Innehållsförteckning för 2025-03-06 från Cape Argus

Sandton is set to become the epicentre of cinematic excellence as it welcomes the 7th Joburg Film Festival (JFF) from March 11 to 16. This year’s festival promises a plethora of remarkable films, thought-provoking discussions and enriching masterclasses, drawing film-makers, industry experts and film enthusiasts from around the globe. Renowned for its commitment to celebrating storytelling through film, the Joburg Film Festival offers an unrivalled platform for local and international talent. Attendees can look forward to an exciting line-up of film screenings that span a variety of genres and themes, showcasing the diverse narratives that emerge from different cultures. Among the highlights of this year’s festival are masterclasses hosted by some of the industry’s leading lights. Film-makers including Angus Gibson, known for his compelling work in Shaka iLembe, the visionary…

AN Atlantis police officer has been sentenced to 41 years direct imprisonment after he was convicted for the murder of his sister-in-law and attempted murder of nine children. The State proved that Constable Bonani Nkonzo shot and killed his wife’s sister during a moment of rage and wounded nine children at a party in Atlantis on October 28 2018. Nkonzo was involved in a domestic dispute with his wife at the time and took out his service pistol and fired several random shots inside the house while walking from room to room. His wife, who was shot in the head, miraculously survived while her sister was killed and the nine children left injured. Nkonzo was arrested the same day. He was found guilty of premeditated murder and nine…

THE Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has launched an internal investigation after a 14-year-old boy recovering from surgery was mistakenly dropped off at his home in Macassar instead of being transferred to another hospital. Rue-Wahl Bunding, 14, who had recently undergone an appendectomy and was receiving treatment for an infection, was left outside his grandmother’s home still wearing hospital gear, with his drip and bandages intact. His grandmother, Anneline Hartzenberg, said she was shocked when she opened the door on Monday, March 3, and found him standing there after an ambulance dropped him off without any transfer documents. “I just heard a vehicle speeding off, and when I opened the door, there my grandson stood – still in his hospital gown, with a drip and bandages, and was…

IN THE ongoing journey of decolonisation, media plays a crucial role in shifting power dynamics and amplifying the voices of those historically silenced. The Cape Argus newspaper, once part of mainstream media’s colonial legacy, has undergone a transformative shift after Dr Iqbal Surve bought Independent Media. This decolonisation process has positioned the Cape Argus as a beacon of intellectual freedom and diversity, making space for the critical voices of those who have long been excluded from dominant discourse. South African media has historically faced criticism for reinforcing colonial narratives and failing to represent the diverse lived experiences of its people during both the apartheid era and the colonial period. Cape Town’s oldest daily newspaper the Cape Argus has taken a radical step in reversing this trend. By prioritising the views,…

Kaizer Chiefs’ last chance of ending their 10-year barren run rests on the Nedbank Cup, given that they are all but out of the race for the Premiership title. But that’s easier said than done. They’ll face tough customers Stellenbosch FC in the quarter-finals at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (6pm kick-off). The two teams won their respective league matches on Tuesday by 1-0 score-lines, and Mihlali Baleka looks at what they can take to the game in Gqeberha... Clean sheets Chiefs No 1 Bruce Bvuma kept it tidy and neat at the back when they beat Magesi FC 1-0 at the FNB, keeping his first clean sheet since the 3-0 win over Chippa United in the last 16. And having conceded five goals before Magesi’s visit, the…

For the second time within a week, New Zealand and India are set to meet at the Dubai International Stadium. Only on Sunday, they will be playing for the grand prize in the ICC Champions Trophy final after the Black Caps comfortably beat the Proteas by 50 runs in the second semi-final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday evening. It was the Proteas’ fifth despairing defeat in an ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Despite David Miller’s 67-ball unbeaten 100, the Proteas were hardly ever in the contest from the moment captain Temba Bavuma lost the toss on a docile surface. Rachin Ravindra (108) and Kane Williamson (102) took full advantage of the batter-friendly conditions with sublime centuries, and coupled with cameos from Daryn Mitchell (49) and Glenn Phillips (49…

Gautam Gambhir was a feisty character during his playing days. He was frequently involved in altercations with both opponents and teammates alike. Growing older and going in to become a mentor and coach has done nothing to dim the fire that needs very little touchpaper to spark it yet again. Gambhir also doesn’t care who he challenges. Just ask Indian legend Virat Kohli and his current bowling coach, former Proteas fast bowler Morné Morkel. And anyone who has ever had any engagement with Morkel will take an oath that the gentle giant would not even pick a fight with a fly. But even taking into consideration Ghambir’s trademark hostile persona, his unprovoked attack on journalists after India’s ICC Champions Trophy semi-final victory over Australia in Dubai bordered on insanity. Gambhir…

