Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-05-16 i Cape Argus

The tiny Al Jama-ah Party has lofty ambitions of becoming the kingmaker in what is expected to be the hung KwaZulu-Natal province after the May 29 elections. The party went on a massive campaign offensive in Chatsworth, south of Durban, on Sunday. Despite the party having no members in the 80-member provincial legislature, its premier candidate, Asghar Khan, is adamant the party will emerge as the kingmaker, and ultimately have the power to decide who governs the province. In an interview with Cape Argus sister paper Daily News, Khan said: “We have been around the province and people have been listening to us and have shown massive interest in our message.” He does, however, concede that a daunting task lies ahead. “The battle for KZN is intensifying. All the parties…

ONE of the important competencies of the Department of Employment and Labour is to inspect all employment situations across the board. The department has a legal responsibility to ensure that health and safety rules are supreme in every workplace. The department has been grossly negligent over the past 10 years. I have been specifically requesting, even demanding, that the inspectorate be increased and properly resourced. Almost monthly over the past five years, I have berated the department, orally and in writing, about the dearth of inspectors and the fact that they often don’t have the tools of the trade. This same issue applies to the various bargaining councils, including the building industry bargaining council. For some reason or other, the minister of employment and labour seems to favour some other…

AT a Patriotic Alliance (PA) rally in Cape Town over the weekend, Gayton McKenzie did not deny that they will go into coalition with the ANC after the 2024 elections. This confirms again what the DA has been warning voters about – a vote for the PA is a vote for the ANC. The PA helps the ANC into government and then follows their example of destruction as they clamber for jobs where they can get paid for doing nothing. And the ones who suffer are always the poor. In municipalities like Knysna, Beaufort West, Laingsburg and Theewaterskloof, where the PA is in cahoots with the ANC and EFF, residents are left grappling with financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, and failed service delivery. Earlier this month the Western Cape High Court…

The prevalence of child abuse incidents in the country is concerning, with rape topping the list as South Africa observes Child Protection Month. Throughout the country incidents of child rape have been reported, with some of the perpetrators being fathers, step-fathers, uncles, and even police officers. Something needs to be done to curb the scourge and it requires a collective effort. Society must stand up. Recently, the news of a toddler who was allegedly raped at a crèche in Newlands East, Durban, and the murder of a 5-year-old boy, Ditebogo Junior Phalane, who was killed in a hijacking in Soshanguve recently, sent shock waves across the country. The Newlands East community is now demanding the closure of the childcare facility where the rape allegedly took place. It emerged that the…

Since The Ultimatum: South Africa premiered on Netflix last Friday, viewers have taken to social media to criticise contestant Khanya Nqolase for her jaw-dropping behaviour. The 34-year-old has been labelled a “bully” on the reality show and now, according to a viral video on X, it seems she has a history of such behaviour. In the post, a woman referred to as Busiswa Stemele shared a story about how she was bullied by Nqolase during their time at Erica Primary School in Port Elizabeth. “Imagine seeing your childhood bully on a trending show... I was watching The Ultimatum: South Africa and I saw this particular girl, and she looked familiar,” she explained in the video. After watching a few episodes, she realised how she knew Nqolase. “Khanya was my primary…

NEARLY two weeks after the mysterious disappearance of a City of Cape Town staffer implicated in a R2.5 million fraud scandal, police have not yet found Alistair Stanbull, but the search continues. The disappearance of Stanbull, from the City’s human settlements department, sent tongues wagging as search parties assembled across the hiking trails at Constantia Nek. At the time, police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Stanbull was last seen on April 29 and his car was found near Ou Kaapse Weg the next day. “Alistair told his wife he was going for a hike and left his premises in Steenberg and never returned. “His vehicle was found on Ou Kaapse Weg on Tuesday morning. “At the time of his disappearance he was wearing a grey long-sleeve T-shirt and khaki hiking pants.”…

Residents in the Deep South are able to breathe a sigh of relief as their water is being gradually restored after a two-day outage – the second in just three weeks. The City’s Water and Sanitation maintenance team attended to a pipe leak detected on Tuesday in Main Road, Lakeside, which affected areas including Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Deep Sun Valley, Clovelly and Masiphumelele. Water and sanitation mayco member Zahid Badroodien said the cause of the disruption was large tree roots that dislodged the connecting collar of a 600mm-diameter water pipe. “The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate can confirm the water supply disruption to certain areas in the far south. “The repairs were completed (yesterday) and water is being gradually restored to the affected areas. “The City takes proactive…

A WOMAN who drove on the wrong side of the R300, causing a multi-car collision at the Bottelary offramp yesterday, has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless and negligent driving. City Traffic said officers arrested the 48-year-old who was driving towards the N1, but in the southbound side of the R300. She ignored traffic officers’ attempts to get her to pull over, and eventually crashed into three other vehicles. Two people were slightly injured and taken to nearby hospitals. The driver initially said she was unable to remember what happened, but a field sobriety test put her at more than three times the legal alcohol limit. “She was transported to Kuils River SAPS for processing on charges of driving under the influence, as well as…

