Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-05 i Cape Argus

WHILE there are many ways to celebrate Women’s Month, sometimes all you need is time in front of your television as you enjoy some Hollywood blockbusters and vibrant local productions. With this in mind, here are some of the best new releases which will be released on various platforms this August. Losing Lerato 2 The sequel to the critically acclaimed Losing Lerato takes viewers on yet another emotional ride. The story continues with Thami’s (Kagiso Modupe) release from prison on medical parole after being charged with kidnapping his daughter. He now finds himself in need of a kidney transplant. But when Lerato’s (Nefisa Mkhabela) pleas to her influential stepfather go unanswered, she takes drastic measures to save her father’s life. Losing Lerato 2 is on Netflix. No Hard…

THE family of two teenage brothers, who were killed in Lavender Hill, have been left baffled by the double murder. Both brothers were shot in the head. Shocking details of the lives of Angelo, 14, and Antonio Frankford, 17, have since emerged, showing the boys were both addicted to drugs and lived in a flea-infested shack with their mother, who is allegedly also on drugs. The shooting in St Bernard Street shortly after 6am on Saturday set tongues wagging amid claims that the teenagers were dropped off by a motorist of an unknown vehicle, and subsequently shot in the head. Police spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, said Anti-Gang Unit detectives were investigating the double murder. “Reports from the scene indicate that the pair, aged 14 and 17, were walking in St Bernard…

THE Gauteng Department of Education said it respected the decision handed down by the School Governing Body (SGB) at the Pretoria High School for Girls, where 12 learners were cleared of misconduct. The 12 learners were suspended last month amid racism allegations. A three-day disciplinary hearing conducted by the SGB found that there were no wrong doing. In a statement the school said: “The proceedings have been finalised and all twelve learners have been found not guilty on all charges. This also includes their prefect status.” Reacting to the news, the Gauteng Education Department said according to the report, the girls were cleared on charges of violence and bullying, disruptive behaviour and violation of school rules due to insufficient evidence. “The report mentions a WhatsApp group, whose discussions and…

THE ANC, leading the Government of National Unity (GNU), is in distress after some members of its national executive committee (NEC) disagreed with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s stance that the GNU would not fall apart. The party yesterday completed an NEC meeting that will be followed by a lekgotla which its members deployed to government would convene to set the way forward in the National Assembly. Speaking to Cape Argus sister paper The Star last night, a member of the NEC, who requested not to be named for fear of reprisals, said members of the executive were not impressed with the marriage of the party with the DA. “Comrades do not like that Helen Zille has power against us. The president is forcing this … We may still have time to…

RESIDENTS from The Hague in Delft, constantly left in the dark by Eskom, have rejected the power utility’s “cable theft” excuse, saying they suspect the issue has been caused by a deeper systematic problem. Frustrated user Candice van der Rheede said every time the power outages happen, they have to run around like headless chickens. This time around, residents sat without electricity for almost a week. Van der Rheede said the outages were an ongoing problem. “It happens almost monthly and every time we are in the dark, they want to say it’s cable theft, but we all know it’s that substation and a faulty transformer. Why can’t they just replace it, they keep repairing it, now every month we must sit in the dark. “The last time we had…

Since a few decades ago, China has shocked most contemporary historians with its rapid reforms and development to become the second-largest economy in the world, the largest trading partner with Africa, and a major power, having lifted more than half a billion people out of poverty in less than half a century. With a massive 1.4 billion population, the World Bank says China has since lifted about 800 million people out of poverty while modernising its economy to become not only the most competitive but the second-largest global economy. The Plenary Sessions are rooted in and informed by the efficient technocratic Chinese democratic principles bringing together the voices and interests of the Chinese communities as represented in their Central Committee and have regularly provided important reform-centred strategic and policy vision…

