Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-02-28 i Cape Argus

A FORMER Legal Aid lawyer from Muizenberg has been found guilty of statutory rape and the sexual exploitation of a minor. Nearly three years after the arrest of Theo Hartzenberg, 39, who was accused of paying teen boys to have sex with him on Muizenberg Beach, the Wynberg Regional Court found him guilty on three of 25 charges he faced. The Muizenberg man was thrust into the limelight in 2021 after concerned parents came forward. At the time, a 39-year-old mother, who may not be named, told Independent Media her 14-year-old son had revealed that the group of boys visited Surfer’s Corner each day where they begged for money and met Hartzenberg. The boys claimed that each day after sunset they would meet Hartzenberg at the beach where he would…

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has welcomed a R2.5 billion cash injection from the National Treasury towards its Rapid School Build programme. The funding would be used to build new schools and expand the number of school places available in areas that had larger class sizes and a high demand for placement. “Our department submitted a rigorous application for the funding in July 2023, competing against other departments and projects across the country. “National Treasury has provisionally approved an allocation of R251 million in 2024/25, R1.048 billion in 2025/26, and R1.25 billion in 2026/27. “While this is not the entire amount we applied for, the funding will go a long way to providing certainty and stability in our infrastructure programme over the next three years,” said Education MEC, David…

MISSING Joshlin Smith’s aunt has accused the child’s mom of “knowing what happened to the 6-year-old”. Mickyela Daniels was featured in different Tiktok videos in which she said Kelly Smith told her there was someone who wanted to buy her daughter. In a live video on Facebook with Patriotic Alliance president Gayton Mckenzie yesterday, Smith said she would take a lie detector test with her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis. The Grade 1 learner from Saldanha Bay disappeared from her home last Monday while she was in the care of Appollis. Appollis said he was sleeping when the girl left her Middelpos home in Diazville. “People can say what they want but I know that my boyfriend had nothing to do with this. “When I saw him on Tuesday, he was crying…

The piece by Kenneth Mokgatlhe (“ANC focus on Israel an electioneering ploy”, Cape Argus, February 26) was a rare breath of fresh air focusing on, once again, the turning of a blind eye to the position of Hamas as terrorists and the use of funds by them to build tunnels and buy arms instead of it going in aid to the Palestinian citizens. A few pages further, a rather bizarre report on Beyoncé possibly including SA in her world tour. After she streamed her film in Israel and her fans there celebrated that, fans in SA called on those in this country to withdraw support or otherwise be labelled as “traitors”. Why should a singer/artist be expected to publicise their views on any conflict and why should fans…

Finland, Sweden and Estonia are talking of a major war in Europe, as Russia is alleged to have placed nuclear weapons in space. The use of hypersonic missiles and drones in the Ukranian conflict, and the obliteration of Gaza is a deadly escalation of events which could culminate in the use of chemical and tactical nuclear weapons. The brutal escalation defies logic and reality. Europe is grimly witnessing miscalculation of the situation due to political arrogance and the illusion of power. In a similar vein, the conflict between two heavily armed nuclear powers cannot be solved militarily; both sides possess first and second strike nuclear capabilities. Both countries are dominant military strategists who supremely believe that they will emerge intact after a limited or fully fledged nuclear exchange. Denial…

Aluta Nova! The new struggle has begun. It is not in my power to tell you how I have been affected by the tragic story of a 13-year-old delinquent who was arrested in connection with the shooting of a Germiston primary school principal. The word delinquent is not a derogatory word; a “delinquent” is a person under 17, whose behaviour is punishable by law. Most South Africans were shocked by that incident and questioned our societal values. At the tip of the iceberg, we saw belligerence and stubbornness. When we examined the invisible iceberg below the surface, we saw silent issues such as emotional challenges in the Grade 6 learner. It was alleged that the teen also targeted the three educators because they were the ones he believed alerted his…

