Innehållsförteckning för 2024-11-12 från Cape Argus

ONE of the four police officers accused in the R20 million jewellery heist at a house in Llandudno said he was sexually harassed during detention. Mthuthuzeli Mafanya took the witness stand yesterday in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, as their bail application continued. The constable and co-accused Jacobus Adriaan Groenewald, Bradley Dimitri Minnaar and Bathandwa Soldati were arrested in September after they raided a house in Llandudno. The officers, who form part of the Operation Restore Unit and are stationed across Cape Town, are accused of staging a robbery. During his testimony, Mafanya told the court that while he was being processed, he was touched inappropriately by a female officer. “There was a warrant officer provoking and asking me improper questions, who also threatened me. Another one was busy with…

A UNIVERSITY of South Africa (Unisa) student who registered his Honours Degree in Statistics with the institution since 2012, is crying foul after he failed one subject for a decade, which has delayed his postgraduate qualification. Setumo Motsei said the subject in question, Research Project in Statistics, has made his life unbearable because of how many times he had to repeat it. According to him, his problems started with the first supervisor allocated by the department. “I had to work with Professor Edmore Ranganai but he was not helpful. I went back to the department and asked for another supervisor and the head of department, Professor Eeva Rapoo, decided that she will be my supervisor,” he said. Motsei accused Rapoo of being unavailable to supervise him and deliberately failing him…

IN THE HEART of Ocean View, one teacher’s unwavering determination is transforming the lives of young learners. Zainap Slarmie, a Grade R teacher at Jupiter Street Primary, who teaches from a wheelchair, has become an inspiring symbol of resilience and determination. The 27-year-old wife and mother teaches her learners about resilience, empathy, and the power of overcoming challenges. At 10am, during break time yesterday, Slarmie opened up about her journey. In the background, children can be heard laughing and engaging. “I chose education because I wanted to show children that no matter what challenges they face, they are not less able. I wanted them to know it’s okay to be different. It doesn’t make you any less valuable, and it certainly doesn’t stop you from achieving your dreams.” Her path…

TWO Western Cape learners won big at the annual South African Spelling Bee Finals, and will be representing Team South Africa in Nigeria next month. At the 15th Annual South African Spelling Bee Finals, Ifeoma Osondo, 14, from Milnerton High School secured third place in the Junior Category, and Rhyle Adams, 14, a learner from Klein Nederburg Secondary School in Paarl won the Senior Champion Title. The finals took place at Sun City on November 1. The two will now form part of Team South Africa, a group of six of the country’s top spellers to represent the country from December 18-22. Osondo said: “My win at the South African Spelling Bee this year was very tough … My interest in taking part in Spelling Bees started when I had…

IT IS said that more that 60% of babies born daily in South Africa, are born into fatherless homes. Luminaries across the political and socio-economic spectrum have their say about how one should confront the ensuing problem. It should be recognised that the statistic quoted does not apply to strong family units but rather to, in most cases, single, mainly rural women, who service itinerant men who are never to be seen again. The product of such unions, if male, are the ones who, by virtue of the dysfunctional unit into which they are born where perhaps there are other siblings born under similar situations, become the perpetrators of crime. The blame lies not entirely on the individual so born but rather with the two folk who come together…

The FW de Klerk Foundation launched the Centre for the Constitutional Transformation of South Africa (CCTSA). In 2021, the FW de Klerk Foundation decided to establish the Centre for the Constitutional Transformation of South Africa to: 1. Preserve, acquire, research and disseminate information relating to South Africa’s constitutional transformation; 2. Commemorate South Africa’s negotiated transformation from white minority rule to non-racial constitutional democracy; 3. Promote, advance and propagate the Constitution and the values on which it is based – particularly among young South Africans; 4 Provide a forum for the discussion of constitutional issues; and to. Share South Africa’s experience in conflict resolution and constitution-making. The launch symbolises a new era for the Foundation and the Foundation was honoured to have Premier Alan Winde (Premier of the Western Cape) as…

If ever there was a time to tighten our belts it’s now. The festive season is synonymous with spending and too often spending money we do not have. Experts have warned against the urge to max out credit cards and go into short-term debt in order to get so-called “specials”. Check the original prices of goods to avoid this trap. Further, they caution against unnecessary spending and suggest asking yourself if you really need another flatscreen television or that double-door fridge? It’s best to draw up a budget and stick to it. Avoid impulsive buying. As November draws to a close, consumers have to resist the urge to splurge on Black Friday and Cyber Monday especially as the holiday season is long and “Januworry” awaits. Economists note that parents often…

DESPITE missing out on a Grammy nomination, Tyla reigned supreme at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), winning three prestigious awards and delivering an unforgettable performance. The event was held in Manchester, UK, on Sunday, and was hosted by Rita Ora. Ora used the occasion to pay tribute to One Direction star Liam Payne, who died last month, at age 31, after falling from a balcony in Argentina. Meanwhile, the South African-born superstar, whose full name is Tyla Laura Seethal, joined the likes of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter as some of the night’s biggest winners. The 22-year-old won the Best Afrobeats, Best R&B and the Best African Act accolades. Wearing the blue version of the iconic Roberto Cavalli dress that late musician Aaliyah wore to the 2000…

