Innehållsförteckning för 2024-08-19 från Cape Argus

GBV activists, state call on court to dismiss appeal Gender-based activists are calling on the Western Cape High Court to dismiss the bail appeal of a Kraaifontein man who was arrested for allegedly being part of an international child porn syndicate. Corné van Rooyen, 40, lodged the appeal after his bid for freedom was denied by the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court earlier this year, saying the magistrate erred when delivering the judgment. Van Rooyen was arrested alongside Garth van West, 53, and Shannon Manuel, 32, following a joint operation by the SAPS and the US Department of Homeland Security in January. At the time, national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the trio from Worcester, Kraaifontein and Mitchells Plain were among seven South African suspects busted as the investigation was rolled…

HUNDREDS of mourners gathered in Bishop Lavis at the weekend to say their final farewells to slain 5-year-old Xavier Mitchell, who was laid to rest. More than a week after his murder, Xavier’s alleged killer is set to return to the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court today amid a referral to Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital. Mervyn White was brought to court on Friday morning after being discharged from hospital as he was assaulted by angry residents, where he was informed he would be referred. At the time of Xavier’s murder, it was revealed that White is the brother of Xavier’s nanny. Police said the suspect, who is in his 40s and said to suffer from a mental disorder, reportedly had a psychotic episode when Xavier was stabbed three times in the back…

Flight of the Dancer Liza Lazarus Self published Review: Sheila Chisholm IT IS a fact that “classical ballet mamas” have an uncanny ability either to promote or crush their daughter’s career. True, that statement can apply to every parent who takes an overzealous interest in their child’s scholastic and/or extra-mural activities. In Lisa Lazarus’s debut novel, Flight of the Dancer, she tells a typically woeful tale of the damage Lillian Glass does to her pubescent daughter Julia by refusing to listen to why she wants to stop dancing. For every reason Julia offers to quit her tuition,…

If you’RE a fan of young adult fantasy and got a chance to pick up Namina Forna’s The Gilded Ones, the first book of her series, then I recommend you try Tanya Junghans’ Dreamer: The Activation of Makeba. Like the former, the book draws in a young, strong black character with a storyline that looks into identity, myths, elements and figures from different African cultures to add a twist to well-loved fantasy tropes. Junhans’ debut novel follows a young girl’s journey to finding her place in a world of dreams, star travelling light beings and her struggle to honour her true identity as a child of mixed heritage. Tanya Junghans is a South African writer now based in Switzerland. Her new book delivers a riveting genre-bending tale that draws from…

The Springboks return from Australia today after a highly profitable fortnight of matches against the Wallabies and they are well-placed to win their first Rugby Championship title since 2019. Rassie Erasmus’s world champions comprehensively outclassed the Wallabies in Brisbane and Perth and earned a full house of 10 log points to put them five log points clear of second-placed New Zealand, who the Boks host in two highly-anticipated games on August 31 and September 7. It is not just the scale of the wins in Australia that proves the Boks are on an upward trajectory. Perhaps more importantly, is that Erasmus engineered these wins while giving game time to all 33 of his players on tour. He made 10 changes to his starting lineup from the Brisbane game to the…

Kamala Harris took her US presidential campaign on a battleground bus tour yesterday, before heading to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago that will be shadowed by protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. The vice-president, riding a wave of enthusiasm after replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket less than a month ago, dashed to the swing state of Pennsylvania to push her case against Republican rival Donald Trump. The 59-year-old then jetted to Chicago for a rapturous reception from Democrats, who have dared to hope again after an astonishing turnaround which has seen Harris wipe out Trump’s lead in the polls. Security will be tight, with tens of thousands of protesters expected to rally on every day of the convention against the Biden-Harris administration’s support for…

Johannesburg: Ninety-five Libyans found at a suspected military camp in July were deported back to their country yesterday, the Department of Home Affairs said. The Libyan men have been detained since July 26, when police raided the remote training camp near the town of White River, about 360km east of Johannesburg. “They are scheduled to leave South Africa from the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport this morning in a flight that has been paid for by the Libyan Government,” the ministry said in a statement. Police had said the men entered South Africa in April on visas issued for training as security guards. However, police suspected they were receiving military training. The government then cancelled the visas, which were “irregularly acquired” in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, based on “misrepresentation”. “I commend…

Disciples0 Orlando Pirates0 Orlando Pirates played out to a frustrating goalless draw in the first leg of their CAF Champions League first preliminary round battle against Madagascar side Disciples yesterday. The Sea Robbers huffed and puffed for 90 minutes but in the end could not find the back of the net at the Cote d’Or National Sports Complex in Mauritius. The second leg will take place at the Orlando Stadium next weekend. The Buccaneers began their 2024/25 CAF Champions League expedition with huge expectations after a fairly successful previous campaign where they snatched two major trophies. However, Jose Riveiro and his men have a chip on their shoulder this time around, having been shockingly eliminated from the second preliminary round stage last season by Botswana side…

