Innehållsförteckning för 2024-09-17 från Cape Argus

On Thursday this week, the Reserve Bank is likely to cut interest rates for the first time since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The anticipated decrease, which will come as welcome news to heavily-indebted consumers, follows a series of increases designed to curb inflation and which resulted in the repo rate hitting a 15-year high of 8.25% in May last year. As welcome as a rate cut will be to anyone paying off a home, car, or student loan and to those with credit card or store debt, it has other implications too. At least some of these implications will impact individuals and businesses moving large sums of money internationally. With the right strategies in place, however, they can take full advantage of any positive impacts of a rate…

ANTI-apartheid stalwart Lindiwe Sisulu has condemned a recent incident involving the display of a Ukrainian flag at the Cape Town City Hall, allegedly by supporters of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (UAZA). Sisulu called it a “reprehensible affront to African dignity and the legacy of Nelson Mandela”. Her comments come in response to the incident that occurred at the very spot where Mandela delivered his first public speech following his release from prison. It is a location of deep historical significance for South Africans. Speaking after the announcement of the inaugural Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize, where Sisulu serves as the sole African member of the jury, she voiced her dismay at what she…

POLICE have made one of the biggest abalone busts in recent years, arresting three suspects in Rylands, and recovering thousands of wet and dry abalone worth R10.3 million. SAPS officials attached to the Provincial Tactical Response Team were on Sunday pursuing a lead about a suspected abalone syndicate operating in the industrial area of Rylands, near Philippi. Police spokesperson Malcom Pojie said: “Members of the TRT (tactical response team) acted on information about an abalone storage facility, which led them to an address in the area. “On arrival at the address, officials noticed how a suspect, who stood at the entrance gate to the premises, attempted to run away when he saw officers approach the building. “However, members in hot pursuit managed to apprehend the suspect, which led them to…

Expelled DA MP Renaldo Gouws has revealed that he will be legally challenging his dismissal from the party. On Friday, the controversial Gouws, who has been slammed for his racist social media remarks, was suspended following an investigation by the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC). In a statement announcing his removal from the party, spokesperson Willie Aucamp said the party had resolved to terminate Gouws’ membership. “The DA can confirm that the party’s federal executive has unanimously resolved to terminate Mr Renaldo Gouws’ membership. Mr Gouws has been formally informed of this decision. He therefore forfeits his DA seat in Parliament. “This decision follows a thorough investigation conducted by the DA’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) into the allegations against Mr Gouws. The FLC found Mr Gouws guilty of contravening several…

SOUTH African music legend, Vicky Sampson, will join as a special guest in the upcoming comedy production, Joe Barber. The beloved singer is known for her chart-topping hits African Dream and Love Will Shine on You, and will join comedic duo David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen, for a limited run of unforgettable performances. The hilarious Joe Barber 25th Anniversary Extravaganza takes place at the Grand Arena in GrandWest from October 16-19. Joe Barber has captured the hearts of audiences with its heart-warming and hilarious portrayal of life in a local barbershop. The anniversary celebration promises to be a special tribute to the enduring legacy of the iconic production. Sampson said: “I am beyond thrilled to be part of this incredible celebration. Joe Barber is a true testament to the heart…

The Proteas’ tour against Afghanistan will be missing a lot of key players but it offers a chance for fringe players to raise their hands as the conversation around the ICC Champions Trophy gains momentum. South Africa will take on Afghanistan in a historic three-match ODI series with the first encounter set for today at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates. The Proteas have won the two previous encounters between the two sides, both in Cricket World Cup encounters in 2019 and 2023 but this will be the first time they compete in a bilateral series. The first encounter will also be the first time the two sides meet since South Africa gave the home side a hiding in the semi-final of the 2024 ICC T20 World…

