Table of contents for 2024-01-05 in Cape Times

THE KWAZULU-NATAL parents association has warned that some of the changes proposed in the Basic Education Law Amendment (Bela) Bill would be impossible to implement and could be detrimental to pupils’ welfare. The Bill is currently out for public comment, a process expected to be completed in the coming weeks. It has proposed a raft of measures dedicated to ensure the children’s right to education are protected. Changes include that Grade R will be made compulsory and it also amends the penalty provision in the case where the parent of a pupil, or any other person, without just cause, prevents a pupil who is subject to compulsory attendance from attending school. It also provides that the governing body of a public school must submit the admission and language policies of…

from page 1 payment. They are the ones that have really lost here.” Newlands head curator Braam Mong has come under fierce criticism for the pitch that was provided for the marquee Test of the summer. Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince claimed he has “never seen a Newlands pitch like this before”, while head coach Shukri Conrad stated it is a “sad state when you need more luck than skill. All the ethics and values of Test cricket goes out the window.” Newlands’ food vendors were less diplomatic, laying the blame squarely at the door of Mong as they suffered heavy financial losses. “We prepare for at least three days of Test cricket. I buy in stock beforehand and I don’t have another outlet that I can send the stock…

Tightened measures result in 4 000 people without proper papers sent back Increased security measures have been put in place on South Africa’s roads and at borders to prevent smuggling of illegal goods or illegal entry, as by yesterday nearly 40 000 people had entered the country’s borders. More than 4 000 people have also been intercepted while attempting to illegally enter without proper documentation, according to the Border Management Authority (BMA). Many of these people were stopped at the Beitbridge Border Post in Limpopo and returned to Zimbabwe. BMA commissioner Mike Masiapato said operations have since been beefed up to curb the smuggling of illegal goods or people. “Thousands of people have been processed back into the country as part of the return leg. Deployments have been intensified at…

SOME reprieve from hot weather conditions is expected around the Cape this weekend after sweltering heat drove hundreds to City beaches. According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), temperatures in the mid to lower 20s are expected with a forecast of 23 degrees for today, 24 degrees for Saturday, and 21 degrees Sunday. This as beachgoers at Clovelly and Muizenberg were evacuated from the sea after shark sightings in the area yesterday. Shark Spotters confirmed on their social media platforms that seven bronze whaler sharks were spotted at Clovelly beach just after 3pm while another shark sighting was confirmed at Muizenberg beach just after 2pm. Water users were evacuated for precaution. Earlier in the day, the shark exclusion barrier had been deployed at Fish Hoek. Shark Spotters spokesperson, Alison…

Anna O Matthew Blake Loot.co.za (R581) Harper A young woman who has either sleepwalked into a nightmare or is cold-bloodedly awake – stands in a cabin clasping a bloody knife over the corpses of her two roommates. Seconds later, her parents receive an incriminating text from her phone that reads: “I’m sorry. I think I’ve killed them.” The London-based writer named Anna Ogilvy, then lapses into a deep post-traumatic sleep – a sleep that, when Anna O opens, has gone on for more than four years! According to Dr Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist who specialises in cases where people commit crimes while asleep, Anna’s epic snooze is a classic example of “resignation syndrome” – withdrawal from an unbearable reality. Dr Prince has been called in by the Ministry of…

IT IS not always the party in power or government that must be blamed for failures, but sometimes a department. When it comes to the honouring of activists, heroes, and heroines, the comrades from the party must put pressure on its comrades in government to do something. Some heroes who fought against the apartheid system on various fronts did not even see the freedom they had fought for. Even those who did are/were not known or honoured. When the history of this country is both written and read, it is rare to hear about the role Christians played against apartheid. Even if it is done, it is in small pockets. From the white community side, they know of only a few individuals like Beyers Naudé. They do not know about…

Israeli bombing killed dozens of people in besieged Gaza, the health ministry of the Hamas-run Palestinian territory said yesterday, as regional tensions have surged over the almost three-months-old war. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to head to the Middle East, a US official said on condition of anonymity, the top diplomat’s fourth trip to the region since the Hamas attack of October 7 triggered the bloodiest ever Gaza war. The Israeli military, in its campaign to destroy the Islamist militant group, has reported more strikes in and around Gaza City, now a largely devastated urban combat zone, and Khan Yunis, the biggest city in the territory’s south. The Gaza health ministry reported “dozens of martyrs and more than 100 wounded in the continued barbaric aerial and artillery…

