Indholdsfortegnelse for 2022-06-07 i Cape Argus

FIVE men appeared in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the murder of Abongile Mafalala, a 31-year-old Uber driver who was the victim of a mob attack in Parkwood last week. The attack went viral on social media. Nathan Leeman, Yuven Nawat, Bradley Murphy, Carlton Williams and Ashwin Tifflon have been charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and malicious damage to property. State advocate Brynmor Benjamin explained in court that on May 31, Mafalala was parked in the Parkwood area waiting for a passenger. Benjamin said Leeman and Newat initiated the attack after they approached Mafalala and accused him of kidnapping. The two then left the scene and gathered more people, egging on residents with the false information. “During this time, a rumour spread around the whole Parkwood and a…

Family of one of the Gugulethu mass shooting victims say they are beyond distraught over the death of their daughter after she got caught in the crossfire of the deadly attack. Vhathiswa Langa, 23, was one of three people killed on Sunday evening when unidentified gunmen opened fire on her and four others on the corner of Malunga Street and NY8. Langa and two others died at the scene, while two people were seriously wounded. Police spokesperson Andre Traut said: “Police are investigating the murder of three people and the attempted murder of two others in Gugulethu on Sunday evening. Initial reports of the incident indicate that at around 8pm, unidentified occupants of a white Toyota Corolla opened fire at a group of five. Arrests are yet to be made,…

WITH the escalating number of murders and attempted murders of children, as contained in the latest crime statistics, civil society organisations have called for the inclusion of child safety and self-defence in the school curriculum. The statistics released last week showed an increase in murders of children under the ages of 17, standing at 306, during the first three months of this year, which is an increase of 37.2% from the same time last year. Attempted murders were committed against 331 children, a decrease of 6.8% from the same time last year, and 1 937 cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm were reported, which was an increase of 12.7% from last year. On the Cape Flats children have found themselves on the receiving end of the…

Progressive creative director Bielle Bellingham is to curate Decorex Africa Reimagined She recently curated the Littlegig 24H Festival and editing ELLE Decoration. Bellingham has been tasked with steering the Decorate section for the Cape Town and Johannesburg shows and the 100% Design Africa. Esteemed local architect Theo Bothma will curate the Build section of the shows. Bellingham said: “I am beyond passionate about the role of art and design as catalysts for positive change. Having spent the majority of my career serving the 1% who can afford exceptional design, I now want to champion making décor and design relevant and accessible to everyone – in a format that reinvigorates, reorganises and commercialises change in the industry. On the forefront of décor, design and lifestyle trends for almost three decades, Decorex…

While youth unemployment in South Africa continues to soar, where two in every three young people are out of a job, the cost of living has increased drastically, and jobs are fast becoming a scarce commodity. The ANC government is incapable of addressing the socio-economic challenges that contribute to such a staggering number, and if statements by the Cabinet are anything to go by, we see all the signs of a failed liberation movement leading us towards a failed state. The continued fuel price increases are further proof that we do not have a leadership problem, but an ANC problem, an ANC that is merely concerned about where to loot next. Fuel price increases have long-lasting effects on the people on the ground, particularly young job seekers who use public…

I have just read the book by David Benatar on the disastrous “woke” environment at UCT. UCT has become a hotbed of the politically correct practices and environment. In essence, qualification has become almost irrelevant for appointment to certain posts. In addition to this, the mere complaint of racism, sexism or sexual harassment almost automatically makes the respondent party guilty before any defence can be proffered. It appears by all accounts that this book should be compulsory reading for the university staff, as stepping outside the boundaries of political correctness would be disastrous for any employee.…

CRIME statistics always under-report the true extent of the scourge of crime. Some victims of crime do not even bother to report crimes perpetrated against them or their loved ones for various reasons, including lack of confidence in the SAPS. In a democracy where the government is truly accountable to its citizenry, after the police minister had announced those horrifying crime statistics, he should have tendered his resignation or be fired. Alas, not in South Africa. The police minister speaks without shame nor modicum of humility. Instead he was nattily dressed, even donning his trademark Stetson hat, in full knowledge that his job is safe no matter the crime statistics. The police’s dismal performance is a reflection of a poor political leadership by a police minister who lacks the understanding…

