Innehållsförteckning för 2024-05-08 från Cape Times

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has weighed in on the DA’s controversial South African flag-burning TV ad, describing it as “despicable and treasonous”, especially given that the flag represented a symbol of the country’s union and existence as a nation. “I think it is treasonous, because anybody, particularly an organisation that does something like that for political expediency, should really be ashamed of themselves as it is the most despicable political act that anyone can embark upon, particu- larly when they are campaigning for votes. “That would mean you are voting now for a party that wants to destroy South Africa, that wants to destroy the symbol that unites all of us, so what would you be voting for? “People died for the flag of the nation and people rallied behind it,…

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said yesterday that a comment made by Collen Malatji, leader of the ANC Youth League, suggesting that voting patterns in KwaZulu-Natal are dictated by tribal lines had been misinterpreted. Mbalula was speaking in Amaoti, near Inanda, as the party’s senior leaders embarked on a door-to-door campaign in the province to convince supporters in stronghold areas to vote in their numbers at the May 29 provincial and national elections. Malatji, at a recent media briefing at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg, expressed concerns about KZN’s historical voting trends, implying tribal affiliations pose a challenge to the governing party and that voter education was needed to change this trend. “KZN has a history of people voting along tribal lines sometimes, which is part of the challenge…

Seven deaths recorded, 33 people removed from the rubble while 42 were unaccounted for by last night With the rescue operation for the construction workers trapped under the rubble expected to last between three to five days following Monday’s deadly George building collapse, officials remained hopeful they would bring more workers out alive. This is according to Western Cape Chief of Disaster Management Colin Diener, as more than 200 staff were deployed on site to support the search and rescue operation. Rescuers had to remove rubble carefully by “delayering” through concrete layers, said Diener. He said they had called through voids in the rubble and yesterday morning established that four workers were located at the basement parking area of the construction site. Another worker had contacted his wife shortly after…

The Road Freight Association and a trucking company have welcomed the strides made by Transnet to address truck congestion at the Port of Richards Bay. Truck congestion on roads leading to the port was raised as a significant issue last year by the City of uMhlathuze which said there had been unprecedented traffic on major roads. Transnet said it has now ramped up the number of coal trains from 21 to 28 per week as part of Transnet’s Recovery Plan initiatives, and a commitment made to the City of uMhlathuze leadership and other stakeholders during a meeting in November last year. It explained that all Transnet customers that were road hauling to the Port of Richards Bay were approached directly to indicate interest in participating in a test train service.…

A MOTHER from rural Limpopo has successfully turned to the courts to force the Road Accident Fund (RAF) to pay her for loss of support after her only remaining child died in a car accident. The Limpopo High Court, sitting in Polokwane, ruled in favour of the woman, Lina Baloyi. Judge Maake Kganyago said she was entitled to claim for the loss of support arising out of the death of her son, since she was indigent and had been partly dependant on the deceased. He quoted at length a similar judgment in which it was held that African law obliged a child who was financially able to do so, to provide maintenance for his/her needy parents. The court said when an African person provides support and education to his/her son…

A POLITICAL party that is serious about attracting voters ahead of a general election does not go around burning flags like the DA has done. Similarly, question marks have to be raised about a political movement like the MK Party that is still fighting for and justifying its existence in courts on the eve of the polls In the case of the DA, there is no doubt that lots of thoughts were bandied about at the Nkululeko House home of the party before the advert, which depicted the national flag going up in flames, was conceived. The party says the advert was meant to highlight that the country is in trouble. But burning the flag is an insult to the voters that John Steenhuisen is trying to attract, despite it…

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Pyrenees mountains yesterday on the second day of a trip during which Xi showed little sign of being ready to offer major concessions on trade or foreign policy. Advisers to the French president described the Pyrenees trip as breaking with protocol for a chance for one-on-one chats with Xi, without scores of aides, in mountains dear to Macron as the birthplace of his maternal grandmother. One of Macron’s main objectives is to convince Xi to reduce the trade imbalance between the two regions, with better access for European firms in China and fewer subsidies for Chinese exporters. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, who greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the airport in windy weather, took them…

