cole guided missile destroyer will partner with the UAE Navy and make a port call in Abu Dhabi, while the US will…

LOS ANGELES: Taraji P Henson will star in The Color Purple. The 51-year-old actress will play the role of Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s musical take on Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film of that name. The forthcoming Warner Bros movie is an adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical, itself an adaptation of the novel by Alice Walker. The production will be directed by Blitz – known for his work on Beyoncé’s Black is King – and Marcus Gardley has written the screenplay based on Walker’s book, Spielberg’s film and the musical.…

The United Nations has increased its fundraising target for victims of Typhoon Rai to $169 million (R2.6 billion) as the Philippines struggles to recover from the devastating storm, the organisation’s resident co-ordinator said yesterday. More than 400 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless after Rai hit the archipelago as a super typhoon in December, ripping off roofs, shredding wooden houses and wiping out crops. The UN initially sought $107.2m for 530 000 people in the hardest-hit areas in central and southern regions of the country flattened by the typhoon. But UN Resident Co-ordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez said more than 70 field assessments showed “humanitarian needs remain very high”. The new target of $169m would assist the 840 000 “most vulnerable people” in dire need of…

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday warned of risks of teleworking for physical health, such as back pains, and mental health issues, such as social isolation, constant stress and loneliness, while predicting that the trend will continue post-pandemic as employees hone in on its benefits. “When properly organised and supported, telework may have positive impacts on workers’ physical and mental health and social well-being. However, when the health and safety risks of teleworking are not prevented and workers cannot make healthy choices while teleworking, such work can have significant negative impacts on health,” the WHO said.…

HERMAN GIBBS herman.gibbs@gmail.com THE Disciplinary Board of CAF have come down hard on Roger da Sa for showing the opposition camp the middle finger during a fracas at the end of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations match between Egypt and Morocco on Sunday. Egypt ended 2-1 winners after extra time against Morocco in an ill-tempered Afcon quarter-final clash at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon. After the referee blew the final whistle, a post-match fracas followed between players and officials from the two north African countries who live and breathe football. It was the second time in the match that the players had squared up to each other. Around the 70th minute in the second half when the score was level at 1-1, Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed fouled…

Chevon Booysen Chevon.booysen@inl.co.za THE CITY has announced it will publish documents in the next two weeks detailing their upcoming procurement of power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). This will include the announcement of tenders for the purchase of electricity from IPPs and timelines for bringing IPP-generated electricity onto the City’s supply network. This comes after Eskom announced that stage 2 load shedding would be in effect until 5am on Monday after breakdowns at two more generating units. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “It has become clear to the City that if we wish to halt the damage caused by Eskom’s monopoly over electricity generation, we have to take matters into our own hands. The only way for us to provide reliable and affordable electricity to our residents is to source it…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za Former Eskom and Transnet chief executive Brian Molefe has expressed his frustration at the second report of the Commission of Inquiry into state capture, that recommended further investigations into his conduct in the posts. Molefe has been implicated in Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s report, which was released on Tuesday. However, he told Independent Media that he was frustrated by the outcomes of several probes into his conduct as head of the two key state-owned entities. “My life has been on hold for five years now. It looks like it will be like that for the next 10 years judging by Justice Zondo’s recommendations,” Molefe complained. He said ex-public protector Thuli Madonsela’s state of capture report, the subsequent parliamentary inquiry and now Justice Zondo’s report all called…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za REGISTRATION and shuttle services were disrupted at UCT yesterday as students protested over allegations of sexual harassment and rape levelled against a student leader, and a block on re-registration for those with outstanding fee debts of more than R1 000. UCT this week confirmed that it was investigating sexual assault allegations levelled against a student. This follows posts on social media accusing Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Mila Zibi of sexual assault and rape in October last year and that his SRC secretary-general Sandile Monoane was aware of the matter. UCT spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said students were protesting at a number of locations on the campus. “Protest actions are causing disruption to vehicle access to the campus and to the UCT shuttle service. There have also been…

ONE of the heroes who ensured the conviction and subsequent seven life terms for Pretoria West serial rapist Takalani Mulaudzi, 30, a week ago, said while he was elated at the outcome, the victory was not his alone. Sergeant Daniel Moshabela, who had burnt the midnight oil to ensure that the evidence against Malaudzi was watertight, said the victory belonged to the victims and his law enforcement partners. He not only lent a sympathetic ear to the more than 15 victims, but fought tooth and nail to ensure that the SAPS forensic laboratory had the DNA evidence ready in time for the rapist’s trial. This was not the first serial rapist Moshabela was instrumental in getting behind bars, but this was the longest sentence meted out to an accused in…

THE EFF’s stance to perform oversight in South African businesses, and in particular restaurants and the hospitality industry in general, appears to have caught the public by surprise. The EFF is arguing that the staff composition of businesses ought to accommodate a minimum of 50% South African citizens – an ideal which is not uncommon in emerging economies that not only want to protect their local markets, but also their local workforce. Those who have invested their time and energy in misrepresenting the ideological positions of the EFF have misread this to be a deviation, or as they call it, “flip-flop” from the initial position of the EFF. It is no secret that the EFF has taken a very unpopular position on the unity of Africa. With the levels of…

Twenty-six people were killed yesterday when an overhead high-voltage cable fell into a drainage ditch at a market in the DRC’s capital Kinshasa, local authorities said. “The cable snapped and the live end fell into a ditch filled with water after morning rain. At present, 26 people have died from electrocution,” said Charles Mbutamuntu, the spokes- person for the Kinshasa provincial government. The ditch runs across the popular Matadi-Kibala food market in the west of the city, a sprawling metropolis of more than 10 million people. “Most of the people killed were traders and customers, and some passers-by. The bodies are being taken to the morgue and an investigation has been opened to establish responsibility,” Mbutamuntu said. Videos on social media showed corpses slumped over market stalls with their legs…

LOS ANGELES: Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, has come out in support of podcast host Joe Rogan, who posted a video on Instagram clarifying his stand over controversy around the spreading of Covid misinformation on Spotify. Rogan insisted that he was only debating the issue with his podcast guests, including Dr Peter McCullough, who made a series of false claims about Covid. “My pledge to you is that I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives, so we can maybe find a better point of view,” Rogan said in the video. Johnson commented: “Great stuff here, brother. Perfectly articulated.” Johnson told Rogan that he “looks forward” to coming on the podcast one day and “breaking out the tequila with you”.…

Bissau: At least six people were killed in a failed attempt to overthrow Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, state radio said yesterday. The dead in Tuesday’s incident included four assailants and two members of the presidential guard. Embaló announced on Tuesday night that the situation was under control after gunfire rang out for more than five hours near a government compound where he was holding a cabinet meeting. The West African country has had 10 coups or attempted coups since independence from Portugal in 1974. West Africa has been hit by a string of military coups over the past 18 months…

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he will get on with the job of governing, after another of his Conservative lawmakers said they planned to submit a letter of no confidence in his leadership. Asked yesterday by a lawmaker in parliament about the latest letter, Johnson responded: “It tells me it is more vital than ever for the government of this country to get on with the job, deliver our Covid recovery plan, and that is what we are doing.” Johnson said he would comply with the law, when asked about the potential outcomes of a police probe into gatherings at No 10 Downing Street during lockdowns.…