Last Friday, I attended an important event at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, where politicians revealed their manifesto and promised numerous things to voters. What I noticed was that after 30 years of democracy, the Coloured community can say much more than others in South Africa in terms of equality. They were squeezed in the middle during the apartheid period but still lived between White and Black. Their contribution to South Africa is not less than that of the White or Black community. Apartheid, historically practised in South Africa, can be theorised as a system that positioned individuals in a challenging position, characterised by a “not White enough, not Black enough” dilemma. The apartheid regime enforced racial classifications, leaving individuals who did not fit neatly into predefined categories facing…

Politicians have come out of their closets and can be seen all over the country spinning their yarn and webs to ensnare the unwary and gullible. The biggest of them all are two former presi- dents, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, and the incumbent, Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma has ditched the ANC and formed his own party, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), causing much controversy and legal challenges. Having failed in its court bid to remove him from the MKP, the ANC summoned him to Luthuli House for a disciplinary hearing. But fearing a backlash from Zuma’s loyal supporters, it postponed the hearing until after the elections. The ANC couldn’t get rid of Zuma who is telling the public that if the MKP won, there would be no load shedding. Who…

A vibrant new kykNET musical game show, Oppi Noot, is set to light up television screens when it makes its debut next month. The local series will introduce a dynamic format which will see singers engage in music challenges. Each performance will earn participants points, with cash prizes awaiting winners as they progress through the rounds. Central to the show’s appeal will be its interactive element as it will see three viewers becoming on-air-partners or a “lugvennote”. This role will see them earn money based on their singing companions’ success on Oppi Noot. It will feature a diverse line-up, ranging from professionals to students, project managers and real estate agents. Regardless of background, all contestants share a passion for showcasing their vocal talents. The series will be hosted by Emo…

A YOUNG man from Kathu in the Northern Cape and his three Dachshunds remain missing after they went fishing at Bloubergstrand, This after the body of his 47-year-old uncle washed up near the Blue Peter Hotel on Tuesday night. It has been reported that Pierre Lotter, 23, and his uncle were last heard from about 6.30pm after going fishing on Kid’s Rock. Lotter’s grandmother, Marinda Lotter, took to social media yesterday, posting a desperate prayer for her grandson. “The men went fishing when a wave knocked Pierre and his uncle from the rocks. Please pray that Pierre will be found alive,” she said. The Table Bay NSRI said they were contacted by Lotter’s relatives for help. “It was determined that the two men from Kathu and their three Dachshund dogs…

A COLLEGE of Cape Town Crawford campus residence supervisor was arrested last week following police complaints lodged against him by several students alleging sexual harassment. The supervisor was arrested by Athlone police on Thursday and reportedly appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The State prosecutor opposed bail with the next court appearance next month. A staff member, speaking anonymously to the Cape Argus, said the suspect was arrested at the Crawford campus residence. About nine students went to the Athlone police station to file complaints of sexual harassment against the individual. Protests against the alleged sexual harassment by the residence supervisor started on Friday, with students from the City and Thornton campuses joining.…

A skills shortage in the metal and engineering industry in the country is looming following the signing of the three-year wage agreement by the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa). These concerns, raised by Solidarity Trades’ Network come after Seifsa, as recently as May 13, signed a wage agreement at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg for the period July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, almost two months before the expiry of the current agreement. According to the agreement, workers in Rate A will reportedly get a 6% rise in the first year, followed by a 5% rise in the second and third years. Workers in Rate H, on the other hand, are to receive a…

In reference to the piece by Cameron Dugmore, “Lies, damned lies and statistics – DA exposed” on Tuesday, May 14 in the Cape Argus. The Western Cape works. This does not simply refer to the quality of services delivered by the Western Cape Government, but also to our population. You are more likely to find a job in the Western Cape than any other province, as shown by the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the 1st Quarter of 2024. The only thing that Mr Dugmore has exposed, is his dissatisfaction at seeing the DA make consistent progress on job creation in the only non-ANC governed province in the country. The Western Cape is significantly ahead of any other province when it comes to addressing unemployment. We have…

The unemployment rate in South Africa, according to statistics, was set to be in the region of 33% in February, 2024. The original plan for the funding of universal healthcare coverage was to use the National Health Insurance Fund (NHI) which is tax-deducted from salaries of workers plus taxation of companies. The UK, which introduced NHS, their universal healthcare coverage system in 1948, has always had the lowest unemployment rate, which currently stands at 4.2%. That is the first important difference between the two countries. The second is that even with their very high employment rate, as a highly industrialised country, their universal healthcare coverage has throughout the years been supported by the expatriates they recruit from all corners of the world. In 1998 when I applied for a job…

South Africans are days away from the national elections, and many citizens are trying to determine which political party to vote for and why. Some citizens have opted not to participate in the polls this year, and their decision is based on numerous reasons. Many feel that despite their participation in previous national elections, the governance and the national economy have remained the same. This has resulted in a continued lack of service deliveries from municipalities across South Africa, inaccessibility to water and electricity, ongoing deviance and corruption within our government sectors, and continual political instability. Causal conversations with people reveal that many citizens do not have a preferred political party and that they believe that their commitment to the voting process will not be practical or impactful in light…