Innehållsförteckning för 2024-08-29 från Cape Argus

For a movie to be a riveting success, it must meet several criteria. It should include a talented cast and crew and have a storyline that will linger with viewers long after the film ends. The Union, released recently on Netflix, was punted as a groundbreaking action movie. Adapted from a screenplay by Joe Barton and David Guggenheim and directed by Julian Farino, who is renowned for helming much of the first three seasons of the HBO series Entourage, the cast includes three Oscar winners. They are Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg in leading roles and JK Simmons as a supporting act. Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee and Jackie Earle Haley round off the cast. And while there are enough superstars to draw viewers to the…

Nicole Kidman has a knack for playing a wealthy woman with a complicated family dynamic at the centre of a murder mystery. After taking centre stage in whodunit shows like Big Little Lies, The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers, the Hollywood star is among those leading the cast of the new Netflix series, The Perfect Couple. It is based on an adaptation of the 2018 novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand. The 57-year-old actress will play Greer Garrison Winbury, a famous novelist and mother. The rest of the cast includes Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, Eve Hewson, Meghann Fahy, Michael Beach, Jack Reynor and Billy Howle. The Perfect Couple centres around Amelia Sacks (Hewson), who is about to marry into the wealthy Nantucket-Winbury family. This is despite the disapproval…

Four luxury homes and a Toyota Hilux have been seized after the court granted a preservation order to the Asset Forfeiture Unit and Special Investigating Unit as part of ongoing investigations into the siphoning of millions from the National Lotteries Commission. The National Prosecuting Authority yesterday confirmed that the total value of the preserved items amounts to around R6.5 million. “Dated July 24, the order safeguards assets acquired through the misappropriation of NLC funds to ensure they are kept in reasonable condition until a forfeiture order has been granted,” the NPA’s Lumka Mahanjana said. “This decisive action is part of an investigation into the unlawful use of NLC grant allocations meant to support community development projects.” The first property is in Lakefield, Gauteng, where the Konani-Pfunzo Learning Centre NPO received…

THE rule of law, one of the country’s foundational values took centre stage, during a recent labour law seminar held by the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), yesterday. The sentiments were reiterated by now retired Chief Justice of South Africa Raymond Zondo, during his keynote address. Titled “30 years in the making: Reconciling triumphs and losses in the labour relations landscape to carve a future path of success”, the seminar commenced yesterday and will run until tomorrow. Several trade unions were in attendance, along with labour relations practitioners and experts. The aim of the seminar is to provide a platform to reflect on the role of the judiciary post-democracy and to ascertain if current legislation promotes the values expressed in the Constitution…

THE current sewer network in Strand is seriously degenerating structurally, but this will soon be repaired. The 900mm diameter Trappies Bulk Sewer system is prone to constant overflows and pipe bursts. From the Lourens River Sewer Pump Station, the pipe travels down Joubert Street, De Villiers Street, Fagan Street, and Main Road. However, from Nazli Street to Hammond Street, a 3.1km stretch of the Trappies sewage will now be restored. The project will repair the aged sewer line, restoring it to optimal functionality and allowing high sewage volumes to flow without the frequent failures currently being experienced, especially during heavy winter rains. City of Cape Town water and sanitation Mayco member Zahid Badroodien said they have robust plans to address the challenges of ageing infrastructure. He said: “it’s important to…

Local football finally came to the Mother City to kick-start the 2024/25 season, and Cape Town City and Orlando Pirates rose to the occasion to deliver a high-tempo MTN8 semi-final first leg at the Cape Town Stadium last night. Played under chilly but clear skies after the match was postponed from Tuesday’s scheduled start due to the prevailing weather conditions, the tie finished level at 1-1, with goals in either half from Relebohile Mofokeng and Jaedin Rhodes, respectively. Pirates will have the advantage heading into the second leg, having scored the all-important away goal, but the Buccaneers were fortunate to hang on for the draw after an inspired performance by City in the second half. The visitors, fresh from their 4-0 mauling of Disciples FC in their CAF Champions League…

The last 10 months or so has been a time of deep contemplation for South Africa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) athlete Cameron Saaiman, after facing some challenging times in his life. After shining in the Dana White Contender Series, the former Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) bantamweight champion made a big splash inside the octagon, going unbeaten with three wins at three UFC pay-per-view events, adding to his unbeaten professional mixed martial arts career of 9-0. At that point, Saaiman was one of the most active fighters in the professional arena, turning over on average three or four fights a year. In 2022, the Pretoria-based athlete competed in four fights, which included one EFC title fight, one Dana White Contender Series win and a major UFC pay-per-view show (UFC 282). He…

