Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-10-08 i Cape Argus

Mandla Mandela shared a heartwarming message to his wife and children, that he was coming home, following being abducted by Israelis while part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF)that sought to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the siege. In a video shared by the activist’s wife, Nosekeni Rabia Mandela, he appeared in high spirits along with other activists. “This is Nkosi Zwelivelile on the Jordanian galaxy. Can you hear me? We are reporting that all our comrades, brothers and sisters on the GSF are safe and on their way home,” Mandela said. “Upon their arrival in their home countries will give media briefings.” He also took the time to reassure his wife and children that he is indeed coming home. “To anyone receiving this message, please tell my…

The Western Cape government has committed to creating more than half a million jobs by 2035 in response to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) marchers. Union members marched through the Cape Town city centre to deliver a memorandum of grievances to the three spheres of government. The group of about 300 people gathered in Hanover Street before proceeding to the Provincial Legislature and later to the Civic Centre. Cosatu provincial secretary Malvern de Bruyn said the demonstration aimed to highlight the urgent need for decent and sustainable employment. “We marched to the Provincial Legislature as well as to the Provincial Parliament, but this time around, we did it differently. We asked the Speaker of the National Parliament to come to the Legislature to collect the memorandum,” said…

Issues facing the Road Accident Fund (RAF), and also its claims submission process, were under scrutiny at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) oversight inquiry, yesterday. The oversight inquiry is looking into the evidence of, and allegations of maladministration, financial impropriety, and the misuse of public funds at the RAF. Deputy Transport Minister, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, provided some context into the enquiry, saying that the process is running parallel to legislative review and reform of the RAF “as part of our response to ensuring that the entity works in a manner which is fit for purpose”. The Bill provides for a new scheme and a new administrator, called the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Administrator (RABS), which will replace both the Road Accident Fund (RAF) and the current compensation system administered…

Muizenberg’s Surfer’s Corner is closed until December for major refurbishment Construction work is underway, marking the start of one of the City of Cape Town’s largest coastal upgrade projects in recent years. From Saturday, October 4, part of the beach area near the railway line at Surfer’s Corner has been closed to the public while work begins on installing a dewatering system for the promenade’s new stepped revetment. Although this section will be temporarily inaccessible, the main beach will remain open and accessible during the project. The Muizenberg beachfront refurbishment is a major initiative by the City’s Coastal Management branch and will be completed in phases. The first phase focuses on the western section of Surfer’s Corner, adjacent to the railway line, where teams are replacing ageing infrastructure, including wooden…

Curro Delft’s debating team is making waves in the arena and have proudly earned the badge of achieving first place at the Western Cape Interschool Debate and qualified to compete in the High School National Debating Championship held in Durban. Marlee Faro, Project Manager, Public Relations for Curro Delft said the learners had begun their debating as an after school gathering session which grew into a passion. “There is something profoundly moving about watching young people discover they have something worth saying, and realising they have every right to say it with confidence, she said. “What began as a modest after-school gathering has grown into something remarkable. Curro Delft’s debating society had no external mentors, no formal training programmes, and limited resources yet teachers and learners learned as they went,…

ONE can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the Proteas Women to get themselves in the right state of mind after the 10-wicket thrashing against England Women in their first match of the ongoing 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Being bowled out for under 70 in your World Cup opening match could dampen team spirit, and everything could go downhill from there. However, South Africa were able to find the strength to lift themselves up and bounced back with an emphatic six-wicket victory over New Zealand Women in their second game earlier this week. Proteas opening batter Tazmin Brits brought up a record-breaking fifth century in 2025 and was supported brilliantly by Sune Luus with an unbeaten 83 as South Africa…

There’s something fascinating about watching greatness reinvent itself. It’s one thing to reach the summit, but quite another to risk it all in pursuit of staying there. That’s what Tiger Woods did when he rebuilt his golf swing — multiple times — while still sitting on top of the world. In 1997, Woods won the Masters by a record 12 strokes with a score of 18-under-par, as he dominated Augusta National with his driver, hitting the ball 20 to 30 metres further off the tee than the rest of the field. Tiger’s initial swing changes were about generating more speed and power, while the later ones — following knee and back problems — were about longevity and adaptability. Each rebuild sought to iron out inefficiencies, reduce strain on his body,…

