Table of contents for 2024-09-27 in Cape Times

Gerhardus Burger was an associate of the late former CEO, Markus Jooste FORMER Steinhoff shareholder Gerhardus Burger yesterday pleaded guilty to three charges of insider trading in contravention of the Financial Markets Act and was sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. Burger, who is 79, received a five-year sentence that was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not trade shares based on inside information during that period. He also has to pay back the proceeds from selling his shares. He was an associate of the late former Steinhoff CEO, Markus Jooste, who apparently sent him, Jaap du Toit, Marthinus Swiegelaar and the late Ockert Oosthuizen text messages warning them to sell their Steinhoff shares. Burger sold more than 39…

Old Mutual lifted its interim dividend 6% to 34 cents a share over the same time last year due to a stronger performance by South African equities and its strategy to invest in new growth engines, including the launch of a new “status quo changing” bank early next year. Adjusted headline earnings grew by 3% supported by a robust 14% increase in shareholder investment returns. Adjusted headline earnings a share rose by 7% to 73.5c, boosted by the R1.5 billion share buy-back in 2023. “We are pleased with the solid performance delivered while investing for the future,” CEO Iain Williamson said in a statement yesterday at the release of the interim results. He said progress on strategic delivery provided an edge to their performance, and moves to launch…

from page 1 Msimanga said that the DA caucus would proudly take up seats as the official opposition in council. “In the face of adversity and instability, we will hold a broken executive to account. We have, and always will be, unforgiving in our oversight roles – the DA will continue to protect the people of Tshwane,” he said. The ANC cited a whopping R6 billion debt owed by the municipality to Eskom and Rand Water’s outstanding interest of R15 530 163 for the financial year 2022/23 among reasons for removing Brink. Council Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana was expected to convene another council sitting soon to elect a new mayor. The removal is unlikely to have any bearing on the Government of National Unity given that the local government “is a…

LIGHT snow is expected over the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal this weekend. After the recent snow of last weekend that wreaked havoc on roads between the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, the SA Weather Service (SAWS) warned that light snow was expected over the Drakensberg this weekend. “Weather conditions are expected to change significantly as an upper trough system associated with a ridging high-pressure system at the surface will introduce significant cooling over the escarpment regions of South Africa, extending from the Western Cape up to the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal,” the SAWS said. Daytime temperatures are expected to start cooling down over the Western Cape from Sunday, reaching the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal region by Monday. Snowfall is expected to follow a similar…

Despite this, survey findings show that WC has a lower HIV prevalence compared to other provinces THE SEXUAL debut before the age of 15, found to be higher among adolescent males than females, has been identified as one of the key drivers of the HIV epidemic in the Western Cape. This was revealed when the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) released the key findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for the Western Cape yesterday. The report showed an increase in the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15–24 years who reported sex before the age of 15 years in 2022 (16.3%) compared with 2017 (14%). The sexual debut before the age of 15 years among adolescents and youth aged 15–24 in…

An elderly man who claimed millions in damages against a hospital group after he went blind in one eye following an operation has objected to the court accepting the forensic report submitted by the hospital group after it had a private investigator monitor him. Nicolaas de Jager, 66, objected in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, about the Netcare group wanting to introduce the evidence of the private investigator to prove that De Jager’s eye was not hampering his ability to lead a normal life. His lawyer, Conrad van der Vyver, submitted that the hospital group had violated the constitutional rights of De Jager, his wife and children, as well as his grandchild, by having them followed and their movements recorded. On March 18, 2014 he was admitted to the Netcare…

Nothing Ventured Jeffrey Archer Loot.co.za (R243) pan macmillan Nothing Ventured is the first thrilling novel in the William Warwick series, by the master storyteller author of The Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, Jeffrey Archer. This is not a detective story, this is a story about a detective. William Warwick is 8 when he decides to join the police force. Resolute in the face of his prominent QC father’s objections, William graduates in Art History from university, and immediately enrols as a constable in the Metropolitan Police. Gaining insight from his first mentor, an experienced, world-weary constable, his keen mind quickly takes him into a role in Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques unit and his first case: the recovery of a Rembrandt stolen from the Fitzmolean Museum. It will take…