Thousands of Japanese rescuers yesterday battled rubble and blocked roads as hopes faded for dozens listed as missing three days after a devastating earthquake that killed at least 81. Hundreds of people in more than a dozen communities remained cut off in Ishikawa prefecture in central Japan, devastated by the 7.5-magnitude quake on New Year’s Day. Regional governor Hiroshi Hase told a disaster management meeting that hours after the quake, “the survival rate of those in need of rescue is said to drop precipitously”. “This is the worst catastrophe” in the current Reiwa era in the Japanese calendar, which began in 2019 when the current emperor ascended the throne, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. An elderly woman trapped in a house destroyed by a huge earthquake in central Japan was…

London: Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler says he has what it takes to become a world champion after falling at the final hurdle in his history-making bid. The 16-year-old set London’s Alexandra Palace alight during the PDC World Darts Championship, which began in mid-December. He was one win away from becoming the youngest world champion after a gripping run to the final. But new world number one Luke Humphries came out on top on Wednesday, winning 7-4 to lift the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time. Littler said: “I just wanted to win one game … so this is a massive bonus. I have gained a lot of experience … I am in the top 32 now.” Humphries, 28, praised Littler. “He is going to win plenty, that’s for…

London: Tens of thousands of junior doctors in England have started six days of industrial action over pay disputes, marking the longest strike in the National Health Service’s (NHS) 75-year history. The walkouts came after talks collapsed between the government and BMA members, who have been calling for a 35% pay increase. In September 2023, NHS doctors in England began to receive pay rises, with first-year doctors in training awarded 10.3%, while the average junior doctor got 8.8%. The strikes have put mounting pressure on an already overstretched medical system. | IANS…

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Mandla Masango has great hopes in the huge Mamelodi Sundowns contingent instilling a winning mentality in the side ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. The continental spectacle will kick off on January 13 in the Ivory Coast and run until February 11. Bafana will play their first match on January 16 against Mali. National team coach Hugo Broos has selected 10 Sundowns players in his 23-man squad. Bafana captain Ronwen Williams is expected to be the first name on the team sheet. Sundowns club mates Grant Kekana, Thapelo Maseko, Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau, Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Terrence Mashego and Thapelo Morena are also expected to play a huge role. The Brazilians captured the inaugural African Football League (AFL) title in November. The…

As the festive season left many with a dent in their pockets, experts have urged consumers to tighten their belts to avoid the January blues. Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, said consumers should prioritise and review their spending in January. “This will help to prevent a situation of 'Januworry' with all its financial challenges. Firstly, set up a budget and look for opportunities for living expenses to be revised. This can include forgotten debit orders for services no longer used or needed.” Roets added that consumers need to review habits that might have gone unnoticed, such as eating out. “Next, tackle debts to avoid extra interest charges and costs. Planning your finances is of utmost importance, now more than ever, with the financial difficulties consumers are facing due…

A NEW study has found a significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer mortality among men who were managers and craft and related trade workers. The study published in the SA Medical Journal (SAMJ) also found elevated risks among women who were managers, professionals, clerical support workers and elementary occupation workers. The study – titled “Pancreatic cancer mortality in South Africa: A case-control study” from researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand – aimed to identify factors associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer mortality in South Africa. The method included a matched case-control study using data collected by Statistics SA from 1997 to 2016. The selection of cases was restricted to individuals who died from pancreatic cancer in South Africa, while non-cancer-related deaths were selected as controls. According to…

A WOMAN who claimed to be the wife of a man who died four years ago turned to the court to obtain an order that she is his lawful widow, together with his second wife, and that she is thus entitled to inherit half of his estate. The applicant, only identified as MZ, turned to the Durban High Court for an order declaring that she and the deceased had entered into valid customary marriage. She said the marriage subsisted until the man’s death. The second wife opposed the application and said that she and the man were married under civil law and that she was thus the only lawful widow. She is, however, embroiled in separate legal proceedings in a bid to claim maintenance from his estate. The…

