Indholdsfortegnelse for 2022-01-20 i Cape Argus

Rob Gwerengwe THERE are clear signs that the cost of living for South Africans will keep rising in 2022. This is because there could be a rise in interest rates, electricity prices, and certain food groups that are affected by changes in the market. Consumers have received various concessions over the previous two years to assist them in managing the financial burden of the pandemic. Banks extended financial assistance, and the SA Reserve Bank cut interest rates to record lows, while the government launched financial assistance programmes such as the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme to mitigate the pandemic's impact. Despite these efforts, some households continue to face financial distress, and the rising cost of living will exacerbate the situation for many. As a result, consumers must plan ahead for some…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za Reality TV star and dancer Zodwa Wabantu says she’s ready to embrace her spiritual calling. Taking to Instagram this week, she shared a photo of herself in a river, dressed in ancestral attire while holding two horns in her hands. The post got fans wondering whether Zodwa was undergoing a process of ukuthwasa (initiation), where someone who has the ubizo (calling) from their ancestors becomes an inyanga or a sangoma (healer). In a chat with IOL Entertainment, the Zodwa Wabantu: Uncensored star confirmed she was embarking on a special spiritual journey, but pointed out that she was not a sangoma nor was she set to become one. “I have recently accepted a calling but this is a different kind of ubizo (calling). I’m not a sangoma.…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za FRUSTRATED with the deteriorating conditions of their community, Kraaifontein residents have taken to pleading with their local leaders and ward councillors to intervene before the situation escalates any further. The residents living between Wallacedene and Bloekombos say they are tired of using damaged roads and living alongside burst sewer pipes and overflowing rubbish. In an effort to resolve their challenges, the group of residents say they would like their leaders to actively participate in some of the problem-solving ideas they have to fix their community. Resident Monwabisi Kayita said: “I’m scared of driving my vehicle in the area, it has become a liability to live here and not just because of the bad roads. We are also struggling with overflowing sewage in almost every street, street lights…

Over 1.1 million learners start the new year Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za AFTER two daunting school years under the Coronavirus pandemic, thousands of schoolchildren were excited to take their seats in a classroom yesterday to start the 2022 academic year. The Cape Argus visited a few schools, including Zimasa Primary School in Langa, Parliament Street Primary School in Mfuleni and Inkanini Primary School in Khayelitsha, and saw learners allocated to classes. One of the parents, Nomasibulele Mvotyo, at Zimasa Primary School, said her child had been looking forward to the day. Zimasa Primary School governing body chairperson Celeka Daniso said one of the problems the school faced was a lack of classrooms. “We would appreciate it if the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) could assist us with more classes, as this…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za MORE than 13 000 candidates from the class of 2021 received their National Senior Certificate results under the Independent Examination Board (IEB) yesterday, with a 98.39% pass rate, which is slightly higher than 98.06% achieved the previous year. IEB chief executive Anne Oberholzer said as with an iceberg the achievement hides the depth of the struggle and effort that underpins the success. “These Grade 12 learners were the true victims of Covid-19. The class of 2021 has had to dig deep mentally and emotionally to find the strength to face the tremendous challenges of a radically changed teaching and learning environment of the past two years,” she said. Oberholzer said the journey for the 2021 Grade 12 candidates was different, with school closures from as early as…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za First ODI, Boland Park South Africa 296/4 (Van der Dussen 129*, Bavuma 110; Bumrah 10-0-48-2, Ashwin 10-0-53-1) India 265/8 (Dhawan 79, Kohli 51, Thakur 50*; Phehlukwayo5-0-26-2, Shamsi 10-1-52-2, Ngidi 10-0-64-2) South Africa won by 31 runs, lead three-match series 1-0 TEMBA Bavuma had promised a new era in one-day cricket for the Proteas, but few could have expected it to go quite as well as it did in the first ODI against India at Boland Park in Paarl yesterday. All the chat before the series opener had been about the Proteas’ failure to win an ODI series since the resumption of play after the Covid-19 hard lockdown and India’s thumping series win in South Africa last time out. One game into the three-match series and it’s all…

IVORY Coast coach Patrice Beaumelle yesterday railed against the state of the pitch in Douala, where his team must face Algeria in a decisive final Africa Cup of Nations group match. Beaumelle was speaking about the farcical error in injury time by Ivory Coast goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare that gifted Sierra Leone a 2-2 draw on Sunday in Cameroon’s economic capital that prevented the Elephants from securing a last-16 berth. “I think this part of the pitch is a disaster. Everybody knows,” said Beaumelle. “The pitch is decent. I didn’t say it is fantastic, it is decent, but day after day, game after game, of course when you use a pitch, it is quite difficult to maintain in a good condition.” His comments came amid rumours that organisers may move…

