Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-07-18 i Cape Argus

A PRISONER has shocked the nation after posting a video bragging about the good life in prison. Bornface Banks, who uses the account Bonnybanks Kayz on TikTok, has recorded several videos inside the Goodwood Correctional Centre, talking about how he is “fine in prison”. In one video, he talks about how he has been on remand for two years. He said he was charged with murder, kidnapping, extortion and robbery. The Zimbabwean-born inmate said he knows cellphones are not allowed in prison, but he is a “criminal anyway”. On Sunday, he showed fellow inmates wearing yellow clothing playing a board game. In the clip shot in June, Banks said: “Hello haters, hello haters, you put us in prison and you think we are suffering. No, my brother, we are doing…

YOUNG children in South Africa are more likely to live in poverty, suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition and die before their fifth birthday than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to the South African Early Childhood Review 2024, which tracks data on the status of children under six years, and is jointly published by Ilifa Labantwana; the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town; the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency; the Department of Basic Education; the Grow Great Campaign; and DataDrive2030. Dr Katharine Hall, senior researcher at the Children’s Institute, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic erased gains made for young children in South Africa, presenting a massive setback we have not fully recovered from.” All essential services for young children were affected…

THE looting of about R2.3 billion from the collapsed VBS bank seems to be sowing divisions between comrades after an explosive affidavit by one of the culprits. The bank’s former chairperson, Tshifhiwa Matodzi, in detailed testimony, has implicated individuals and political parties including the EFF, the ANC, and its alliance partner the SACP. Matodzi was handed a 15-year jail term by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, last week after pleading guilty to 33 counts which include corruption, theft, fraud and money laundering. The latest people to be pointing fingers at each other are the SACP’s former and current leadership over a R3 million conference debt that was allegedly settled through hard-earned funds of VBS investors. Yesterday, SACP chairperson Blade Nzimande lashed out at his comrade, former Limpopo party secretary…

IT’S ALL hands on deck as various organisations gear up to help the most needy and vulnerable today. Observing Nelson Mandela International Day, Gift of the Givers, Ilitha Labantu and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) have planned activities to honour former president Nelson Mandela’s legacy of service and compassion. This year’s theme is “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity”. Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman said that while Mandela Day is not a unique event for the humanitarian organisation, they invited trusts and individuals who want to join them today as they open further infrastructure upgrades at Eerste River Hospital, funded by Alex Forbes. In the evening, Dr Riaad Moosa, in association with Healthcare Workers for Palestine and Gift of the Givers,…

What a proud moment! Watching diverse South Africans gathered for their first Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet meeting on July 13, for a historically important dialogue aimed solely on one crucial goal: to rescue their beautiful, beloved country from ruin and collapse. The mood was cheerful, peaceful and relaxed. Judging from the prevailing atmosphere at the venue, only positive outcomes could be expected. The main focus of the lekgotla was to set priorities for the seventh administration. A defining historical moment for the legacy of President Cyril Ramaphosa … a new dawn! The lekgotla concluded on a high note. Of significance is the fact that the opening of Parliament will take place on July 18, coinciding with the annual celebration of the birthday of Nelson Mandela. May the good…

IN A new series leading up to the Paris Olympics, we here at Independent Newspapers will catch up with former South African Olympians to regale us with their unique experiences. Today, we feature tennis player Pietie Norval... Pietie Norval: Doubles tennis. Silver medallist, Barcelona 1992 “It was a very uncertain time for the country, but at least Wayne (Ferreira) and I had been exposed to plenty of international action in the lead-up to the Games because we had been playing on the ATP tour already,” Norval said yesterday. “We were quite young, but were really good as a doubles pair. One of the reasons we did well was that we hadn’t experienced an Olympics before and just saw it like another tournament. “We had played all the big Grand Slams…

SOUTH African rugby will break new ground on Saturday in Bloemfontein when the Springboks will be captained by a Muslim for the first time in the form of Salmaan Moerat. The 26-year-old Stormer will lead the Boks in their first-ever match against Portugal. For this historic Test, Moerat takes over from Siya Kolisi, who in 2018 became the first black African to captain South Africa. The news has been celebrated in the Muslim community and Moerat’s wife, Haanim, has shared her joy in several posts on social media. In one, she said: “Historic! All praise to the Most High.” Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he had no hesitation in handing the leadership reins to Moerat. “Salmaan commands respect from his teammates. We’d like to congratulate him on this achievement. We…

