Indholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-16 i Cape Argus

Come rain or shine, nothing can stop Royal AM from having a seat at the big table. That their attempts to gain promotion to the elite league through the courts proved to be futile did not deter them as they are closing in on buying top-flight status. With the PSL having been shaken by the impact of Covid-19 last season, as the campaign started and ended behind closed doors, another relegation or promotion crisis was probably the last thing they had anticipated. But due to their negligence of leaving things until the 11th hour, Royal AM pounced. Led by businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, Royal AM applied for leave that they – and not Sekhukhune United – should be crowned the champions of the GladAfrica Championship. This comes after arbitrator Hilton Epstein…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za FOUR men are scheduled to appear in the Clanwilliams Magistrate’s Court today, following a double murder in Citrusdal, on the West Coast, last week. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut said the suspects were apprehended by provincial detectives and the Integrated Task Team, following an extensive investigation. On August 11, the men – aged between 27 and 41 – allegedly shot and fatally wounded two men, who were in a bus carrying farmworkers. “Four suspects are scheduled to appear in court today for the double murder of two men in Citrusdal. The suspects are linked to a taxi organisation in the area. We expect bail to be opposed,” said Traut. Police provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile commended the efforts of the investigators and arresting officers, for the…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has vowed to request the database for unfunded 2021 registered students at all universities eligible for NSFAS funding, in a bid to fund them. Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande welcomed the decision, saying the initiative was aimed at alleviating the financial burden of eligible and deserving students, but also minimising the burden of student debt. SA Students Movement founder Mfanufikile Cele said the move would help many students who were studying but not funded. Cele said students learning online needed devices and data, which was a problem, because they were not funded. He said some students did not even receive their results after completing each semester, because they were not funded. “Some students…

POLITICIANS are often wrong. The survival of astute democracies depends on their leaders’ ability to take risks aligned to their convictions, but that can also lead to their ostracisation. However, their ability to articulate such risk to the country and people and align a nation behind them is the difference-maker. Author and politician Winston Churchill was one of the world’s most astute political risk-takers. He had his fair share of failed political actions. His actions and oratory at a time of crisis established the astuteness of his leadership of the British people. His speech on October 8, 1938, in the British parliament, against his own political party and leader’s appeasement policies, represented by the signing of the Munich agreement on September 29, displayed his leadership convictions. He took the risk…

Zintle Mahlati zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za IT HAS been nine years since the Marikana massacre in which 44 people died, and the spotlight is on concerns over policing and the lack of justice for many of the families whose lives were transformed on August 16, 2012. Thirty-four mineworkers who went on strike were killed when police fired live ammunition at them outside the Lonmin Mine in Marikana in North West. Ten others died in the lead-up to the strike by workers demanding a pay increase. Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union president Joseph Mathunjwa, who has been outspoken about the matter for years, said the conditions of mineworkers have remained the same. He also bemoaned the lack of compensation for those who were affected by the massacre. Mathunjwa said the ANC had to…

Colin Bosman | Newlands IT IS hard to argue with the utterances of Mr Bumble in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, written in 1838, when Mr Bumble says, “the law is an ass ... an idiot”. It seems that not much has changed since 1838. Ace Magashule struts around cocking his nose at the authorities and the law with impunity. In Russia he would have been in prison a year ago, charged and convicted of high treason. Here in sunny SA, the land of the free with a Constitution protecting his rights (or is that wrongs?), he presents himself as untouchable. So Mr Bumble it seems was correct back in 1838. The war cry from those ducking and diving and manipulating the law is “catch me if you can”.…

Allan Wolman | Tel Aviv, Israel AN OPINION piece in an IOL publication last week by Minister Naledi Pandor, We stand with the people of Palestine, which castigated the AU for granting Israel observer status, has taken precedence over a host of much more important and vital issues impacting on the country. This is a simple and crude attempt to deflect the embarrassment of the ANC’s failure to perform the function it was voted into power for. One need not itemise these failures as they have been well documented. Giving evidence at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture, none other than the president, in reply to a question about the State Security Agency (SSA), said: “A number of really good people who are there…

