Innehållsförteckning för 2023-10-04 från Cape Argus

THE Mitchells Plain community were left shocked after the grim discovery of a decapitated man’s body. The unknown victim’s head, which was in a white gift bag, was placed on his torso. Community policing forum chairperson Norman Jantjies has expressed concern about the picture, which has been shared on social media. “There is also a photo that is floating around. I would like to plead with people to exercise restraint, that is somebody’s son, brother or even father. We need to be careful with how we distribute the picture.” Jantjies said he didn’t have much information about the case. “The police have not yet been able to identify the victim. “They found the head and the body in Beacon Valley. “The other thing is that the person wasn’t killed there,…

A police officer who testified that he saw two of the five men accused of killing Senzo Meyiwa carrying guns has come under scrutiny after the defence asked him why he didn’t report the information to the police. Constable Sizwe Zungu was under cross-examination in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday. According to his testimony, he was with the five accused on October 26, 2014. He said he was visiting his nephew, Sfiso Zungu, at Basotho hostel in Vosloorus when he was introduced to the accused. He also testified that on the night of the murder, three of the accused came running to the house, looking scared and carrying two guns. He said this was Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, and Mthobisi Mncube. He said Sibiya and Mncube gave their…

MORE than 50 years after the Protea Village community in Bishopscourt was forcibly displaced by the Group Areas Act, environmentalists are mounting a legal challenge that could further stall their return to the land. The Friends of Liesbeek have lodged an application in the Western Cape High Court to halt the development because the organisation felt that ecological concerns, raised in the initial Environmental Impact Assessment, had not been adequately dealt with. Protea Village Community Property Association chairperson Barry Ellman said the majority of land claimants were scattered in areas such as Lotus River, Steenberg, Manenberg, and Bonteheuwel when the dreaded axe of the Group Areas Act fell on the community. “Over time, thanks to their enduring sacrifices and the pursuit of higher education for their children, some have managed…

Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary operated without water for about 13 days after recent storms wiped out infrastructure in Greyton, Genadendal, Voorste Kraal and Bernaville. Farm workers were stranded for three days after a road was destroyed. The sanctuary’s founder, Nicola Vernon, said it had 230 rescued farm animals in its care. She said it had a “Pigs-to-Plants” programme in which it helped the informal farming sector to acknowledge the low welfare standards of its animal husbandry and the consequent suffering of the animals, the pollution of the environment, and the danger to the health of the community. Vernon said farmers surrendered their remaining pigs in to the sanctuary’s care and signed an agreement to not farm pigs again. After that, the sanctuary worked with them by providing labour and resources…

In recent times, the term “racism laundering” has been used to describe a concerning phenomenon where conservative black individuals are seemingly co-opted by white establishments to espouse racist narratives without fear of being called out. This divisive tactic can perpetuate stereotypes and hinder progress in the fight against racism. However, it is essential to exercise caution and fairness when applying such terminology, especially in the context of international relations and political discourse. Media personality Redi Tlhabi recently engaged in an exchange of views on South Africa’s political landscape during an event in the US. While Tlhabi has every right to express her opinions as a citizen, it becomes problematic when she assumes the role of speaking on behalf of the entire country. Regardless of her personal sentiments toward the ANC,…

The news was shared by live music and entertainment company, Showtime Management. The company took to Instagram to make the announcement on Monday morning. “Be part of an intimate and soul-stirring evening with the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer, Lalah Hathaway,” they shared. Tickets are on sale on their website and on Webtickets. “Undeniable music royalty and a thirty-year veteran of the music industry, Lalah will transport audiences into a world of timeless R&B and jazz melodies with her mesmerising voice during four heartfelt performances,” they added on their website. The first three shows will take place at Teatro, Montecasino from January 19 to 21. Hathaway will then head to the Western Cape for a performance at Kirstenbosch Gardens on January 27. Hathaway is best known for her…

Transport challenges tackled at summit TAXI industry players meeting at the start of the Urban Mobility Summit hinted that they were ready to be included in a cashless payment system that could seamlessly integrate with other public transport systems. Rail devolution was another topic which came up for discussion, along with finding ways for commuters to travel more easily and safely. City manager Lungelo Mbandazayo said the two-day dialogue, which ends today, held a series of panel discussions on topics of concern to the City of Cape Town, as the local government, public transport stakeholders as well as commuters – including the users of non-motorised transport. “The panels are to elaborate on the importance of mobility, the current challenges in space and the associated impact on Cape Town’s residents, the…

WESTERN Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile says police have established a link between gangsterism, taxi violence and extortion. This comes as gangsters demanding protection fees from businesses have become more brazen. Refuse collection in Nyanga township had to be halted last week as gangsters threatened the City of Cape Town’s sanitation workers, robbing them and demanding a “protection fee”. “Currently, we have a team overlooking the issue of extortion and we have a number of arrests made through that team. We appeal to members of the community to use our number to report extortion because we realised that not much has been reported about it,” said Patekile. He was addressing the media alongside Police Minister Bheki Cele and national police commissioner Fannie Masemola at the provincial police headquarters in Green…

Economic Freedom Front (EFF) deputy leader Floyd Shivambu has indicated that he will challenge the report of Parliament’s Ethics Committee that found him guilty of breaching the ethics code by failing to declare money he received from VBS Mutual Bank. The EFF said the money was not from VBS, but from Sgameka. Sgameka Projects is a business owned by Shivambu's brother, Brian Shivambu. It said this was a loan and not a donation as claimed by the committee. The EFF said that because this was a loan, Shivambu did not have to declare it to the Registrar of Members’ Interests in Parliament. The ethics committee came to the wrong conclusion by saying this was a donation to Shivambu, it said. Shivambu will take the report to court to challenge its…

