Innehållsförteckning för 2025-03-17 från Cape Argus

As tennis finds itself in the Hollywood spotlight with the success of Challengers starring Zendaya, the local industry has put their own unique spin on it with Breekpunt. The gripping sports drama, which premiered on Showmax earlier this month, is a captivating and fresh perspective on the high-stakes world of competitive tennis. It stars Chelsea Thomas, who takes on the lead role of Ashleigh Joshua, a fearless teenager who is determined to have her shot on the international tennis stage. However, the youngster must first face challenges, on and off the court. “I just landed my first lead role and that is a really big deal for me,” Thomas said in an exclusive interview with Independent Media Lifestyle. “I am at a point in my career where I feel very…

SOUTH Africa’s expelled ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, had called for the country not to have an aggressive and antagonistic attitude towards the US. This was highlighted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra), after Rasool was declared “persona non grata” following an address at Mistra’s webinar on Friday titled “Implications of changes in US administration for SA and Africa”. Rasool has until March 21 to leave the US, with his replacement expected to be announced soon. “The supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the US, the Maga movement, the Make America Great Again movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the US in which the voting electorate…

NOT disclosing all the material details when applying for a life insurance policy can have a dire effect, as a KwaZulu Natal woman discovered after she lost out on R6 million as the beneficiary of her late mother’s policy, when it emerged her mother did not disclose all when she applied for the policy. Viantha Naidoo turned to the high court sitting in Durban after Discovery Life refused to pay the R6m. The policy was taken by her late mother, Sandra Naidoo, who died of natural causes. Upon the death of Sandra Naidoo, the plaintiff sought payment from Discovery in accordance with the contractual terms of the policy. However, Discovery notified her that the claim was rejected. According to Discovery, the contract was declared void because Sandra Naidoo misrepresented her…

SOUTH Africa’s budget proposal on raising VAT as recently presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana might not see the light of day due to a lack of support from the DA and the EFF. The budget has been referred to parliamentary committees for deliberation and scrutiny before the two Houses of Parliament pass or reject it on April 2. The ANC will need the support of at least 50% of MPs to get the budget passed. Godongwana proposed during his budget speech last week, that VAT be increased by 0.5% this year and again next year, taking it up to 16%, but parties have expressed dissatisfaction with its current form. DA leader, John Steenhuisen, indicated his party will not support the national budget and any increase in the VAT unless…

THE rental market in Cape Town’s northern suburbs is experiencing strong growth, experts advised, amid the slight VAT increase announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, which may raise the cost of purchasing properties. Mariël Burger, area manager at Pam Golding Properties for Cape Town North, said the rental market in Bellville, Durbanville and Parow is experiencing strong growth. “Some of the reasons for this include an influx of residents from other provinces to the Western Cape and the area’s proximity to business hubs like Tyger Valley and Century City. Demand is outpacing supply, so the market has become more competitive, with resulting increased rentals and a shortage of rental stock. Significant numbers of people are moving to Bellville, Durbanville and Parow from other regions around South Africa. “Many of these…

THE tragic death of the male chacma baboon named Raygun remains shrouded in mystery as authorities seek to establish the critical moments leading-up to the fatal incident. The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has called on witnesses to establish with absolute certainty who struck the fatal blow to Raygun. The NSPCA is investigating the killing and has offered a R20 000 reward for information leading to a successful conviction, relating to those involved in harming Raygun and the origin of the video footage. In an update on Friday, the NSPCA said one crucial piece of the puzzle remained missing. The NSPCA said it has been working hard going through a large amount of information received, some credible and others not. “We urge anyone who may have seen or recorded what…

THE world as we once knew it does not exist anymore. Traditional alliances and traditional enemies have all been turned upside down. The concepts of right-wing, left-wing, and centrism in politics are no longer valid. We have become a world ruled by the latest illogical soundbites spewed forth at the last minute by the powerful monied classes. We have developed an obsession with the extremist utterances of political billionaires and their commercial allies, who believe in their infallibility. We listen to them each day to get more of the shock drug they push out into our veins. We egg them on by liking or criticising them, but engage them we all do. We are not brave enough to unfollow them. I have stopped following Elon Musk, Donald Trump and other…