South Africa’s most watched South African drama series, Uzalo, is celebrating a decade on TV. To commemorate season 10 of the popular SABC1 show, which will premiere tomorrow, several additions have been made to the cast. A media statement explained that the new season will “delve deeper into the pulse of society, mirroring the intricate tapestry of everyday life with authenticity and resonance, reflected through the lens of self, religion, spirituality and culture”. Uzalo’s producer, King David Mukwevho, added that the 10th anniversary marked a milestone. “Throughout the decade, Uzalo has shattered its viewership records, setting new standards of excellence in Mzansi television. “Not only have we entertained audiences far and wide, but we have also been a gateway for new talent both in front and behind the camera. “As…

THE citizenship of a Congolese man accused of stabbing and killing an American tourist in Green Point has come under scrutiny in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. The State yesterday told the court that they encountered a problem while investigating the citizenship status of Gedeon Tshimowa, 27. Tshimowa is accused of stabbing to death Phillips Allen-Barake, 22, on February 9, at the Atlantic Point Backpackers after the two got into a fight the previous night. It is believed that Allen-Barake was playing gospel music and when he went to the kitchen area, Tshimowa allegedly stabbed him in the neck and chest. Tshimowa was arrested and according to the State, he tried to escape from custody. State prosecutor Ricardo Swarts told the court that Tshimowa gave his alternative address to the…

A FIFTY-three-year-old hiker and her 28-year-old nephew from KwaZulu- Natal were brought to safety following a strenuous rescue on Platteklip Gorge along Table Mountain on Monday. The hikers called for assistance when it became clear they would not able to get down the mountain on Sunday night due to the strong south-easterly wind. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway was not operating, and the Air Mercy Service helicopter was unavailable at the time to assist with the extraction. According to Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), a team of six rescuers hiked up with warm gear to spend the night on the mountain with the duo. WSAR said it took nearly 50 people, including SANParks rangers and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) staff and students, who responded to assist the stranded…

I HAVE had a reasonably long and pleasing association with the Cape Argus since that heady day in January 2017 when Aziz Hartley invited me to write a weekly column. I have learnt many things about the world in a micro- and macro-cosmic way. I have developed the art of political commentary devoid of partisanship and have tried to maintain an equitable position in terms of the opinions I had the privilege to express in public. There have been those who sneered and asked: “What makes you think you are a columnist?” My answer has been that I was lucky to have been involved in language teaching for many decades, with an emphasis on the Anglo-Saxon arena. This helped me construe my opinion pieces over the past seven years based…

GOOD Party rejects the most recent homophobic comments made by former president Jacob Zuma as part of his disgraceful attempt to find political traction for his new party, at the expense of a constitutionally protected minority. Speaking at an MK Party event earlier this week, Zuma described the legalisation of same-sex relationships as a disgrace. He promised that if people voted for the party the laws which allow for it would be repealed, as he wanted “African law” instead of “Dutch law”. These comments come just days away from Cape Town Pride which is aimed at celebrating all that has been achieved by South Africa in ensuring the rights of its LGBTQIA+ citizens. But instead of celebrating, we are now faced with marching against these disgusting sentiments, on top of…

The South African mining industry, one of the few economic sectors to add jobs during 2023, is actively addressing the underlying constraints in rail, ports and electricity which have limited its ability to adjust to a downturn in commodity prices. Mining employed 477 000 people or 4.7% of South Africa’s total workforce in the third quarter of 2023, creating nearly 7 650 more jobs than the year before, while increasing its wage bill by R12 billion to R86.5bn, supporting the lives and livelihoods of employees and their families as well as participants in the mining value chain. Mining is an industry of enormous potential to create direct and indirect jobs, generate taxes for the benefit of society and to change the lives of employees and communities in a conducive investment…

THE National Consumer Commission (NCC) has called on all manufacturers of peanut butter, peanut butter-based products and products containing peanuts to immediately have these tested, following the recall of several products from shelves showing high levels of aflatoxin. The testing was to ensure the products contained acceptable levels of aflatoxin, as per regulations of the Foodstuff, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act. Products included in the scope of testing were not limited to chocolates, sweets, cookies, ice cream and peanut butter spreads, the NCC said. NCC spokesperson, Phetho Ntaba, said: “A manufacturer, a producer or the supplier or retailer of peanut butter-based products and products containing nuts must go and test their products and give us their results of their aflatoxin level within 14 days.” Consuming products with higher than acceptable levels…

