Table of contents for 2024-09-12 in Cape Times

boitshoko Shoke MY RECENT visit to FNB Art Joburg, which is Africa’s leading and longest- running contemporary art fair, was more than just a casual stroll through curated masterpieces. Accompanied by one of my closest friends, Lisa, the experience turned into a reflective exploration of the ever-evolving art landscape in Africa. We found ourselves immersed in a world where creativity and entrepreneurship blend seamlessly, showcasing the power of art to not only provoke thought but serve as a commercial and cultural force. In recent years, the global art market has seen a surge in interest in African art, with the continent’s artists gaining recognition on the world stage. According to the ArtTactic 2022 African Art Market Report, African art sales reached approximately $225 million that year, demonstrating a growing…

OPERATIONAL improvements and optimisation at the Barberton underground and Elikhulu surface operations helped bump up full-year bullion production for Pan African Resources by 6.2% to 186 039 ounces, providing impetus to a firming up in revenue which widened headline earnings by 32.1%. The company’s 6.2% strengthening in production was in line with its expectations for the period to the end of June, it said yesterday. Kobus Loot, Pan Africa’s CEO, said the company had operated against the backdrop of “a very favourable gold price environment, with the metal appreciating by more than 20% in US$ terms in the past year” while he was also seeing a “generally positive sentiment on near-term prospects” for the gold price. Operational enhancements and optimisation initiatives resulted in significant improvements at Barberton…

LAWYERS representing former president Jacob Zuma have warned that the criminal case against him was unlikely to start next year as they plan to launch another appeal process that is likely to disrupt the start of the trial. Zuma’s legal team is planning to launch an application for leave to appeal the decision by Judge Nkosinathi Chili to dismiss Zuma’s application to have state prosecutor Billy Downer removed from the case. Dates between April and September next year had been reserved for the start of the arms deal trial that has been dragging on for almost two decades. Zuma faces corruption, fraud, theft and racketeering charges for allegedly taking bribes from French arms manufacturer Thales, the second accused in the matter. Two weeks ago the parties met in the Pietermaritzburg…

THE AbaThembu royal house in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, says it’s ready to defend King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s claims that Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Mabuyane was a “beneficiary to the extortion syndicate”. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed two cases were lodged by the provincial government top brass officials on Monday and Tuesday. “Police can confirm that the premier of the Eastern Cape opened a case of crimen injuria at Bhisho SAPS. In another incident, the MEC for Transport and Community Safety in the Eastern Cape opened a case of crimen injuria at Cambridge SAPS. In both cases, there are no arrests at this stage, and the investigation is under way,” said Mawisa. King Dalindyebo told residents during a meeting about a protection fee syndicate at a Mandela Park school in…

THE question regarding where nearly R38 million went to which the Mafube (Frankfort) Municipality in the Free State deducted from its workers as their pension fund contributions, but which the municipality never paid to the pension fund, has come under legal scrutiny. The Municipal Workers Retirement Fund turned to the Bloemfontein High Court in a bid to get a closer look at the municipality’s banking records. The fund earlier obtained an order that the municipality had to pay nearly R38m to the fund towards the pension contributions. The municipality never paid the money and the fund subsequently obtained a writ of execution against the municipality. But it emerged that the municipality only had R97 000 left in its account. The fund now wants to know where the rest of the…

Gugulethu-born artist Sandile Ashar Mhlongo’s evocative acrylic paintings shine the spotlight on Cape Town’s contrasts. Lights in Darkness, Darkness in Light is exhibited by House Union Block (HUB) at the Cape Heritage Hotel’s Sisonke Gallery until October 27. The exhibition statement reads: “From darkness comes light. Day in the night, bring forth light from the darkness. The magic of street lights gives the illusion of day even in the dark of the night. People work, play and thrive in the night as though it were day. Life goes on in the "break" of darkness. There's good and bad in the dark, choose light. Shine, shine your light in the dark and you will find all you are looking for. Choose light even in the dark.” A second-generation artist born…

