Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-13 i Cape Argus

Debt isn’t just a number on a balance sheet. It’s a burden many South Africans carry daily, affecting their overall health and quality of life. According to Debtline, unmanageable debt impacts the mental health of 67% of South Africans. Credit Solutions explores the intricate relationship between debt and mental and physical wellness, offering insights and practical solutions to help individuals grappling with financial stress. Debt is an emotional weight that affects every aspect of our lives. As we navigate these challenging economic times, it's crucial to recognise that behind every debt statistic is a human story of stress, anxiety and, often, silent struggles. But it’s also a story of resilience and the potential for positive change. By understanding the human side of debt, we can develop more compassionate, effective solutions…

Seven local Afrikaans singers have merged their talents to create an outstanding cover version of Toto’s iconic song, Africa. It’s a beautiful, catchy song that encapsulates the spirit of the continent and South Africa and includes a music video that showcases the Kruger National Park in all its glory. Juanita du Plessis, Franja du Plessis, Liezel Pieters, Ruan Josh and the musical band Jan Jan Jan were brought together by the production company Boerboel Tunes to make it happen. Co-owner of Boerboel Tunes, Stephan Hugo Botha, who came up with the idea, said it stemmed from his love for the legendary song. “It’s one of my top 10 songs and I was born in the same year the original song was released, so I’ll always be as old as the…

BISHOPS Diocesan College said it is investigating ugly scenes that surfaced on social media in the aftermath of a Cape Town schools derby rugby match at the weekend. Videos showed a brawl between under-19 rugby players from Bishops and the South African College High School (SACS) after the derby match played at the Piley Rees Field in Rondebosch on Saturday. SACS, one of the oldest high schools in South Africa, raced to a 10-point lead within the opening 15 minutes, but the home team rallied valiantly to remain in the contest. The second half was played almost entirely inside the visitors’ 22m line, as SACS resiliently defended their line. A try was eventually scored in the final minute of normal time and, as increasing pressure paid off, Bishops defeated…

BISHOP Lavis residents have threatened to kill the man accused of murdering little Xavier Mitchell if he is released from police custody. A large group of residents gathered at Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the much-anticipated appearance of Mervyn White, who allegedly stabbed the little boy to death last Wednesday. While White was not brought to court due to his injuries, his hearing went ahead in his absence. White is the brother of Xavier’s nanny. Police said the suspect, who is in his forties and apparently has a mental disorder, allegedly had a psychotic episode when he stabbed Xavier three times with a knife in the back. It is alleged that the nanny had gone to the toilet and left Xavier with the suspect, and when she returned,…

Amid the surge of kidnappings in South Africa, police say they are winning the war. In spite of this, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola revealed that some kingpins are operating outside the country. Masemola also said there was a relationship between kidnapping and drugs and vowed to arrest the perpetrators. Kidnappings, human trafficking and drug offences are currently on the rise. Masemola told anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee on Sunday that law enforcement officers were busy with kidnapping investigations. “Unfortunately, some of the kingpins are not in the country, they are within Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. We have engaged through Interpol, our neighbouring countries where these people are with a view to get them back. “We asked our counterparts to assist us with the paperwork. But in…

Electricity and Energy Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says that his ministry is working hard with the South African Local Government Association (Salga), to resolve Eskom’s mounting R78 billion municipal debt problem. “The municipalities owe Eskom R78bn, but in turn the municipalities are owed R349bn. The government and businesses need to pay their debt to the municipalities, so that they in turn can service their debt to Eskom,” Ramokgopa said. “We, together with Salga, will target two municipalities per province for an innovative solution to address this problem. This will stress test the solution, so that we can then roll it out to other municipalities.” At his regular media briefing yesterday, Ramokgopa also praised the exceptional performance on the generation side of Eskom as the system had been running more than 137…

INDIVIDUAL taxpayers in South Africa are in the middle of a tax season which runs until October 21. As people are sorting out their taxes, they are also vulnerable to criminals targeting them through tax scams, including one woman from Gqeberha. The woman received a letter that was supposedly from the South African Revenue Services (Sars) stating she had an overdue unsettled payment of R1 602 that needed to be settled immediately. The letter also offered bank account numbers for five different banks including Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank and Investec Bank, where the the woman could pay the money. According to the letter, the woman had until August 5 to pay off the amount. The letter said that if the woman did not pay within the stipulated…

Aren’t you wondering why you don’t see Russia in the Olympics and what strange country is AIN? In the past, Russia featured prominently in the Olympics. But since 2019, Russia athletes were banned for four years from the Olympics for doping which was later reduced to two years after Russia appealed. The World Anti-Doping Agency found Russian athletes had engaged in a state-sponsored doping scheme. No wonder Russia used to do so well in the Olympics. Russia together with Belarus has again been banned from the Paris 2024 Olympics, this time for the unprovoked war against Ukraine. Belarus has been punished for supporting Russia. Their athletes cannot compete under the banner of their countries but only as individual neutrals known as AIN in French. You should have noticed that AIN…

