Table of contents for 2023-12-29 in Cape Times

The wedding season is almost upon us and Claire Pettibone has launched her 2024 bridal collection as we close the year. Titled “Moonlight Reverie”, the collection draws inspiration from mystical realms of fairies, enchanted forests, intricate floral embroidery, crystals, and whimsical details. “I’ve always loved fairies. These ethereal creatures are beautiful and a bit naughty. As a child, I spent hours making fairy dresses from flowers and leaves and building tiny homes for them amidst the mossy forest. I grew up, but the fairies have stayed with me, now through dressing my brides and creating ethereal wedding gowns to bring them into our world,” said the designer. “Many of our brides share ‘forest fairy vibes’ as a mood for their dream wedding. And so it was a joy to create…

THE customary rite of passage into manhood has yet again been deadly in the Eastern Cape with 30 deaths recorded at initiation schools. This summer’s initiation season has been marred by shooting incidents, assaults, torture and dehydration. According to provincial police spokesperson Majola Nkohli, the SAPS had arrested about 80 suspects as of December 20, including 16 women, for allowing minors as young as 13 years old to undergo the rite of passage. “Other suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from illegal circumcision to murder. The teams that are operating in the eight districts of the province rescued around 175 initiates from illegal initiation schools, and destroyed several illegal schools. “The arrests were effected in the province as part of tightening our grip on criminal elements for contravening the Customary…

THE Cabinet has approved a framework for a high-speed rail with a feasibility study prioritised for the Johannesburg to Durban corridor. This as a new smart city in the area, currently known as Lanseria, is expected to be home to between 350 000 and 500 000 people by 2030. This was revealed by President Cyril Ramaphosa when he was responding to a parliamentary question from DA leader John Steenhuisen, who enquired about progress made in delivering the bullet trains and smart cities he promised during the State of the Nation Address in June 2019. Ramaphosa at the time expressed his vision for a South Africa where the first entirely new city constructed in the democratic era would emerge, featuring skyscrapers, schools, universities, hospitals, and factories. “We should imagine a country…

Insufficient political attention to challenges is an indictment on all parties THE excitement of ending one year and entering another invariably wears off as you get older, but it does not mean we cannot find some magic in the transition from 2023 to 2024. If 2022 was novel – like the unprecedented life challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic – then 2023 took on a danker, darker tone. The severe impact of the pandemic, corruption, climate change, political killings, dysfunctional government and associated restrictions to socio-economic development all continued to apply a blowtorch to many aspects of our public and private lives. The shapes that emerged from the heat were often not pretty. But despite it all, we found a way to live, love and watch sports. Political journalists…

Thousands massed yesterday in the Iranian capital for the funeral of senior Revolutionary Guards commander Razi Moussavi, three days after he was killed in what Tehran says was an Israeli strike. The crowd in Tehran’s central Imam Hossein square chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to America”. Many waved yellow flags imprinted with the message “I am your opponent”, a reference to Israel, in both Persian and Hebrew. Israel has long fought a shadow war of assassinations and sabotage against arch foe Iran and its allies, but Moussavi’s killing in Syria came at a time of sharply heightened regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict since early October. Some of the mourners in Tehran carried pictures of Moussavi together with the revered Qasem Soleimani, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary…

The death toll from a petrol tanker explosion in central Liberia has risen to more than 40, the country’s chief medical officer said yesterday. The tanker carrying petrol crashed and tipped into a ditch along a road in Totota, about 130km from the capital Monrovia on Tuesday. President George Weah sent his “profoundest sympathy” to the families of victims. “So far more than 40 deaths have been recorded since a tanker transporting fuel had an accident and later exploded,” the presidency said. “There were lots of people that got burned,” said Prince Mulbah, deputy inspector-general for the police. Another police officer, Malvin Sackor, said that after the crash, some locals had begun to collect leaking petrol when the tanker exploded, killing some and wounding others. Witness Aaron Massaquoi said that…

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy yesterday thanked the US for releasing the last remaining package of weapons available for Ukraine under existing authorisation, as uncertainty surrounds further aid to his country. Zelenskiy had warned that any change in policy from the US, Kyiv’s main backer, could have a strong impact on the course of the war. US President Joe Biden has made backing Ukraine a priority and US weapons and financial assistance have been crucial in helping the pro-Western country battle against a far larger attacking Russian force. Zelenskiy said the equipment in the final package “will cover Ukraine’s most pressing needs”. | AFP…

Biarritz: A French star chef has abruptly quit his luxury hotel job after a hazing in which a kitchen hand was reportedly tied up naked and humiliated, the hotel chain said yesterday. Aurelien Largeau, 31, who has a coveted Michelin star to his name, ran the restaurant of the prestigious Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, south-western France, until last week when he suddenly left. A spokesperson for hotel owners Hyatt said the management had been informed of a “troubling incident”, footage of which had been shared online. A kitchen hand was tied to a chair naked for hours with an apple in his mouth and a carrot in his anus. | AFP…

