Table of contents for 2021-10-04 in Cape Times

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s economy is set for a major rebound in the fourth quarter as business activity will benefit from further relaxed lockdown restrictions and rising business activity. President Cyril Ramaphosa last week lowered the country’s lockdown restrictions to the lowest level following the end of the third wave of Covid-19 infections. This means that businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, can now open for longer as the curfew has been pushed out to midnight, alcohol sales are back to licence provisions, and a larger number of patrons are allowed in venues. Ramaphosa said the government’s greatest priority now was to ensure that the economy recovered as quickly as possible so that businesses get back on their feet and jobs can be created. “As part of the effort…

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE AFRICAN Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will succeed only if there is a huge appetite for infrastructure investment to drive industrialisation, technological developments and large-scale manufacturing. This was among sentiments expressed by various speakers on Friday at the inaugural Africa Trade South Africa (Atsa) 2021 virtual conference. The conference was aimed at exploring South Africa-Africa trade and investment opportunities in relation to the AfCFTA. South Africa has historically been seen as an African powerhouse, and is poised to become a key player in the AfCFTA. However, Africa’s infrastructure investment gap has widened over time, and the Covid-19 pandemic made things worse in 2020, in spite of high demand for projects and a sufficient supply of capital and investors. According to law firm Baker McKenzie’s latest report,…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za Former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi is the new face of Lux. The 28-year-old beauty queen took to social media to make the big announcement that her childhood dream of being on the brand’s billboard is finally coming to life. She said: “I am the new face of Lux! I remember being a young girl seeing beautiful, confident, superstar women on TV, magazines and billboards of Lux. “To me, they looked like superheroes, and I would pretend to be them every time my mom bought a bar of Lux soap. “I never really got to master how they lathered it so perfectly on their skin, though, but I think I more than made up for it on this gorgeous ad, LOL! “To young Zozi, this one is for…

From page 1 “This has amounted to writing that history,” Mgoqi said. After learning about his nomination, Mgoqi said he was “surprised and most honoured” to be considered for what he described as a “very important” post. On Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had received a few names to replace Justice Mogoeng. Last month, he called on the public to nominate prospective candidates and also appointed an advisory panel to assist in the process. The inclusion of the public in the nomination process of a Chief Justice is a first for the country. It was previously made by the president, after consulting the JSC and the leader of parties represented in the National Assembly.…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za THE SUPREME Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the South African branch of international delivery business UPS after it was ordered to pay nearly R400 000 to Skydive Mossel Bay for an aircraft engine which had gone up in flames. UPS SCS South Africa – a transportation and freight services business – was contracted by Skydive Mossel Bay in 2013 to transport an aircraft engine from Oklahoma in the US after the engine was overhauled overseas so it may be used for the skydiving business again. Owner of Skydive Mossel Bay, Hendrik van Wyk, instituted legal action against the logistics company the same year, saying UPS had been in breach of contract after not delivering his aircraft engine. The high court in 2019 ruled…

MF Cassim | Cope WITH the de-prioritisation of the 36 hectare Athlone Power Station (APS) from the City’s TOD Catalytic Projects Programme, vigorous action is now needed to develop the site for the generation and storage of electricity by embracing the use of new technologies. It was in 2008 that the City first issued a tender to appoint a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a high-level pre-feasibility assessment and offer redevelopment scenarios for the site. The findings were released for the public to engage with. In 2016, the matter was once again put out to the public for further interaction. Unfortunately, two things happened. Years of court applications and counter applications to reverse the city’s award of a contract to Aurecon SA (Pty) Ltd ensued. In 2018, the legal…

SOUTH Africa’s colonial and apartheid past gave us a horrible experience that efficient and adequate livelihoods are for whites and the rich, whilst third class citizenship treatment must be reserved for the black majority who are the indigenous people of this land. This has been experienced through land dispossession, poor service delivery for our people and particularly in the health sector which continues to offer services that range from poor to sub-standard daily. The demand for proper health care facilities with capacity is growing by the day, thanks to the EFF’s 2016 Local Government Elections manifesto which called for health facilities in townships and remote areas of the province to operate 24 hours per day. This call, which will continue to be canvassed by…