NATIONAL police commissioner Fannie Masemola needs to familiarise himself with Western Cape High Court Judge Daniel Thulare’s scathing judgment which captures the essence of why public trust in the police service is fractured. If Masemola has not already done so, that judgment will shed light on how some police officers are deep into the pockets of gangs who are terrorising communities. Judge Thulare’s words may trigger a different approach in how police interact with communities. On trial were Gupta gang leaders Gcinithemba Beja and Fundile Maseti in Khayelitsha who were convicted and sentenced to seven life terms each for murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and one unlawful possession of ammunition. In part, the judgment states: “They (Beja and Maseti) made sure that the community lived in fear.…

Commerzbank shares soared yesterday after Italian bank UniCredit acquired a 9% stake in Germany’s second-biggest lender, half of it from the German state, fuelling speculation about a potential takeover. Italy’s second-biggest bank paid around 1.4 billion euros (about R27.6 billion) for the acquisition. Half the shares were sold by Germany’s finance agency, which has started reducing a stake it bought in Commerzbank during the financial crisis, with the rest purchased on the open market. UniCredit hinted it was keen on increasing its holding, saying it would seek permission from regulators to expand its stake above a certain level in Commerzbank “if and when necessary”. The Italian bank said it would engage with the German lender “to explore value-creating opportunities for all stakeholders in both banks”. The surprise move sent Commerzbank’s…

NAIROBI: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Kenya’s main airport yesterday as staff went on strike over a planned takeover by an Indian company. The walk-out by the Kenyan Aviation Workers’ Union began at midnight, severely disrupting flights at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The union said the strike would continue until the government scrapped a plan to lease the airport to India’s Adani Group for 30 years in exchange for a $1.85 billion (about R33bn) investment. “The strike is on and all shifts have been suspended,” union leader Moses Ndiema told workers at the airport. “Adani must go. That is not optional,” he said. | AFP…

Palestinian Territories: An Israeli air strike yesterday hit a central Gaza school, with the Hamas-run territory’s civil defence agency reporting 14 killed in the facility turned displacement shelter and the military saying it had targeted militants. Israeli forces have struck several such schools in recent months, saying Palestinian militants were operating there and hiding among displaced civilians, charges denied by Hamas. The Al-Jawni school in central Gaza’s Nuseirat, already hit several times, was struck again the civil defence agency said. The Hamas government media office said about 5 000 displaced people were sheltering at the school. | AFP…

The NATIONAL Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) yesterday told Parliament that it would appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) against the decision of the High Court judgement in which it lost an application to overturn the decision not to implement the Cost of Supply (CoS) method in determining municipal tariffs for the 2024/25 financial year. The decision to appeal to the Supreme Court comes after Nersa, along with the South Africa Local Government Authority (Salga), lost a judgment and appeal last month of an action launched by AfriForum seeking to stay the 2024/25 increases based on the CoS. In a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy yesterday, Nersa said it had outlined “the negative consequences of the order on the sustainability of munici- palities,…

The Health Department has set its sights on introducing “fairer compensation” for patients who experienced medical injuries as one of the ways to reduce medico-legal claims. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi disclosed this when briefing the joint meeting of parliamentary committees, saying a “fairer compensation” mechanism could be designed. He urged Parliament to support their planned move towards mediation of medico-legal claims as they are busy training mediation officers. “Many countries, especially Scandinavian countries, have proven that this is possible. “This is whereby panels of retired judges, retired senior medical and nursing staff, solicitors, social workers and others are put together. “Their purpose is to determine and arrive at a fair compensation for those who have experienced medical injuries rather than a ‘legal shout in court’,” he said. He argued…

President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot refuse to sign the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill for political reasons, says the presidency. He is expected to publicly sign into law the bill tomorrow at a ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. However, this move has ruffled the feathers of ANC coalition partners, the DA which claimed signing the bill threatened to shake the Government of National Unity stability (GNU). The DA warned yesterday that if the signing proceeds despite their objections this would violate both the letter and spirit of the joint Statement of Intent, that forms the basis of the GNU. DA leader John Steenhuisen said during the negotiations, his party made it clear that the bill was unacceptable in its current form because it had constitutional implications for the…