Brussels: EU countries yesterday backed the bloc’s first law devoted to combating violence against women. However, the text failed to settle on a common definition of rape. The sweeping law aims to protect women in the 27-nation EU from gender-based violence, forced marriages, female genital mutilation and online harassment. The European Parliament already approved the rules in April and the countries’ green light was the last step before it becomes law. During negotiations, the EU was split between countries including Italy and Greece who wanted a definition of rape, against nations like France and Germany who opposed its inclusion. | AFP…

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple unveiled its latest iPad Pro yesterday with a new chip for artificial intelligence (AI) computing as it rushes to catch up with its Big Tech rivals in a race to dominate the emerging technology. Debuting its latest chip in a tablet rather than its Mac laptops suggests Apple is eager to give app makers a head start creating AI-related software before its annual software developer conference next month, analysts said. While Microsoft and Alphabet have dived headlong into AI and seen their stocks surge to record highs, Apple’s shares have fallen 5% in the year to date as investors wait for it to show how it will leverage AI technology. | Reuters…

MANAGER Carlo Ancelotti urged Real Madrid to play with more pace and intensity if they want to keep alive their hopes of securing the La Liga- European Cup double by beating Bayern Munich in the return leg of their Champions League semi-final tonight. Real wrapped up the La Liga title over the weekend with four matches to spare but that has not stopped Ancelotti from being extremely critical of his team’s performance in their 2-2 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final in Germany. He has warned his players that they cannot afford another subpar performance if they want to contest the June 1 final at Wembley Stadium. “We need a match with intensity, with pace … Looking at the first leg, defensively we could have done…

Newly crowned 2023/2024 DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns will place their season-long invincibility on the line when they travel to Golden Arrows next. Abafana Bes’thende will welcome The Brazilians to the Mpumalanga Stadium at 7.30pm tomorrow looking to break Sundowns’ 24-match unbeaten streak in the league. Just like they’ve done in the six seasons before this one, Sundowns have steam-rolled every opponent in the top flight this season on their way to being crowned rulers of the land for the seventh time in a row. With a league-high 47 goals scored and a league-low of just nine conceded, Sundowns will put all those records on the line again when they travel to an unpredictable Arrows side. The arrival of Steve Komphela at Arrows in March seemed to signal a change…

PROTEAS seamer Kagiso Rabada is having a solid outing with the Punjab Kings in the IPL, even as some of his national teammates in the fast bowling department are still searching for their best form with the T20 World Cup fast approaching. The 28-year-old Rabada has been a leader of the Kings attack and has played every match so far in the 17th edition of the IPL, picking up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.85 runs per over. With only four wins from their 11 matches, the Kings have struggled to get any rhythm and have not been able to string consistent performances together. With limited time between the end of the IPL and the start of the World Cup, Rabada will potentially play a similar role he’s…

JSE-LISTED Kibo Energy’s UK-based energy assets operator yesterday said the kick-starting of work on the second phase of its Pyebridge programme will boost revenues and profitability. This comes as Kibo’s subsidiary, Mast Energy, has officially launched work on the Pyebridge Power second phase after signing an engineering works contract with Cooper Ostlund, a UK contractor, for the full long-block overhaul of one genset, which comprises of an engine and power generator. The contract with Cooper Ostlund also encompasses “essential improvements” to the site. “The expected timeline to completion of the work and commercial operations date of the refurbished genset is around eight weeks,” said Kibo. Kibo CEO Pieter Krügel said costs for these works, which cover the overhaul of one genset, will be funded under a new funding agreement reached…