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has dismissed a suggestion that the exodus of high-ranking officials from state-owned entities (SOEs) was due to his undue political interference at the entities. The SOEs falling under Gordhan have seen resignations of top officials in recent months. Former Transnet CEO Portia Derby’s resignation was announced at the end of September and was followed by that of Transnet Freight Rail CEO Siza Mzimela. Former Transnet CFO Nonkululeko Dlamini took up a position at Telkom, and former Transnet managing executive for the critical export coal line, Ali Motala, left for “personal reasons”. Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter resigned in December 2022, former Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer retired in April, and former Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana also called it quits, as did Popo…

THE State Information Technology Agency (Sita) has launched legal proceedings relating to the R1.2 billion tender awarded for the provision of Local Area Network (LAN) services to Western Cape schools. Its decision follows an independent investigation which found a number of irregularities including that the process “was marred by confusion and alleged non-compliance with local content requirements”. The probe recommended the withdrawal of the tender. Sita spokesperson Tlali Tlali said: “Sita has briefed a senior counsel to draft court papers to be filed at the high court to initiate legal proceedings in the matter. The agency has accepted the recommendations from the independent forensic investigation conducted by a reputable lawyer. “We are of the view that due to irregularities identified, as an organ of state, Sita is legally bound to…

WHILE safety at Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has had a boost with the addition of 40 tourism monitors on the ground, hikers continue to be mugged while using some trails. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said Claremont police registered a case of robbery “with something other than a firearm” after two people were mugged at Newlands Forest last Friday. “According to reports from the complainant, she was walking with a friend in Newlands Forest on December 22 at around 7.35am. An unknown man, armed with a knife, approached and grabbed her necklace and demanded her mobile device. The suspect fled the scene and is yet to be arrested,” said Swartbooi. Another social media user detailed an alleged robbery at about 12.30pm on Wednesday, also in Newlands. “My partner and I…

On December 21, I attended a funeral in Gqeberha. It was the farewell to the greatest music voice I have ever listened to – Kholisile “Kotla” Booi – the father to a young man, Likhwithemba “Likhey” Booi, who plays the role of Sivuyile in Gqeberha the Empire. Not only did God bless him with a powerful voice that could handle high notes with ease, but he also composed music. According to his fellow group member in Inspiration Ministries, Luvuyo “Milo” Magalela, “Kotla was more effective when he wrote music for his group and other groups”. He was a lyrical genius. What moved me the most at Kotla’s funeral and sent torrents down my cheeks were the two tributes by his children. Great speakers stood and spoke well of Kotla…

The rapid advance of Sudanese paramilitaries has intensified calls on civilians to carry arms, raising the spectre of the eight-month conflict between rival generals transforming into full-blown civil war. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seized most of Sudan’s southern Al-Jazira state including its capital Wad Madani and begun pushing further south into Sennar state in their war against the army. Amid growing claims of abuses by RSF fighters, groups of civilians have called for “armed popular resistance” across the Sudanese states of White Nile, River Nile, Gedaref, North, Kassala and the Red Sea. The RSF meanwhile has ordered inhabitants of areas brought under its control to provide the paramilitary force with volunteers who would be armed to “protect their territory”. The fighting since April 15 pits army chief…

Cell and gene therapy (CGT) will have the greatest impact on the pharmaceutical industry in 2024, according to a report yesterday. The report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, is based on a survey of 115 healthcare industry professionals. It revealed that 18% of industry professionals were convinced that CGT will dominate as the most important trend in pharma next year. This was followed by personalised/precision medicine (16%). “These therapies promise life-changing treatments for a broad spectrum of complex diseases ranging from genetic conditions to cancers,” said Urte Jakimaviciute, senior director of Market Research at GlobalData. Although GlobalData anticipates cell and gene therapies to become an established treatment modality in the years to come, higher development and production costs, the risk of clinical trial failures, and intensifying pricing and…

BRUSSELS: Türkiye’s parliament is unlikely to hold a full vote on Sweden’s bid to join Nato before mid-January, parliamentary sources said yesterday. Sweden’s accession to the US-led Western alliance was approved by the foreign affairs committee on Tuesday, bringing an end in sight to a 19-month stand-off that drew the wrath of Türkiye’s Western partners. It must now be voted by the full 600-seat parliament, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance holds the majority. The president would then need to sign it into law. Although Erdogan’s party could call for a special session to discuss the measure, it appears likely it will wait until after parliament’s scheduled return on January 15. | AFP…

WASHINGTON: US House Republicans are investigating whether US President Joe Biden tried to influence or obstruct his son Hunter Biden’s co-operation with the House impeachment inquiry, Congressmen James Comer and Jim Jordan said in a letter to the White House. The letter asks the White House to provide by January 10 all documents and communications sent or received by employees of the executive office of the president regarding Hunter Biden’s deposition. The White House said that Biden was aware of what his son planned to say when he defied a House subpoena to testify behind closed doors about his business dealings. He said he would only answer questions at a public hearing. | Sputnik…

