Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-01-07 i Cape Times

As diplomatic tensions escalate, the South African government finds itself under increasing pressure to take decisive action following Taiwan's refusal to comply with a request to relocate its representative office in Pretoria to Johannesburg. At the crux of the dispute is a clear ultimatum laid out by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who recently expressed the government’s disapproval of Taiwan's failure to heed calls for the relocation. He highlighted that South Africa severed its political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan back in 1997, and this request aligns with United Nations General Assembly resolution 2758, a principle acknowledged globally. “Relocating what will be re-branded as Trade Offices both in Taipei and in Johannesburg will reflect the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship,” Lamola said. The minister…

The ANC has strongly rejected accusations that its supporters will need to bear the financial burden of attending the party's 113th anniversary celebrations in Khayelitsha. The event, set for January 11, will see President Cyril Ramaphosa deliver the January 8 Statement at Mandela Park Stadium. In a statement to Newzroom Afrika, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri referred to the claims as unfounded and misleading. “We dismiss this claim that there is a directive of that nature from the ANC. There is absolutely not such a thing. This was the imagination of a Sunday World reporter,” she said. Bhengu-Motsiri further indicated that the party intends to pursue the matter seriously, seeking a right of reply and potentially escalating the issue to the Press Ombudsman. IOL also reported that the ANC vehemently disputed…

In the wake of an uptick in Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in China, public health experts are urging citizens to remain calm and informed. The respiratory disease, which resembles the symptoms of the flu, has caused alarm amid fears of a new outbreak, just over five years after the global Covid-19 pandemic. However, the reality is that HMPV has been a known entity since the late 1950s, with health authorities asserting that there is no need for panic. The HMPV was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001 and has since been linked to seasonal outbreaks, particularly during colder months. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) has confirmed the recent rise in cases but has also refuted claims of overwhelmed hospitals or a new pandemic threat, stressing…

IN 2019, I wanted to write a column about how widespread exploitative intergenerational sexual partnerships in my broader social circles encapsulated everything bad about South Africa, not just what bad things were happening in our private lives but also in our public acceptance of causes and effects of those things. My persuasive cousin said no – we had to draw a line somewhere concerning publicly discussing the sexual conduct of peers, acquaintances, friends and relatives. I deferred, which was annoying because I felt justified in entertaining the way my heart was burning within me while explaining my observations to him. Intergenerational sexual partnerships, also known as age-mixing or cross-generational relationships, are the sexual relationships of people with an age difference of 10 years or more. Everything going wrong with them…

OSLO: Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said yesterday that it is worrying that Elon Musk directly involves himself in domestic political issues in countries outside of the US. “I find it worrying that a man with enormous access to social media and huge economic resources involves himself so directly in the internal affairs of other countries,” Stoere said. “This is not the way things should be between democracies and allies,” he added. If Musk were to involve himself in Norwegian politics, the country’s politicians should collectively distance themselves from such efforts, Stoere said. | Reuters…

HONG KONG: China has launched a plan to address the rapidly growing prevalence of dementia, which authorities say is becoming “a widespread societal concern” and poses “significant challenges” to the well-being of the elderly. Ageing has become a growing concern in the world’s second-largest economy, with China’s cohort of people 60 and older expected to rise at least 40% to more than 400 million by 2035, equal to the populations of Britain and the US combined. Fifteen Chinese government departments, including the National Health Commission, contributed to the plan to tackle dementia. | Reuters…

Indonesia launched an ambitious $4.3 billion free-meal programme yesterday to combat stunted growth due to malnutrition, a key election promise of President Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo has pledged to provide nutritious meals free to tens of millions of schoolchildren and pregnant women, saying it would improve their quality of life and boost economic growth. “This is historic for Indonesia for the first time conducting a nationwide nutrition programme for toddlers, students, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers,” presidential spokesperson Hasan Nasbi said late on Sunday. At least 190 kitchens run by third-party catering services opened nationwide, including some run by military bases, and were busy preparing meals from midnight before distributing them to schoolchildren and pregnant women. Second-grader Khalifa Eldrian beamed after finishing his free lunch of rice, chicken, vegetables, and a banana…

MORE than 260 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, arrived in Indonesia’s westernmost province of Aceh after floating at sea for days, an official said yesterday. The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar and thousands risk their lives each year on dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia. An East Aceh official, Iskandar –who like many Indonesians goes by one name – said this latest group of refugees arrived on a beach in the region’s town of West Peureulak on Sunday night around 10.25pm local time. “There are 264 of them – 117 men and 147 women,” Iskandar said yesterday, adding that there were around 30 children in the group. He said they had initially been on two boats, one of which had sunk off the…

Ruben Amorim said life at Manchester United has become “too comfortable” as he challenged his players to show the mentality that earned a 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday on a more regular basis. Few gave Amorim's men much hope heading to face the runaway Premier League leaders at Anfield after a four-game losing streak. However, the visitors were a side transformed from meek defeats to Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle as they scored their first goals away at Liverpool since 2018 and merited a share of the spoils. “I want to see my team play so much better but the key today is the mentality," said Amorim. “I feel that we are, not just the players but everyone at Manchester United, too comfortable. We need sometimes a shock and you…

