Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-10-10 i Cape Argus

The last decade for payments has been extraordinary and the narrative surrounding payments is shifting. Over the next decade, payments will continue to connect people, devices, homes, cars and avatars spanning physical, digital and virtual worlds. No longer just financial transactions, the payments industry is today a comprehensive ecosystem of financial and lifestyle services and a network of connectivity and data exchange. In a world where $300 trillion in global payment flows now exists, approximately $80 trillion can be attributed to five mega-trends: Platforms, E-Commerce Embedded Finance; Wallets and Real Time Payments with cashless uptake worldwide expected to increase by 200% by 2030. We are witnessing a sea change in payments that will likely transform our understanding and experience of commerce and financial services. There is a plethora of daily…

Music brings people together and our South African artists are uniting people like never before. We’ve seen a shift in how our local sounds are travelling the world and now, more than ever, artists from the African continent are being recognised on the global stage. In the past month, the world got to hear the well-crafted bodies of work from the likes of Nasty C, with his fourth studio album, I Love It Here and Cassper Nyovest who dropped his seventh studio album, Solomon. Both rappers have poured their hearts and souls into their masterpieces. I Love It Here and Solomon see both musicians in a more reflective state of mind. And both have come out saying that the albums are their “best work yet”. On his album, Nasty C…

The police arrested two suspects said to be behind the killing of three men in Heinz Park at the weekend. The incident, which took place on Saturday evening, occurred less than 24 hours before yet another mass killing in the same area. According to police, in the first incident, three men aged 29, 37, and 51 were shot and killed on Cornflower Street. Police apprehended two suspects, aged 29 and 30, and they are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate Court once charged. In the second incident, three men aged 17, 34, and 41 were shot and killed on Sunday at 3.30 pm in Roos Street. Police spokesperson Andre Traut said four armed suspects opened fire at the group before fleeing. “The motives for the two triple murders…

Africa Oil Week (AOW), the continent’s premier event for the international oil and gas industry, is poised to continue and expand upon the critical discussions initiated at the recent BRICS Summit concerning energy mix, fossil fuels, climate change, and the need for responsible oil exploration. AOW, which started yesterday, will serve as a platform for global leaders. Themed “Africa Oil Week, Maximising Africa’s Natural Resources”, this resonates with the sentiments expressed during the BRICS Summit regarding the importance of balancing energy needs, economic growth, and environmental sustainability, including responsible exploration of oil. CEO of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, Saki Zamxaka, highlighted during the BRICS Business Council event that while some financial institutions are fast-tracking the withdrawal of funding for hydrocarbon projects, they remain an integral part of the…

If the national elections were to be held right now, the ANC would easily get 56.90%. Evidently, if things were to remain as they are within the opposition parties, the ANC would easily get 62.5% in 2024. One may be prompted to ask why would the South African electorate, despite all the betrayal and harm, sustain ANC rule. But the reason is because of trauma (from past and present racism and oppression) as well as the experience of the ruling party in winning elections in the democratic era. Unfortunately for the ANC, there is another aspect hidden from them, which is the spirituality of the masses and resilience in terms of Christian healing and the resultant traditions of South Africans. Deep down, South Africans are fed up with the ANC…

A RECENT decision by the Synod of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) to declare Israel an apartheid state portrays a false view of the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel, misleading South Africans without further context or any relevant facts pertaining to the shifting sands and politics of the Middle East today. In the resolution passed by the Provincial Standing Committee of ACSA last Thursday, the church adopted an extreme position by declaring, incorrectly, that Israel was an apartheid state. This position not only puts ACSA out of sync with the more constructive position of the Church of England, but also places it at odds with the fundamentals of Christian doctrine. By adopting a policy stance so clearly biased and aligned with the viciously anti-Semitic doctrine of the…

The Israeli military said it had called up an unprecedented 300 000 reservists and was imposing a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, signs it could be planning a ground assault there to defeat Hamas after it launched a humiliating attack. In a further signal of Israel’s rapid shift onto a war footing, a cabinet member from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party said it could set up a national unity government joined by opposition leaders within hours. Hamas’s armed wing said it fired rockets towards Jerusalem in response to Israel’s bombing of civilian homes in Gaza. Four people in an area on the outskirts of the city were wounded, the ambulance service said. Palestinian fighters were still holed up in several locations inside Israel two days after they killed…

In the world of lithium-ion batteries, smartphones take centre stage. Yet, they’ve also sparked an ongoing debate: does prolonged (or overnight) charging wreak havoc on your battery? A number of factors determine a phone battery’s lifespan, including its manufacturing age and its chemical age. The latter refers to the battery’s gradual degradation due to variables such as fluctuations in temperature, charging and discharging patterns and overall usage. Over time, the chemical ageing of lithium-ion batteries reduces charge capacity, battery lifespan and performance. According to Apple: “A normal (iPhone) battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operating under normal conditions.” Research has found a 2019 smartphone battery could, on average, undergo 850 full charge/discharge cycles before dropping to below 80%…

