Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-02-13 i Cape Argus

Teen acting sensation Liyabona Mroqoza is still trying to process the fact that the first movie she landed has been nominated for an Academy Award. The 14-year-old made her acting debut in the isiXhosa movie The Last Ranger, which will be vying for the top film prize in the Best Live Action Short Film category. With the prestigious awards ceremony set to take place on Sunday, March 2, in Los Angeles, California, Mroqoza is elated about the nomination. “It is such a blessing to be nominated for an Oscar. It’s so awesome to know I have achieved something with my fellow cast members. “We have all got what we worked for and we worked really hard, so it truly is amazing to know that our work is doing something in…

A NON-PROFIT organisation has taken it upon itself to find placement for nearly 21 learners who have yet to be placed into the schooling system while the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) grapples with over 9 000 extremely late applications. Despite severe budget constraints and 2 407 teachers being cut, the WCED said that as of February 7, they have managed to resolve 131 800 or 98.8% of their unique Grade 1 and Grade 8 placement applications and are in the process of placing 1 586 more learners. A number of the late placements applications stems from children moving to the Western Cape. This week, Empowerment Network Solutions founder and former school teacher, Joscelyn Beukes, who has been working for weeks to find placement for more than 21 learners, said…

THE MK Party and EFF yesterday poked holes in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying that it not only lacked an assessment of past commitments but was full of empty promises. This happened on the second day of the debate of the SONA, and just a day before Ramaphosa will respond to the parties. Speaking during the debate MK Party MP Nhlamulo Ndhlela, said Ramaphosa had spoken like someone who delivered his maiden speech with recycled promises and hollow rhetoric. Ndhlela said the annual address should not be a ceremonial platform for “lofty” promises.” EFF MP Omphile Maotwe said Ramaphosa made promises every year without accounting for the promises he made the previous year. “It is as if he is permanently on the reset button and…

LIVE life being happy and do not be sorrowful were the wise words of Alice Joan Fernandez who celebrated her 106th birthday on Tuesday. Friends, family and children converged on Fernandez’s Newlands East home in Durban for a thanksgiving communion service and rosary intercession, which was held alongside the traditional cake cutting and gift handover. Fernandez is an early riser who enjoys mielie meal and toast for breakfast. “I like reading novels and the Daily News newspaper. I am blessed with good eyesight. I do not need reading glasses. I love my family especially my little grandchild who I call Lollipops. I was feeling for a nice curry or a bunny chow. Be happy and live life full of laughter,” Fernandez said. Community activist, Lawrence Palmer, described Fernandez as a…

DAYS after two police officers were wounded, infrastructure damaged and a 20-year-old arrested for public violence following volatility over student accommodation at the District Six Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), officials have confirmed the situation is calm and they have now moved to search for private landlords to fill the gap. CPUT spokesperson, Lauren Kansley, confirmed yesterday that their residency had reached full capacity. “CPUT-owned residency is now full to capacity. We have worked around the clock to ensure that every physical bed has been taken and we are now liaising with private accommodation and landlords to absorb any funded students who are still seeking assistance and space,” she said. Kansley said they learnt that a number of students had found private accommodation but were still seeking residency…

Roger Federer and Siya Kolisi want to leave a legacy. That might seem strange for individuals that have achieved so much – Federer is a 20-time Grand Slam champion and the GOAT of tennis for many, while Springbok captain Kolisi has won two World Cups, along with a host of accolades on the rugby field. But both sporting superstars understand that they would not have reached such success if it wasn’t for the community around them. On Tuesday, the two delighted learners in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. They delivered much needed teaching resources, through the Roger Federer Foundation and the Kolisi Foundation, and invaluable life lessons, as expressed through their experiences, to Salani Primary School. Kolisi acted as a tour guide for Federer on the day, no doubt strengthening the bond the…

Vinicius Junior started the night with a reminder of his Ballon d’Or heartbreak, but ended it by reminding Manchester City why Real Madrid have such a strong record in the Champions League. Real Madrid twice came from behind before snatching a dramatic stoppage-time winner in their 3-2 play-off round first leg victory over Premier League champions City on Tuesday. Home fans displayed a huge banner with a picture of City midfielder Rodri Hernandez holding the Ballon d’Or, which he won in October 2024 ahead of Vinicius. Real Madrid reacted angrily, refusing to attend the ceremony. “Stop crying your heart out,” City’s banner chided the Spanish giants, giving a nod to a song of the same name by Manchester band Oasis. However, it was City who ended the night in tears…

