Innehållsförteckning för 2024-12-09 från Cape Argus

Some of South Africa’s biggest stars deliver hilarious performances in the new Netflix series, The Mabaso’s Family Reunion. From shining a spotlight on the challenges of a fractured family, greed and loss, there’s also moments of comedy. Bonko Khoza, Natasha Thahane, Lerato Mvelase and Thulani Mtsweni, bring their A-game to this production. They play four estranged siblings who reunite at their Joburg family home following the death of their mother. Driven by lust, fame and materialism, the siblings have their worlds turned upside down when they discover a coffin stuffed with cash and the wrong body. This forces them to come together as they must devise schemes to outwit ruthless criminals and the law. Meanwhile, Jerry Mofokeng, who stars as the unscrupulous Pastor Pitso who was having an affair…

DOCUMENTS lodged in the High Court of Johannesburg last week indicate that a service provider has applied for Acsa’s liquidation for failing to pay the contracted service provider monies owed for services rendered. Acsa is also accused of publishing “fake” financial reports after the company posted profits but failed to mention its debt running in the hundreds of millions dating back several years. The court documents also indicate that Acsa owes a service provider who performed services at O R Tambo International Airport and has failed to make adequate payment despite commitments to do so. Cape Argus sister newspaper The Star has learnt that Acsa is facing another liquidation application this week. Acsa CEO Mpumi Mpofu recently shared that the company posted a R472 million after-tax profit for the financial…

THE Business Unity of SA (Busa) has called for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to be placed under administration, citing operational inefficiencies and governance failures. Busa further said that UIF had failed in its primary function – paying unemployment benefits. The organisation said UIF must be placed under administration with immediate effect. For the last three years, Busa has been engaging the government, together with labour at Nedlac, to try and resolve serious systemic dysfunction and alleged corruption in the administration office. The organisation said, however, no progress had been made due to the inability and unwillingness of the UIF commissioner to address systemic issues. The organisation also wrote to the Labour and Employment Minister several times but did not receive any positive responses. Busa chief executive designate Khulekani Mathe…

Flowers consume war, the latest and eighth poetry anthology by Professor Brian Williams has been referred to as a timely offering. The official launch of the poetry book took place at the Old Mutual Auditorium, Pinelands, on Saturday. On the title for the book, Professor Williams referred to it as a celebration that peace and love have the capacity to overpower violence and war. “Poetry has therapeutic value. During the resistance against apartheid, I wrote poetry as part of my own healing from the pain of oppression,” Williams said. Professor Williams’ previous poetry books include Voices Awakened (2016); Daughters of the First (2015); Five eternal suns (2015); One renaissance, many revolutions; (2008 revised, first published 2003); The Seventh Whisper (1996); Scattered Reflections (1994); and The Wounded Spear Rises (1989). His…

Stellenbosch (0) 1 Butsaka 87 RS Berkane (2) 3 Zghoudi 5, 10; Hajii 83 Stellenbosch suffered back-to-back defeats in the CAF Confederation Cup as they went down to RS Berkane at the Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday. Stellies are yet to pick up a point in the group stages after two matches and are at the bottom of their group. With the Moroccan side possessing a strong physical presence, it was always going to be difficult for Stellies to contain them, and it therefore was no surprise when they took an early lead via a cross. The Stellenbosch defence fell asleep as Youssef Mehri provided attacking ball towards the penalty area, which was subsequently guided by Youssef Zghoudi into the bottom corner of Sage Stephens’ goal in the fifth minute. Ten…

A nine-year wait is over and the Blitzboks are finally winners of the Cape Town SVNS again. In a clinical final display, where they defended like Trojans in the second half to keep France at bay, the Springbok Sevens secured the title in front of their home crowd with a 26-14 win over the Olympic gold medallist. It is the first time since 2015 that South Africa claimed the title when head coach Philip Snyman was still a player. On two previous occasions they lost the final in Cape Town against England and New Zealand respectively. It was sweet revenge for the South Africans over the French who beat them in the semi-final of the Olympic Games and defeated them last weekend in Dubai to claim the fifth place in…

In a high-octane London derby, Chelsea emerged victorious against Tottenham Hotspur, triumphing 4-3 after a pulsating encounter yesterday. The match saw Chelsea defy a challenging start, falling behind by two goals within the first 11 minutes, only to mount an exhilarating comeback that has kept them hot on the heels of league leaders Liverpool. Tottenham capitalised early on, with Chelsea's full-back Marc Cucurella inadvertently playing a key role in their downfall. His comical slips led to a swift opening for the hosts, with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski both finding the back of the net, giving Spurs a dream lead that appeared to place them firmly in control. However, Chelsea's resilience shone through. Jadon Sancho ignited their hopes when he rifled in a powerful shot just 17 minutes into the…

