Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-06 i Cape Argus

Mashudu Sadike mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za THE SACP, Cosatu and the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) have lashed out at its alliance partner, the ANC, over its decision to team up with the DA to form the Government of National Unity (GNU) following the May 29 elections. Chief to their concerns, the organisations say the party had not carried out a proper consultation process before making the decision, and it should have held a lekgotla “before its marriage with the DA”. This emerged during the party’s three-day lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, that was to end yesterday. The meeting, which includes government officials deployed by the party, followed a three-day ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting. Yesterday, members of the alliance presented their grievances and programmes at the ANC gathering.…

The French Olympics organisers have much to answer for. The filthy river Seine has caused many athletes to seek medical attention, after being affected by E coli and who knows what other dangerous gremlins. The opening horror show, which demeaned Christians, reflects the shallow left-wing, libertarian, woke garbage, that is influencing what we watch on TV and other platforms. The cherry on top was allowing a masculine transgender boxer, to enter the ring, with a genuine woman – it was, after all, a woman’s event. The human hybrid, proceeded to pummel the “dinkum” woman, into submission. The French get an F, their Games a sickening reminder of the unbelievable stupidity of some humans. Absolute merde. |…

South African Jews for a Free Palestine unequivocally condemns the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, political leader of the Hamas Party. His role as a diplomat has been invaluable in attempts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza which, in turn, would not only guarantee cessation of attacks from Israel’s neighbouring states but also avoid conflagration in the region. Haniyeh’s assassination is the clearest sign that Israel is not interested in a ceasefire. Instead, we are now facing the serious prospect of a regional war and, as such, more civilian loss and suffering in Palestine and beyond. This heinous act invokes the memory of Chris Hani and his tragic assassination on April 10, 1993. He posed a threat to the apartheid regime precisely because of his important role in negotiations, and that…

The Miss South Africa pageant has recently become the epicentre of a heated debate surrounding national identity and citizenship laws in South Africa. This controversy was sparked by the participation of Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old law student with a Nigerian father, who has faced relentless online abuse and scrutiny questioning her South African citizenship. Adetshina’s situation highlights the nuances and complexities of the Citizenship Act. Despite her Nigerian heritage, Adetshina was born in Soweto and has a South African mother, thereby fulfilling the criteria for citizenship. The South African Citizenship Act of 1995 outlines the criteria for citizenship, significantly revised post-January 2013. The act now uniformly grants citizenship to individuals born to a South African citizen, regardless of where they are born. Before this change, the law distinguished between those…

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country yesterday after hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that began as protests against job quotas and swelled into a movement demanding her downfall. Jubilant, cheering crowds stormed into the opulent grounds of the presidential residence unopposed, carrying out looted furniture and TVs. One man balanced a red velvet, gilt-edged chair on his head. Another held an armful of vases. Elsewhere in Dhaka, protesters climbed atop a statue of Hasina’s father, state founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and began chiselling away at the head with an axe. The flight into exile ended a 15-year second stint in power for Hasina, who has ruled for 20 of the last 30 years as leader of the political movement inherited from…

Celebrated media personality Paul Modjadji’s 10-country African tour, which explores the continent’s youth and dance culture, is set to be chronicled in Breaking Down Borders Africa. Set to air on SABC1 tomorrow, the 14-part travelogue documentary follows the internationally-acclaimed choreographer, dancer, social entrepreneur and theatre-maker, who also directed the award-winning short film The Deal, and his team as they visit nations such as Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal. The producers said: “Each episode serves up a kaleidoscope of experiences showcasing Africa’s leading landmarks and heritage sites through the eyes of youth activists and artists on home soil.” Modjadji is joined by his sister Ntha biseng, who is a tour co-ordinator; young film-maker, graphic designer and photographer, Sibusiso Mahlangu; and South African-based German-born dancer, Ginger Wensky. The show culminates…

The EFF in Gauteng blames the death of its regional deputy secretary Moshe Mphahlele on the private security company that was on the scene during its peaceful protest. The party said the security company did not have any justification for using live ammunition because the situation was calm and non-violent. Red Berets spokesperson Dumisani Baleni said it was alarming that this “reckless shooting” took place in the presence of state security agencies. “It is infuriating and tragic that state security officials would delegate the responsibility of protecting our people during a peaceful protest to brutal private security companies, which have consistently demonstrated a disregard for human life. “Fighter Moshe Mphahlele was a revolutionary ground force of the EFF, a dedicated community activist who committed his life to improving the living…

