Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-06-28 i Cape Argus

THE City of Joburg must pay more than R7.8 million to an at-the-time heavily pregnant teenager who fell into an open manhole while walking along a street in Eldorado Park at night. The then 16-year-old, who was in Grade 10, presumably bumped her head against a sharp object inside the manhole and suffered severe head injuries. She now suffers from bilateral blindness, constant headaches and seizures. She turned to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, where she claimed more than R9m in damages from the Joburg Metro. She blamed it for the incident and it was argued on her behalf that the Metro had a duty to cover the manhole or at least warn the public about the danger. Acting Judge AM van der Merwe totally agreed and found the…

A Delft teenager was gunned down in an apparent case of mistaken identity. Ethan Appolis, 15, was on his way to a shop when he was shot and killed on Monday at about 8pm. His family believe he was killed because of the hat he was wearing. His grandmother, Speseline Isaacs, said they were at home when they heard gunshots and minutes later, someone informed them that Ethan had been shot. By the time they arrived at the scene, the boy was barely clinging to life. “My grandson and his friend went to the shop to buy chips, when the shooters approached him and his friend. The friend said that when the suspects took out the gun, they started running,” the heartbroken grandmother said. “The suspects gave chase and caught…

The former CEO of the Joburg Road Agency (JRA) is set to lock horns with the agency’s board of directors after filing an urgent court application challenging his dismissal and asking the court to stop the position of CEO from being filled as he believes a board member doctored his CV to get rid of him. In the application filed in the Johannesburg Labour Court on Monday, Tshepo Mahanuke – who was appointed on August 1, before he was dismissed by the board on June 9 – argued that he was targeted because he resisted board members’ attempts to interfere with his duties. He said his suspension was unlawful and that regulations and a disciplinary procedure were not followed. “On or around the week of the 15th November 2022, news…

President Vladimir Putin aimed to rally Russia’s military and security services yesterday, telling them they halted a slide into civil war when Wagner mercenaries rebelled and marched on Moscow. As Russia announced preparations to disarm Yevgeny Prigozhin’s private force, Putin and his supporters were insisting his rule was not weakened by the revolt widely seen as the biggest threat to Kremlin authority since he came to power. Asked whether Putin’s power was diminished by the sight of rebel mercenaries seizing a military HQ, advancing on Moscow and shooting down military aircraft along the way, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “We don’t agree”. Putin himself attempted to portray the dramatic events at the weekend as a victory for the Russian regular military which has shown restraint in not being drawn into…

London: Going hungry in the UK due to historically high levels of food inflation risked becoming “the new normal” for millions of people, said a study released yesterday. The study by the University of Sussex said 14% of the population was now suffering from food poverty. From fewer than 100 food banks in the UK a decade ago, the number rose to more than 2 000 in 2021, with 9.7 million people in food poverty in September 2022. Soaring food prices are up more than 18% in the year to May. UK inflation hit 8.7% last month. | AFP…

MANCHESTER United yesterday raised its forecasts for annual revenue and adjusted profit, betting on strong commercial and match-day income as the English football club returns to the Uefa Champions League. United, which is currently in talks to sell itself, said it was expecting revenue of between £630-million and £640m, compared with its previous forecast of between £590m and £610m. The US-based Glazer family, which owns the club, said in November they were considering a sale of the 20-time English champions in what could be the biggest sports deal ever. They received several bids, including from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Finnish businessperson Thomas Zilliacus. Reuters reported earlier this month that the club is negotiating granting exclusivity to the consortium led by the…

British singer and songwriter JP Cooper is set to tour South Africa in August. Known for his global hit song September Song off his debut album Raised Under Grey Skies, Cooper has a huge fan base here. The announcement of his first world tour comes on the brink of his new music release project coming soon. Cooper recently spoke about it, hinting at a string of collaborations he will be working on in 2023 and 2024. Among the list of excited fans were season 11 Idols SA finalist Lloyiso Gijana, who said: “Yess bro! Excited to see you live.” Cooper will perform at The Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town on August 24, and then at the Parklive Festival in Marks Park, Emmarentia, Johannesburg on August 26. In Durban,…

