Table of contents for 2024-07-24 in Cape Times

Some of the biggest global drugmakers, undeterred by mounting Sino-US tensions, are scouring China for deals to replenish drug pipelines and boost their presence in the world’s second-biggest pharmaceutical market, industry executives and investment bankers said. Several major deals have already been completed this year, including AstraZeneca’s $1.2 billion purchase of China-based cell therapy developer Gracell Biotechnologies and Novartis’s acquisition of the remaining shares of kidney disease therapy developer SanReno Therapeutics for an undisclosed amount. South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare, which announced in December that it had agreed to buy Swiss group Sandoz’s China unit, is expanding in other markets to balance China risk while continuing to scout for Chinese assets, said Larry Merizalde, the firm’s China CEO. China accounted for about 10% of Aspen’s global revenue, Merizalde said before the…

Energy Partners, in collaboration with property firm Fairvest, has unveiled South Africa’s first solar facade skyscraper with the completion of the Metalbox project in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. The project features building- integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) that generate up to 300 megawatts an hour. Metalbox stands 80m tall and has just under 15 000m² of gross leasable area. Energy Partners CEO Manie de Waal said: “The Metalbox skyscraper project is history in the making. We’ve seen similar projects succeed worldwide. But it required a visionary client and a committed team to set a new benchmark for South Africa’s green energy transition.” The project incorporates two solar systems. Monocrystalline panels on the building’s sides provide energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal, performing well even in low light, while the roof features carport-type panels, optimising…

Winter can be tough on our skin. Cold winds, dry indoor air, and chilly temperatures leave our skin feeling dry and looking dull. But did you know that what you eat can make a big difference in how your skin looks and feels during winter? The saying “you are what you eat” truly comes to life when we think about our skin health. Many times, we eat just to be full, not to nourish our bodies. This often leads to problems like breakouts, dry and flaky skin, bad breath and dull hair. To keep your skin glowing and healthy, you need to care for it on the outside with good skincare ingredients and on the inside with a healthy diet. According to South African brand Kiko Vitals, imbalances in hormones…

Former intelligence minister Lindiwe Sisulu has laid a criminal complaint against Goolam Muhammad Suliman Vawda, known on social media as @Goolammv. Vawda is accused of having used his social media platform to spread hate speech against those opposed to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his close circle. Independent Media has seen an affidavit, dated July 23, Sisulu has deposed through lawyers JG and Xulu Incorporated, with a Rosebank, Johannesburg, address for the legal firm. In the affidavit, the former minister says she has decided to lay criminal charges against Goolam, who has reportedly fled the country after he was unmasked by Independent Media’s investigative journalists. Sisulu accuses the now Mauritius- based Goolam of hate speech, cyberbullying and crimen injuria spanning more than six years on social media. “I am a former…

MK Party hits back at ‘DA’s frivolous’ court bid challenging its parliamentary leader’s JCS post The DA had better prospects of winning on the Phala Phala matter involving President Cyril Ramaphosa, which they were “flip-flopping” on, than they did on challenging uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) leader in Parliament Dr John Hlophe’s appointment to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). That is how the MKP responded to the DA following its urgent bid to reverse Parliament’s decision granting Hlophe the green light to represent it in the JSC. Hlophe was impeached as a judge earlier this year in what he has maintained was a political decision. Chairperson of the DA’s federal council, Helen Zille, said in her founding affidavit that Hlophe’s participation in the selection process of a judicial officer would…

WHAT a wonderful surprise! Donald Trump with his hectic political schedule and court appearances; who could have ever imagined that he could have time to not only read but even comment on letters we send to our local newspapers. That was interesting and flattering. He asked: “What has God got to do with climate?” While I was still a little puzzled by this kind of question, I decided to read further, and there it was, the source of his doubts, which explains why many people recite the Lord’s prayer without attaching any real meaning to it. He says God turned a blind eye when 1 300 Hajj pilgrims were literally burnt to death in the scorching heatwave in Mecca early this year, and He did not show any mercy to…

THE highest loss to a commercial property as a result of the adverse weather in the Western and Eastern Cape over the past two months is in the region of R10 million. Santam head of Non-Motor Claims, Rowland Ramalingam, said they had received l 4 000 claims related to severe weather in the Western Cape from July 2 and the Eastern Cape from June 1. Ramalingam said: “We received approximately 3 000 claims as a result of the storms that occurred in the Western Cape from July 2 and over 1 000 claims as a result of the storms that occurred in the Eastern Cape from June 1.” Most of the damages reported were due to flooding of houses, which resulted in claims for ceilings, carpets, cupboards and contents. “We…

