Innehållsförteckning för 2024-01-08 från Cape Argus

Police are investigating a kidnapping case after an e-hailing driver was snatched in Thornton. The driver was stabbed before he was shoved into the boot of his vehicle. He managed to escape and walk to a service station, where he fainted on Wednesday evening. A witness said: “An e-hailing driver was stabbed and hijacked at the station side. The culprits put him in the boot and drove down Sipres Avenue. “Fortunately, the car had a tracker and the culprits couldn’t find the ‘disarm’ button of the vehicle making it come to a standstill by the traffic lights (on Viking Way). “The driver miraculously opened the boot and walked over to the BP garage, where he collapsed. I’m not sure where he is or even if he is alive.” Police spokesperson…

The start of the new year is a good time to assess whether your home security system is still adequate. And according to Charnel Hattingh, group head of marketing and communications manager at Fidelity ADT, it’s crucial that your security provider has access to all of your current contact details so they are aware of who to call in an emergency. In the event that the primary contact is unreachable, this also includes information about back-up contacts. “When last did you test your alarm system? It’s one of those things that may have slipped by the wayside but is vitally important. “You must be sure that the system still works and that your security company will receive an alarm signal in case of an emergency,” she says. “Wear and tear…

WHILE it is true that we are all entitled to voice our opinions on matters of national importance, I just don’t see how postponing the 2024 elections could help the situation in which we find ourselves. On the contrary, any delay would make a bad, chaotic situation even worse. First, with the proliferation of political parties happening weekly, we would possibly end up having more political parties than voters – a scenario that would inevitably guarantee the ANC a majority win. Secondly, postponing would be playing into the hands of unscrupulous politicians who are determined to win by any means possible, by affording them enough time to acquire as many fake SA IDs as possible for foreigners, who are promised a better life in South Africa if they vote…

ISRAEL was attacked by Hamas on October 7. Israel, a sovereign state and the only democracy in the Middle East, retaliated by bombing Gaza, and the war continues. What hypocrisy that the ANC points fingers at Israel! South Africa, once a wealthy and very prosperous country, has been brought to its knees in 30 years under the ANC government. It is a failed state. It is almost bankrupt as a result of government corruption. Homelessness and starvation have reached record highs. Half the population is unemployed, hopeless and hungry. Schools struggle with incompetent teachers and a lack of equipment. State hospitals are a disgrace – with shortages of doctors, nurses, equipment, and not even bed linen for the patients. Call this a civilised society? It is a banana republic. Nelson…

The Stormers will start 2024 on a clean slate but under pressure to keep their unbeaten run at home going when they face the Sale Sharks this Saturday in a crucial Champions Cup clash. After enjoying a welcome break, where the players and coaches could switch off from rugby for at least a week, South Africa’s in-form rugby side will pick things up again after three impressive home victories. They scored two one-point wins over La Rochelle (21-20) and the Sharks (16-15), and then they kept their winning streak over the Bulls intact just before Christmas, with a 26-20 victory. In their last game against the Sharks just before the turn of the year, the Cape side had to toil for the win and didn’t deliver the performance they wanted.…

An anonymous woman, dubbed “Jane Doe”, has filed a complaint of sexual assault and battery against rapper T.I. (Clifford Harris) and his wife Tiny (Tameka Harris). She alleged that the couple drugged and raped her after they all met at a Los Angeles club in 2005. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles, stated that she did not consent to any sexual assault or misconduct. T.I. and Tiny released a joint statement denying the accusations. They revealed that the plaintiff had been threatening to file the lawsuit for three years. They they had consistently refused extortion demands for alleged wrongdoings that they deny committing. But according to the obtained complaint, the woman – then in her early 20s and serving in the US Air Force – met the celebrity couple…

CAPE Town law enforcement officers cracked down on an illegal distillery in Khayelitsha where people were allegedly dealing in, and manufacturing, alcohol. Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said the officers were out on patrol in the area on Friday when they came across the goods. “On January 5 at approximately 10.50pm, while on patrol, Law Enforcement LEAP officers in Harare, Khayelitsha, spotted a silver Suzuki with two occupants on Oscar Mpetha Road, Kuyasa,” he said. “The vehicle seemed heavily loaded but had only two occupants, which seemed odd and raised the suspicion of the officers.” According to Dyason, after officers stopped and searched the vehicle they found eight 25-litre sealed canisters containing what they thought were chemicals. “The driver claimed it was water. The officers then took the vehicle to…

WITH the help of three police officers, a heavily pregnant woman delivered a healthy baby boy on Saturday – on a gravel road in Sunningdale. Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith applauded the three officers who were conducting operations in Rivergate, near Sunningdale, at about 10.45am when they came across the mom on the gravel road in the area. “I’m very happy to hear of the exploits of three of our officers who helped deliver a baby on Saturday morning,” said Smith. “They soon discovered that (the mother) was in labour, and jumped into action, with Officer Clinton Bonke leading from the front. With his encouragement, he managed to calm the distraught mother-to-be, and guided her as she gave birth to a beautiful, bouncing baby boy at…

The City of Cape Town has advised residents of Claremont and Newlands of water outages as a result of a planned water supply maintenance. The City’s water and sanitation directorate said it would be doing planned work in the identified areas, resulting in water supply disruptions. The maintenance work and planning for the replacement of defective isolation valves will result in water supply disruption to the following areas: Claremont/Newlands – between Main Road, Albion Road, Klipper Road and Dean Street, as well as Bank Road, Arbor Road, Mount Road and surrounds The main water supply to this area will be shut off temporarily between 9am and 6pm tomorrow. The City said some areas would experience low water pressure and others no water. The maintenance was reportedly planned after a compromised…