SOUTH Africa’s Akani Simbine’s dream of standing on the Olympic podium has once again been shattered, despite breaking the national 100m record in the final in Paris last night. Simbine blitzed 9.82 seconds, but fell just short again in a sensational final, as he finished fourth just out of the medals yet again. He has previously suffered heartbreak in two Olympic Games 100m final appearances, finishing fifth in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and then fourth five years later in Tokyo. American Noah Lyles claimed the goal in the identical 9.79 seconds with Jamaican Kishane Thompson, but was awarded the title of “the fastest man on the planet” by just pushing his chest out on the line. Fellow American Fred Kerley claimed a second consecutive bronze with a season’s best…

Orlando Pirates are in the right space amid the start of the new season, but coach Jose Riveiro says they must still find a formula that’ll help the players to be consistent. Pirates started their new season with a bang, hammering SuperSport United 3-1 after extra-time in the MTN8 quarter-final at a packed Orlando Stadium on Saturday night. This win was important for the Buccaneers as it kept their MTN8 title defence alive, amid their aspirations of becoming the first team to win the trophy three times in a row. With Pirates having been the best team in the land in cup competitions under Riveiro, winning four trophies out of five available, the team is said to have a secret recipe for winning knockout games. But Riveiro begs to differ.…

The new Showmax Original documentary Dark Side of Glory is set to delve into horrific crimes in the sporting world. “I think we broadly have a perception that sport is glamorous, that it is a route to success, fame and wealth, and more often than not, that is not the case,” director Arianna Perretta said. “In the cases we cover, it is the extreme version of that.” The true-crime show, which premiered last Wednesday, began with an episode titled, The Durban Axe Murderer: The Rugby Killer. It follows former rugby player Joseph Ntshongwana, who was arrested for killing four men with an axe and wounding two others. If you missed it, the sportsman, who played for South Africa at U21 level and for the Blue Bulls between 1998 and 2001,…

RESIDENTIAL fires in Cape Town have accelerated by 20% over the past 12 months. Because of them, 105 fatalities were recorded between January and June this year. The City’s Fire and Rescue Service recorded 4 210 residential fires over the 2023/24 financial year, with formal residential fires increasing 27% annually, and informal residential fires by 15%, leading to the deaths of at least 220 people. The City said most fires broke out between Saturdays and Mondays, when 80% of deaths occurred. Around 74% materialised between midnight and 6am, and 56% of victims were adult males. Survivors said they are still struggling to replace what they had lost. Nosiyabonga Malimke, a community activist from the Dunoon informal settlement of Thembini, said the fires made it difficult for residents to recover.…

THE new top cop in Mitchell’s Plain is keeping a watchful eye over firearms and gang activities, and has made a clarion call to residents to work alongside police. Speaking to the Cape Argus after completing his first 100 days at the helm of the station, which was embroiled in two firearm scandals, Brigadier Mark Hartzenberg, says the public can rest assured that he is doing everything in his power to fight back against criminals. Hartzenberg, who formerly served as the station commander at Elsies River, said the team at Mitchell’s Plain has been hard at work over the past three months to tackle ongoing gang conflicts in the precinct. “I took up command of Mitchells Plain in March, at a time when gang violence seemed to trap the community,…

The EFF has voiced concern over the recent large-scale drug seizures in South Africa, citing the widespread multibillion-rand drug trade as a significant issue. In recent reports, a haul of cocaine worth a staggering R252 million was uncovered in the southern Cape, and a few days ago, a monumental stash of crystal meth valued at R300m was seized in Fourways, Johannesburg. The party said this dire situation highlighted the horrifying reality that the drug trade in South Africa is a multibillion-rand enterprise, sprawling across every corner of the country. “These ruthless druglords brazenly flout the law while obliterating the future of our youth and the very fabric of our country. “South Africa has become a notorious hub for drug trafficking, facilitated by lax border and harbour controls. It has been…