Ian Neilson | Deputy Mayor, City of Cape Town THE slant of the story in the Cape Times (September 30) about the DHL Stadium (formerly the Cape Town Stadium) is predictable but disappointing nonetheless. In a time when so many families and businesses are facing hardships due to Covid-19, this naming rights partnership is certainly good news and something to be proud of. The rational reader would know Covid-19 and the national lockdown has had an immense impact on stadiums and event facilities across South Africa and abroad. There is a persistent narrative that the City of Cape Town decided to build a mega stadium out of the blue and saddle ratepayers with the financial burden. The building of stadiums for the Fifa 2010 Soccer World Cup happened…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has cautioned Grade 12s to not jeopardise their last weeks of schooling, following reports of unruly behaviour by celebrating pupils at the weekend. Annual valedictory celebrations held by matric pupils from various schools at Clifton’s 4th Beach on Friday were marred by fighting, assault and malicious damage to property. Police at the scene confiscated about 120 units of alcohol. Law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said the City would be on the lookout for similar activities in the coming days, and would also deploy resources to other public spaces to prevent such incidents. “The City's by-laws prohibit alcohol on beaches and other public spaces. The fine is R500. In addition, alcohol is confiscated. Approximately 120 units of alcohol were confiscated. While…

Staff Writer SEVEN Chinese nationals arrested for alleged human trafficking and child labour have made an admission of guilt for violation of South Africa’s labour laws, while they still face trial on other charges. Kevin Tsao Shu-Uei, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian are facing schedule six offences, and several other counts, including trafficking in persons, contravention of the Immigration Act, kidnapping, pointing a firearm, debt bondage, benefiting from the services of a victim of trafficking, conduct that facilitates trafficking, illegally assisting person(s) to remain in South Africa, and failure to comply with the duties of an employer. They were arrested by the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) together with the SAPS, the Department of Home Affairs and…

Developments in Europe and SA over the past few weeks best articulate these features IF FREE and fair elections are the bane of authoritarian and totalitarian rule, one would have thought that in democracies they would be spared the blushes given the rising trend of voter apathy and lack of trust in politicians. Churchill’s alleged quip that “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried” perhaps was more to do with his gripe after the British people voted him out as prime minister within months of “winning” World War II. But the phenomenon has a habit of reinventing itself often as “the good, the bad and the ugly” of the electoral process depending on the poll and the country. Metaphorically it…

Local officials are warning of a potential ecological disaster after more than 120 000 gallons (450 000 litres) of oil leaked from an offshore oil rig and began washing up on beaches in Southern California at the weekend. The US Coast Guard tweeted that the slick was approximately three miles off Newport Beach, and 34 square kilometres in size; reports that the oil was hitting the shore started coming in that evening. Katrina Foley, an Orange County supervisor, tweeted that the oil spilled from Platform Elly, operated by Beta Offshore, a Long Beach, California, unit of Houston’s Amplify Energy. She said birds and fish had begun to wash ashore, and that oil continued to spill from the rig, despite reports that workers had moved to shut the pipeline…

Tehran: Iran’s foreign minister has called on the US to unlock $10 billion (R148bn) of Tehran’s frozen assets to clear the way for a return to a nuclear deal. If the Americans have “true intentions, let them release some of our assets, for example $10bn frozen in foreign banks”, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in an interview with state television broadcast late on Saturday. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed warnings that time was running out for Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. “The ball remains in their court, but not for long,” Blinken said.…

