Innehållsförteckning för 2024-02-09 från Cape Argus

IT WAS more of the same promises as President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered an underwhelming State of the Nation Address (Sona) at City Hall last night. In the last Sona of the 6th democratic administration before elections take place later this year, Ramaphosa provided no timelines for any grand plans, including when the social relief of distress grant (SRD grant) would be extended. Instead the president hailed the successes of the ANC government over the past 30 years, using the analogy of Tintswalo - “democracy’s child” born in 1994. Ramaphosa kicked off by blaming state capture for wreaking the greatest damage caused to the country. He promised to address challenges in the logistics sector, tackle crime and corruption, and accelerate job creation. He said around R8.6 billion in…

WITH 55 people killed and 59 cases of attempted murder reported in the province in the space of a week, anti-crime activists said the approach to policing needed to change to make communities safer. The murders and attempted murders were reported between January 29 and February 2. Nyanga was among the top five worst affected precincts, with five murders in five days. Those murders were believed the taxi-related. From January 22 to 27, 39 people were killed in the province, eight in Nyanga. Nyanga Community Policing Forum secretary, Dumisani Qwebe, said police made efforts to be visible. “The police are trying their best but most of these cases happen within the blink of an eye. Criminals wait until the police go to another area to start shooting. “Crime intelligence should…

Abou Desai, 92, the man with the bow tie, has died. Deepest sympathy to his children and grandchildren. Desai was a well-known educationist and sportsman in greater Cape Town. His language was as eloquent and as elegant as his professional attire.Perfect. Well-spoken, fair and forthright, Desai didn’t mince his words. In 1996, with the closure of the Hewat Training College, he expressed his disgust with the ministry of education, shortly after he had donated his books to the Hewat Library. He comes from a circle of friends and family steeped in education, the judiciary and sport. His late brother, Khalied Desai (2017), was the second principal of Alexander Sinton High School in Crawford in 1977. Abou Desai’s friends and colleagues at Alexander Sinton, Eddie Pratt and Eddie Oliver, all moved…

Brasília: Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro, pictured, will surrender his passport to authorities, his lawyer said yesterday, as police carried out raids targeting suspects accused of a “coup” attempt. Fabio Wajngarten, the far-right ex-army captain’s lawyer and adviser, confirmed in a statement on X that Bolsonaro would comply with police. In a separate statement, federal police said they were carrying out dozens of search and seizure operations and executing four arrest warrants in an operation targeting a “criminal organisation involved in the attempted coup”, a reference to Bolsonaro supporters’ invasion of the seat of power in Brasilia on January 8 last year. |…

Israeli forces bombed areas in the southern border city of Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering yesterday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu rejected a proposal to end the war in the Palestinian enclave. Netanyahu said on Wednesday terms proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire that would also involve releasing hostages held by the Palestinian militant group were “delusional” and vowed to fight on, saying victory was in reach and just months away. The rejection followed intense diplomacy to end the four-and-a-half-month conflict before a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah, which is now home to over a million people, many of them in makeshift tents and lacking food and medicine. Despite Israel’s rejection of the Hamas proposal, more talks are planned. US Secretary of…

Manchester City can top the Premier League, for a few hours at least, if they beat Everton at home tomorrow, and Pep Guardiola’s side are firm favourites to end the season there. But a record fourth successive English league title is perhaps not the foregone conclusion some are predicting. Phil Foden’s hat-trick inspired City to a 3-1 victory at Brentford on Monday – City’s fifth league win in a row – to put them two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand. It feels ominously familiar, with City looking capable again of the long winning streak that grinds down those seeking to end their domination of the top flight. However, this time there appears to be a genuine three-horse title race after Arsenal’s victory over leaders Liverpool last weekend.…

The countdown is on to Prime Video’s first South African original, unscripted comedy series LOL: Last One Laughing, with Trevor Noah in the host’s seat. Ten famous South African comedians and entertainers are pitted against one another to see who can keep a straight face while trying to make their opponents laugh – and lose. South African musician and dancer Moonchild Sanelly, real name Sanelisiwe Twisha, after being on the show shared that a career switch might be on the horizon because of how funny she is. Noah gets to look on to see how the contestants do funny things to see who will laugh first. The My Power collaborator was surprised to see everyone had a strategy and was sneaky. South African comedian and actress Tumi Morake…

THE security company owner accused of killing a Bo-Kaap father has been granted bail by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Cameron Aberdeen, 31, is alleged to have shot and killed Moegamat Abrahams and wounded a woman in the hand a week ago. A family friend of the deceased said the 48-year-old was running from security officers when he was struck by a bullet. The accused then fired more shots while the father of two was lying on the ground. The owner of Cerberus Tactical Security (CTS), Aberdeen was arrested on the scene and granted bail of R5 000 yesterday. His lawyer, William Booth, handed the court and the State documents supporting the reasons Aberdeen should be released. “He is unmarried and has his father, a retired colonel from SAPS,”…

The family of the 9-year-old whose brutal torture was captured on video have broken their silence. His mom, 24, who can’t be named to protect the identity of the child, said he has been taken to get psychological help. The boy was accused of stealing R600 then tied up and electrocuted before being placed head-first in a wheelie bin and doused with water. The incident happened on January 27 and of more than five people present during the torture, only three were arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Justin Limco, 21, Nathan Niewenhuis, 24, and Zane Marthinus, 34, appeared in court on Tuesday and their case was postponed to February 27 for formal bail application. “My son was left very traumatised. He was a playful child…