Eskom has cautioned residents about the severe risks associated with overloaded transformer and meter bypassing, warning that these issues could pose significant threats to property and result in prolonged power outages. This alert follows an operation where Eskom, in collaboration with the police and City Law Enforcement officers, dismantled over 100 illegal connections in Delft on Tuesday. The operation formed part of Eskom’s effort to eradicate the spate of illegal connections in communities. “These unsafe acts often lead to innocent children sustaining serious injuries and running the risk of being electrocuted,” said Promise Ntuli, Eskom’s senior maintenance and operations management manager in the Western Cape. Transformers are key to the safe distribution of electricity from poles to homes and businesses. “Transformer overload and meter bypassing hold serious consequences to properties…

THE Western Cape High Court has given the City the green light to evict at least nine families from the homes they were living in at the Belhar Pentech Housing Project since 2021. The residents now have just a few months to move. “The second to eighth respondents, (and the) tenth respondent and all those holding title under them are ordered to vacate the following units at Belhar Pentech Housing Project on or before 6 January 2025. The applicant (the City) is directed to make suitable emergency housing available at Leonsdale to any respondents who request access thereto and who have accepted the City’s offer within 30 days of date of this order. “In the alternative, and should any of the respondents indicate such election, the City is directed to…

SOUTH Africa’s Mlilo Mpondo is among four African screenwriters selected from over 160 applications for the 2024/25 AuthenticA Series Lab. In a hotly contested space for the development of screenplays, the AuthenticA Series Lab, will support these four writers to advance their series ideas into pilot scripts, and create “pitch Bibles” to take these to highly competitive international content markets. Submissions this year came from 27 countries, covering 23 genres of television series. Other screenwriters include Talemwa Pius (Uganda), Aden Abebe (Canada/Ethiopia) and Tony Koros (Kenya). Mpondo’s debut novel is titled Things My Mother Left Me (Black Bird Books). She is the recipient of the UJ Debut Fiction Prize 2023 and has been longlisted for the 2023 Sunday Times Literary Award. Women from the 13th Floor is the title of…

A lot is pinned on faster reform implementation supported by the GNU It would be unfair to gauge the progress of the South African economy under the GNU which has been in power for hardly two months, largely because of data and policy implementation lag. The narrative going forward implicit in the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) Post-Financing Assessment (PFA) on South Africa released on September 4, has hardly changed over the last few years – a reality millions of compatriots are only too familiar with defined by an entrenched cost-of-living crisis and a motley of non-performing socio-economic metrics. South Africa’s economy, said the Fund’s Executive Board, “has shown resilience in the face of massive disruptions, but persisting structural challenges risk a further erosion of living standards. However, per-capita income…

Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi evacuated thousands of people living near the swollen Red River as its waters rose to a 20-year high, flooding streets days after Typhoon Yagi battered the country’s north, killing at least 179 people. Asia’s most powerful typhoon this year, Yagi brought gales and heavy rain as it moved westwards after landfall on Saturday, causing the collapse of a bridge this week while it scythed through provinces along the Red River, the area’s biggest. “My home is now part of the river,” said Nguyen Van Hung, 56, who lives in a suburb on the banks of the Red River. Across the country, the typhoon and subsequent landslides and floods have killed 179 people while 145 were missing, the government estimated. Vietnam’s state-run power utility EVN said yesterday…

Professor Peter Njiforti, an economics expert at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, believes Russia’s proposed BRICS Grain Exchange and its shift towards local currency payments with African nations could be a game-changer for the continent’s food security. Highlighting the potential impact of the BRICS Grain Exchange, he argued that it would allow BRICS countries, responsible for a significant share of global grain production and consumption, to have greater influence in setting grain prices, independent of Western-dominated systems. “The BRICS Grain Exchange may weaken the US dollar’s dominance in global trade by promoting the use of national currencies,” Njiforti said. “The exchange could facilitate price regulation benefiting Russia and Brazil, major BRICS grain exporters. “By using national currencies, Russia and African countries can reduce their reliance on the US dollar, minimising…