Canan Moodie had a ‘tour from hell’ towards the end of last year. It’s not as if the actual rugby was a problem, but rather the fact that he spent nine weeks in Europe from early October to early December, encompassing the United Rugby Championship, Champions Cup and Springbok Tests. That saw him get a breather at the Bulls, and he started playing off the bench in a few games. But he was back in the No 14 jersey for last week’s blockbuster showdown with the Stormers in Cape Town, and was full of running in the 33-32 Bulls victory. Moodie also celebrated his 50th Bulls match, adding that it was “very special to have my parents there as they came onto the field – and it was also their…

Uyajola 9/9 is known for revealing the secrets and scandals of South Africans to the public. Hosted by rapper and TV personality Jub Jub, the show has become popular for exposing infidelity in relationships, often sending ripples through the community. But now, Jub Jub has decided to raise the stakes by taking the drama into religious spaces. In a recent video going viral, Jub Jub made a bold proclamation: “Everyone cheats, even at church. So now we cannot go in because of church? We are within!” The idea of exposing pastors – trusted figures in religious communities – has sparked mixed reactions. For those who might be unfamiliar with the show, Uyajola 9/9 is South Africa’s answer to the Cheaters franchise. In each episode, Jub Jub and his team track…

A CHILD who was five-years-old when he was involved in a tractor accident had been underpaid in the damages that the court had previously mandated the Road Accident Fund (RAF) pay him. This is because the court only considered his physical injuries and not the long-standing psychological scars the accident left on him. The child, only identified as F by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, is now 13-years-old and said to be struggling emotionally due to his injuries, which, among others, left ugly scars on his face. The court previously ordered the RAF to pay R350 000 in terms of general damages to the child, who is represented in the proceedings by a curator. The curator, however, successfully appealed that ruling, and Judge Harishila Kooverjie replaced the R350 000 damages…

TWO suspects linked to the arson of 50 Putco buses have appeared in court, with the case postponed for legal representation, as investigations continue into the costly attack. Two of the four arsonists appeared in the Mdutjane Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga yesterday. According to National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the matter was postponed to today for legal representation. Putco yesterday welcomed the arrest of the two additional suspects linked to the torching of its 50 buses late last month. Ndlovu and Msimango made their first court appearance yesterday on similar charges to those of their co-accused, Isaac Mabena and Luthando Skosana, who were arrested last month after police linked them to their involvement in the R250 million destruction of part of Putco’s fleet at four depots in the…

THE State, in the trial of five men accused of gunning down two ANC members from Ward 101 in Cato Crest, has applied to have two of its eyewitnesses testify in camera with their faces obscured as they fear for their lives. The accused – Nkosinathi Emmanuel Ngcobo, Sandile Mzizi, Mkhipheni Mzimuni Ngiba a former ward councillor of ward 101, Sifiso Vincent Mlondo and Phathesakhe Ngiba are charged with gunning down Siyabonga Mkhize and Mzukisi Nyanga on October 15, 2021 at Cato Manor. Mkhize was the ward candidate of Ward 101 and was contesting the 2021 local government elections against Ngiba. Mkhize’s death resulted in Ngiba becoming the ward councillor. The KZN deputy director of public prosecutions advocate Lawrence Gcaba at the Durban High Court yesterday, called the investigating officer…

The Stormers may have relinquished their Cape Town unbeaten record to the Bulls, but they are certainly not down and out. In fact, they are going to Johannesburg for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Lions (2.30pm kick-off) in a positive mood after just missing out on a vital victory in the 33-32 defeat to the Bulls last weekend. While they will be disappointed to have conceded four tries to the Bulls and fail to close out the win, they looked like they had rediscovered their rhythm on attack. In the second half in particular, they almost looked like they would score every time they ran at the Bulls, and eventually ended up with five touchdowns. They also varied their play smartly with a few pinpoint up-and-unders, and will…

Pakistan have earned their spot in the final of the Tri-Series against New Zealand after putting up a powerful batting display to defeat the Proteas by six wickets in Karachi on Wednesday. Make no mistake, the Proteas batting order set a decent 352/5 for the home side to chase, with top scores from Heinrich Klaasen (87 off 56 balls, 11x4, 3x6), Matthew Breetzke (83 off 84, 10x4, 1x6) and captain Temba Bavuma (82 off 96, 13x4), but Pakistan’s middle-order showed their prowess. The Proteas won the toss and chose to bat, opting not to open with Matthew Breetzke like they did against the Black Caps, and instead going with Tony de Zorzi. Both De Zorzi and Bavuma looked comfortable early on, putting up a 50-run partnership by the eighth over.…

