Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-14 i Cape Argus

The trial of four alleged members of the 28s gang accused of robbing missing German tourist Nick Frischke has been put on hold due to an “ethical conflict”. This was revealed in the Wynberg Regional Court on Tuesday where Ishaam Fischer, Melvin Geunantin, Vanroy Petersen and Carlo Geunantin were expected to plead on charges linked to the missing 22-year-old. Frischke vanished without a trace while hiking on the Hangberg trail between Hout Bay and Sandy Bay on February 15 last year while visiting Cape Town. While Frischke has never been found, the State has slapped the group with various charges, including robbery, house break-in, firearm- and ammunition-related charges and charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. According to the indictment, the group are members of the 28s gang who…

The Cape Crime Crisis Coalition has called for urgent action after 95 people were killed in just seven days. The Western Cape witnessed one of its bloodiest weeks from August 5 to 11. On Sunday, 17 people were murdered, with only two arrests made. Additionally, 11 people were wounded, leading to one arrest. On the same day, 16 sexual assault cases were reported, one kidnapping, and seven incidents of illegal firearm and ammunition possession, resulting in 12 arrests. The incidents include a murder in Delft on Cameron Road, N2 Gateway, where an unidentified man was found with gunshot wounds to his chest. At the scene, seven 9mm and seven R5 cartridges were recovered. In Dullah Omar Street, Fisantekraal, Durbanville, a man with a bullet wound to his neck and a…

Recent reports of South African foreign-trained medical graduates, who remain idle while the Department of Health and our health system flounders, have to be addressed post haste. With the pace at which government is hurtling toward a NHI, which in itself poses more problems than solutions, the National Independent Congress of South Africa (Nicsa) would like to raise some concerns that it hopes you as the minister responsible, will address. South African medical graduates who have trained overseas, at enormous cost to their parents and families – not government – are sitting idle, while the dire need for such personnel rises exponentially. What is the current status or plan to absorb such graduates into our health system so as to alleviate the shortage that is clearly evident? The importation of…

The shocking and heartbreaking murder of three children in Southport, UK, was erroneously and unjustly linked to an asylum seeker. Instead of showing solidarity with the grief experienced by the families and communities affected by the heinous crime, supporters of the far-right amplified the false claims about the identity of the murderer and posted inflammatory posts, fuelling anti-migrant violence. The rabid racists caused damage to property, attacked religious institutions and instilled fear among people. The unfounded anti-immigrant and racist rioting on the streets of the UK is unacceptable and needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Unfortunately, the flare-up of violence against asylum seekers and minority groups, such as Muslims, has long been fermenting under the surface due to years of calculated misinformation and Islamophobia by some sections…

The local government funding and revenue-generation model in South Africa is not sustainable, and what worries me is that there is little hope with the current crop of councillors who are supposed to be our first line of defence. Lawmakers at the local government sphere seem to have adopted a “don’t care attitude”, as long as their monthly salaries are paid to them. Most of these councillors are on a daily basis preoccupied with petty politics and squabbles about who has the mayoral chain hanging from his/her neck; and when is the next motion of no confidence on this and that mayor. It is scary that some of our local government councillors do not appreciate the responsibilities accorded to them. We often witness this when councillors are supposed to have…

Greek emergency services fought back yesterday against a massive wildfire that scorched areas around Athens, killing a woman, causing widespread damage and sending thousands of people fleeing from their homes. A fire department spokesperson said “pockets of flame” were being dealt with but there were no longer “areas of particular concern”. Hundreds of firefighters, backed by about 200 fire engines and 20 water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze that started on Sunday in Varnavas, 35km from Athens. The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burnt-out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt. Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape northeast of the capital, destroying dozens of houses, cars and businesses in the over…

The South African football landscape has traditionally been tilted towards the so-called big clubs from Johannesburg. Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have always had deep pockets to financially outmuscle their rivals in the bid to lure the country’s top footballers. Over the past decade, Mamelodi Sundowns have taken this to a different level with Masandawana being bankrolled by one of Africa’s richest men, Patrice Motsepe. While this may be a global trend, there certainly still has to be a space left open for the competition. And this brings me to Stellenbosch FC. The Winelands outfit are one of the best-run sporting fraternities in the country and have reaped the fruits of their labour. Last season was particularly special for Stellies. Not only did coach Steve Barker lead Stellenbosch…