TEN opposition parties, represented in Parliament, indicated they will take legal action after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced yesterday that he had signed the Electoral Matters Amendment Act. The parties are understood to have held an urgent meeting after the Presidency made the announcement earlier yesterday. ACDP chief whip Steve Swart said his party would take legal advice to contest the new law. “We don’t accept it. I am sure there are other political parties that will be joining us,” he said. Swart confirmed that they had a brief discussion after Ramaphosa announced the signing into law of the bill. “We will be taking legal advice as to the way forward. We are definitely taking legal action. “We still hold the view that the bill is unconstitutional,” he said, before referring…

HIGHER Education Minister Blade Nzimande has slammed Stellenbosch University’s senate vote against a motion on Genocide and Destruction of Scholarship and Education in Gaza as “blatantly racist.” Nzimande accused the senate of legitimising mass murder and dispossession of the oppressed people of Palestine, including that of fellow academics. Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University Professor Willem de Villiers confirmed that its senate did not pass the resolution on the Israel-Palestine crisis following a special meeting to discuss the motion after it had been tabled in March. The proposed resolution received 80 votes for and 101 against, while 18 abstained. The resolution detailed a call for an immediate ceasefire and the cessation of attacks on civilians in Gaza and Israel, the passage of humanitarian aid and the return of all captives, including the…

AN advocate who wrote an exam for an additional qualification, but only received a 16% mark, was so upset about this that she turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to, among others, demand that her exam paper be remarked. Ithumeleng Sekukuni subsequently wanted an undisclosed amount of damages from the Legal Practice Council (LPC), through which she wrote the exam, and from the examiner, advocate Yolande Jansen. She felt defamed as Jansen, in marking her paper, remarked on the paper in Afrikaans “ongemerk” (not marked) as well as “in potlood” (in pencil). Sekukuni asked the LPC after receiving her marks why her paper was not marked completely and what the meaning was of the words jotted down on her exam paper. She was told that it meant pencil, but…

Students at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg have held a protest over the alleged poor condition of outsourced residences. DUT senior director for corporate affairs, Alan Khan, confirmed the protest action which took place last week. As a result of the protest, the university took a decision to move lectures online in respect of two campuses, he said. “On Thursday, May 2, university management decided to temporarily move the teaching and learning activities at the Indumiso and Riverside campuses online. “This decision was taken after the unlawful and violent protests on the Indumiso campus in Pietermaritzburg. “In prioritising the safety of our students and staff, the lectures were temporarily moved online. “We certainly cannot condone the destruction of university property or the endangerment of lives…

A historical perspective on International May Day, which was observed globally on May 1, is deeply rooted in the labour movement. It symbolises the worldwide struggle and solidarity among workers, dating back to the late 19th century when labour movements advocated for fair working conditions, particularly an eight-hour workday. The date was chosen to commemorate the Haymarket affair in 1886 in Chicago, a significant event in labour history where a peaceful rally supporting workers turned into a violent clash with the police. May Day has transformed into a day of protest and celebration, highlighting the importance of labour rights. Such occasions underscore the necessity of maintaining excellent stakeholder relations with labour. Good stakeholder relations with labour are not just a legal or ethical requirement but also a strategic advantage. Organisations…

Israeli forces seized the main border crossing between Egypt and southern Gaza yesterday, shutting down a vital aid route into the Palestinian enclave that is already on the brink of famine. The Palestinian militant group Hamas accused Israel of trying to undermine efforts to secure a ceasefire in the seven-month-long war that has laid waste to Gaza and left hundreds of thousands of its people homeless and hungry. Israeli army footage showed tanks rolling through the Rafah crossing complex and the Israeli flag raised on the Gaza side. UN and other international aid agencies said the closing of the two crossings into southern Gaza – Rafah and Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom – had virtually cut off the enclave from outside aid and very few stores were available inside. Red Crescent sources…

