Innehållsförteckning för 2024-12-24 från Cape Argus

BOTH the outcomes of our Everybody Counts count of the homeless and our own experience in accommodating moms with young children have shown us that we are experiencing a huge growth in youth homelessness. This is as unacceptable as the fact that the elderly and the disabled have become the largest groups in the collective we refer to as “the homeless”. The number of Children born into homelessness and exposed to homelessness through divorce, death or abusive relationships has become a huge problem. Homelessness is a silent war on children. Let’s talk about war. What happens when wars are waged? When in war, land and possessions are taken from the losing side. Homeless youth are stripped immediately of any sense of safety or security when they are ushered out of…

EVERY week I walk past a few properties in our neighbourhood that are dilapidated and unkempt to the point that it looks inhabitable for human use. All of them are occupied by owners who either inherited the property or bought it from previous owners. Then in contrast there are properties that are pristine and beautiful next to these dilapidated properties. These owners are all hard working people who is doing their best to keep their homes and yards, and even the municipal pavements, up to an acceptable level of decency. But when mister B and his partner sits on the pavement on crates in front of their dilapidated house and yard, with bottles of beer in both their hands and some empty bottles lying at their feet, drinking and loudly…

Rape and murder are everyday crimes in our country. They happen so often that the media hardly pays much attention to them, unless one out of the ordinary happens, like Sbusiso Lawrence who justified the gruesome killing of his ex-girlfriend Ntobeko Cele on social media. The callous killer then hung himself from a tree not far from the murder scene in Umzinto. This gender based violence was followed by another copycat murder, this time in another South Coast town, Umgababa where Mlondi Cele stabbed his girlfriend and their three-year-old son before killing himself. While we acknowledge that GBV is a worldwide phenomenon, it is especially rife in our country where an average of 8 women are killed every day. All this shows that the 16 Days of Activism against Gender…

Despite being at the forefront of energy development, the nuclear industry worldwide has long struggled with gender representation. The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) statistics show that women make up less than 25% of the total nuclear workforce globally, and in South Africa, the situation is equally concerning. However, government leaders, educational institutions, and community advocates are making concerted efforts to encourage more women to join the field as the nuclear industry’s future will depend heavily on developing a diverse talent pool. South Africa is the only country on the African continent to harness nuclear energy. Koeberg nuclear power plant remains a crucial part of South Africa’s energy mix, contributing a significant portion of the country’s low-carbon electricity. However, the power station is nearing the end of its life cycle,…

UN peacekeepers and Lebanon’s prime minister called yesterday for the Israeli army to speed up its withdrawal from the country, nearly a month into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. “UNIFIL strongly urges accelerated progress in the IDF’s (Israeli military) withdrawal from and the LAF’s (Lebanese army) deployment in south Lebanon,” the force said in a statement. It called on “all actors to cease and refrain from violations of (Security Council) resolution 1701 and any actions that could jeopardise the fragile stability that currently prevails”. That came after Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the United States and France should put pressure on Israel to complete its withdrawal faster. The United States and France, along with Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL, make up the committee tasked with maintaining communication…

South Korea’s military said yesterday it has detected signs of North Korea preparing to send more troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Pyongyang has already provided 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers to Russia, and was seen preparing to produce more suicide drones to be shipped there after leader Kim Jong Un guided a test last month, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). “Suicide drones are one of the tasks that Kim Jong Un has focused on,” a JCS official said, adding that the North had expressed its intention to give them to Russia. Such drones have been widely used in the Ukraine war, and Kim ordered a mass production of the aerial weapons and an update of…

BRUSSELS: Alphabet’s Google’s proposed changes to its search results to comply with EU tech legislation has received the thumbs up from lobbying group Airlines for Europe whose members include Air France and Lufthansa. Google has announced a series of changes in search result formats in recent months following conflicting demands from price-comparison sites, hotels, airlines and small retailers, with the latest tweaks announced last month. It is trying to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which prohibits it from favouring its own products and services on its platform or risk fines as much as 10% of its global annual turnover. | Reuters…

A HEARTBROKEN Bishop Lavis family is praying for justice this Christmas for their slain daughter, more than a year after she was shot and killed while seeking a protection order. Leché Anderson, 29, was gunned down by a lone gunman on September 7, 2023, in Hanekom Road, as she made her way home after leaving the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court. Her uncle, Pieter Galant, 65, said that at the time, she was living with her aunt in Kalksteenfontein. “She was raised by my wife and I and at the time of the shootings she was living with her aunt in Kalksteenfontein. On the day of the shooting, we were contacted by a family friend who informed us that she had been shot. When we arrived we found her lying in…