The Sailor’s Wife Maureen Girdlestone Loot.co.za (R195) self published THE striking cover of The Sailor's Wife depicts a yacht lying serenely on a dreamlike ocean, its dinghy drifting alongside. The tranquil scene belies all the drama and adventure on the pages within. Based on a true story The Sailor's Wife is about a yacht called Alter Ego. Truly his Other Self for the man who had built her himself. Screw by screw, plank by teak plank. It had taken years, every spare cent devoured. His dream to sail the world. Explore unlimited horizons. Even if cash is tight, the wind is free. This debut novel for the author Maureen Girdlestone describes the calamitous events that were to take place, turning the lives of the whole family as upside down as…

A STUDY, authored by Dani Madrid- Morales, Herman Wasserman, and Saifuddin Ahmed, and titled “The Geopolitics of Disinformation: Worldviews, Media Consumption and the Adoption of Global Strategic Disinformation Narratives,” has recently surfaced in The Conversation – a platform that prides itself on being progressive and academically credible. It is headlined with the brazen claim, “Chinese and Russian Disinformation Flourishes in Some African Countries – Anti-US Sentiment Helps It Take Hold.” This piece of “research” pushes the exhausted idea of an “information disorder” allegedly rampant across Africa, painting Africans as somehow more prone to being manipulated by Russian or Chinese “disinformation.” Stripping away its academic pretensions, what’s revealed is a rehashed colonial narrative, an attempt to pathologise anti-colonial and anti-imperialist thought and dismiss it as the result of foreign meddling. The…

The US is spearheading a new diplomatic effort to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday, hoping progress on that front could help rekindle stalled Gaza peace talks. Details are being discussed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to two Lebanese officials, two Western diplomats, a source familiar with the thinking of the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah, a source in Washington and a further person briefed on the talks. Western officials said the most urgent diplomatic focus for now is to stop the violence in Lebanon, which carries a greater risk of spiralling into a regional war. At the UN, Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides said the US and France were trying to hammer out an interim…

A California court was sealed off this week after a home-made bomb exploded, with witnesses saying a man had thrown some kind of device in an apparent protest. Police said one man had been arrested at the scene and two people had been injured. Lawyer Bill Ausman said he was arriving at the courthouse in Santa Maria, 240km north-west of Los Angeles, when the commotion began. “I heard an explosion and someone screaming, ‘It’s a bomb, it’s a bomb, it’s a bomb,’” he said, adding that dozens of people began to flee. Ausman described how he saw a man tackled by law enforcement as he tried to run. As he was being taken down he was “screaming that over 900 000 people a year are being killed” by the Food…

GITEGA: Burundi has expressed its willingness to contribute to the restoration of security in Haiti by sending a peacekeeping contingent. The announcement came from the Burundi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X, following a meeting between Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This offer comes as Kenya has already deployed 400 police officers to help quell violence in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, with plans to send an additional 600. Other nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, have also indicated their willingness to contribute to a support mission. | Sputnik…

TOKYO: A Japanese man said to have spent the world’s longest time on death row was acquitted of murder yesterday, his legal team said, ending his family’s search for justice after a wrongful conviction for crimes committed nearly 60 years ago. The Shizuoka district court cleared Iwao Hakamada, 88, in a retrial of the murders of four people in the central Japanese region in 1966. It was sweet to hear the words “not guilty” in the courtroom, said Hideko Hakamada, who has battled for decades to clear her younger brother’s name. Hakamada spent 45 years on death row before a court ordered his release. | Reuters…

The spirit in the Stellenbosch FC camp is at an all-time high. Not only are they looking forward to a first MTN8 Cup final against Orlando Pirates – having progressed to the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup – but they are also once again the kings of the Cape after their iKapa Derby victory over local rivals Cape Town City on Wednesday night. The mood certainly is a joyful one, which even allowed coach Steve Barker to joke that he was glad that star defender Fawaaz Basadien’s wonder goal in the derby had come after the close of the transfer window last week. Basadien and midfielder Jayden Adams’ future at the Cape Winelands club has arguably been Barker’s biggest headache of late. After already seeing former club captain…