DHAKA: Five Rohingya men have been arrested over the killing of a prominent community leader in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, police said yesterday, adding that they were probing links to a militant group. Mohib Ullah – a high-profile figurehead for the more than 800 000-strong Muslim minority who fled the Myanmar military in a mass exodus – was killed by gunmen late Wednesday in one of the sprawling camps in south-east Bangladesh. His family blamed militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a group behind several attacks in Myanmar, with activists claiming they were enraged by his growing popularity in the camps. | AFP…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za Proteas limited overs captain Temba Bavuma will get in touch with his Springbok counterpart Siya Kolisi soon, but doesn’t want to have an information overload ahead of his first World Cup as a player and as a captain. The Proteas party, including 11 players along with the management, departed for Dubai yesterday, where they will spend six days in quarantine before being allowed out train. They will be joined at different stages by the seven players, who are currently playing in the IPL. “I’ll touch base with him over the next couple of days when things have settled, especially on his side,” Bavuma said yesterday of Kolisi. However, the Proteas skipper doesn’t want to be overwhelmed with info either. Being his first World Cup, he wants to…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE INDEPENDENT Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is scheduled to auction high demand spectrum by no later than March, according to a timetable released on Friday. Icasa said the new road map for the expedited licensing of the International Mobile Telecommunications spectrum, also known as high-demand spectrum and the Wireless Open Access Network (Woan) will result in the publication of the Invitation To Apply (ITA) in December this year. Qualifying bidders are scheduled to be announced in February next year. Icasa chairperson Keabetswe Modi- moeng appealed to stakeholders to accept the published timetable for both licensing processes to avoid unduly delaying the release of this much-needed economic stimulus input. “We would like to urge all interested stakeholders to participate fully in this consultative engagement and to engage…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Nampak has been granted a reprieve from its lenders from further asset disposals or a capital raise until June 30, 2022, due to improved trading conditions at the packaging group. In terms of funding agreements negotiated in September last year, the groups debt funders had required interest-bearing debt to be reduced by R1 billion by September 30, 2021, through the sale of assets and/or a capital raise. The share price surged 8.9 percent to R3.67 on the JSE on Friday morning after the group’s trading update was released. The group said its lenders had provided the deferral of the milestone date, after considering Nampak’s results for the 11 months to August 30. “The restriction to reduce debt only through asset disposals and/or a capital raise…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Hip hop heavyweight Cassper Nyovest has hit back at claims that Andile Mpisane refused to wear his Drip RF 990 sneakers after he sent him a pair. Nyovest cleared the air after a Twitter user claimed that reality star Andile refused to wear the sneakers or take a video of himself in them, an alleged request Cassper made when he “sent” the shoes to Mpisane. “Caspper sent free sneakers to Andile Mpisane Royal AM owner and asked him to take a video wearing them and Andile refused. Andile only offered to buy pairs for people working at his home,” tweeted the user. While Nyovest was not tagged in the tweet, it did catch his attention and he responded, saying he did not send a pair of…

Francesca Villette francesca.villette@inl.co.za A CRIMINAL complaint has been lodged against United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) for operating unlawfully following a chemical spill and fire which has caused the most serious environmental catastrophe in recent times. Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy yesterday released the findings of the Joint Preliminary Investigation into the Compliance Profile of UPL South Africa, which found that UPL was not in possession of the requisite Environmental Authorisation when it was set alight on July 12 during civil unrest. Its warehouse stored significant volumes of chemicals and evidence shows that an entire ecosystem, which includes the oHlanga tributary, the uMhlanga estuary, the beaches and the coastal environment have been seriously impacted. The investigation found that UPL was not in possession of the requisite Environmental Authorisation prior…

From page 1 decision be reviewed and South Africa removed from the ‘red list’.” The UK is a key source market for tourism in the Western Cape. In 2019, about 195 000 UK tourists visited the Western Cape, spending R24 200 on average per tourist, he said. “Removing South Africa from the UK ‘red list’ and easing travel restrictions for those travelling between the two countries ahead of our summer season will provide much-needed relief for the tourism and hospitality sector, which has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.” South African Medical Association chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said there was no reason South Africans should be discriminated against as the country used the same vaccines as the UK. “The Delta variant is in both countries and we know that our…