SPORTS, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has defended the non-existence of the Joshlin Smith Foundation he promised to register and donate his first salary towards. Joshlin, 7, went missing on February 19 from her Middelpos home in Saldanha Bay and McKenzie had been part of the search before his party Patriotic Alliance (PA) was voted into parliament. Last Thursday, DA MP Liam Jacobs asked McKenzie about the foundation. He wrote on X: “He went from pledging to donate 100% of his salary to the foundation to admitting it doesn’t exist. While I respect the good endeavours and charities funded by the minister (it’s a noble thing to do), the fact remains that Joshlin Smith’s name was used to score political points. “Part of being a Member of Parliament is…

THE peaceful atmosphere of worship took a horrific turn in Harare’s Khayelitsha when two suspects were arrested with illegal firearms and ammunition during a memorial service. On Saturday members of the Harare Crime Prevention Unit were conducting routine stop-and-search operations at Harare 33 Block. The sounds of prayer were abruptly interrupted by several gunshots, prompting immediate action from police who traced the source of the noise to the church located at no. 33820. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said on arrival at the church, a…

Having caught a glimpse of the NSC Mathematical Literacy Paper 2 for 2024 written on 4 November raises some questions about the procedure followed by the Department of Basic Education when setting its examination papers. Worryingly, the number of matriculants writing mainstream mathematics has declined from 57% in 2014 to only 32% in 2023 while 66% of the matriculants wrote mathematics literacy last year. Assuming this trend continues in 2024, approximately 582 000 matriculants will have written mathematical literacy this year. With more than half a million mathematical literacy learners, one would have expected the Department of Basic Education to ensure that the examination papers are error-free. However, this is not the case. In Maths Literacy Paper 2, one question requires the learners to calculate the total number of bricks…

With many people criticising President Donald Trump, it saddens me to think that anybody would imagine the world being a better place with Kamala Harris in charge. In response to T Markandan’s letter on Friday, titled “Donald Trump is back”, Did you and all the other Trump-haters believe that the defamation of his character was going to change anything? For the next few weeks or even months, there will surely be sour grapes from the Democrats and the leftist woke-warriors. Iran must be shaking in its boots and Israel must be feeling even more emboldened. Trump has been called a fascist, by none other than the real fascists, a tyrant by real tyrants and a madman by the madmen. The Left tried to deligitimise him but the harder they tried,…

The role of the South African Police Services crime intelligence has diminished, as the reduction of resources by the National SAPS prevents the timely gathering and sharing of crucial information. An effective crime-fighting strategy hinges on real-time intelligence, yet this remains unattainable due to the severe under-resourcing of relevant SAPS units. To compound these challenges, collaboration between SAPS and other critical departments – such as Correctional Services and the Department of Justice (DoJ) – is lacking There is an urgent need for a more integrated approach that ensures local police stations are notified when parolees are released into their precincts and that parolees are effectively monitored. Furthermore, close coordination with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is essential to secure stronger and swifter convictions in court. The breakdown in these processes…

Most South Africans are engaged in a perpetual financial struggle. The majority of people have not received any training in personal finance, but they want to control their finances. Aluta nova! The new struggle must continue against financial ignorance. Personal finance is like one’s career, it cannot be relegated to someone else, and it must be individually managed. One should be the captain of one’s finances. After emancipation from any form of servitude, authentic reconstruction and not artificial reconstruction must follow. If leaders pay lip service to authentic reconstruction, there will be societal retrogression which may lead us to servitude of a special type. Our reconstruction in South Africa was intended to roll our people uphill, especially the less fortunate, however, it was erroneously implemented. The new government’s quest…

While the Springboks ended up with a convincing win over Scotland at the weekend, ahead of facing England on Saturday, they will look to improve on certain areas of their play where they were good, while addressing some errors they made in. Here, Independent Newspapers looks at a handful of positives and negatives from the clash at Murrayfield. Defence still key for Springbok domination In a consecutive match against the Scots, the previous one at the 2023 World Cup, the Bok defence was outstanding, keeping them from crossing for a five-pointer. Yes, one try was chalked off because of a knock-on, but it was good defending that forced the ball from the hands of Huw Jones in the build-up. And defending with 14 men, when winger Makazole Mapimpi was sent…

THE impact of the murder of underworld kingpin Mark Lifman on a State witness was questioned in the Western Cape High Court as the murder trial of slain “Steroid king” Brian Wainstein recommenced yesterday. After another week of delays, Lifman’s friends and co-accused returned to court just days after Lifman had been buried. Proceedings were once again hamstrung when it was revealed that the State witness was deemed medically unfit to testify. The medical condition of the State witness, who may not be named, was raised as a concern before Lifman was killed, and yesterday, further details of his condition were raised. Lifman, along with several high profile co-accused including Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and Andre Naude went on trial earlier this year for the murder of Wainstein, who was shot…