Beirut: Lebanon called for US mediation yesterday after the arrival in waters, whose sovereignty Beirut contests, of a vessel intended to start producing gas for Israel. The ship operated by London-listed Energean Plc arrived in the Karish gas field, parts of which are claimed by Lebanon, on Sunday and will commence operations, Energean said. The move drew condemnation from Lebanon’s president and prime minister who agreed yesterday to “invite US envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut to look into restarting negotiations to demarcate Lebanon’s southern maritime border,” which stalled last May. | AFP…

Bangladesh authorities accused a container depot operator yesterday of not telling firefighters about a chemical stockpile before it exploded with devastating consequences, killing at least 49 people, nine of them from the fire service. The toll from the giant blast, which followed a fire at the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda and sent fireballs into the sky, was expected to rise further. Some containers were still smouldering yesterday, more than 36 hours after the explosion, preventing rescuers from checking the area around them for victims. About a dozen of the 300 injured were in critical condition, and were flown to the capital Dhaka. The nine dead firefighters were the most the department has ever lost in a single incident in the industrial-accident-prone country, where safety standards are lax and corruption…

Dwaine Pretorius is working “on a few different plans and strategies” ahead of the upcoming five-match T20I series against India but is not prepared to show his hand just yet. South Africa’s designated death bowler was clinically efficient at the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last November, utilising a variety of slower balls and sticking to a line wide outside off-stump. These tactics forced opposition batters to look for boundaries primarily on the off-side, but with a well-set field, it proved hugely effective with Pretorius picking up nine wickets in South Africa’s five matches. Even more importantly to his team’s cause, he conceded less than seven runs to the over. These performances enabled Pretorius to fulfil a career “bucket list” when he was picked up by the…

The final round of the Currie Cup takes place this weekend and there is going to be nervous jostling for semi-final spots especially for the Sharks, who could end up losing out. In a top-of-the-table clash, the Free State Cheetahs host the Bulls in what amounts to a shoot-out for the No 1 position, which is so valuable because it means hosting a final should the No 1-ranked side win their semi-final. The Cheetahs have a home-ground advantage but they need to get back on the horse after losing two in a row following a long unbeaten run. The Sharks are on a losing streak and have to end it away to Western Province if they hope to squeeze into fourth place at the cost of the Pumas, who are…

HIMKAAR Singh, the founder of Johannesburg-based The Compost Kitchen, has received a coveted spot on the eighth Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list. The Compost Kitchen said yesterday that well-known figures who graced the acclaimed list, potentially making a significant impact in the future, included singer Sho Madjozi and rugby player Siya Kolisi. Singh was selected for his commitment to solving South Africa’s water security challenge through technology, in particular, by repairing the soil and encouraging people to compost their food waste. He founded The Compost Kitchen and turned to technology. The result was a small device named iCompost with a two-litre capacity that turns food waste – including coffee grounds,tea bags and eggshells – into a dry, natural and nutrient-rich soil amendment. Singh said: “Being on the 30 Under…

CHILD maintenance defaulters who quit work as a way of dodging their obligations have something coming their way. The SA Law Reform Commission (SALRC), the body responsible for legal reforms in the country, has recommended that the Maintenance Act be amended to allow for attachment of a portion of pension benefits of such defaulters. The same should apply to those retiring or dismissed from work. “It is the commission’s view that the act should regulate the issue of future maintenance and give the maintenance court the power to make an order for future maintenance,” said the SALRC’s discussion paper, The Review of the Maintenance Act. “To make this possible the definition of ‘maintenance order’ in the act needs … to include a provision that should a maintenance debtor resign, retire…

UCT students had their mid-year exams disrupted by a small group, prompting the police to be called. Video footage on social media showed the disrupters throwing the students’ scripts off their desks while they were writing in the Sports Centre, one of the university’s main exam venues. A university official said former students who had previously been expelled from the university had taken up the cause of security guards at Groote Schuur Hospital who had been demanding that they be “in-sourced” by the university. In an official statement released by UCT, it condemned the actions and put preventive measures in place to prevent further misdemeanours “On Monday, a group of individuals who were neither employees nor students of UCT disrupted exams on UCT’s upper campus. UCT condemns these actions in…

THE Koena Art Institute will host a grand reopening exhibition that will showcase and celebrate Khoi and San heritage through art. The main focus is on giving a contemporary take on the Khoi and San culture. The Koena Art Instit ute, at the heart of the bustling streets of Observatory, is a women-led NPC dedicated to the preservation of the Khoi and San heritage. Their focus is on celebrating creativity, openness, tolerance and generosity. The institute hosts established and upcoming artists whose work represents the Khoi and San heritage. Lukretia Booysen, the founder of the Koena Art Institute, says the reopening will be an opportunity for indigenous stories and voices to be heard. “We have built the institute with nothing. What we have been able to achieve is not the…