Grammy award-winning DJ and producer Black Coffee has made history. The Drive hitmaker sold out his much-anticipated Madison Square Garden concert on Saturday making him the first South African DJ to headline a show at the iconic venue. Black Coffee was joined on stage at the 20 000-seat capacity venue by South African artists like Major League and DJs, Msaki and Mondli Ngcobo, Delilah Montagu, among others. The show also featured a 12-piece orchestra and a 360o stage set up. It was a proud moment not only for the DJ but for the South African music industry and the country as a whole. Oskido, his close friend and fellow DJ, took to social media to congratulate his long-time friend. “Nothing is impossible for you. I respect the way to…

New inquest finds Security Branch responsible A decades-held credence that the Security Branch of the South African Police was responsible for the death by torture of the late Muslim cleric and anti-apartheid activist Imam Abdullah Haron was affirmed as the judgment in the re-opened inquest was delivered. This was a solemn victory for the Haron family, victims of apartheid police brutality, and those who fought for a liberated South Africa. Fifty-four years after the death of their father, the Imam’s three children, Shamela Shamis, Muhammed Haron, and Fatiema Haron Masoet, broke down as presiding judge Daniel Thulare read out the judgment in the Western Cape High Court yesterday. Although not standard practice, due to the magnanimity of the case, Thulare named the judgement: “The last days in the life…

The South African army said the six soldiers who died at the Lohatla Military Base in a Northern Cape fire, would be fondly remembered for their fearlessness and sacrifice. This brings the number of SANDF members who died in just four weeks to 13. This week, the SANDF released the names of the dead soldiers who were victims of the fire that ripped across the combat training centre in Northern Cape last Friday. The soldiers who died are Staff Sergeant Abraham December Morajane, Staff Sergeant Sipho Berrington Cele, Corporal Sithembiso Wiseman Ndwalane, Corporal Noxolo Faith Ngubane, Lance Corporal Prince Michael Mthethwa and Lance Corporal Londiwe Purity Zulu. “The departed warriors will be fondly remembered for their fearlessness, sacrifice and defiant spirit throughout their military careers, and they will be sorely…

Cape Town-based non-profit organisation the Urban Think Tank Empower (UTTE) is developing the second phase of its radical housing model focused on creating and uplifting impoverished communities across the Cape. Yesterday, UTTE led a guided tour through Vukani BBT in Site C Khayelitsha, a few metres from the first community the organisation built in 2016, which provided 72 homes to families originally living in shacks in the area. According to UTTE, the concept of its specially designed homes for Cape Town and surrounding areas was inspired by the urban social housing architecture in other developing countries such as Venezuela. Speaking to the Cape Argus, UTTE founding partner and creative director Alfredo Brillembourg said UTTE was a working response to the growing population in the coming years. “The goal is to…

Clashes between government troops and rebels from the Co-ordination of Azawad Movements continue in Mali. The reason for the escalation of the conflict is the alleged systematic violation of the ceasefire by the Armed Forces of Mali, as well as the Tuareg people’s desire to achieve independence for northern territories. However, the real reasons for the conflict are not as obvious as they might seem. It’s highly likely that the rebels’ activity is supported by foreign intelligence services, including French and American. The West tries to weaken the Malian army and further aggravate the internal political situation in the country. If the plan of the Western intelligence services were to be successfully implemented, trust in the government of Mali, whose main goal is fighting against terrorism and separatism, would be…

It is astounding how society continues to be duped into believing in myths. Recently, we have been told that after 20 years of the enactment of the BEE Act, 30% of the economy is controlled by black people. But this is patent hogwash. Unpacked, the whole notion does not make any sense. What percentage of that 30% is widely spread across black communities? The issue to delve into is this one – not to use blanket terminology as if black people are going anywhere economically. As usual in societies such as South Africa, this so-called black wealth is concentrated in very few hands. Those who instituted BEE were very clear in their intentions – as former president Thabo Mbeki used to strenuously point out – to create…

There is a lot riding on the current T20 International series between South Africa and New Zealand in the context of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. The first two games of the series have only seen 20 overs bowled as rain intervened in East London over the weekend. The weather forecast looks equally gloomy this week, meaning today's third T20I at the Buffalo Park Stadium might suffer the same fate. The series consists of five matches, with the final two scheduled to take place in Benoni. Even if those two matches go on, losing three T20Is is a big deal for both teams. South Africa will host Bangladesh in December where they will play three T20I matches, before hosting Sri Lanka in March of 2024 for another…