Nabi has made a promising start to life at Chiefs. He won the first two games of the Premiership season, beating Marumo Gallants 2-1 and AmaZulu 3-1 (both away). His team’s character is set to be tested tomorrow (3pm kick-off) when they host serial champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium. Nabi knows that this is one of the biggest games on the local sporting calendar, given Sundowns’ dominance over the years. But the Tunisian tactician is not fazed by the challenge. As he addressed the media at VodaWorld in Midrand yesterday, he cut an animated figure. Nabi kept touching the Chiefs badge whenever he made a reference to why it’s important to return the club not only to the top of local football, but Africa as well. The 59-year-old,…

Motorists can expect to save more at the pumps in October when fuel prices are adjusted next week. The AA says current unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) indicates significant reductions to fuel prices across the board, making this the fifth consecutive decrease this year. According to the CEF’s figures, the price of ULP95 petrol is expected to decrease by around R1.13/litre while ULP93 is set for a drop of around R1.05/l. Diesel is expected to drop by between R1.12/l and R1.10/l, while illuminating paraffin will drop by around R1.08/l. “The expected decreases are welcome and will provide additional relief to motorists. If these decreases are realised, the cumulative impact of this fifth decrease is substantial. “Considering, for instance ULP93 Inland, the past four decreases amounted to…

Only the most passionate Argentinian fan or a fool would bet against the Springboks adding another title to their collection when they host the South Americans in the Rugby Championship finale at Mbombela Stadium tomorrow evening (5pm kick-off). The world champions need one log point out of the game to secure their first Championship title since 2019, and only the fifth since the tournament started in 1996. The Boks will take the field fuelled with motivation to honour arguably the greatest Springbok of all time, Eben Etzebeth, who will become the most capped South African in international rugby. The great warrior will go past Victor Matfield’s record of 127 Test caps. The Boks are also back to full strength after leaving eight first-choice players behind last week when the team…

The Eastern Cape department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has welcomed the sentencing of four men who committed traditional circumcision offences that led to severe assaults and death. This is after senior prosecutor Nkululeko Mathenjwa argued at the Mbizana Regional Court for an appropriate sentence, stating that the death of initiates at the hands of reckless bogus traditional surgeons and nurses had reached epidemic proportions. Non-registered traditional surgeon, Yongama Mdludla, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to contravening the Customary Initiation Act 02 of 2021 and culpable homicide. The 21-year-old’s accomplices, Yamkela Bentswana, 27, and Mihlali Khiphi, 24, were sentenced to eight years behind bars. This was for their roles in the death of initiate Mvuyisi Dingile, 17, in November last year. National Prosecuting Authority…

Newman's Birds by Colour Kenneth Newman, Nick Newman Loot.co.za (R319) Struik Nature This fabulously lush and colourful book on Southern Africa’s most common birds (of which there appear to be very many given the array described in this wonderful guide) is bound to become a must-have in any household where birds swoop into your garden to quench their thirst and cool off in your birdbath. As spring (mostly) beckons, my garden has become an absolute delight as the winged creatures chatter, nestle on a decorative piece of wood or tree branch, or shake off their wings and feathers in the constantly-filled bird bath. So this book has become a very handy companion. The famed guide is now in its fourth edition and aside from the superb artwork illustrating each…

THOSE familiar with author Laura Marshall will know she is best known for her psychological thrillers. Her newest – A good place is hide a body – did not disappoint. This fast-paced thriller laced with dark humour is a about a tenant from hell that will leave you reconsidering renting out your space – especially when finances are tight. Penny Whitlock, a divorcee struggling with life’s challenges while also caring for her elderly parents Sissy and Heath, is battling to maintain their home. To ease their financial burden, Penny suggests her parents rent out the basement annex of their home. After contacting a real estate agency, they find Cooper, a tenant who seems perfect on paper – polite, responsible, astute and he paid his rent six months in advance. But…