Bromance, South Africa’s newest reality show, is set to kick off 2025 with a bang. The Mzansi Magic series, which will premiere on January 7, will centre on four 30-something Johannesburg men as they navigate life, their careers, love lives and the challenges of adulthood. The show is all about brotherhood, friendship and the chaos of growing up in the heart of Johannesburg. The show will also chronicle the group’s “wild weekend escapades and a thirst for the good life” as it also sets out to explore real male friendships. However, underneath the party vibes, questions emerge about if the guys handle the leap from carefree bachelors to future husbands. It will centre around the struggle between staying true to the carefree, fun-loving side of life and stepping up to…

Cape Town is set to wake up with a major hangover this morning after the Blitzboks ended a nine-year drought to win the HSBC SVNS home leg at a rocking DHL Stadium last night. The Blitzboks have lost two finals since against England (2016) and New Zealand (2019), but Zain Davids’ team made amends last night by running in four tries to beat France 26-14 in a pulsating final. It helped avenge the Boks’ Olympic Sevens semi-final defeat to France at the Stade de Francais in Paris earlier this year. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and his children were also among the 75 000 partisan spectators that had streamed through the gates over the two days. Kolisi was particularly excited during the final as he cheered the Blitzboks to glory. The…

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is standing firm against allegations of misconduct surrounding claims made by Gert Nel, a lawyer from the prominent Gert Nel Inc. law firm. During a press briefing on Thursday in Pretoria, RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo unveiled startling figures, asserting that the firm has benefited irregularly, amassing over R2.2 billion from the fund in the past five years alone. This revelation raises serious questions about the integrity of medico-legal claims in South Africa. In a heated exchange that highlights the ongoing tensions between the RAF and the legal community, spokesperson McIntosh Polela asserted during an interview on national television that Nel would not receive any apology from the fund or its CEO. “He is not going to get an apology, number one. He is asking for…

ATHLONE karateka champion, Zahra Boltman is back from kicking butt at the 11th Annual Commonwealth Karate Championship 2024 in Durban where she bagged four gold medals and one bronze medal. The championship showcased some of the world’s top karate talent from November 28 to 1 December at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban. Zahra, 19 competed in the elite Under 21 female kumite-55 kg, senior female kumitei-55kg and senior female team kumite division. “The competition was tough but also good. It doesn’t feel real winning four gold medals and a bronze medal but I am happy with my achievements. The journey of training and having it all pay off was worth it,” says Zahra. “I believe I qualified because I worked hard, getting results and showing up for training.” Zahra…

NOTHING could have prepared me for The days I loved you most by Amy Neff. Rarely has a novel moved me to tears as this one did. With its raw honesty and heart-wrenching tale of love and family dynamics, Neff’s story delivers an emotional reading experience. In The days I loved you most we are confronted with the stark realities of what an illness can do to a family. It can strengthen your family bond or rip you apart and the regret may be too late. It is a beautiful love story about a couple in their seventies – one diagnosed with an illness, while the other will be ending their life because they cannot live without each other. At the heart of Neff’s novel are Evelyn and Joseph, both…

American Johannes Veerman celebrated a dream debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge with his one-stroke victory at the Gary Player Country Club, after edging out South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter in a thrilling finish yesterday. Veerman closed with a 69 for a total of 5-under par, and then watched from the score recording area as Potgieter, finishing behind him and tied for the lead on 5-under, bogeyed the final hole. “It’s surreal. I can now put on my Instagram that I’m the champion of ‘Africa’s Major’ – the fifth Major. This is a world-class event with world-class players here,” said a relieved Veerman who, as has become tradition here, was given a true African celebration as the golf course staff hoisted him and the trophy into the air and sang his…

Pat Cummins warned India that Australia are pumped up and back to their best as they look to carry the momentum from a commanding 10-wicket win yesterday into the next Test in Brisbane. After being thumped by 295 runs in Perth, the hosts responded emphatically at Adelaide to wipe out Rohit Sharma's men inside three days and leave the five-match series evenly poised at 1-1. They did so without injured frontline bowler Josh Hazlewood, who appears on track to play the third Test at the Gabba starting on Saturday. "Great week, great to level the series. You know, I think we were back to our best," said skipper Cummins, who took 5-57 and seven wickets for the match. "That's the kind of team that I remember, and how we want…

Lando Norris coolly claimed victory in a tense, emotional and incident-filled Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yesterday to deliver McLaren's first constructors’ championship in 26 years, as Lewis Hamilton finished a remarkable fourth in his final race for Mercedes. The 25-year-old Norris came home 5.832 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc to end Ferrari’s title challenge on a night of accidents, penalties and tantrums under the floodlights at the Yas Marina Circuit. “Papaya on top!” said Norris on his slowdown lap after the season-closing race. "Congrats to everyone. Incredible. So proud of you all. You all deserve this. It’s been a special one. Next year is going to be my year, too." McLaren had not won the teams’ title since 1998, the year before Norris was born,…

