Innehållsförteckning för 2025-03-10 från Cape Argus

“Mense!” (People!) – as South African comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout would say – is serving us some romcom charm in his latest film. If you’ve been keeping up, you’d know he’s been all over the place lately, from touring with his stand-up comedy across the nation to exploring bizarre careers in the documentary The World’s Strangest Jobs. And now, he’s stepping into a romantic lead in Soos Pynappel op Pizza (Like Pineapple on a Pizza). Fans are here for it. Bezuidenhout is known for his quirky, self-deprecating humour, his distinct bushy moustache, and of course, his signature retro-style sweaters. But a romantic lead? Even he wasn’t sure about that. Speaking to Independent Media Lifestyle, he admitted: “It’s new to me, a romcom is a completely different genre. I’ve been in a…

FOR the first time, the renowned Andrei Stenin International Photo Contest Exhibition will be hosted at the Good Hope Gallery in the historic castle of Good Hope. Organised by Independent Media and African News Agency (ANA) in partnership with Sputnik News Agency and Radio, the exhibition is recognised as one of the world’s top 10 photojournalism showcases. Each year, the Photo Contest attracts the world’s most compelling photographic talent, capturing stories that define our times – from moments of struggle and triumph to deeply moving human-interest narratives. The exhibition celebrates the work of emerging photographers from around the globe, recognising their talent and dedication to capturing compelling moments through the lens. This year’s exhibition features a selection of winning images from over 200 countries, including Syria, Italy, Russia, South…

POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu has denied allegations of political pressure being exerted on him after the Ipid Phala Phala report was declared Top-Secret, saying this was to protect ongoing investigations and not to conceal information from the public. Mchunus comments come amid growing pressure from opposition parties who are threatening to take the matter to court. The report, which was completed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in October 2023, allegedly contains information about police behaviour during the Phala Phala farm scandal involving President Cyril Ramaphosa. “It’s not exactly that the report should not be released, but what has happened is that there was a complaint filed by the ATM (African Transformation Movement) on the report of Ipid,” Mchunu explained. “Ipid received this report about police behaviour on the…

KWAZULU-Natal is grappling with the aftermath of catastrophic weather events from February 16 to 28, resulting in a National State of Disaster declaration by the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC). The rains, thunderstorms, floods, and high winds have caused an estimated R3.1 billion in damages and led to the loss of 22 lives. KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has welcomed the NDMC’s declaration of a National State of Disaster, which, promulgated in terms of Section 23(1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002, represents a critical intervention to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive response. Furthermore, the incidents precipitated extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property and severely disrupted essential services, including water and electricity supply. The declaration will facilitate the following key actions: Through…

IT WAS 10 years ago on March 9 when Chumani Maxwele threw faeces on the statue of Cecil John Rhodes on the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) upper campus, which gave birth to the #RhodesMustFall movement, and in turn became a catalyst for heightening the #FeesMustFall movement – a movement which is still taking place today. It was a tense scene with a number of photographers on hand documenting and witnessing the moment when Maxwele threw the faeces onto the statue. At the time of the incident, Maxwele said: “As black students we are disgusted by the fact that this statue still stands here today as it is a symbol of white supremacy. How can we be living in a time of transformation when this statue still stands and our…

The President is again expressing shock and horror at what the country’s 60 million other residents have known for decades. He talks about the state of Johannesburg as if he’s a foreign dignitary visiting South Africa for the first time. How often has he been chauffered to Luthuli House in the heart of Johannesburg over the last 30 years? Does he not see the progressive collapse of the city? Is he too busy on his iPad that he doesn't have time to look up to see the state of collapse? Has he driven past Alexandra recently and forgotten the promises made to the community in 2019? Seventy-seven people died in the 80 Albert Street building fire eighteen months ago. Lilian Ngoyi Street is still a horrible mess 20 months after…

