Innehållsförteckning för 2024-01-10 från Cape Argus

THE DA and ActionSA have lodged complaints at the police against Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande following an investigative report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) implicating the minister and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board chairperson Ernest Khosa in alleged tender corruption. The Outa report released on Thursday, follows leaked voice recordings of two separate meetings held between Khosa, the husband of one Coinvest director Thula Ntumba, and another unknown person. Coinvest was one of four service providers hired to disburse student funds. According to Outa, the recordings reveal how service providers “allegedly paid millions of rand in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khosa, as well as at least R1 million to the SACP. This was allegedly done “in return for tenders and protection for…

On January 8, 2024, the ANC turned 112. That’s a milestone. Few political parties reach that age. The governing party has played an important role in the liberation of South Africa. And it remains central in the politics of the country. The ANC has what it traditionally calls its January 8 statement, which is delivered by the party president. This year, the statement will be delivered this coming Saturday in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. The ANC’s January 8 statement used to be one of the most anticipated speeches. However, it has lost its significance. Why? Because the governing party has failed to take the masses to the Promised Land. Instead, it is focusing on its power struggle and internal fights. In addition, the party no longer has the best interests of the…

From December 27 to 28, last year, the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was held in China. President Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important address. He presented a systematic review of the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, gave a profound exposition on the international environment and historical mission of China’s external work on the new journey, and made comprehensive plans for China’s external work for the present and coming periods. It was pointed out at the conference that building a global community of a shared future reflected the Chinese Communists’ world view, perception of order and values, accorded with the common aspiration of people in all countries, and pointed the direction for the progress…

Music producer and artist Mondli Ngcobo has finally taken to social media after the death of Mandy Malebo, his baby mama. The 28-year-old socialite died last Thursday after a short illness. Although details surrounding her death remained unclear, many are speculating that she had taken her own life or had been poisoned. The beauty influencer and Ngcobo had a contentious relationship at times, resulting in their drama making news headlines. After her death, many blamed the Koze Kuse hitmaker for Malebo’s state of mind and her depression which she was very outspoken about. In a 2022 resurfaced TikTok video, she accused Ngcobo of abuse and withholding child support. In the video, Malebo claimed the muso only gave her R1 500 for child support and refused to pay for her apartment,…

The case against the Zimbabwean man accused of killing his girlfriend and hiding her body in a freezer has been postponed for an interpreter. Brian Miripiri was arrested on December 30 after Busisiwe Mthethwa’s body was found in a freezer. He had reportedly placed heavy car parts on top of her in their Samora Machel home. Miripiri told the Athlone Magistrate’s Court he wanted a Shona interpreter. Community police forum chairperson Jacqueline Samuels, who was present when the body was found, said blood was spotted and the police searched Mthethwa’s home. “When the officers opened the freezer, there were ‘heavy metals’ in it. When they took out the last one, they found the body. We previously thought the body was chopped up, but she had deep wounds in the head.…

THE SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is seeking to make school uniforms affordable, including getting the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to control the procurement of school uniforms and to provide for the wearing of gender-non-conforming outfits to accommodate diverse gender identities. The commission has raised concerns that the cost of school uniforms can be prohibitive, leading to a lack of access to education for some pupils. The commission revealed that it had received regular complaints about the cost of school uniforms, saying the increasing costs were largely as a result of anti-competitive behaviour, where a school forces parents to procure uniforms from one supplier. The commission said it had warned against anti-competitive behaviour in this sector and made recommendations that schools need to ensure that the uniforms are as…

COMPLIMENTS of the Season to the esteemed Cape Argus Team and best wishes for 2024. I always find my friend and learned colleague Cllr Yagyah Adams’ letters very refreshing and thought-provoking. In his latest epistle, “Why most current global leaders are destined for hellfire”, (Cape Argus, January 9), he gives a perspective of how God is of paramount importance, chastises political leaders and cannot condone the senseless genocide in the Palestine – Israeli conflict. Whether you are a follower of Judaism, Christianity, Islam or any faith, “you become an enemy of the Creator”. Anyone who perpetrates murder must suffer the full wrath of God. I pray for peace in all war-torn hot spots in the world, and congratulate Cllr Adams for advocating his opinion against the injustice of political leaders.…

YOU might think I am some kind of weirdo to write about a funeral again in the New Year. But I found this funeral rather unusual and interesting and decided to share it with readers. Remember the film, Four Weddings and a Funeral, starring Hugh Grant? Although what I saw was not anywhere close to it, it reminded me of the film. While a funeral was taking place at my cousin’s house, a wedding was going on across the road in a church. A mournful ceremony in one place but a joyous celebration in the other. How could sorrow and happiness be juxtaposed, I thought. But that was not all. While my cousin Pauline was a Christian, her husband Sunny was a staunch Hindu. When they married, I expected Sunny…

The late American politician and entrepreneur Malcolm Stevenson Forbes is reputed to have said: “The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” Education, formal or informal, teaches us to develop logic, rationale, reasoning, intellect and knowledge about the world we live in. The purpose of education is to be able to live together in a just society. I was not taken aback after hearing ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula boasting about how he and another MP representing the ANC lied to Parliament to protect their then-leader Jacob Zuma from accounting for his alleged accusations of crime. Mbalula arrogantly, and without regret, boasted about how the ANC abused its majority to render democratic institutions useless by dishonouring Parliament and the Cabinet. Our current political landscape has…

