Cape Times 2022-01-07

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za SOLDIERS who went awol while on a medical course in Cuba in 2017 have once again lost their legal bid to be reinstated after the SANDF gave them the boot. The group of 36 medical students turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, last year ruled that the SANDF was within its rights to fire them. The court initially found in favour of the soldiers and ordered their reinstatement. This order was, however, overturned by three judges of the high court on appeal. Unhappy with this verdict, the group turned to the SCA, which yesterday rejected their application. The SCA judges commented that “the SANDF simply cannot function properly when its members absent themselves from duty without permission, contrary to…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za NURSING students said they were annoyed by the disregard shown to them by the national Health Department after community service nurses’ contracts ended and many were allegedly shown the door without any promise of employment. The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) Student Movement has now vowed to occupy the Gauteng Health Department building in Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, on Sunday until the plight of student nurses is heard. In a statement, Denosa national chair Nathaniel Mabelebele said they were disappointed by the department. “(We are) highly disappointed in the department of health for not honouring its commitment to receive the memorandum at the nursing council on November 25. The memorandum demanded a suitable funding model for nursing education, quality, dignified and well-maintained infrastructure in nursing education…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons Tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za PREPARATIONS for the State of the Nation Address (Sona) are at an advanced stage, says Parliament spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo . President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the annual address on February 10. This usually takes place at the National Assembly, but since the parliamentary precinct was gutted by fire on Sunday and Monday, a new venue is being sought. Mothapo said the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Amos Masondo yesterday afternoon joined Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on an inspection of possible alternative venues, such as the Municipal Chambers, Cape Town International Convention Centre and the Town Hall. “The inspection follows an offer by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape and the City for…

Staff writer FORMER prison guard and friend of South Africa’s first democratic President Nelson Mandela, Christo Brand, has donated his Robben Island prison key to raise money for a Mandela Memorial Garden in Qunu. This follows outrage last month after British newspaper, the Daily Mail, reported that Brand was auctioning the key to Madiba’s Robben Island prison cell. The key was set to fetch millions of rand at the January 28 auction by US auction house, Guernsey’s. The Ex-Political Prisoners’ Association (Eppa) said last week it was working with the Robben Island Museum (RIM), Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and the South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) to interdict the auction. Due to sensitivities surrounding the key, Brand, according to a statement issued yesterday, was now in discussion…

Ntombi Nkosi, Sihle Mavuso and Mashudu Sadike THE ANC has poured cold water on claims of threats or security risks against President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was escorted out of the memorial lecture honouring late Struggle icon Lilian Ngoyi before he could address the gathering, citing the flouting of Covid-19 regulations yesterday. “The president left after he was advised that we were not complying with the required regulations and, as a law-abiding and responsible leader, he had to vacate. There is no issue of any threat. The country is still safe. We have a legitimate government; there is no threat,” said ANC NEC member Dakota Legoete. “Everybody so far is safe. All citizens must be guaranteed safety. Those who have accreditation to come to the main event on Saturday can…

Marsha Dean marsha.dean@inl.co.za ASSISTING a devastated owner with the euthanasia of his horse, overseeing the ritual slaughter of a sheep and responding to complaints of a flat containing an excessive number of cats is all in a day’s work for Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA inspectors. The Cape Times this week accompanied Inspector Siviwe Noko as he journeyed around Cape Town responding to a number of animal-related issues over the course of his nine-hour shift, which he said often extends late into the night. Noko has been an inspector with the CoGH SPCA based in Grassy Park for five years and covers the central region of Cape Town. He said he has a love for animals and enjoys working with them. “They can’t speak or defend themselves, so I…