Dieketseng Maleke dieketseng.maleke@inl.co.za THE telecoms industry hopes that Telkom will withdraw its legal action against the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) in the national interest. This is according to Arthur Goldstuck, the managing director of World Wide Worx. This comes after Telkom took Icasa to court, to block the authority from processing the invitations to apply (ITAs) for the high-demand spectrum earmarked for auctioning in March. Icasa on January 4 confirmed it had been served with an urgent application filed in the High Court, Pretoria by Telkom. In a turn of events, MTN and Vodacom took Telkom to court over its attempt to block Icasa from processing the invitations. With MTN joining hands with Vodacom, this might support Icasa's case to go ahead with the auction. Goldstuck said: “I…

Oluthando Keteyi Award-winning daily TV drama Scandal! has been a firm fixture in South African homes for close to two decades. Over the years, the drama has collected numerous accolades and on Tuesday, the 4 000th episode was flighted on e.tv, adding another milestone for eMedia’s local production. The show premiered on January 10, 2005, and has stood the test of time. Scandal! is one of the most-watched dramas in South Africa, averaging five million viewers per night. The dedicated writers, producers, directors, cast and crew have all contributed to the success of thought-provoking stories that have made Scandal! a household show. The soapie’s strength lies in their consistent ability to challenge conventions, unearth talent and tell compelling stories. “Ochre, the production company, is super proud of the team of…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za The AA reports that it is shocked and worried by the 14% increase in road fatalities during the 2021/2022 festive season compared to the 2020/2021 season, and says this points to the need for urgent intervention, not promises of change. The AA says the figures, released by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, will not be dealt with effectively unless real, effective amendments are made to road safety practices. The association said that 1 685 people lost their lives on the roads in the short period from December 1, 2021 to January 11, 2022, indicating that current approaches are ineffective. “Unless urgent intervention focuses on road safety education, more extensive traffic law enforcement and better prosecution of offenders, these numbers will not reduce. Also, focussing on single aspects…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za HISTORY was made yesterday when President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African-born biotech billionaire and NantWorks LLC founder Patrick Soon-Shiong launched Africa’s first state-of-the-art NantSA vaccine manufacturing campus in Brackengate, Cape Town. In opening the campus, the president was also joined by the Western Cape Premier Allan Winde; Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande; Stellenbosch University (SU) vice-chancellor Wim de Villiers; and Health Minister Joe Phaahla. The president and Soon-Shiong also launched the Coalition to Accelerate Africa’s Access to Advanced Healthcare (the AAAH Coalition) yesterday, which together with the NantSA campus aims to accelerate domestic production of pharmaceuticals, biologics and vaccines for patients across the African continent. Ramaphosa said this was part of a far broader initiative to propel Africa into a new era of health…

Kamogelo Moichela and Loyiso Sidimba EFF leader Julius Malema yesterday expressed his satisfaction with the employment patterns in three Mall of Africa restaurants he visited with party MPs Vuyani Pambo and Sinawo Tambo. The EFF’s three-man delegation met owners and management of three Joburg restaurants to inspect the employment of locals and foreign nationals in their establishments. The trio visited the Mall of Africa in Midrand, where they were scheduled to meet the owners of Kream Restaurant, who initially refused to grant them an audience. After some confusion between Kream owners and Malema outside the restaurant, the EFF leader warned that it was in their business interest and every business that operates at the mall that they meet and get to understand what constitutes their employment, the number of women, men…

Zainul Dawood zainul.dawood@inl.co.za THE Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said it was imperative that the uThukela District Municipality investigated the cause of the flooding in parts of the CBD that disrupted business operations. Yesterday, schools and businesses affected were photographed being cleaned and drained by staff. Municipality spokesperson Jabulani Mkhonza said a comprehensive report was expected be handed to the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) department today. Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce and Industry manageress Jennifer Wallace said the recent flooding in the lower part of the Ladysmith CBD was devastating for businesses and created chaos with traffic flow in the town. She said the impact on businesses would be discussed with the municipality. Mkhonza said torrential rainfall accompanied by lightning caused damage to households, businesses and…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za PRIMARY school pupils from around Cape Town were able to learn about nature and gain access to the green economy through participating in Nature Connect’s Sustainable Schools programme after GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World donated just over R198 000 towards the initiative. Nature Connect, which supports the preservation of Cape Town’s biodiverse natural heritage through education, training and conservation initiatives, wants to lead in shaping the future of education for sustainable development “in South Africa and beyond” through their Sustainable Schools programme. Pupils were selected from Hillwood, Floreat, Harmony, Stephen Road, Montagu’s Gift, Square Hill, St Mary’s RC, St Clements, Levana and Fairview primary schools in the Western Cape to participate in this programme. During their time participating, Sustainable Schools Programme, manager Jocelyn Anderson said pupils had…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za JAKE White promised he was going to do something to address the Bulls’ scrummaging issues in the United Rugby Championship, and he has started off by shoring up the coaching resources. After Edgar Marutlulle was appointed as scrum coach for the Currie Cup team recently, former Bulls stalwart Werner Kruger was added this week as a coaching consultant for the front row. Kruger, who won a number of Super Rugby and Currie Cup titles in a lengthy career at Loftus Versfeld, retired earlier this year after playing over 100 matches for the Scarlets in Wales. He has returned to Pretoria and works as a financial planner, but at 36, he is keen to kick-start his coaching career, and that will begin under the guidance of White and…