Lisa Isaacs and Odwa Mkentane AS SOUTH Africa awaits the announcement of the UK’s revised international travel “red list”, local authorities say the country’s expected removal from the list would be a welcome, although long-awaited decision. This, after reports emerged at the weekend that the UK is expected to slash the list from 54 countries to nine. The UK is set to open up more countries for hotel quarantine-free travel later this week, the Sunday Telegraph reported, with fully-vaccinated arrivals from countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa no longer having to quarantine in a government-designated hotel for 10 days when they get to England from later this month. The UK’s hotel quarantine policy for higher risk countries reportedly costs £2 285 (R46 000) an adult, deterring global…

FAROUK ARAIE | BENONI WE ARE on level 1 of the lockdown period before we encounter the 4th wave in four weeks’ time. In every corner of our country, dedicated men and women perform the awesome task of preparing our dead for burial. The gratitude and respect from the public is immeasurable but that has not stopped many from trying to express it. In a titanic undertaking the burial teams fearlessly forfeited their resting time to answer the call of divine duty to discharge their sacred duty to respectfully lay another soul to rest. Not all heroes wear capes. In the midst of the most frightening plague in this century, the real heroes wear protection gear and work with spades, fully aware that they themselves could become the…

MFEZEKO BUNU | Khayelitsha THIS chief justice position up for grabs has undoubtedly become one of the most talked about topics. The reason for that is whoever gets appointed must be someone beyond reproach, must be someone who will execute their judicial duties without fear or favour. In the last election of the Chief Justice, President Zuma broke ranks by not appointing the then, more than capable Dikgang Moseneke. Although I do not agree with how Justice Moseneke was overlooked, I think Zuma has shown us that one can always go against the grain. In this position there is a need for a decisive leader who is able to make correct decisions very quickly. We certainly don’t want a Chief Justice who will perpetually ask for extensions of…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za A GROUP of protesters who gathered at Sea Point Promenade on Saturday to denounce mandatory vaccines and lockdown regulations have accused the police of “aggression and intimidation”. The maskless protesters marched with placards calling on people to say no to mandatory vaccines and vaccine passports. Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said a case docket in terms of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) regulations has been opened and the matter is now under investigation. “Our members were deployed in Sea Point to police a gathering of approximately 250 people who protested against the Covid-19 vaccine. “Appropriate action was taken by our operational forces. The event was concluded at 1.30pm without any violence,” he said. If anyone felt they were harshly handled by police during the protest, they were…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THE grieving aunt of 10-year-old Sinawo Mani has detailed the trauma of diving on to the floor in her bedroom as gunshots went off again in the area just a day after her nephew was killed in alleged gang crossfire. Sinawo was walking to the shop when rival gangsters allegedly opened fire in Tambo Village, Manenberg, on Friday, hitting him twice in the back. The Grade 4 Silverstream Primary School learner later died in hospital after one of the bullets travelled to his lung. The child’s aunt, Ayanda Mani, said just when they thought there would be peace in the area, gunshots again went off on Saturday night. “In other communities we would hear that if someone gets killed, especially a child, there would be peace because…

DURING my time in Cape Town, I have been constantly amazed by the local expertise, dedicated health-care professionals and researchers, facilities, and health products that underscore why the US has long seen South Africa as a key public health partner. Our co-operation in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and altering the trajectory of HIV/Aids in this country are a testament to that partnership. For decades, the US government has partnered with the South African government to strengthen the country’s health-care system; provide HIV/Aids testing, treatment, and care for millions of South Africans; and collaborate with local institutions on world-leading medical research – much of it in the three Cape provinces. These programmes build capacity, create economic opportunities, and, ultimately, enable South Africans to lead healthier, more productive lives. Our strong…