Tazmin Brits led the way as the Proteas Women beat Pakistan by 10 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the first of three T20 matches, at the Multan Cricket Stadium yesterday. The Proteas lost the toss and did well to recover from a shaky start to set Pakistan a target of 133. The home side could only muster 122-5 in their allotted 20 overs. The 18-year-old Seshnie Naidu was handed her international T20 debut, while regular spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba missed out, as she continues to recover from a mild illness. Tazmin Brits’ hard-fought innings of 56 off 63 balls kept the innings together for the visitors, while Marizanne Kapp’s solid start with the ball (2-22) ensured Pakistan could only manage 18-3 in the power play. Debutant Naidu (1-25) announced…

Oscar Piastri’s win in Baku means Max Verstappen and Red Bull face a scrap to hang on to their titles after being toppled from the lead in the constructors’ championship while McLaren have confirmed their current superiority, and Williams their future potential. Even as Red Bull’s influential advisor Helmut Marko conceded that they have no chance of retaining the teams’ title, it was clear in the aftermath of a tense and intriguing Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the power has shifted in Formula One. Here, we looks at three things we learnt from Sunday’s drama on the streets of Baku. Red Bull concede team title Lando Norris’ feisty drive to fourth from 15th on the grid kept alive not only his slim hopes of the drivers’ crown but also, with the…

What do singer Amy Winehouse, artist Pablo Picasso, author Stieg Larsson and South African performer Riky Rick all have in common? While fame or success might be the first thing that springs to mind, the answer is all of these celebrities died without a will, leaving a complex web of financial and personal affairs to be untangled by their loved ones. If you’re a cynic, you may be thinking, “At least they were left with money to help ease the pain” but the reality is that in several of these cases, those closest to the deceased – such as their life partners – ended up getting nothing, as the deceased had no will in place explicitly stating what their partner should receive in the event of their death. While…

Keyshia Cole: Live in South Africa has been postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances”. In June, seasoned concert organisers Glen21 Entertainment announced that the Heaven Sent hitmaker would be bringing her soulful vocals and powerful stage presence to South Africa for the first time in September. A few weeks shy of her September performances in Cape Town at the GrandWest Grand Arena, in the North West at Sun City, and in Pretoria at the SunBet Arena, the organisers have announced that the concert has been postponed. IOL has not yet received a response from the concert organisers regarding the exact reason for Cole’s concert postponement. The new dates for the Mzanzi tour will be in January next year. The Sun City leg of the tour will now be replaced with a…

THE residential property market in Noordhoek is “hotter than ever”, according to experts, as the suburb experienced a spike in property values and a decline in the listing time. While property transaction volumes plummeted nationally by 25% in 2024 compared to three years ago, data from Propstats showed that by the end of August, the average price of property in Noordhoek increased by 68% to R8.65 million. The data showed that in 2021, the average house price was 8.2% lower than the asking price, but on August 31, the average house price was 4.2% lower than the asking price. In 2021, properties spent an average of 157 days on the market while in August 2022, properties sold…

NEW evidence has emerged in the case concerning missing 6-year-old Joshlin Smith, suspected to be the victim of kidnapping and human trafficking in Saldanha Bay. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed this as the suspects charged in connection with her disappearance, including her mother Racquel “Kelly” Smith, returned to court yesterday. Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Lourentia Lombaard, made a brief appearance in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court, on charges of human trafficking for exploitation, and kidnapping. The accused were arrested on March 5, several weeks after the Grade 1 learner from Middelpos Primary School vanished without a trace. Yesterday’s court proceedings were anticipated to lead to the transfer of the case to the Western Cape High Court, however, the case was postponed to October…

THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will host a memorial service for former minister Pravin Gordhan in Durban tomorrow. “The memorial service, taking place at the Kendra Hall from 5pm, will be attended by ANC rank and file, alliance partners, deployees of the ANC across all spheres of government, progressive forces, diplomats, captains of industry diplomats, community leaders and members of the public at large,” said ANC provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo. “We will bid a revolutionary farewell to one of the remaining leaders who led the 130-year-old Natal Indian Congress (NIC), a respected member of the anti-apartheid forces in the history of our liberation Struggle.” Gordhan died on Friday, after a short battle with cancer. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Gordhan’s daughter Priyesha Gordhan said his death came unexpectedly after a…

