Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-04-17 i Cape Argus

DISGRUNTLED Two Oceans Marathon runners have expressed their disappointment at race organisers, saying they were wrongfully prevented from completing the race, which had consequences for their Comrades Marathon qualifying times. About 14 000 athletes participated in the 56km route from Newlands, through Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay, Chapman’s Peak and Constantia before finishing at UCT on Saturday. However, some runners were stopped in their tracks with several hours remaining until the cut-off time. Two Oceans Marathon organisers last night apologised, saying it was an “unfortunate oversight” on their part, as their website did not reflect the correct cut-off time. Nthabiseng Simelane, who travelled from Pretoria, said everything went well until they reached the 42.2km mark. “According to my time, I was 4 hours and 56 minutes and I still had…

ROCKLANDS residents say they are being held hostage by an onslaught of gang fights amid the recent murder of former Americans gang boss, Mogamat Sadeka Madatt. The residents living in former Americans gang strongholds said they feared for the safety of their children. They said members of the Fancy Boys gang were openly brandishing firearms as they embarked on a hostile take- over of the drug turf formerly run by Madatt’s brother, Kaldimola “Dimes” Madatt. According to witnesses, Madatt was shot and killed as he returned to the Kapteinsklip informal settlement two weeks ago. He had reportedly walked with a friend to collect money from an ATM and purchase food when he was spotted by members of the rival gang. His widow, Malikah, 38, said that despite not being involved…

As the country gears up for one of the most tightly contested elections next month, comedian and independent candidate Thanasagren Moodley, who is vying for a seat in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, said he was pursuing a pro-Indian agenda. Moodley was one of 10 independents on the candidate lists made public by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on March 27. Out of these 10, only one candidate is contesting the regional seats for the Western Cape, and that is the well-known activist and film director Zackie Achmat, who is also the co-founder of the Treatment Action Campaign. Other candidates include activist Anele Mda, and diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg. Moodley, reportedly said the Indian community had been marginalised, discriminated against and sidelined. He said having been an activist for most…

A MOTHER who admitted to leaving her two children locked in a shack which caught fire has been arrested for child neglect. Melezwa Mntwini, 31, said she left daughter Athanandi, 10, and 5-year-old son Inganathi alone in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, to visit friends on Saturday night. A fire broke out in the locked shack at 3am and the children were burnt beyond recognition. Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie confirmed that the woman had been arrested. “This needs to serve as a reminder that parents are the primary caregiver and custodian who are responsible and accountable for their children’s safety and well-being. “We can confirm that we have indeed opened a case of child neglect in connection with the death of the two children, over and above the inquest,” he said. “This case…

It’s really sad when your own nation no longer trusts its own currency. How can you stabilise the economy with so many names given to the currency by these bogus RBZ governors and their failed handlers from Bearer Cheque, Bond Note, RTGS, Zimbabwe Dollar Local (ZWL) and ZiG. When will people accepted they are pathological failures. President Mnangagwa failed to resuscitate the Zimbabwean economy and end rampant corruption. He should let another person take over and govern Zimbabwe. The president of Zimbabwe should not act as if he is blind to the apparent extensive damage the country is going through. His inabilities and incapacities are crystal clear, meaning he should be dumped into the history dustbin. When a government uses the police to protect a currency, it means it has…

Many seasoned and polished writers expounded their views on the attacks unfolding in the Middle East. Brinkmanship and missile diplomacy are being displayed as nations prepare for more conflict, not realising that Armageddon is staring at humanity. The entire world stands petrified, as humanity grimly witnesses the demolishing of Palestine. This is the price you pay for being defenceless. History proves that the world’s superpowers have no strategic allies. In reality, they have strategic interests. It was William Shakespeare who wrote in Macbeth: “The attempt not the deed confounds us.” These betrayals will live in infamy. The entire planet is in political turmoil, as restless global citizens resort to violence and anarchy in an attempt to change the old world order, whose sinister architects are determined to cling to. At…