Manchester City defender John Stones says he considered retiring last season as he struggled to cope with recurring injury problems. Stones spent most of the last campaign on the sidelines due to foot and hamstring injuries. The 31-year-old made just 24 appearances for City and England before his season ended prematurely in February. He is fit again and could make his first appearance under England boss Thomas Tuchel in the friendly against Wales on Thursday or next week's World Cup qualifier in Latvia. "Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about stopping," Stones told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I didn't want to do it. I had had enough of being so professional and trying to do everything right in my power, to then keep breaking…

Section27, representing the Teddy Bear Foundation (TBF), has approached the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, seeking an order for various government departments to discharge their constitutional and legislative obligations to maintain and implement the National Child Protection Register (NCPR). The matter stems from a 2022 case that Section27 was involved in, where it represented a learner who a caretaker at a school in the North West province had raped. It is said that the school’s governing body and the North West Department of Education failed to take all steps necessary to hold the caretaker accountable. Section27 successfully intervened in the Mahikeng High Court, where it sought a mandatory order against various education authorities to act in accordance with their constitutional, legislative, and policy obligations. After securing the order, a disciplinary hearing…

Two more suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a man who went missing in May this year after allegedly being lured to view a car in Bellville. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirmed that the men, aged 33 and 37, were apprehended yesterday during a multi-disciplinary, intelligence-led operation. The team included members from the Hawks, the Provincial Operational Command Centre Combat Team, and the City of Cape Town’s SSIMS unit. “The arrest follows after a victim was allegedly kidnapped in Kraaifontein on May 16. The victim was last seen by a friend who reported that the victim went to Bellville to view a vehicle he intended to purchase and never came back,” Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said. Hani said the…

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed that the team of investigators that was supposed to travel to France to assist in probing the death of South Africa’s ambassador to France and former police minister, Nathi Mthethwa has been reduced from five to just one officer. Mthethwa died after falling from a 22nd-floor hotel room in Paris last week. Speaking on the sidelines of the SAPS Safer Festive Season operations launch in Bloemfontein, Masemola said a single senior officer would now be deployed to liaise with French counterparts. “With regard to sending a delegation to France, we are working on a police-to-police cooperation. We do have a senior officer that is working in that country,” he said. Masemola confirmed the investigator would depart the country. “He will be leaving…

The Competition Tribunal has found that steel producers Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd (Cape Gate) contravened a section of the Competition Act by participating in price-fixing in the market for the purchase of scrap metal in South Africa. Cape Gate and three other scrap metal buyers – ArcelorMittal, Columbus Stainless, and Scaw South Africa – were found to have operated as a cartel when buying scrap metal from merchants. Scrap metal, which includes waste metal from cans, household appliances, and other metal items, is a key input in the production of steel products. The tribunal said: “The Tribunal has found that certain large buyers of scrap, including Cape Gate, entered into an agreement to fix the purchase price of scrap metal. “ArcelorMittal and Columbus both admitted liability and concluded settlement agreements…

Across Africa lies tremendous potential, a growing youth population, a spirit of innovation, and communities determined to build a better future. With the right support, this potential can drive inclusive growth, peace, and resilience far beyond the continent. However, as the planet grapples with rising insecurity, climate shocks and humanitarian crises, nowhere are these converging challenges felt more acutely than in Africa, where communities stand on the front line of vulnerability. At the International Labour Organization, we believe that work is not just about livelihoods. It is the foundation of resilience, peace and security. It is how communities rebuild, how displaced people regain dignity, and how countries can avert the next crisis before it begins. Japan has long recognised this. As a global leader in disaster risk reduction and a…

Thabang Matuludi was only two and a half years old the last time Bafana Bafana secured their ticket to the FIFA World Cup through the qualifiers — which is why he’s thrilled to be part of the team that could make history on Tuesday night. Bafana are vying for a spot in the 2026 global showpiece, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. They are not far off from sealing their ticket, as they need to convincingly beat Zimbabwe and Rwanda in their final two qualifiers — in Durban on Friday, and in Mbombela next Tuesday — to boost their chances of finishing top of Group C. With their rivals — Benin, Nigeria, and Rwanda — also set to play each other, expectations are high for…

