Innehållsförteckning för 2024-09-04 från Cape Argus

SANDISWA Mhlakaza, a firefighter since the age of 19, had not imagined that one day she would be fighting fires internationally. The 29-year-old mother of one, a crew leader Type 2 stationed at the Plettenberg Bay Working on Fire (WoF) Crags Base, from Langa, was one of over 200 firefighters and management personnel who returned home on Monday, following their deployment to put out raging wildfires in the province of Alberta in Canada. The deployment was a third for Mhlakaza to Canada, joining among 62 women firefighters deployed in the mission at the end of July. Last year, she had been deployed twice with Mzanzi1 and Mzanzi3. There were 34 firefighters from the Western Cape in the deployment, which lasted 34 days. While returning to the Western Cape by bus,…

At Cape Point, a striking statement on the information board captures a pivotal moment in world history: “The European age of African maritime exploration began in the 15th century after the powerful Turkish empire had blocked the overland route to the East. This was the catalyst for Dias and subsequently, Portuguese expeditions to find the sea route to India.” The statement encapsulates a critical turning point that reshaped global trade, exploration and the historical trajectory of continents. By the mid-15th century, the Ottoman Empire, under the leadership of Sultan Mehmed II, had emerged as a formidable power in the eastern Mediterranean and south-east Europe. In 1453, the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of Ottoman control over key trade routes…

We ARE not all the same and not every day is the same. We all have our ups and downs and sometimes it rains and the weather is cold and miserable and we can hardly bend our fingers without pain. On other days the sun shines and the birds sing, making the day simply beautiful. What is important is that we take each day in its stride and try our very best not to become overwhelmed by the moment and always remember the Creator gave opportunity to say thanks. Where am I going with all this? As we go about our day we must spare a thought for those in hospitals struggling with difficult illnesses that cause great pain and suffering. We must also be grateful that we have no…

One of the first priorities of the democratically elected government in 1994 was to transform our country, and to increase the representation of women in positions of power and authority in all spheres of life. This commitment to make fundamental changes was inspired by a desire to bring to fruition the dreams and aspirations of generations of fearless women who fought for equality. This includes the women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956, in defiance of an illegitimate regime and demanded that their voices be heard. They, along with many others in our history, paved the way for women to have equal opportunities and to participate in all spheres of life. Inspired by these women, South Africa has implemented polices and enacted legislation to ensure that women are…

Manchester United chief executive officer Omar Berrada says manager Erik ten Hag has the full backing of the club and is optimistic that the pieces are being put in place for the long-term success of the team domestically and in Europe. United finished eighth in the Premier League last season and Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Liverpool made it two losses from three games in the current campaign, leaving them in 14th spot. “Erik has our full backing. We think he is the right coach for us,” Berrada told reporters ahead of the Liverpool match in comments published on Monday. “We have worked very closely together in this transfer window and we are going to continue working very closely with him to help get the best results out of the team.”…

AS THE extortion mafia set its sights on sanitation services in Cape Town, demanding Sanitech pay a protection fee for cleaning toilets in neighbourhoods, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said a new crime prevention programme involving various spheres of government was being rolled out. Addressing Parliament yesterday, Mchunu outlined the measures taken by police to deal with threats posed by extortion across the country. He said the Western Cape was one of the four provinces that accounted for 73% of crime levels in the country. Mchunu said the modus operandi of the perpetrators was well-known. “Most of them are individuals who do not want to work but choose to parade as armies of murderous parasites that must be fought and rejected by society as a whole. “They are often heavily armed,…

A 71-year-old grandmother who was reportedly raped by her grandson in Casablanca, Strand, has died in hospital. According to police, the woman died from natural causes. Police said the 26-year-old suspect will remain behind bars, as he still faces the charge of rape. A community member said a relative found fluids in the private parts of the frail woman while changing her nappy on August 8. Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Niklaas Thysen said they were alerted to the incident on August 20. The suspect was then arrested and appeared in the Strand Magistrate’s Court, where he informed the court he would abandon his bail. He is expected to appear again on October 2. The accused’s mother said she was dealt a double blow with the case. “On one hand…

FORECAST for October 2024, Day Zero for the SA Post Office (Sapo) is rearing its ugly head, should the struggling government entity be unable to obtain further capital injection. The portfolio committee on Communications and Digital Technologies was briefed by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and Sapo, yesterday. Notably absent from the briefing were the business rescue practitioners, who were anticipated to have briefed the committee on the progress in implementing the business rescue plan, which was instead done by Sapo executives. The practitioners were appointed after the High Court granted an application by the government to place Sapo under business rescue in July last year. Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, said there had been an option to either have Sapo liquidated or placed…

WITH a newly established government of national unity in South Africa, the criminal justice system remains one of the most crucial areas for any society seeking peace. It would be in the best interest of the new government to direct its executive branch, especially the criminal justice system (police and courts), to prioritise violent crimes over other offences. The violent crime crisis in South Africa is well-documented. It is common to hear people from outside South Africa express astonishment at how we manage to survive in a country with violence levels comparable to war zones. South Africans have grown accustomed to this reality, while their political leaders only pay lip service to the fight against crime. We must first determine what type of crime we are addressing. In the simplest…

The Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac) has become a cornerstone in the partnership between China and Africa, symbolising a relationship built on mutual respect, shared goals, and a vision for a prosperous future. As the Chinese Consul General in Cape Town, I have had the privilege of witnessing first hand the transformative power of this alliance, which is set to reach new heights during the upcoming Focac summit in Beijing. A New Chapter in China- Africa Relations This year’s Focac summit, which will be held from today to Friday in Beijing, is not just another diplomatic event; it represents the largest diplomatic gathering hosted by China in recent years, with the highest attendance of African leaders. The summit marks a significant milestone in the China-Africa partnership, a relationship that has…

Concerns grew yesterday over the chances of securing a Gaza truce, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected making any “concessions” in stalled talks towards a hostage release deal. Netanyahu told a televised press conference at the end of a day of nationwide protests that he would “not give in to pressure” to renege on demands in indirect negotiations with Hamas to end the war, now nearing its 12th month. Analyst Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group said Netanyahu’s remarks showed “he won’t stop the war ... until Hamas surrenders, and he basically announced there won’t be a hostage deal”. Gripped by grief and fury after six dead hostages were recovered from Gaza, Israelis took to the streets on Sunday and Monday to ramp up pressure on…

World No 1 Jannik Sinner and former champion Daniil Medvedev set up a US Open quarter-final showdown for today as both men look to exploit the hole left by the shock exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. Australian Open champion Sinner made the last eight for the second time by seeing off US 14th seed Tommy Paul 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (7/5) 6-1. Medvedev, the 2021 champion and runner-up to Djokovic last year, outclassed Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-0 6-1 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals for the fifth time in six years. Women’s world No 1 Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, stayed on course for a sixth Grand Slam title with a straight-sets win over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova. The Italian Sinner recovered from 4-1 down in the first set to see off Paul,…

FIVE girlfriends from Cape Town who booked a guest house for the weekend in Langebaan have lodged a criminal complaint with police after they were kicked out by the owner for accidentally breaking the flat-screen TV. Florencia Engelbrecht from Langa said she and her four friends paid R3 000 for their stay from Friday to Sunday at Oppikoppie Langebaan, and paid a R500 damage fee. But at 4am on Saturday, they were told to leave because one of the women slipped and a bottle hit against the TV, which caused it to crack. “We arrived on Friday and were drinking and partying when the incident happened. We phoned the owner and told her what happened and that we are prepared to pay for the damage to the TV because we…

THE SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the Western Cape has declared a dispute at the education bargaining council, as it called the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) consultation with unions over teacher cuts, “meaningless and insufficient”. Sadtu has also threatened strike action should the issue of 2 400 teachers who stand to be let go in the new year, not be addressed appropriately. The WCED last week announced that it would be reducing teaching posts by not reappointing some contract teachers after their terms end on December 31. This is due a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion over the next three years. The WCED said the shortfall would be felt despite implementing a R2.5bn budget cut. This, after the department received only 64% of the cost of the nationally…

Your edition, Monday, September 2, 2024, Audit of municipalities reveals mixed outcome, refers. It is extraordinary to hear that 18 Western Cape municipalities got clean audits and that next top province got just three clean audits. It is also interesting to hear that the Western Cape local governments are held to high standards and they strictly protect public money. The clean audits indicate that the money is spent on delivery and not on wasted and fruitless spending. Despite KZN having only three clean audits, we note that Gauteng has just one. We really need to up our game in South Africa.…

Unashamedly, former High Court judge Chris Nicholson said South Africa was a deeply unequal society that had just two white families, the Oppenheimers and the Ruperts, owning half the country’s wealth. This might come as a shock to many of us and we might say what an admirable man is Judge Nicholson for being so frank and honest about the great divide between the rich and poor. But if we go back to 2008, when Judge Nicholson presided over the corruption case against former president Jacob Zuma, we might change our minds and have serious doubts about the judge’s fitness and integrity to hold such a high office. For it was this learned judge who let Zuma off the hook in 2008, shocking the country and shaking the foundation of…

South Africa is a mess when it comes to crime. This past week Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2023/24 and the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year that tell a sobering story of how the country has gone to the dogs. The minister painted a grim picture of how crime in the country is generally on the increase; crimes that are of concern include murder, rape, hijacking, kidnapping for ransom payments, and extortion. Contact crimes increased by 3 831 from 149 806 cases to 153 637 cases reported in the first quarter of 2021/22 and 2023/24. This is followed by assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm with 2 247 cases and common assault with 1 339 cases. Rape, cash-in-transit…

Fawaaz Basadien’s name might be on everybody’s lips right now, but he’s not getting carried away by the hype as he focuses only on being at his best for Stellenbosch and Bafana Bafana. Basadien has been on a high since the start of the season, helping Stellies to reach the MTN8 final and second round of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminaries. His top performances, which are a continuation of last season, haven’t gone unnoticed as they caught the eye of Bafana coach Hugo Broos and Kaizer Chiefs. Broos has drafted the 27-year-old into his final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Uganda in Orlando on Friday (6pm) and away to South Sudan on Tuesday (3pm). Chiefs, though, are yet to act on their interest in the…