Indholdsfortegnelse for 2021-04-29 i Cape Argus

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) has threatened to march to the Civic Centre on Saturday in a bid to convince City bosses to not fire more than 500 firefighters. The union, under the “Back to Work Campaign (B2WC)”, will be staging a march in support of decent work and working conditions in the City. Samwu deputy regional secretary Bridgette Nkomana said they would be marching so the City to help resolve the issue of the 525 firefighters “who allegedly did nothing but stand up “for their rights as employees of the City”. The firefighters are facing disciplinary hearings for refusing to “work as required”. Their letters of notice from the City stated that the workers allegedly committed wilful gross misconduct when, during the period…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE Caledon Muslim community demanded answers from their municipality after residents were forced to bury their loved ones in cemeteries in neighbouring towns more than 37km away. This after Caledon Cemetery apparently ran out of space for Muslim burials because their gravesites were all taken. Zane Cupido, Caledon Overberg Muslim Society's founder said he had written to the Theewaterskloof Municipality, without success, after he battled to secure burial land. Cupido said after having numerous meetings and writing to the municipality, and with help from the SA Human Rights Commission, land had been allocated to accommodate 112 graves since 2004. However, he said in 2014 the graves meant for Muslims were filled by those not of the Muslim faith. "We have already had an instance where some of…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE San and Khoi Inter-University Digital Archive Research Group at UCT’s African Studies department say the fire had highlighted the need to address “the alleged regrettable misconceptions on the value of institutionalised libraries and archives as colonial only”. The research group said in light of the fires that burnt down the African Studies Special Collections Library last week, they hoped it came with “the promise of the fire lilies after the devastation of fire”. Eshcha Adams, a Master’s research student and school teacher at UCT’s San and Khoi Unit, said the salvaging of the //Kabbo archive notwithstanding, the loss of composite documents and collections in its multifaceted diversity in the library, was devastating “as there has been a severe loss of oral histories in the de-Africanised…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za IN a new strategy to combat TB in the Western Cape, the provincial health department says it wants to communicate to the public that the disease is curable. Premier Alan Winde, Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo with Health Department head Dr Keith Cloete, and civil society partners, held the briefing at the Karl Bremer Hospital. The plan comes after Winde challenged his Aids and TB Council to produce an accelerated response to TB within a month, starting from World TB Day on March 24. Presenting the plan, Dr Cloete said it would primarily focus on four main areas: communication (public dashboard and social mobilisation); preventing new infections (TB screening App and reaching vulnerable populations); early detection and adherence support (innovations, SMS expert results and digital chest X-ray)…

Jean Michel Bouvier | Bryanston Convicted cop Chauvin is not the swallow that makes a summer. I HAVE been reading reports that “America can now at last let out its collective sigh of relief to celebrate justice for George Floyd” as they were walking on eggshells in anticipation of the verdict for his killing. There is a saying which is universal that “one swallow does not a summer make”. So the Chauvin conviction is just that: “one swallow”. I hope I am wrong but his death will not solve the problems of gun violence and the killings will not stop. I know he was not killed by a gun but being in the US for years, everyone will tell you to be careful of the police as it’s…

It WAS good seeing Allan Boesak on television on Freedom Day discussing what went wrong since 1994 in our country. As the people of South Africa reviewed 27 years of democracy Allan Boesak said that we should change South Africa through organisations outside Parliament. It is interesting to note that when an organisation like the New Unity Movement (NUM) predicted that the negotiations before 1994 were a sham and predicted the difficulties the oppressed people in South Africa would face after the negotiated settlement, the NUM was vilified by organisations that took part in the negotiations. The NUM were called armchair politicians and people who would be left behind in the new SA. Most of the NUM predictions have come true. In struggles all over the world we have seen…

NTOMBI NKOSI AND ITUMELENG MAFISA SOUTH African financial institutions have been lambasted for lack of transformation in the banking sector. SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco), socio-economic and political movement Transform RSA as well as other interested parties are set to embark on a protest under the hashtag, #RacistBanksMustFall, outside Absa and FNB banks in Sandton today. Several of the banks have come under fire for lack of transformation, political meddling, poor policies as well as structural financial racism. Absa was recently condemned for its decision to part ways with its black chief executive, Daniel Mminele, while some media reports suggest that FNB has allegedly been involved in corruption. It is also planning to close accounts of a black-owned company, AYO Technologies on May 3. Transform RSA president…