In recent years, the PSL have faced growing scrutiny over the quality of officiating. Fans, players, coaches, and pundits have expressed increasing frustration with poor decisions on the pitch that affect the flow and integrity of matches. Kaizer Chiefs’ controversial win over Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup followed on from Mamelodi Sundowns’ rant in midweek when they drew to Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership. Those two matches have only contributed to the growing wory regarding the poor officiating in the domestic game. There isn’t a PSL side that can claim to have never lost points or a trophy because of an inadequate call from a referee in recent years. These incidents often spark heated debates on social media, with fans quick to criticise referees for making what are seen…

Chelsea boosted their bid to qualify for the Uefa Champions League as Marc Cucurella's rocket sealed a 1-0 win over Leicester, while Tottenham fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth on Sunday. Cucurella struck in the second half at Stamford Bridge to lift Chelsea above Manchester City into fourth in the Premier League. T he Blues are two points ahead of City in the race for the top four finish that guarantees a Champions League berth. It was only Chelsea's fourth victory in their last 12 league games as they responded to boss Enzo Maresca's challenge to win all their remaining home matches. Maresca believes that should be enough to ensure Champions League action, but Chelsea will have to improve on a spluttering performance against second-bottom…

Boland Rocks secured a home Cricket SA 1-Day Cup final by defeating neighbours Western Province in the final league match at Boland Park in Paarl on Sunday. Boland will now host the 1-Day Cup final for the first time since they lifted the limited-overs trophy before their home supporters back in 1999. Much like the Paarl Royals team who dominated their home matches with spin during Betway SA20, Boland have utilised a similar spin-dominated strategy. Their slow bowlers came to the fore yet again against Province with Shaun von Berg (3/44), Aviwe Mgijima (2/27), Imran Manack (2/32) and Siya Mahima (2/17) combining excellently. Province could only manage 182 in 46 overs, despite the return of Proteas Tony de Zorzi and George Linde from ICC Champions Trophy duty. Boland had little…

Streaming giant, Showmax has recently announced that it will be airing two new episodes of the second season of its acclaimed documentary series, Steinheist, continuing the critical examination of South Africa’s largest corporate scandal. The release coincides with the forthcoming anniversary of former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste’s suicide. Created by Richard Finn Gregory and subtitled: The wheels of justice have been turning, episodes 4 and 5 will pick up the story when the Reserve Bank seized R1.4bn of Jooste’s assets. A statement read: “From his 20-year ban and R15m fine from the JSE to his pursuit by German authorities; from his record R475m fine from The Financial Sector Conduct Authority, to his police summons to stand trial, the new episodes trace how the net tightened around Jooste in the build-up…

POLICE are investigating whether the skeletal remains of an adult male found in Atlantis may belong to a person who disappeared more than six months ago. DNA testing and a post-mortem is under way to determine the cause of death and the identity of the body. The body was discovered on Friday afternoon in a bushy area in Witsands, Atlantis, after police received information that there was a shallow grave. According to sources, the person was dressed in a pair of black pants. It is also believed the person was from the same community and may have vanished around August last year. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said their K-9 unit was called in and found a human limb, which led to the discovery of the entire corpse. “Atlantis police…

THE prospect of entering an electronic voting era is what the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) is hoping to explore at its three-day conference in Cape Town. Today will see the start of the conference on the prospect of electronic voting (e-Voting) in South African elections. The IEC will hold the conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The conference will serve as a pivotal platform for initiating a public conversation about the possibility of introducing electronic voting in the future. The conference is based on research commissioned by the Commission and undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The research study produced a discussion document, to be launched at the conference, which navigates all crucial aspects related to electronic voting and implications for the country. Some…

THE Cape Town Stadium is one of the biggest jewels in the Mother City’s crown. The 55 000-seater venue, which was purpose built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, cost about R4.4 billion to build and has hosted some of the most memorable events in the city, with the stadium able to host anything from big sporting events, monster truck rallies and music concerts. The building of the stadium started in 2007 in the lush Green Point suburb right next to the Atlantic Ocean. At the time thousands of homeless people lived in that area, but were removed from the land to accommodate the venue in the shadow of Table Mountain. Some 10 000 homeless people were then relocated to live in corrugated iron shacks on a dusty piece of…