The fact that the ANC is, in desperation, taking Israel to the International Court of Justice on the charge of genocide is to bluff the world into believing that we are this loving, caring, compassionate and sympathetic nation. Also, to show our gratitude for the hard-done-by Palestinians for fighting with us “in the trenches” during apartheid, although I can’t find any evidence of this. A South Africa fighting for the rights of the underprivileged, the destitute and those who have nothing. Wow! Marvellous stuff, despite the fact that millions of South Africans are starving, living in shocking conditions of abject poverty, with no chance of ever finding employment. Cities and towns that have become slums through incompetence and massive corruption. A crime situation that far surpasses any war setting with…

RETIRED Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke has been appointed as an ad hoc judge to join the 15 regular judges of the International Court Of Justice (ICJ) to hear South Africa’s application for Israel’s military assault on Gaza to be declared as genocide. Justice Moseneke has the superb qualities required to be our legal supremo at the ICJ. He is known to capture the people’s imagination like no other judge in our land. He has spawned a fan following that can be the envy of rock stars and screen divas alike. Justice Moseneke has presided over cases which set the architecture of safeguarding the Constitution from desecration. His legal career as an eminent jurist and a distinguished judge can be characterised as one that shows a commitment to ideals…

THE second edition of the SA20, starting on Wednesday in Gqeberha, has arguably more to live up to than the novelty of its first iteration. Not only must it build on the momentum and goodwill of an excellent first season in 2023, but it must also attempt to set aside the despondency regarding the conclusion of an unsatisfying Test series against India. It must then also divert attention away from an understrength Proteas Test team that will be touring New Zealand early next month. The former is arguably easier to do after an underwhelming second Test against India at Newlands recently, as the short attention span of fans will no doubt be overwhelmed by the razzmatazz, fireworks, and thumping sounds and sights of T20 cricket. Nevertheless, the fashion in which…

MI Cape Town will have a brand leadership team when their Betway SA20 season 2 campaign gets under way this week. The hugely popular team underperformed in the inaugural season last year, where they finished bottom of the six-team table. It was particularly disappointing due to MI Cape Town being loaded with superstars such as Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan and England all-rounder Sam Curran. It has not taken MI Cape Town long to ring the changes with former Proteas all-rounder Robin Peterson taking over the head-coaching duties from Australian Simon Katich. Peterson is well-versed in the local conditions, having spent the latter part of his playing career at Newlands. He also recently led MI New York to the inaugural Major League Cricket championship title in…

WHILE still dealing with the harrowing remnants of nearly 50 years of apartheid and having coined the term, the eyes of the world have fallen on South Africa as it hauls Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) this week. SA has assembled a formidable team of lawyers to take on the mammoth lawsuit at the ICJ under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention) namely John Dugard SC, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC, Adila Hassim SC, Max du Plessis SC, together with Tshidiso Ramogale, Sarah Pudifin-Jones, Lerato Zikalala, Vaughan Lowe KC and Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC. The ICJ, also known as the “World Court” confirmed that South Africa’s case would be heard through public hearings held on Thursday and Friday. Malaysia, Türkiye,…

Seventeen suspects are expected to appear in court on charges of possession of a prohibited firearm, ammunition as well as fraud after police were alerted of two isolated incidents on Friday. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said an integrated operation conducted in the city centre was led by members of the SAPS. Five male and nine female foreign nationals were arrested on a charge of fraud. “The members entered a local hotel where they found 14 foreign nationals. “They searched the room and confiscated three Apple MacBooks, 13 Apple pro iPhones, including bank cards and fraudulent ID books. It is alleged that the suspects booked into the hotel and paid with the fraudulent bank cards,” said Swartbooi. Once charged, the suspects will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on these…

The Tweede Nuwe Jaar annual road march is a tradition that dates from the 1880s and was organised by individual promoters or the City. In the early 1990s, organising committee’s, also known as klopse boards and consisting of troupe owners, started to appear. Many of them have disappeared since then. The Tweede Nuwe Jaar road march is Cape Town’s biggest annual cultural event and has huge media coverage which make it perfect for marketing strategies and showcasing sponsorships. The Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association has been the organisers, or klopse board, that has been running the event for three years. However, it has created more and more animosity by restricting our community media (photographers), and banning some of our klopse members, including myself. I want to thank the City and the…

The last person to vote for any political party in this country used to be me, until I arrived at the realisation that most of the political parties lack an important basic tenet – empathy. About 21 000 lives have been needlessly squashed in Gaza and the West Bank. This seems to have eluded the intelligence and moralities of the parties that care only for themselves. I am, however, aware that the ANC is at the forefront of having recognised the atrocities of genocide by Israel. and has taken steps to be vociferous about the issue, unlike many other parties that did not encourage a call for a ceasefire. When South Africa was assisting the Allied forces to fight the Nazis during World War II, the ANC of that time…

Iran stands accused by the West of playing a key role in unrest plaguing the Middle East, but twin bombings claimed by Islamic State group jihadists are a keen reminder of its own internal weaknesses, analysts say. Last week’s double suicide bombing left about 90 dead during a ceremony near the tomb of General Qasem Soleimani, on the fourth anniversary of the death of the revered former commander from powerful Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Soleimani, killed in January 2020 by a US strike just after his arrival in Baghdad, had headed the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, overseeing Iranian military operations across the Middle East. Iran, sworn enemy of Israel, has established an “axis of Iranian resistance” in the region, relying on Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, Shia militias in…