Passively allowing pandemic to run its course without accelerating roll-out is unacceptable South Africa has the highest number of Covid-19 cases on the African continent. It has more than 50 000 reported deaths. This may be an underestimate, looking at excess death statistics. The economic cost of the pandemic is evident on the streets and health-care facilities have been under considerable strain during the waves of the pandemic. It was with much relief, elation and a renewed sense of hope that many healthcare workers enrolled in the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccination trial in mid-February and received their much-anticipated jabs. But the relief and elation has given way to frustration and disillusionment. The country’s roll-out is proceeding at a pace much slower than expected. So far just over 293…

DAMASCUS: The Syrian People’s Council has approved the presence of international observers from “friendly countries” during the upcoming presidential election, official news agency SANA reported yesterday. Earlier in the month, Parliament Speaker Hammouda Sabbagh said that Syrian President Bashar Assad had put forward his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for May 26. The parliament approved the invitation of foreign observers by a majority vote, the agency said. Among those observers, will be lawmakers from Russia, Iran, Armenia, China, South Africa, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Belarus, Venezuela, Cuba and Ecuador, according to the legislature.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Mamelodi Sundowns increased the pressure on themselves in a 0-0 Premiership stalemate with high-flyers Golden Arrows at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria yesterday. The defending league champions entered the game after losing three games on the trot in all competitions, something unusual by their standards and which must be a cause for concern to them. Downs’ lack of finesse in front of goal was again on display in the first half, particularly as they were without star men Peter Shalulile and Gaston Sirino. Sundowns did not have a single shot on target in the first half while Arrows had just one – a tame effort from Knox Mutizwa in the 42nd minute after Seth Parusnath produced a turnover which was easily collected by Sundowns goalkeeper Dennis Onyango. Neither…

Ashfak Mohamed Comment THE British and Irish Lions tour is regarded as the big carrot for South African rugby, considering the knocks taken during the Covid-19 pandemic over the last year. About R1.2-billion was shaved off local rugby’s expenses last year, with salary cuts and competitions abandoned, while contracts were also affected. So, the fact that the Lions tour will take place is a huge relief to SA Rugby. Now the nitty-gritty of that trip is being worked out, with the latest report from the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK stating that, to maximise profit, two of the three Tests could be played at FNB Stadium, which is the biggest arena in South Africa at 95 000 capacity. The report said that this plan comes as Lions fans from…

ZINTLE MAHLATI AND KAILENE PILLAY THE Commission of Inquiry into State Capture chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has been criticised for treating President Cyril Ramaphosa with “kid gloves” during his first appearance at the commission yesterday. Ramaphosa was speaking at the commission as president of the ANC, where he faced questions on his party’s cadre deployment strategy. However, while most expected Ramaphosa to face tough and straight-forward questions about his knowledge of state capture and his intentions to deal with it, political analyst Bheki Mngomezulu said he was left disappointed with the commission. Commenting on Ramaphosa’s appearance yesterday, Mngomezulu said evidence-leader advocate Paul Pretorius and Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo missed the opportunity to ask Ramaphosa questions about former President Jacob Zuma and his role in…

Aziz Hartley aziz.hartley@inl.co.za AN ALLEGED sexual predator has been told he would will go on trial in June in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court. The 46-year-old accused from Mamre faces four charges of rape, extortion, sexual assault and using a child for child pornography. He was arrested in March 2020, when four people came forward, one a minor of 16. The accused is out on R10 000 bail He was rearrested in March 2021 for allegedly breaching his bail conditions, which included not entering Mamre. However, according to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Eric Ntabazalila, the accused’s bail was reinstated as the State could not prove he had breached his bail conditions. The court ordered the accused be placed under house arrest for the duration of his trial. Yesterday…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THERE was no need for provinces to buy Covid-19 vaccines, as the national government had procured them centrally for the whole country, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said yesterday. Instead, the provinces should get their resources ready in terms of logistics, and provide and adequately train staff. “There is no need for provinces to buy their own vaccines. “If they did, that would amount to fruitless and wasteful expenditure,” Mkhize said. Mkhize made the statement in response to questions while he was briefing Parliament’s health portfolio committee. “As the national government, we bought on behalf of the country after having calculated the needs of the provinces,” Mkhize said. He also said there was no need to worry about contingencies, and that this had been communicated to the…