St GEORGE’S Park may be the oldest Test ground in the country, but today it will open its doors to the future when the second instalment of the SA20 gets under way. Purists have bemoaned Test cricket’s demise in recent weeks due to the influx of T20 franchise leagues. But like it or not, T20 cricket is here to stay, and particularly in South Africa with former Proteas Test captain Graeme Smith and his SA20 team working tirelessly to put together another exceptional tournament after the maiden season was an unprecedented success last year. Season 1 was a Cinderella-like fairytale and was the injection the game required in this country. But every sports fantasy script needs an underdog fighting its way to the top. And the Sunrisers Eastern Cape fitted…

Atlantic Seaboard residents are warned to be wary of a pensioner on the prowl for expensive jewellery amid a spate of burglaries. Investigations into the thefts by the elderly man seen near the Oliver Court residential complex in Sea Point have revealed the crafty tactics of the alleged thief who recently stole jewellery worth over R1.2 million. A photograph of the man was shared on social media on Monday as residents were warned to be careful when he is spotted. A resident in the complex, who asked not to be named, said they found that the alleged thief had entered the complex by following an unsuspecting resident. “He came into the complex on December 30 and broke into two flats. He is in his 60s. He rings all the bells…

One week into the new year and more than 2 million South Africans are still waiting on Home Affairs to unblock their ID documents and thus “unblock their lives”. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in September reserved judgment in an application by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and several other civic organisations in which it challenged the conduct of Home Affairs to block certain people’s IDs, leaving them out in the cold. Judgment is expected to be delivered within a month or two. LHR, which represented a host of clients whose IDs were blocked, said that in May 2012 the department initiated a campaign to address the issue of “duplicate IDs” on the National Population Register. Initially, about 29 000 IDs were identified. The figure escalated to about 500…

The Animal Welfare Society of South Africa (AWS SA) is on a mission to throw the biggest party for one of the oldest dogs in the country. Fanie, a Miniature Pinscher from Mitchells Plain, is turning 25 years old in February. The doggie has been visiting the AWS SA clinic since he was just a little puppy. Now, a month away from his silver jubilee birthday celebrations, AWS wants to celebrate the dog by giving him a party at their adoption centre. AWS SA nurse Jaque le Roux said the decision for a party was to celebrate Fanie and his owner, Abe Hendricks, who goes nowhere without Fanie. “Last time I took a photo of Fanie he was 18 and here he is turning Silver Jubilee 25 in February.…

As the opening gambit for my first column for 2024, I wish to thank the Almighty Giver of Life and Love for mercies to all, past and present. May the coming year be kind to us all. To all my loyal readers, thank you for staying with me all these years. What does one write at the beginning of a year that promises to be momentous in so many ways? Like dozens of other countries, we will all be going to the polls for elections at the required levels. Least said, soonest mended. But we pray that whoever casts a vote, that reason and fairness prevail, and that the dark forces that assume they are ascendant are crushed in the truth of our convictions as human beings. I would like…

Recent letters by Thabisi Hoeane and Israel Tshetlhane once again prove that even if we assume good intentions by critics of Israel waging war against Hamas, the distortion of facts and blatant ignorance of the history and current reality of the region is nothing short of staggering. I agree with them that the loss of every innocent Palestinian life is tragic; that war is hell and that far-right extremists like Bezalel Smotrich should absolutely be called out. I can’t say I agree with much else. Instead, let me focus on a key point in Tshetlhane’s letter: October 7 being an act of “resistance” for the freedom of the Palestinian people. If you consider the unspeakably savage rape, torture, dismemberment, and murder of 1 200 men, women and children and the…

An upsurge in political activity has been keeping people glued to the news as a number of controversial events play out in the run-up to the general elections. This week has been nothing short of spectacular, with highlights including the conflict between the DA and Blade Nzimande, Jacob Zuma’s political presence, the Patriotic Alliance’s (PA) “border war”, the ANC’s 112th birthday and its secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. While the ANC has begun celebrations in Mpumalanga, opposition parties have increased their visibility in confronting various issues impacting the country. Thousands of ANC supporters are expected to make their way to Mbombela Stadium, where President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his keynote address on Saturday. Other controversial news is the newly launched uMkhonto weSizwe Party, led by Zuma, as it continues to…

Israel has announced plans for a partial withdrawal of its forces from the Gaza Strip over the next few months. The Israel Defence Forces would adapt their tactics towards more targeted opera- tions in the enclave, reducing reliance on artillery and air strikes, it said. Israel has transitioned to a new phase in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip – one that is less intensive, involving “fewer troops and air strikes”, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said. “The war shifted a stage … But the transition will be with no ceremony. It’s not about dramatic announcements,” Hagari said. Israel hopes to complete the shift from its original sweeping ground and air campaign launched in Gaza to this “targeted” phase of one-off raids by the end of…

The first day of the Peninsula Schools Festival kicked off in Cape Town, with batsmen making hay on the docile wickets in hot conditions. Teams winning the toss had no hesitation in batting first with three schools posting 300-plus totals and five centuries being recorded. Pride of place must go to the Bishops opener, 16-year-old Adnaan Lagadien, in their match against Hilton College. He batted throughout the innings, smashing an undefeated double century (218*) in his side’s mammoth 325-7 declared off 55 overs. He was in scintillating form in an innings punctuated by fierce drives on both sides of the wicket and some lusty hitting after reaching his century. He scored his runs at a brisk pace off only 171 balls. The next highest scorer was Callum Daniels (31), who…