North Korea has warned the UN Security Council (UNSC) of “consequences” if it continues to rely on the “brigandish approach” of the US. The Security Council held a meeting behind closed doors on October 1, following requests from the US and other countries over the recent North Korean missile launches. North Korean Foreign Ministry’s Jo Chol Su believes the meeting was “open ignorance of and wanton encroachment” on the country’s sovereignty and a “provocation”. Pyongyang also believes the UNSC applies double standards regarding military activities among UN member states. On October 1, North Korea test-fired a newly-developed anti-aircraft missile. Defence officials from the US, Japan, and South Korea discussed the matter. North Korea’s ambassador to the UN, Kim Song, earlier said his country was permitted to defend itself and…

Patna: Four close friends in Patna used to sell blood to buy drugs, as part of long-running racket in district hospitals, police found out as three of them approached them after one of the youths died and revealed the scam. According to the youths, a majority of youths addicted to drugs “sell their blood” to hospitals to fund their habit. “These four youths were childhood friends and studied in the same school in a prominent school of Kadamkuan locality. Once their family members learnt about them being drug addicts, they stopped giving them pocket money,” Patrakar Nagar police station SHO Manorajan Bharti said.…

MELBOURNE: Australia reported more than 1 900 new infections of the Delta coronavirus yesterday, health data showed, with authorities struggling to quell the outbreak in the two most populous states and cases spreading to new states. Victoria and New South Wales, which have been under lockdown for weeks, reported 1 887 cases and 13 deaths. The states are expected to open up once 80% vaccination is reached, but authorities have warned case numbers are expected to soar. “It will be hardest and most challenging time for our nurses, and ambulance workers and doctors,” Victoria premier Daniel Andrews warned yesterday.…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za FOUR OF THE gold industry’s major unions have declared a dispute with precious metals giant Sibanye-Stillwater and are frustrated the company has pleaded poverty during the 2021 wage talks given its record financial results. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Soli- darity and Uasa said on Friday they had rejected Sibanye’s latest wage offer charging it was substantially lower than what was agreed to with peers Goldfields and Harmony Gold Company. The unions believed the group could have tabled a better offer given that it generated a profit of R25 billion in the first half of 2021. They said the group’s offer did not resonate well with members and might lead to labour action. “As workers of this…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Vehicle sales in September reflected growing consumer confidence and provided some reassurance for a stronger final quarter, said WesBank’s head of marketing and communication Lebogang Gaoaketse. Nevertheless, while the new vehicle market continued to recover gradually last month, the knock-on effects of the looting in July, and a cyberattack on Transnet, had a marked impact on export sales, which fell 57 percent year-on-year in September, the Automotive Business Council said on Friday. Domestic new vehicle sales increased 15.8 percent in September, to 43 130 units, compared with 37 237 vehicles sold in September 2020. Export sales fell to 16 188 units, compared with the 28 390 vehicles exported in September 2020. The new vehicle market’s recovery in September was in line…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za Maggi noodles are hugely versatile – this fact cannot be stressed enough. They’re something everyone likes to eat, children and adults. Maggi is everyone’s favourite; it is as tasty to eat as to make. However, in recent times strange recipes using Maggi are being shared on social media, which have shaken some people. Just a few days back, a “Maggi milkshake” went viral on social media. Peoples were in turmoil after seeing this recipe. While it’s not clear who made the bizarre dish, a picture of two milkshake glasses, topped with a scoop of cooked Maggi noodles, was being circulated on several social media platforms. Now the Maggi-stuffed chilli pepper has also created a stir. In this new version, Maggi is made by stuffing it in green…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za HIGH electricity and water tariffs were among the pressing concerns that Good party leader Patricia de Lille learnt of during the party’s campaign trail across the country, and the Western Cape. De Lille and her team yesterday campaigned in Stellenbosch, Klapmuts and Franschhoek. She told Independent Media that because of high electricity and water bills and escalations in arrears, people were now having to choose between paying their bills or buying food for their homes. “It is just not affordable for people any more. If we are given an opportunity by people voting for us, we will commit to getting into the municipalities to stop them from making profit on water and electricity. They (municipalities) buy their water, and electricity from Eskom, and then give it a…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za SEVERAL medical experts have slammed government’s decision to move the country to adjusted alert level 1, saying it could trigger the onset of the fourth wave earlier than predicted. President Cyril Ramaphosa moved the country from alert level 2 to level 1 on Thursday, and announced new regulations allowing up to 2 000 people to gather outdoors. Experts criticised the move, saying it made no scientific sense to have outdoor gatherings of 2 000 people and indoors of 750 people. Senior lecturer from the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University, Dr Jo Barnes, said the scientific proof of safety for this move has not yet been presented. “I am concerned about the risks posed by the significantly increased numbers of persons allowed to attend gatherings,…