ARTHI Shanand was pregnant when her husband first hit her. Arthi recalls the shock of that moment, with his broken promises that it would never happen again. But it did for another 23 years, her two children witnessing the violence first-hand. Counselling failed, as did the interventions of Arthi’s parents and parents-in-law. Her son was driven from their home. In time, Arthi adopted a veil of silence in line with the values of the Hindu community that she says preferred not to “air its dirty linen” in public. Arthi credits her daughter with persuading her to end her marriage at the age of 47. But she says it was the act of returning to her holy scriptures, the Vedas, that eventually gave her the courage to leave. “It’s not about…

US Vice-President Kamala Harris was campaigning in the critical battleground state of Wisconsin for the first time as a presidential candidate yesterday after securing enough Democratic delegate support to clear a path to the nomination. Harris has emerged as the Democratic candidate after President Joe Biden, 81, abandoned his re-election campaign on Sunday. This comes after weeks of calls from within his own party to end his bid, questioning his ability to beat former President Donald Trump or to serve for another four-year term. Less than 36 hours after Biden endorsed Harris, she secured the nomination on Monday by winning the pledged support of a majority of the party’s delegates who will determine the nomination, the campaign said. “I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become…

LONDON: British radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, whose followers have been linked to plots across the world, was convicted of terrorism offences after a trial. Crown prosecutors said Choudary directed al-Muhajiroun, banned as a terrorist organisation more than a decade ago, and encouraged others to support the group, which he denied. Choudary, 57, was found guilty of directing a terrorist organisation and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court. Once Britain’s most high-profile Islamist preacher, he was jailed in 2016 for encouraging support for Islamic State before being freed in 2018. | Reuters…

KUALA LUMPUR: A chartered flight carrying 123 Malaysians evacuated from deadly violence in Bangladesh arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Malaysia’s home minister said. Student-led protests against quotas in government jobs in Bangladesh spiralled into violence last week, with at least 147 people killed. Bangladesh’s top court then agreed to scrap most quotas following clashes between protesters and security forces that prompted the government to shut down internet services, impose a curfew and deploy the army. The flight, which included 80 students among the passengers, arrived safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. | Reuters…

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will lead Audi’s Formula One project from August 1 with bosses Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl leaving in a major management shake-up announced yesterday. The German manufacturer said Binotto had been appointed chief operating and chief technical officer at Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, whose entry will become the factory Audi team in 2026 when the sport enters a new engine era. Binotto will have “responsibility and accountability for the operative management and sporting success of the racing team”, Audi added. Hoffmann previously had overall responsibility for the project as chairman of the boards of directors of all Sauber companies while former McLaren principal Seidl was CEO of Sauber Motorsport and effectively ran the team. “I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia…

OVER the last couple of weeks, people have been posting photos of an unusual drink: the “fluffy Coke” as they call it. This new concoction combines marshmallow fluff, ice and Coke in a glass, for what is meant to be a sweet and somewhat creamy sip. Hundreds of TikTok videos have received millions of views. The craze is thought to have been kicked off by Emma Grace (@not.eg) from the US, and her “Memama”, who shared a wholesome video showing others how to make a“fluffy soda”. Grab a glass and spread the marshmallow fluff around to coat the inside. Once well-coated, add in the ice. Now, many videos specifically use pebble ice, made from flaked ice layers which are fused, giving it a brittle texture and making it easier to…

POLITICAL analysts and some uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) members have asserted that the ANC, leader of the Government of National Unity (GNU), has shown its weakness after former president Jacob Zuma’s Disciplinary Committee hearing hit another stall yesterday. Zuma was to appear before the party’s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) yesterday after a postponement last week. Zuma has been refusing to meet the NDC virtually, citing network problems at his homestead of Nkandla. Instead, his long-time comrade, Tony Yengeni, has represented Zuma at the NDC. In early May, prior to the general elections, Zuma had been given notice to appear before the ANC’s disciplinary committee at the party’s Luthuli House headquarters to face charges including contravening the party’s constitution for collaborating with another party. The ANC, through its secretary-general…

While Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson pledged to “meet the demands of the ever-building South African built environment”, political parties expressed concerns about the state of criminality in the sector and called for a clear plan to address these issues. Macpherson addressed the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) yesterday on the key deliverables of the department, which was followed by a debate on his budget vote. “From our largest metros to our deepest rural areas, we have a clear intention to turn our country into a construction site as roads, bridges, houses, schools, hospitals and clinics are built, also as broadband fibre is laid and new power lines are installed. We intend to add urgency to the pace of infrastructure delivery by innovating and inviting new ideas to…

THERE’S an old saying suggesting that when America sneezes the world catches a cold. America is in a mess with a frail president drowning in a personal vendetta against Donald Trump instead of doing his job and focusing on the chaos at home, the shrinking economy, the border crisis, the Middle East catastrophe, the Ukraine invasion, etc. While Biden pontificates blisters and mumbles about Trump’s misdemeanours, Russian President Vladimir Putin is rubbing his hands in glee at the thought of Trump putting a stop to the military aid the US sends to Ukraine should Trump win the election. Biden’s demonising Trump by suggesting that Trump must be stopped “at all costs” validates the theory that he’s lost the plot entirely. The attempted assassination of Trump sits squarely on Biden and…

