Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-21 i Cape Argus

The gripping drama of The Crucible, set in historic Salem, portrays the witchcraft purge as a sharp mirror reflecting the issues of modern society. The 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller, explores how small lies can spiral into widespread distrust within a tight-knit community. This is where personal vendettas mix with desires and old superstitions, sparking mass hysteria. The production also explores how the timeless allegory criticises senseless persecution as well as the damaging effects that baseless accusations can have. The show, which is directed by Francoise Kock and Erik van Zyl, revolves around a group of girls who falsely accuse the townspeople of witchcraft to hide their own dabbling in the occult. Abigail Williams leads the accusations, which result in the formation of a court to investigate the…

THE male baboon who dispersed from his troop and embarked on a tour of Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs has been safely captured. After days of causing a buzz on social media, the adult male baboon was finally captured by a joint team of animal welfare organisations yesterday, who worked tirelessly to bring the animal to safety. Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham said along with the Animal Welfare Society of SA and NCC Environmental Services, they were able to dart the animal at a home in Lansdowne yesterday. Sightings of the animal captured the imaginations of Capetonians who recorded the animal visiting Plumstead, Kenilworth, Ottery, Kenwyn, Lansdowne and even Hanover Park since the weekend. Videos on chat groups showed the baboon perched on the roofs of homes…

THE owner of Euphoria Social Club in Kraaifontein walked out of the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on a high note after prosecutors decided not to place his case on the roll. Social media has been buzzing since the three-part video showing the raid of the members-only cannabis club went viral. Posted on Facebook by Angelica Main, the video starts off with police standing inside the establishment in Brighton Road, Windsor Park, explaining the Firearms Control Act to the owner Timothy Duckitt, 33, who asks for their search warrant. Duckitt’s lawyer, Wildre Fourie, said his client had a permit displayed in the front window of his shop, showing that he is allowed to cultivate the herb. However, according to Duckitt, who spoke to the Cape Argus yesterday, the police would not…

CHAOS erupted in the Western Cape High Court yesterday as an alleged gang leader and affiliate of Nafiz Modack attacked one of his henchmen in the dock. The drama unfolded shortly before new evidence regarding the assassination attempt of attorney William Booth was introduced, when one of the accused was allegedly outed for ratting-out alleged gang boss, Moegamat Toufiek Brown. During the trial, Brown was outed by another State witness as the leader of the Terrible West Siders gang, and during proceedings yesterday, the State entered a plea statement submitted by Brown’s co-accused and alleged henchman, Riyaat Gesant, into evidence. Gesant, who has already been sentenced for the attempted hit on Booth several years ago, was convicted alongside Ebrahim Deare and Brown’s wife, Kauthar. The trio were charged with aiding…

MITCHELLS Plain residents say it’s going to be a long nine months for motorists as construction gets under way for the next phase of the MyCiTi bus service. Phase 2A of the MyCiTi expansion will link residents of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with the hubs of Claremont and Wynberg. The City said the roadwork along AZ Berman Drive formed part of Phase 2A and will affect traffic flow along Stock Road/AZ Berman Drive between the Nduli Street and Petunia Road intersections. According to Alex Lawrence, transport convenor of the Mitchells Plain United Residents Association (Mura), there isn’t much space to pull over in case of an accident or a car breakdown due to the lanes’ closures. He said any obstruction in those lanes caused massive congestion. South of Wespoort Drive…

THE body of a partially naked woman has been discovered at the quarry near Bo-Kaap by a group of boys playing soccer. According to the Cape Town Central Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson, Marc Truss, it appeared as if the woman had been attacked. She had been found at the old rugby and soccer field along Strand Street on Monday afternoon. “They unfortunately found a woman who we initially thought had fallen off the mountain but it appears it was something else. “We are waiting for the police for further information,” said Truss. The police said they were not investigating murder, as they awaited the autopsy. Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, said: “Cape Town Central police registered an inquest for investigation after the body of an unknown female was found on…

Dear Comrade Floyd, My address to you, as a comrade, is not an implication of my membership of the EFF. Rather, it is a consequence of my sympathy with the politics of the Left, not only in South Africa but the world over. I will not readily or cowardly deny the fact that your disassociation with your old comrade and EFF leader, Julius Malema, has always been a time bomb waiting to explode at the right time. By the right time I mean the pressure of the international workers’ revolution that in many cases, as in your case, is bottled in a steamed container of political greed, a personal spaza shop and a feudal fief disguised as a party. Your decision to choose the revolution is commendable and history will…