Hot water Nadine Dirks Loot.co.za (R189) Jacana HOT Water is an intimate and daring look into the life of a young African woman from the Cape Flats with a chronic illness. The book investigates how endometriosis affects the way young women function and navigate the world. It also takes a penetrating look at how this becomes especially complicated for those who are underprivileged and reliant on the public sector health-care system. In Hot Water, Nadine Dirks reveals the unique issues of racism, sexism, classism, fatphobia and slut-shaming that African women experience within the context of health-care facilities. The book highlights how especially jarring it is when the stigma comes from medical staff who one expects to have the patient’s care as their primary concern. All of this has enraged Dirks…

All You Need Is Rhythm and Grit Cory Wharton-Malcolm Running book is available in bookstores only (R600) Jonathan Ball THINK running isn’t for you? Cory Wharton-Malcolm challenges this idea head-on with this joyful love letter to running and a motivational guide for everyone. Advocating running as an inclusive and community-focused activity, Cory shows us how to celebrate the incredible mind-body connection by getting your trainers on and starting your running journey from the couch to the end of the road and beyond. Sharing stories of his own mental and physical health challenges and the way running, both alone and with track buddies, lifted him up, All You Need is Rhythm and Grit includes advice on gear, running routes, pacing, good beats and the will to start ... and keep going.…

Prominent ANC figures may end up facing corruption charges A NEW Year column brings the unstated responsibility to strike a note of optimism and renewal. It’s a tradition, like a pagan ritual, to observe a sacred pause between one year and the next, and to make an offering of resolution. To acknowledge this, despite all that seems squashing and mind-boggling, and to strike such a note – believing there is still some measure of personal freedom to be better and do better as a citizen of a “Rainbow Nation” alive with possibilities – is more challenging this year than in previous ones. A new year is a time for new beginnings, but those beginnings look dicey to this prognosticator. In South Africa, where unintended consequences are a part of life,…

Argentine judges this week suspended labour law changes that form part of a mega-decree of sweeping economic reforms and deregulation announced by the country’s libertarian new president, Javier Milei. The CGT trade union body had challenged the changes, which technically took effect last Friday, on grounds that they erode basic worker protections such as the right to strike and parental leave. The three judges of Argentina’s labour appeals chamber froze elements of Milei’s decree which, among other things, increased the legal job probation period from three to eight months, reduced compensation in case of dismissal, and cut pregnancy leave. Judge Alejandro Sudera questioned the “necessity” and “urgency” of the decree Milei signed on December 20 – just days after taking office – and suspended the measures until they can be…

Pilots on a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane that burst into flames just after all 379 passengers and crew escaped had no “visual contact” with the other aircraft in the collision, the airline said yesterday. The three pilots were also unable to see the fire from the cockpit when it first broke out and were informed of it by cabin crew, a JAL spokesperson said. The airliner hit a coast guard plane after landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday evening. All but one of the six people on the smaller aircraft were killed. A ball of flame erupted from the airliner before it came to a halt and was consumed by a huge blaze. But the pilots said they had no “visual contact” with the other plane, although one of…

Brussels: Ambassadors from Nato and Ukraine will hold a meeting next week as Kyiv urges faster deliveries of air defences after mounting Russian strikes, the alliance said yesterday. Moscow has over the New Year unleashed some of its biggest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine since February 2022. At least 32 people were killed in the deadliest attack on Kyiv on December 29. Meanwhile, Polish farmers yesterday resumed their blockade of a border checkpoint with Ukraine, claiming that grain prices have been depressed by Ukrainian imports. On Wednesday, Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner swop, returning 230 Ukrainian captives and 248 Russian prisoners. | AFP…

Bangkok: An armed Myanmar ethnic group claimed yesterday it had downed a military helicopter, killing six soldiers onboard in a northern region of the country. The junta is under increasing military pressure in the north from armed groups, but retains dominance in the sky thanks to its Chinese- and Russian-built aircraft. A spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which has fought the military for year said the helicopter had crashed yesterday. The KIA said six junta soldiers were killed in the incident in Waingmaw township in Kachin state. | AFP…