THE tagline “Water doesn’t come from a tap” brings back fond memories of the advocates for sustainable management of water resources getting the messaging spot on. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF’s) “Journey of Water” campaign, which made this phrase famous, spoke to the need to consider catchments as crucial areas for water security. Similarly, the Day Zero campaign by the City of Cape Town, spurred on by the extended droughts, did a wonderful job conveying this message. Disaster was averted mainly through the collective buy-in from residents, but the success was ultimately driven by good communication and mobilisation of civil society. The effects of the messaging around that drought can still be felt when you visit some hotels in the city. Low-flow taps, toilets, and showerheads are…

Mpox epicentre the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is less than a week away from the start of a vaccination campaign, but the roll-out faces challenges in a vast country with limited roads, often in poor condition. Residents of Kamituga, a bustling mining town in the DRC’s South Kivu province, will be among the first to be vaccinated when the campaign begins on October 2. But authorities still face logistical challenges – only one road leads to Kamituga and most of the communities surrounding it are isolated. Taxis crammed with passengers sit beside large trucks, moving slowly through the winding, bumpy mountain pass. For the most part, the road is a dirt track, with bridges of metal beams and wooden planks that allow drivers to cross overflowing rivers. The town,…

Trade unions were to lead protests across Spain yesterday in an effort to force an agreement between the government and the business sector over a reduction in working hours amid pushback from employers concerned about a rise in costs. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialists are seeking to persuade businesses to buy into a plan to reduce the working week by 2.5 hours from 40 hours that they say will boost productivity. The EU must close the productivity gap between its member states to keep pace with economic rivals the US and China, former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said in a report this month produced for the European Commission. To secure the backing of employers, the government has offered a hiring bonus for small businesses with less than 10…

DARFUR: Sudan’s army launched artillery and air strikes in Sudan’s capital yesterday in its biggest operation to regain ground there since early in its 17-month war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Witnesses reported heavy bombardments and clashes as army troops tried to cross bridges across the Nile connecting the three adjoining cities that make up the greater capital, Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri. Army sources said their forces had crossed bridges in Khartoum and Bahri. The RSF said it had thwarted the army’s attempt to cross two bridges to Khartoum. The RSF has continued to make advances in other parts of Sudan. | Reuters…

SAN FRANCISCO: ChatGPT-maker OpenAI was working on a plan to restructure its core business into a for-profit benefit corporation that would no longer be controlled by its non-profit board, people familiar with the matter said, in a move that will make the company more attractive to investors. The OpenAI non-profit would continue to exist and own a minority stake in the for-profit company, the sources said. The move could also have implications for how the company manages AI risks in a new governance structure. Chief executive Sam Altman will also receive equity for the first time in the for-profit company, which could be worth $150 billion (R2.6 trillion) after the restructuring as it also tries to remove the cap on returns for investors. | Reuters…

from page 1 Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi has travelled a long road with Etzebeth since they arrived as youngsters at the Stormers. Mbonambi said: “The thing with Eben has always been his character in the changeroom. Yes, he can be the serious guy if that is what is required, but he can also be a joker. “He can read a mood better than most. He will loosen up the mood in the team when there’s too much tension. “Also, when it’s time to get serious, he’s the guy who knuckles down and makes things very personal.” To put the 32-year-old Etzebeth’s longevity into perspective, when he made his debut in 2012, tomorrow’s starting Bok scrumhalf, Jaden Hendrikse, was 11 (he is now 24).…

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Thembi Simelane insists there is no conflict of interest between her and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in relation to an investigation by the Hawks into monies linked to VBS Mutual Bank. Simelane said that the NPA was mandated to ensure that it exercises its functions without fear, favour or prejudice. “I understand the matter mentioned is being investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation,” she said. Simelane was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach, who asked how she intended to deal with the alleged conflict of interest between her and the NPA, whose investigations must proceed unhindered. Earlier this month, the Hawks executed a search and seizure warrant at the Polokwane Municipality, which invested more than R300m in the VBS…

