Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-12-17 i Cape Argus

If 2023 was Tyla’s break-out year then 2024 was the year the South African-born songstress cemented her status as a global music icon. She kicked off the year by following the success of 2023 when her song Water became a viral hit. But by the time it was February, the 22-year-old made history by becoming the youngest African soloist to win a Grammy Award. A month later, she released her self-titled debut album, which features the hit songs Jump, ART and Truth and Dare. Her 14-track offering also features collaborations with the likes of US rapper Travis Scott, Nigerian singer Tems, South African amapiano artist Kelvin Momo, Becky G and Gunna. She returned to South Africa in April for the first time since her Grammy win and was serenaded…

TWO Brazilian drug traffickers aged 30 and 35 have been arrested with cocaine shortly after landing at OR Tambo International Airport from São Paulo, Brazil. Police spokesperson, Amanda van Wyk, confirmed that the foreign nationals were arrested on Sunday and would appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court this week on charges related to drug trafficking. “One of these traffickers was found in possession of over 4kg of cocaine in his luggage while a medical x-ray confirmed the presence of drug bullets swallowed by the other drug mule,” Van Wyk said in a statement. She said 15 “bullets” containing cocaine have been released so far. This is the second drug bust in just a week at the airport. On Friday, police intercepted…

THE Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has advised that South Africa is among six countries to move from active transmission of Mpox to a controlled stage. The number of Mpox cases reported so far this year in Africa has surpassed 65 000, as the death toll surged to over 1 200, according to the Africa CDC. The African continent reported 65 711 Mpox cases since the start of this year, of which 14 241 were confirmed, and over 1 237 deaths, according to Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya. During last week alone, the continent reported 3 545 new cases, including 467…

I WOULD like to express heartfelt thanks to the community of Gelb crescent, Brackenfell. I am not sure when the Christmas lights tradition started there, but this was the first year that I became aware of it. I took my 77 year old mother and 10 year old niece to see the lights. But in truth it was I who was astounded. I walked around mouth agape like a little child. Every home was decorated in a unique style. There was an atmosphere of genuine South African togetherness and – may I say – ubuntu. This was extra special for me as I remember a time when the diversity, camaraderie and warmth displayed there was not the norm amongst us South Africans. A special mention must be made of…

RESIDENTS in the Helderberg are scratching their heads and mulling worrying questions around as to what has happened to the once, relatively, peaceful life they have lived here. We all accept and understand that there will always be some crime and law breaking in Helderberg, but at which point do we say enough is enough? The changing ‘life as we know it’ in Helderberg due to development and growth, influx of people from other countries and provinces, and various other reasons, are the new norm of living with all the dangers it has brought us. But herein lies a very disturbing reality. We are being left at the mercy of these rogue criminals and merciless scoundrels who of late have ‘wormed’ themselves into our lives, by the neglect of, and…

Last weekend, the EFF held its third elective conference in Nasrec, Johannesburg. Julius Sello Malema was elected unopposed as party president, and for a third term. The political organisation has no term limit on the party’s top position. EFF central committee member Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi did not attend the elective conference. According to media reports, Ndlozi was not allowed to attend the National People’s Assembly (NPA) by the party leadership. It remains unclear if the above statement is true or not. The truth of the matter is that, since the departure of the former deputy president Floyd Shivambu, Ndlozi has been ill treated by the party leadership, particularly Malema. During the elective conference, Malema was asked by the media why Ndlozi was absent from the NPA, he got furious and…

THE horror crash on the N9 near Graaff-Reinet that claimed 15 lives, and a separate accident on the R61 near Bizana, which left three more dead, are grim reminders of the deadly toll our roads take during the festive season. It is believed that an SUV, travelling with six occupants, crashed head-on into a fully-loaded minibus taxi, travelling from the Western Cape. As holiday traffic builds up, South Africa’s roads are turned into high-risk zones, with more vehicles, impatient drivers and, far too often, reckless behaviour. A time of the year meant for joy and family reunions frequently turns into a season of grief for far too many families. The Eastern Cape in particular, has become a hotspot for road accidents, and these crashes highlight the urgent need for proactive…