POWER utility Eskom has announced the suspension of load shedding for now. “After the recovery of more than 3 000 MW of generation capacity and replenishment of sufficient emergency reserves in the past 44 hours, load shedding will be suspended (Sunday) at 10am,” Eskom said in a statement. “Coal operations at Kusile power station are at optimal levels. All units that were offline as of Friday are now back in service. Progress on the recovery of Koeberg Unit 2 is well underway. “Eskom reassures the public that Koeberg Unit 2 remains safe.” Stage 3 load shedding was implemented from 2pm on Friday. The dreaded power interruptions were expected to last until 5am today. Yesterday, Eskom added that planned maintenance outages aimed at preparing for winter and meeting regulatory and environmental…

Rohit Sharma made a combative 76 to back up a potent spin bowling display as India beat New Zealand by four wickets to win a record third Champions Trophy title on Sunday. Chasing 252 to win, India got off to a fast start through their captain's first half-century of the tournament before KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 34 to help seal victory with six balls to spare in the final in Dubai. India added to their trophies in 2002 and 2013 to go past Australia, who have two titles. The world's No 1 ODI team, India finished unbeaten in the eight-nation tournament played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. In a battle of spin on a sluggish Dubai pitch, New Zealand's bowlers put India in trouble at 203/5 with…

JOSE Riveiro looked like he’d rather not be there, but post-match interviews are compulsory, and the Orlando Pirates coach had to oblige the media corps awaiting him deep in the bowels of the old Peter Mokaba Stadium. The Spaniard had just watched his team reach yet another Nedbank Cup semi-final, courtesy of a 5-4 victory over SuperSport United via a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 stalemate that remained unchanged even after an extra half-hour of play. It was definitely not how Riveiro would have wanted it to be, with Pirates gifting SuperSport the equaliser in injury time when they should have wrapped up the match in regulation time. Despite the win, his frustration was evident, particularly given his open dislike of this Polokwane venue, whose pitch he finds inconducive to…

The Sharks butchered a couple of chances on Saturday, which their coach, John Plumtree, was not too happy about. But all that counted was slotting that final penalty kick in the 75th minute to make it 25-22 when they beat the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday to claim an important home win and the South African Shield of the United Rugby Championship (URC). The Durban side consolidated their fourth place on the official URC log and put daylight between them and Munster, currently in fifth, with six rounds of rugby to go ahead of the playoffs. It was a crucial win for the Sharks, but Plumtree feels they could’ve made more of the chances they had created. “We definitely squandered some opportunities, which is pretty frustrating,” Plumtree said, despite…

SOUTH African rapper, ProVerb, whose real name is Tebogo Thekisho, recently celebrated the twentieth anniversary of his debut album, Book of ProVerb. He marked the milestone by reflecting on his remarkable journey through music, media and cultural influence. Taking to Instagram, ProVerb highlighted the profound impact this debut release had on his life, expressing gratitude for the way hip hop not only paved the path for his musical career but also opened doors into various facets of entertainment. His heartfelt post read: “Microphone, Sweet Home. Little did I know, this album wouldn’t just be my debut into music; it would be the first chapter of a lifelong journey in media, entertainment and storytelling.” ProVerb’s legendary tracks, such as Women, Microfone Sweet Home, I Have A Dream, Head 2 Toe and…

AN ALLEGED leader of the Six Bob gang and two brothers have been shot and killed in sporadic shootings in Cape Town over the weekend, as community activists call for intervention. People Against Gangsterism and Crime (Pagad), also shared a stern warning to alleged gunmen and drug dealers to stop the mayhem, while residents in Lentegeur carried out a peaceful march on Friday in response to shootings in the area. Police were called to a scene in Victoria Road, Grassy Park on Saturday, where a 51-year-old man allegedly known as “Taswell Six Bob,” was shot and killed outside the KFC. It’s alleged the man was a prominent leader of the gang and videos of the scene were shared widely on social media showing his vehicle riddled with bullets. Police spokesperson,…

A 44-year-old man was arrested in Pretoria following allegations that he was involved in a romantic scam that defrauded a woman of a staggering R365 000 and her Toyota Fortuner. The suspect was arrested on March 6, by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Pretoria. The fraud case was initially opened in June 2023, when the victim reported that she had been tricked into handing over large sums of money and her vehicle. Police allege that the victim was romantically involved with a Congolese national, who is still at large. Police spokesperson, Christopher Singo, said the suspect reportedly posed as a businessman and convinced the victim to send him money under the false promise that he would use it to clear goods shipped from overseas. He…