THE suspects accused of luring gay men on Grindr to rob them appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with a victim in Durbanville. Bongani Zulu and Zwelakhe Ngwenya were charged for the Durbanville robbery while in custody for kidnapping, extortion and robbery with aggravating circumstances in separate cases. They were arrested on June 14 in Woodstock after holding a 50-year-old man hostage. They are also linked to a hostage incident that occurred three days prior, where they set up a date with a man looking for companionship. Initially, they were meant to meet in Sea Point but the suspect changed the venue to a place in Shortmarket Street, Bo-Kaap, where they robbed him and forced him to call his sister and ask for R3 000. Their…

AN EASTERN Cape man found guilty of raping a minor 27 years ago has been sentenced to an effective 11 years behind bars. Xolani Qanqane, 58, was found guilty of rape in the Zwelitsha Regional Court on Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed. Qanqane raped the then-14-year-old girl in 1997. The victim is now 41-years-old. The NPA said that the victim, now a social worker, had been visiting a shopping centre in Qonce (formerly King Williams Town), where Qanqane was working as an independent photographer. She was…

Crimes against humanity are occurring with impunity around the globe; from Myanmar to Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. And yet, unlike international treaties for the crimes of genocide, torture, apartheid and forced disappearances, there isn’t a treaty specific to crimes against humanity. That lack is now being remedied. The International Law Commission, a UN expert body, has submitted draft articles for a treaty to the UN’s Sixth Committee. This is the main forum for considering legal questions in the UN General Assembly. The intention is to give countries more legal tools to hold accountable those who commit crimes against humanity. It is expected that the treaty process will conclude in October 2024. The new treaty may include special protection for women. A group of women activists is lobbying the committee to…

The whole country looks forward to hearing the voices of our new Minister of Employment and Labour, Minister Nomakhosazana Meth. My plea goes to Minister Meth to engage with all the other ministries who can influence job creation in the future. Hopefully Minister Meth will engage on a regular basis with our new Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. The Department of Basic Education, which is currently completely broken, needs a herculean effort to bring it to be functional. It is essential that education is rebuilt so as to ensure that our learners and our future workforce are able to be trained up to be future captains of industry. Very unfortunately and much to all of our disdain, we have a lost generation. We have individuals who have joined the…

The recent natural disasters that have hit various parts of the country are crippling the economy, with KwaZulu-Natal being the hardest hit province. Since the start of July, KZN has suffered devastating wildfires, fanned by strong winds, that claimed 13 lives, including those of six firefighters. These fires have affected more than 3 491 people, some of whom have no place to stay as their homes were destroyed. Subsistence and commercial farmers also suffered immensely as grazing lands were burnt to ashes with livestock and animals in some game reserves destroyed by fires. KZN Premier Thami Ntuli said the disasters put a severe strain on the government’s efforts since the province was still reeling from several recent disasters, such as the 2022, 2023 and 2024 floods, the recent storms and…

PHEPSI Buthelezi was a bundle of nerves when he first joined the Springboks, but five weeks later he is fizzing with enthusiasm ahead of his debut on Saturday in the match against Portugal. Buthelezi is usually a No 8, but will be at openside flank in Bloemfontein after trialling successfully in the position for the Sharks. Sharks coach John Plumtree said Buthelezi is destined to be the next Siya Kolisi, and it is fitting that the 25-year-old says Kolisi has helped ready him for international rugby. “I was very nervous when I joined the squad,” Buthelezi said. “You watch (TV documentary) Chasing the Sun, you see those meetings, and you wonder how you are going to fit in. But Siya took me under his wing, and I have learned so…

Amapiano artist Sir Trill recently visited the L-Tido podcast, where he shared his frustrations and challenges in the music industry. During the interview, Sir Trill called out a certain individual from the music industry whom he claimed “sabotaged” his career. He referred to this mysterious person as “grootman”. Since then, social media detectives have claimed that award-winning music producer, DJ Maphorisa, known as the industry’s “grootman”, could be the one Sir Trill was referring to. Not taking the accusations lightly, Maphorisa took to X where he came with the receipts. Along with pictures of a WhatsApp conversation with Sir Trill and proof of payment, the Manzi Nte hitmaker wrote: “Maybe his talking about other Grootmans – this young man needs help” (sic). He said he remembered Sir Trill not showing…

