Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-01-27 i Cape Argus

Showmax’s acclaimed series Adulting has returned for a third and final season, bringing viewers back into the lives of four friends as they confront their innermost fears and desires. With the stakes higher than ever, the show’s latest offering, which premiered on Saturday, promises to explore the intricacies of friendship while each character grapples with the defining moments of adulthood. As the group embarks on a new chapter, viewers will follow Bonga (Thembinkosi Mthembu) as he navigates the tumultuous waters of married life, Vuyani (Luthando BU Mthembu), who is embracing his role as a club owner, Eric (Nhlanhla Kunene) who is adjusting to the rigours of a 9-to-5 job and Mpho (Thabiso Rammusi) who is facing the challenges of being a newly divorced father. Each character’s journey is filled with…

AN ELDERLY man tragically lost his life after being attacked by an elephant near the Malelane Gate in the Kruger National Park on Saturday. The incident occurred when the man’s grandchildren stepped out of their vehicle near a bridge, unaware of an elephant concealed behind nearby bushes. Moments later, the elephant emerged and began charging toward them. In a heroic act to protect his grandchildren, the man placed himself between them and the advancing elephant, risking his life. Unfortunately, he sustained fatal injuries during the attack. Paramedics arrived on the scene but were unable to save him. The man, who was a resident of Piet Retief, was pronounced dead at the scene. JP Louw, spokesperson for the SA National Parks (SANParks), confirmed the incident, which took place near the Crocodile…

FORMER Cape Town mayco member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross, said she looks forward to her future after her removal. The proportional councillor was moved on Thursday from the committee and has now been deployed in Heideveld. She said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis informed her before he made a public announcement that she would be replaced by Francine Higham. Van der Ross said her new role in the community is something that she enjoys. “I had the title for three years but in the 10 years before, I was doing community engagements. I am a positive person, I think people want me to be angry but I understand how the system works and the structure. I also understand that it is the mayor’s prerogative to make those…

Below Luck level Barbara Erasmus Catalyst Press I HAD the privilege of meeting Barbara Erasmus back in the early 2000s when I was involved in staging book festivals focusing on SA women authors. It was a time when many locals did not read our authors. The perception being that they were all writing about politics and apartheid. So many good books were missed as a result of this perception. Thankfully that is past. Barbara’s early books, Kaleidoscopeand Even with Insects had little to do with politics and much to do with life; believable characters, behaviour, families, relationships and mental health. Light reads, laced with dry humour, Erasmus writes with a light hand on issues that often remain unspoken. Always with empathy but haunting – which possibly explains why,…

Clear thinking Shane Parrish Loot.co.za (R225) Penguin HOW often do we stop to think about how we feel? Shane Parrish’s Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results argues that our decisions shape our lives. This book clarifies how we process, reflect, and act. Parrish contends that many operate on autopilot, allowing biases and emotions to dictate actions. He encourages a shift from reactive to deliberate thinking through practical mental tools that help us recognise crucial moments and make better choices. Clear Thinking is not your typical self-help book, Parrish balances storytelling with actionable strategies, making his advice practical. One key concept is creating a “personal board of advisors,” which transformed my decision-making. This board includes figures like Seneca for clarity and Maya Angelou for compassion. When faced with tough…

It’s Soweto derby week and that usually means the sole focus over the next couple of days falls squarely on who will play for Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the match, what their current form and tactics are, the inter-familial contest for bragging rights, and whether coaches Jose Riveiro and Nasreddine Nabi can handle the pressure and expectation of two proud and ravenous support bases that love nothing more than beating the other. On Nabi, it will be the Tunisians first Soweto derby in charge of the Glamour Boys, and he will enter the cauldron FNB Stadium, regardless of the outcome against Free Agents on Sunday in the Nedbank Cup, with much to prove and with greater scrutiny. Many will argue that the tie between the two clubs has…