Loyiso Sidimba and Tarryn-Leigh Solomons THE Black Lawyers Association (BLA) believes that Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe’s insights regarding South African jurisprudence before and post the constitutional dispensation are good character traits for him to replace Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. Their support for Judge Hlophe comes shortly before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office is expected to release the names of the nominees for the position today. AYO Technology Solutions chairperson and former Chief Land Claims Commissioner Dr Wallace Mgoqi received the Restoration Foundation’s nomination for the position. Judge Hlophe, one of the country’s longest serving jurists, is facing threats of impeachment after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended to Parliament that he be axed over the complaint that he tried to improperly influence Constitutional Court justices in former…

Bryan Buchler | Cape Town THE Covid-19 pandemic has shown the crucial role that local governments must play to improve community health care. While the improvement of public health care facilities are paramount, action must go beyond mere treatment, and instead be understood in a holistic manner. Safe drinking-water, sanitation, access to electricity and housing quality all play an important role in ensuring positive health-care outcomes for residents. One unique example is the DA’s promise to improve access to water and basic utilities, while also phasing out paraffin usage as a domestic fuel, to be replaced with safer alternatives. Importantly, the DA is also committed to working with civil society organisations to disseminate health information and to keep an ear to the ground on health challenges faced by…

Kevin Meineke | HOUT BAY I REFER to the article, “More calls for Abbas to resign” (Cape Times, September 28). The article refers to a Palestinian man, apparently beaten to death by 14 Palestinian security guards. Other than for some protests held in the land under the control of the Palestinian Authority, the world is silent about this killing. Why the silence? Where are the protests? Can anyone imagine the uproar if the victim had been beaten to death by Israelis? The UN, the EU, the South African government, various South African clerics, Hamas and the Boycott, Disinvestment, Sanction group would all be “up in arms”, accusing Israel of a crime against humanity. What can be deduced from this? It would appear that such groups are…

Muhammad Omar | Durban POLITICS has its moments and personalities and with the stepping down of (former) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a major European chapter has ended. Germany, considered “too big for Europe and too small for the world”, had at its helm Ms Merkel. Globally, one could say she was the most powerful female politician of her time. Having managed many crises, her biggest political gamble was allowing Syrian refugees into Germany, hence her famous phrase – wir schaffen das – “we will manage this”. This became her nickname and almost a summary of her era. Being given a cabinet post by Helmut Kohl, whom she later succeeded, with both Kohl and then CDU chief Wolfgang Schauble involved in a political party funding controversy, her ascension…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za FIFTEEN-year-old Thando Hani, who was allegedly falsely accused of stealing a cellphone and beaten to death by community members, was laid to rest on Saturday. According to community members in the Vosho informal settlement Samora Machel, Thando, who was autistic, was on his way home from school on September 18 when residents chased a suspect who allegedly had stolen a cellphone, later apparently finding Thando with the item. Family members said the alleged robber had given the cellphone to Thando as he ran away. Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the circumstances were being investigated and arrests were yet to be made. “The 15-year-old male victim was assaulted in Vosho informal settlement in Samora Machel and he was admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital where he (died). The murder…