THERE remains a familiar, acrid old whiff in the air in the “Fairest Cape”. Beyond the bright lights of the modern metropolis, in the quiet nooks and crannies of the dorpies, and behind closed doors, you’ll still find racist attitudes and behaviour. A few recent reports unfortunately remind us that intolerance is alive and well in our otherwise polite society. Incidents that leave us asking, “In this day and age … ?” Earlier this week, the case of the famous Bala brothers was heard in the Strand Magistrate’s Court, where they allege that they were victims of racial abuse. They claim that their clothing was ripped off them and one member of a group of white males was overheard saying, “I feel like beating k***** (racist word)”. Only one of…

PARIS: Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee president Tony Estanguet said yesterday he had not determined his salary amid an alleged legal probe into his remuneration. On Tuesday, French media reported that Estanguet was allegedly facing a judicial investigation into his pay. “I have not decided what my salary would be or how it would be determined,” Estanguet, a three-time Olympic canoeing champion, told reporters yesterday. “Since the start of this adventure, we have put in place a number of bodies to oversee and define my salary, which is itself monitored by the remuneration committee, the board of directors and the government.’ |…

Pakistan began counting votes after polling ended yesterday in a general election marred by militant attacks and suspension of cellphone services, with authorities saying that at least nine people had been killed nationwide. The vote was held as the South Asian nation, and the fifth most populated country in the world, struggles to recover from an economic crisis while it grapples with rising militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy and voting was to fill seats in the federal legislature, called the National Assembly, and four provincial, or state, legislatures. Almost 128 million Pakistanis out of a population of 241 million, above the age of 18, were eligible to vote Many analysts believe the vote may not produce a clear winner. Thousands of troops…

More than 500 days since 4-year-old Tamia Botha was murdered, a suspect has yet to be arrested and charged. The girl went missing on September 25, 2022 and her body was found the following day in a bag on a school field near her home. It is believed she was taken during load shedding. Paarl East residents had searched for her using their cellphone lights but couldn’t find her. A few days later, two men were arrested but when they were expected to appear in court, the case was not enrolled and they had to be released. Since then, the police have not charged anyone for her murder. The family had hope in March last year when they heard that suspects had been identified. Councillor Leandre Matthee said: “We have…

WHAT happens when troubling, hidden truths are abruptly exposed? When, for most people in a community or society, their uncertain and incomplete knowledge of something wrong going on is unexpectedly uncovered? When their hidden suspicions of an injustice they never talked about are later recognised as real? What happens next? This question is important to decide how a community or society must immediately respond to what was uncovered; and at the same time, decide on the slower and longer run of the broader social processes to resolve the continuing pain of past ordeals. People in themselves and as members of communities have a similar immediate response when a public exposé of wrongs hits the news – a collective shock wave. It is important to note that these are wrongs of…

YOUTHS representing various organisations gathered outside St George’s Cathedral yesterday ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona), to deliver what they called “The People’s Sona”. The young people raised various issues regarding education, economics, and sociocultural challenges that they faced. They pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa to tackle issues of youth development with urgency. Organiser from the Cape Youth Collective, Rooman Leach, said the youth needed a space where their voices could be heard. “There's a lot of issues that the youth face that we believe are overlooked by the president, from housing crises to exorbitant university fees, to a lack of accommodation when they do get to university. “And even before that, with getting to school, getting to universities, and being paid a living wage, if they're…

South Africa has entered the era of coalition politics – an era which is possibly going to stay for decades to come. There is certainly a projection that there will be an increase in coalitions in the national elections set to take place this year. The 2021 local government elections highlighted the pressing issue of hung councils in major metropolitan areas. The often chaotic and unstable nature of the precarious coalition arrangements entered into by the competing political parties in these hung councils has had devastating effects on service delivery and municipal administration, particularly where highly contested municipalities are concerned. This instability led to the removal of Johannesburg’s mayor, Mpho Phalatse, and council speaker Vasco da Gama in the City of Joburg. While legislative and constitutional factors play a role,…

BAGHDAD: Repeated US strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq are pushing the Baghdad government to end the mission of the US-led coalition in the country, the prime minister’s military spokesperson said yesterday. The US military said a strike on Wednesday killed a commander from Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group in Iraq that the Pentagon has blamed for attacking its troops. Spokesperson Yahya Rasool said in a statement the US-led coalition “has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict”. Talks between the two countries began last month over the future of the coalition. |…

Nairobi: A Kenyan man suspected of murdering his girlfriend in the United States last year has escaped from custody in Nairobi, police said yesterday. Kevin Kangethe was being detained pending extradition to the US over the death of Margaret Mbitu, who was found stabbed to death in a car park at Boston’s Logan Airport in November. However, he slipped out of a police station on Wednesday evening. “This is embarrassing,” Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said. “We have arrested the four officers who were on duty when he escaped, to explain how this happened, and we are looking for him.” An arrest warrant was issued for Kangethe after he fled the US for Kenya, where he was arrested in January. |…

The Proteas Women’s team have the opportunity to achieve their first ODI series victory over Australia in Sydney tomorrow (5.40am start, SA time). Independent Newspapers takes a closer look at five things they need to do to make history ... Strike with the new ball It may sound like an obvious statement, but the value of it against Australia cannot be understated. Marizanne Kapp’s sensational in-swinger that knocked over Beth Mooney’s middle stump set the tone in the second ODI, and the Proteas will need similar inspiration in the series decider. Laura Wolvaardt needs runs The SA skipper will be pleased that her team are on the brink of rewriting the record books, but personally, she will be disappointed with her contribution thus far. Wolvaardt has extensive experience playing in…