Innehållsförteckning för 2025-03-18 från Cape Argus

A well-structured financial plan is the foundation of long-term financial security. Research shows that individuals who follow a comprehensive plan are more likely to save consistently for retirement, manage debt effectively, and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Here we explore the essential components of a robust financial plan and how they work together to build and protect wealth. Defining your lifestyle goals The first step in financial planning is identifying clear life goals because these objectives guide economic decisions and resource allocation. Because life is dynamic, bear in mind that your goals may evolve, requiring a flexible yet structured plan. Our advice is to define your goals with specificity—assign monetary values and timeframes to each one. Categorising them into short-, medium-, and long-term priorities helps create a roadmap for financial success,…

IT TOOK nine years to convict a former police officer for the rape of his neighbour’s 15-year-old daughter. The disgraced ex-police officer, Frederick Soldaat, who held the rank of Warrant Officer, was found guilty of raping the teenager while her mother was at work. The incident took place in Montagu in August 2016 and was investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid). Soldaat, 64, is expected to be sentenced on April 14 in the Montagu Regional Court. The State proved that on the evening of the attack, the teen had heard a noise – a knock at the door, while her mother was working nightshift. Frightened, the teenager walked over to her neighbour’s residence and asked if she could wait there, to which Soldaat admitted he was the one…

FOLLOWING the Covid-19 restrictions imposed five years ago, the ministry of police will have to dig into its pocket to pay damages to the operational manager at Whitfield Spar in Boksburg, who was arrested for selling hot food to the public during the government’s restrictions at that time. The manager, George Lambrakis, had to spend two and a half hours in a crowded police cell before he was granted R1 500 bail. He maintained throughout that the store sold prepackaged items of pap and chicken to the public and that they had thus not contravened the regulations at the time. The police, on the other hand, were adamant that a worker dished out pap and chicken by hand to customers from a dish. The arrest took place during the outbreak…

WATER experts want the world to know that South Africa is a major player in the water security space, and is not only learning from others, but also has a few things it can teach. This was the sentiment that emerged from the experts who addressed the media yesterday at the 14th International Water Association (IWA) International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse, taking place until Thursday. Water re-use 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 by using the latest technologies. Water Research Commission CEO, Jennifer Molwantwa, said that research has to translate into either policy influence, into new knowledge, and into…

When the Springboks head on their year-end tour to Europe in November, it’s clear that their toughest challenge will not come from Ireland but rather from France. The Irish, despite their recent successes, simply lack the necessary qualities at the moment to truly test the world-conquering Boks in a high-stakes match. That big test will come from the newly crowned Six Nations champions, who conquered Europe despite a big injury setback. Let’s be honest, Ireland’s so-called dominance is overrated. Yes, they have won Six Nations titles, but their crash out against France in what effectively was the title decider in this year’s tournament exposed their frailties again. They are not this all-conquering side they are made out to be by certain parts of the world. When it comes down to…

In South Africa, many of us are caught between the desire to live a healthier lifestyle and the pressure to achieve financial stability. The introduction of higher sin taxes, set to increase from 4.75% to 6.75%, is about to place a heavier financial burden on smokers and drinkers. However, this could be an opportunity to turn things around and take control of our financial future. Tawanda Rumhuma, Executive for Consumer Savings & Investments at Absa, suggests that while the rise in sin taxes may cause some discomfort, it can also serve as a powerful prompt for a more financially secure life. “We urge our customers to view this as a chance to embark on an invigorating journey toward financial freedom,” he says. “By flipping the script on sin taxes, we…

The Kanye West and Kim Kardashian saga continues with yet another high-profile squabble. If you thought things were already messy, buckle up because this latest round of drama takes things to a whole new level. West, 47 and Kardashian, 44, are reportedly at odds over the rapper’s new track, Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine. The song allegedly features their 11-year-old daughter, North West, and Sean “Diddy” Combs who is currently facing allegations related to sex trafficking. This is not an AI-generated “feature” or a digital deepfake. According to reports, North’s voice is actually on the track, which has sent Kardashian into full-blown protective mother mode. Kanye, never one to avoid controversy (even when the world is against him), shared now- deleted screenshots of a heated text exchange with his…

HUMAN rights organisation Black Sash has voiced its strong objections to Thursday’s deadline imposed by the Department of Social Development and Postbank for the complete migration from the outdated gold Sassa cards to the newly issued black Postbank cards. During a press briefing yesterday, Post Bank CEO Ntomboxolo Mbengashe warned that social grant recipients who fail to switch to the new card must not attempt to use the old card after the deadline. “We have a deadline of the 20th of March 2025. There has been some confusion around it but the deadline means that the Sassa gold card will no longer be working. We are pleading with all the beneficiaries to not attempt to use this card after March 20 to access their grants,” she said. Mbengashe said even…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the discussions regarding the 2025 National Budget passing in the Parliament are still ongoing. This follows Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabling the budget last week, which included a proposed VAT hike of 0.5% for 2025/2026, and another 0.5% increase for 2026/2027, ultimately raising the VAT rate to 1%. The proposal has been rejected by several parties. The proposed budget is set to be reviewed and debated by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). With the ANC leading the Government of National Unity (GNU), after losing the majority in the 2024 general elections, it will need support from other political parties to secure enough votes for the budget. ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula confirmed last week that the party will collaborate…