Ongama Gcwabe highlights plays from the record-breaking New Year’s Test at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. Guard of honour: As Dean Elgar crossed the boundary ropes for the last time in his career, the Proteas Test squad formed a guard of honour to bid farewell to one of the best Test openers to ever put on a Proteas jersey. Aiden Markram on Elgar: “He’s been fantastic. He took me under his wing from the first day at the Titans, I think that was nine years ago. He’s looked after me ever since. “He’s a tough character, he never shies away from an honest conversation and a guy that you always want in your dressing room. It’s going to be sad to see him go but he’s been a fantastic…

TOTTENHAM Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said Son Heung-min’s departure for the Asian Cup is a “big loss” as he urged his side to make up for the South Korean’s untimely absence. Postecoglou’s team host Burnley in the FA Cup third round today in the first of up to six matches without Son. The Tottenham skipper has scored 12 times in all competitions this season, helping his club to climb to fifth place in the Premier League. Postecoglou believes they will miss the forward’s influence off the pitch as well as his goals, with vice-captains Cristian Romero and James Maddison both injured. “Sonny, if you name a team of the year at the moment, he’s in it,” Postecoglou said. “He’s been a hell of a player for us. “It’s a big…

from page 1 rest after every two hours or 200km of driving because fatigue is also another silent killer,” said Transport Department spokesperson Collen Msibi. He said the overall statistics would be released by Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga later this month once they are done with the consolidation of numbers from the provinces and municipalities. Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie said officers continue to have a strong presence on all major routes, with high-visibility patrols and operations targeting dangerous and illegal behaviour. “I must commend our provincial traffic officers, who have worked incredibly over the last few weeks to keep residents and visitors safe in our province. The weekly operational results show that there are serious consequences for those who ignore the rules of the road. Last week alone, provincial traffic…

The nearly R4 billion economic boost as a result of a jam-packed events calender last year affirms Cape Town as a “world-class host city”. These were the sentiments of Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy after the City said 2023 had been a prolific year for events in Cape Town. The City had hosted Africa’s first Netball World Cup, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the first Formula E race in Sub-Saharan Africa, Loeries Creative Week, the return of Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Street Parade and many more - its Events Permit Office gave the green light to over 1 200 events in the calendar year. Over 1.3 million people attended or participated in the top 40 events in 2023. “Through its Events Support Process, the City supported more…

THE marathon sex trial of Rivers of Living Waters Church leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, is far from over, with the charismatic clergy is expected to present his defence this year on 10 mostly rape charges. All of Zondo’s alleged seven victims have testified before the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria since the start of the trial towards the end of 2021. The prosecution is expected to wrap up its evidence when the trial resumes on February 19. While it is not yet definitive that Zondo will take the witness stand in own defence, he is expected to do so. Armed with one of the top criminal advocates in the country, Piet Pistorius, the court was on numerous occasions told that Zondo will testify that his alleged victims are all out…

The woodpecker in Brazil (and other natural mysteries) Nick Norman “HOME is everywhere.” An unusually philosophical quote from a scientist, but then again, there is nothing ordinary about Nick Norman. An exploration geologist by profession, Norman, an avid birder, spent many years working in Africa and South America and what he witnessed in nature astounded him. It led to years of questioning and research and in his latest book, The Woodpecker Mystery: The Inevitability Of The Improbable, he reveals the epiphanies that he had along the way. While working in Brazil in the 1970s, he saw a woodpecker that looked “extraordinarily similar” to the ones back home. “There’s something very characteristic about a woodpecker flight and when I saw that bird flying and it was far away, I said: ‘Man,…

The five resets Dr Aditi Nerurkar Loot.co.za (R390) HarperCollins STRESS has a bad reputation but is a healthy biological phenomenon that helps us tackle life’s many demands. It simply becomes problematic when it’s out of tune with the frequency of our lives, resulting in burnout, fatigue, sleep disturbances and many other physical symptoms. To bring stress back to healthy levels, Dr Nerurkar offers her five science-backed mindset shifts for when life gets hard. The first reset: Get clear on what matters most. The second reset: Find quiet in a noisy world. The third reset: Sync your brain and your body. The fourth reset: Come up for air. The fifth reset: Bring your best self forward. The five mindset shifts, along with 15 proven techniques, offer you a road map to…