IT’S official: Israel is guilty of unlawful occupation, apartheid; forcible removal; stealing of Palestinian resources; unlawful settlements, and violating Palestinians’ rights to self-determination. This decision rests in the analysis of the presentations of 52 countries, 47 in favour of justice. Member states are obligated to install measures to ensure that land and cultural property is returned; settlements cease in the occupied West Bank; all Palestinians have the right to return to their homeland, and compensation be paid. No justice, no peace. The grassroots level of support for the decisions of the International Court of Justice, is already evident from the extensive marches, actions from groups like CODEPINK, authors like Ilan Pappe (former IDF soldier), and encampments at universities. The legacy of violence by the immigrants against the Palestinians – starting…

TWO workers implicated in a plot to kill their supervisor, and who were subsequently fired after being found guilty of gross misconduct, have turned to the Durban Labour Court in a bid to be reinstated. Labour union Numsa took the matter to court on behalf of the two members after a commissioner during arbitration proceedings found their dismissals to be fair on the basis that evidence pointed at them being involved in the plot. Numsa was, however, late in its review application, which had meanwhile lapsed, and asked the court’s permission to reinstate the review. The two employees denied that they wanted their supervisor dead or that they were involved in any plot to kill him. After they were fired by their employer, they turned to arbitration proceedings, but the…

The Goodwood Prison, sitting as the High Court, is expected to decide whether an eyewitness to the May 2021 massacre which saw 12 people murdered in Khayelitsha will be allowed to cover his face with a mask when testifying. The case against Yanga “Bara” Nyalara and co-accused Wanda Tofile continued yesterday as the State sought an order in relation to the protection of the identity of a witness identified as Mr Z. The State wants Mr Z to be permitted to wear a so-called “Covid mask” for the duration of his evidence, and that his evidence be presented via CCTV. The State relied on a report from court preparation officer Sophie Petlele which recommended that the witness be provided with the option to testify in a CCTV room, with the…

ACTION SA says it will support a new Joburg government provided the ANC removes Kabelo Gwamanda as mayor and reverses the R200 surcharge on prepaid electricity. For months, calls for Gwamanda to step down have been increasing, with opposition councillors arguing he is not suitably qualified to lead the golden city. See, Joburg’s sixth mayor of the current term and ninth since 2016 should not have been anywhere near the mayoral chain to begin with. With his party holding just three seats in council, his ascension to the highest office in the metro was about ticking political boxes and outsmarting rivals, not capabilities. The ANC has since said he will resign next month. The World Mayor Project, which recognises mayors annually, describes the award recipients as those who “selflessly serve…

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets across Kenya yesterday in defiance of a police ban, the latest in a series of anti-government demonstrations that have rocked the East African nation. In the capital Nairobi, shops and offices were shut as some protesters mobilised to march to the main Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of the busiest in Africa. Police had warned against the march, saying trespassing on protected areas, including airports, would risk prosecution. Activists led by young Gen-Z Kenyans launched peaceful rallies last month over steep tax increases that spiralled into deadly violence, before morphing into wider anger against President William Ruto’s government. While Ruto has taken a series of measures to try to end the worst crisis of his near two-year presidency, including dropping the tax…

EDMONTON: About 5 000 people were forced to leave the western Canadian town of Jasper yesterday to escape approaching wildfires, the latest victims of what experts say could be one of the worst seasons for fires. The evacuation order covered Jasper and the National Park, in the province of Alberta about 370km to the west of Edmonton, the capital. Scorching heat in the Northern Hemisphere has baked much of the Western US and Canada. Alberta said about 50 fires were burning out of control across the province. In the easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador, thousands who had to flee were told they could return home. | Reuters…

LONDON: Britain’s new Labour government will end the use of the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge to house migrants off the south coast of England as part of its overhaul of the asylum system, it said yesterday. Use of the vessel, which can house up to 500 men, began under the Conservative government with the aim of cutting the £8 million (R190m) a day cost of hotel accommodation for asylum seekers while their claims were being processed. Anchored off Dorset, human rights activists compared it to a prison ship. One man died on board last year and water contamination forced the government to remove migrants for a weeks. | Reuters…

SCIENCE and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande yesterday announced a new programme to enable cooperation between South Africa and Palestine as part of science diplomacy. Nzimande said the programme would have a special focus to support the safeguarding, rebuilding and developing of Palestine research and innovation capacity and infrastructure. He said it would entail joint research between South African and Palestinian research findings, seed funding of Palestinian scholars and students in South Africa in exchange programmes and sharing the South African policy experiences regarding science and system development. “This new programme will be implemented by our entity the National Research Foundation and will be funded through the department’s existing budget for international cooperation,” he said. Nzimande said South Africa wanted to co-operate in the area of science with Palestine to strengthen…