AS PARTIES increase the intensity of their local government election campaigns, party leaders as responsible South Africans must temper their campaign messages with the need to not be inflammatory. Intimidation of political supporters in some parts of the country is a concerning indicator of the lack of political tolerance that exists. Leaders have rightly condemned the political intolerance, but this message must filter down to all members, in all areas. Parts of the country today still bear the deep scars of political intolerance. The robustness of South African politics is undeniable, yet there always appears to be a fine line between this robust debate and the threat of violence. In recent weeks, three women were killed in a drive-by shooting outside an ANC meeting in Inanda, Durban. In the first…

Kabul: Taliban supporters and senior figures held their first mass rally near Kabul yesterday, but their show of strength was overshadowed by a bomb blast near a mosque in the Afghan capital. No foreign government has yet recognised the Islamist former rebels’ rule, though their hold on power within the country is becoming stronger, seven weeks after they took the capital. In a sign that the Taliban victory has not brought an end to violence after Afghanistan’s 20-year conflict, an explosion killed at least two civilians and wounded several more outside Kabul’s Eid Gah mosque. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had said on Saturday that a prayer ceremony would be held at the mosque for his mother following her recent death. He made no reference to this yesterday as he tweeted…

TUNIS: Tunisian police yesterday arrested a Member of Parliament and a television presenter who have been prominent critics of President Kais Saied since his seizure of power in July,. Their lawyer, Samir Ben Omar, said the military judiciary had ordered the arrests, accusing the pair of “conspiring against state security and insulting the army” after they broadcast a program- me on Zaytouna television station. Aloui Abdellatif is an MP for the conservative religious Karama party and Ameur Ayed is a Zaytouna presenter. In the programme, they strongly criticised Saied and called him a traitor. Both also criticised the president’s appointment of Najla Bouden as Tunisia’s first woman prime minister, with Ayad scoffing that she would function only as “servant of the sultan”. Saied suspended parliament, lifted the immunity of…

Panama City: Panama feared the publication yesterday of a new exposé about financial secrecy in global tax havens could again taint its reputation, which was seriously damaged by the “Panama Papers” scandal, according to a government letter released by local media. “The damage could be insurmountable,” the Panamanian government said in the letter, sent through a law firm to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The letter warns that “any publication” reinforcing “a false perception” of the country as a possible tax haven “will have devastating consequences for Panama and its people.”…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za In an uncharacteristic manner AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy refused to discuss the controversial late penalty awarded against his team and instead focused on the splendid performance of his charges in their 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs at Kings Park on Saturday. Referee Jelly Chavani, after consulting with his assistant Emmanuel De Sani, judged AmaZulu defender Mbongeni Gumede to have handled inside the box, which gave Chiefs No 10 Keagan Dolly the opportunity to level the game at 1-1 with the last kick of the match. Although McCarthy was visibly upset by the decision, the former Bafana Bafana striker refused to criticise Chavani in fear of censure from the PSL’s Disciplinary Committee. “If we talk about the officiating, then you get called to the DC, so it’s best…

COMMENT BY Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za The Springboks’ 31-29 Rugby Championship victory over the All Blacks was a remarkable one. Not only did the win ensure that the Boks ended their Rugby Championship campaign on a high and regain some confidence ahead of the End of Year Tour, but it also snapped their three-match losing run – their first since 2016. It also ended the All Blacks' nine-game unbeaten streak and saw them return to the world No 1 ranking after the Kiwis held it for all of two weeks. There were a lot of positives from that Bok performance on the Gold Coast, and those ticks didn’t just come with the boxes you’d normally expect from the world champions. So, here are three things, from a Springbok perspective, that stood…