Stormy Daniels, the porn star at the heart of Donald Trump’s hush money case, took the witness stand yesterday at the blockbuster trial of the former US president. “The people call Stormy Daniels,” prosecutor Susan Hoffinger announced as the 77-year-old Trump sat at the defense table in the Manhattan courtroom flanked by his lawyers. Daniels’ testimony is expected to be a pivotal moment in the courtroom drama rocking the scandal-plagued Republican’s attempt to recapture the White House. Daniels, 45, a longtime actor and director in the adult film industry, says she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 and was then paid to keep quiet about it on the eve of his 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, when the news could have sunk his campaign. Trump denies ever having…

NEW DELHI: An Indian state has accused yoga guru Baba Ramdev of criminal misconduct for promoting his traditional ayurvedic medicine as a cure for Covid-19 because it was only approved as an “immunity booster”, a case filing shows. Ramdev, whose yoga cures and ayurvedic products have made him popular in India, the US and other countries, misled the public with claims his medicines could also cure cardiac disorder and cancer. Ramdev’s firm, Patanjali Ayurveda, denied making misleading claims on Covid-19 medication. The regulator is seeking a punishment for Ramdev that can extend up to six months in jail if convicted. | Reuters…

LONDON: Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey yesterday overturned a London court ruling which effectively found him liable for an alleged sexual assault on a British man, after his lawyers mistakenly failed to serve a defence to a civil lawsuit. Spacey, 64, is being sued at London’s High Court by a man who alleges that in 2008 he was sexually assaulted by the Hollywood star. The actor has denied this. In 2022, Spacey was charged with nine sexual offences between 2004 and 2013 but was acquitted last year. His lawyer said it would be unfair for the claimant to win his lawsuit against Spacey without a trial when he had been “disbelieved on oath by a jury”. | Reuters…

THE BEEFMASTER Group has warned that the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak which occurred on a farm in Humansdorp, in the Eastern Cape, could be more pervasive than what it was believed to be, given a lack of evidence of biosecurity measures. The affected farm has been placed under quarantine and a full epidemio- logical investigation has commenced to identify the possible origin of the virus. The Kouga Local Municipality announced the prohibition of movement of animals within its borders to mitigate the spread of the highly contagious viral infection as surrounding areas have also been affected. Beefmaster supply chain executive, Roelie van Reenen, said the FMD continued to be a threat due to several factors, including the movement of animals from FMD control zones or hotspots, to other areas, a…

FATALITIES at Gold Fields’ South African and Australian operations, as well as weather-induced disruptions, impacted the company’s attributable production for the first quarter of the current year, prompting it to initiate a group safety review that will be completed before the end of June. In January, Gold Fields reported a fatality in South Africa when an employee was fatally injured in an underground incident at the South Deep mine. Last month, a contracted employee was killed at Gold Fields’ St Ives mine in Australia. Gold Fields yesterday said its production of 464 000 ounces for the quarter period to the end of March was impacted by the incidents. This means that the gold miner’s production for the quarter plunged by 18% on a year-on-year basis, and by 22% compared…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) yesterday responded to attempts to remove Jacob Zuma as leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), saying the former president remained the registered leader of the party and only he could give it instructions on removing candidates from its election list. Jabulani Khumalo, who registered the party last year but was expelled last month, wrote to the IEC and asked the commission to remove Zuma as the “face of MKP and as the president of the MKP”. Khumalo also wrote a letter to Zuma, dated May 5, informing him of his precautionary suspension as a result of “acts of misconduct in relation to the activities of the MKP”. He said these acts had brought the party into disrepute and caused confusion “within the…

While nearly two-thirds (63%) of youth aged 18 to 24 years old say they are registered to vote, just under half (49%) say they are likely to vote later this month. Sixteen percent say they won’t vote and 35% haven’t yet decided. This is according to results from the latest African Youth Survey’s Special Report on South Africa, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the country’s democracy. The study by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation was conducted by global insights consultancy company PSB Insights, looking at how young people across the continent view themselves, their rights and their place in the world. The survey was conducted through 1 000+ face-to-face interviews with 18- to 24-year-olds across the country. According to the results, the youth felt that corruption in South Africa was…