THE tenure of the ANC as the governing party has laid bare the hidden dominant culture and values of South Africans. The culture and values continue to destroy the country, its economy and lives. How can one understand and judge society, citizens and public figures? What could better do so? What are the guiding principles, norms and standards in our homes, community, government and business? I wonder. Crime syndicates and gangs, and groups of violent thieves and ruffians prosper, led by their own kind. Would-be villains cannot govern a country with integrity. Our democracy was birthed following violent conflict and bloodshed. The outcome was a negotiated Constitution crafted by the then-leaders. What followed? South Africans are duped and often like to follow leaders who display inefficiencies and crude mannerisms. Ideological…

Striker Harry Kane said yesterday that Bayern Munich still have a chance of a “great season” by winning the Champions League, before today’s home quarter-final, second leg, against Arsenal. Bayern officially ceded the title to Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday, breaking their 11-year streak as champions. Bayern are now staring at a first trophyless season since 2012. The England captain, still without a trophy in his career despite an array of stellar personal records, said Champions League glory would give the season a different face. “It’s no secret here that the club sets out to win the Champions League every season,” the 30-year-old said. “You know, from the club’s point of view, it will be a failed season if we don’t win anything this year because we’re expected to…

The Momentum Proteas Women will look to deliver the knockout blow and score maximum points when they play their final match of the ODI series against Sri Lanka at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom today. With the first match rained out, the Proteas go into the final encounter – which is also their final game of the season – hoping do what they have often failed to do over the past few months: finish a series well. Sri Lanka, currently ranked seventh in the ICC women’s ODI rankings, cannot win the series but a draw will hand them a critical two points to go home with. It will also improve their chances of automatic World Cup qualification, edging them closer to the West Indies, who occupy the sixth and…

A CAPE Town radio presenter was taken off air for allegedly entertaining Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Eid. Shafiek Sedick was dragged on social media after a Facebook post by the mayor, on April 11, went viral. In the post, which was later edited to remove his name, the mayor wrote: “Lovely Eid lunch with Aunty Saieda Lotters & Shafiek Sedick who are serving the Wynberg community tirelessly through their feeding programmes. Shukran, die kos was regtig heerlik. (sic)” The post caused a stir online and angered the local Muslim community, who have slammed the Democratic Alliance for not condemning the genocide in Palestine. Sedick is the chairman of the Wynberg Concerned Citizens (WCC), which hosted Hill-Lewis on Eid ul Fitr, but the radio presenter on Voice of the Cape has…

DR Esther Mahlangu, a living legend and cultural ambassador for South Africa and the Ndebele people, was yesterday awarded an honorary doctorate by Unisa in recognition of her mathematical prowess. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (Honoris Causa) was awarded at a graduation ceremony held at the Unisa Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria. A self-taught artist with no academic qualifications, Mahlangu is known for her bold large-scale contemporary paintings that reference her Ndebele heritage. She has not only created original and innovative artworks reflecting this heritage, but also shares her knowledge and skills with the younger generation and wider public. She has established an art school in her home village, where she teaches the traditional Ndebele style of painting and beadwork to both children and adults. A well-travelled artist…

BISHOP Lavis residents were in a state of panic this week after discovering their prepaid meters required new coding to prevent inactivity. A lack of official notice left many residents, especially the elderly and unaided, confused. Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger said municipalities across the country were in a race against time to enable residents to update prepaid electricity and water meters before they stop working on November 24. The update is required as the standard system that provides unique recharge codes will soon run out of unique numbers to issue. A “reset” code for each pre-paid meter is therefore essential to ensure that residents can continue to receive unique codes beyond November. Bishop Lavis ward councillor Charles Esau said some residents were left in the dark over…