Traffic officer shoots girlfriend, himself | African News Agency (ANA) A traffic officer apparently shot and killed his 30-year-old girlfriend in Limpopo before turning the gun on himself. Yesterday, Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba condemned the shootings, which took place on Tuesday, urging people to seek professional assistance when faced with domestic or relationship challenges instead of resorting to violence. The shootings took place along a road outside Bela-Bela, police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said. “The 45-year-old officer, who was attached to Bela-Bela municipality, was … found dead with a bullet wound in a motor vehicle by the police and his alleged partner was found lying dead on the ground next to the vehicle. “(A motorist) stopped next to the vehicle, apparently thinking the woman lying on the…

AS WE marked Freedom Day in our beautiful but struggling country, we should spare a thought for Myanmar. The people of Myanmar enjoyed freedom fleetingly before the junta brutally crushed it. Too many people sacrificed too much and suffered too much for the freedom we enjoy. It came at a high price and we must cherish that freedom and stand up for our Constitution. We must give all the support we can to the media to ensure that our freedom is never “muted”. We must agree with Independent Media’s editor-in-chief Aneez Salie that “true freedom in South Africa can only be realised when all voices are heard and acknowledged”. Indeed, that is how it will have to be. I recall, at Codesa, how most participants strove to reach consensus on…

LIKE many of my friends I’ve become ridiculously dependent on a tiny little sliver of plastic that goes under the name of “SIM card”. It’s only about the size of a shirt button but I sometimes think my whole life is packed into that little piece of plastic. I recently sent my cellphone for repairs and the technician popped out the SIM card, slipped it into a little plastic bag and handed it to me for safe keeping while he mended the phone. I later took the plastic bag out of my pocket and discovered that the card was missing. Disaster! I searched the car, turned my pockets inside out, even looked in my shoes. Nothing. The fact that my cellphone wouldn’t work without it was just a minor matter.…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za THE Department of Social Development’s new initiative to bring its services closer to the masses has received the thumbs-up from people with disabilities. Yesterday, the department launched its pilot online disability grant booking system at the GovChat offices in Cape Town. South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) officials said the system would enable prospective Sassa temporary disability grant recipients to book their medical assessments without physically visiting their local Sassa offices. Speaking at the launch, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the system was aimed at significantly improving the lives of people with disabilities in a practical sense, and was a response to the overflow of temporary grant applicants at local Sassa branches. “As we celebrate 27 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa, we are…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons PARLIAMENT’S Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy met yesterday to deliberate on the presentations by different stakeholders relating to the basic fuel price (BFP) and the state of refining in South Africa. On April 14, the Department of Minerals and Energy stated that the government cannot deregulate the fuel price because the country’s market was not ready for deregulation. According to the department’s director of fuel pricing mechanism, Robert Maake, various factors need to be considered before the market will be ready for deregulation. He also indicated that fuel prices are lower in countries like Botswana and Lesotho because they bought from South Africa at a BFP which doesn’t include local factors. The AA proposed recommendations to mitigate rising fuel costs. The association’s chief executive, Willem…

DURING his first appearance at the state capture commission yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa invoked the spirit of the 1996 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and likened the current commission to the hearings that took place 25 years ago. Indeed, the TRC offered South Africa a chance to come clean and break away from its dark past of apartheid. The state capture commission presents a similar opportunity – to some degree – to break away from the corruption of the “state capture years” or, as Ramaphosa once described them, the “nine wasted years”. But will he and his leadership in the governing party truly and fully grab this opportunity? Is the party’s leadership even capable of doing so? Ramaphosa made an adequately convincing start at the commission. Testifying as president of…