THE Western Cape government is assessing the damage caused by several days of extreme weather, estimated to be in excess of R1billion. This, as a level 4 weather warning has been issued for disruptive rain today across the City of Cape Town, Langeberg, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Theewaterskloof, Witzenberg, Bergrivier, Breede Valley, Drakenstein, and Cederberg. The province said once damage assessments had been completed, the provincial government would approach the national government for financial assistance. Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said during an interview the damage related to the weather was estimated at around R1bn, excluding agricultural damage. While damage assessments are still being conducted, the figure provided by the MEC is based on previous floods…

THE Competition Commission has warned that collusion between rival companies bidding for government tenders is considered “cartel conduct” and entities could face hefty fines and prosecution if caught. This comes amid shocking revelations by the City of Cape Town, which unearthed evidence against two companies, now blacklisted by the municipality, for allegedly colluding with Nicole Johnson, the wife of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield. This week, City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo told the Cape Argus how their suspicions of collusion were confirmed after a handwriting expert was roped in to assess tender applications made by Glomix CC and two other entities for a housing development on the Cape Flats. The collusion was discovered as part of an investigation into links between the underworld, contractors and City officials in the Human…

ACTIONSA has welcomed moves to halt the signing the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill and refer it back to Parliament. This after DA spokesperson for Education, Baxolile Nodada, said the party was “committed to fighting it every step of the way, from parliamentary chambers to the president’s office”. “Instead of engaging in meaningful discussions about the widespread implications of the bill and the changes made by the National Council of Provinces, the ANC chairperson refused to follow Parliamentary protocol and denied opposing parties’ right to include thorough inputs to the changes,” Nodada said. “A genuinely…

AS FOOT and Mouth Disease (FMD) continues to spread, Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Ivan Meyer, along with state veterinarians, conducted inspections at a local weighbridge in Beaufort West. They inspected vehicles transporting livestock passing through the town amid the outbreak. Commenting on the operation, Meyer said biosecurity presented a major risk to the agricultural sector and the Western Cape’s economy. “The initiative is about showing my support for the steps taken by our state vets and the red meat industry to curb the spread of FMD to the Western Cape. Given the threat that FMD poses to the cattle industry, livestock owners must remain vigilant, step up their biosecurity measures and take all possible precautions to avoid introducing the disease to our province.” This…

I am on holiday in Istanbul, visiting old graveyards. In the military cemetery, I saw the grave of pilot Ahmed Ali, the world’s first black aviator. It is fascinating to see that a black pilot had the opportunity to fly and became the first in history in the 1910s. Interestingly, during World War I, he met Rushdi Ataullah, recognised as the first coloured aviator of South Africa. Rushdi quietly died in Johannesburg in 1971, while Ahmed Ali’s death in Izmir in 1969 was marked by a special ceremony honouring him as a hero of the country and a black commander. The Afro-Turks are a unique and remarkable ethnic group in Türkiye, consisting of people of African descent who have been living in Anatolia for centuries. Their history, culture and contributions…

Israel kept up its air strikes on Gaza yesterday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to ramp up the pressure on Hamas as hopes fade for a US-announced ceasefire plan. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh accused Israel of deliberately undermining negotiations for a truce and hostage release deal because it did not want to end the war. The Israeli military said it had carried out 25 strikes in 24 hours, targeting “military structures, terrorist infrastructure, terrorist cells and rigged structures”. Netanyahu, who has repeatedly vowed to eradicate Hamas, insisted on Tuesday that despite mounting pressure, there would be no let-up in Israel’s campaign against the militants. “This is exactly the time to increase the pressure even more, to bring home all the hostages, the living and the dead, and to…

FIFA said yesterday that it was opening an investigation into racist chants by Argentina players after they won the Copa America. “Fifa is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into,” a spokesperson for world football’s governing body said. “Fifa strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, fans and officials.” The chants were heard during a live video posted on social media by Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from the team bus in the wake of the Copa victory over Colombia in Miami on Sunday. Some players, including 23-year-old Fernandez, sing a chant dating back to the 2022 World Cup final, in which Argentina beat France. The song targets France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others, and includes racist…