Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-12-18 i Cape Argus

FOLLOWING countless attempts to secure the safe release of South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer, Gift of the Givers (GOTG) has announced the unconditional release of Van Deventer, described by the organisation as the longest-held South African in captivity. The relief organisation announced the release of Van Deventer yesterday. Van Deventer was kidnapped in Awbari, Libya, on November 3, 2017 and sold to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), the Sahelian branch of al-Qaeda in Mali in 2018. Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said: “Gift of the Givers, at the request of the family, got involved in 2018, made contact with JNIM, whom we dealt with for the release of Stephen McGown, Johan Gustafsson, Christo Bothma and connected many negotiators from various countries to them on behalf…

A KENSINGTON toddler tragically lost her life after she allegedly fell into an open drain. Hours after Skyler Salie, aged 19 months, allegedly fell into an open manhole near the intersection of Voortrekker Road and 18th Avenue in Kensington on Saturday, her body was found. It is alleged that Skyler and her mother were walking home in the early hours of the morning when she fell into the open hole. Her mother then reported the incident and emergency services spent more than 10 hours trying to retrieve her body. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said police divers assisted services on the scene since 6am on Saturday to retrieve the body. “The provincial diving unit assisted by crime scene experts searched for the body of a 2-year-old child since 6am on Saturday.…

I RECENTLY embarked on a journey from Cape Town to Beaufort West, and as I pen this letter on a beautiful, sunny morning here in Oudtshoorn, my thoughts are consumed by the need to transform driver behaviour on our roads. Having actively participated in traffic operations in Drakenstein, Worcester, Laingsburg and Beaufort West over the last three days, I witnessed the dedicated efforts of our hard-working provincial traffic officers in enforcing road safety. While engaging with motorists at the various roadblocks, I emphasised the importance of taking breaks, wearing seatbelts, not taking dangerous risks while driving, and enjoying the festive season responsibly. I sincerely appreciate the many drivers displaying patience, good humour and extra care to prevent crashes, which can be devastating for everyone involved. Two incidents, however, stood out,…

I AM a regular casual morning walker on the lower slopes of Table Mountain range. Over the past month, I have had two sightings of snakes, thankfully both of them immediately crept into the bush off the path. Normally snakes don’t want to be around when they hear your footsteps. (“Snakes come out to bask”, December 14, 2023) However, my experience has been that when a puff adder is sleeping in the sun, an open path is great for this, they don’t like to move as it disturbs their sleep. It is absolutely vital to keep your eyes carefully on the path when walking. Over the past 30 years I have come across many puff adders that are not looking for trouble but don’t want to move. If…

SEOUL: North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile yesterday, Seoul’s military said, as the US and South Korea warned any nuclear attack would lead to the end of Pyongyang’s regime. “North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea,” Seoul’s joint chiefs of staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. The test comes as Seoul and Washington warned Pyongyang that any nuclear attack on the US and South Korea would result in the end of the North Korean regime. The two allies held their second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group in Washington on Friday, where they discussed nuclear deter-rence in the event of conflict.…

WASHINGTON: Girls are more than twice as likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts, a Unicef analysis suggests. The agency says nearly 98 000 adolescent girls were infected with HIV in 2022 alone. The data suggests gender inequality, limited access to health care and a dearth of educational programmes put girls at particular risk for HIV worldwide. The analysis found “tremendous gains” in HIV prevention and treatment, but notes 71% of new infections among those aged 10-19 are among girls. In sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest proportion of children and adolescents with HIV, prevalence among girls and young women is triple that of males. Eastern and southern Africa have the most babies born with HIV.…

MYSTERY surrounds the death of two women whose bodies were found at Mitchells Plain beach on Saturday morning. The two bodies, one of them half-naked, were discovered at Monwabisi Beach and in the area of the Wolfgat Nature Reserve. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said officers were out on patrols when they made the first discovery. “Harare police were busy with patrols in the vicinity of Monwabisi Beach on Saturday ... when they found the body of a woman next to the road. “The circumstances surrounding this incident are now the subject of a police investigation. Harare police registered an inquest for further investigation,” Swartbooi said. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Almost 5km down the road, officers made another gruesome discovery in the Wolfgat Nature…