‘Lost’ his gun and laptop then assaulted the thieves A former Western Cape Crime Intelligence head has been fired from the police. Major-General Mzwandile Tiyo’s dismissal followed after a Section 34 inquiry to establish his fitness to hold office after allegations that he “lost” a laptop and a firearm then used crime intelligence resources to find the thieves before assaulting them. The theft happened in 2022 while he was at a tavern and the belongings were in a car parked outside the establishment. Parliament’s police portfolio committee chairperson Ian Cameron welcomed Tiyo’s dismissal. “The dismissal of Tiyo is tangible proof that misconduct of any form will not be accepted within…

Yanga “Bara” Nyalara and co-accused Wanda Tofile have been acquitted on all charges which included the murder of 12 people in Khayelitsha. The pair were arrested in 2022 and abandoned their right to apply for bail. They faced 12 counts of murder, six charges of attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. They are both still in custody for different matters. Tofile was sentenced for theft-related matters and is due to be released next month while Nyalara still has a business robbery case pending. After two years their trial commenced on July 22 in the High Court sitting in the Goodwood Prison Circuit Court. The court heard there was only one surviving witness, Mr Z. During his testimony he denied some of the things in the statement he…

Are situations globally as bad as in the days of Nero, Nebuchadnezzar or Hitler? Maybe not quite, but we are certainly heading there. The streets of London in the UK, the once peaceful, secure city are now rocked by barbaric, chaotic protests involving Islamist extremists who always shout the loudest, drive the most fear into anyone who opposes their ideology and who are too happy to come armed with dangerous stabbing weapons and even machetes, ready to hurt other people or inflict serious damage to property. In the US not so long ago, we also saw the pro-Hamas protesters rip into universities and campuses chanting “death to the Jews” and “death to America”, disguising their antisemitic behaviour under the banner of “Free Palestine”. Little did we know the ugly truth…

GAMBLING has become a huge industry. Betway sponsors football, rugby, cricket, darts, eSports and winter sports. The PSL announced a R900 million sponsorship by Betway. Hollywoodbets focuses more on rugby and horse racing in KwaZulu-Natal. How much do residents have to gamble for the companies to announce such phenomenal sponsorships? The taxman must be smiling broadly at the tax made from gambling companies. The government should earmark this tax for transformation projects.…

South Africa once again finds itself in an untenable position with questions arising over its lack of police and state intelligence capacity. This comes amid reports that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested four police officers attached to crime intelligence and two civilians for alleged corruption, extortion, kidnapping, and assault. While this has been happening, the country has been plunged into disarray by the discovery of not one but two illegal military training camps. This is on top of almost daily reports of kidnapping and human and drug trafficking cases. If these are not signs of a country teetering on the brink of collapse due to the high levels of lawlessness, what more needs to happen in order to bring this reality home. We just heard the Minister…

Elon Musk’s much-anticipated interview with Donald Trump got off to a rocky start yesterday after what the controversial entrepreneur said was a cyber attack on his social media platform. What was billed as a “no limits” conversation started more than half an hour late, with many people unable to listen in live, in an embarrassing setback for both men. “There appears to be a massive DDOS attack on X. Working on shutting it down,” Musk, the world’s richest man, wrote on the platform formerly known as Twitter. The conversation between the two men was intended to help reinvigorate Trump’s stuttering campaign, which has flagged since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Musk, who has said he previously voted Democrat, has thrown his weight – and wealth – behind…

Adele’s Munich concert was already set to be a showstopper, but for two South Africans, it turned into the experience of a lifetime. Out of an 80 000-strong crowd, radio broadcaster Clement Manyathela and his friend Basani found themselves sharing the stage with the global superstar. The I Drink Wine singer’s residency at Messe München has been the talk of the town with her record-breaking 22-song set list, wowing fans. Even in South Africa, we turn her emotional ballads into party anthems – crying and celebrating all at once. For the fans who flew across the globe to see her, their joy was palpable. Adele, always one to connect with her audience, spotted a group of South Africans having the time of their lives in the crowd. Without hesitation, she…

