Innehållsförteckning för 2025-03-11 från Cape Argus

For many South Africans, financial planning isn’t just about numbers – it’s about turning ambitions into reality and securing the future. The recent postponement of the National Budget prompted an unprecedented moment of pause in South Africa’s economic engine, giving South African households a chance to take stock of their financial plans. Just as the government adjusts its spending to balance economic priorities, individuals need to revisit their strategies to stay on track. Everyone has different financial goals, whether it’s retiring comfortably, buying a home, or ensuring a valid Will is in place. What’s important is aligning these goals with your overall financial situation. Like a national budget responding to economic shifts, financial plans should evolve. A young professional might start confident in their investment path but face retrenchment.…

Denise Zimba’s battle with her ex-husband, Jakob Schlichtig, has taken a painful turn. Earlier this year, the former Generations actress and TV presenter publicly revealed some of the betrayals that led to their divorce, including allegations that Schlichtig had an affair with her childhood friend, Mpumi Mdluli. While Zimba made it clear that she had no regrets about leaving him, the situation regarding custody of their children has become even more distressing. According to reports, the Johannesburg High Court has ruled in favour of Schlichtig, granting him the right to take their two daughters – aged five years and 19 months – back with him to Germany. Women For Change, a South African organisation advocating for women’s rights and the fight against gender-based violence, has expressed its support for Zimba…

POLICE have arrested a suspect with more than R300 000 worth of magic mushrooms, prescription tablets and an assortment of drugs near Koeberg Power Station. The 23-year-old suspect is expected to make an appearance in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of the possession of drugs and prescription medication. The arrest follows the suspicious behaviour of the suspect, who was in a state of confusion when he was approached by Law Enforcement officials on Friday. He was found to be in possession of a black suitcase and a bucket that contained the stash of mushrooms and drugs, and upon further investigation of his vehicle, they found the rest of the consignment. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said they requested medical teams to examine the man believing he was ill,…

HOME Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, used his keynote address at the Electronic Voting for South Africa conference to tout how developments by the department will likely impact policy considerations. The e-Voting conference hosted in Cape Town started yesterday with an address from the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the CEO Sy Mamabolo, and an address from Schreiber. Schreiber said: “Over the past eight months, we have worked tirelessly to lay the foundation of the reforms required to turn these institutions into digital first organisations. “However, we have not spoken much about the IEC, as it should be, given its status as an independent Chapter 9 institution. “As much as the IEC is an independent entity, it functions within that broader home affairs ecosystem.” Schreiber then touched…

THE ANC is believed to be in last-minute discussions with the EFF to secure their support ahead of the budget speech expected to take place tomorrow. This comes after the DA, the second-largest party in the Government of National Unity (GNU), continues to refuse to budge on any proposed VAT hike. Last month’s budget speech by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was postponed after several parties, including the DA, refused to allow for a 2% in crease in VAT. According to sources within the ANC, the party is desperate to get the budget passed and is willing to make concessions to the EFF in exchange for their support. The EFF has consistently opposed any increase in VAT, but the ANC is hoping to persuade them to change their stance. The DA’s…

THE City has relaunched its flagship ACSA Symphony Way housing project in Delft, expected to benefit almost 3 500 informal settlement residents, as it commemorates slain official Wendy Kloppers, a dedicated City official who was murdered in 2023 by extortionist gangs while she was visiting the site. “The relaunch marks a renewed commitment to delivering dignified housing opportunities while also remembering the legacy of Wendy Kloppers,” said mayco member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim. “We cannot allow criminals impacting projects to become the norm. We are fighting it with everything we have. We are focused on reducing risks, tightening security and monitoring the area. “Criminals cannot and will not be allowed to take additional lives and housing opportunities from those who most need them.” The project came to a grinding…

This past week saw me being inundated with calls, messages and letters from residents living at the various City of Cape Town “Safe Spaces”. While the Mayor regularly refers to these Safe Spaces, as “world class facilities that Capetonians can be proud of” the complaints I received this week again highlight another side to these Safe Spaces. “I had an extremely unpleasant experience at Safe Space 3 in Greenpoint on Saturday night. I came back to Safe Space a little drunk as I had been invited by friends to attend Pride. I was detained in the seating area for an hour and a half – I was then frogmarched off of the property by Alex the supervisor and a few guards – they threw me outside onto the pavement. “A…