STATEMENTS from the Israeli government subsequent to the drone attacks, supposedly from Iran, were along the lines of: “How dare they attack our sovereign territory? These attacks will require us to take severe retaliatory action.” The statements are so naive they border on insanity. I wonder if the state of Israel has collective amnesia about what it has done for more than 190 days in the State of Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank? With its immense superiority complex, the Israeli military (I’d like to think most of the civilian population of Israel do not back the slaughter and genocide of innocent civilians in Palestine), it has opened itself to perpetual war with its sworn enemies, Hamas. A perpetual motion machine is not possible, but a perpetual war is.…

THE ANC street pole type 2024 election poster has an upper body picture of President Cyril Ramaphosa with a huge smile and the words: “Let’s do more together”. I respectfully submit that the word “together” is a falsity implying inclusivity – a kind of spin doctoring and election ploy to attract the masses, given three long decades of a proven track record of dismal, abysmal and non-timeous service delivery and other ruling party shenanigans and gross under performance. I further submit that the undermentioned would be more appropriate and reflect the factual position: viz, let’s do more of the following: thieving and manipulating; lying and hoodwinking; making false and empty promises; capturing and tenderpreneuring; openly and unashamedly lining comrades’ pockets; pathetic, unacceptable and non-timeous service delivery; denying citizens basic human…

The decision of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to appeal the judgment of the Electoral Court, which sought for former president Jacob Zuma to remain on the ballot and list of the MK Party, got people’s tongue wagging recently. While some believe the IEC was well within its rights to seek clarity from the Constitutional Court, others see the commission’s decision as being partisan, arguing that the IEC couldn’t be overruling the Electoral Court’s decision as it was the last arbiter. The matter between the MKP and IEC is peculiar in that it stands to set a precedent in what or who qualifies to stand as candidate for national elections. While some hold a strong belief that the IEC’s decision was based on impropriety, others say it has…

YOU have to go back to September 27 to find the last time Stellenbosch FC lost a match. Then, Steve Barker’s team were beaten 3-1 by Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership match. Ever since, the outfit from the Winelands has gone an incredible 22 matches unbeaten. It is a remarkable run that has delivered them the Carling Knockout trophy and taken them to second in the league behind the self-same Sundowns. Such is their form that last weekend they hammered SuperSport United 4-0 to progress to the Nedbank Cup semi-final where they have been drawn to host Rulani Mokwena’s Brazilians. Barker must be thinking “revenge is a dish best served cold”, right? Continental football clearly beckons for Stellies and with Sundowns seemingly out of reach in the championship, you…

Shonda Rhimes suffered sleepless nights due to stress after being deluged with death threats over social media. The TV producer and writer has admitted she feared for her safety while working on medical drama Grey’s Anatomy because of all the nasty messages she was receiving online and that it prompted her to hire 24-hour security guards while living in Los Angeles. She told London’s The Sunday Times: “Social media changed. Fans have passionate feelings, and I was always fine with that ... “But then it became weird ... They got mean. And you never knew who was going to really take offence in the wrong way ... It was because people are dangerous and strange.” The mum-of-three stopped reading posts on social media but she was kept awake at night…

ONE of Nyanga’s top detectives is in critical condition in hospital after he was shot in the face and shoulder during a hijacking. Sibusiso Nonjezi was driving a state vehicle on stand-by duty when he came under attack in the early hours of Monday in Kuyasa, Harare. He was robbed of his service pistol while the white VW Polo was later recovered. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the case was handed to provincial detectives. “Provincial detectives are investigating a case of attempted murder and hijacking following an incident on Monday at about midnight in Ntlanzi Street, Kuyasa, Harare, where the 35-year-old sergeant was robbed of his duty pistol and hijacked of the VW Polo state vehicle that he was driving at the time.” He said the incident was…

ALLEGED underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, claims slain Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) detective Charl Kinnear was killed as he planned to “come clean” and out his police colleagues. The shocking claim was made in the Western Cape High Court yesterday, as the defence lawyer for the man accused of orchestrating various hits returned to the dock with his co-accused in the ongoing underworld trial. The testimony by the self-confessed hitman claimed he was contracted to carry out attempted hits on alleged rivals which also included Nico Heerschap, top lawyer William Booth and André Naude. Defence advocate Bash Sibda blasted the state witness known only as “Mr A”, saying he was nothing but a pawn being used to nail Modack. Speaking on behalf of Modack, Sibda said his client became a target of…