A driver has been arrested for assaulting and stabbing three City of Cape Town law enforcement officers who were patrolling on the N2. On Monday, the Ghost Squad officers were on patrol on the N2 when they noticed a motorist overtaking other vehicles on the shoulder of the roadway near Borcherds Quarry. The City’s mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said the officers were simply doing their jobs when they came under attack. “The officers indicated by means of blue lights, sirens, and the public address system for the driver to pull over, but he refused, resulting in a chase and officers calling for assistance. “They eventually managed to box in…

THE Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (MJC) has called on imams across Cape Town to attend a disaster readiness workshop following the shooting at the city’s Brooklyn Masjied. In a statement, the MJC says the comprehensive workshop will be held in partnership with the Disaster Risk Management team of the City of Cape Town to improve emergency preparedness in mosques and community religious institutions. MJC president Sheikh Riad Fataar said that in response to the recent shooting at the Brooklyn mosque, they are committed to improving emergency protocols. This will ensure that both the imam and the community are informed on how to effectively manage such situations. “The goal is to provide religious leaders with the knowledge and abilities they need to manage emergencies within their organisations. The workshop…

A crowdfunding campaign has been started in support of a Deaf Rugby Sevens star from Bonteheuwel who sustained a horrific injury during an international competition. Tashriq Parker, 24, who represented South Africa in the international Deaf Rugby Sevens series in Johannesburg, sustained a fractured skull during their 10s match against England. Top teams from all around the world, including hosts South Africa, England, Australia and Japan, all competed in an enthralling series during the historic tournament. Parker, who was one of the two players from the Western Cape chosen to represent their nation, was hit in the head when he tried to tackle an opponent. “So I decided to take on the biggest guy as he was coming at full speed towards me. “Obviously, I went for his legs and…

Here’s a guide for comparing the David vs Goliath proportionality in the Arab-Israeli conflict (“Comparing Gaza and Israel”, Cape Argus, August 12). There are 15 000 000 Jews and 1 500 000 000 Muslims in the world. There is one Israeli state and 22 Arab states. There is one Jewish UN member and 56 Muslim UN members. During the Mandate period (1920-48), the Arab population doubled by immigration. Jews were called Palestinians and Arabs identified with their clans or countries of origin. From 1948 on, Jews became Israelis. Israeli Arabs called themselves Israelis or Arabs. Arabs in Judea & Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza were mostly Jordanians or Egyptians. In 1964, the Soviet KGB created the Palestine Liberation Organization to drive the Jews out of Israel and diminish American influence…

The South African women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on August 9 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women were defiant and brave. And not just South African women. Feminists like Angela Davis, the Suffragettes, Coretta Scott King and so many more, had made it their life’s mission to fight for women’s rights and equality. What a crying shame then, it is to realise that for the women in Gaza and in so many other parts of the world, this work will amount to next to nothing. It is a crying shame that in this modern day and age, where we are so au fait, so politically correct, so focused on inclusivity and diversity, there are still women in the world who are…

Only a ceasefire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil, three senior Iranian officials said. Iran has vowed a severe response to Haniyeh’s killing, which took place as he visited Tehran late last month, and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement. The US Navy has deployed warships and a submarine to the Middle East to bolster Israeli defences. One of the sources, a senior Iranian security official, said Iran, along with allies such as Hezbollah, would launch a direct attack if the Gaza talks fail or it perceives Israel is dragging out negotiations. The sources did not say how long Iran…

Russian President Vladimir Putin told visiting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas yesterday that Moscow was pained by the plight of his people and backed their aspiration to create a fully fledged state. Putin said Moscow was paying attention to events in the Middle East despite the demands of its own war in Ukraine. He did not refer directly to Ukraine’s week-old incursion into western Russia, an operation that has caught Russia’s military off guard and forced more than 130 000 people to flee their homes. “Everyone is well aware that Russia today, unfortunately, must defend its interests and defend its people with arms in hand. But what is happening in the Middle East, what is happening in Palestine, of course, does not go unnoticed on our part,” Putin said, according to…