The skies were pregnant, heavy with rain, in most parts of Johannesburg over the weekend, and when they delivered in spitting starts on Sunday afternoon, a star — Relebohile Mofokeng — was reborn! Mofokeng scored a brace as Orlando Pirates kept the Betway Premiership race alive after beating log leaders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium. The win means that Pirates are now 15 points behind the Brazilians and could trim the gap to just three points if they win their four games in hand when they are eventually rescheduled. This was a fierce battle that required both sides to be at their best, as the Yellow Nation and The Ghost came out in numbers to support the two best teams in the country. In the end, it…

France blitzed their way to a second Six Nations title under Fabien Galthié thanks to Saturday's demolition of Scotland, but next up for Les Bleus is a daunting summer tour of New Zealand. Galthié's side have three Tests against the All Blacks in July, but doubts remain over the quality of the squad the former captain will be able to select. The French Rugby Federation and the country's professional clubs announced in August that no players involved in the Top 14 final on June 28 will be included in the tour to face the three-time Rugby World Cup champions. Top 14 holders Toulouse, boasting an all-star lineup including fly-half Romain Ntamack, currently sit atop the league standings, while Bordeaux-Bègles' thrilling backline has propelled them to second place. One certainty is…

Kaizer Chiefs suffered a 2-0 loss to relegation strugglers Richards Bay FC at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday. Amakhosi, now in eighth place, recorded their third loss in the last five games, with their hopes of finishing in the top three taking a huge blow. The Natal Rich Boyz boosted their chances of survival, moving three points away from the relegation zone into 11th place. Having weathered a storm in the first half, the hosts broke the deadlock just three minutes into the second half through defender Fezile Gcaba. The former Orlando Pirates defender leapt highest in a crowded box to guide home a Justice Figueiredo free-kick, silencing the sea of Chiefs supporters in yellow. The home side weren't done yet, and in the 73rd minute, they dealt a heavy…

THE Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is to hear an urgent application tomorrow by an investor into the KleuterZone investment scheme – founded by former singer and TV presenter Anthonie Bougas – for its liquidation. This follows allegations that he failed to pay dividends to investors this month. KleuterZone is a nursery franchise that has promised its investors annual returns of up to 62.4%. An investor, Anita du Plessis, who has invested a million rand in the franchise, said in court papers that she feared the company is operating in a manner that may involve fraudulent activities, characterising a ponzi scheme. She called on the court’s urgent intervention as she claimed the scheme has caused significant financial harm to investors. It is understood that more investors may join the application.…

RESIDENTS together with tourists have been warned to be aware of thieves targeting patrons at restaurants in Sea Point, stealing cellphones and bags. According to the Sea Point Central Improvement District (CID), arrests have been made and they believe a group of robbers are behind the syndicate. They have asked the public to be vigilant. “Across the city, there has been an increase in thefts targeting cellphones and bags at restaurants. Unfortunately, Sea Point has also experienced these incidents, with organised syndicates operating in the area,” Sea Point CID said. “While arrests have successfully been made to disrupt their activities, multiple groups continue to target unsuspecting patrons. These criminals are quick and tend to focus on busy establishments where distractions make it easier for them to strike. “We urge everyone…

THE Gauteng Department of Education in collaboration with scholar transport organisations have vowed to do more to protect the lives of learners on the roads. This was revealed by Tshidi Makwela on behalf of the scholar transport sector during the funeral service of two siblings, Hlompho Mofokeng and Khethelo Zulu, who died following the N12 vehicle accident, which resulted in the death of four learners last Monday. Mfokeng and Zulu were remembered for their love for soccer and A grade performances during a funeral service held at the WJ Mpengesi Primary School in Daveyton, yesterday. According to the department, the accident involved a collision between multiple vehicles on the N12 westbound near the Putfontein Road off-ramp in Daveyton, resulting in the tragic loss of life of four learners. Last week,…

