Indholdsfortegnelse for 2022-08-12 i Cape Argus

Internationally acclaimed South African gospel band The Jesus Collective will debut their new album, Restored, at the Grand Arena, GrandWest, in Cape Town today. The new album, which comes during Women’s Month, is a dedication to late band member, Sipokazi “SK” Nxumalo. “This is a celebration of her life and the goodness, joy and grace we will always remember her by, as she lived out a life of worship,” said Hilton Petersen, president of Collective Records. He said The Jesus Collective was a music organisation that aimed to uplift communities through gospel music and to mentor up-and-coming musicians from poorer areas. The organisation also partners with established South African artists and community leaders who mentor the musicians. To celebrate the release of the 16-track album, which was co-produced by Nqubeko…

THE Black People’s National Crisis Committee (BPNCC) yesterday took to the streets of Cape Town in a march to Parliament, calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to turn down a recommendation to suspend Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe. On July 25, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) held a meeting to bring finality to a matter that had been ongoing for more than 12 years. At this meeting the JSC took a decision to recommend to Ramaphosa to suspend Judge Hlophe. The JSC announced its decision on July 26. Following the meeting, Hlophe’s lawyer, Barnabas Xulu (SC), noted with concern that the guilty finding by the Judicial Tribunal in April 2021 was being challenged at the Supreme Court of Appeal and any action taken while the matter was still pending…

One thousand two hundred and thirty-two Leap officers are deployed in various communities across the city, servicing crime-infested townships. Yesterday, safety and security departments from the City and the provincial government celebrated the deployment of additional Leap officers into local communities. The deployment coincided with the launch of an operational base for Leap officers at Bishop Lavis. Speaking at the event, Premier Alan Winde said the provincial government was elated to introduce the new batch of officers who would further bolster safety in local communities in line with the province’s Safety Plan. “We need as many women and men in blue, not just patrolling communities, but also building relationships with our citizens and re-instilling faith in the fight against crime.” According to Winde’s office, law enforcement…

Citrus farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture have welcomed the news that the government has negotiated a settlement with the EU to clear South Africa citrus fruit which was blocked from EU ports. In June, the EU’s standing committee on plant, animal, food and feed published regulations requiring the cold treatment for oranges heading to Europe as a means to address false codling moth (FCM) interceptions from southern African orange exports. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) said that at the time of the publication of the measures there were consignments that were certified and had already left for the EU, as well as some that were being exported, and this was unrealistic. DALRRD spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said: “So far, the department, with information being submitted…

A group of young and passionate dancers from Delft have appealed for public support to help them participate in the International Sport Aerobic and Fitness World Championships taking place in Ostrava, Czech Republic, this year from November 2 to 4. Hailing from Leiden and Voorbug in Delft, Bilqees du Plessis, 20, Mezaat Wilkinson, 17, Kuhle Godlo, 20, Alitha Godlo, 19, Ashlene Leukes, 16, Sbabalwe Khohli, 11, and coach Kerishnie Lottering, 23, formed the Fitness Performance Aerobic Team “Cobra Kai” in the South African Fitness Sport Aerobic Federation of South Africa (Sasaff). Sasaff was affiliated to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and the Department of Sport, Art and Culture. Sasaff president Lynette le Roux said the “Cobra Kai” team qualified to represent South Africa at the 2022…

The EFF has told Health and Wellness MEC Nomafrench Mbombo that the outsourcing of hospital porter services by the department amounts to “financial exploitation”. Speaking during a debate on the issue, EFF MPL Melikhaya Xego said the department outsourced porter services to outside agencies for an hourly rate in line with the national minimum wage but that the agencies took commissions from that hourly rate. He said it meant the workers ended up earning less than the minimum wage. Xego said: “The department cannot claim that it is not aware of this modern-day slavery practice as itself is an indirect slaver of these workers. “Another reason the department is doing all this, is to avoid paying worker benefits.” Xego asked Mbombo what her department was doing to employ workers such…

WHILE the All Blacks were well short of their best, the Springboks weren’t perfect either, despite a convincing 26-10 victory at Mbombela Stadium last weekend. It was certainly a more compelling performance than during the three-Test series triumph over Wales, as the Boks showed more intent on attack, while their kicking game was too hot for the Kiwis to handle. But here are three areas where Siya Kolisi’s team must be even better if they hope to continue the All Blacks’ misery in tomorrow’s second Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park (5.05pm kick-off)– Driving maul With new forwards coach Jason Ryan bringing his Crusaders knowledge to the fore, the All Blacks largely stopped the Bok driving maul in its tracks at Mbombela Stadium. The home side got a few drives…

YET another off-duty police officer has been gunned down – this time in Khayelitsha. Constable Kefuwe Qakoshe, 27, stationed at Harare police station, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen while visiting a friend in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, on Women’s Day. Police said the case had been handed over to the Hawks for further investigation. Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said: “The case was transferred to the Hawks for further investigation. Our officials are pursuing the matter, no arrests have been made yet.” Meanwhile, in Strand, Qakoshe’s family were still trying to come to terms with his death. They said they last saw him on Tuesday when he left home after he said he would go to inflate the tires of the service vehicle he had been driving. A resident…