ONE person in South Africa has woken up R100million richer after bagging Saturday night’s Lotto jackpot. According to National Lottery Ithuba’s draw sheet from August 3, 2024, one person will take home R100 million. The jackpot had rolled over 25 consecutive times resulting in the massive payout. In the second division, four people had five correct numbers and the bonus ball and will each win an amount of R65 681. The next Lotto jackpot is estimated at R3million for the August 7 draw. Both the Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 jackpots were not won and has rolled over to an estimated R8 million and R31million respectively for the August 7 draw. According to Ithuba, this was the second highest Lotto jackpot in South African history. The highest…

PLETTENBERG Bay Airport has been closed indefinitely after the SA Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) issued a notice to Bitou Municipality on July 31, suspending its airport licence with immediate effect. As a result, the airport was effectively shut down. Garden Route Aero (GRA), a subsidiary of rsa.AREO, which manages Winelands Airport in Cape Town, was due to take over operations at the airport from Bitou Municipality in last monh. However, Sacaa will issue the new licence to GRA only once historic issues and maintenance backlogs on the runway have been addressed by the municipality. In September 2021, the airport was downgraded to category 2, falling below Sacaa’s minimum standard for scheduled air services. With CemAir’s assistance, the airport regained Category 4 status by November 2021, allowing two-hour flights between Johannesburg…

AIRPORTS Company SA (Acsa) has denied any wrongdoing in awarding a tender for its biometric system to French/South African firm Idemia. IOL earlier reported on a legal challenge by local BEE firm InfoVerge, which has taken Acsa and Idemia to court to halt the contract. InfoVerge claims it was left out by Idemia once the tender had been awarded. However, Acsa says this dispute is between the two contracted companies and not Acsa. “A year prior to the publishing of the request for proposals, Acsa engaged in industry research to develop specifications. This is a normal and acceptable practice, especially when intending to procure a system of this magnitude and technical complexity,” Acsa said. “Having followed a prudent procurement process, the contract to the value of R115 million was awarded…

AFTER abruptly axing the secretary-general of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), Arthur Zwane, for a second time, leader Jacob Zuma is now hunting down those who were planning to destabilise his party. In a letter dated July 31, Zuma told Zwane he had been sacked for allegedly “misleading” the party, without giving more details. “I refer to the letter I wrote to you on June 28 in which I, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, as president of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, expressed my decision to relieve you from the position of secretary-general of the party. “I therefore reconfirm my earlier decision to you and thus expect you to co-operate fully with my decision and desist from continuing to serve in this capacity. “Furthermore, owing to your conduct of misleading the party, I…

TWO Western Cape scholars who journeyed on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage on board the SA Agulhas II have returned home. Aimeè Stollie from Môrester Akademie in Vanrhynsdorp and Akhona Zondo from the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon’s Town were the first school learners selected to be part of the SEAmester VII – South Africa’s Class Afloat programme. The SEAmester programme combines traditional classroom lectures with hands-on ship-based deck activities, while providing students with an opportunity to support specialist scientists in recognised marine research activities. This year, the SEAmester team, co-ordinated by Professor Isabelle Ansorge from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Tahlia Henry from Anchor Environmental, made spaces available for high school learners, after the introduction of marine sciences as a school subject in grades 10 to 12. The two…

The Lions showed grit to outlast Griquas 36-28 in a Currie Cup encounter in chilly Kimberley yesterday. The week before Griquas had been hammered by the Pumas in Nelspruit while the Lions had been shocked by the Sharks in Durban. It was the Joburg team that showed iron resolve in the last quarter to return to winning ways. It was a weekend of high-scoring matches in the fifth round of the tournament and it was the Bulls and the Cheetahs that set the tone when they drew 34-34 in Bloemfontein on Friday night. On Saturday, Western Province were unconvincing in beating the down-and-out Griffons 39-17 in the Cape, and in the later game, the Pumas and the Sharks finished 44-44 after each side seemed to have nailed the spoils with…