A POPULAR TikTok creator has been shot and wounded in front of slain alleged gang boss Peter Jaggers’s house. Suhail Mohamed, known as “Mr Zulu” on TikTok, was standing outside a white Range Rover when he was attacked by unknown gunmen yesterday. Sources at the scene said Mohamed was shot in the neck and stomach. His friend @foreverteamcaleb posted a video on TikTok where he confirmed the shooting. “I’m making this video to inform everyone that our brother Zulu, Suhail, has been shot and is currently fighting for his life in hospital and would like to ask you all to please respect the family’s space. Please keep him in your prayers, in your duas.” In another video he said the family informed him that Mohamed was in a “critical…

PUBLIC Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has vowed to end abuse and nepotism in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). In a bid to reform the programme, the minister has embarked on a listening tour where he visits provinces particularly municipalities that run the programmes. In a statement issued by the ministry after a meeting with the programme’s workers in the uMngeni Local Municipality in Howick, the minister heard how the programme was abused by politicians and officials. The visit to uMngeni formed part of Macpherson’s countrywide EPWP listening tour to improve and reform the programme. He said he would use the experiences shared during the EPWP listening tour to reform the programme to ensure it contributes to building South Africa. “There are countless stories shared with us in…

A DISTURBING picture of a Grade 3 learner’s answer sheet from a primary school in the Metro South district has sent shock waves across community groups after the learner said he wants to be a gangster when he grows up. The question in the activity read: “Write a personal narration of five sentences about what you want to do one day and why you want to do it.” The learner wrote: “One day I am going to be a gangster and hold a gun in my hand. I am going to be a gangster and smuggle guns in my house.” Spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), Bronagh Hammond, said they are not exposing the name of the school to protect the child. “I can sadly confirm that this…

Homelessness and addiction have several misconceptions in common. For example, many think people become addicted to substances or become homeless as the result of the “bad choices” they made in life. They may think so-called “homeless drug addicts” are the way they are because of a moral defect or personality flaw. But, this isn’t only false, it’s a dangerous oversimplification of the factors that lead to both addiction and a person not having a place to live. These factors tend to overlap – many homeless people are addicts or have struggled with substance abuse, and the opposite is also true. Clearly, there are significant links between homelessness and addiction. Even without looking at the statistics, it’s easy to imagine the connection between people who are unhoused and those who struggle…

The most conspicuous aspect of Donald Trump’s triumph is that it exposed the failure of the mass media’s relentless agenda of negative, disparaging reporting and opinion of him. Unsurprisingly, the sentinels of the mass media are in meltdown. Their arrogance that they could impose their minority group-think narratives has been encountered by a red wall of 73 million. Their prospects look bleak as alternative media sources and platforms have wrested attention away from the gods who have dominated the airwaves and the antenna. As Trump stated in his victory address, common sense won on November 5. The Republican Party has been transformed. From being a servant of the Washington political elite and the neo-cons, it is now the party of the forgotten American – the millions of folk who are…

Tomorrow is World Diabetes Day, an appropriate time to highlight the growing diabetes crisis in South Africa and its profound impact on individual well-being. The 2024-2026 theme, “Diabetes and Well-Being”, invites us to consider how both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes not only affect physical health but also encompass emotional, social, and psychological dimensions of living with this condition. Diabetes is a major public health challenge in South Africa, where an estimated 4.5 million people are living with the disease. Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, accounts for a smaller percentage of cases, but requires lifelong management through insulin therapy and regular monitoring. In contrast, Type 2 diabetes, which is largely preventable and often linked to lifestyle factors, has been rapidly increasing, especially among adults and…

A decline in US influence in Africa means US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration will have to grapple with blind spots in its understanding of a fast-changing continent increasingly allied with China and Russia and threatened by spreading jihadist insurgencies. Interviews with eight current and former officials, along with a review of US government watchdog reports, show that a dearth of staff and resources under President Joe Biden at embassies in Africa undermined efforts to implement Washington’s goals. The US racked up diplomatic setbacks over the past four years, including losing America’s major spy base in Niger and failing to negotiate a deal with any ally to reposition the assets. It is now caught without a foothold among the Sahel region’s Russia-backed military juntas just as the region becomes the world’s…

In a stunning turn of events for FC Barcelona, manager Hansi Flick offered no excuses as his side fell to a surprise 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad on Sunday, cutting their impressive seven-match winning streak across all competitions short. Despite the loss, Barcelona remains at the top of the LaLiga standings with 33 points, holding a six-point cushion over second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Flick’s post-match address was frank and devoid of any rationalisations for the disappointing performance. The manager acknowledged the strength of their opponents, stating, “(Sunday) was not our day. “I think we have to accept this result because they played decisively. It’s clear, there are no excuses. We didn’t create enough chances.” The match at San Sebastian saw Barcelona fail to register a…