The latest outbreak in human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which was first detected in 2001 by Dutch scholars, is causing concern across the world as infection rates in China increase. However, a local economist told Business Report yesterday that the current situation cannot be used as an economic base-case as it was too soon to determine the extent of the epidemic. The respiratory disease has recently caused many people to become ill, especially children, with reports emerging of Chinese patients queuing outside of hospitals and concerns in India that there may be a lockdown on the way. Such news is reminiscent of the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) towards the end of 2019. “There’s lots of uncertainty around this because we know that's how the COVID virus started and expanded relatively quickly,”…

A raw food diet content creator, Mason: Real Health Coach (@raw.wellness.co) from Australia has left netizens speechless after sharing his outrageous weight-loss tip. According to the content creator from Down Under: “Tapeworm is nature’s Ozempic”. The self-proclaimed health coach took to the social media platform, Instagram and shared a video of himself devouring raw red meat, chicken and one-year-old rotten kangaroo. His Instagram page also consists of videos of him making his raw meals, which include a variety of dishes, namely raw eggs and minced meat, raw chicken ceviche and raw kangaroo. In defence of his diet and lifestyle choices, the content creator said: “Maturing is realising that cooking meat makes it ‘processed food’. ” Of course, netizens were not too convinced about his eccentric taste. Commenting on his “Tapeworm…

Amid the resonating chants of “we do not want the GNU,” the political landscape in South Africa was starkly laid bare yesterday during the South African Communist Party’s (SACP) commemoration of anti-apartheid activist Joe Slovo at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto. The event highlighted not only a celebration of Slovo’s legacy but also underscored the fractious relationship between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), as well as persistent divisions within the ANC itself, particularly regarding the controversial Government of National Unity (GNU). Turn to Page 2…

Mfanafuthi Kunene, the suspect accused of kidnapping and murdering 23-year-old Ayabonga Mjilo, announced yesterday he would withdraw his bail application during proceedings at the Durban Magistrate’s Court. Kunene, who received Legal Aid with attorney Ntando Cele, has seen the case adjourned until February 26, as the heart-wrenching details surrounding Mjilo’s disappearance continue to unfold. Following Kunene’s appearance, an emotional Nontobeko Mjilo, Ayabonga’s older sister, expressed her profound gratitude to the police for their relentless efforts in locating her sibling. “They did not sleep, day and night, looking for my mother’s child, until they found her and returned with her,” Nontobeko said, as tears filled her eyes. “I’d like to thank Greenwood Park officers; I salute them. From the day I reported her missing, they did not drop the case.” The…

THE year 2024 has indeed been a momentous one for South Africa. The reasons are manifold – some genuinely groundbreaking, some fortuitous, and some downright disappointing. The 2024 Report Card reflects a rainbow nation, even after three decades of hard-won democratic freedoms, remaining in subdued transition to a truly equal non-racial society, still weighed down by the legacy and schisms of over three centuries of colonialism and apartheid and a string of metrics of unfinished business, especially in much-needed redemptive and restorative policies of more meaningful land reforms, addressing the ever widening inequality gaps in income, social safety nets, access to employment and standard of living, and exorcising the politics of race and hate from the psyche of South African body politic. Whether South Africa can ever become a nation…

A “panic-stricken” elephant killed a Spanish tourist while she was bathing the animal at a sanctuary in southern Thailand, police said yesterday. The 23-year-old woman was hit by the stressed animal’s trunk at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Phang Nga province, according to police. “A female tourist was killed while bathing an elephant,” Jaran Bangprasert, the local police chief told AFP. Authorities have contacted the Spanish embassy to confirm the victim’s identity. The sanctuary declined to provide details of the incident. | AFP…

MOSCOW: Russia said yesterday its forces had captured the “important logistics hub” of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine in what would be a key advance after months of steady gains in the area. Russian units “have fully liberated the town of Kurakhove – the biggest settlement in Donbas,” the defence ministry said on Telegram. Ukrainian forces did not confirm the claim, saying only that Russia was “conducting assault operations in the urban area of Kurakhove”. “Measures are under way to destroy enemy assault groups trying to infiltrate our combat formations,” the army said. | AFP…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected resign yesterday, according to media reports, as he faces mounting dissent within his Liberal party. National newspapers The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star reported that sources inside Trudeau’s Liberal party expect him to step down ahead of its national caucus on Wednesday. The announcement may be made in the coming 24 hours, sources told both papers in stories they ran on Sunday. Trudeau’s office declined to comment on the reports when contacted. Trudeau’s departure would leave his party without a leader just a few months before the next legislative elections, scheduled to be held by the end of October. It remained unclear whether Trudeau, 53, would remain as his party’s interim leader or would vacate the position immediately if he tendered…

Surreal narco-musical Emilia Perez and epic immigrant drama The Brutalist were the big winners at the Golden Globes on Sunday, as prizes were shared widely across an international crop of movies at the year’s first major showbiz awards gala. Emilia Perez, about a drug lord who transitions to life as a woman, with most nominations at 10. It won for best non-English language film and best original song, while Zoe Saldana took best supporting actress. Big wins at the Globes can help movies build momentum toward the Oscars in early March.…