AMMAN: Jordan’s moderate Islamist opposition made significant gains in Tuesday’s parliamentary election, initial official results showed yesterday, boosted by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza. The Islamist Action Front (IAF) also benefited from a new electoral law that encourages a bigger role for political parties in the 138-seat parliament, though tribal and pro-government factions will continue to dominate the assembly. The IAF, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, won up to a fifth of the seats under the revamped electoral law, which for the first time allocated 41 seats for parties, according to preliminary figures. | Reuters…

HOUSTON: Hurricane Francine was steadily churning yesterday towards the southern US state of Louisiana, weather forecasters said, with its landfall later in the day expected to bring life-threatening floods and winds. After strengthening into a Category 1 hurricane the day before, Francine was packing sustained winds near 150km/h yesterday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It said the storm is expected to quickly weaken as it moves inland over Louisiana and Mississippi.Louisiana is a major US trade hub with its economy linked to the oil and gas industry. | AFP…

ONE of the consistent young batters in the country, Matthew Breetzke, fought a lone fight this week at the Diamond Oval in Kimberly where South Africa ‘A’ clashed with Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the first unofficial Test match. The 25-year-old scored a mature 213-ball 129, pushing the hosts to a decent 372-run first-innings total and bringing up his eighth career century in the process. However, the hosts went on to lose the match by six wickets and handed the visiting Sri Lankan side a 1-0 advantage in the two-match series. For a young man with dreams of earning a Test baggy green one day, the century came at a perfect time for Breetzke as the entire Proteas Test coaching staff, led by Shukri Conrad, watched his knock from the dugout…

GROWTHPOINT Properties, South Africa’s biggest real estate investment trust (Reit), reported a 10% decline in dividend to 117.1 cents a share in the year to June 30, and it only expects a return to positive dividend growth in 2026, when it believes the global interest rate cycle will have turned. Distributable income per share decreased 10% to 141.9c per share, which was positive only in that it was at the lower end of the 10% to 12% guidance provided for the year. Group CEO Norbert Sasse said in an online presentation that they expected a further 2% to 5% decline in dividend in the 2025 financial year due to the high global interest rate environment, and expectations of lower income from some of its investments. For instance, GOZ had…

You may be delighted to know that everyone’s favourite salty, crispy meat is brilliant for so much more than Sunday morning fry-ups. For several years, bacon has had a bad reputation when it comes to health. Health experts say the claims that bacon is high in fat, causes high cholesterol and leads to serious health conditions are not entirely true. They say bacon may have some surprising health benefits that make it a great addition to a diet plan when it is eaten in proper serving sizes. Bacon is the ultimate flavour enhancer, turning even the simplest dishes into something extraordinary. Whether it’s crispy, smoky strips crumbled over a fresh salad or thick-cut bacon wrapped around tender meats, the rich, savoury taste of bacon adds depth and indulgence to a…

THE Hawks have made another breakthrough in the ongoing fight against extortion related crimes with the arrest of two people including an employee of the Emfuleni Municipality in Gauteng. The two men aged 39 and 51 were arrested in a multi-disciplinary sting operation in Sharpeville on Tuesday following information about people involved in extortion in the Vaal area. Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said information was received from the Modus Operandi Centre and operationalised with the assistance of the Hawks in Vaalrand, Sedibeng Infrastructure unit and Emfuleni Forensic Investigation unit. “The multi-disciplinary team arranged an authorised meeting with the suspects during which money exchanged hands. Immediately after the transaction, the suspects were arrested and in their possession the trap money was recovered as well as in their vehicle. The pair is…

THE Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (Prasa) intends to appeal a court order directing it to return building materials and personal property of people occupying an erf in on Old Marine Drive. The Western Cape High Court recently granted Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) a temporary interdict on August 29, and ordered Prasa to return and restore the applicants’ materials and personal property that they were dispossessed of on August 19 and 22. NU had approached the court on behalf of people living on an erf on Old Marine Drive for 20 years, to intervene after Prasa Protection Services and other security officers demolished their homes and confiscated building materials and personal belongings. The court had on Friday ordered Prasa to reconstruct the applicants’ temporary dwelling structures within 24 hours of…