All indications are pointing to a cut in the repurchase rate (repo rate) later this week by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) monetary policy committee (MPC). Many economists predict a cut of 25 basis points (bps) will be announced by SARB governor Lesetja Kganyago on Thursday. The repo rate is currently at a 14-year high of 8.25% and the prime lending rate is 11.75%. If a 25 bps cut is announced, the repo rate will fall to 8% while the prime lending rate in the country will drop to 11.50%. Absa’s SA Macroeconomics team said yesterday that they were expecting a 25 bps cut. “Our view is line with the…

The cold blooded way in which Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment 2022 (BELA) Bill bill into law on Friday, September 13, spells disaster, chaos and a gnashing of teeth from parents from all walks of life. Do not be fooled when this unelected President of ours, or his sharp-tongued Secretary General Mbalula tells you that they are doing this in the name of transformation. Not myself, nor 60% of other South Africans have elected Ramaphosa as president, nor did we debate or get given an opportunity to voice our honest opinion regarding the BELA bill. This is a travesty of note, and will be remembered as one of the darkest days in South African history, for it is the ANC, and the ANC alone who wants this…

AC Milan will have to be perfect defensively when they host Premier League side Liverpool in their Champions League opener at San Siro, manager Paulo Fonseca said yesterday. Seven-time European champions Milan are ninth in the Serie A standings, having won one of their four matches and welcome Liverpool today. Liverpool, who convincingly won their first three Premier League games under new coach Arne Slot without conceding, were stunned 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday to sit fourth in the English top flight. “I think Liverpool is one of the strongest teams in Europe. They have a good game and strong individuals. We have to be perfect defensively, you cannot make mistakes,” Fonseca said. “I see it as an opportunity to show our progress. It will lead us…

Arsenal remain on top in north London after a 1-0 win over Tottenham proved their status as the primary challengers to Manchester City’s grip on the Premier League title. City are the only side with four wins from four games as Erling Haaland’s unstoppable form continued with a double in a 2-1 win over Brentford. But it was a weekend to forget for Liverpool, who lost for the first time under Arne Slot in a shock 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Here, we look at the major talking points from the weekend’s action. Arsenal’s set-piece specialist strikes again While Gabriel Magalhaes soaked up the acclaim of the delirious Arsenal fans crammed into one corner of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta knew where the real credit lay for…

The Springbok Women’s attack will rely on a playmaker at flyhalf and fullback against Spain on Thursday (5pm start) in their final Test before the WXV 2 tournament later this month. South Africa and the Spaniards will clash at the Cape Town Stadium and Springbok Women’s performance coach Swys de Bruin only made a couple of tweaks to the team that conquered the Barbarians two weekends ago. The exciting Nadine Roos will spearhead the attack at flyhalf, with fullback Libbie Janse van Rensburg promoted from the bench to cover the backline with the side looking to maintain the momentum after the 59-17 win in the Mother City. In that game, the Boks scored nine tries and want to keep up that attacking form. But they know with Spain so…

THE South African Revenue Service (Sars) is increasing its scrutiny of crypto traders by issuing tax notices and clarifying exchange control regulations. Traders must comply immediately to avoid penalties. Recent developments have seen Sars turn its attention toward crypto traders, who are now receiving notices that their tax affairs are under review. These notifications are based on information obtained from various crypto asset exchanges, signalling a significant escalation in Sars’ efforts to enforce tax compliance within the burgeoning crypto sector. Following South Africa’s move to regulate financial service providers who provide financial services related to crypto assets, licensed crypto-asset exchanges are now required to provide certain information to regulators. Sars has cautioned traders that failure to provide requested information could be deemed a criminal offence under the Tax Administration Act.…

