Innehållsförteckning för 2024-12-23 från Cape Argus

Spirit of Africa Scott Ramsay Loot.co.za (R849) Quivertree ‘I MET a leopard in the foothills of the Abedare Mountains…’ There’s not many of us that can deliver a line like that, and it’s for those of us who can’t, I suspect, that photographer Scott Ramsay intended this book. He explains the word ‘sprit’ comes from the Latin ‘spiritus’ meaning breath, and he describes a moment, camping alone in the Kalahari when he could hear his own breath. He realised then “that I shared this precious atmosphere with all other creatures” – like a human animal. Ramsay has travelled extensively for this book, for you and I. The list of places he has experienced reads like a storybook of destinations of which you’ve never heard, never- mind be likely to…

Christmas Presents Lisa Unger Loot.co.za (R465) Bloomsbury WHEN true crime podcaster Harley Granger drifts into The Next Chapter Bookshop days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that store owner Madeline Martin would much rather forget. Granger has a gift for seeing things that others miss, and his work on true crime has earned him fame and wealth – and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Looking into Madeline’s case, a case that many people think is closed but some want reopened, he has a lot of questions about the night Madeline was left for dead on the riverbank, nearly a decade ago. Madeline is the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, who murdered her best friend and is suspected in the disappearance of two local…

ALL hands were on deck as around 80 children were treated to a special Christmas party at the Seawinds Community Centre, yesterday. The children, with eager anticipation, waited outside as the organisers readied the venue, taking special care to drape the seats and tables, put out the Christmas gifts, and prepare the buffet-style three-course meal. Some children were joined by their parents, and single parents and senior women, some of whom were widows. For the past five years, the Michelle Davids Foundation has organised street parties for the children of Military Heights, Hillview, Seawinds, and Lavender Hill. This year, however, Davids opted to sway from the usual and have the event indoors, largely due to safety concerns related to ongoing gun violence in the area. Davids, from Lavender Hill, said…

There were some truly great sporting moments for South Africa this past year, and while there was much to celebrate, including the robust health of our political system and democracy, sport continues to remain a powerful national building tool. It is easy to point to the Springboks as leading the charge of SA’s cause on the field this past year. After all, they won 11 of their 13 matches, claimed the Rugby Championship and finished the year as the No 1 ranked team in the world. Their brand enjoys international recognition, and they continue to transform into a team for all South Africans. The Proteas men, Proteas women and Bafana Bafana also improved their standing with the nation – the cricket teams reaching finals in major ICC tournaments, while Bafana…

Major gains in TV viewing and attendance at women’s sports this year will give way to expansion in 2025 as start-ups and established leagues alike look to take advantage of the surging interest, industry leaders and experts say. North America’s top-flight National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) both saw record viewing figures, while fans in the UK devoted more time than ever to watching the Women’s Super League (WSL) and TV ratings soared for Women’s Premier League cricket in its second season. Deep-pocketed investors took notice, and growth will be the theme in the new year as the WNBA welcomes its first new franchise since 2008 when the Golden State Valkyries begin play next year. The WNBA, which is also preparing for two more teams…

Jay-Z and Rihanna’s relationship dates back to the early days of her career, which began when the Barbadian star was just 16 years old. Standing in front of industry heavyweights like Jay-Z and Antonio “L.A.” Reid at such a young age would intimidate anyone. In the light of recent allegations against both Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs, a joke Jay-Z once made to Rihanna has taken on a much darker tone. The video, taken from an interview on The Tyra Banks Show, shows a young Rihanna nervously recounting her audition for the label. She recalled performing her breakout hit Pon de Replay, which immediately grabbed the interest of the music executives. But what stood out was a comment Jay-Z made during the meeting. “There are two ways to leave here:…

DONATIONS are pouring in for Bongile Ntombela, a South African woman stuck in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to an unpaid loan. The donations come after Ntombela posted a video on TikTok explaining how she found herself in the precarious position. It’s been two days since her Backabuddy account was created and she has received almost R50 000 in donations. She needs over R124 000 to pay off the loan. She posted a video thanking everyone for the donations and other forms of assistance. She further indicated that Clayson Monyela from the Department of International Relations and Co-operation reached out to offer help. “I thank every person that has made a contribution and has prayed for me,” she said. “I will try to have a live (Monday) evening when…

Esther Mahlangu - To paint is in my Heart Thomas Girst, Azu Nwagbogu Loot.co.za (R 479) Thames and Hudson A look into the life and work of the iconic South African artist Esther Mahlangu, one of the great innovators of Pan-African Contemporary Art. “Esther Mahlangu is one of the most important artists of our time who continues to inspire artists all over the world. Mahlangu is a visionary who brings art into society” said Hans Ulrich Obrist. Esther Mahlangu (b. 1935) is globally acclaimed for her bright and bold abstract paintings that are rooted in South African Ndbele art. She was a disruptor from an early age, becoming the first person to reimagine her visual heritage, historically used for decorating houses, on painting media such as canvas. Mahlangu is one…

THE year ends with a crisp summary: South Africans are gatvol of whiny, daft, disruptive and doomsday politicians. We have begun to win the battle over the voices of bellicose politicians. We have a maturing and inclusive political firmament in South Africa. We have made room for the Freedom Front Plus and have fallen in and out of love with the EFF. We have frowned at the DA, wondering what position it will take this week, and we have danced with the ANC as one does with a drunk partner on a dance floor. All these twists and turns have built an amazing sense of political depth in the South African voter. Forget the political commentators, who always tend to come up with something they think the voters have not…