Philippa Larkin philippa.larkin@inl.co.za Change was the only constant over the past two years as the world was rocked by Covid-19, according to Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2022 by Euromonitor International released this week. The report depicts the attitudes that will sway purchase decisions this year and provides actionable business recommendations to boost profitability in 2022. “Radical lifestyle shifts motivated consumers to make intentional, mindful and ambitious decisions. Now the world is on the road to recovery. Consumers are putting their plans into motion, taking chances and seizing the moment,” the report noted. Traditional business models and logistics networks are being challenged and businesses need to evolve as quickly as consumer behaviour is changing. The report outlined the top 10 trends: 1. Back-up Planners Faced with challenges in securing…

Asian News Officially launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 2022 slate, the trailer for its series, Moon Knight, was released on Tuesday. The show is due to premiere on March 30. Unlike previous Marvel series, which were based on existing characters from the company’s pre-2019 feature films, Moon Knight charts a new path, with new characters and a storyline that has no clear initial connection to the MCU. Starring Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector, an ex-soldier who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, the action-adventure series, set against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt, finds the spectral superhero’s multiple identities thrust into a deadly war of the gods. He becomes the conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, which only exacerbates Marc’s anxiety over his mental illness. The trailer introduces viewers…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za RESIDENTS from the V-block area in Bonteheuwel say they are encouraged by amends being made with the community by Bishop Lavis police seeking to improve and strengthen their otherwise strained relationship. This follows a soccer match between the residents of Vyeboom, Yellowood and Vlamboom streets and police aiming to integrate them into the community. While the police lost the match on a penalty shoot-out, the residents believed they regained the confidence to fight crime together with the community. Bonteheuwel Community Development Outreach committee member Abdullah Stein said for the first time in over a year the residents came out to watch a match on a playground that had been hijacked by gangsters. “The residents came out of their houses in numbers as they were locked inside…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za THE festive season brought some much-needed relief to the battered tourism sector as reflected in figures released by the City’s Economic Growth Department in partnership with Cape Town Tourism (CTT). Despite concerns about the risks of travelling during a pandemic and travel bans instituted by European countries after the discovery of the Omicron variant, CTT recorded its first set of increasing visitor numbers over the festive period. Through collaborative efforts, the sector recorded an encouraging recovery rate across the board. Speaking at the launch of the performance figures, mayoral committee member for Economic Growth, James Vos announced that Cape Town International Airport recorded a recovery rate of 66% for domestic arrivals and 29% for international arrivals compared to December 2019. “Last year was a challenging year…

Rafieka Williams rafieka.williams@inl.co.za AS THE 2022 school year sets off, first-time Cape Town High School pupils were visibly nervous when they entered the gates in their crisp uniforms. The high school this year welcomed 190 new Grade 8 pupils who are attending for the first time, while about 890 pupils make up the rest of the student complement. Principal Emilton Cloete wants the school to return to normal as the impact of the pandemic becomes less severe. “For this year we wish for the schools to return to normal… we are starting off with rotational time tables, which will include weekly rotations. We have three grades here a week with Grade 12 being full time. The hope is that by the end of term one, we might change to full…

Naomi Osaka played the role of smiling assassin and top seed Ashleigh Barty was ruthlessly efficient at the Australian Open yesterday as they moved closer to a potential fourth-round showdown. The impressive Barty, chasing a first title at her home Grand Slam, barely broke sweat in her second-round match, breezing past Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 6-1 in just 52 minutes in the heat of Rod Laver Arena. Not to be outdone, defending champion Osaka rushed through the first set 6-0 against Madison Brengle but then had a couple of dicey moments in the second set before polishing it off 6-4 and greeting the beaten American with a smile at the net. Rivals Barty and Osaka, who share six major titles between them, are now one victory away from a…