Mark Tele’a has never played in the cauldron that is Ellis Park, and although it will be the first time that he steps onto the intimidating ground in Doornfontein on Saturday, he will do so without fear and the knowledge that the All Blacks have already conquered that particular patch of earth numerous times. Indeed, the Boks and New Zealanders have played 12 times in Johannesburg – including twice at FNB Stadium – since readmission, and have won there on seven occasions, including the last encounter in 2022, when they swept aside their hosts in the last 20 minutes to win 35-23. Since 2010 – which includes those two matches at Soccer City – the Boks have managed just one victory out of six matches in Joburg, a lonely 27-25…

AT the age of 18 years and 137 days, Kwena Maphaka became the youngest South African to play international cricket when he made his Proteas T20I debut against the West Indies last week. Maphaka eclipsed former fast bowler and national convener of selectors Victor Mpitsang’s record, which stood at 18 years and 314 days. Unfortunately, Mpitsang represented his country in only one further match, bowling just three overs, after his one-day international debut in Bloemfontein in 1999. While Maphaka’s international career may still be in its infancy, it can comfortably be assumed that the teenager, who now already has three T20I caps, will play many more games in the green and gold in the future, judging by Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter’s assessment. “He’s got speed. Left-armers always give a…

South African feature film Carissa has been officially selected to form part of the Horizons section at the 81st Venice Film Festival. The festival, which started on Wednesday and runs until September 7, is one of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the world. Carissa will screen alongside several international films such as Happy Holidays (Italy), Familiar Touch (USA), Marco (Spain), Mistress Dispeller (China/USA), Of Dogs and Men (Israel/Italy) and Pavements (US). Produced by Na Aap Productions, a company devoted to preserving the history of indigenous people and cultures, the feature is written and directed by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar. Last year, the film was selected for the Final Cut in Venice (FCV) at the same festival. The process entailed presenting the working copy of the film…

The City of Cape Town has hit out at the behaviour of taxi drivers following an attack on officers during their failed attempt to arrest a driver in Cape Town. The incident happened on Saturday when police from the City’s Highway Patrol Unit tried to arrest a taxi driver on FW De Klerk Boulevard who allegedly drove with a fake licence disc. Two officers are seen trying to arrest the driver while pinning him to the ground in a video of the incident. At this point, several men who appear to be taxi drivers attempt to free their colleague from the traffic officers ganging up on them. In the 41-second clip, officers can be seen pulling the driver aside, while other drivers were pulling him towards them. Another video of…

One of the four men charged with the murder of Cape Town jeweller Charl Munnik has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Western Cape High Court also convicted Ndyebo Dotwana on two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, for which he was sentenced to 20 years. Dotwana was charged alongside fellow accused Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Lonzi and Awonke Ziqu for the deadly robbery of the owner of Munnik Jewellers in Worcester on January 29, 2021. The four men faced the same charges but Mase and Ziqu had additional counts of illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. Mase, Lonzi, and Ziqu pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. Dotwana opted to challenge the State’s case against him. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric…

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure says it is making strides in getting back the State-owned land from illegal occupiers. Over the past eight weeks, Minister Dean Macpherson proudly declared that substantial progress has been made in revitalising the government’s commitment to serving the nation’s citizens. However, the success of their endeavours to initiate impactful construction projects throughout the country hinges entirely on the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders. Macpherson briefed the media on the steps they have taken to bring stability to the department. “And also the work we are doing to transform this department into an economic delivery unit for South Africa in the coming months ahead. “Because the success of the Government of National Unity (GNU) should be measured to what extent it brings down the…

Durban University of Technology (DUT) students will fly the flag high and exchange technology know-how at the 2024 Digital Tech Summit in Denmark next month. The initiative is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity announced by the iLambu Global Sustainable Initiatives and Development at their press conference in uMhlanga yesterday. The event was hosted by Inscape Campus and moderated by Langa Nzuza, a skills facilitator at iLambu. iLambu founder and student mentor Sibongile Linda Ngcobo said the event was hosted by Inscape Education, and the key stakeholders were eThekwini Municipality, DUT, Moses Kotane Institute, and Roots and Shoots. She also said that there were 14 delegates in total, comprised of nine students, two start-ups represented by two members each and their mentor. She also said that the non-profit organisation was focused on solving…

When we fail, it is easy to blame others. But what if the real problem lies in the shadow in the mirror? Our failures often reflect our hidden flaws as we choose to ignore our shortcomings. The blame we direct at others is often a projection of our insecurities, fears and weaknesses, a mind game, a way to escape the discomfort of self-reflection and the responsibility that comes with it. By facing this shadow, we can transform our failures into lessons, and use them to move forward – whether it’s reviving a stalled career, rebooting a struggling lifestyle or rewriting a relationship gone wrong. The modern world has created an environment that fans the flames of blame-shifting. With social media, we can instantly point fingers and share our grievances with…