Paul Roos are the unofficial champions of schoolboy rugby in South Africa after maintaining their 100% winning record this season, following an overwhelming 36-3 win over their old foes, the formidable Grey College from Bloemfontein. It was a clinical performance by the hosts, who led 19-3 at half-time, outscoring the visitors by five tries to nil. Although the heavy underfoot conditions counted against running rugby, the home side relished the opportunity to play the ball down the wide channels. It was a dominant performance by the Maroon Machine forwards, who paved the way to victory. They used the driving maul to great effect, with hooker Altus Rabie and prop Olli Reid providing the impetus. In addition, locks Charl Holwill and Truspe Schoeman worked well in tandem as they reigned…

South Africans celebrated a remarkable weekend of sporting successes, achieving victories across three major sports. The nation triumphed in rugby, cricket and mixed martial arts, showcasing its athletic prowess on the global stage. The Springboks retained the Mandela Challenge Plate by defeating the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, while the Proteas clinched a Test series win against the West Indies yesterday. Rounding off a glorious weekend for SA sport fans, in Perth, Australia yesterday morning, UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his title, solidifying South Africa’s dominance in mixed martial arts. Bok captain Siya Kolisi and teammate Eben Etzebeth walked Du Plessis out to the octagon and were at his side as he defeated bitter rival, Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya. It was an incredible display…

Pnet’s latest Job Market Trends Report showed that local hiring activity in South Africa increased by 1% between May to June 2024. However, the report showed that year-on-year, hiring activity decreased by 9%, compared to June 2023. “The trend for the two-year comparison reveals that recruitment activity has decreased by 6% compared to June 2022,” according to Pnet. Despite these troubling figures, hiring activity for certain jobs has increased according to their data. If you are on the hunt or thinking of studying then looking at what is desirable in the SA job market is vital. Here are the jobs, Pent found to be in high demand and trending in SA: Finance sector - Financial Analysis and Credit Management Medical & Health - Nursing / Professional Care Giving Maintenance…

Review: Orielle Berry The author of the bestselling The South African Air Fryer Cookbook is back, this time with another winning idea for busy folk in the kitchen – a book that gives wonderful ideas for a meal all made in one pot. Holst refers to one-pot wonders as “wonderful comfort food simmered in a pot” and with her clear and easy-peasy cooking methods she could not have done it better. The chapters are also user- and reader-friendly. Flash in the Pan will get you making stir fries and “quick as a flash” dishes in that one pan; the easy way out “Short Cut Pasta” offers flavoursome pasta dishes; in another chapter, for example are some fab but easy-to-prepare rice dishes. Every thing is there – from a lamb chop…

Israeli strikes killed at least 21 people in Gaza yesterday, including six children, Palestinian health authorities said, before a visit to the region by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to try to push forward ceasefire talks. The children and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the central town of Deir Al-Balah, health officials said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The Israeli military did say it destroyed rocket launchers used to hit Israel from the southern city of Khan Younis, the scene of intense fighting in recent weeks, and killed 20 Palestinian fighters. Israel has denied targeting civilians as it hunts down Hamas militants, accusing the group of operating from civilian facilities including schools and hospitals. Hamas denies this. Diplomatic…

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has accused Ethiopia of not accepting his country as a sovereign state. And he renewed his attack on Addis Ababa’s agreement with a breakaway Somali region. “Ethiopia refuses to recognise Somalia as a sovereign neighbouring country,” the Somalia president said on Saturday during an address to the nation. “Until it recognises the sovereignty of Somalia, we cannot talk about a sea or any other thing. Ethiopia violated international law.” Earlier this year, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland to lease 20km of coast for 50 years. That would give Ethiopia – one of the world’s largest landlocked countries – long-sought after access to the sea. Somaliland – which unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991 – has said Ethiopia, in return, will become…

New Delhi: Some Indian junior doctors remained off duty yesterday, demanding swift justice for a colleague who was raped and murdered, despite the end of a 24-hour strike called by the country’s biggest association of doctors. The doctors have held protests, candlelight marches and refused to see non-emergency patients after the killing of the 31-year old postgraduate student of chest medicine on August 9 in Kolkata. Activists say the incident at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital has highlighted how women continue to suffer despite tougher laws being implemented against such crimes.…

Double world champion Francesco Bagnaia won a third successive Austrian MotoGP to complete a dream sprint-race weekend double and take the outright lead in the world championship yesterday. Jorge Martin, who went into the weekend atop the riders’ standings, had to settle for second with Enea Bastianini completing the podium at the Red Bull Ring circuit. This was the Turin-born Bagnaia’s seventh race win of the season to match his tally from last season with nine races remaining. That is a sobering thought for Martin, who has a better sprint record than Bagnaia but when it comes to the main event it is Bagnaia who invariably comes out on top. “Our pace was incredible. I knew over the last laps anything could happen, so I’m very happy to win three…

A SEVENTEEN-year-old suspect is expected to make his first court appearance today after he was arrested for the murder of 16-year-old Deveney Nel of Grabouw. The boy was arrested by detectives from the Serious Violent Crimes unit on Friday, just before midnight. It was revealed that he lives in a neighbouring town. Nel disappeared on the day that her school hosted a sports day, nearly two weeks ago. Her body was found hours after she was reported missing by her mother, when she did not arrive for her transport home from Hoërskool Overberg in Caledon. It is believed the Grade 10 learner was stabbed to death and her body dumped in the school’s storeroom. A source previously said Nel’s hair ribbon and cellphone were found on the back of a…