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana is facing criticism from his coalition partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) and ANC Alliance partner Cosatu, for not consulting widely enough on his plan to increase Value-Added Tax (VAT). Godongwana is expected propose a gradual increase in VAT over the next two years, starting with a smaller hike of 0.5% this year, when he presents his budget on Wednesday. The finance minister’s budget speech was postponed last month after DA and other GNU partners refused to allow for a 2% increase in VAT, saying this hike would have disproportionately affected poor and low-income families. Those opposed to a VAT hike, even an incremental increase, continue to argue that Godongwana should have consulted more widely and considered alternative proposals for funding the budget. Godongwana…

ONE of South Africa’s most celebrated playwrights, Athol Fugard, has died at the age of 92 after a long illness. Fugard, also a renowned novelist, actor and director, was a revolutionary force in the South African arts, having penned more than 30 plays that brought attention to the injustices inherent in the apartheid system. His commitment to social justice extended beyond theatre, as he insisted on producing his works in venues where audiences were not segregated – demonstrating a profound dedication to equality and inclusivity. Among his notable works are masterpieces such as The Blood Knot, Hello and Goodbye, Master Harold and the Boys, and The Road to Mecca, each of which has left an indelible mark on audiences both locally and internationally. Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Ricardo Mackenzie…

THERE’s a reason why thrillers remain one of the most popular genres – they demand attention. But beyond providing an escape, thrillers sharpen our critical thinking, challenging us to draw our own mind map to solve the mystery midway through. Many may say that it is predictable, but when a suspenseful thriller grips you from the first page, all you really want to do is finish the book to see if your prediction was correct. Chad Zunker’s Not our daughter, delivers exactly that kind of suspense and high-stakes. It is a fast-paced thriller that wastes no time getting the action, Cole and Lisa Shipley are living a normal life in the small town of Colorado with their teenage daughter. But nothing about the past is ordinary, thirteen years earlier they…

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker is fed up with his team being on the wrong end of controversial decisions against the two Soweto clubs Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Barker left the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium fuming on Saturday evening after the latest incident against Chiefs, which led to his team being dumped out of the Nedbank Cup 3-1 in Gqeberha. The game was locked at 1-1 deep into stoppage time and seemed set to be heading for extra time when George Matlou appeared to have pushed Stellies goalkeeper Sage Stephens from an incoming corner. With Stephens out of action, it allowed Chiefs winger Pule Mmodi to stab the ball into the Stellies net from close range. The assistant referee immediately raised his flag to indicate the foul on the…

Proteas all-rounder Corbin Bosch is set to join Mumbai Indians for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). Bosch has played in various T20 Leagues around the world from Betway SA20, Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Canada Global T20 League and previously been a reserve player with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. The 30-year-old is fresh off helping MI Cape Town to their maiden SA20 title where he claimed an impressive 11 wickets at an average of 17.36. Bosch will replace fellow Proteas fast bowler Lizaad Williams, who has been ruled out of the competition due to injury. Bosch will join up with his fellow MI Cape Town teammates Ryan Rickelton and Trent Boult at Mumbai Indians. He will, however, have to forgo his PSL contract for the 2025 season…

Kaizer Chiefs will travel to either Mamelodi Sundowns or Sekhukhune United in the semi-finals of the 2025 Nedbank Cup after being drawn to face each other on Sunday. In the second semi-final, the defending champions Orlando Pirates will welcome Marumo Gallants at the Orlando Stadium. Bahlabane Ba Ntwa sealed their place in the last four by beating Motsepe Foundation Champion side Durban City, with the draw taking place immediately after. With their quarter-final clash postponed this past weekend, the eventual winner between Sundowns and Babina Noko will face a buoyant Amakhosi. Having had to come back from behind in the last 16 against TS Galaxy, the hosts made four changes to the starting XI that helped them progress in the last round. One of the changes made by coach Simo…