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Tito Jackson, who died on Sunday aged 70. Family friend and the musician’s former manager Steve Manning, confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that The Jacksons star is said to have suffered a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma in the US. An official cause of death is not known. Tito became a household name as one of the founding members of the iconic Jackson 5 group. Together with his brothers Marlon, 67, and Jackie, 73, and his son Taryll, 49, they played several shows this year, with Tito last onstage in Munich, Germany on September 10. The older brother of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson and sister Janet, 58, shot to fame alongside his siblings in the Jackson…

Housing activists petition on Sea Point site WITH a Constitutional Court ruling pending on the decision to sell prime provincial land to a private school in Sea Point, another petition has landed at Premier Alan Winde’s door, seeking his intervention to use the land for social housing. Reclaim the City and Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) argued via court papers that three decades after the end of apartheid, spatial segregation and socio-economic exclusion remained obstinate barriers to equality and justice in Cape Town. The Cape Argus has had sight of the appeal application concerning the 1.7 hectare Tafelberg site before the apex court, just as the housing rights activists started the petition titled “Petition to Premier Alan Winde: Release Tafelberg for Social Housing now.” First circulated two weeks ago, the petition has…

A 34-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to life and six years in prison for kidnapping and killing 11-year-old Kgothatso Tshabalala after her mother rejected his romantic advances. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria ordered Conwell Chauke to serve the sentences concurrently, and was further declared unfit to possess a firearm. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the region, Lumka Mahanjana, said Tshabalala was killed on December 29, 2020, after her mother received a threatening call from Chauke, a member of her prayer group and prayer partner. Mahanjana said Chauke went to Mamelodi East, where Tshabalala and her mother were residing, and found the girl playing with her younger sister at a neighbour’s house. “He then lured the child under the pretence that he wanted to collect his belongings from her…

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane said the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will commence its online application process effective this Friday, September 20. Nkabane held an urgent joint media briefing with NSFAS administrator Freeman Nomvalo yesterday. “I am therefore inviting all students sitting for their matriculation this year to take this opportunity and apply for either the NSFAS bursary or loan. “This invitation is also extended to learners from Grade 9, 10, and 11, who would like to enter the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector.” The purpose of the briefing was to provide feedback on the ministerial stakeholder engagement programme, which commenced on Thursday and concluded on Sunday. These engagements included key stakeholders in the PSET (Post School Education and Training) sector and were to…

DEDICATED volunteers and professionals from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) are celebrating 95 years of support for rescue organisation on Table Mountain. WSAR Western Cape spokesperson, David Nel, said the cableway officially opened to the public on October 4, 1929, but the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company’s (TMAC’s) commitment and support of wilderness rescue dated months earlier. “On Monday, July 8, 1929, a group of three stranded climbers were assisted down from the upper-cable station after sheltering with construction teams in bitter weather conditions. “According to an article published by the Cape Argus, the foreman of the cableway would not let the three stranded climbers hike back down the mountain, choosing rather to ferry them down the ‘mountain railway’ to safety. “The TMAC continues, 95 years later, to provide a…

The Springboks will treat the clash against Argentina on Saturday like a final. That is the assurance hard-working loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon gave as the world champions started their preparation yesterday in Buenos Aires ahead of the second-last Rugby Championship Test in Santiago del Estero on Saturday evening (kick-off 11pm). South Africa only need three points to seal a first Championship title since 2019. The Springboks enjoy an eight-point lead at the top of the points table over Los Pumas, the only other side still in the running to claim the crown. According to Dixon, who is set to fill the big boots of double World Cup winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, the Boks must be clinical to come away with the victory away from their home fans. “Our mindset going…

Defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns kick off the defence of their title with an appetising battle for supremacy in Tshwane as SuperSport United prepare for war. The two teams will clash at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium at 7.30pm today with ambitions of not only making a positive start to the season but also claiming the right to walk around the city with their heads held high. Clashes between these two teams in the past have always provided thrills as well as goals and having been in the colours of both Matsatsantsa and the Brazilians, no one understands this rivalry more than Sundowns left-back Aubrey Modiba. The 29-year-old joined SuperSport in 2016 and leapt over to the other side of town in 2020 to don the colours of Sundowns where he’s…