The African Cup of Nations is the most prestigious football competition in Africa and on Thursday, Bafana struck up camp to start their earnest preparations in recapturing the continent title. The showpiece event kicks off next Saturday in the Ivory Coast, with 24 teams dreaming of being crowned champions of Africa. These 24 nations emerged victorious from the qualifying campaign involving 54 teams. This will be the 34th edition of Africa’s biennial national men’s team football competition. Over the years, it has expanded in size and is now a far cry from its origins more than 60 years ago. The event was first staged in 1957 when three teams participated. There was a fourth team, however, but South Africa was disqualified due to the apartheid policies of the national government…

A New York judge this week began to unseal the identities of people linked in court documents to Jeffrey Epstein, the US financier who killed himself in 2019 as he awaited trial for sex crimes. Notably included in the unsealed documents, which include almost 1 000 pages of depositions and statements, were former US presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, who have not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case. The list of around 150 people include a host of Epstein associates previously identified as John or Jane Does in a lawsuit brought against Epstein’s former mistress, Ghislaine Maxwell. It carries no allegation of complicity in Epstein’s crimes. The list of names features both notable figures and individuals who have openly discussed their connections to Epstein in media interviews,…

Bristol: Britain’s main opposition leader Keir Starmer said yesterday that a general election this year would offer the UK the chance to “get our future back”. The Labour leader laid out what he called “Project Hope” in a speech. Starmer, whose centre-left party is well ahead in opinion polls, said the election will be a choice between “14 years of decline” and “a decade of national renewal”. He pledged to spur growth, put more police on Britain’s streets and create a publicly owned clean energy company. | AFP…

Stockholm: Hundreds of cars were stuck along highways in southern Sweden and Denmark yesterday, authorities said, with heavy snowfall behind the gridlock as a cold snap hit the region. In Sweden, the military was dispatched to assist stranded motorists between the towns of Horby and Kristianstad in Sweden’s far south. In Denmark, motorists were advised to avoid driving around Aarhus, where traffic jams reached 30km. In Norway’s far north, the temperature fell to -41.6°C. In Finland, a new record was registered in the northwest, where the mercury hit minus 42.1°C. | AFP…

Paris: French energy giant TotalEnergies yesterday said it had launched a review of its land acquisition practices for controversial $10 billion (R187bn) projects in Uganda and Tanzania slammed by environmentalists. TotalEnergies is pushing ahead with its Tilenga drilling project in Uganda and the 1 443km East African Crude Oil Pipeline to transport it to the coast in Tanzania. Tilenga targets oil under the rich Murchison Falls nature reserve in western Uganda with a planned 419 wells, triggering fears for the region’s fragile ecosystem among the people who live there. | AFP…

The Dakar Rally roars into life today in Saudi Arabia, with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah seeking a sixth title and third in a row in the mythic motorsport marathon. A 425-strong colourful caravan of cars, bikes, quads and trucks will set out from Al-Ula on a treacherous 7 900km odyssey around the Gulf kingdom, with a January 19 finish in Yanbu on the Red Sea. This year’s route includes a first 48-hour stage in the Empty Quarter, a vast sea of sand with dunes as far as the eye can see. Al-Attiyah, 53, is an adept multitasker, juggling the sand dunes of Saudi with his other passion, skeet shooting. He took bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, and in September added two medals at the Asian Games…

ALTHOUGH he acknowledges age is no longer on his side, Itumeleng Khune is not about to entertain the “R” word just yet. Instead, the popular Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper, who has been placed on ice by his club for disciplinary reasons, still dreams of more success. His drive to add more achievements to an illustrious career has been fuelled by the continued love and support he enjoys from the football public. For the 11th year running, he has received the highest number of votes for the Carling Cup competition and will be in goal for the All-Star team that will take on Carling Knockout winners Stellenbosch FC in Polokwane tomorrow. Khune was frank yestereday as he responded to questions about his recent troubles with Chiefs, as well as how long he…