Beyoncé has been crowned the greatest pop star of the 21st century by Billboard, the renowned music charting site, which revealed its pick as part of an ongoing series. “Beyoncé tops our staff-chosen editorial list based on her full 25 years of influence, impact and evolution,” explained Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger. The organisation highlighted that the music mega star’s position at the top of the list comes from her record-breaking 32 Grammy wins and her dedication to pushing boundaries. They described her as a performer and creator “whose commitment to innovation, evolution and all-around excellence has made her the bar against which all other pop stars this century have long been measured” over the past 25 years. As the artist with the most Grammy wins in history, with 11 nominations for…

A SPECIAL Provincial Funeral was held for anti-apartheid Struggle stalwart, Bethuel Tamana, yesterday, who was finally laid to rest on home soil following the repatriation of his mortal remains. Tamana was born in Retreat in 1937 and in 1962, he left South Africa and joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) where he operated under the alias Joseph Zame. He died on April 29, 1984. The programme commenced at the family’s residence in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, followed by a formal programme at the Gugulethu Sport Complex. His remains were buried at the Welmoed Cemetery, in Eerste River. On November 29, the remains were handed over to his family by the Western Cape Government during a private ceremony held at the St. George’s Cathedral. The Special Provincial Ceremony was facilitated by the Western Cape…

TWO young scientists from the Western Cape have made their mark on the international stage at the İzmir International Innovation Science Energy Engineering Fair (IISEEF) in Türkiye. Competing against over 143 young researchers from ten countries, Thiedu Du Preez and Aadil Dawood, both aged 17, showcased their groundbreaking projects, earning prestigious medals for their efforts. Their achievements not only highlight the capabilities of South Africa's youth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) but also inspire a new generation of innovators to tackle real-world challenges through research and creativity. Du Preez, 17, from Vredenburg High School on the West Coast, was awarded a silver medal for his project, “Seal to Heal: Economical Natural Alternatives for Wound Healing.” “The objective of the project was to identify a formulation…

Keshav Maharaj believes a return to “old fashioned Test cricket” will see the Proteas’ attain success in the second Test at St George’s Park. The Proteas require five further wickets to close out victory with Sri Lanka delicately placed on 205/5 in pursuit of a record 348 runs heading into the fifth and final day of the series. Maharaj was always pencilled in to be a factor on the last couple of days, and the experienced left-arm spinner has already left his mark with the two important scalps of Angelo Mathews (32) and Kamindu Mendis (35) in Sri Lanka’s second innings. It left the tourists in all sorts of trouble at 122/5 after pacemen Kagiso Rabada (1/44) and Dane Paterson (2/33) had already made earlier inroads. At that stage, the…

The Stormers’ rugby season has taken a turn for the worse as the list of injuries plaguing the team continues to grow, following their recent 24-14 defeat to Toulon in which key flyhalf Manie Libbok was taken to hospital after suffering a serious concussion. The grim situation was compounded by the flanker Ben-Jason Dixon, who also failed a head injury assessment and is likely to miss the upcoming Champions Cup match against Harlequins this Saturday. In a cruel twist of fate for the Stormers, promising loose forward Keke Morabe sustained a fractured leg, further depleting an already taxed roster. Director of rugby John Dobson reflected on the impact of these injuries, acknowledging the emotional weight on the changing room. “It's a sore changing room with two guys in the hospital,”…

Unheralded Sekhukhune United piled on the misery for Cape Town City with a 1-0 win this past weekend, which saw the Cape side drop to 13th place, just two points clear of the relegation play-off zone. It is hard to believe that City, one of the Premiership's biggest spenders in the off-season, are faring so poorly, having won only two of their eight Premiership matches this season. Not too long ago, City chairman John Comitis announced that the club would give away 10 000 tickets free of charge for the next eight matches at Athlone. At the time, he reminded fans that the club had bought 11 players to strengthen the team to do justice to their unstinting support. Comitis added that the club was unhappy with a "mediocre" fifth-place…

POLOKWANE CITY (1) 2 Apollis 17, Ramabu 89 KAIZER CHIEFS 0 HAD everything gone according to plan, Oswin Appollis would have been wearing gold and black yesterday. He was clad in orange and black instead, and ensured a result that would have particularly stung the former. Without a goal in his previous five league appearances this campaign, Appollis just had to choose this particular match to break his duck. It was a classic case of rubbing salt into the wound, right? A prime target for Chiefs at the beginning of the season, and he himself apparently keen to trade Polokwane for Naturena, the Bafana Bafana winger had to stay in the Limpopo capital as his club boss Johnny Mogaladi refused to let his star player go. A thorough professional, the…