CAPE Town as a water-scarce region has opened the conversation to understanding key innovations, policy developments, and behavioural changes essential for advancing water reuse solutions. These will be some of the key discussion points taking place at the 14th International Water Association (IWA) International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse taking place until March 20. Water reuse is increasingly at the forefront of realistic alternatives to rapidly diminishing supplies of existing water resources (largely surface and groundwater). It is the process of treating and reusing water from various sources for beneficial purposes. Using the latest technologies, wastewater can be treated to meet drinking water standards. The Water Research Commission (WRC) and the City of Cape Town, who are the local organisers for the global conference, have entered into a…

The Dolphins completed the ultimate fairytale comeback to claim the CSA 1-Day Cup in a tense, four-wicket victory over Boland in Paarl on Sunday. Quinton Friend’s team required a boardroom decision to go in their favour to sneak into the semi-final, after the Warriors were docked five points for failing to adhere to CSA’s transformation policies earlier in the competition. As a result, the Dolphins were awarded a home semi-final, and did not looked back since, winning five matches on the bounce to claim the coveted trophy. The visitors held their nerve in a tense chase to secure victory, with young Hanu Viljoen (35 not out) once again showing that he has ice running through his veins. The 23-year-old, who has been instrumental in getting the Dolphins to the final…

It’s crunch time for the four South African franchises when the United Rugby Championship (URC) restarts this weekend. There’s been some brilliant and entertaining local derbies over the last month while the Six Nations took place. But now, the attention of the Lions, Sharks, Stormers and Bulls will shift to their European opposition as the tournament enters a critical stage ahead of the playoffs. All four sides have six games to play before the quarterfinals and the Cape side is the only SA team outside of the top eight currently. In eighth spot: The Lions P12 W6 L6 Pts29 The Johannesburg side occupies the last knockout spot and will kick-off their final stretch of games away from home against Cardiff in Wales on Friday (9.45pm). They face an uphill task…

Rangers inflicted Celtic's first home league defeat since December 2023 as Hamza Igamane's stunning strike earned the visitors a memorable 3-2 win on Sunday. Fresh from booking their place in the Uefa Europa League quarter-finals, Rangers dominated the first 45 minutes and took the lead through Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande. Celtic fought back in the second half, leveling through Japan internationals Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate. But Barry Ferguson secured Rangers' first win at Celtic Park since 2020 in his first Old Firm clash as manager when Igamane came off the bench to blast home the winner in the 88th minute. Rangers' victory is unlikely to have a major impact on the title race, as Celtic still lead by 13 points with eight games remaining. However, a famous win…

Mushin Ertugral, known for his vast knowledge of football, is grappling with a perplexing predicament: Cape Town City's downward spiral. City suffered a 1-0 defeat to relegation candidates Marumo Gallants at Athlone on Saturday, marking their 10th Betway Premiership game without a win. Their last victory came against Richards Bay in mid-January. Ertugral, a Uefa Pro Licensed coach, cut a frustrated figure at Saturday’s post-match press conference. After many years in coaching, he was at a loss to explain City's dreadful loss of form. It was City’s 12th Premiership defeat in 23 games, leaving them hovering just above the relegation zone — six points adrift of a top-eight spot. Even as a seasoned campaigner, Ertugral admitted that City's precarious situation has posed a serious mental challenge. “In the end, you…

HIKERS have been urged to research the trail they intend to hike on and ensure they have the means to navigate their intended route on Table Mountain, after two German tourists needed to be rescued after taking a wrong turn. The two visiting German tourists, aged 23 and 24, set off on Table Mountain’s popular India Venster trail last Monday, and about halfway up the trail, the pair missed a turn and continued on a path that forked off from the main trail and ended up on a dangerous ledge. According to the Mountain Club of SA – Search And Rescue, this offshoot path has seen an increasing amount of foot traffic over the past decade, and worryingly, it is also resulting in an increase in the number of hikers…