IN WHAT is suspected to be a revenge attack, three people were killed and five wounded when four armed men opened fire at a Brown’s Farm barber shop yesterday. In a statement, police spokesperson André Traut said detectives attached to the provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit have launched a manhunt for the four suspects. The deceased were aged between 18 and 21. “An initial investigation has revealed that four armed men approached the eight victims at around 1.15pm at the barber shop, where two were shot and killed on the scene. Six men were admitted to hospital, and upon arrival a third male succumbed to death due to the extent of his injuries. “We have reason to believe that the incident has been sparked by revenge, but as our…

Reports continue to emerge of the alleged looting of tens of thousands of artefacts from the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. The museum, near the confluence of the White and the Blue Niles, holds a history of the region, home to ancient civilisations, temples and pyramids. But it has been caught in the crossfire in a war between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces that has left millions displaced and devastated the built environment. The Sudan National Museum is a testament to the region’s rich historical and cultural heritage and serves as an important repository for the country’s antiquities. It was founded in 1959, ahead of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. A Unesco-led salvage campaign was launched in 1960 to protect and preserve the…

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump set out yesterday to ride the momentum from their high-stakes debate into the final sprint to November as they seek to persuade undecided voters and shake up a presidential election locked in a dead heat. The Democratic vice-president and her Republican rival are neck-and-neck in both nationwide and swing state polling, days before first ballots are mailed out and early in-person voting begins in several key states. Both candidates declared victory in the debate after coming face to face for the first time on the biggest night so far of the campaign – although any boost or dent in support is unlikely to show up in polling for several days. Yesterday, Trump came out swinging in an early morning interview with Fox News, claiming, without…

US tech giant Amazon is to invest £8 billion (about R187bn) in Britain over the next five years, creating thousands of jobs via its web services arm. The announcement is a welcome boon for Britain’s recently elected Labour government, which has put firing economic growth at the heart of its pledge to “rebuild” the country. The company’s investment – to build, operate and maintain data centres in the UK – could contribute £14 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and “support” more than 14 000 jobs annually across the supply chain, Amazon said. It is the firm’s latest announcement of a large investment in a European country by its Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing division, and comes amid debate within the EU about “cloud” computing services.…

HONG KONG: Hong Kong lashed out at the US House of Representatives yesterday for passing a bill that could potentially shut the Chinese city’s trade outposts across the US. The US House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday in favour of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, requiring a review of the exemptions and immunities enjoyed by the city’s trade offices located in New York, Washington and San Francisco. The offices would have to shut within 180 days if found not to be operating with “a high degree of autonomy” from China. China’s foreign ministry also heaped criticism on the bill. | AFP…

SINGAPORE: Pope Francis arrived in Singapore yesterday from East Timor, where he was to focus on inter-faith dialogue and reinforce the Catholic Church’s presence in a region where it is a small minority. The pope is on the final leg of a 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, the longest trip of his papacy. His two-night stay in the city-state was to include a speech to the country’s political authorities about wealth inequality and climate change. Francis will also hold a Mass the Vatican expected to draw 55 000 people, including Catholics travelling from Hong Kong. The Vatican is renegotiating a controversial deal with China over the appointment of Catholic bishops in the country, which is up for renewal next month. | Reuters…

INACIO Miguel was very close to his late grandmother, and that’s why he has decided to honour her memory by donning the No 84 jersey at his new club Kaizer Chiefs. Defender Miguel recently joined Chiefs on a three-year deal from native Angolan side Petro de Luanda, where he won the league title last season. The 28-year-old is one of Amakhosi’s seven new signings, along with Gaston Sirino, Rushwin Dortley, Bongani Sam, Njabulo Blom, Bradley Cross and Fiacre Ntwari. Miguel is expected to fit like a glove in new coach Nasreddine Nabi’s system, given his defensive qualities and versatility, which includes playing as a left-back or centre-back. He also has experience under his belt, having represented the Angolan national team and plied his trade in Europe, specifically in Portugal, where…