Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-03-30 i Cape Argus

A community-wide clean-up campaign brought residents, local businesses, and community groups together to get their hands dirty. The campaign, which started in Bellville yesterday, forms part of the City’s Better Bellville Together Campaign, which is being rolled out by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP). Economic growth Mayco member James Vos said: “The purpose of the Better Bellville Together campaign is to improve and sustain the area’s beautification, provide cleaner production, eradicate illegal dumping and littering, promote recycling, and educate the public on the best waste management practices.” This clean-up will take place twice a month until the end of June, and volunteers will receive the necessary tools and guidance to take part. GTP CEO Warren Hewitt said: “Bellville has seen dramatic growth in commuters and community activity as a result…

The Competition Commission has accused retailers and wholesalers of taking advantage of the east-European conflict and subjecting South African consumers to opportunistic food price increases. The commission’s latest Essential Food Pricing Monitoring (EFPM) report said retailers and wholesalers had unjustifiably pushed up prices of cooking oil, bread and maize meal over a two-year period. The commission, which has been monitoring essential food prices since the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, said that although the effects of the pandemic on many markets had largely subsided, food prices continued to be elevated and vulnerable to supply shocks. The commission investigated the prices of the staples as well as fruit and vegetables in the period between 2021 and 2022. From January to December 2022, white and brown bread retail prices rocketed by 20%…

THE recent news of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester escaping from prison has shocked the country. Known as the “Facebook rapist”, Bester was convicted for preying on innocent, unassuming, vulnerable and somehow gullible women. He raped some, and murdered one. He was believed to have died in a fire that engulfed his cell, leaving only charred remains of a male “inmate”. Bester was serving a life sentence for rape and murder at the Mangaung Correctional Centre. He lured his victims to his lair – mostly young women who aspired to enter the film and modelling industries. He promised them heaven and earth, only to rape them and murder one. His “staged” escape from prison has left more questions than answers. How did he fake his death by fire? Who…

Ninety-one international caps and not out! Itumeleng Khune is no doubt one of the best – if not the best – goalkeepers to don the Bafana Bafana No 1 jersey in our generation. The numbers are there to back that up. But while he was expected to mature like fine wine – like his role model Gianluigi Buffon, who is still going strong at 45 – Khune’s career has been going in reverse. Buffon is still the No 1 at childhood club Parma in Italy’s Serie B, while a fully-fit Khune is failing to make the match-day squad at Kaizer Chiefs. Yet, amid those shortcomings, we still have admirers who are advocating for his return to Bafana instead of recognising that his best days are behind him and there is…

RED Bull stand poised to shrug off their Australian Grand Prix hoodoo on Sunday and continue their domination of the Formula One world championship as rivals struggle for pace. Red Bull have not won at Albert Park since former driver Sebastian Vettel claimed the 2011 race, but there may be no stopping the constructors champions this year at the lakeside circuit. With Max Verstappen leading a Red Bull one-two in Bahrain and teammate Sergio Perez flipping the order in Jeddah, Red Bull have been in a class of their own this season, with the RB19 car dazzling with its speed and showing ample reliability. “It’s always nice to ... experience Melbourne a little, although from a racing point of view, it is not one that has been too kind to…

Ntsiki Mazwai came out guns blazing as she asked followers to stop comparing her to the controversial Twitter troll, Nota Baloyi. The poet made a short video clip and posted it on Instagram with the caption: “I have contributed too much of my time and energy in awakening the black child… pls stop comparing me to a lunatic who is going thru a depression. I ask humbly.” She said: “Please stop comparing me to Nota, I know that my strengths and strong opinions frustrate you but what Nota is doing is abusive, you can’t abuse a family that’s grieving. “We saw him abuse his wife online, we see that he is not well, he’s (sic) even skinny and falling apart. “We can see that he is not well so please…