Life is a journey filled with choices, opportunities and challenges. For young people, the decisions made today can have a profound impact on the years to come. In a recent viral X thread, users shared hard-earned wisdom and lived advice for young people, offering practical tips for building a successful, meaningful future. From financial planning to cultivating relationships and prioritising health, these insights are relatable, relevant and deeply reflective. Below, we break down some of the most impactful advice from the thread, supported by expert commentary and research. The power of early investment: Money, relationships and time One of the most common themes in the thread was the importance of investment. Alex Dillon, a contributor to the discussion, emphasised: “Lack of investment; invest in your relationship with God, invest…

The South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is calling on South Africans to pay their TV licences in the new year. This comes as the company faced a decline in TV licence fee revenue in the 2023/2024 financial year. According to the SABC Annual Report for 2023/2024, the public broadcaster collected over R686 million in TV licence fees in the past financial year, although total TV licence debt still amounted to over R4.8 billion. The broadcaster recorded a R192 million loss in 2023/24, however this was a significant improvement compared to the loss of R826 million in the 2022/23 financial year. It also attained an unqualified audit for the first time in 14 years. “You may now pay online by using your credit card, or online at your banking website using…

the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered the Minister of Police to pay R420 000 to Salthiel Langa and R490 000 to his wife, Zanele Langa, following their traumatic encounter with law enforcement officers in October 2020. The couple’s harrowing experiences, which included unlawful arrest, emotional distress, and excessive use of pepper spray, have not only cost taxpayers dearly but also left lasting scars on their mental health. The incident ignited controversy when the Langa couple was arrested without a warrant, purportedly for reckless driving, a claim they vehemently denied. As recounted in court proceedings, Salthiel was stopped by officers on Moloto Road under dubious circumstances. Rather than simply issuing a traffic ticket – a common practice for recklessly driving – it quickly escalated into a violent confrontation…

The City of Cape Town has firmly rebuffed alarming findings from the independent water testing initiative, Project Blue, which have raised serious questions about the safety of water at some of the city’s most popular beaches. As families flocked to the coastline for the festive season, Project Blue’s extensive testing between November 4 and December 6, 2024, painted a grim picture; nearly 40% of sampled beaches reported elevated levels of E. coli and Enterococci, both of which are critical indicators of water contamination. In stark contrast, City officials proudly declared that all 146 samples from Cape Town’s sought-after beaches had achieved an “excellent water quality” status. This discrepancy has led to rising concerns among residents and visitors alike about the reliability of the City’s water quality assurances. Project Blue’s disturbing…

In a move that many see as ill-informed and reckless, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has issued a directive for the disbandment of the task team focused on political killings. This shocking decision follows a period during which the task team has made significant strides, successfully arresting suspects linked to over 40 political murders. Yet, alarmingly, approximately 120 political murder cases remain unsolved, raising questions about the minister’s judgement and timing. The Moerane Commission, established in 2016 to investigate the causes of political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, identified that these tragic events often arise from intense internal political battles, fierce competition, and struggles for access to state contracts. Given these critical insights, Mchunu’s decision to dismantle the task force feels particularly misguided. Political tensions in KZN are fuelled by power struggles and…

TUNIS: The number of passengers traveling through airports in Tunisia reached a record high of 9 646 949 in 2024, an increase of 9.4% compared to 2023, the state-run Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported on Sunday, citing Tunisia’s Office of Civil Aviation and Airports. Air traffic at most Tunisian airports showed an upward trend, with a record 7 249 701 passengers welcomed at Tunis-Carthage Airport in 2024, an 8.8% increase compared to the previous year, according to the report. The official statistics also indicated a 4.9% rise in aircraft movements in 2024 compared to 2023, with a total of 79 155 movements recorded. | Xinhua…

North Korea yesterday fired a missile as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea, where he warned Pyongyang was working ever more closely with Russia on advanced space technology. Blinken’s trip came as investigators were trying to arrest conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has entrenched himself in his residence after being impeached for a failed attempt to impose martial law. Blinken, who had planned to encourage South Korea to maintain Yoon’s policy of enhancing co-operation with Japan, was in talks in Seoul when North Korea fired a ballistic missile that fell into the sea. The missile flew around 1 100km, the South Korean military said. “Today’s launch is just a reminder to all of us of how important our collaborative work is,” Blinken said, pointing to increased…

Japan’s weather agency said yesterday that last year was the hottest since records began, mirroring other nations as ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions fuel climate change. Worldwide, 2024 was expected to have been the warmest recorded, the UN’s weather and climate agency said last week, capping a decade of unprecedented heat and other types of extreme weather. Across Japan, the average temperatures from January through December were 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the 1991-2020 average, the Japan Meteorological Agenc (JMA) said. This was the most since the agency started releasing data in 1898 and higher than the previous year’s record, which exceeded the average by 1.29 degrees Celsius. Long term, “Japan’s temperature has been rising in a pace of 1.40 Celsius per century, and high temperatures have been observed in particular…