Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-05-18 i Cape Argus

Petrol heads and diehards of the franchise have been waiting for the release of Fast X. And, going by the star clout additions to the powerhouse regular cast, it has all the signs of cleaning up at the box-office once again. In the 10th instalment, Jason Mamoa is the antagonist as Dante Reyes, the son of drug lord Hernan Reyes. He has beef with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the crew over them costing his family their fortune back in Fast Five. And he is there to make them pay. According to Momoa, Dante is “very sadistic and androgynous and he's a bit of a peacock”. And, aside from dialling back on the testosterone with the character, Momoa admits Dante’s daddy issues hold a lot of sway with him. Diesel,…

Homeless people living along the FW de Klerk Boulevard were stripped of their belongings when the City evicted them on Tuesday night. At around 7pm, Law Enforcement officers parked their vehicles under the bridge on the Foreshore and broke down the structures and packed the material into their vans. Anganathi Peter, 28, said: “They came to us without a warning. We knew about the eviction notice that was pasted on the pillar. There are organisations that are fighting with us at the high court. We were surprised to see the City here because we are supposed to meet with them in court on June 10 and then hear what the decision was. This is unlawful, we should not have been subjected to this. “They just came and broke our houses…

Officials from the provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport have intervened to see if they can help sort out the ongoing disputes at the Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) between the board and its former chief executive, Debbie Turner, who resigned in April. Turner’s resignation followed a number of allegations by some members of the board that she was guilty of poor financial administration. MEC Anroux Marais said she and officials from the department have had meetings with the CTCB in a bid “to understand the challenges and how the department could possibly assist”. This engagement comes on top of other efforts, including a meeting convened by the board of the Cape Town City Ballet Endowment Trust, with the CTCB board that was called to work towards finding…

A University of the Western Cape (UWC) alumnus and scientist is celebrating the official release of the first locally manufactured Covid-19 antigen test in Africa into the South African and African pharmaceutical markets. Ashley Uys, who grew up in Belhar, Cape Town, and graduated with a BSc in Biotechnologies with Honours from UWC in 2003, is also the owner of Medical Diagnostech, a company that has manufactured kits for drug testing, pregnancy, HIV and syphilis, among others. Uys and his team, most of whom happen to be UWC alumni, said they were confident about their home test kit called the HealthPulse TestNow, and believe it’s one of the most effective products on the market, especially as the country gears up for the start of winter and the heart of the…

After spending the day listening to arguments regarding an application brought by a State witness who wants her testimony not to be broadcast, Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, who is presiding over the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, said he would deliver his ruling today. The witness, who cannot be named pending the ruling, was due to take the stand in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on Monday. State prosecutor advocate George Baloyi cited safety and comfort issues raised by the witness should proceedings be held live. Baloyi argued yesterday that a live broadcast of proceedings had its own disadvantages and it couldn’t be used as a remedy to open justice. Baloyi rejected claims that the witness was part of the Netflix documentary on the murder of Meyiwa. However, he admitted that…

The months of April and May are graduation months, within the university student communities in the City of eThekwini. Many communities from where the students hail, are celebrating this milestone achieved by their children and relatives across the spectrum, making up different communities of this province. The University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology are among the main institutions of higher learning the city of Durban boasts of. Thousands of student graduates have been celebrating their achievements since April. It is a time that is synonymous with tears of joy and ululations from many families and relatives, and particularly for one, Dumisani Ngobese. He is a young man of 23, who hails from rural Bhukhanana reserve, in Empangeni, achieving despite the most difficult of circumstances. When…

THE Western Province rugby team’s shift to the ‘home of football’ in Cape Town, Athlone Stadium, for their next two Currie Cup games suits them down to the ground – literally. That is the view of their assistant defence coach Norman Laker, who believes the decision to save the Cape Town Stadium pitch for the United Rugby Championship (URC) final next Saturday is not only a favour to their big brothers, the Stormers, but also to the Currie Cup team. The venue is by no means small – it is a 34 000-seater – and Laker is confident that locals will fill it to watch Province in an intimate and not overly big venue. It certainly does a good job for Cape Town Spurs and it can do the same…

KENYA’S 10km road race world record holder Rhonex Kipruto became the latest Kenyan athlete to be suspended for a doping offence yesterday by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The AIU said the 23-year-old -–who won 10 000m bronze in the 2019 world championships – had been “provisionally suspended” for the “use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP)”. The ABP (Athlete Biological Passport) can show discrepancies that can reveal the effects of doping. Kipruto set the 10km record of 26 minutes 24 seconds in Valencia in 2020 – he finished a disappointing ninth in the 10 000m at the Olympics in 2021. Close on 70 Kenyan athletes – mainly distance runners – have been banned in the last five years for drugs offences in a crisis that has tarnished the east African…