As the number of festive season road fatalities continues to climb, tributes are pouring in for legendary South African playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema, who died in a head-on collision on the R61 near Bizana in the Eastern Cape. In a statement, the family said Ngema was a passenger in a vehicle returning from a funeral in Lusikisiki. Born in Verulam, Ngema’s – or Madlokovu as he was affectionately referred to by his clan name – work was internationally acclaimed, receiving Tony Award nominations for Asinamali and Sarafina!. Ngema, 68, also received Grammy Award nominations through his work in Sarafina! and The Lion King. Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa expressed his condolences. “South Africa has lost one of its great playwrights, composers, lyricists, directors, and musicians. Dr Ngema’s…

HOW tragic. A family-issued statement confirmed that Mbongeni Ngema, 68, died in a head-on collision while returning from attending a funeral in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, on Wednesday. As news of the tragedy spread, something else followed in floods on our phone and television screens – a giant outpouring of emotion. The crash that killed the internationally renowned musician, composer, choreographer and playwright Ngema, affectionately known by his clan name “Madlokovu”, has laid bare how incoherent politicians, some media outlets and community members have become in attempting to respond to government policies aimed at preventing road crashes robbing us of our loved ones. South Africa is no longer having a policy debate. It has become a giant outpouring of emotion – mostly anger – as political opportunists assure grieving community members…

THE Competition Tribunal has confirmed, as an order, a consent agreement between the Competition Commission and the SPAR Group aimed at ending long-term exclusive lease agreements in the grocery retail sector. Exclusive lease agreements in the grocery sector usually grant a tenant, such as a national supermarket chain, exclusive rights to operate in a specific shopping centre to the exclusion of any other grocery retailers. The tribunal’s order means that the SPAR Group is now the third retailer in South Africa that has agreed to phase out long-term exclusive lease agreements in shopping centres across South Africa, following the release of the Commission’s Grocery Retail Market Inquiry report published in December 2019. The commission in its report concluded, among others, that long-term exclusive lease agreements perpetuate concentration levels and impede…

It’s nearly “stumps” for 2023, and it was a year to remember for South African sport. Of course, our superstar Springboks will be feted the most for their remarkable Rugby World Cup triumph, but there were many other success stories from Mzansi on the global stage. But let’s celebrate Siya Kolisi’s world champions once more, as they deserve every bit of adulation coming their way. Not only were they in the “Pool of Death” alongside Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania, but they managed to clinch the Webb Ellis Cup after losing to the Irish – emulating their 2019 achievement when they lost a group game to New Zealand. As if that wasn’t hard enough, the Boks had to face hosts France in the quarter-final, and thus began a series of…

MEXICAN and US officials said yesterday they had made progress this week in emergency talks on curbing a surge in migration – a major headache for US President Joe Biden as he enters an election year. Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid an unusual Christmas week visit to Mexico City as the rival Republican Party presses Biden for a migration crackdown in return for agreeing in Congress to one of his key priorities – support for Ukraine. The day trip was announced last week after Biden spoke by telephone with Mexican President Andres Lopez Obrador, who met for more than two hours with Blinken and other officials. Lopez Obrador, writing on X, said “important agreements were reached”. A senior US official said Mexican leaders told the US delegation about…

Beijing: China was taking proactive measures to counter new Covid-19 cases caused by the JN1 variant of the virus, which was spreading globally, China’s health authority said yesterday. “China is routinely monitoring Covid-19 infections to determine the trend of infection spread and virus mutation,” said Li Zhengmao, an official with the national administration of disease prevention and control. Li noted that infections in China were at a low level. He said the variant exhibited increased immune escape and spreading capability but did not appear more pathogenic, and that vaccines targeting the XBB variants were still effective. | IANS…

San Francisco: Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube collectively made nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue from US-based users younger than 18 years of age in 2022, a new study has revealed. In 2022, YouTube had 49.7 million users under the age of 18, Tik Tok had 18.9 million, Snapchat 18 million, Instagram 16.7 million, Facebook 9.9 million, and X 7 million, the study found. YouTube derived the greatest ad revenue from users 12 and under ($959.1m), followed by Instagram ($801.1m) and Facebook ($137.2m). | IANS…

The Stormers are on the verge of extending their record at home against the local teams and ending another year unbeaten against them in the United Rugby Championship. Only the Sharks stand between them and a second consecutive year without bowing the knee to the three SA franchises. The last time the former URC champions lost against a domestic side was against the Lions back in December of 2021. Since then, they have swept their local competition aside, and will be looking to follow the same path in the coastal derby at Cape Town Stadium tomorrow (7pm kick-off). It seems like the Stormers have found their attacking rhythm just in time for this Sharks battle, as the Durban side have some prolific World Cup winners in lock Eben Etzebeth, wing…