Former Mommy Club cast member, Nozipho Ntshangase dropped the first episode of podcast, Life Lately this week, featuring a no-holds-barred conversation with her co-reality tv star, Nonkanyiso Conco who is popularly known as Laconco. The episode, which has garnered more than 65 000 views in just one day, touches on the heartbreak of polygamy, Laconco’s childhood, motherhood, a bit about the father of her child – former president Jacob Zuma – and her journey in the entertainment industry. The reality TV star also opened up about being in a polygamous marriage. When asked if she ever imagined getting married or being in a polygamous marriage, Laconco, answering mostly in Zulu, replied: “I have always imagined (a husband in) a suit, tie and a briefcase, I don’t know how. I never…

TEACHERS, parents, and learners at Hout Bay High School are urgently calling for the dismissal of the school’s principal and the replacement of the School Governing Body (SGB), accusing both of failing to address ongoing issues of bullying, drug use, and unsafe conditions at the school. Frustrations have reached a breaking point, with the school community voicing concerns about what they describe as a toxic environment that is being ignored by the current leadership. Reports of bullying, disrespect towards teachers, and students smoking dagga on school grounds have become all too familiar, but despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to address the issues. Parents and staff members say the principal’s leadership has only worsened the situation. “The state of the school is the worst it’s been in years,” said…

BASIC Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has again defended the McDonald’s branded foldable desks, stating that the reality of 13.5 million learners and the current budget simply cannot meet the demands of the basic education sector. Gwarube was addressing the members of the National Assembly, on Tuesday, when the issue of branded foldable desks came up amid ongoing outrage from citizens and civil organisations. The St Paul’s Primary school in Cape Town, Western Cape, was recently handed over the McDonald’s branded foldable desks. The desks’ branding has sparked widespread outrage and debate, with critics accusing the department and McDonald’s of using schoolchildren as walking billboards. Some political parties have also argued that the desks are too heavy for small children to manage to and from school every day, and that they…

THE Umkhonto WeSizwe Party (MKP) has called on the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, to extend the deadline for Spaza shop registration. The party argues that many South African shop owners are unaware of the registration process, preventing their participation. IOL previously reported that Hlabisa said there would be no extension of the spaza store registration after the deadline, which was on February 28. The minister further stated that any spaza outlet operating without the necessary paperwork would be closed, and the owners would be charged as of the closing date. In a recent interview, Carol Mafagane, a Member of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, discussed the party’s concerns about the registration process. Mafagane explained that the current registration process has not reached its…

THE family of a man who was buried as a pauper instead of being cremated has started an online petition to have undertaker Petrus Booysen’s bail revoked and to stop him from running his business. Nicolene Cushy, the daughter of Johannes Francois Jacobus Nel, 57, started the petition after her family spent a year keeping ashes they thought belonged to Nel, only discover that he has been buried as a pauper. City officials together with police confirmed that Nel was one of six people who were buried as paupers at Welmoed Cemetery in Kuils River instead of being cremated. Nel died in December 2023 and the alarming discovery was made more than a year later. Booysen, who runs St Francis Funeral Services in Kraaifontein was arrested in January after five…

ANOTHER real and unfortunate insoluble problem is that many are still living in far flung areas because of the spatial planning of apartheid many years ago. Townships are built outside the cities and our workforce have to travel enormous distances under horrific conditions in order to get to where the production is taking place. This spatial planning has no short term solutions but hopefully the city fathers across the country are looking at this with future plans to bring people into the inner cities. I am aware that the Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis is fully aware of this problem and is doing everything in his power with his Mayoral Committee to find solutions. Solutions need enormous money for functional land but we are seeing some of this movement in…

The Springboks didn’t want to lose Felix Jones after the 2023 Rugby World Cup as one of their assistant coaches, but they are happy to have his services back. Rassie Erasmus, the Bok head coach, said they understood Jones’ reason for returning to the United Kingdom, which was to be closer to his family a couple of years ago. When the opportunity to get him back into the Bok fold presented itself recently, they could not let it pass ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia. “It was definitely not a plan,” Erasmus said on sending Jones overseas to collect intel (intelligence) and then signing him again 18 months later. “That speculation must maybe stop. Things didn’t work out in England for whatever reasons. But you don’t relocate your…

