Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-09-19 i Cape Argus

Three people, including a 12-year-old girl, have died following a blaze at the Joe Slovo Park in Langa at the weekend. According to Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, they were alerted to reports of informal structures burning at around 10.50pm on Saturday. He said fire teams from Milnerton, Bellville, Goodwood, Brooklyn, Epping, Melkbos, and Salt River attended the incident, and the fire was brought under control and extinguished at around 1.20am. “Three persons, two males and a female sustained fatal burn wounds during this incident. The cause of the fire is unknown,” he said. City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said the blaze destroyed 20 structures. At least 73 people were left without their homes or personal belongings. She said the…

The City of Cape Town’s directorate for finance has brought back its Indigent Support campaign. The directorate announced the return of the financial assistance scheme at the weekend, adding that it had also expanded the qualifying threshold for pensioners and social grant recipients. The campaign works to alleviate the financial impact of households that live on less than R7 500 a month by subsidising some basic services bills. Finance Mayco member Siseko Mbandezi said qualifying residents could benefit from debt write-offs, access to free basic services, and potentially qualify for a 100% discount on their property rates, but only if the household had not received a once-off write-off already. Mbandezi said the City’s Revenue teams would start the campaign by visiting local communities across the Metro in the coming…

Someone I know is trying to get an ID but is confronted by the collective stupidity of a government department that insists on making a basic issue complicated. The learner had an appointment at Standard Bank Canal Walk, to avoid queueing at Barrack Street. Sadly, it coincided with the week of the taxi strike. At the bank, the learner was told that those responsible for the Home Affairs part of the bank had not come to work, although other bank staff were at work. Nobody informed those who had appointments, and the learner travelled a great distance for nothing. Returning to the website to schedule a second appointment was not easy as the online application process requires great patience. The second time, the student was informed about FNB in St…

I have quietly been watching the story of those individuals living on the railway tracks unfold. My perception of the situation is that it serves as a perfect example of the City of Cape Town’s real policy on those experiencing homelessness and by implication, how it discriminates against the parts of the city that are on the outskirts of its financial hub (read: not affluent areas by virtue of their exclusion). I am sharing this perception in two parts. This first part concentrates on how the situation came about and how it exposes many important aspects related to how those who are unhoused in Cape Town are viewed and treated. For years (and, unfortunately, we have to be political here as Cape Town has been under DA rule), those who…

Personal responsibility is crucial in water conservation. Individuals must take charge of their water consumption and adopt sustainable habits of water use. This can range from simple actions like turning off taps when not in use, to fixing water leaks or using water- efficient appliances. By making these small changes in daily routine, individuals can contribute significantly to water conservation efforts. This personal responsibility must be instilled in every citizen from a young age, through educational programmes and community engagement activities. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has launched various campaigns and programmes to change the way people and communities perceive and manage water resources. These initiatives have a significant impact on the future of water conservation in the country. The Water Month campaign in March, the Water Use…

LONDON: London police said yesterday they had received an allegation of a sexual assault dating back 20 years following media reports about comedian and actor Russell Brand. Brand, 48, the former husband of US singer Katy Perry, has denied allegations by four women who had accused him of sexual assaults, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013. Police said since these were published and broadcast they had received a report of an assault alleged to have taken place in Soho, central London, in 2003. “Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support,” police said. | Reuters…

Tehran: An Iranian projectile that veered off course during a military test fell yesterday in the north of the country, wounding two people, officials said. The incident took place when Iran’s military was conducting tests for its drone and attack systems in a desert region before the projectile experienced a technical problem. The projectile “disintegrated and its parts fell on the city of Gorgan”, the provincial capital of Golestan province, the defence ministry said. Media footage showed the cordoned off area where the debris had fallen, with some shops in the vicinity having sustained heavy damage. | AFP…

Assistant coach Deon Davids has confirmed that Springbok bruiser Eben Etzebeth will be at the heart of the engine room for Saturday’s crunch clash with Ireland in Pool B of the World Cup. Davids looked slightly irritated yesterday when asked if Etzebeth would be part of the action at the Stade de France (9pm kickoff). “We have been saying for some time that Eben’s shoulder injury (picked up in the first game against Scotland in Marseille) was a seven-to-10-day injury, and over seven days have passed,” Davids said. “He has reacted to treatment and will definitely be considered for selection.” The forwards coach endorsed SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus’ comment that Deon Fourie, in particular, can more than do the job at hooker as cover for Bongi Mbonambi. “Deon…