BEIJING: China and Japan accused each other of inappropriate behaviour after a Chinese government official posted a tweet of an iconic Japanese woodblock print manipulated to show nuclear waste being poured into the sea, launching a new diplomatic spat. Earlier this month, Japan said it would release into the sea contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, angering its neighbours. China said the plan was “extremely irresponsible”. On Monday, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, tweeted an image of “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa” made in the 19th century by artist Hokusai, altered to show green nuclear waste being poured into the sea by two people in orange Hazmat suits from a boat.…

HERMAN GIBBS TITLE chasing AmaZulu, emphatic 5-1 winners, roared a championship challenge as they rubbed Cape Town City’s noses in the lush Cape Town Stadium turf last night. AmaZulu led 2-0 at the break and City’s first-half capitulation set the seal for a defeat which loomed large at just four minutes into second-half play. The win secured AmaZulu’s second place and took them to just one point behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who are on 48 points after 23 games. AmaZulu have played 25 games. City remained seventh. After a tedious start, the game came to life in the ninth minute when AmaZulu capitalised through a goal by Zambian Augustine Mulenga. Twice in the build-up AmaZulu lost the ball, but each time recovered possession as City tried to mount attacks from…

Football fans around the world were relieved and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez frustrated after it emerged that the European Super League would not go ahead. After receiving overwhelmingly negative feedback from fans worldwide, the “founding members” started withdrawing from the original arrangement left, right and centre. Interestingly, the cricket world experienced something similar in 2007. Following India’s disastrous showing at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, which saw them fall in the group stage, the Zee Sports Group launched the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) which thankfully is the forgotten precursor of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The ICL did not get approval from the ICC nor the Indian Cricket Board, and players who participated in it were initially banned from international cricket, though that was eventually…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za The Stormers are looking for back-row balance, and for the first time in a while, they are confident that they’ve found it. Speaking during a virtual press conference yesterday, forwards coach Rito Hlungwani gave an update on their preparation for their opening Rainbow Cup SA game against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday. One of the areas he focused on was the loose trio. With Springbok star Pieter-Steph du Toit ready for action after being on the sidelines for more than a year through injury, the Stormers’ loose-forward reserves are well stocked. Speaking on the area, Hlungwani said: “If we operate with Nama (Xaba), Pieter-Steph and Evan Roos, it sort of gives us a different balance compared to before. “When we would go with Jaco…

MEC’s resignation triggers opposition Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE opposition in the province has accused the DA of double standards following the resignation of Bonginkosi Madikizela from the executive council and as the party’s provincial leader – saying that other DA leaders who had faced accusations of lying about their qualifications were still in office. Madikizela’s resignation yesterday as Transport and Public Works MEC came soon after a DA statement announcing that he had quit as provincial leader, a post he had held since 2018. Cameron Dugmore, the leader of the provincial opposition (ANC), said: “Clearly the DA has exerted pressure on Madikizela to resign as provincial leader and MEC, which is in stark contrast to how they treat other DA leaders. “The double standards are obvious. Why are they silent…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za A DELFT family is living in fear after a 23-year-old perpetrator broke into their home and attempted to sexually assault and kill the family's two daughters and consequently opened an assault case against the family. The 20-year old victim who asked to not be named for fear of being victimised said she was sleeping with her 27-year-old sister in the early hours on April 9 when they were awoken by footsteps at the window. “She heard noises coming from the window between 2am and 3am but dismissed it because we also have a dog and we went back to sleep. “Before we knew it this guy was already inside our room and had a knife on my sister and was touching me and that is…

I LOVE our president and believe he is a man who lives what he says. However, when he makes statements like that reported in your newspaper (“Vote out corrupt officials, says President Ramaphosa”, The Cape Argus, Page 4, Wednesday April 28) he is either being insensitive or politically naive. Our votes do not count against corrupt officials because of our political system that votes for parties, leaving the election of the representatives to the party structures. It has become painfully obvious that those representatives are sent to the various chambers of power as rewards, nepotism or debt repayment, or, more succinctly, at the behest of those who have long ago captured the State. The people of Botshabelo who were being addressed by the president, cannot “take out” corrupt officials. Until…