South Africa collected six medals at the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics. It’s three more than in Tokyo three years ago, which is, of course, a 100% improvement. But there were also many South African participants that may not have managed to make it on to the podium but delivered courageous performances under trying circumstances that will hopefully inspire the next generation. Here, Independent Newspapers selects five notable SA Olympic achievers. Dallas Oberholzer, men’s park skateboarding The 49-year-old skateboarder was competing in his second Olympics after finishing last in Tokyo. The veteran finished last again this year in Paris, but his top score of 33.83 was his personal best. Oberholzer celebrated with a fist pump and received a standing ovation from the crowd, which included his mother, as if he…

There is an old saying that goes: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Leaving a legacy is a timeless principle that is passed on from generation to generation. While financial inheritance is important, it’s also crucial to teach children how to manage wealth responsibly to avoid losing it. Beyond wealth, there are three other key forms of “inheritance”: financial education, common sense and generosity – which will help the next generation flourish. The point of departure for parents is to acknowledge the reality that our children, Generation Z and millennials, think differently. They have grown up in a world where unprecedented technological changes are a constant. Generation Z are commonly referred to as the digitally native generation. They live on devices in a digital-first world and…

MINISTER of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has apologised to all Olympic athletes who suffered a lack of support from officials and promised improvements under his watch. McKenzie pledged to give athletes greater opportunity and support, guaranteeing a better future for those involved in sports. “This nonsense will not happen under my watch. I wanna profusely apologise to all athletes that experienced the same. You have my absolute word that things will be much different and better for our athletes in the future. The stories by the hockey fraternity will drive you to real tears,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). McKenzie’s apology comes after Jo-Ane van Dyk, who scored a silver athlete medal victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics, revealed that the only support she got was from…

The City of Cape Town has sent a team of engineers to assist in Malmesbury where a critical dam wall failed, leading to extensive flooding downstream in the communities of Riverlands and Dassenberg. The Swartland Municipality’s Fire and Rescue and law enforcement services managed to save 15 people at the weekend, while 50 households suffered damage caused by the flooding. Cape Town Mayco member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien said a follow-up on-site meeting was held yesterday to see how they could assist. “Although the dams in question do not belong to the City of Cape Town, the City assisted in the form of consulting engineering services. “At this stage of the investigation, the dam safety engineer and civil engineering team conducted a site investigation, from August 8-9 to…

National Women’s Month, once again – and as tradition requests of us, we remember the women who came before us – who held enough courage to change the South African landscape in a way which allows my generation to speak with the greatest conviction in the face of uncertain times. Warriors of the legendary 1956 Women’s March invites us to not only reflect on the poignant past but also to carve a narrative for ourselves that we can be proud of. This is a time for a (somewhat) young South African woman like me, to use my voice to entrench a narrative which elevates the integrity of women and which reminds history of how brave our lineage of ancestry is. This is also a time in which I remember the…

There was no clear answer from the Springbok camp yesterday about the injuries to hooker Bongi Mbonambi and No 5 locks RG Snyman and Ruan Nortjé, and if they trained with the side in preparation for the second Test against the Wallabies on Saturday in Perth. But an indication that Mbonambi may not be available because of back spasms that forced him to leave the field after barely 30 minutes of play during the 33-7 win in Brisbane, was the presence of rookie front-ranker Jan-Hendrik Wessels yesterday during the first media conference of the week. The Springboks and Aussies clash in the second Rugby Championship match at the Optus Stadium (kick-off 11.55am, SA time) on Saturday and Wessels could come in as the backup hooker should Mbonambi not be available.…

Olympic champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler has pocketed $8 million (about R146m) for finishing top of the Tour Top 10 list that highlights season-long performance, the PGA Tour said yesterday. Scheffler won six tournaments during the PGA Tour’s 2024 season, including four signature events and a second career Major at the Masters. “It’s been an incredible year for me both on and off the course, so to finish up the regular season by earning the top spot in the Tour Top 10 is an honour,” Scheffler said in a news release. “Every year I try to perform and compete to the best of my abilities, so this award really represents the hard work put in throughout the course of the season…” After his excellent regular season, Scheffler won…