From the small town of Harding in KwaZulu-Natal, musician Aphendulwa Nyezi aims to empower and impress those listening to her music. Nyezi’s love for music began at a very young age being influenced by her mother. “My mother is a lover of music and I remember growing up she had cassettes of different artists and different genres; the likes of Lucky Dube, Soul Brothers, Rebecca Malope, Brandy, Witness of God, O’Jays, The Manhattans, Whitney Houston, Brenda Fassie. “My love for music grew as I participated in Sunday school concerts and eventually joining the church choir and local community choirs where mostly choral music was being sung. “My mother would take us to live shows and musical concerts as kids and that has played a pivotal role in my music journey,…

TWO patients are well on the road to full recovery after undergoing cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) at Tygerberg Hospital. The procedure involves implanting a special pacemaker (a small, battery-powered device) in these patients to improve the function of their failing hearts. The devices are implanted in the best candidates in many public sector hospitals in South Africa. Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, remains the leading cause of death in South Africa after HIV/Aids. With Heart Awareness Month being commemorated in September, the two donated CRT devices were from Vertice and visiting Professor Klaus Witte from the University Clinic Aachen in Germany. One of the patients, Thembekile Maphekula, 71, from Khayelitsha, who suffers from heart failure, is grateful to the CRT device as it helps to alleviate many…

African countries shouldn’t think that getting rid of Western countries and leaning on China and Russia will solve their problems. China and Russia are imperialists; they give now but when it’s time to pay back, the African states will be colonised by the two countries and will be worse off than before. There’s a taste of what is to come – look at the atrocities committed by the Wagner Group in places where the French soldiers left. The Chinese are racist; the factories they run in South Africa mistreat the local people they employ. They are locked up in the factories, and there are places where they are not even allowed to take breaks. This happened in a factory in Atlantis where workers were locked in during the night shift,…

Another excellent article by Brian Isaacs, (“Politics and Education Intertwined” (Cape Argus, September 13), rightly pointing out the need to make scholars politically aware. The problem is that politics, like religion and sport, encourages blind support rather than analytical thought, and finding someone unbiased to educate our youth is going to be difficult. Even our judiciary has been accused of partiality, and they are meant to be the cream of the country’s independent thinking. The article was right next to a letter by Visvin Reddy, who was sure that the public protector’s dismissal was not altogether impartially motivated. The old Roman caution still applies: “Who will watch the watchmen?”…

The Rugby World Cup has started, and Bok Friday is part of our support every week. The Springboks looked awesome against New Zealand last week, but can we believe that this is what we will see during the World Cup? The New Zealand pundits on “The Breakdown” show (Sky Sports New Zealand) were critical of the Springboks. I couldn’t believe that former players on the show could talk such rubbish about the Springboks. My concern is the smaller nations at the World Cup, such as our neighbours, Namibia and Romania. We all know from a rugby perspective that they are there to make up the numbers (I say this with respect). When will World Rugby ever do something about improving rugby in those nations? The big Tier 1 nations look…

The National State Enterprises Bill is a bold and ambitious attempt to reform South Africa’s state-owned companies (SOCs). If it is successful, it could have a transformative impact on the country’s economy. Last week, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan tabled the new proposals for the ownership and management of the state-owned companies. The bill, open for public comment, proposes to create a new state asset management company (SAMC) into which all SOCs would be migrated. The SAMC would be responsible for managing the government’s investments in these companies and ensuring that they are run efficiently and effectively. But South Africa’s official opposition, the DA, has already expressed its objections to the proposals, stating the establishment of the SAMC would add another layer of government bureaucracy to “perpetuate corruption and maladministration”.…

THE HAGUE: Russia called on the UN’s highest court in The Hague yesterday to throw out what it said was a “hopelessly flawed” case challenging Moscow’s argument that its invasion of Ukraine was carried out to prevent genocide. The Russian request was made at the start of hearings dealing with the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Moscow says Ukraine was using the case as a roundabout way to get a ruling on the overall legality of Russia’s military action. Experts say a ruling in Kyiv’s favour would not stop the war but could impact future reparation payments. | Reuters…