I WAS saddened by the notice sent out by the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) about the cruel and horrible treatment meted out to the Palestinians during this blessed month of Ramadaan, as extracted from the MJC’s communication “However, when the Palestinians attempted, at the start of this Ramadaan, to perform their mandated duty of breaking fast at their sacred sanctuary, they were abruptly stopped from fulfilling their religious duties by the Zionist occupation forces, with pointless and illogical claims that Ramadaan coincides with the religious celebrations of the Jews.” If this was not enough: “On the first day of Ramadaan, the electricity was cut to Masjidul Aqsa. Barriers were set up, and food and drink prevented from entering for breaking of fast. At the same lime, the number of…

John Naidu | Springfield Durban THE law under capitalism talks about minimum wages for workers – but it does not talk about the maximum profit the capitalist can make. No – it is limitless, yet they talk about partnership between capital and labour. Marx and Engels wrote, “Workers of the world unite you have nothing to lose but your chains, you have a world to win” – we workers have no country – the planet is our home. Workers are restricted when they try to migrate or immigrate in search of better living conditions. As opposed to capital moving easily throughout the world. In so doing by raping and plundering Mother Earth’s resources for their own profit. Mother Earth’s milk is water, our precious commodity for humanity of…

Maurice Smithers We have just celebrated 27 years of democracy in South Africa. But how do we assess the past 27 years in terms of what they have delivered to post-apartheid South Africa? For the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA (SAAPA SA), there are two particular areas that need to be interrogated in what progress has there been with economic transformation and have we realised the goal of creating a participatory democracy? As SAAPA SA, we are not looking at these questions generally, but from the perspective of alcohol-related harm and its impact on the lives of people. The Liquor Act of 1927 is notorious not only because it had clauses excluding blacks from participating in the liquor industry in any way. This particular law also consolidated…

The heirs to South Korea’s Samsung group announced their plans yesterday to pay more than $10 billion (R142bn) in death duties – one of the world’s biggest-ever inheritance tax settlements – including donating Picasso and Monet artworks. Lee Kun-hee, the late Samsung Electronics chairperson, was the country’s richest man when he died in October last year at the age of 78 after being hospitalised for years, leaving an estimated $19.6 billion in assets. South Korea has stringent inheritance tax laws and high rates, resulting in a hefty bill for the family, including Samsung Electronics vice-chairperson Lee Jae-yong, who is in jail for bribery, embezzlement and other offences. Lee’s family “expects to pay more than $10,7bn in taxes related to inheritance, which is more than half of the value of the…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka KAIZER Chiefs were brought back down to earth by strugglers Chippa United who beat them 1-0 in a DStv Premiership tussle at FNB Stadium yesterday as they failed to build on their winning momentum from the weekend. After ending leaders Mamelodi Sundowns’ 21-game unbeaten league run on Sunday, Chiefs came into this match high on confidence. They dominated proceedings for the better part of the game, but Chippa grabbed three points away from home. A mix-up at the back five minutes before stoppage time saw Eric Mathoho flick the ball towards his own goal. But the ball was intercepted by substitute Bienvenu Eva Nga who beat goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune with a high-flying lobbed effort. Despite their turmoil in domestic football this season, Chiefs have had no troubles…

The Indian Premier League (IPL) will continue as scheduled, a senior Indian cricket board official confirmed yesterday, despite fierce criticism of the popular Twenty20 competition being played in the midst of a national health crisis. India’s death toll surged past 200 000 yesterday, and at least 300 000 people a day have tested positive for the virus over the last week as a resurgent Covid-19 pandemic has gripped the world’s second most populous nation. In a fevered social media debate over whether the IPL show should go on, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been accused of being “tone-deaf” for its stance. The senior BCCI official, however, said the cricket was providing important solace and entertainment to many during hard times, even though fans are not…

ATHLETES have a right to express their opinions and take a stance without being punished, Britain’s Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty said in response to a ban on protests during the Tokyo Games. The IOC said yesterday it was retaining Rule 50 forbidding any kind of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” in venues and other Olympic areas. That means athletes risk punishment for taking a knee or raising a fist in support of racial equality. “I think that people do have the right to protest and have the right to do it where they want. I don’t think we should fine them for expressing their opinions,” Peaty said. “It’s like me now … I wouldn’t want to be fined for saying it. But it’s everything with balance.” Peaty…