Arsenal will derive a great deal of confidence from their 7-1 mauling of PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie – and the Premier League club are determined to keep the momentum rolling, manager Mikel Arteta said. Arsenal registered their biggest away win in European club competition on Tuesday night, putting themselves in a virtually unassailable position to advance to the quarter-finals, where they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid. Arsenal dominated from the outset. Declan Rice’s powerful shot into the PSV net on 11 minutes was chalked off for a narrow offside, but it was a taste of what was to come. Jurrien Timber opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by a strike from teenager Ethan Nwaneri, before Mikel Merino…

As the third day of the Joshlin Smith trial wrapped up, several bombshells were dropped during proceedings, including police torture. Yesterday, the plea explanations for Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, his friend Steveno van Rhyn and Kelly Smith were handed over to the court. The trio face charges of kidnapping and trafficking in persons and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Appollis, admitted he was in the presence of the children on February 19, 2024. He said he had nothing to do with Joshlin’s disappearance and told the court how attached he became to Kelly’s children since their relationship began. He stated the children were being washed in a bucket when Kelly came home after midday. She had R50 and they went to the merchant where they purchased tik. They came back…

LOCAL poultry farmers are on tenterhooks amid the possible spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly referred to as bird flu, that is usually transmitted by wild birds on their worldwide migration. The HPAI is known to be a highly contagious disease and known to carry deadly consequences for poultry. When South Africa was hit by a bout of bird flu in 2023, the local poultry industry had suffered the loss of nearly 10 million birds, and many farmers are still recovering from that episode. While the virus has not since been detected in the country, farmers fear that once it hits locally, the government was likely to be caught napping and without counteractive measures. Izaak Breitenbach, from the South African Poultry Association (Sapa), said their industry would…

The Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, has once again urged social grant beneficiaries to replace their South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold cards with the new Postbank black card or switch to a bank of their choice, as the deadline for the transition approaches. The initial deadline of February 28 was extended to March 20, 2025 after some beneficiaries experienced difficulties making the switch and raised concerns about potentially missing their payments. Tolashe previously criticised Postbank’s original deadline, stating that it was not supported by tangible facts and labelled the slow transition to the new black cards as a crisis after elderly beneficiaries were forced to queue for hours in their attempts to get the card. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing an “efficient social security system,” Tolashe…

New Zealand shattered South Africa’s dreams of playing in a rare ICC final with a convincing 50-run victory in the second Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday. Ongama Gcwabe highlights the plays of the day... Diagnosis The real reason behind South Africa’s loss could be traced back to the lack of partnerships with both bat and ball. From the new-ball duo to the death overs, there were no real partnerships as the bowlers toiled. With the bat, apart from the century stand between Temba Bavuma (56) and Rassie van der Dussen (69) for the second wicket, there were no substantial contributions in tandem in a game where the side needed big partnerships to come close to the 363-run target. Innings The Proteas bowling attack knew beforehand that Kane Williamson,…

Real Sociedad are hoping to forget their struggles this season and compound Premier League giants Manchester United’s when they meet tonight in the Europa League last 16. The Basque side host Ruben Amorim’s tormented Red Devils in San Sebastian, before the second leg at Old Trafford next week. Manchester United are unbeaten in the Europa League this season, but the visit to the Reale Arena is arguably their toughest test in the competition yet. On top of United’s poor form, with two wins in their last six games, the under-pressure Amorim has a spate of injury worries to contend with. Exciting teenage striker Chido Obi is also ineligible for the Europa League, with the low-on-confidence Rasmus Hojlund set to start despite not scoring in his last 18 matches. “It’s going…

The Sharks appeared to be in slow motion during the opening exchanges of last week’s match against the Lions at Ellis Park, but speedy Yaw Penxe says the afterburners will be blasting in Saturday’s rematch. The Lions were 14-0 up in no time and kept the throttle wide open to lead 19-0 at half-time and 38-0 with three minutes to go. “It is 100% correct that how you start sets the tone for the match,” the stocky wing said. “A fast start is what every team goes for. If you lose that first 20 minutes, it gets into your head, and you lose confidence. So, a huge priority against the Lions on Saturday is to get a better start than last week.” Penxe, a Junior Springbok in 2017, said that…

NASREDDINE Nabi, like most coaches, believes in protecting his players, and the Kaizer Chiefs coach is unlikely to criticize them in public. However, the Tunisian does occasionally open up about the shortcomings of those under his charge as he seeks to help them improve. He did so late Tuesday night, deep in the bowels of FNB Stadium, following Amakhosi’s 1-0 Betway Premiership victory over Magesi FC, courtesy of an Ashley du Preez goal. Nabi spoke openly about what Ranga Chivaviro needs to do to save himself from the boo brigade, who are always on his case. He also revealed that he and his technical team are working hard to help Pule Mmodi become the national team player they believe he has the potential to be. Chivaviro was his usual wasteful…