Bjorn Fortuin says now that the Paarl Royals have top spot in SA20, they aim to keep it for the rest of the tournament. The Royals will next face bottom-of-the-log Durban’s Super Giants at Boland Park today (starts 5.30pm). As the DSG have had a season to forget, the Royals have accelerated past all challengers with power and precision, and they deservedly became the first team to book their spot in the next round. It is a stage of the competition they have struggled with in the past. A 29-run play-off loss against the Pretoria Capitals in the first edition, was followed by a heavy nine-wicket play-off loss against the Joburg Super Kings in the last edition. With the Royals now having raised the bar, the pressure is on the…

A 22-year-old man, Nkosana Ngonyama from Florida, Johannesburg, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his aunt following a property dispute. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said Ngonyama’s mother died in 2018, and his aunt assumed parental responsibilities for him and his younger brother. Sometime in 2023, Ngonyama discovered he had shares in the family home and sought legal advice to acquire his portion without his aunt’s knowledge, but his attempts were unsuccessful. “On May 30, 2023, he proposed a ritual cleansing of the house, which his aunt deemed unnecessary, and this sparked an argument where he blamed her for his brother’s inadequate schooling. The argument eventually subsided, and family members went to sleep. “In the early hours of May 31, 2023,…

THE EFF and African Transformation Movement (ATM) have condemned the SA government’s response following the deaths of nine SANDF soldiers during a fierce skirmish with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A call for accountability comes amid unsettling reports that the soldiers were not only unsupported but also faced serious logistical challenges, including running out of provisions. In a statement yesterday, EFF MP Carl Niehaus expressed the party’s deep shock and sorrow over the loss of the soldiers deployed as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMDRC) and the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission (MONUSCO) in the North Kivu Province. The conflict, notorious for its volatility, has simmered for over three years, with the Congolese army facing off against M23 rebel fighters.…

Say No More Caroline Overington Narrated by Anna Skellern AUDIBLE ORIGINALS In this psychological masterpiece, two sisters’ lives are forever shaped by childhood trauma. When Maureen decides to tell her sister Audrey’s story, she unveils a complex web of deception, con artistry, and a desperate search for belonging. Released in Dec 2024, “Say No More” is just under 6 hours of listening time and a whirlwind of emotions. Their father died when Maureen was 6 or 7 years old and this would mark the start of tribulations that would haunt them throughout their lives. Maureen wants to tell Audrey’s story. After all, she was there, she was present in the house where Audrey was being abused, and she understood why Audrey felt the feelings she felt and why she would…

THERE is a crisis in leftist politics. The Left is in denial about that crisis. It begins at the definition level. The traditional Left was a force for justice and sound values. It brought divergent groups together. But that Left is no more. It has displayed increasing incompetence in building successful progressive societies. Fluent in rhetoric, they have ignored the failures of the State. The Left has lost its way in helping others see the benefit of its social democratic policies. It has become commonplace to see their policy ideals rolled out in clumsy and authoritarian ways. They often claim superiority in policy but are absent in ensuring the quality of its implementation. In South Africa, several of our schools and hospitals have collapsed. Visit schools in our townships and…

After working for years alongside the US to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan, Zahra says she was just days from being evacuated to America when President Donald Trump suspended refugee admissions. She sold her belongings as she awaited a flight out of Pakistan, where she has been embroiled in a three-year process applying for a refugee scheme Trump froze in one of his first acts back in office. “We stood with them for the past 20 years, all I want is for them to stand up for the promise they made,” the 27-year-old former Afghanistan defence ministry worker said. “The only wish we have is to be safe and live where we can have peace and an ordinary human life,” she said, sobbing down the phone and speaking under a…

A week can be a famously long time in rugby, and the Sharks return to Durban in high spirits after the trauma of an excruciating defeat in Bordeaux transformed into a gutsy victory in Cardiff. There was a worry that the 66-point drubbing by the French team might drain the Sharks of desire against the Welsh side in the United Rugby Championship fixture, but they fought from the first whistle to the last to win a crucial away game. The 42-22 match was massive because it cemented the Sharks in the top half of the URC, while allowing a squad that has been under immense pressure to retreat into a fortnight’s rest with their spirits high. Never underestimate the importance of a win, however manufactured, when you are coming off…