ZIMBABWE know Bafana Bafana like the back of their hand – and that’s why, if underestimated, they — not Rwanda — could derail South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hopes. A rivalry rooted in the southern part of the continent, Bafana and the Warriors are no strangers to each other. Beyond competing in regional tournaments, the two nations have clashed in continental and international fixtures over the years. Of course, it goes without saying that Bafana have historically had the upper hand. In their last 10 meetings across all competitions, South Africa have won six, drawn two, and lost two. So, as the two teams prepare to face off in the penultimate World Cup qualifier at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night (6pm kick-off), it’s easy to see why…

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which started with its interviews yesterday to fill various vacancies in the superior courts across the country. First of the six candidates to take the hot seat, gunning for the apex court, was Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) Justice Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi, and her interview lasted for nearly three hours. She has been in private practice for 12 years and has been a judge since 2005. She acted for 12 months at the Constitutional Court before she took up office as a justice at the SCA. Dambuza-Mayosi told the panel, headed by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, that she opted to go to the SCA rather than remain at the Concourt at that stage, as she thought it would be beneficial to her career. “Going straight to…

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, yesterday dismissed a suggestion that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was a political initiative and that the decision to disband it was a lawful political decision. Replying during his testimony on the first day of the parliamentary inquiry into allegations on security matters, Mkhwanazi said such an argument “won’t stand”. “I will say they are wrong because a minister of police is not a member of a political party. The minister of police is an executive member that is appointed in terms of the law of the Republic (and) is a Cabinet member responsible for policing,” he said. “I don’t think the legislature cares as to which political party the member belongs to. To say it was a political decision, what if the…

The Western Cape Government has completed a major R90.8 million infrastructure project near De Doorns aimed at repairing flood-damaged roads and bridges, Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers announced. The project, initiated in response to severe weather events in 2023 and 2024, included the construction of a new bridge on Modderdrift Road, improvements to the structural integrity of two Hex River bridges, and flood-damage repairs to roads, bridges, and drainage systems. “One such project is the multi-faceted R90.8 million DOI project near De Doorns. This recently completed project was to construct a new bridge on the Modderdrift Road across the Sand River, to improve the long-term structural integrity of two bridges across the Hex River, and to conduct flood damage repairs to roads, bridges, and drainage structures,” said Jandré Bakker, Director…

The safe return of Mandla Mandela and his fellow South African activists from Israeli detention has brought immense relief to their families and supporters. Yet their ordeal demands far more than quiet celebration. It calls for accountability and clarity on how humanitarian workers came to be detained while engaging in a peace-driven mission. Their safe return, however, cannot be the end of the story. It must mark the start of a serious conversation about how humanitarian work in conflict zones is being criminalised and what protection South African citizens can expect when acting in good faith abroad. The Global Sumud Flotilla, of which Mandela was a part, sought to deliver aid to Gaza and to draw attention to the continuing blockade that has left millions trapped in hardship. Whatever one’s…

Mohamed Salah wants to put a disappointing start to his season with Liverpool behind him today and help Egypt beat Djibouti to qualify for the Fifa World Cup 2026. A win for the record seven-time African champions over one of the lowest-ranked teams on the continent will give them an unassailable lead over second-placed Burkina Faso in Group A with one match to spare. A two-time African Footballer of the Year, Salah has lost his spark with the Premier League champions, scoring just three goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season. Last season, the 33-year-old netted 29 times in 38 league matches to win the Golden Boot award as Liverpool surged to a record-equalling 20th Premier League title. Salah has fond memories of playing against Djibouti, scoring four…

WHATEVER happens between today and next week Tuesday night, the future of South African football, particularly for the senior national team, is in safe hands. History beckons for SA football in the next few days. Amajita will face Colombia in the U20 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 in Chile, while Bafana Bafana will clash with Zimbabwe and Rwanda in two crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers. A victory for Amajita would make them the first South African national team, male or female, to reach a World Cup quarter-final. And that’s not all. Should Bafana beat Zimbabwe in Durban on Friday, and Rwanda in Mbombela next Tuesday convincingly, they could secure their ticket to the global showpiece in North America for the first time through the qualifiers since 2002. They qualified…