AUTHORITIES at Transnet have taken measures to improve operations at ports following strong winds that led to a reduction in fruit exports in February. This, while Cape Town mayco member for Economic Growth, James Vos, said Cape ports were in need of private investment to overcome challenges. Last month, Oscar Borchards, Transnet’s acting managing executive for terminals in the province, said they have created a plan that includes new equipment that can withstand higher wind speeds. The wind saw disruptions to the loading of vessels and that of cargo handling, with staff recalled to duty to alleviate a backlog after more than 200 operational hours were lost due to wind speeds of up to 125 kilometers per hour were experienced. Vos said it was for this reason that private investment…

THE ZULU royal family faction that recognises Prince Simakade Zulu as the legitimate king has distanced itself from another faction that controversially released a family tree on Friday, listing Amazulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini as a prince and not as King. Prince Thokozani Zulu, who is regarded as the right hand man of Prince Simakade, said they did not know about Friday’s meeting and were not part of the release of the family tree. On the call that a person to be appointed as a king should be determined by the late King Zwelithini’s immediate family, Prince Thokozani said the faction is contradicting itself because all the royal family meetings that discussed the matters of the throne after the passing of king Zwelithini, had been attended by all houses and no…

If The Dead Could Talk Juliette Mnqeta Loot.co.za (R271) Kwela Books I so enjoy reading young new writers, testing the waters in the new South Africa with stories that reflect their truth. This is one such writer; a fresh new voice on the crime fiction scene. ‘This ‘Xhosa chick from the Miya clan’, Juliette Mnqeta, with her debut novel If the Dead Could Talk, is a promising writer, assured, creating a very believable story, characters and outcomes. Oh my, if the dead could talk what stories they would tell and, while we know that forensic evidence reveals so much, it’s the life that holds the clues. Digging deep; the astuteness of the investigating team; unspoken clues left by the victim; the past throwing up the trail. So many threads to…

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is ready to take on the integral role of driving the Stormers’ gameplan when he returns to the playing field this weekend. The 23-year-old is fit and ready to get stuck in when the team travels to the UK for back-to-back matches in Wales and Ireland. He recovered from a couple of niggly injuries, most recently a shoulder, and wants to lead the side as they make a push for the United Rugby Championship (URC) playoffs. The Stormers head to Llanelli this week to face the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets and the expectation is that Feinberg-Mngomezulu will feature in the team in some form. After collecting the Young Player of the Year Award at the recent SA Rugby Awards in Cape Town, the 23-year-old expressed his desire…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his emergency centre-forward, Mikel Merino, for clinching another three Premier League points for the north Londoners on Sunday, when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over city rivals Chelsea. Merino, a midfielder by trade, showed the instincts of a seasoned striker when he glanced a header from Martin Odegaard up and over Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal, the ball dropping into the net at the far post. "The way he's approaching this is incredible," Arteta said. "He wants to understand everything. He wants to learn from it. He's very critical of himself all the time. And at the end, the reality is that he wins matches for us." Merino scored twice in a 2-0 win over Leicester City in February when…

Lando Norris kept his cool in a rain-hit and incident-packed season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday to edge out world champion Max Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton finished 10th on his Ferrari debut. The pole-sitting Briton took the chequered flag by less than a second ahead of the Dutchman, with Mercedes’ George Russell securing third after a chaotic race in Melbourne that saw three drivers crash before the end of the first lap. With the safety car repeatedly deployed following a series of accidents on the wet Albert Park circuit, Norris held on to claim his fifth Grand Prix victory—and his second in a row after winning the final race of 2024 in Abu Dhabi. RB rookie Isack Hadjar, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, and Williams’ Carlos Sainz—last year’s winner—all failed to complete…

Bafana Bafana have been one of the best nations on the continent, having finished third in the last Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Ivory Coast. That achievement was so significant that they are now not only expected to go all the way in the next edition but also to qualify for the World Cup. Bafana are in Group C for the group stage round, alongside Rwanda, Lesotho, Benin, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. They have already made strides toward reaching the global showpiece, sitting in second place in the group with seven points — level with leaders Rwanda. Hugo Broos’ men could reinforce their ambitions of returning to the tournament in North America by winning their next two games: at home against Lesotho on Friday and away to Benin four…