Six officers from the SAPS Flying Squad are in jail after they were busted by their colleagues for smuggling abalone. Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said the arrests followed their pursuit to root out corruption among Western Cape SAPS ranks. He said after a lengthy and thorough investigation by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit over six months, the team arrived at the Maitland Flying Squad early on Tuesday morning and executed a warrant of arrest. “Two sergeants and four constables, aged between 31 and 42, were detained on charges of corruption while awaiting their court appearance in Cape Town on March 30. “They are accused of corrupt activities where boxes of abalone were seized from suspects on a number of occasions without making any arrests, or handing in the abalone as…

Staunch supporters of former Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann are calling for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to investigate alleged corruption within its ranks. This after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) found that a prima facie case of corruption existed against an official who has since died. NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the State declined to institute a prosecution as the accused had died. “We had a prima facie case and would otherwise have proceeded against him on charges of corruption.” Supporters, who had organised as the Special Action Committee (SAC), claimed the official was instrumental in bringing about charges against Neumann. In October 2021, Neumann was found guilty on six charges of misconduct. It was found that from May to July 2020, Neumann had campaigned on social…

City opposition councillors were yesterday upset that former water and sanitation Mayco member Dr Zahid Badroodien (DA) received no more than a written warning. This despite a guilty finding by the council disciplinary committee which investigated allegations that he tampered with an electricity meter at a property he owns. The committee’s findings will be tabled at a City council meeting this week and could pave the way for the Badroodien, who voluntarily stepped down six months ago, to return as a mayco member. At a full council meeting yesterday, GOOD Party councillor Jonathan Cupido accused the DA of having double standards on matters of corruption. UIM councillor Albertus de Beer, however, said that while he did not condone Badroodien’s actions, it was wrong to kick a person when they were…

ARGUMENTS over procedural issues took up the beginning of yesterday’s hearings of the parliamentary committee investigating suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness for office. At the start of proceedings, the committee evidence leader Nazreen Bawa SC proposed cross-examining Mkhwebane on the testimony she had given so far. Bawa said that as Mkhwebane’s senior counsel, Dali Mpofu, had reached the end of Mkhwebane’s evidence with respect to the CR17/Bosasa investigation and report. She and the committee could ask their questions on that matter while it was still fresh in their minds. The report and investigation by the Office of the Public Protector refers to the 2017 donor funding campaign for President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was then the deputy president of the ANC. Bawa suggested that doing this before Mpofu headed into…

TOTTENHAM Hotspur forward Son Heung-min said he was sorry to see manager Antonio Conte leave the club and feels responsible for the Italian’s exit after failing to replicate his excellent form from the previous campaign. The 30-year-old Son finished as the joint-top scorer in the Premier League with 23 goals to help Spurs finish fourth under Conte last season, but the South Korean has scored only six times in the league so far. Tottenham parted ways with Conte on Sunday, eight days after he blasted his players as “selfish, lacking team spirit and unable to play under pressure” in an extraordinary media conference following a 3-3 league draw at Southampton. “As a player, I am really sorry. He’s a world-class coach, and we had a great journey together,” Son said…

TWO end-of-season one-day international matches between South Africa and the Netherlands would not normally attract much attention, but the games this week are crucial for the Proteas. The hosts have yet to qualify for the 50-over World Cup in India in October and November. They need to win both World Cup Super League matches to have a realistic chance of booking their place at world cricket’s showpiece tournament. Even with two wins, there is still an outside chance of the Proteas being pipped by Ireland, although they will have to pull off a 3-0 upset series win against Bangladesh in May. The matches in Benoni and Johannesburg are the second and third matches of a series which started in November 2021. The first match was rained off and the remaining…

It was a hit in broad daylight at a busy mall in full view of shoppers. Shocked shoppers at the Ottery Hyper were left gawking at the body of 29-year-old R ameez Thomas, aka Sailor Boy, shot minutes earlier in an alleged gang hit. Thomas, a father from Newfields Village, Hanover Park, was gunned down in the parking lot as he was trying to flee his shooters. The victim, who community members believe was a member of the Hard Livings gang, was allegedly attacked by a rival gang. As crowds gathered around the lifeless body lying next to a red vehicle, the police were alerted. One man has been arrested for the murder. Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said: “Grassy Park police are investigating a murder case following a shooting…