STRIKER Pierre-Emerick Aubame- yang has announced a return to the Gabon national team a year after he retired from international football, citing the influence of the country’s president Ali Bongo Ondimba in his decision to make a comeback. The Chelsea forward, who as a youngster was also eligible to play for France or Spain, has long had a testy relationship with the Gabonese Football Association since making his national team debut in 2009, and called it quits in May last year after scoring 30 goals in 72 appearances. But the 33-year-old, by far the most accomplished player that Gabon has produced, announced on Tuesday he had made himself available again for the national side and had spoken to coach Patrice Neveu. “A few days ago I had the immense honour…

In aN interview on The Carol Ofori Podcast, Lynn Forbes poured her heart out about her late son, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. AKA was murdered in Durban in February. Investigations are ongoing. When asked how she was doing, she said: “To be honest, I’m in a good space, but I have very bad moments ... As a family we are getting through the days. “I do realise that my life has forever changed and that I would forever be a different person. I would never be the ‘Glammy’ or the Lynn that everybody knows ... a part of me has been removed forever.” Describing the morning of February 10, before AKA’s death, Forbes said it was a “beautiful morning”. “Kiaro and myself finished spending a week at Kiernan’s, she was going…

The family of a convicted contractor are challenging the court’s decision. Good Hope Construction director Ridwaan Rajah was found guilty of theft and perjury on April 25. His brother Raziek claimed the court convicted an innocent man and has indicated they would appeal. Their lawyers are expected to approach the high court to get bail for the convict tomorrow. “We have proof that the subcontractor was paid money, my brother is innocent. “We presented the evidence in court and it was disregarded, and we are planning on laying charges of defeating the ends of justice against the NPA and SIU. “His bail was revoked, he is a father, not a flight risk, and a sole provider for his family and we are going to court to apply for bail.” Ridwaan…

Members of the Maitland Flying Squad have arrested a group of suspects who were found in possession of stolen goods and a hijacked vehicle on Tuesday. The suspects were nabbed in the industrial area of Manenberg and are expected to appear in court once charged. SAPS spokesperson FC van Wyk said that in the early morning of Tuesday the team followed up on information that led them to the industrial area in Vygieskraal Road, where they arrested four individuals – three men, aged between 23 and 30, and a 42-year-old woman. The suspects were found driving a truck with a registration number that was reported at Maitland police station as having been hijacked. “As the team drove down Steenbras Road they spotted a Scania truck with a registration number that…

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has denied claims made by Eskom’s former interim chairperson, Malegapuru Makgoba, that he approved the private investigation into corruption at Eskom launched by former chief executive André de Ruyter. Gordhan appeared before the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to discuss De Ruyter’s allegations of corruption, theft, maladministration, sabotage, lack of consequence management, cartels and other irregularities at Eskom. Last week, Makgoba told Scopa that President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gordhan were aware of De Ruyter’s controversial investigation into corruption at Eskom. Makgoba said De Ruyter had also informed national security adviser Sydney Mufamadi about corruption and sabotage at Eskom. Mufamadi will be appearing before the committee on Tuesday next week. In a statement he made to the committee before members began asking him questions, Gordhan…

The owner and staff of Spinach King received and dined with high-profile guests at the launch of their new and third enterprise serving as its central production factory and restaurant in Salt River on Tuesday evening. Soon after delivering the concluding remarks at the Small Business Budget Vote debate on Tuesday, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, joined by Deputy Minister Dipuo Peters, were seated at Spinach King for the launch. The business received financial backing during the Covid-19 pandemic through the Township and Rural Economic Programme (Trep), allowing it to greatly expand its operations. Spinach King specialises in all things spinach, with gluten-free spinach bread and other green products such as smoothies, sandwiches and burgers. Through one of the department’s programmes, the Youth Challenge Fund, the owner was able…

AN EVENT aimed at creating awareness of a lesser known condition called Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which could be affecting more people than we know, was organised in Khayelitsha at the weekend. “The Blue Sunday Tea Party”, organised and sponsored by the ME/CFS Foundation of SA, was held at the Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha on Sunday. The annual global event aims to create awareness and raise funds for ME/CFS and Long Covid patients. The foundation’s Mlindeni Gabela, from Khayelitsha, contracted Covid-19 in April 2020 and has never fully recovered. He experiences shortness of breath, heart palpitations, fatigue and brain fog. “The doctor diagnosed me with Long Covid. She booked me in at Groote Schuur Long Covid Clinic. They did tests and all tests came back negative. The doctor dismissed…

Considering the direction of this splintering country, now is a more crucial time than ever to get everyone voting. In fact, where I come from, Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, we have started with our village programme, where we educate our peers about the significance of intentionally voting. Load shedding, corruption, high statistics of gender-based violence, high murder and crime rates, unemployment, lack of service delivery, water-shedding and the absurd Value-Added Tax. Very often, almost daily, those frequenting the U-Turn Homeless Ministeries offices would have had someone pleading to be assisted with obtaining identity documents. Sweat, desperation and hunger are common things that you always easily notice. Without the primary documentation needed for legal identification, basic rights and services like social grant allowances, health care and the right to vote,…