Judge Tintswalo Nana Makhubele was not a judge while she was the chairperson of Prasa’s interim board as she had asked that her judicial appointment be deferred and she clearly indicated that she could not take office in January 2018, but rather in April that year. This is according to advocate Thabani Masuku, who represented now suspended Judge Makhubele at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal yesterday. Judge Makhubele is facing a misconduct inquiry by the tribunal which could lead to her impeachment. It is probing claims of gross misconduct against her which arose from the time when she was the chairperson of Prasa’s interim board, while allegedly also being a judge. Complaints were laid against the judge, including one by civil society organisation #UniteBehind, alleging gross misconduct. It claims Judge…

THE attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump needs a moment to reflect on the state of affairs in America. Violence in all its forms cannot serve any principled function. Whatever the objective or motive of the assailant is, brutality or aggression serves no progress. The crisis of American political extremism and social decay deepens daily. Mass shootings or killing of innocent civilians, even by the police, and political assassination in the US seems to be an ongoing issue. Sadly, America has a disturbing history of political assassination and the ordering of extra-judicial killings outside its borders. For example, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King and many other high-profile personalities were murdered by assassins. America, the world’s largest manufacturer and exporter of weapons and a country that supports the current genocide…

LONG-haul bus company Intercape says it dismissed staff members who continued to “refuse to obey lawful instructions” after following disciplinary procedures. This after Intercape was accused of dismissing drivers after they joined the National Union for All Sectors (NUFAS). According to NUFAS’s Jean Baker, they have since approached the bargaining council claiming unfair labour practices. “We are not falsely accusing the company because there is nothing to gain in that. The drivers became aware of our union, became interested and joined us. Our officials further approached more of the bus employees across the country and we notified the company about being the new representatives of the employees. The drivers informed us that they were subjected to a meeting. They were told to either resign from the union or there is…

A powerful response rejecting unilateralism and hegemonic practices in the world The Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus, which in essence represents the collective voice of the Global South, among others, calls on the international community to deepen development co-operation based on the principles of mutual respect, solidarity, win-win co-operation, openness, and common prosperity. It also focuses on the promotion of peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the need for respect of historical, cultural traditions and the national conditions of different nations. In fact, through the Dar es Salaam Consensus, Africa and China have, in essence, agreed to firmly oppose the vestiges of colonialism and hegemony in all forms, and to support each other in safeguarding core interests and upholding the legitimate demands of developing countries. Furthermore, they have agreed to advocate…

Ugandan police detained scores of demonstrators, including protest leaders, in the capital Kampala yesterday, as scattered anti-corruption rallies took place despite being banned by authorities. Riot police were out in force across Kampala, with police saying the authorities will “not allow a demonstration that risks the peace and security of the country”. President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for almost four decades, had warned at the weekend that the demonstrators were “playing with fire”. On the eve of the rally, authorities had cracked down on the opposition, besieging the headquarters of the National Unity Platform (Nup) of former presidential candidate Bobi Wine, arresting several of his party’s MPs. As yesterday’s rallies began, a lawyer said scores of protesters were arrested in Kampala, with at…

WASHINGTON: US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned yesterday after the agency came under harsh scrutiny for its failure to stop a would-be assassin from wounding former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally. The Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of current and former US presidents, faces a crisis after a gunman was able to fire on Trump from a roof overlooking the outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. Cheatle faced bipartisan condemnation from the US Congress and said she took responsibility for the shooting, calling it the largest failure by the Secret Service since then-President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. | Reuters…

ADDIS ABABA: The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 229 and could increase further, a government official said yesterday. A landslide buried people in Gofa zone in Southern Ethiopia regional state, then a second one engulfed others who had gathered to help on Monday. “Searching is still going on and there are bodies that are yet to be recovered. The area is very challenging,” said Markos Melese, head of the National Disaster Response agency in Gofa Zone. Footage shared by the local administration showed people digging up bodies with shovels and bare hands. | Reuters…

Israel swiftly condemned an agreement brokered by China yesterday which Beijing said would bring Hamas into a “national reconciliation government” for post-war Gaza. Foreign Minister Israel Katz insisted that “Hamas rule will be crushed” and accused Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah faction signed the deal, of embracing the group whose October 7 attacks triggered the war. Any involvement by the Islamist militant group in the post-war governance of Gaza is anathema to the US as well as Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington to address a joint session of Congress and has vowed to continue the Gaza war until Hamas is destroyed. The diplomatic spat came as Israel hammered Gaza, including the southern city of Khan Yunis, where it had ordered a partial evacuation of civilians.…