Mihlali Baleka @Mihlalibaleka Mamelodi Sundowns (2) 2 Shalulile 10, Zwane 23 Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 Parker 38, Billiat 59 Sundowns win 3-1 on penalties Kennedy Mweene proved to be the hero, saving four penalties as he inspired Sundowns to the MTN8 semi-finals following a penalty shootout win over Chiefs in their quarter-final at Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium yesterday. In a game that proved to be an entertaining contest, ending 2-2 after extra time, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who was in the stands, will take a lot of positives heading to the 2022 World Cup qualifiers next month against Zimbabwe and Ghana. Coming into yesterday’s match, there were deja vu moments for both technical teams. Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter started his first stint in charge at the club against…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za IN HONOUR of Women's Month, the 2021 Western Cape Women’s Parliament was hosted over the weekend under the theme “Placing the dignity and innate rights of women in the spotlight”. The live-streamed event saw both local and international delegates discussing the gender remuneration gap, the adoption of a gender responsive budget and increasing enrolment of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programmes at institutions. The feedback from the discussions will be taken to the House for further action. Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) deputy speaker Beverley Schäfer said they aimed to bring bold resolutions to the table that could assist in changing the crisis that women face in the country. Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) and Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan international chairperson…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za THE number of suspects arrested for their alleged role in the Phoenix murders in the north of Durban has risen to 36 from 22. The number of Phoenix-based private security companies being investigated has risen from four to seven. This was revealed by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, when he visited Phoenix and the neighbouring townships of Bhambayi, Zwelisha and Amaoti in Durban yesterday to give them feedback regarding the matter. Addressing the community of Phoenix, Cele said the number of people that were killed still stands at 36. However, he said that when they started the probe, only 27 of these were regarded as having ben murdered while the rest were treated as inquests. He said that further digging by the team of 31 top…

THERE’S an ancient Irish blessing that’s probably due for an update, but far be it from me to suggest meddling with the traditions of others. In its original form, the blessing goes: “Health and long life to you, Land without rent to you, A child every year to you. And if you can’t get to Heaven May you at least die in Ireland.” It’s that “child every year” bit that seems inappropriate in these difficult times. Many years ago, when life was slower and less mechanised, it may have been good to raise large families, particularly in rural communities. Children could help with the planting and harvesting of crops, tending the farm animals and so on. Education was not a priority; as long as you could read, write and do…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE appointment of the new Western Cape Police Ombudsman Major General Oswald Reddy has been broadly welcomed. His appointment followed the tabling of his nomination at the standing committee for community safety on July 29, where members agreed unanimously to the posting. Premier Alan Winde said he was glad that they had nominated Reddy for the position, where he would provide important oversight over the police service on behalf of communities in the Western Cape. The office of the Western Cape Police Ombudsman was established through the Western Cape Community Safety Act, which was agreed to in April 2013, for the purpose of investigating complaints regarding police inefficiencies. Reddy has worked in the police service for more than 39 years and served in numerous capacities, having worked…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za GRANDWEST Casino has been given the go-ahead by the provincial health department to open a vaccination site, and it will offer walk-in vaccinations to the public from today. The site, in GrandWest’s Market Hall, adjacent to the Grand Arena, will be operational from 9am to 3pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until the first week of October, with the aim of administering about 250 Pfizer vaccines a day. Some of the vaccines will be reserved for GrandWest staff. GrandWest general manager Mervyn Naidoo said the site hoped to administer about 8 000 vaccines over the next seven weeks, and the need for the site to remain open would be assessed thereafter. “We may be the first hospitality and leisure industry vaccination site to open in the…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za ENCOURAGING investment by individuals, businesses and municipalities to generate their own energy, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy gazetted the Amended Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, increasing the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects from 1 Megawatt to 100MW, without obtaining a licence. Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said the intervention was a positive way forward by the energy sector and would make significant progress in achieving national energy security and reducing the impact of load shedding. Provincial Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier welcomed the new energy regulations, but said they did not go far enough to urgently address the energy and climate crisis facing the country. “We urge the minister to provide further clarity on the potential role of municipalities as…

FAROUK ARAIE | JOHANNESBURG SEVENTY-six years ago Nagasaki was flattened in an atomic fireball that killed 74 000 people, three days after Hiroshima was nuclear-blitzed. Within 10 days thousands of civilians went bald as gamma rays overwhelmed them at ground zero. Many unstable nuclear states are increasing their nuclear arsenals at an alarming pace, posturing for war that will surely lead to radio-active suicide. Little do these reckless leaders realise that apart from their belligerent behaviour, their nuclear missile systems are widely open to cyber attacks. From a high of 70 300 active nuclear warheads in 1986, as of 2018 there are approximately 3 750 active nuclear warheads and 13 890 nuclear warheads. Nine nuclear-armed states have the capability to erase all human life on Earth. Classified military…

IJ Saks | Table View Does the president take us for fools by his Cabinet reshuffle. His cadre deployment carries on unabated, and by moving Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to Parliament it is going to backfire on him as all the opposition parties have already resented this and will make her life a misery when she takes her place as Speaker. If you think Parliament was a circus when Zuma was there, watch this playing out. She is a Zuma supporter and under her watch as minister of defence 300 died during the unrest as a result of her useless intervention in time to stop the looting and burning down of malls and businesses. She also facilitated cadres on a private jet to Zim and we taxpayers had to pay…