DEPRESSION and the increase in financial stress have led to an increase in suicides, especially over the festive season. This is according to the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) and clinical psychologists. They were responding to a study titled, “Look after your mental health during the holidays”, by Discovery which revealed that there is an increase in suicides over the festive period. The study found that in recent years there was an 11% increase in suicides in December and a 9% increase in January. The study said 33% of South Africans experienced depression since Covid-19 in 2020. “Changes in social activities and the possible influence of the festive season may increase the risk of suicide. This is thought to be especially among those living in less urban areas and…

The most important reason for the popularity of Hamas among the Palestinians is that The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) led by President Mahmoud Abbas has become ineffective in combating the violence and occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli Army (Israel Defence Forces, IDF) and settlers. Sometimes Abbas is referred to as the “Mayor of Ramallah”. A humiliation for him. Israel created Hamas and not the Palestinians. The daily humiliation and killings of Palestinians will further the establishment of extremist groups among Palestinians. Hamas should release all hostages and Israel should release all Palestinian prisoners. The desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the IDF and Israeli settlers has caused immense pain and suffering among the Palestinian people. When will it end? In the past three months more than 18…

If you have lived long enough, you will know that political fascists get people to shut up and comply while political messiahs get crucified and die. Much of world history is determined by the evil done by its fascists and not the good intentions of its messiahs. Yet, with every fascist crisis, people seek a messiah. South Africa is a messiah country on steroids. Almost every major moment in our history is written as a crisis caused by fascist catastrophes and the rise of the messianic moment to counteract it. We tend to seek messiahs to rescue us from fascist pharaohs and lead us to the promised land. Our display of political messiahs over the past few years, depending on where you conducted your politics, has included Cyril Ramaphosa, Mmusi…

Seven years after buying the National First Division status of Vasco da Gama, Stellenbosch FC secured their first major title in South Africa’s top flight. On Saturday, Stellenbosch, owned by South African billionaire businessman Johann Rupert, won the Carling Knockout championship, defeating TS Galaxy on penalties in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. It was a brave campaign by the “Maroons” because since the start of their campaign, all their matches were away from home. However, they went on to win the title, their first after spending five years in the Premiership. The next target must be to win the Premiership, and their form of the past two months suggests it is not a too far-fetched ambition. Going into Saturday’s final, the club had a tremendous run…

POLLS opened in a Chadian referendum on a new constitution yesterday, with the vote seen as a key step towards elections and the return of civilian rule promised, but postponed, by the ruling military junta. A large section of the opposition and civil society in the central African country are calling for a boycott. They argue the plebiscite is designed to pave the way for the election of the current transitional president, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, and the continuation of a “dynasty” begun by his late father 33 years ago following a coup. The “yes” camp seems assured of victory after a well-financed campaign by the ruling junta against a divided opposition which has faced arrest, intimidation and threats for more than a year. The capital, N’Djamena, has been…

LONDON: Britain has started removing components supplied by a unit of China-backed Nari Technology Co, Ltd from the electricity transmission network over cybersecurity fears, the Financial Times reported yesterday. The decision came in April after the utility sought advice from the London-based National Cyber Security Centre, the newspaper quoted a Whitehall official as saying. It was unclear whether the components remained in the electricity transmission network, the report said. NR Electric UK, the National Grid and the Chinese Embassy in London did not immediately respond to requests for comment.…

Free State Cheetahs: 32 Tries: M van der Merwe, G van der Merwe, Maartens, Jasper; Conversions: Pienaar (3); Penalties: Pienaar (2) Sharks: 29 Tries: Etzebeth, Venter, Williams, Mapimpi; Conversions: Bosch (3); Penalties: Bosch (1) The Cheetahs produced a display of guts and glory to outlast the Sharks in Bloemfontein yesterday in the most enthralling of contests. It was a massive statement from a Cheetahs team perennially treated as the poor relations in South African rugby and their win shows that they belong at the top table. At the same time, the Sharks have taken a depressing step backward in their journey under John Plumtree and they continue to be winless away from home this season in both the URC and the Challenge Cup. Most worrying for…

MOTORISTS travelling on the Western Cape main thoroughfares were still refusing to abide by the most basic safety rules, according to Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie. Since the start of this month, more than 55 people have died in road accidents in the province but transport operators yesterday said they have had no major incidents. But Mackenzie said between December 4 and 10, provincial traffic inspectors conducted 298 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations, and stopped and checked 34 709 vehicles across the Western Cape. He said it had not been a good start to the festive season, as they had seen around 46 crashes so far and 55 people had died in crashes. “A horrible, horrible start since December 1. It is an increase. Last year, overall,…