The Gauteng Department of Health, concerned about the surge in food poisoning cases, particularly affecting children, has launched urgent investigations and community awareness campaigns. Tshepo Shawa, spokesperson for the Health MEC, said there had been an increase in reported instances of food poisoning, particularly among children, in recent weeks. Shawa yesterday said that 41 children between the ages of 3 and 5, who allegedly consumed rat poison mistaking it for candy, were treated at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Monday. “Upon medical examination of the 41 children, a total of 17 were admitted yesterday at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital for overnight observation, while the remaining 24 were discharged in a satisfactory condition,” Shawa said. “This incident is reported to have taken place at a pre-school and…

BAD weather in the Western Cape this month has led to a short extension of the nearshore West Coast rock lobster fishing season. Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy asked the deputy director-general responsible for fisheries management, Sue Middelton, to grant an extension until Friday. The season opened on December 16, 2023 and closed on April 1, 2024. Creecy said small-scale fishing co-operatives had asked her for an extension. “I received a number of urgent verbal and written requests from the small-scale fishing co-operatives that were particularly hard hit by the extreme weather conditions, preventing them from catching their full allocations,” Creecy said. Her special request was welcomed by the Masifundise Development Trust, which advocates for social, economic, climate, and environmental justice for small-scale fishing communities. Masifundise programme…

Contrary to Brett Herron’s disingenuous letter of April 15, “Cape Town’s fight to charge more for electricity”, the City is, in fact, fighting to provide more electricity, for less, than any other municipality. Tariff setting makes provision for tariffs that cover the cost of providing the service so entities do not go bankrupt. The City balances affordability for customers with the income required to cover the costs of service provision, without jeopardising service delivery. No profit is planned for on the sale of electricity. The highest cost driver is Eskom’s tariff setting; the City spends about 67% of its electricity income to buy power from Eskom. Two high court judgments have ruled the National Energy Result of SA’s methodology to be unlawful. Nersa’s recommendation for 2023/24 would have resulted in…

I do not know if educators write testimonials or letters of recommendation for their former pupils these days. Testimonials were powerful instruments with which learners were forced to behave positively throughout their school career because they wanted a positive report from their former teachers that they were bona fides citizens. Yesterday, I came across a copy of my testimonial that was written by Professor TW Kambule more than 30 years ago. I had submitted it to the SABC for employment. He wrote that my “general deportment is beyond reproach.” He further wrote that: “Although he is a committed pedagogue, he also extends himself extramurally. I can vouch for him as a dedicated and hard worker. I, therefore, recommend him without reserve as I do not doubt his ability to cope…

ISRAEL’S war cabinet was to meet for the third time in three days yesterday, an official said, to decide on a response to Iran’s first-ever direct attack, amid international pressure to avoid further escalating the conflicts in the Middle East. Military chief of staff Herzi Halevi had promised that Saturday night’s launch of more than 300 missiles, cruise missiles and drones from Iran into Israeli territory “will be met with a response”, but gave no details. While the attack caused no deaths and little damage, thanks to the air defences and countermeasures of Israel and its allies, it has increased concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading, and fears of open war between the long-time foes. Iran launched the attack in retaliation for an airstrike on its…

The Warriors have hit a stumbling block after two losses in the last three matches blighted their almost perfect start to the season – and the losing run could continue when they come face-to-face with an in-form Lions team roaring with confidence. The Joburgers are peaking at the right time and are only four points away from topping the former runaway leaders. The Warriors are still in pole position, but the Eastern Cape side find themselves in the unfamiliar position of having to go back to the drawing board with their top spot under serious threat. The Warriors were humbled by bottom side Boland at the weekend, losing by a surprising five wickets with 18 balls to spare. Captain Matthew Breetzke’s knock of 48 off 34 balls was not enough…