Flood damage plays havoc with crops Food prices could be affected because of the heavy rains across agricultural land in the Western Cape that are causing havoc with crops. There are also concerns for jobs in the sector because of flooded farms and the impact on exports. Department of Agriculture Head of Communications Mary James said the department received approximately 203 responses via the flood damage assessment link of damages incurred within the agricultural sector. She said these had mainly come from the West Coast and Cape Winelands Districts. “Farmers are concerned about the damages to their crops and that this will compromise the export quality of their produce. Damage to road infrastructure made it almost impossible for access to affected farms,” James said. She added this would have a…

IN THE past week, metro police and SAPS recorded many cases. According to the City’s report, compared with the previous week, metro police officers recorded an increase in domestic violence cases. Metro Police is continuing to see more cases of domestic violence reported over the past two weeks. Officers responded to 33 cases in various parts of the metropole, including Bishop Lavis, Eastridge, Macassar, Gugulethu and Delft over this period. In the past week, there were 11 cases and 22 the previous week. In one of the latest incidents, officers arrested a 46-year-old suspect in Mfuleni on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in terms of the Domestic Violence Act, the City reported. Safety and security Mayco member JP Smith said the increase might be linked…

The University of Cape Town (UCT) council has announced that it has approved the renaming of several of its buildings. Following a plenary meeting on June 17, deputy council chairperson Malcolm Campbell had written to the university community to provide an update on the latest developments. What was formerly the Naming of Buildings Committee, which had made a number of recommendations to council, will itself receive a name change. “First, council approved changes to the terms of reference of this committee, including a change to the name of the committee itself, which henceforth will be the University Naming Committee given that its remit will extend to naming virtual spaces and not only physical buildings and spaces,” Campbell said. “Virtual spaces have become an integral part of teaching, learning and research…

The story of human achievement is measured not just in years, but in the innovation and mastery of tools. Each milestone represented a pivotal leap in societal progress from the advent of simple stone implements to the inventions of the ramp, the lever, the wheel, steam, and the motor. Today, we stand at the threshold of the artificial intelligence (AI) era. AI is already reshaping diverse sectors from health care to commerce, education to communication. Yet, an unsettling gulf exists between public perception and scientific understanding of AI. We argue that this disparity is primarily fuelled by a diet of sensationalist media narratives and popular culture portrayals. Often, depictions of AI in the popular press are driven by Hollywood’s portrayal of AI. These depictions largely present an apocalyptic scenario where…

MUMBAI: India’s monsoon season rains were set to cover the whole country by the weekend, according to meteorological department officials, allowing farmers in northern states to begin planting summer-sown crops. The monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s $3 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70% of the rain needed to water its farms and recharge reservoirs and aquifers. It also brings relief from the worst of the summer. Rains usually lash Kerala state, on India’s south-west coast, from June 1 and move northwards to cover the entire country by July 8. This year, a cyclone delayed the onset of the monsoon rains. | Reuters…

Director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says the Springbok door is not closed on troubled wing Sbu Nkosi, who is currently without a provincial team after he and the Bulls parted ways on Monday. Erasmus said SA Rugby will support the 27-year-old’s efforts to get back on the field. Nkosi has scored nine tries in 16 Test matches for Erasmus and current Bok coach Jacques Nienaber, but last played in the green and gold in 2021. He has had periods of being AWOL at the Sharks and Bulls, and disappeared without a trace for over a week in February. “We look at his age and how well he played for us. We just hope to see him playing rugby soon for somebody, somewhere,” Erasmus said. “We want him to play for…