The Springboks have recalled World Cup winners Steven Kitshoff, Jaden Hendrikse, André Esterhuizen, Jasper Wiese and Canan Moodie, and one-Test lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg for the Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand. The trio of Kitshoff, Hendrikse and Moodie recently returned from injury and played in the Currie Cup for their respective provinces but will make a welcome return to the national side in the build-up to the two important Test matches. Esterhuizen and Wiese both served suspensions for foul play and are free to be selected. Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus decided to exclude scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and hooker Johan Grobbelaar from the home games in Johannesburg and Cape Town. With Grobbelaar out, Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx are the only hookers selected with rookie front-rower…

IN THE latest episode of Fake Gobela, a reality show on Moja Love, Letoya Makhene was exposed as an alleged bogus healer. The local series aims to expose traditional doctors who are either fake or who do not fulfil the promises they made to the people they purport to help. Kabelo Mpongo, one of Makhene’s ex-initiates, turned to the show for help after apparently not getting any assistance from the renowned personality. The South African actress and singer is also a traditional doctor. Makhene is acclaimed for her role as Tshidi in Generations: The Legacy. It is alleged that the 39-year-old did not fulfil her duties as a traditional doctor. Mpongo claimed on the show that the two weeks he spent at Makhene’s initiation school did not help him in…

THE Western Cape E-hailing Association said its strike action yesterday was a success, despite some drivers refusing to participate. The stayaway included Uber, Bolt and Indrive riders, who were called to remain offline in protest of several grievances, forcing some customers to make alternative arrangements to get to work. Parked off near the Cape Town International Airport, drivers said they were still operating. Inside the airport, it was business as usual as there were drivers with Uber cards, while metered-taxis were operating. Most, Zimbabwean nationals, said they were not consulted about the strike. A driver who only identified himself as Mkonera said: “We decided to not be part of the association because we don’t see how they are going to represent us.” Western Cape E-hailing Association secretary-general, Omar Parker, said…

THREE suspects have been arrested for the burglary at the Public Order Police’s headquarters in Faure. Riot control ammunition and a gas canister launcher were stolen last week. An internal SAPS report showed that offices stationed at the base, which is home to the specialised SAPS unit, were burgled on August 12. Crime activists have called for an independent investigation. The report said thieves had entered a platoon store and broke into the cage which stored the firearm safe. Among the list of stolen items were a gas canister launcher, eight stun grenades, two smoke grenades, two boxes of rubber rounds and two ammunition belts consisting of 40 rubber rounds. There were no witnesses. Police spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said an extensive pursuit for the suspects led to the arrest of…

WRITER, director and artist Mmabatho Montsho has been in the spotlight on X (formerly Twitter) for her online activity, which undermine husband Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s political loyalties to the EFF. With the recent exit of the EFF’s second-in-command Floyd Shivambu, social media users have been scrutinising every move made by those associated with the party. Montsho was caught liking Shivambu’s post on Instagram, in which the new Umkhonto weSizwe Party member wrote: “The time comes in the life of any nation where there remain only two choices – fight or submit”. Some social media users have speculated that Ndlozi might be the next to head to the exit. This comes after EFF leader Julius Malema’s fiery statements on Monday, where he said anyone who wanted to leave the party was not…

THE Department of Home Affairs and the Hawks have ramped-up their investigation into a potential identity fraud case involving former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina. Home Affairs told Parliament yesterday that it had now identified three officials, one of them who had since died, who registered the birth of Adetshina in 2001. Authorities suspect that Adetshina’s mother may have allegedly and unlawfully assumed the identity of a Tshwane woman born in 1982, leading to serious legal and personal complications. The Tshwane woman gave birth in 2001, only to find her identity number had already been linked to the birth of Adetshina. Home Affairs said the Tshwane woman, who allegedly had her identity stolen, first applied for her identity document in Pretoria in 1995, but when she returned to collect…

MORE children from underprivileged communities in Cape Town will have the chance to break through in the sailing world thanks to a generous donation made to The Little Optimist Trust. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has sponsored a grant of €26 000 (R516 087) to the non-profit organisation situated in the V&A Waterfront. The donation comes after the trust was chosen as a laureate for the prestigious Sustained Insight and Impact Initiative. The programme was launched in collaboration with the IOC to sustain and scale the social impact legacy of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Greg Bertish, founder of the trust, said the acknowledgement was beneficial for Cape Town and the Waterfront. “The grant will allow us to implement sailing as a form of therapy but also a…