Berlin: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz yesterday lost a confidence vote in parliament, paving the way for an early general election on February 23. Out of the Bundestag deputies, 394 voted against Centre-left Scholz, 66 – whose three-party coalition collapsed last month – while only 207 expressed confidence in the chancellor, with 116 abstentions. Friedrich Merz, 69, the top candidate of the conservative CDU-CSU opposition alliance of ex-chancellor Angela Merkel, is well ahead in opinion polls to become the next leader of Europe’s top economy. | AFP…

Hosts Western Province scored a comfortable six wicket win over KZN Inland on the opening day of the Khaya Majola Schools Week. The visitors batted first but lost their first wicket cheaply when opener Ben Hockley (six) was snared by quickie Raeeq Daniels with only 16 runs on the board. Fellow opener Cian Fortmann (50) and Daniel Nadasan (26), however, batted with assurance to put on 50 in the second wicket partnership. Fortmann, whose innings included six fours, continued with caution in a bid to stabilise the innings. His dismissal sparked a mini-collapse but middle-order batters Marcel Wellmann (30) and Sphamandla Dzanibe (30*) brought respectability to the total, which closed on 196/8 in the allotted 50 overs. For WP, Daniels – a SA Under-19 player – was the pick of…

TWO Hanover Park men accused of shooting and killing 6-year-old Zakariyah Noble have been sentenced to 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty in the Wynberg Regional Court. Tears flowed on Friday as Noble’s heartbroken parents came one step closer to getting justice for their son as Chandler Harper and Keanan America entered into the plea deal. The duo were busted alongside Riaan Matthews by the Anti-Gang Unit after the shooting on October 16, 2023, when Noble was struck in the chest while walking with his uncle and cousins in Surwood Walk. Noble’s death sparked an outcry after a video emerged showing the Grade R learner from Turfhall Primary School telling his classmates that he dreamt of becoming a police officer to “punish the bad guys”. Father, Kieyamodien…

THERE has been concern expressed online, after the West Coast SPCA announced it would be ceasing operations in the Vredenberg area at the end of January 2025. According to the organisation, the Saldanha Bay Municipality was unable to renew the tender due to financial constraints. “Since being awarded the tender to run the pound for the Saldanha Bay Municipality in 2017, we have been privileged to provide a much-needed service to the animals and pet owners in the community. “We deeply value the incredible working relationship we have enjoyed with the Saldanha Bay Municipality. Their support and collaboration have been instrumental in enabling us to fulfill our mission,” the SPCA said. The organisation also expressed its thanks to the Saldanha Bay Municipality, staff, volunteers and the community for their support…

Your Thursday edition “Benefits for gig economy workers” refers. In an interesting article with regard to Mexican digital app employees such as Uber or Didi there seems to be a move afoot to somehow stifle the digital platforms. By granting employee status to these individuals they are probably going to kill half the jobs. It is all very well for any economy to try and insist that people be treated fairly but by destroying the jobs they are effectively saying that people should rather stay at home and not work. In reality the approval of rights and benefits for GIG economy workers will make it more expensive and will dissuade any person or entity from creating the job in the first place.…

I KNOW many people are already in the holiday spirit, but the stark reality is that amidst the joy and festivities, there are those for whom this season may not be a happy one. The number of children in the foster system has increased. In March 2021, there were 35 610 children in the foster system in the Western Cape. By the end of November 2024, there were 42 322. These are children who have either been placed in foster care or places of safety by the Western Cape Department of Social Development, for varying reasons. When the Department receives reports of alleged child abuse, social workers will investigate and ensure the safeguarding of the child, such as placing them in a place of safety. Designated Child Protection Organisations (DCPO)…

The ANC is the oldest liberation movement in Africa. It played a critical role in the liberation of South Africa. Moreover, the ANC inspired other countries to establish their liberation movements. It was in this context that Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) established its own ANC in 1958. After decades of struggle, the ANC and all other liberation movements were unbanned on February 2, 1990. Consequently, the first democratic election was held on April 27, 1994. Unsurprisingly, the ANC emerged victorious – obtaining 62.65% of the votes. Except for 2004 when the ANC obtained a two-thirds majority with 69.69%, the party has been on a downward spiral. However, the ANC had never obtained anything below 60% since 1994. Cyril Ramaphosa took over as the leader of the ANC. He promised…