Zionists who use their influence to cause harm must be identified. For example, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein raped and sexually abused hundreds of women. They subverted global justice for decades. Both were helped by the Zionist secret service, who threatened/cajoled etc those involved. Zionist Roger Ailes, founder of Fox News, the most powerful voice in the US, sexually harassed 20 women at Fox News. Epstein, Weinstein and Ailes used similar methods of manipulation and fear. Sam Bankman-Fried stole $10 billion (about R185bn) from investors, reflecting the mentality that many Zionists think it is “cool” to manipulate and abuse. Mathew Kassel, a journalist from the New York Times and Jewish Insider, said Bankman-Fried donated millions to both Republican and Democratic politicians “who cultivated good Israeli, US relations”. The US is…

AS THE 2024 SADC Summit approaches, the selection of Zimbabwe as the host country has sparked considerable controversy. Critics argue that the regional summit, an event designed to promote co-operation and development among southern African nations, should not be held in Zimbabwe due to the ruling party’s controversial actions and the deteriorating political situation. The Zimbabwean government’s conduct, particularly that of Zanu-PF, has raised serious concerns about human rights abuses, political repression, and the overall state of governance. Zimbabwe has long been embroiled in political turmoil, with the ruling Zanu-PF often at the centre of controversy. The government, led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has faced numerous allegations of human rights violations, including the suppression of dissent, harassment of opposition figures, and manipulation of electoral processes. These actions have eroded public…

While the DA has not been given the position of Minister of Health, it should still leverage any power or influence it can to stop the ill-fated National Health Insurance (NHI) in its tracks. NHI has been touted as a silver bullet to fix South Africa’s disastrous public healthcare system by turning the government into a single, universal healthcare payer. But supporters of NHI have failed again and again to reasonably show how the system will be paid for or how it will actually work. NHI is unfeasible financially, placing a huge cost on an already overburdened tax base. Additional taxes will not work. There simply is not enough money in the country. The current public healthcare system is rotten with corruption, mismanagement and apathy. Giving this ailing system more…

PARIS: The International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed yesterday that tests on two boxers at the centre of a gender controversy at the Paris Olympics show they “are male”. The IBA said previously that it disqualified Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting from its 2023 world championships after the fighters failed gender eligibility tests. The boxing in the French capital is run by the International Olympic Committee, which cleared the two boxers to fight and both are in the semi-finals. An IBA press conference in Paris was to clarify what tests Khelif and Lin underwent last year, and what the results showed. The IBA’s medical committee said “abnormalities” were detected in blood tests in 2022. The two boxers were tested again in 2023, and after that they were disqualified.…

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad is happy with their preparations leading to the first Test match against the West Indies at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago that starts tomorrow (first ball 4pm, SA time). Having had a lot of question marks prior to the four-day tour match against the West Indies Championship XI, Conrad feels he has got all the answers he needed as the first Test match approaches. The Proteas will go into the encounter as favourites even though, much like their opponents, they are well short of experience. They have a young side but they will have history on their side. South Africa haven’t lost a series against the West Indies since the 1991/92 season, and they have won 22 off the 32 matches played, with…

Globally acclaimed South African artist Karyendasoul is carving out a space for himself as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment space. The 27-year-old music producer and DJ Bonga Ntozini, better known as Karyendasoul, has been making waves since he entered the music industry locally and internationally. He recently performed a two-hour set at Tomorrowland’s Planaxis stage. Tomorrowland in Antwerp, Belgium, draws up to 22 000 people as the festival showcases many of the world’s best electronic music talents as well as art and even Michelin-star chefs. This year, South African DJ DBN Gogo was the first female amapiano DJ to perform at the event. Major League DJz made their debut at Tomorrowland in 2023 and Black Coffee has been performing at the gathering since 2018. Karyendasoul never…

WHAT was meant to be a dream holiday visiting his sister in the US, turned into a nightmare for a Cape Town man, who was detained for more than 24 hours, forced to sleep inside a cell, and denied his right to communicate with family or the South African Embassy. Bjorn Taylor, 37, a qualified accountant from Ravensmead, had never been abroad before and travelled 15 hours to Washington Dulles International Airport to visit his sister, Ophelia Taylor-Mckenzie, her husband, Patrio Mckenzie and their two children. Taylor departed on July 31 and intended to stay for three months with his family. He had applied for a tourist visa with the surety that his sister and her husband would be financially responsible for his stay as he was unemployed. But in…