THE Gauteng Department of Health has warned the public not to fall prey to bogus healthcare practitioners who try to solicit bribes before offering their services. The warning comes after more than 120 cases of illegal healthcare practitioners were reported nationally in the past three years. These include the likes of fake “Dr Matthew Lani” and “Dr Abdulkader Elyas”. The department said a woman impersonating a medical doctor was nabbed at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto on Sunday after she allegedly demanded a patient’s escort pay R700 to be assisted. “The member of the public became suspicious when the bogus doctor, who was wearing green scrubs with the name Dr Zulu imprinted on the uniform, advised her to meet at the pedestrian gate where the said payment was…

JUDGMENT has been reserved in the eviction challenge involving Bromwell Street residents in Woodstock and the City. The residents, represented by land and housing activist organisation and law centre Ndifuna Ukwazi, have taken the matter to the Constitutional Court, which yesterday heard their application to appeal a decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), delivered on February 6 last year. Abahlali baseMjondolo was admitted as amicus curiae, or friend of the court, represented by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI). Ndifuna Ukwazi said the applicants were long-standing residents of Bromwell Street who had a right to live there. “This decision (for eviction) permits the City of Cape Town to evict the Bromwell Street families and relocate them to informal settlements, such as Wolwerivier, which are far away…

IN THE latest version of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, the ANC wants to carry out a coup against the parents and children of South Africa by usurping the powers of school governing bodies (SGBs) to determine the admissions and language policies of schools in their communities. It also wants to enhance the powers of ANC cadres to merge and rename merged schools. By robbing governing bodies of the powers, the Department of Basic Education plans to centralise control over public schools in the hands of ANC cadres like Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi. Should the bill be passed, the national Department of Basic Education, led by Minister Angie Motshekga, will be handing a loaded weapon to the likes of Lesufi to finish the war he has long waged…

After almost a decade of ridiculous and relentless attacks on his person, his family, colleagues, friends and employees, the Democrats and CNN have not been able to destroy Donald Trump. FBI investigations, special counsel investigations, impeachments, porn star accusations, special hearings and arrests – you name it, they’ve tried it all, all to no avail. The Donald must be given credit for his resilience and tenacity. Lesser men would have folded years ago. Ironically, the attacks have in no way weakened his appeal, but have enhanced his popularity. His rallies are attended by thousands of supporters. He has swept every other Republican candidate aside except for Nikki Haley. He has won three major caucuses by massive margins, with South Carolina ready for the taking. He has turned adversity into advantage.…

What does the future hold for our youth? Are we doing enough to prepare them for tomorrow? Are we creating a conducive environment for them to thrive? Or are we eating from their future? There are no easy answers. The truth is that our youth are under siege. They are unemployed, depressed and hopeless. In addition, most of them lack skills that are relevant for the job market. In fact, most don’t have skills. That means they will remain unemployed for a long time. The academically gifted young lions are financially excluded from studying in universities because fees are expensive. The higher learning institutions also have limited space to accommodate all those who want to study for their junior degrees and postgraduate degrees, so most are forced to stay at…

WITH a myriad of challenges plaguing the healthcare system, seeing newly trained healthcare professionals filling the streets of Pretoria because they have been left without employment opportunities truly is a sad sight. Taking into consideration that public health facilities across many provinces have become synonymous with long queues and poor service delivery, the last thing one would expect to see is well over 800 unemployed healthcare professionals coming out to the media and the public complaining about the lack of work opportunities. On Monday, the streets of Pretoria were filled with scores of young healthcare professionals marching towards the Union Buildings to deliver their memorandum of demands. However, what was even more unsettling is the fact that some healthcare professionals detailed how some of them had been without work for…