Proposed amendments to the Income Tax Act concerning the two-pot retirement system, were announced by Treasury on August 1 this year. The changes have introduced additional considerations for South Africans living abroad. Expatriates must take note of the amendments which might affect their ability to access their retirement funds. Under the current regime, only South African expatriates whose tax non-residency status has been confirmed by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) for three years, are able to withdraw their full retirement savings (the three-year lock-in rule). The rule operates independently of the general exceptions permitting early access to retirement funds. The two-pot retirement system will enter into operation on September 1. Under the system, retirement savings are divided, into three “pots”: The vested pot, consisting of all accumulated retirement…

Police are investigating an assault on a Stellenbosch community activist, allegedly at the hands of a PSL soccer player. Eon Hendrikse, 30, was bashed in the face with a whisky glass on Saturday evening at Centraal, which is located on the ground floor of Eikestad Mall. According to Hendrikse, he approached the 28-year-old Cape Town soccer player in the men’s toilet and spoke about his prospective move to a top Gauteng club. “I was out with friends at a place called Centraal. I am a regular customer at this place and never had any trouble there before. “I got him in the toilet and spoke to him and told him in a friendly manner that we would not like it if he had to move because we the people of…

THE multimillion-rand moneyweb of alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack has started to unravel in the Western Cape High Court, as the Hawks poke holes in the story of his alleged money man. Captain Edward du Plessis returned to the witness stand yesterday, where he appeared unperturbed about the presentation of alleged invoices between Modack and his co-accused, Ricardo Morgan. This follows the adjournment of court proceedings by Judge Robert Henney last week in order for Morgan to produce invoices which could allegedly exonerate him in the mammoth underworld trial centred on the murder of slain Anti-Gang Unit detective Charl Kinnear. Morgan is at the centre of multimillion-rand transactions linked to the Empire Investments bank account, which the State contends was used by Modack and his co-accused to launder money gained…

FORMER Free State premier Ace Magashule’s former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, has been remanded in custody as bail proceedings are set to continue today. Cholota’s lawyer, Loyiso Makapela, accused the State of unnecessarily dragging the matter out. State prosecutor Johan de Nysschen, however, said that the State needed time to prepare for answering affidavits to Cholota’s arguments. Despite his requests for postponement, De Nysschen indicated that the State would be opposing Cholota’s bail bid because the case is a schedule five matter. In replying to the State’s request, Makapela said it was not acceptable for the State to ask for a postponement. She said her client had denied all the allegations levelled against her. Cholota was initially tipped to be a witness against Magashule, and other accused, before she…

Education students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Mowbray aired their frustrations yesterday by marching to the Western Cape Education Department’s offices to hand over a memorandum regarding the sudden cut in their Funza Lushaka bursary funds. The students were hoping to get through to the national Department of Basic Education, which funds the teaching bursary offered to students. The students said the bursary funding cut has put them into financial debt, with student accounts racking up amounts the bursary was supposed to cover. They are also calling on the department to rectify what they refer to as a breach of contract, after they went into a contractual agreement with the students in May. The hopeful teachers were to be paid out by the end of July,…

Muizenberg residents have taken matters into their own hands by ensuring they have regular clean-ups in the community, under the banner of Clean Green Muizenberg. Their latest initiative was to install upcycled oil drums at Muizenberg Pavilion, with the assistance of local artists, that were painted by the children of non-profit organisation Vrygrond Peace Garden. Founder of Clean Green Muizenberg and resident, Kelly Kotik, 31, said the group was started in October 2023. “We find different ways to keep the neighbourhood clean and also connect with other local organisations to uplift everyone in the community. “The group was started before the festive season because during that time the beaches are full of people. It gets quite crowded and there is always quite a bit of rubbish left over afterwards. Our…

The Proteas’ push for their first win of the tour of the West Indies ended in vain as a rain-dominated first Test ended in a draw at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. The result means the second Test will be a winner-takes-all affair, and a lot will be at stake with South Africa having never lost a series against the West Indies since readmission. The second Test will get under way on Thursday at the Providence Stadium in Guyana (3.30pm). South Africa ended day four on 30-0 with a lead of 154 runs going into the final day. The visitors were in a race against time and, as expected, they put the foot on the accelerator, with the first session of the final day accounting…

When Team SA left South African shores for the Paris Olympics, there were not many genuine medal contenders outside of swimming’s golden girl Tatjana Smith. Akani Simbine possibly in the 100m sprints and hopefully Alan Hatherly in the men’s cross country mountain biking. But apart from those select few, South Africa’s medal hopes were slim pickings. Having now delivered a 100% improvement on Tokyo three years ago, with Team SA bagging half a dozen medals in the French capital, rich applause is deserved. Yes, Smith played her part with a gold and silver again in breaststroke. In the process, she became South Africa’s most decorated Olympian ever with four medals overall – equal to fellow swimmer Chad le Clos but of greater value because she now owns two gold and…