Former Orlando Pirates league-winning coach and renowned agent Mike Makaab has bemoaned the standard of refereeing in South Africa. The Premier Soccer League officials were caught up in controversy yet again over the weekend during the Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. Chiefs won 3-1 with two goals in stoppage time to advance to the semifinals, but Stellies coach Steve Barker was livid with the Amakhosi’s second goal. Stellies goalkeeper Sage Stephens appeared to have been nudged off the ball while trying to punch out a corner. With Stephens out of action it allowed Chiefs winger Pule Mmodi to tap the ball into the net. The assistant referee held up his flag to indicate a foul on Stephens, but was later…

The creation of the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) in South Africa was a game-changer for the financial services sector, according to the NFO. It says it brought together the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), the Credit Ombud (CO), the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance (OLTI), and the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (OSTI) into one powerful body. This move gave consumers and businesses a single place to turn to for fair and equitable solutions to disputes and complaints in the financial world – something that used to be handled separately by these different schemes, it says. As the NFO celebrates its first birthday, Reana Steyn, the NFO head ombud, looks back on the past year with pride. “We have had an important impact on the lives of thousands of South Africans…

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) today announced the addition of Bombay Lights, a groundbreaking ensemble from India, to this year’s festival lineup which is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated events on the music calendar with tickets disappearing fast. With Phase 1 of the artist lineup unveiled, jazz enthusiasts and music lovers are rushing to secure their spots for what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of world-class performances. Bombay Lights, the latest reveal, are known for their genre-defying fusion of Indian classical music, jazz and African grooves. They will bring their innovative sound to the renowned Rosies stage, a platform reserved for the festival’s most spellbinding performances. Led by visionary drummer Vinayak Pol, Bombay Lights introduces the shehnai – an ancient Indian…

DESPITE describing her as a drug user who had been to rehab three times, witnesses said missing Joshlin Smith’s mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, was a good mother to her children. This emerged as more witnesses took the stand in the trial of missing Joshlin at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, Saldanha Bay, yesterday. Detective Constable Refilwe Sekhobe yesterday said that during an interview with Appollis, it emerged that Laurentia Lombaard had been smoking drugs with them on the day the child went missing. Lombaard was charged with the trio but the charges were dropped and she has since turned State witness. Another witness, Kelly’s neighbour Namhla Tinzi, told the court that she had just returned from work when she found out about Joshlin’s disappearance. She was the…

THE South African Cabinet’s proposed value-added tax (VAT) increase should be off the table to allow the government to consider other revenue-generating options such as having the wealthy taxed at a higher rate than the poor. This was the view of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), which fired a warning shot at the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, who is expected to deliver a highly-anticipated budget speech in Parliament tomorrow. Godongwana’s budget speech hit a snag last month when the DA and other Government of National Unity (GNU) partners rejected a proposed 2% increase in VAT. MKP conveyed its anti-VAT increase message during a march in Pretoria yesterday, where protesters gathered outside the National Treasury office. The political party’s chief whip in Parliament, Mzwanele Manyi, said his party will not…

A LUXURY hotel in the Western Cape has lost its legal bid to overturn an order that found the axing of its executive chef – who was instrumental in dousing a fire that broke out in the hotel kitchen, was substantially unfair. During arbitration proceedings, the commissioner ordered Le Franschhoek Hotel to compensate its chef by paying him six months’ salary. The hotel group, however, turned to the Johannesburg Labour Court to have the ruling overturned. Le Franschhoek forms part of the Dream Hotels and Resorts Group. The group owns some 21 hotels and 100 resorts located mainly in South Africa. It employed the chef (who is not identified) as an executive chef from January 2018. Apart from his culinary duties, he also oversaw health and safety at the hotel.…

Liverpool boss Arne Slot described Paris Saint Germain's visit as the second of "three finals" in a week, but has warned much more is needed from the English Premier League leaders to progress to the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals. The Reds escaped the Parc des Princes with a 1-0 lead last week despite being battered by the French champions, who came up against an inspired Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal. The Brazilian No 1 said his nine-save display was the "performance of his life". Never before have Liverpool won the first leg of a European tie away and let the lead slip at Anfield. However, Slot is taking nothing for granted based on what he saw from PSG. Luis Enrique remained upbeat his side are "going to do it"…

The Springboks have set up a unique tool to track the players they’ve called up for the first alignment camp of the season in Cape Town during the United Rugby Championship (URC) without it impacting their respective franchises. The world champions began their first steps toward the 2025 international season with a three-day camp on Monday, during which head coach Rassie Erasmus and his management plan to align the selected players with their vision for this year’s Tests and beyond. South Africa will play 15 Tests, two must still be confirmed, and it will continue the Boks’ path of rebuilding and testing new players who will take over from the senior guys not making the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Erasmus explained that Sebastian Prim, the Springboks’ sports scientist,…

Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Ziggy Alberts has taken a significant step in his musical evolution with the release of his seventh studio album, New Love. This album marks a key moment in Alberts’ artistic trajectory, offering listeners an engaging collection that delves into themes of personal growth, the joy of second chances and the allure of simplicity amidst life’s relentless chaos. Recorded during the 2023 Rewind World Tour and finalised in the serene Northern Rivers region of Australia, the album serves as a spiritual sequel to his celebrated work, Laps Around the Sun, fusing acoustic folk warmth with an invigorating rock and country spirit. Building momentum from pre-released singles such as I’m With You, Outlaw, Where Does The Love Go?, Singing for Country, and the title track New Love, Alberts has…

THE General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) is calling for the removal of Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, after allegations surfaced that his department’s recent job posts favoured certain racial groups and excluded black candidates. The posts advertised were for Deputy Director for Administration Support and Coordination and Parliamentary and Cabinet Support Officer. The advertisements had a note that read: “Preference will be given to Coloured Males, Indian Males, White Males, Coloured Females and Indian Females.” GIWUSA president Mametlwe Sebei called this move “crudely racist” and a flagrant act of systemic exclusion against African candidates and a blatant violation of the law. He argued that the advert also violated the constitutional principles of equality and perpetuated the injustices that the Constitution mandates every state organ…

THERE is no specific rule or regulation in South Africa guiding or regulating the maximum time a woman can act as a surrogate, nor are there regulations that place a limit on the number of Cesarean sections a woman may undergo, a court said in giving its blessing to a surrogacy agreement. This is according to a recent judgment issued by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in which a married couple who wanted to use the services of a surrogate mother to carry their second child asked the court for the greenlight. The issue, which raised some concern, was that this would be the sixth pregnancy of the surrogate mother. All five babies during her earlier pregnancies were delivered via Cesarean sections. Judge Brenda Neurkircher had to determine whether a…

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is reminding parents that applications for Grade R, 1, and 8 for the 2026 academic year open today and close on Tuesday, April 15. Parents of learners entering these grades are encouraged to apply on time to secure a school placement for their child. When applying, parents must submit certified copies of the following documents: Identification (any one of the following): Immunisation card or Road to Health chart (for pre-primary and primary schools only) Latest official school or academic report Proof of residence (e.g. rates account, lease agreement, or an affidavit made at a police station confirming residence) If any of these documents are unavailable, parents can submit a police affidavit in place of the missing document. Online Applications should follow the below process:…

IT'S become common to see children, some in school uniforms, vaping. The World Health Organization cites enticing flavours and targeted marketing as key reasons for this trend. In the US, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students aged 12 and older, with 5.9% reporting use. In the UK, surveys indicate that 20.5% of children aged 11–17 have tried vaping, with 7.6% currently vaping. Similar usage rates of 3.3% to 11.8% have been found in South-East Asia, while evidence on vape use among adolescents in Africa is scarce. A recent study published in The Lancet’s eClinical Medicine found that vaping among South African pupils is alarmingly high. The research surveyed over 25 000 high school students across 52 schools in eight of South Africa’s…

Stellenbosch FC, who were at the sharp end of poor officiating by match officials in Saturday's match against the darlings of Soweto, Kaizer Chiefs, will host another Soweto opponent on Tuesday night (kick-off 7.30pm). This time, it is Orlando Pirates, currently Soweto's strongest team and chasing Betway Premiership glory. At Saturday's post-match interview at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, an angry Stellenbosch coach, Steve Barker, listed several refereeing injustices against his team in matches against Chiefs and Pirates. His frustration boiled over after his side was eliminated from the Nedbank Cup by a controversial goal in their quarter-final clash against Chiefs. Against this backdrop, Stellenbosch will set their sights on turning the tables on their Soweto opponents. It may not be Chiefs, but Pirates are also in Barker's crosshairs. Additionally,…

THE Dolphins find themselves in the play-off of the CSA 1-Day Cup following Cricket South Africa’s decision to dock four points from the Warriors for not fielding a team that adheres to the rules that the governing body has in place for men’s domestic cricket. Following a comprehensive review and investigation, CSA determined that the Warriors failed to meet the stipulated transformation requirements during their match on February 16, 2025, against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in Durban. The breach pertained specifically to Clause 3.2.2 of the CSA administrative conditions, which requires teams to field a minimum of three black African players in the starting XI. The sanctions imposed include loss of match points. Thus, the Warriors will forfeit thdir points for the match, with the Dolphins awarded four points for the…