A recent ruling by the Johannesburg High Court has put the definition and control of the “family house” under African customary law under the spotlight. The ruling touches on sensitive issues of cultural heritage, statutory laws of property, and South Africa’s history of racial discrimination. It highlights the tension between customary norms, which underlie the idea of a communal family house, and the common law, which restricts ownership to the individual whose name appears in a title deed. The notion of a family house is not provided for in South African law. And prior to this ruling, it was unclear how control in this type of property should be exercised by extended family members. The ruling concerns a property in Soweto. In 2016, Sylvia Dhlamini obtained an eviction order against…

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government pledged yesterday to investigate whether security services could have prevented the Christmas market car-ramming attack that killed five people and injured over 200. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and the heads of the domestic and foreign intelligence services will face questioning by two parliamentary committees on December 30, after opposition parties had demanded quick answers. The Saudi man arrested at the scene of the attack, 50-year-old psychiatrist Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, had made online threats to kill German citizens and had a history of court appearances and quarrels with state authorities. News magazine Der Spiegel, citing unnamed security sources, said the Saudi secret service had warned Germany’s spy agency BND a year ago about a tweet in which Abdulmohsen threatened Germany would pay a “price” for how it…

This year has encapsulated the dual journeys of the Proteas cricket teams – a tale of resilience in the Test format juxtaposed against the heartache of near glory in limited-overs cricket. As fans continue to rally behind their side, Zaahier Adams cannot help but wonder if the elusive trophy awaits just around the corner. AT TEST LEVEL If there is a fairytale story of the year it’s the Proteas’ Test side. Having started the year under the most problematic circumstances with Shukri Conrad forced to take an extremely under-strength team to New Zealand, to being top of the ICC World Test Championship log and just one victory away from qualifying for the final at Lord’s next year, is utterly remarkable. Conrad was faced with the unthinkable when the New Zealand…

A PELICAN Park man is set to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court for allegedly setting his dog on fire amid a probe by the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA. The shocking discovery of the charred remains of the adult pitbull was made on Friday, as inspectors visited a scrapyard. The visit followed warnings from the animal welfare organisation concerning the conditions of various animals on the property. According to a statement by the SPCA, they were executing a warrant at the home of the 36-year-old man in an operation led by chief inspector Jaco Pieterse and inspector Jeffrey Mfini, supported by City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit. On arrival, they found farm animals trapped in inhumane conditions and confirmed the tragic death of the chained…

POLICE have arrested a foreign national transporting drugs from Cape Town to George. The 27-year-old woman was travelling on a bus when she was arrested. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said the Provincial Anti-Economical and Extortion Task Team and the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Policing Team made the arrest. “On Friday at approximately 3.30pm, the members conducted a crime intelligence-led operation about a foreign national female suspected of transporting drugs from Cape Town to George by bus,” Van Wyk said. He said the drugs were found on the woman’s lap. “The team intercepted the bus upon arrival in Swellendam and conducted a search. “During the search, they identified the suspect, a Malawian woman, who was holding a bag on her lap. Upon inspection of the bag, members discovered crystal…

Thirst Giles Foden Loot.co.za (R289) Weidenfeld & Nicolson A PLACE of vast dunes and rusting ship hulks, where the cold Benguela current rises dense ocean fogs, and black-maned lions eke out the last of their subspecies. It once seemed to Irish scientist Ailidh Conroy that she could find water there. But her search for an aquifer left her with nothing but a Russian military cap and a baby on the way. Twenty-four years later, when Ailidh’s daughter Chalice is summoned to Africa, she seems likely to follow the same fatal path as her parents. Haunted by memoires of the Russian military cap that used to hang on her mother’s bedroom door, Chalice is forced to reckon with the same dangers and mysteries that her parents faced before her. And that’s…

A SINGLE mother’s plea to the public to join the stem cell registry and potentially save a life through stem cell donations, comes after having painfully lost her nine-year-old daughter, Oratilwe, to a rare blood disorder. Oratilwe was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia, Rubella, and Fungal leukaemia. After seven months of searching for a matching stem cell donor, Oratile passed away. Her mother, Mapula Molusi said: “The day Oratilwe was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia – a rare but serious blood disorder – my whole world came to a halt. I couldn’t go to work; I couldn’t focus on anything else. I was consumed by my daughter’s illness, and I was helpless.” Oratilwe was a joyful, energetic child who filled her days with dancing, singing, and making TikTok videos. Her symptoms began…

On October 25, Regent Business School celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was not only a time for celebration, but also for some serious reflection on our journey as a purveyor of business education. We realised that the core curriculum of business schools is increasingly being scrutinised for its relevance and effectiveness in preparing students for a rapidly changing global landscape characterised by political volatility, major disruptions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the digital age, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) challenges of sustainability, the widening gap between industry and business education, Covid-19, corruption, unethical behaviour, need for new skills and competencies, unemployment, increasing economic disparity and persistent poverty. In the context of the above, an overhaul of business school curricula is essential to equip our students with the critical…

The curtain came down on this year’s SA Schools cricket at the iconic Newlands on Saturday when SA Schools were surprisingly beaten by the SA Colts, going down by 25 runs in a T20 encounter. Beni Hansen, the Schools captain, won the toss and elected to field. The Colts side were quick out of the starting blocks with WP opening bat Adnaan Lagadien (20) in attacking mood. When he was castled by Raeeq Daniels the Colts were ticking over at around nine runs an over. The introduction of left-arm spinner Enathi Kitshini (2-12) to the attack put the brakes on the run rate and when he got rid of the other opener, Sabela Mabanga (16) with the score on 49-2, the run rate had slowed to seven to the over.…