Ingredients 125g salted butter, at room temperature, 150g Muscovado sugar, 2 large free-range eggs, 1 tbs golden syrup, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 150g self-raising flour, 2 tsp Hinds Spices Pure Ground Ginger, 100g Medjool dates, chopped, 1 cup water, 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda For the ginger caramel sauce: 100g salted butter, 150g Muscovado sugar, 3 tbs golden syrup, ½ cup pouring cream, z generous pinch of salt, 1 tbs Hinds Spices Pure Ground Ginger, 1 cup custard powder Method Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a 20cm ovenproof bowl or baking dish. In the bowl, using an electric beater, beat the butter and sugar at a high speed until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup and…

OPPOSITION parties have expressed mixed views on the Western Cape Provincial Economic Review and Outlook (Pero) for 2024, with some stating it exposed the government’s mediocrity. Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Deidré Baartman tabled the Pero yesterday in the Western Cape Legislature with employment, safety, well-being and housing among priorities. The annual research publication guides the budgeting process in the Western Cape and provides insights on key economic and socio-economic trends and patterns. For the first time, the Pero was produced by the provincial Treasury’s government budget office and peer reviewed by the Bureau of Economic Research (BER). “The data in the 2024 Pero show us that despite facing seemingly impossible tasks, despite not necessarily having the constitutional mandate, or the national budget, the Western Cape Government has never refused…

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife Anna Johnston Loot.co.za (R585) William Morrow Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. A case of mistaken identity allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head – as long as his poker face is…

The Creation Of Half-Broken People Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu Loot.co.za (R249) Pan Macmillan SIPHIWE Ndlovu’s latest book is an African take on the gothic novel, and readers can look forward to apparitions and hauntings blended with Ndlovu’s rich, melodious prose and astute socio-political commentary. The Creation of Half-Broken People tells the tale of a nameless woman plagued by visions. She works for the Good Foundation and its museum, a place filled with artifacts from the family’s various explorations in Africa, the Good family members all being descendants of Captain John Good, of King Solomon’s Mines fame. With a knowing nod to classics of the gothic genre, Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu weaves the threads of a complex colonial history into the present as she examines the collusion of colonialism, patriarchy, and capitalism in…

Did you know that Eben Etzebeth started his rugby life as a backline player? Yes, the Springbok enforcer – the heart of the pack, the man who sets the tone physically, the No 4 lock with the “crazy eyes” – was a centre at Tygerberg High School in Cape Town. Following a big growth spurt, Etzebeth made his way into the pack of forwards, becoming a lock alongside schoolmate Marvin Orie, whom he would later partner at the Boks. Etzebeth stands on the cusp of a new South African Test caps record. He will play in his 128th Test for the Boks in tomorrow’s Rugby Championship finale against Argentina in Mbombela, eclipsing the 127 mark set by another legendary lock, Victor Matfield. It is an unusual Mpumalanga setting for Etzebeth,…

Foreign ministers of the Group of 20 (G20) gathered at the UN headquarters for the first time this week, on the sidelines of the General Debate of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, focusing on the theme “Building a just world and a sustainable planet”. The meeting, chaired by Brazil and open to all UN member states, focused on debates on the reform of global governance, and discussed global measures to tackle hunger and poverty, promote sustainable development and a just energy transition, and other issues. In opening remarks at the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on global institutions to work together, “not on parallel or conflicting tracks,” to tackle the many challenges facing the world today – inequality, financing for development, the climate crisis, the impact…

MOSCOW: In a bid to strengthen ties with African nations, Russia has been actively working to establish visa-free travel arrangements with several countries in recent years. Russian citizens can now travel visa-free to Tunisia, Morocco, Cape Verde, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, and more. A visa-free travel agreement between Russia and Zimbabwe aimed at boosting passenger traffic between the two countries is being considered and could be signed on the sidelines of the fifth meeting of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission in Moscow on November 5 to 7, Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolay Krasilnikov said. | Sputnik…

LONDON: About three dozen prisoners were mistakenly freed from jail under an expansion of the early release scheme put in place by the British government to tackle prison overcrowding in England and Wales, the justice ministry said yesterday. About 1 750 convicts were freed this month as part of a government scheme that made some prisoners eligible for release after serving 40% of their sentences behind bars, down from 50%. Thousands more are expected to be let out. The justice ministry said 37 prisoners in jail for breaching restraining orders were incorrectly released but most are already back in prison. Five offenders have not yet been returned to jail. | Reuters…