YOUSSEF En-Nesyri could easily have walked away from Sevilla’s grim situation in January, but the Moroccan international stayed and his goals have fired the Andalusians to the brink of another Europa League final. The striker pounced to score against Juventus in the semi-final first leg in Turin last week, before Federico Gatti’s last-gasp header left the tie level ahead of tonight’s second leg at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. Sevilla were deep in a relegation battle at the start of the year, turfed out of the Champions League, and En-Nesyri had managed just two goals in that competition, and none in LaLiga. The 25-year-old returned from the Qatar World Cup with hero status in Morocco for his fine performances and three goals in the country’s incredible run to the semi-finals. En-Nesyri’s soaring…

THERE is a race against the clock to find suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane a new legal team before the end of May deadline for Parliament’s Committee for Section 194 Inquiry into her fitness to hold office. The committee was adjourned indefinitely yesterday after Mkhwebane again turned up without a lawyer to represent her and with a plea to the Office of the Public Protector (PPSA) to “speedily” appoint another attorney to represent her. Parliament’s legal adviser, Fatima Ebrahim, told the committee that Mkhwebane’s attorneys of record at the inquiry, Seanego Attorneys, had said that “for professional reasons” they no longer acted for Mkhwebane. Seanego also said that because Mkhwebane had not waived attorney client privilege with them, they were unable to tell the committee exactly what these reasons were.…

The DA believes that KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has a case to answer to after a woman claimed to have woken up at a Durban hospital mortuary. Constantia Junior Govender claimed she woke up, naked and covered with a blanket, at the Phoenix mortuary. In an initial interview with Phoenix Tabloid, Govender recalled blacking out while walking to a friend’s house. The 52-year-old Clayfield woman said she could not remember being taken to the hospital. She said she woke at the Phoenix mortuary “feeling cold and covered with a sheet from a corpse bed”. Govender added that she panicked when she saw another body nearby. Govender told the publication she was assisted by staff from the mortuary who wheeled her out of the cold room and took her…

MANIE Libbok’s breakout season just keeps getting better and better, and so does his popularity, after it was announced yesterday that the 25-year-old had won the United Rugby Championship (URC) Fans’ Player of the Season Award. The Springbok and Stormers flyhalf has had an excellent season for the Cape-based side, capping off his fine form and unstoppable momentum with a Player of the Match award after his side’s handsome victory over Connacht in the semi-final this past weekend. Heavy discussion has followed in the wake of most of his appearances, with many pundits and supporters arguing that he should play a much bigger role for the Springboks this season and during their Rugby World Cup title defence in France later this year. Libbok was capped by the Springboks last year…

Four teams – New Zealand, France, Argentina and Fiji – have already secured their places at the Games, with the Blitzboks and Samoa chasing Australia for the final automatic qualification spot. To that end, the Blitzboks have just one focus at Twickenham and that is to win the London Sevens outright. “Talk of Olympic qualification has been somewhat of an elephant in the room lately, as it’s been a goal of us all season long,” said Blitzbok forward James Murphy. “Some things have gone our way and others not, some of it due to our own mistakes, but we are not going to point fingers, as the results only say ‘Springbok Sevens’ and as players, we have to take responsibility for those results. “We didn’t do ourselves any favours in…

TOTTENHAM Hotspur are confident that record-breaking striker Harry Kane will see out his career at the club, former captain Gary Mabbutt said yesterday, despite persistent rumours of a big-money move for the England skipper. Club ambassador Mabbutt said Spurs would do everything they could to hold on to their record goal scorer, whose contract has just over a year to run. “We will do everything we possibly can that Harry will remain a Tottenham player for the rest of his career,” Mabbutt told reporters in Bangkok. “So that’s what we’re hoping for. That’s what we believe is going to happen.” The 29-year-old Kane has bagged 27 goals this season, second only to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. But with Tottenham sixth in the Premier League and out of the hunt for…

WORLD No 7 Holger Rune beat a frustrated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 yesterday, sending the top seed spinning out in a dramatic rain-interrupted quarter-final at the Italian Open. The Serbian, who will drop to second in the rankings behind Carlos Alcaraz on Monday, admitted that he was outplayed in heavy, wet conditions after a week of rain in normally sunny Rome. “This is probably the coldest, wettest tournament I’ve ever played here in Rome,” the 22-time Grand Slam winner said. “I don’t recall so many days in a row (of) raining. In these conditions, it’s very difficult to get the ball past him. “He’s a very talented, dynamic player - he was too good for me for most of the match,” he said of Rune. Six-time champion Djokovic was…

FORMER Proteas all-rounder Robin Peterson is confident that the current ODI squad is experienced enough to deliver good performances in the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Modern professional cricketers have raised a valid point that the schedule is too hectic to maintain participation in all three formats of the game and still play domestic cricket around the world. As a result, the star of the 2019 World Cup, Ben Stokes, hung up his boots in the 50-over format, citing to the hectic schedule of professional cricket and his desire to focus on Test cricket a bit more. The negatives for a hectic international calendar are there but there’re also positives that South Africa will benefit from going into the upcoming World Cup. In a space of two years, a player such…