Renowned South African actress Connie Chiume is partnering with the Essence Festival to promote and expose South Africa’s talent to the global market. Chiume has announced the launch of the “Essence of South Africa” initiative, which will be showcased during the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans, US, from tomorrow to July 3. Through her Connie Chiume Foundation, the Black Panther actress will further her vision of creating more opportunities for South African artists to gain exposure globally. Speaking to IOL Entertainment, Chiume expressed excitement to bring the vibrant culture of South Africa to the Essence Festival. “Our vision is to promote sustainable cultural ties and collaboration while empowering women in arts and culture business,” said Chiume. “Through this initiative, we aspire to create a lasting legacy impact project…

I spent the first 10 years of my boyhood running wild in the streets of Kew Town. There we played Cowboys and Crooks and Kennetjie. We had a basic moral grounding in the supposed truism that the good cowboys wore white hats and the bad cowboys, black ones. Sadly, we did not spot then the insidious subliminal lies on which the racial issues would eventually be predicated. In those streets I also learnt that neighbours preferred sending me to the shop because I was fast and reliable. My friends tended to dally playing with spin-tops or balls or spokeless cycle wheels, delaying the execution of the chore. I learnt that efficiency and reliability and a willingness to perform well had tangible rewards. A penny per trip could turn into a…

South Africa is a prime example of the ability to forgive and co-exist in harmony with other people. The country has 11 official languages, a number of tribes, and cultural influence from all over the world, which came with the trading at the ports and, of course, colonialism and Western influence on local politics. Nevertheless, when Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk took a historic photo just after the formation of the government of unity in the early 1990s, it was clear that South Africa would be a symbol of tolerance and human triumph over atrocities such as racism and apartheid. The flag of triumph was raised with all its different colours, symbolic of all who lived in South Africa. Doves of peace were released into the skies, and a…

Geneva: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said that more than 2.4 million refugees globally will need resettling in 2024, a 20% increase compared with 2023. The Asian region tops the list of estimated needs for 2024, with nearly 730 000 refugees due to require resettlement support, 30% of the global needs. The report said that about 754 000 Syrians across the globe required urgent resettlement. Refugees from Afghanistan had the second-highest resettlement needs, followed by those from South Sudan and Myanmar. In 2022, out of 116 000 applications, only 58 457 refugees could be resettled. | IANS…

THE clock is slowly ticking down as the Netball World Cup grows closer with just one month to go until the tournament begins. It’s been a busy year for the Spar Proteas, who were involved in the Quad Series and a few camps as they prepare for the showpiece that starts on July 28. The locally-based players are also getting some much-needed game-time in the Telkom Netball League in a bid to be at their best to impress the home crowd in Cape Town. Their past World Cup results don’t make for happy reading, since 1995 they only managed one medal. They also picked up a bronze in Perth, but that was in 1967 during the height of apartheid. For this tournament the Proteas will be relying on the experience…

THERE will be no shenanigans when it comes to the flyhalf position in a World Cup year, the Springboks assured yesterday as they continue to prepare for the opening match of the Rugby Championship next weekend, despite the confirmed loss of Handre Pollard for the tournament. Last year, a mini crisis enveloped the No 10 jumper due to injuries and lack of form. It reportedly saw Willie le Roux running the channel during training and in support of Damian Willemse on matchdays, while incumbent scrumhalf Faf de Klerk was also touted as an emergency stopgap. With the defence of their Webb Ellis Cup looming, SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and Bok coach Jacques Nienaber are making sure no such action is required this season. On Tuesday, from their base…

TEMBA Bavuma is “humbled” and “excited” by the thought and reality of leading the Proteas to a maiden World Cup trophy. The excitement in the cricket world is at an all-time high as the 13th edition of the one-day international World Cup is just around the corner. The 2023 edition will be hosted in India, a country with the biggest audience of the sport. It certainly promises to be a World Cup like no other, with a bit of added pressure almost guaranteed for all the players and fans around the world who will be glued to their television screens hoping the cricket gods favour their own country to win the tournament. For South Africa’s captain Bavuma, it will be his first taste of the event. Yes, Bavuma has two…