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Two social housing development initiatives by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) are nearing completion, with one expected to take in tenants by the end of October 2023. Yesterday, Prasa revealed that the first phase of its Goodwood Station Social Housing project was about 70% complete. The R575 million development, nestled on either side of Goodwood train station, is expected to house 1 055 tenants by the end of October. According to the rail agency group, the Goodwood development is a historic joint social housing development initiated by the group and signed by its investment vehicle, Intersite Investment. Prasa Group CEO Emeran Hishaam, on his oversight visit to the group’s Northern line corridor, revealed that the project was developed by DCI Community Housing Services and co-funded…

LOCAL radio station Smile FM has promised to create job opportunities for about 10 000 people before Christmas. Over the next 12 weeks, it will reveal the companies that will also be helping with this campaign. Looking at how South Africa’s unemployment rate has remained high for many years, Smile FM, with Leelyn Management, in association with the City, decided to join hands pledging to be this year’s Father Christmas to unemployed Capetonians by finding them jobs before December 25. Managing director Lois O’Brien said the station was determined to tackle the status quo, taking positive action to make a difference in people’s lives and staying true to their name by putting smiles on faces. “As the go-to radio station in Cape Town, we’re proud to be able to leverage…

With frightening routine, we are losing profound and dedicated members of our community. With heavy hearts, the community of Cape Town bore the loss of distinguished and dedicated community member Ierfaan Cassiem, the CEO of Muslim Hands SA. An outstanding humanitarian has left our earthly shores, in transit to a heavenly abode. It is hard to eulogise any man, to capture in words not just the facts and dates that make a life but the essential truth of a person like him. He gave a potent voice to the claims of the neglected, the poor, the sick and those whom he assisted in every facet of human life. The scope of his accomplishments defies description. The adoration that he rightly earned will encourage us to remember him as an individual…

The minister of social development, Sassa and the Postbbank CEO should hang their heads in shame following the failure to pay social grant payments because of the technical glitches at Post Bank. The department and Post Bank misled the nation when they said the technical glitches were resolved and every grant recipient would receive their payments from Monday. I continue to receive messages and calls from vulnerable beneficiaries who have not received their money despite standing in long queues for hours. Others, who shopped for groceries, were turned away at the till because there were insufficient funds in their accounts. We call on the minister to take full responsibility for her department’s poor show. It is sad and unacceptable – that after assurances were given as early as Thursday last…

At 10 years old, she’s a child. She shouldn’t be a mother. And she’s not alone. The number of new mothers between the ages of 10 and 14 giving birth at public health facilities in South Africa has increased by almost 50% in the past four years. These statistics are disguised as teenage pregnancies when, in fact, each of them is probably evidence of statutory rape. Does calling it rape make you feel uncomfortable? Why doesn’t it make you feel outraged instead? This is a complicated problem that is far greater than we realise. According to Stats SA, 90 037 girls aged from 10 to 19 gave birth from March 2021 to April 2022, in all provinces. Struggling to understand just how big a number that is? Soccer City’s capacity…

Arch-foes the US and Iran each released five detainees yesterday in a prisoner swop deal that also gives Tehran access to $6 billion (about R114bn) in long-frozen oil funds. The five Americans freed by Iran, including a businessman arrested in 2015, landed in Doha on a Qatari jet, hours after the unblocked funds were credited to Iranian accounts in Qatari banks. The five were greeted on the tarmac before walking in the setting sun to a terminal building, three with their arms round each other’s shoulders. One of them praised US President Joe Biden for ignoring the political backlash and taking the “incredibly difficult decisions” that freed them. “Thank you President Biden for ultimately putting the lives of American citizens above politics,” Siamak Namazi said in a statement. Two of…

LONDON: Former Conservative prime minister Liz Truss yesterday waded in to give the Tory government economic advice, nearly a year after she triggered market turmoil and took the UK to the brink of financial meltdown. Truss, addressing a political think-tank, blamed “25 years of economic consensus” and complacency for causing stagnation, due to an “anti-growth coalition” of the “political and economic establishment”. Her intervention came with the UK still feeling the after-effects of her chaotic tenure. Year-on-year inflation in the UK is 6.8% – the highest in the G7. | AFP…