Manager Steve Cooper said Leicester City’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday was a promising start to their Premier League return after a year away but reminded his players that only wins will satisfy the club’s fan base. Spurs dominated the first half and took the lead through Pedro Porro in the 29th minute before Leicester, Premier League champions in the 2015/16 season, equalised through 37-year-old Jamie Vardy’s header in the 57th minute. Leicester were relegated to the Championship last season, bringing an end to their nine-year run in the English top flight. “We had some really good moments against them in the second half. We became a really difficult opponent ... It was a fairly positive start, but we want to be winning games,” Cooper said after the…

Matthew Perry’s drug death investigators have denied they probed his death due to his A-list status. Five people, including the Friends actor’s long-time assistant, a former movie director, two doctors and an alleged dealer dubbed the “Ketamine Queen”, have been charged after the star died in his hot tub in October last year after he took three huge injections of anaesthetic. Martin Estrada, the US Attorney for the Central District of California, has now told People the suspects were not pursued just because Perry’s death had grabbed global headlines: “This was not investigated and looked at because it was Matthew Perry. It was investigated because we had a victim in our jurisdiction in Southern California who died from drugs provided to him by drug dealers. “We don’t do this just…

A GROUP of pupils from Woodlands High School in Mitchells Plain are facing disciplinary action after they allegedly hijacked an Uber driver at gunpoint. The incident, which happened on August 2, has since been brought to light by a witness. The anonymous witness recalled that on Friday afternoon the Uber driver parked opposite the school. “The group of boys were walking, then suddenly two turned around and pointed a gun at the driver, the others kept walking a short distance. “The driver fought back, that’s when another of the boys turned around and came to help the two. “Eventually the driver ran away and his key was still in the ignition. “The boys sped off and picked up the other two on the way, but one fell out en route…

THE three people charged in connection with the grand theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in 2020, are expected back in the Modimolle Regional Court in October, by when an Oshiwambo language interpreter will be sought. The trio appeared in court yesterday, where the case was postponed to October 7, according to Limpopo spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi. “The matter of three accused - Imanuwela David, Floriana Joseph and Ndilinasho Joseph – regarding the housebreaking at Phala Phala game farm has been postponed to October 7, 2024 in the Modimolle Regional Court for disclosure of the docket and an Oshiwambo interpreter,” she said. The Oshiwambo language is spoken by the Ovambo people in southern Angola and greater parts of Namibia. The…

BEACHES along Gordon’s Bay will soon have vibrant murals on display, courtesy of several young Helderberg artists. The colourful drawings of 12 painters from various Helderberg communities will be displayed for everyone to see along beach walls. It has been made possible through a project launched earlier this year by ward councillor Sean Stacey. Stacey said the project was initiated to empower youths and showcase their talents. “I’m thrilled to see it come to life. The other aspect of initiating the project was to try to attract more tourist activity in the ward, which I’m sure these murals will do,” he said. The painters are in Grades 1 to 3 and residents of ward 100, while applicants from other areas of Helderberg were also welcomed. “I want to have more…

Proteas Test wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne is off to Nottinghamshire to ply his trade in the English County Championship where he will gain more time out in the middle in red-ball cricket. Verreynne will be joining his fellow Proteas Test and Western Province teammate Dane Patterson at Trent Bridge for the next month as an overseas professional. The 27-year-old is fresh off a two-match series in the West Indies where he threatened with scores of 39, 21 and 59 without kicking on to something really substantial. But instead of being able to build on those starts, Verreynne and the rest of his Proteas Test teammates will only gather in about six weeks for another truncated two-match series in Bangladesh. Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad lamented the fact that his team’s batting…

Even if Saturday’s encounter is a do-or-die match for their Currie Cup campaign, Western Province will continue to use the competition to develop their younger generation. It’s been an abysmal season so far for the Cape side, winning only two of their seven matches so far, both of those against the Griffons, and they are one loss away from not making the play-offs this year. Although they are still in with a shout of making the semifinals, they won’t haul out the big guns against the Sharks this weekend at Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 3pm) to salvage their campaign. Rito Hlungwani, WP assistant coach, confirmed that they will continue backing youngsters throughout the campaign, and if they make the play-offs, they will see it as a bonus. “If we make…