YOUR Thursday edition SanParks rangers and K9’s keep Table Mountain National Park safe refers. I am a regular walker and user of the Table Mountain National Park. Every morning just before dawn I have the luxury and enjoyment of going for a walk on Table Mountain. Now during summer I encounter more and more users who have similar enjoyment out of the walks. I must salute the Sanpark Rangers who are out in full force. Likewise we regularly see municipal police and even the traffic department. For that we must thank the City who have gone out of their way to ensure that all the users are kept safe and happy. The concerted effort this year is definitely paying off and our visitors are walking with broad smiles and…

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is adamant to publish the 2024 matric results in newspapers after challenging the Information Regulator’s decision that prohibited its publication due to noncompliance with section 11 of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). However, what is overlooked is not whether the DBE is contravening POPIA, but whether there is any sound reason for publishing the results in newspapers. Bearing in mind that matric results are available at schools, or could be sent to matriculants via SMS or accessed via various online platforms such as that of the DBE or provincial education departments. Also newspapers do not provide each subject and the corresponding percentage scored, as was done in the past. The DBE since 2014 decided to withhold the names of matric pupils and…

THE Information Regulator of SA has slapped the Department of Basic Education (DBE) with a R5 million fine for not upholding an enforcement notice issued on November 18, prohibiting the department from publishing 2024 matric results in newspapers. The enforcement notice ordered the DBE to provide an undertaking “that it will not publish the results of the 2024 matriculants in the newspapers” within 31 days from the date on which the order was served. In a statement yesterday, the regulator said the enforcement notice comes after findings revealed that the DBE contravened various sections of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) when publishing results in newspapers. “The 31 days given to the department expired on December 19, 2024. To date, the department has not provided the regulator with an…

WITH just two days to Christmas, yet another fire has swept through the Masiphumelele informal settlement near Kommetjie, leaving over 100 structures destroyed and hundreds of people displaced. Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said an emergency call was received at approximately 4.30 am yesterday morning of structures alight. “The first arriving officer from Kommetjie Road saw the extent of the fire and called for additional resources. “The incident command post has been set up in Houmoed Avenue, from where operations are being directed. “Electricity to the area was shut off for the duration of the incident, to mitigate any potential risk from overhead wires. Law enforcement has been requested to patrol the fire lines, as there have been attempts to cut fire hoses.” He adds that 14 frontline…

DECEMBER 5 went by without much acknowledgement of the founding president of our democracy, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who left us in 2013 amid profound expressions of sorrow resonating across the country and the world. If our universal legend, Madiba, is fated to be simply forgotten or ignored in a mere 11 years, who among us will break this collective lapse of memory and shameful lack of appreciation for such a widely acclaimed leader? Of course, Madiba was the first to concede that he was not a saint, but a mere mortal, a sinner who had flaws, when he was gushed over and praised uncritically. Coincidentally, December 5 marked the centennial of the birth of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. A key mover and shaker in the ANC Youth League, “the Prof” –…

Rome has completed the most ambitious of thousands of construction works that have disrupted daily life in the Eternal City in preparation for the millions of tourists expected during the 2025 Catholic Holy Year that starts this week. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri opened a major new road junction near the Vatican yesterday, marking completion of an $88.4 million (R1.6 billion) centrepiece project among 3 200 public construction works ahead of the Holy Year, otherwise known as the Catholic Jubilee. The new underpass near the medieval Castel Sant’Angelo redirects traffic underground and creates a pedestrian zone from the Tiber River toward St Peter’s Basilica, the centre of Catholicism and one of the world’s most visited tourist sites. The frenzy of work, however, has infuriated residents and left some visitors feeling short-changed in…

New York: Police arrested a man suspected of setting fire to a woman on the subway in Brooklyn who died from the incident, authorities said, calling it “one of the most depraved crimes” a person could commit. The man “calmly walked up to the victim” on the F train in Brooklyn and set her ablaze on Sunday morning, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told a press conference. “The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,” she said, adding that police rushed to the scene and the fire was put out. | AFP…

A WESTLAKE family is appealing for help to find their cousin who went missing while visiting friends in Hillview. The worried family of Ryan Tango, 36, said he has been missing for six days and is unreachable on his cellphone after boarding an e-hailing cab home. Cousin, Jessica Maarman explained that he was last seen on Thursday leaving his home. “He went to visit friends in Hillview but never came home. His phone is off so we went to Hillview to ask and they said he booked a ride home at 1am in the morning and left their home. Ever since then we have been searching the entire Lavender Hill and Hillview to try and find him.” Maarman said Tango’s wife is seen crying all the time since his disappearance.…