A LAW enforcement officer is in a stable condition in hospital after he was shot twice during an attempted hijacking outside his residence in Gugulethu. Bulelani Mxuthu, 40, was off-duty when he came under attack from gunmen who fired multiple shots. Safety and security Mayco member, JP Smith, condemned the attack. “The officer was shot outside his home in Gugulethu (on Sunday) night in what-appears-to-be an attempted hijacking. “The City calls on anyone with information about the incident to come forward. The incident happened at approximately 7pm. “According to the officer’s wife, it was an attempted hijacking – the attackers fired numerous rounds, two of which hit the 40-year-old. He was transported to hospital where he is in a stable condition. “It comes just a week after our annual Remembrance…

AROUND 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals, who were allegedly kept against their will and under inhumane conditions in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg, were rescued by the police’s Special Task Force (STF) unit at the weekend. Police said a multidisciplinary team, led by the STF, were tracing a victim of kidnapping for ransom when they discovered the undocumented nationals who were found locked up, confined and packed into rooms. Investigations are under way to determine how these nationals were trafficked into the country. National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said among the Ethiopian nationals was a kidnapped victim who was also rescued. “The victim was kidnapped in Benoni last Tuesday afternoon, whereupon his kidnappers immediately started demanding hundreds of thousands of ransom money from his family,” Mathe said. She said the Ethiopian nationals were…

TYGERBERG Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital are urging parents and caregivers to be extra cautious of a spike in unintentional poisonings due to medication exposure, usually suffered during winter. According to the Western Cape Health Department, the Poison Information Helpline recorded 12 267 patient-related calls, with 42% attributed to exposure to pharmaceutical products in 2023. Alarmingly, over a third of these cases involved pharmaceutical poisoning in children aged 1 to 5, totalling 1 096 reported incidents. The Poisons Information Centres are home to the national Poisons Information Helpline, which has been in operation since 2015. Carine Marks, director of the Poisons Information Centre at Tygerberg, said while most ingestions may not result in serious harm, there is still a risk of severe toxicity, underscoring the importance of…

Part 2 of a two-part column on Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’ opening of a Safe Space for the homeless in Green Point recently. THE mayor and City would do well to look at what other international cities and an organisation here in Cape Town have been doing successfully in their quest to address homelessness. Cities that have rejected the same system the mayor of Cape Town keeps defending and expanding and replacing with what is currently considered best practice. Few people are aware of the massive reduction in numbers of those experiencing homelessness in Texas in the US And our own policymakers have a great deal to learn from them. The focus in Texas has become, dignified accommodation. They, like the mayor and most of Cape Town’s residents,…

Religious mocking against any religion is a potent threat to world peace. The French, at the opening of the Olympic Games, took sinister pride in mocking a great religion, by a re-enactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper with 10 men in drag. The French have over the years published incendiary cartoons about religion in provocative tests about freedom of expression. Such provocations must be universally outlawed. The outrage against Christianity, is bigoted and inflammatory. The reaction of the Western media is shocking. Mocking a great religion is an abomination. The selective morality of the prejudiced media in not condemning the grotesque mutilation of a sacred event has nothing to do with freedom of expression. Religions are fair game in Europe. The Last Supper depiction is deeply offensive,…

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, marked a pivotal moment for the party, grappling with its worst electoral performance yet – just over 41% of the vote. This outcome forced the ANC into an uneasy coalition with the DA and the IFP, later joined by smaller parties. The meeting highlighted the party’s struggle not only with voter dissatisfaction but also with its own internal dynamics and approach to media engagement. Reports from the meeting revealed a significant concern: ANC ministers’ fear of the media. They were hesitant to grant interviews or write opinion pieces, a stark contrast to the DA ministers, who actively engaged with the media and shaped the public narrative. An NEC insider lamented this reluctance, suggesting it allowed the DA to dominate the…

The SA20 will enter its third season from January 9 next year, having injected a heavy dose of excitement into South African cricket over the last two years, and the third edition promises nothing less. The Sunrisers Eastern Cape backed up their inaugural win of the tournament with yet another impressive showing in the second edition. They walked all over the Durban Super Giants to clinch their second title by a massive 89 runs. Under the leadership of Aiden Markram, they have set the bar very high. The Eastern Cape side have laid down their marker as the undisputed heavyweight champions of SA’s premier T20 competition. Ryan Rickelton was in the form of his life at the top of the order for MI Cape Town, and he was the standout…