The reaction of the DA to the public outrage following allegations of corruption levelled against its councillor and mayor of uMngeni Local Municipality Chris Pappas has revealed a few things. First, it has reminded us of the apartheid era in which public service was an appendage to an illegitimate government which was not accountable to anyone except a minority. As we all know, under the apartheid government, the majority were treated as passive recipients who had to accept what they were given. There was no culture of openness, transparency and accountability. Government actions were often labelled top secret or confidential. Despite both Chris Pappas and his fiancé, JP Prinsloo admitting in interviews that indeed he (Prinsloo) was awarded a tourism contract, DA KwaZulu-Natal leaders such as Francois Rodgers and Dean…

WHEN Manie Libbok lined up his first conversion of the night against Tonga, he might have felt that the weight of the world was on his shoulders. With the arrival of Handre Pollard in the squad and a difficult night with the boot against Ireland, critics and Springbok fans on social media had been calling for Libbok’s head. They wanted Pollard reinstated in the No 10 jersey for the World Cup quarter-final, provided he came through the Tonga match unscathed, which he did. The 2019 champion pivot produced an assured outing, slotting four out of four goal-kicks, calling the shots in organising the backline and making his tackles in defence. It wasn’t an out-of-this world display but it was as good as could be expected from the 29-year-old as he…

AFTER last month’s brutal fuel price increases, petrol and diesel are due for more steep increases this month, the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources (DMRE) has announced. According to the department’s official statement, petrol will increase by between R1.08 (for 93 Unleaded) and R1.14 (95 Unleaded) from today, while diesel prices will increase by between R1.93 (low-sulphur 50ppm) and R1.96 (500ppm). A litre of 95 Unleaded will set you back R24.96 at the coast and R25.68 inland, while 93 Unleaded will increase to R25.22. The even steeper diesel increases will see the wholesale price of 50ppm increasing to R24.51 at the coast and R25.22 inland, while 500ppm will cost R24.29 and R25.01, respectively. This excludes the retail margin, which is usually around R2, depending on the outlet, as diesel…

POLICE in Gauteng have opened an inquest docket after two Grade 1 pupils from a Soweto primary school died after allegedly eating biscuits and drinking juice purchased at a local foreign-run spaza shop. It is alleged that four children bought biscuits at a local shop and started vomiting soon after eating them. Two of the children died, while two others were still in critical condition at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. There was a high police presence in the streets of Naledi, Soweto, as angry members of the community complained about foreign spaza shopkeepers allegedly selling expired goods. Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed police had opened inquest dockets. “The police are investigating two inquest dockets after two kids aged 5 and 6 died at a clinic…

Sandile Kagiso Mantsoe, the man serving a 32-year jail term for the brutal murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Karabo Mokoena, is safely behind bars — despite swelling social media posts of people claiming to have seen him as a free man on the streets of South Africa. The spokesperson for the Justice and Correctional Services Department, Chrispin Phiri, dismissed the allegations on social media platform X, insisting that the killer was locked up at Standerton Correctional Centre in Mpumalanga. “At about 4.35pm we asked for an assurance that offender Sandile Kagiso Mantsoe was still in custody,” said Phiri. “Confirmation: he is at Standerton Correctional Centre with other further charged offenders to make a total of eight in the cell. He is at the centre and he never went out today.…

Deputy judge president of the Northern Cape High Court, Judge Violet Phatshoane, has had to fight off assertions that her aspirations to join the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) would mean a blow to female leadership in the high courts. In her interview for a position at the SCA, Phatshoane emphasised her extensive experience, having served as Deputy Judge President since 2021, and prior to that having served in an acting position for six years. The discussion primarily revolved around whether her transition to the SCA, as one of the few women in a leadership role at the high court, would constitute a “setback”. Phatshoane said her appointment to the higher court would add value to the judiciary and would promote transformation. She added that there were other capable young…

Humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers has once again come to the rescue of a community hard hit by heavy rains. The community of McGregor in the Langeberg Municipality was left isolated in the aftermath of the recent heavy downpours in the area. According to residents, due to the heavy downpour, the village’s two dams had overflowed into nearby rivers and streams, expanding flood waters into the community’s surroundings and damaging the town’s McGregor bridge, which connects it to Robertson. Residents said that due to the flooding the area’s sewerage system had been compromised by overflowing domestic septic tanks posing an additional health and water risk exacerbating conditions. “There is no availability of food, fuel, bottled water and essential supplies. There is no money in the ATMs, which means…

Levani Botia lived up to his nickname "The Demolition Man" in taking Fiji's Pool C game with Georgia "by the scruff of the neck", a performance that assistant coach Brad Harris hopes he will repeat against Portugal on Sunday. The 34-year-old La Rochelle star set an example to his teammates, rousing them from their error-strewn performance against a robust Georgia side to edge it 17-12. It took them to the brink of their third ever appearance in the quarter-finals, and their first since 2007, which a win over Portugal would ensure. Even if they are defeated, a defensive bonus point would suffice. Harris said Botia had risen to the challenge even at the half-time talk when Georgia led 9-0. "I think the coaches got across the technical points we wanted…