YOUR Friday edition ACSA urges holiday makers to plan ahead refers. This truly is a good festive season for South Africa and in particular Cape Town. Cape Town tourism season is absolutely buzzing. We have seen 226 international flights land weekly, we are expecting 88 cruise liners to dock and the city is ready. We need to salute Alderman James Vos for the enormous amount of work that he and his team has done to make Cape Town a destination of choice. I am speaking to visitors from across the world who are not only enjoying their holiday and everything that Cape Town has to offer but are planning to tell their friends and to come back again as soon as possible. We must remember that tourism is the one…

THE South African Communist Party (SACP) pays tribute to former Kaizer Chiefs legend, Jackie ‘Asinamali’ Masike, and conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family and the entire footballing fraternity of our country. One of the most respected central defenders our country has ever seen, Masike commanded respect in the South African footballing fraternity during his heydays in the 1970s and 1980s, his popularity and influence spilling throughout the African continent notwithstanding the suppressive policies of the apartheid system which was later dislodged by the liberation movement. Masike was amongst the pioneers who contributed to the establishment of the legendary Kaizer Chiefs in 1970, making it a powerhouse in South African football. His contribution in the midfield, characterised by his tough tackling and commanding presence on the field, was instrumental in…

ANOTHER male baboon was successfully captured by the Cape of Good Hope (CoGh) SPCAs Wildlife Department yesterday morning in the vicinity of Rondevlei, between Grassy Park and Lavender Hill, after taking a stroll in the southern suburbs. Reports first came in of the baboon spotted along Prince George Drive near Steenberg, later making its way to Grassy Park. Belinda Abraham, CoGH SPCA spokesperson, said the baboon was safely captured by the organisation yesterday and is in their care. She said they will be requesting guidance from authorities with regards to a safe release proposal. It is the second time a baboon was spotted in the southern suburbs in recent months. In August, a male baboon had social media buzzing after dispersing from his troop. Sightings of the animal captured the…

Fikile Mbalula has once again made his position clear – ANC members questioning the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act will face consequences. In a fiery declaration, the party’s secretary-general warned against any internal dissent, dismissing it as populism and an attack on ANC leadership. Mbalula’s words left very little room for ambiguity. But Mbalula’s tough talk reveals more than just a defence of the Bela Act, it exposes a party battling with internal fractures. His loudness, aimed at silencing detractors, suggests a fear of public criticism from the ANC ranks. “Why would others speak on the sidelines as though there is doubt about leadership?” he demanded, clearly frustrated by the cracks showing in the ANC. The Bela Act itself is no stranger to the ongoing controversy…

Mozambique’s highest court confirmed yesterday the ruling party’s victory in a disputed October vote after allegations of rigging triggered weeks of deadly street clashes. Fears are high that more violence could break out in the southern African nation after the opposition threatened to call an uprising following the decision. The Constitutional Court said the ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo secured 65 percent of the vote, revising down provisional results from the electoral commission which said he got nearly 71 percent. Chapo’s main challenger, exiled opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, received an upward revision to 24.2 percent of the vote. The final results extend Frelimo’s half-century grip on power, lining up Chapo to take over from President Filipe Nyusi whose second term ends on January 15. Mondlane has said that…

WASHINGTON: US President-elect DonaldTrump’s transition team is pushing to pull the US out of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the first day of the new administration, according to experts who warn of the “catastrophic” impact it would have on global health, the Financial Times (FT) reported. Members of Trump’s team told the experts of their intention to announce a withdrawal on the president-elect’s January 20 inauguration, the FT said, noting that the departure would remove the WHO’s biggest source of funds. The US’ plan to withdraw would be “catastrophic”, the FT quoted Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health at Georgetown Law, as saying.…

Corbin Bosch can hardly imagine the week he’s enjoying. It’s almost as if Christmas came early – and not just once but twice! It was only last week when Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad put his arm around Bosch at the Wally Watson Oval in Cape Town to inform the 30-year-old Titans all-rounder of his maiden call-up to the Proteas’ Test squad for the coming series against Pakistan. Bosch, who was playing for the SA Invitational XI, wore a silly smirk on his face for the remainder of the four-day match against the England Lions. The fact that the Pakistan series opener was set to be played at his home ground, SuperSport Park in Centurion, added to the excitement. But before any of that could transpire, Bosch got another call.…