120g butter 3 very ripe large bananas, peeled 2 large free-range eggs ½ cup amasi 250g gluten-free all-purpose four 190g brown sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp fine salt 2 bananas (yellow but not too ripe), sliced lengthways Pecan nuts, toasted and chopped, for serving (optional) Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional) For the cheat’s caramel sauce: 1 x 385g can condensed milk 1/3 cup milk 1tbs butter 1tsp vanilla extract Ground cinnamon, to taste (optional) Sea salt, to taste Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm round cast-iron skillet. Place the butter in a pan over a medium-low heat. As it melts, gently swirl every few minutes until it turns golden brown, nutty and fragrant. Remove from the…

WHILE the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says it has lodged 78 criminal cases against municipalities allegedly in contravention of environmental legislation, it has been accused of doing this to “cover its own rear end”. DWS said the charges related to sewage spills and other alleged environmental contraventions. ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont welcomed the criminal charges but said they did “not go nearly far enough”. Beaumont added that seldom do the charges lodged go on to prosecution: “The laying of these charges amounts to little more than national government covering its considerable rear end. Charges have been laid before and the few that make it to prosecution have resulted in charges being pleaded down to considerable fines. “So, one tier of government fines another tier of government and the residents…

Tim Cohen’s recent article in the Daily Maverick critiquing Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) commissioner Unathi Kamlana’s stance on arbitrary bank account closures has exposed the deep-rooted racism that continues to plague South Africa’s mainstream media. Despite the decades that have passed since the end of apartheid, the white-owned media remain a breeding ground for biased and discriminatory narratives, perpetuating the very injustices that the nation has fought so hard to overcome. Kamlana’s speech addressed critical issues of economic inclusion and the social impact of arbitrary bank account closures – matters that have long been blue-ticked by the mainstream. It also dealt with the overused amorphous argument about “reputational risk” used to justify arbitrary bank account closures. His arguments, rightfully so, encapsulated the fact that major industries or sectors cannot…

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin vowed at a lavish inauguration yesterday to deliver victory to Russians, embarking on a record-breaking fifth term with more power than ever. Putin, however, conceded that Russia was going through a “difficult” period, an apparent reference to the unprecedented sanctions packages the West has imposed on Moscow for having launched full-scale military hostilities in Ukraine more than two years ago. The 71-year-old Kremlin chief has ruled Russia since the turn of the century, securing a fresh six-year mandate in March after winning presidential elections devoid of all opposition. The highly orchestrated inauguration ceremony, which included a military procession and Orthodox prayer service, was broadcast live on major Russian television channels. European countries including Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic signalled they would not send representatives amid…

Bangkok: Thai police have arrested an American who fled a 25-year jail sentence in the US for kidnapping, sex trafficking and other crimes, officers said yesterday. Selva Delano Mudaliar was sentenced to at least 25 years by a court in the US state of Oregon in March on 11 counts that also included strangulation and coercion. The 37-year-old fled to Thailand while on parole and lived in the kingdom for more than three months, “frequently changing hotels and apartments”, police said. He was arrested at a condominium in Bangkok after the US Federal Bureau of Investigation asked the Thai authorities for help. He now faces extradition. | AFP…

London: Prince Harry arrived in the UK yesterday for events marking the anniversary of his Invictus Games but will not meet his father King Charles III, who is undergoing cancer treatment, according to his spokesperson. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was last in the UK in February to visit his father, who had just been diagnosed with cancer. It was expected that the pair would meet at some point during his latest trip. But a spokesperson for the prince, who quit royal frontline duties in January 2020 and now lives in the US with wife Meghan, said there will be no meeting. From London, Harry is due to join Meghan on a visit to Nigeria. | AFP…