The arrest of a four-star general in Brazil over the weekend shows courts are ready to play hardball with those accused of plotting to violently overturn election results, breaking with the impunity that shadowed nearly a century of military coups. Former Brazilian Defence Minister Walter Braga Netto was arrested on Saturday for allegedly meddling in the investigation of a coup plot organised with former President Jair Bolsonaro, his running mate in the 2022 election. Last month, federal police accused them and over two dozen active and retired military officers of taking part in the plot, including a scheme to kill President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva before he could take office. Lawyers for Bolsonaro and Braga Netto deny they took part in the alleged conspiracy or would have benefited from…

YAOUNDE: Cameroon’s President Paul Biya warned yesterday of “disastrous consequences” for the countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa if urgent action is not taken to address their deteriorating net external reserves. Member countries Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republicand the Republic of Congo share monetary policy, currency and a central bank. They have struggled to emerge from Covid-19 and other global shocks, leaving them short of foreign exchange or other assets to cover import bills and debt repayments. | Reuters…

A HEAD-ON collision involving a minibus taxi travelling from the Western Cape towards the Eastern Cape has led to the death of 15 people on the N9 just outside Graaff-Reinet. According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, among the deceased are two children, aged between 6 and 7 years old. “An SUV, Mazda CX5 – with six occupants – and a fully loaded minibus taxi from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape collided head-on. All six occupants of the SUV died on the scene, along with nine occupants from the minibus taxi,” the department said. The Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal said it is also beefing up law enforcement along the province’s highways following two major truck crashes on the N3 at the weekend. On Saturday,…

AS THE year draws to a close, many newly qualified junior doctors will be compelled to join the unemployment queue after completing their statutory internship and community service. This is after sacrificing nine years of their adult lives to improve public health in South Africa. The unemployment of newly qualified South African junior doctors has become a thorny issue. Due to budgetary constraints, the number of junior doctors unemployed after community service was; 288 in 2021 and 694 in 2022. Records indicate that South African medical schools produce approximately 2 000 - 2 300 medical doctors annually, with the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, and Pretoria University, each producing 200 to 250 graduates with the remaining seven medical schools, each producing less than 200 graduates. The…

WHAT a dramatic Manchester derby it was! Leading 1-0 early in the game it seemed done and dusted for Premier League champions Man City. They were playing at home and it seemed unthinkable that they would let their great rivals Man United beat them in front of their enthusiastic home support. But the unthinkable did happen. Man City gave away a penalty and Man United captain Bruno Fernandes did not miss from the penalty spot and equalised. And then, late in the game, came a dramatic twist in the derby when Man United struck home at the 90th minute from an Amad Diallo strike. Etihad Stadium went silent. The world’s greatest manager could not believe what he saw. So early in the season, his team had already lost seven games.…

As we pause to commemorate Reconciliation Day, we are called to reflect deeply on what this day signifies in the ongoing story of our nation. Reconciliation is not a mere observance – it is a profound act of courage, a testament to our shared humanity, and an unyielding commitment to the promise of a better tomorrow for all South Africans. Ours is a nation forged in the crucible of struggle and resilience. We have endured the brutality of colonialism, the dehumanising legacy of apartheid, and the persistent inequalities that still challenge our progress. Yet, through these trials, we have shown that unity is not just an ideal but a powerful force capable of transforming pain into progress. Reconciliation Day is a reminder of this truth. It challenges us to confront…

LONDON: A senior UK bishop, who will soon take over temporarily as leader of the world’s Anglicans after a sex abuse scandal, faced calls to quit yesterday over his own handling of another case. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the Anglican Church’s second-most senior cleric, will take charge for a few months after the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby last month. Welby stepped down after an independent probe found he should have formally reported decades of abuse by a church-linked lawyer to authorities in 2013. The report found the church covered up the attacks, which occurred in Britain, Zimbabwe and South Africa. | AFP…

LONDON: Britain yesterday cleared Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group to buy Royal Mail in a £3.57 billion deal, after securing commitments that the government said would protect one of the world’s oldest postal services. EP Group agreed to acquire Royal Mail parent International Distribution Services in May, but the British government said in August it would scrutinise the deal due to the national importance of the service. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said EP Group had committed to protect Royal Mail’s postal network, and would ensure its headquarters remained in Britain. | Reuters…