THE much-anticipated video footage evidence from the crime scene capturing the killing of criminal lawyer Pete Mihalik was yesterday played in the Western Cape High Court where the three men accused of his murder are on trial. Sizwe Biyela, Vuyile Maliti and Nkosinathi Khumalo are charged with the murder of Mihalik, who was shot and killed while dropping off his two children at Reddam House School on October 30, 2018. As explained by video technician Werner Höll while being questioned by advocate Greg Wolmarans, the video footage was retrieved from the BIG Backpackers surveillance system in Green Point two hours after the shooting took place. As the footage was played, Höll, with the assistance of Wolmarans, explained what happened in the video displayed on a TV monitor inside court.…

Friends of Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei (FOZR) undertook a massive clean up of Zeekoevlei to clear the unprecedented build up of winter litter. More than 16 truckloads of rubbish was hauled out of the river over the past few weeks. FOZR chairperson Sidney Jacobs said the team even worked on Woman’s Day as the pending rain threatened to wash more litter into the lake. The rubbish included dead dogs and goats TVs, sinks, mattresses, tons of plastic, nappies, foam, cigarette butts and earbuds. “It is obvious that the philosophy of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ exists among some of our residents of Cape Town as they toss the dirt over walls and out of cars,” he said. FOZR vice-chairperson Tom Schwerdtfeger said the City sent 24 men to aid…

THE issue of suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s investigation into the controversial Free State Agriculture Department’s Vrede Dairy Project and her report on it returned to the fore during Parliament’s inquiry into her fitness to hold office. The matter was at the core of the evidence from yet another former senior investigator at the office of the Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA), advocate Nditsheni Raedani. In his evidence Raedani accused Mkhwebane of protecting politicians implicated in the report. The committee has previously heard that Free State politicians implicated in the report included former premier Ace Magashule and the then Agriculture MEC, Mosebenzi Zwane. Three weeks ago Raedani featured in PPSA whistle-blower Tebogo Kekana’s testimony at the inquiry. Kekana, a former PPSA investigator, also told the hearing that Mkhwebane had…

IN 13 months’ time, the Springboks play their first match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and everything they are currently doing has one eye on ensuring the Webb Ellis Cup remains in South Africa. That is why ticking the massive psychological box of back-to-back victories over the All Blacks is so important, as are other milestones along the way to France 2023, such as kicking into touch the hoodoo that is winning in Australia. That is up next, incidentally, with games in Adelaide and Sydney later this month, and how much stronger will the Springbok mindset be to overcome that challenge if they can put the All Blacks away tomorrow at Ellis Park? The Boks really are not going to get a better shot at a double KO of…

A KwaZulu-Natal man who raped four women in a year has been sentenced to two life terms. Mduduzi Hopewell Shembe, 32, was convicted and sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg High Court this week. The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that Shembe was convicted on four counts of rape and three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances “The incidents took place in Umlazi and Tongaat from June 2017 to June 2018, when Shembe and his accomplice raped, attacked and robbed the women in their homes,” according to NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara. In court, State advocate Bonginkosi (Bonga) Mbokazi, led the testimonies of all the victims, as well as expert DNA witnesses, and video footage. “Shembe was sentenced to two life terms, 30 years for the rapes and 31 years imprisonment for the robberies.…

MAITLAND police are searching for six armed suspects who robbed a cigarette truck and kidnapped the truck’s driver and assistant. Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said initial reports are that yesterday morning at about 11am, six armed suspects accosted a cigarette truck in Justin Road, Brooklyn. “The suspects jumped out of a white Quantum taxi to threaten the truck’s driver and assistant. “The suspects then proceeded to take an undisclosed amount of cigarettes from the truck and place them in their taxi. The suspects also forced the driver and his assistant into their vehicle before fleeing from the scene. “The driver, a 54-year-old man, and assistant were later dropped off in the Milnerton area, and the group proceeded with their getaway. They are yet to be arrested,” Van Wyk said.…

SEX workers in the metro have accused the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) of abandoning its mandate to protect human rights and act impartially and transparently. Members affiliated with Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Work, Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat), and Sisonke national sex workers movement marched to the CGE yesterday demanding answers to numerous submissions previously made to the commission. The groups, which accused the commission of selling out sex workers, said they were still waiting for responses from the commission, including a letter that they sent quizzing it on its alleged revised position on the decriminalisation of sex work. On July 8 the coalition – an umbrella of 130 groups – wrote to the commission seeking answers regarding a Section 6 committee allegedly established…

AFTER a decent start to the new season, AmaZulu FC will be looking to make it two wins on the trot when they host Cape Town City at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban tomorrow night. Usuthu go into the game on the back of a hard-fought 2-1 win over SuperSport United. They began their league campaign with a dull 0-0 draw against TS Galaxy in Johannesburg. Chairman Sandile Zungu has challenged coach Brandon Truter to deliver a trophy this season. The Durban club’s trophy drought has lasted 30 years since claiming the Telkom Knockout in 1992. Truter is up to the challenge and feels he has sufficient resources to land a trophy in the near future. “The expectation from the board is that they would like us to win a…

SOUTH African sports fans had better get used to welcoming new ‘home players’ when Cricket SA’s T20 League kicks off in January next year. Players once of Joburg will now represent Cape Town, those from Gqeberha will play for Tshwane, and then there’s Faf du Plessis. The former Proteas captain, who was schooled at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool across the road from Loftus Versfeld, played for Northerns and now lives in Cape Town, represented the Paarl Rocks, had been a star for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, and then moved to the Royal Challenges Bangalore this year. However, according to website Cricbuzz.com, Du Plessis will be back in the colours of the Super Kings, whose owners bought the franchise that will be based in Johannesburg . Kagiso Rabada from…