THE Department of Justice and Constitutional Development says it will oppose a former teacher’s appeal to have his extradition to Scotland overturned. Iain Wares faces more than 70 charges of sexual assault. IOL previously reported that Wares faces a range of sexual indecency related charges in the United Kingdom. It was further reported that he was named in a BBC documentary, alleging he groomed young boys while teaching at some of that country’s most respected boarding schools. Last week, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Thembi Simelane, approved 84-year-old Wares’s extradition. He faces similar charges in SA after a former learner opened a case against him. He is due back in court for that matter in September. On Friday, the department said it had received correspondence from Wares’s legal representation. “Wares…

It was an emotional day for the cycling team of Bergsig Primary School, who were the recipients of the 4 000th pair of school shoes, hand-delivered by social community movement Hakuna Matata, in Bonteheuwel at the weekend. Hakuna Matata was established by school teacher Irafaan Abrahams and a group of like-minded people who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others, especially underprivileged school learners. On April 27, the group handed over its first of 4 000 pairs of school shoes at Carl Schreve Primary School, near Citrusdal. The months that followed saw the group of givers travelling to 13 other schools on the Cape Flats, and as far as St Helena Bay. They also handed out 500 pairs of school shoes to a village in…

If the current state of coalition politics in South Africa is an indicator of the health of the Government of National Unity (GNU), then all is not well. Cyril Ramaphosa and Helen Zille will need to take a long walk to soberness to accept that outside of their coalition echo chamber, a different political environment is brewing. The long arm of the legacy of Jacob Zuma’s presidency has not gone to rest. Everywhere it is stirring up strategic disruptions he is so well known for doing. With the Oudtshoorn and Thabazimbi municipalities as well as the City of Johannesburg seeing break-ups between the DA and the ANC, it is clear that all is not well in coalition land. Voters would have expected that the working agreements between the ANC and…

Sizzlers. The Hate Crime that Tore Sea Point Apart Nicole Engelbrecht Melinda Ferguson Review: Barbara Spaanderman In 2003 nine young gay men were brutally murdered in a gay sex trade establishment, Sizzlers, in Graham Road, Sea Point. The owner, Aubrey Otgaar, at 56, the oldest of the men, took in young men into his establishment to give them a safe place to stay if they were almost destitute, and some took their stay further by selling sex. In this way, the young men had a form of employment and security. But in January 2003, 10 young men were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were just doing the best they could when two armed men came in the early hours of the morning, bound them face down,…

In an era where socio-economic disparities continue to challenge global stability, accelerating opportunities for women’s empowerment has become an essential strategy. South Africa, grappling with high unemployment rates, particularly among women and young people, presents a compelling case for targeted interventions. As of the latest data, 35.7% of South African women in the labour force are unemployed, a figure that surpasses the national average and underscores the gender disparities in the labour market. This situation not only highlights the urgent need for increased participation of women in employment but also calls for a holistic approach to support previously disadvantaged women in becoming economically active and self-reliant. Work is a powerful means of economic empowerment for women. Increasing women’s labour market participation yields multiple benefits, both for individuals and society. Not…

Russia yesterday denied a report that Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk region had derailed indirect talks with Kyiv on halting strikes on energy and power targets, saying there had been no talks with Kyiv about civilian infrastructure facilities. The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Ukraine and Russia were set to send delegations to Qatar this month to negotiate a landmark agreement halting strikes on energy and power infrastructure on both warring sides. The Post said the agreement would have amounted to a partial ceasefire but that the talks were derailed due to Ukraine’s attack on Russian sovereign territory. “No one broke anything off because there was nothing to break off,” Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, said of The Post report. “There have been no direct or indirect…

Douchy: Emotional mourners gathered outside the countryside chateau in Douchy-Montcorbon, south of Paris, where French film legend Alain Delon died yesterday at the age of 88. Admirers left flowers as tokens of their appreciation for the movie star, best known for his roles in classics Purple Noon(1960) and Le Samourai (1967), outside his home. The divisive film star, known to some as a sex symbol and to others as an egotistical chauvinist, had been suffering with lymphoma. Abel Martin, the mayor of the small village of Douchy-Montcorbon, said “an icon has gone”. Macron wrote on X: “Melancholy, popular, secretive, he was more than a star: he was a French monument.”…

Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker has refused to let his side’s impressive thumping win in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round go to his head. Barker oversaw his men’s cruise to a 3-0 win over eSwatini side Nsingizini Hotspurs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, in what was their first match in the CAF competition. From what could be made out of the game, Stellies are a couple of levels above their opponents in this fixture and they demonstrated that by winning every aspect of the encounter in Durban. With the second leg set to take place in the same stadium next weekend, the experienced coach has waved away any suggestions that the fixture might be sealed with their three-goal buffer. “One thing that we need…