For the third consecutive year, PwC South Africa has collaborated with DataEQ to benchmark consumer sentiment towards 15 of South Africa’s major insurers. These findings are detailed in a newly released South African Insurance Sentiment Index report. The report analysed more than 530 000 public non-enterprise social media mentions for the period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. This year, the industry achieved a score of 16.1%, marking consistent growth from 6.8% in 2022, and -0.4% in 2021. MiWay maintained its spot atop the performance rankings, registering a Net Sentiment of 73.3%. The insurance industry has set the benchmark for Net Sentiment1 with a ranking of 16.1%, outperforming banking (9.4%), retail (3.3%), and telecommunications (-14.0%). Some insurers demonstrated savvy use of social media to drive positive sentiment, thanks…

Domestic abuse led to murder and retaliation with racial undertones between coloured and black people in the normally quiet town of Malmesbury. Three teenagers were stabbed and thereafter a fight ensued leaving 16 homes gutted in Phase 3, Ilinge Lethu and Wesbank (Saamstaan) communities in Malmesbury. On Sunday afternoon, a black man was seen assaulting his coloured wife. Resident Devon Dolmag was with his nephew and a friend when he saw the couple fighting. He tried to intervene. But he was killed in the process. His sister Salomie Dolmag said: “A neighbour came to me and asked me to call the ambulance because Devon had been stabbed. “I went to check Devon, he was lying on the ground next door, there was blood coming out of his mouth,” the…

A WOMAN was murdered on her 21st birthday, allegedly by a man who was obsessed with her. Calvin Cloete, 38, her ex-boyfriend sent a chilling message to Carmen Gouws’s family on Friday to tell them he would send them a gift they would never forget. On Saturday, Gouws’s body was found on a field in Lutzville. The Lutzville family said they didn’t know at the time that Gouws would turn up dead. Family friend Sarah Bakamela-Ngema told the Cape Argus, Gouws had some peace of mind for the three years Cloete was jailed for stabbing her. “This man was obsessed with Carmen since she was in Grade 8. The child had to drop out of school because she was scared,” she said. “She thought that after giving in to…

Today, people around the world will mark World Homeless Day in many varied ways, but we have to be accurate and honest and admit that there is nothing to celebrate. Each of us should use these 24 hours to plan 365 days of action to change things for the better for those experiencing homelessness. We could start by merely deciding to stop, smile and say hello! Homelessness is a reflection of some of the most irreparable and immeasurable harms being borne by individuals, communities and our society at large. This moment demands that we appreciate what is at stake – and possible – for the movement to end homelessness. The stories we tell shape the actions we take. Policies and decisions based on misunderstandings of homelessness got us here. This…

It was an absolute pleasure to see you’ve finally started including the target/goal (numbers of words) in your word game. (It’s quite pointless without these goals, as you never know if you have found most or all of the words…) Imagine my disappointment when this was short-lived – once again there is no “goal”! Come on! You have already reduced us from four crosswords a day to one (which means there is no point buying both papers any more), and you have taken the joy out of the word game too! Please include the target number of words? Also a second crossword would be nice – even if it’s just one in the Argus and one in the Cape Times?…

Our country is in a mess, politically and economically. The economy is down and our jobless numbers are at an all-time high. Millions depend on the social grant system for their survival. Our political leadership has neither the will nor the skill to fix the broken economy. If the Eskom crisis was not bad enough, Transnet added to our economic woes, slumping to a R5.7 billion loss in its last financial year. Its trains cannot deliver coal and other mineral products to the ports for export. While the freight trains stand idle, our roads tell a different story. The traffic on our roads is growing at a phenomenal pace. Transnet’s failure is a boon to trucking companies. What used to be transported in bulk on trains now go by road.…

THIS Saturday’s early morning, coordinated strikes by Hamas on areas bordering Israel came as a shock to Israelis and their supporters in Washington, DC, and most Western capitals. Israel had for years, after the Second Intifada, cultivated the myth that it had become impervious to attacks from Palestinians, through physical barriers and high-tech surveillance tools. Saturday’s attack on Israeli towns bordering Gaza, and the subsequent kidnapping of (mostly) Israeli citizens, is a response to years of oppression, dispossession, and humiliation of Palestinians. Israel’s response, as can be expected, has been bloody. It has struck, demolishing buildings inside Gaza, and laying the groundwork for a land assault. Meanwhile, warmongers and profiteers in Washington, DC, are licking their lips for “the mother of all wars”, with calls for Israel to strike inside…

Percy Tau, arguably Bafana Bafana's best player, has sold national team coach Hugo Broos a dummy. Just over a week ago, Tau called the 71-year Belgian to ask permission to be excused from the squad, which will play international friendlies against Eswatini and Ivory Coast over the next week. Broos said Tau explained he had “family business” and the coach took pity on him and duly agreed to his absence. To his horror, Broos discovered that Tau played on Sunday for Egyptian giants Al Ahly and produced a match-winning display with two goals in his team’s 3-1 win over Ismaily, a mid-table side. Tau also played the full match, something that doesn’t happen too frequently because Al Ahly are trying to keep their talisman and leading goalscorer injury-free. “There is…