Tony and Lynn Forbes, parents of slain rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, have asked for patience while police investigate his murder. The family released a statement yesterday thanking the public for their support. “We are at a loss for words to describe our gratitude for the outpouring of love we’ve received from the Megacy. We’ve seen people deeply hurt and angered by Kiernan’s murder and wanting justice. As a family, we empathise with the grief experienced and we understand your pain. “We are aware of the growing public discontent related to the progress which has been made in the investigation. However, as a family, we are deeply concerned that irresponsible actions, accusations and assumptions may cause more harm than good,” the family said. “We call on the Megacy to mourn responsibly…

Citizens of Cape Town have until May 5 to engage with the City over its capital expenditure budget of a record R69.9 billion which was tabled and opened for public participation yesterday by mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Reading the budget, Hill-Lewis said it centred on the “exciting and scary number” of R10.9 billion budgeted for infrastructure. “That’s more than was spent on the 2010 World Cup with all its mega projects, and it’s 40% up from this year’s budget. In the last eight years, the most we’ve ever spent on infrastructure was R6.5 billion, so this is big,” he said. He said that from July 1 this year the City planned to build R30 million of infrastructure every day of the year, including weekends. Among other proposals contained…

Theewaterskloof municipal manager Boy Ngubo has quit the municipality – just five months after the council appointed him unanimously on a five-year contract. In an email yesterday, mayor Karel Papier confirmed the resignation to the Cape Argus, which understands that Theewaterskloof community services director Wilfred Solomons-Johannes has been roped in to act as municipal manager. Ngubo couldn’t be reached. “What was meant to be a union of five years has now got to be cut short,” Ngubo said in his resignation letter, seen by the Cape Argus and signed on March 15, to Papier. The letter indicates that Friday, March 31 is his last day as municipal manager. “Even after (March 31), I will remain committed to ensuring the finalisation of any matters that my office was busy with, including…

It has been slightly over five years since South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer, 47, was kidnapped while on duty in Awbari, Libya. Gerco was kidnapped on November 3, 2017 while on his way to the Awbari power plant where he was employed as an on-site emergency medical practitioner. Recently a video of him was shared online with him briefly explaining what occurred on that day. According to the video, Gerco stated the date on which it was recorded was March 15, 2023, mentioning that as far as he knew he was the only South African being held by al-Qaeda terrorists in Mali after he was sold to them eight months after being kidnapped. Following the recent and only way of communication, confirming that he was still alive, Gerco’s wife…

Unfortunately, it is incumbent upon me to let you know some employers do lie. South Africans are invariably very trusting. My experience has been workers across the board in most industries and no matter where they are in the hierarchy of their employment structures, are trusting their employers will treat them fairly and well. Invariably, in my day-to-day dealings with individual employees, I find when they report to me how the employer treated them unfairly, they are shocked. This is not to say all or even the majority of employers are dishonest, but it is incumbent upon each and every single individual at the workplace to check up on their circumstances and to be vigilant regularly. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act makes it compulsory to receive a contract of…

FORMER Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger yesterday became the first managers to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. The two men locked horns during a period of intense rivalry starting in the 1990s, winning 16 English top-flight titles between them. Ferguson, 81, is the most successful manager in Premier League history, guiding Manchester United to 13 titles, while Wenger won the competition three times with Arsenal, including going unbeaten in the 2003/04 season. Ferguson, who managed United for more than 26 years, won the inaugural Premier League title in 1992/93 to deliver the Red Devils’ first league success since 1967. Six players managed by Ferguson have already been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame - David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Roy…

THE 16th edition of the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) begins tomorrow as 10 teams battle it out for the T20 title. Here, we highlight five players to watch in the two-month extravaganza, which is being played in multiple Indian cities for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. Sam Curran (Punjab Kings) Punjab spent big on the England all-rounder in the IPL auction as the 24-year-old became the most expensive player in the tournament’s history at $2.23-million. Curran’s stock as a ‘death bowler’ rose during the T20 World Cup last year when his ability to stifle opposition batsmen in the final overs turned him into a potent weapon for champions England. Curran said it was “very cool” to get back to Punjab, where he will play alongside his England…