THE ANC in the Western Cape has expressed concern following the raid conducted by the SAPS Commercial Crimes Unit on the offices of Cape Town mayco members JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg. The investigation focused on allegations of tender fraud, adding to the growing pattern of corruption accusations within the DA-led City of Cape Town and other municipalities in the province The ANC has criticised the DA’s long-standing claim of “the best-governed city in the world,” pointing to recurring scandals as evidence of widespread mismanagement, corruption, and self-serving politics. “The DA’s national and provincial leadership, including Helen Zille and John Steenhuisen, must take responsibility and provide clarity on how they plan to address these serious allegations,” the ANC said in a statement. The party further noted that the DA’s lack…

A VICTORY for South Africa’s most vulnerable, is how advocacy groups hailed the judgment by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, which among others ruled that regulations limiting access to the R370 a month Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant are unconstitutional and invalid. Judge Leonard Twala also declared that regulations relating to the Covid-19 SRD are unconstitutional and invalid to the extent that it provides for these grant applications to be lodged on an electronic platform only – a means which many don’t have. Another regulation he had declared as invalid pertains to the extent that it sets the income threshold for insufficient means at R624 per person per month. It is declared that the Constitution requires the government to devise and implement a plan to address the retrogression in…

Chris van Wyk: Irascible Genius – A Son’s Memoir Kevin van Wyk Loot.co.za (R184) pan MacMillan WRITING a memoir can be a tricky business, particularly one that is a family memoir. One has to keep the balance just right between respect, memory, and love, without it becoming overly sentimental or even one-sided. Kevin van Wyk, son of the revered writer, poet, biographer, and children’s writer, Chris van Wyk has straddled a fine line between his duty as a son to remember his father and of engaging the reader in way that is at once poignant, humorous and yet shows both sides of the man he respected and loved. What emerges is a delightfully fine read, showing not only his father but describing the loving family in which he grew up…

Nora Roberts has long been a staple in the world of fiction. Her books divide opinion – you either love her or hate her, but either way she manages to spark conversation. Her latest trilogy, The Lost Bride, is no exception, while engaging, received mixed reactions from even her most loyal fans. The instalment builds on the characters and the story’s central mystery. Readers get a closer look at the haunted house and its history, while the relationship between the characters becomes intense. Cleo and Sonya’s friendship evolves, their community ties become stronger and there are hints of a budding romance between Cleo and Owen. But while there are developments, they are incremental, leaving the story feeling like it’s treading water. In the Mirror, the story centres around Sonya MacTavish…

In mid-January over 1 000 hunger-weakened miners exited two abandoned mineshafts in Stilfontein, near Johannesburg. They had been starved out by the police in Operation Vala Umgodi – meaning “plug the hole” – which had cut off food and water in an effort to “smoke out” a shadow workforce.An estimated 6 100 closed mines are distributed across the country. Although closed, they are not sealed. Residual gold remains in these ruins, and is extracted by miners who come from across the region. They are mainly unlicensed or undocumented migrants, and work in groups that range from a few dozen individuals to highly organised teams of hundreds. Television stations and social media feeds carried horrendous images of the emaciated figures of the living and the dead as they were brought to…

The Western Cape Regional Schools T20 final was played between Bishops and Paarl Boys High in sweltering conditions in Oudtshoorn yesterday. It was the "light blues" from the southern suburbs who emerged as convincing winners over Boishaai with an emphatic nine wickets victory. With this triumph, Bishops have now secured their place in the CSA T20 Schools final. The team from the Cape Winelands batted first and soon found themselves in trouble against a fired-up Bishops attack spearheaded by Waco Bissack, who delivered a stellar performance with impressive figures of three wickets for 19 runs. The lanky speedster dismissed both openers, Brent Goosen (1) and Adrian Jacobs (2), cheaply, leaving Boishaai struggling at just 11 runs on the board. The dismissal of Goosen was a significant setback for Boishaai as…