Another well-written and thought-out letter from councillor Yagyah Adams. This one regarding the urinating incident by a white student from Stellenbosch university. What an elegant punishment: making that student, or his family, pay the three years of tuition fees for the black student who was humiliated. I also agree the white student should then be pardoned. I do have an issue with the latter part of the councillor’s letter though. I quote: “I promise that white families across the nation will instantly have dialogues with their children about the cost of racism.” But what about the black racists? We’ve seen there are plenty of those, many of them even in senior political and other influential positions, who have used racial animosity against whites. I’m just reminding the good counsellor that…

Last year, we witnessed the South African population divided over sending Miss South Africa to Israel to compete for the world pageant title. For years, the government has been calling for Israel to be held accountable for the injustices committed against Palestinian civilians. The government argued that Miss South Africa’s participation in a competition held in Israel would be the equivalent of condoning the state’s actions and ignoring the atrocities that continue to happen against Palestine. Despite the government’s reluctance Miss South Africa went on to compete for the pageant title in Israel. The implications may have seemed insignificant at the time, but indirectly a precedent was set. If the government is relaxing its stance on the Palestine and Israel conflict, Israel may never be held accountable by anyone in…

Tunis: Tunisian judges launched a week-long strike yesterday in protest at President Kais Saied’s “interference” in the judiciary, days after he sacked 57 of their colleagues. Saied issued a new decree last week extending his control over the judiciary. On Saturday, four judges’ unions announced a nationwide strike, condemning the president’s “interference in the judiciary”. They accused Saied of laying off judges “without the slightest recourse to disciplinary procedures” . The president had earlier accused some judges of corruption, collusion with political parties and obstruction of justice. | AFP…

Baghdad: An Iraqi court yesterday jailed a British retiree for 15 years for trying to smuggle antiquities he found on holiday, a judgment his family called “tantamount to a death sentence”. His German co-defendant Volker Waldmann, 60, was acquitted. The maximum penalty for the offence is death by hanging but the court decided on a lesser sentence for James Fitton, 66, “because of his advanced age”. Fitton will appeal. The pair were on an organised tour when they were arrested in March at Baghdad airport. Fitton’s baggage had about a dozen stone fragments and pieces of pottery. Fitton’s said, “I didn’t realise taking them was against the law.” | AFP…

A new UK deportation programme leaves asylum seekers with no other choice but to relocate either to Rwanda or the conflict zones they escaped from as the Home Office denies them the right to appeal rejected asylum claims, The Guardian reported yesterday. Last week, the UK Home Office sent out first letters notifying illegal migrants with rejected asylum claims that they would be deported to Rwanda under the new Migration and Economic Development Partnership between the two countries. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the first deportation plane would depart on June 14. “You have the option to leave the UK voluntarily. However, should you be removed, it will be to Rwanda,” the Home Office letter read. “There is no right of appeal against the decision.” The first group of those…

It is a massive week for South African rugby as the Stormers and Bulls square up to the might of the Irish in two mouth-watering United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-finals, one in Dublin on Friday night and the other in Cape Town on Saturday. Quite obviously, Stormers coach John Dobson is sitting prettier than his Bulls counterpart Jake White, as they contemplate Ulster at Cape Town Stadium and Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, respectively. This was reflected in their early week utterances, with Dobson saying the Stormers just need to stick to what they do best to have a good chance of winning, while White was almost plaintively appealing to the officials to be kinder to the visiting teams in this competition. You can understand the Bull coach’s trepidation after…

Rafael Nadal would probably not have played any Grand Slam other than the French Open with the chronic foot injury that needed numbing injections in Paris, the 14-time Roland Garros champion said yesterday. The Spaniard’s record-extending triumph on the Paris clay earned him an all-time best 22nd men’s singles major with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 crushing of Norway’s Casper Ruud and put him two titles clear of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. It was the ‘most unexpected’ of his French Open titles, Nadal said yesterday after limping into the scintillating salon of a central Paris hotel. Asked if he would have played any other Grand Slam with the injury that forced him to have injections to numb his foot, Nadal said: “Probably not. “We have been through a lot of…