THERE is a narrative missing from the Gaza conflict discussions which needs to be aired . Calls for a free Palestine, a two-state solution, or an end to the Gaza war without Israeli participation are nothing but howls in the wind. Factually, the State of Israel will remain firmly in place until the end of time. Like it or not, that’s just the way it is. With the US, the most powerful country in the world, in Israel’s corner any serious threat to Israel will be seen as a threat to America. Calling for the destruction of Israel or for a Jihad against the West from some quarters is pie in the sky . The only way forward at this point is the immediate resignation of warlord Benjamin Netanyahu, the…

I am saddened by the sudden passing of former Cape Argus editor, Jermaine Craig. It was very befitting that a tribute memorial service be held at the St George’s Cathedral under the auspices of Father Michael Weeder. Craig, whom I originally met in Manenberg during his early journalistic years, was an amicable and quiet person, and very pleasant during our encounters, always very professional. Our sincere condolences to his family, friends and Michelle, his wife, also an accomplished journalist.…

In late November, annoyed South Africans took to social media to rightly criticise President Cyril Ramaphosa’s trip to rural Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal for the launching of a tap. While the President’s spin doctors tried to fix the fallout, citizens were not fooled. Many of those who commented pointed out the obvious. A country like South Africa should not be celebrating a community getting something as basic as a tap in their own home, let alone a communal one close to their homes, as was the occasion of Ramaphosa’s visit. As though that was not embarrassing enough, Ramaphosa only sprinkled a few drops on his hands and did not drink water from the same tap the community of Jozini is now expected to drink from, gratefully and happily. Citizens on social media…

NAIROBI: Kenya said yesterday it strongly disassociated itself from an anti-Kinshasa alliance that was launched in Nairobi on Friday and would investigate, after the Democratic Republic of Congo recalled its ambassador in protest. The so-called Congo River Alliance includes Congolese politicians and groups including the M23 rebels, who have seized territory in eastern Congo, and Corneille Nangaa, a former electoral commission chief. In response to the development, Congo has recalled its ambassadors to Kenya and Tanzania for consultations. Congo is due to hold presidential and legislative elections on Wednesday.…

SEOUL: South Korea came under the grip of the season’s coldest weather yesterday, with the morning lows plummeting to -12.4ºC in Seoul, the state weather agency said. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) predicted temperatures will drop further this morning, with lows in the capital at between -18ºC and -3ºC. The weather agency said the Daegwallyeong district in Gangwon province saw the temperature drop to morning lows of -16.8ºC with a sensible temperature of nearly -29.7ºC yesterday. Flights were cancelled on the resort island of Jeju yesterday amid the cold wave. As of 3.10pm, mountainous areas in Jeju had up to 22.6cm of snow.…

FOR the next few weeks the Emirates Lions have the opportunity to put their feet up, unbuckle their belts, digest a hearty festive season feast, take a nap passed out on the couch, the Boxing Day Test playing in the background with drool crusting on their cheeks after they completed 2023 on a truly positive note. Four consecutive victories in a row, the latest a 35-13 EPCR Challenge Cup bonus-point win over the Newcastle Falcons, placed an upbeat punctuation on their December, with a hopeful outlook for next year glinting in their eyes. The Jobugers collected nine of the 10 points they could essay in the two recent Challenge Cup matches. When they resume the tournament next month against Montpellier away and the Ospreys at home, they will do so…

The second day of the Khaya Majola Week in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, produced a huge upset when KwaZulu-Natal beat last year’s unofficial champions Western Province by 22 runs. WP were in good nick on Saturday after beating Eastern Province by 76 runs but played second fiddle to a fired up KZN side yesterday. KZN batted first and WP’s quick bowlers, spearheaded by Raeeq Daniels, made early inroads when they lost three early wickets, The arrival of Blake Simpson at No 5, however, changed the course of the innings. He displayed great timing in his shots with fluent stroke-play. He was particularly severe on short-pitched deliveries, clearing the boundary ropes effortlessly. He posted a century (103) off only 107 balls. He was ably assisted by Ross Coetzee, as KZN posted a…