Mamelodi Sundowns came unstuck in the MTN8 semi-final first leg in Atteridgeville last night against Stellenbosch FC after losing 1-0 via Fawaaz Basadien’s penalty. This loss has meant that they’ll have to dig deep for a win in the second leg at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday (3pm start) to progress to the final. Sure, the contest is still at the halfway mark, but Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi came into this match knowing the importance of killing two birds with one stone. He wanted to take an advantage into the second leg and win over the fans, as some are still uncertain about the new dawn following the sacking of Rulani Mokwena. They failed to achieve both feats as they dominated possession, only to struggle in the…

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz survived US Open first-round wobbles on Tuesday night to stay on course for a semi-final showdown, as two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a tearful and colourful return to Flushing Meadows. World No 1 Sinner fought back from a set and break down to defeat 140th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald in his first match since being embroiled in a doping test controversy. Alcaraz, the third seed and 2022 champion in New York, overcame a second set blip to defeat 186th-ranked qualifier Li Tu of Australia 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-1. Italian Sinner battled to a 2-6 6-2 6-1 6-2 win over American opponent McDonald on Arthur Ashe Stadium, racing away with 18 of the last 22 games. The 23-year-old was returning to action just a week after it was…

Limpopo musician Gezane Eric Kobane, known as Papa Penny, former Eskom boss Brian Molefe, ex-Transnet boss Siyabonga Gama, ex-trains boss Lucky Montana and ex-GCIS head Mzwanele Manyi were among eight uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) members sworn in yesterday. The other new MPs sworn in were the MKP’s Thulani Gamede, Thembisile Mjadu and Nompumelelo Gasa. National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has sworn in 10 new members from the MKP and the EFF. The EFF had Sinawo Thambo and Nazier Paulsen sworn in to replace the departed Manyi and Floyd Shivambu. The MKP described its new MPs as capable black leaders who, it said, had been politically marginalised and sidelined by the ANC of President Cyril Ramaphosa. MKP leader Jacob Zuma said in a statement: “Today we witnessed an historic moment in…

The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS) has a new addition to its fleet, thanks to Chery South Africa who sponsored the AMS with a new branded Chery Tiggo 8 Pro ensuring that they are providing access to health care and delivering lifesaving assistance across the region. In the Western Cape, the AMS works in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Emergency Medical Services to deliver emergency rescue and air ambulance services through its fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft operating from two bases, Cape Town and Oudtshoorn. The Cape Town base received their new Chery Tiggo 8 Pro sponsored by Chery Kuils River at yesterday’s official handover and Chery George will sponsor Oudtshoorn AMS. Chief executive of AMS, Farhaad Haffejee expressed his gratitude for…

A funny rumour had begun circulating around Johannesburg earlier this week. Where it started, and who started it, remains as opaque as the bank of orange smog that blankets the city on a windless August day, obscuring the peak of the Brixton Tower. If you squint hard enough, you’ll make out the distinct silhouette of the city playing in the haze of industry. It’s as dry as a withered bone in Joburg, which has not been touched by rain in months. It’ll make for firm-under-foot rugby come Saturday at the well-manicured Ellis Park, and hopefully lung-busting play. For some reason, a murmur that the game between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Doornfontein has been moved to early in the day had begun circulating. Instead of the confirmed 5pm…

The official draw for the Paris Paralympics wheelchair tennis event was unveiled during a ceremony held on Tuesday at the prestigious Le Club des Loges, Roland Garros. South Africa is proudly represented by five exceptional athletes – Kgothatso Montjane, Mariska Venter, Donald Ramphadi, Lucas Sithole and Alwande Sikhosana – competing across the women’s, men’s and quads categories. The event is set to begin tomorrow, with the finals scheduled for next Saturday, September 7. Three-time Grand Slam champion Montjane, currently the world No 8, is seeded seventh in the women’s singles draw. She is eyeing her first Paralympic medal in Paris, starting her campaign against China’s Luoyao Guo, who is ranked 19th globally. Should she progress, Montjane could face a formidable challenge in the quarter-finals against the Dutch top seed, Diede…

ARSENAL completed the signing of Euro 2024 winner Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad on Tuesday. The Spain midfielder will reportedly cost the Gunners an initial €32 million (R633m), with a further €5m in add-ons. “Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. “Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality.” Merino scored the winner in Spain’s dramatic Euros quarter-final win over hosts Germany. The 28-year-old has spent the last six years at Sociedad, but does have prior experience of English football. Merino spent a season…

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is expected to stick to his tried and tested personnel when he announces his final 23-man squad today for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers next month. Bafana will assemble for camp early next week ahead of their Afcon qualifiers against Uganda at Orlando Stadium next Friday (6pm start), and away to South Sudan on Tuesday, September 10 (3pm). Having announced a strong 38-member provisional squad, which included the usual rearguard and some interesting new faces, it would seem as though Broos’ job will be easy – but far from it. While the discerning observer would love to see some new faces infused into the team, including Dutch-based striker Simon van Duivenbooden, Broos will be wary of fixing things that aren’t broken. Sure, Van…