According to Francke Horn, who recently put pen to paper, a spate of re-signings has given the Lions excitement ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship match against the Stormers (2.30pm kick-off). Horn was schooled in the Cape at Paarl Boys High, but has made his rugby home in Johannesburg, where he is hugely popular with Lions fans because of his adventurous play at No 8. The 25-year-old’s good form suggests he could have moved on to greener pastures – locally or overseas – but he has recommitted to the Lions, along with fellow stars in prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and centre Henco van Wyk, until the end of 2027. Young KES old boys Kelly Mpeku and Bronson Mills (both centres) have also signed for the Lions as coach Ivan van Rooyen…

Imagine you are a primary school kid, and Springboks come to your house to play rugby with you in the garden. And when you are playing matches at school, a bunch of Boks are watching from the sidelines. That was the dream fate that befell André-Hugo Venter, the son of Bok legend André ‘Yysterman’ Venter. Venter senior played 66 Tests for South Africa between 1996 and 2001, and was the most consistent selection by a host of Springbok coaches. André was one of the fittest rugby players the game has seen. There are countless tales about his appetite for training. Just one is about his refusal to take the team bus from training back to the hotel — he preferred to run. This appetite for conditioning made it cruelly ironic…

DESPITE muggings and attacks decreasing along the slopes of Table Mountain, Friends of Table Mountain (FoTM) has called on the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as well as SANParks, to provide a higher budget to ensure long-term safety security measures. According to FoTM, the year 2023 had 96 muggings compared to 2024 with 60. This ties in with recent data shared by SANParks, which revealed that 60 crime incidents were reported between November and December 2024, and January 2025. They said they had seen a decrease in robberies by 40 percent, which included attempted robbery, robbery, and theft from persons or motor vehicles. Andy Davies, chairperson of FoTM, said: “We are relieved to see that we have not had a repeat of 2023’s notoriously high festive season crime…

WHILE the deadline looms for the card switch over for Sassa grant beneficiaries and Postbank ensuring that “no-one is being left behind” despite challenges highlighted by the provincial Department of Social Development (DSD), a beneficiary who did not want to be named said endless queues at a Parow site was evident of the “disregard for the vulnerable”. “Most beneficiaries are the aged and disabled who are now forced to have to go to limited sites to stand and wait in long queues for hours on end,” the person said. “I hardly have money to travel but have to come back again as I know I won’t be seen to today. Nobody knows the reasoning behind it. We just have to chop and change to their beck and call because we…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had no explanation for yet another late-game collapse as his team lost 3-2 at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday night to leave their campaign hanging by a thread ahead of the second leg. Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham struck late to erase City’s 2-1 lead, the latter netting the winner in the 92nd minute at the Etihad Stadium, where the mood swung from joy to despair. “We arrived at the last minute with a result, and we could not keep it,” Guardiola told a press conference. “After 2-1, many games it has happened, against Feyenoord in the Champions League (City led 3-0 in the 74th minute, but were held to a 3-3 draw), against Brentford in the Premier League,…

Sri Lanka pulled off a stunning comeback against world champions Australia to clinch a 49-run victory in the first one-day international yesterday after a century by captain Charith Asalanka. Defending a modest target of 215, Sri Lanka bowled out the visitors for 165 inside 34 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Asalanka smashed a career-best 127, before chipping in with the crucial wicket of Alex Carey, while Maheesh Theekshana took 4/40 to help scuttle Australia’s chase. “Really pleased with the knock,” Asalanka said. “It wasn’t easy batting out there... Had to settle in and then batting with the tail had to take a few risks, and glad it all paid off.” Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka found themselves in dire straits at 133/8 in the…

Kaizer Chiefs’ season could be defined this Saturday – such is the importance of their Nedbank Cup last 16 clash at the FNB Stadium against Chippa United (6pm kick-off). Chiefs are regarded as the ‘Cup Kings’ of South African football, having won 93 unofficial and official trophies in their 55 years of existence. But such has been their fall from grace, they are enduring a 10-year barren run, and that is despite signing some of the best coaches and players around the globe. Nasreddine Nabi is the incumbent Chiefs coach. But he too has already bottled the Carling Knockout, while they are sixth in the Premiership log standings. With the league title looking out of reach as they trail log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by 17 points, they need to look…

The fearsome West Indies pace quartet during the 1970s and 1980s hardly said a word out in the middle. Michael Holding, who was known as ‘Whispering Death’ and the leader of the Windies attack, has always been highly critical of sledging out in the middle – and even proposed that the ICC introduce red cards when players overstepped the mark. Holding did not buy the cheap talk that whatever gets said out in the middle stays on the field, and everything is forgiven after the game over a cold beverage. “When I played, I cannot remember any sledging. Obviously one or two people would pass a remark or two, but what I see now, whenever people are walking off the cricket field, people are in their face, saying whatever they’re…