Gang leader Moegamat Toufiq Brown yesterday appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court where charges have been brought against him, adding to the list of accused persons who attempted to kill criminal lawyer William Booth. Brown had appeared in court last week for charges related to gangsterism and illegal possession of a firearm and had been re-arrested at court for his alleged involvement in the attempt on Booth’s life on April 9, 2020. Brown has now been charged with racketeering, gang-related offences, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that he would be joining Nafiz Modack as his co-accused. “He is part of a group of people who…

The reality for some South African children is a concern for the Department of Social Development, especially teenage pregnancy. Speaking in KwaMbonambi in Richards Bay recently at the official closing of this year’s Child Protection Week Education and Awareness Campaign, Minister Lindiwe Zulu said it was one thing to have a good Constitution, with all the necessary protection, but another after seeing what children face in society. “Today we are closing the week which was opened in the Eastern Cape and the message, in particular, is one where we have to deal with what can we do as government as societies and as communities to deal, in particular, with teenage pregnancies,” she said. Zulu said that it was a difficult situation where children as 10 years old find…

Africa4Palestine is a misnomer if ever there was one. With the exception of a mere handful of sub-Saharan African states, most forward-thinking states have grown weary of Palestinian victimhood. They see through the fake news and outright lies of the BDS coalition and are looking once again to normalise relations with Israel and the enormous benefits this brings to the lives of Africans. An exception to this movement, South Africa and its ANC governing party continues its hostility towards the Jewish state. This at a time when the economy of the country is floundering, unemployment figures are at around 34%, youth unemployment at 66%, and crime statistics released this last week revealing 65 murders and 120 rapes a day with 3 306 kidnapping cases reported to the police. A country…

Homeless is a word all of us know but very few understand. I have made it my mission in life to address this. In everything I do, I use my lived experience of having been homeless to try to get people who haven’t experienced it to see and understand homelessness for what it is. Remember, homelessness is a state and not a trait. Understanding homelessness is vital for us to address, not only chronic homelessness, but also the bruises and scars that homeless people carry when taking up opportunities that will see them re-homed. I consider myself very blessed for the opportunity that the Cape Argus presents me with every week to enter your lives and share not only my experience, but that of other homeless people and those…

South Africa is currently facing a new wave of infections related to the much higher transmissibility of the Omicron Covid-19 variant and its sub-variants. The most recent spike has had similar characteristics as the fourth wave in January 2022: increases in infections have not been accompanied by similar increases in hospitalisations and deaths. These changes present a challenge to policymakers trying to improve vaccine take-up, particularly in vulnerable groups. The government set a target of getting 67% of the population vaccinated by the end of 2021. But rates have fallen far short of this. As of May 22 2022 only 31.4% of the population had been vaccinated. Understanding the depth of vaccine hesitancy, and the drivers behind the lack of take-up is critical to preventing further deaths, infections, and…

New York: Elon Musk threatened yesterday to withdraw his bid to buy Twitter, accusing it of failing to provide data on fake accounts, in the latest twist in the Tesla billionaire’s push to acquire the social network. Twitter has committed “a clear material breach” of its “obligations under the merger agreement and Mr Musk reserves ... his right not to consummate the transaction”, according to a document filed with securities regulators. The filing marks an escalation of Musk’s prior statements that have highlighted fake accounts as a threat to his proposed $44 billion (R679bn) deal to take over Twitter. | AFP…

THE Russian Foreign Minister yesterday called the situation around his visit to Serbia unthinkable, saying by closing sky for his plane, the EU and Nato countries deprived Belgrade of the right to pursue an independent foreign policy. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Serbia’s neighbouring countries had closed their national airspace for the aircraft of the top Russian diplomat, who was expected to pay a visit to Belgrade on June 6-7, thus blocking another channel of communication. Meanwhile, yesterday Ukrainian and Russian troops fought street by street for control of the industrial city of Sievierodonetsk in the pivotal battle of the Kremlin offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Which side had the upper hand remained unclear. Russian forces had the numerical advantage and the situation was “difficult”, but Ukraine…

When Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber addressed the media in mid-April, the subtext was that it will be more difficult to be dropped from the Bok squad that has done service since 2019 than it will be to break into it. The reasoning he gave is that time is running out until the 2023 World Cup in France. “We want older, experienced players who are good enough to win the World Cup and then we want some younger guys to push them but they must also have enough experience, at least 10 caps,” Nienaber said. In my opinion, there are three players outside Nienaber’s close-knit group who can meet those requirements before France 2023 and must be involved against Wales, although in the case of one of them, factors outside pure…