NEARLY a year after the tragic George building collapse, Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, has found that the preliminary report suggests that several procedures were not followed and were in breach of the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act. Simelane made the announcement on Sunday, and said she has undertaken to implement all recommendations in the final report of the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) into the building that collapsed in May 2024. “The current preliminary report suggests that several procedures were not followed, a breach of the Housing Consumers Protection Act Measures Act, 1998 (Act No. 95 of 1998) and the recently signed Consumer Protection Act 25 of 2004,” said Simelane’s office. They said the NHBRC is a regulatory body established to protect the interests of housing consumers…

THE issue of human rights abuses has been one of the critical subjects in South Africa’s political history. The Khoisan communities were on the receiving end following the arrival of the whites on the shores of this country. The slaves also saw their human rights being violated. White expansion from the Cape of Good Hope saw the rights of black people being violated. The beginning of apartheid in 1948 and subsequent discriminatory legislation saw the human rights of the oppressed people being trampled upon. Given this context, it did not come as a surprise when Nelson Mandela emphasised human rights in his 1993 article which was the foundation of South Africa’s foreign policy agenda. Having been the victim of human rights abuses, Mandela pleaded with the world to respect human…

The Stormers could thrust three returning key players straight into the action on Saturday in Llanelli. Utility backs Damian Willemse, Sacha Feiberg-Mngomezulu, and Suleiman Hartzenberg are all back in action, with the Cape side taking on Scarlets in a critical match in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Dawie Snyman, backline coach of the Stormers, confirmed yesterday that the exciting trio will make the trip to Europe, and they are excited about their comebacks. All three were recently part of the first Springbok alignment camp. Willemse had a long-term groin injury picked up against the Glasgow Warriors at the start of the season. Feinberg-Mngomezulu recovered from some niggles, including a shoulder injury, while Hartzenberg's broken hand has healed sufficiently. About Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Snyman said they feel they've given the talented youngster enough…

The 2025 Budget Speech delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana highlighted significant fiscal measures aimed at addressing South Africa’s economic challenges. Key takeaways from the budget, particularly focusing on tax, VAT, and the role of technology in shaping the future of financial compliance and efficiency. VAT Increase – A Necessary Trade-Off? One of the most debated measures in the budget is the proposed increase in value-added tax (VAT). The government announced a gradual VAT rate increase: a 0.5% rise in 2025/26, followed by another 0.5% in 2026/27, bringing the final rate to 16%. This move is expected to generate additional revenue of R28 billion in the upcoming fiscal year and R14.5 billion in the subsequent year. From a business perspective, this increase will have implications for both consumers and businesses.…

A SIGNIFICANT electricity tariff hike is on the cards for South African consumers from next month, after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved new increases for Eskom. The decision, following a meeting between Nersa and Eskom on March 11, marks an average increase of 12.74% for Eskom’s direct customers and 11.32% for municipalities, set to reshape the electricity expenditure landscape as the country grapples with energy challenges. The approved Eskom Retail Tariffs and Structural Adjustment (ERTSA) application will see the standard tariff increase for Eskom customers come into effect on April 1, remaining in place until March 31, 2026. In contrast, municipal customers will face a slightly lower increase starting on July 1. The differentiation in percentage increases for these customer categories arises from their respective financial…

THE trial into the disappearance of Joshlin Smith yesterday entered its third week in the Western Cape High Court sitting in Saldanha Bay. Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Joshlin’s mother, Raquel “Kelly” Smith face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking. The trio have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Former accused turned State witness, Laurentia Lombaard, was on the stand since Thursday and concluded her evidence-in-chief yesterday. She expressed remorse on the stand when asked how she felt following the incident. “I feel very hurt. I am a mother of four and I didn’t know the plans Kelly and Boeta had. I only overheard them at a later stage about plans to sell the child. I tried to stop her (Kelly) but she wouldn’t listen,” Lombaard…

The ANC is making a last-ditch effort to convince its long-time ally, the South African Communist Party (SACP), not to contest the 2026 local government elections independently. ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has been leading the charge, saying both sides must “find each other” and work together. “We are ready to engage with our alliance partners, and we are going to find each other. We have to convince the SACP that we are an alliance and we should find each other,” he said. Senior leaders of both parties were engaged in a bilateral meeting at Luthuli House in Johannesburg yesterday. The SACP has been a key ally of the ANC since the apartheid Struggle, but tensions have been rising in recent years. SACP Secretary General Solly Mapaila expressed frustration with…

AS THE spotlight continues on human trafficking in the country amid the case of kidnapped Joshlin Smith, missing persons organisations said they saw an increase in parents exploiting and selling their children. The Western Cape Department of Social Development confirmed 27 possible victims of human trafficking accessed their psychosocial services during April to November 2024. “Twenty-seven possible victims of human trafficking accessed DSD psychosocial services during the period of April to November 2024. Thirteen of these clients received a Letter of Recognition. “A trafficking victim is someone who has gone through assessments and based on whether they meet certain criteria, will then receive a Letter of Recognition from the Western Cape Department of Social Development. “They will then have access to services such as trafficking in persons shelters.” They said…

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said he has plenty of respect for the English Premier League club's former skipper Roy Keane but insists he wants to do things his own way after the Irishman criticised his work rate. Fernandes, who was named Player of the Match for his performance in United's 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday, was criticised by Keane during an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast. The 30-year-old Portuguese midfielder has often been scrutinised for his on-field demeanour and has admitted in the past that his gesticulating and complaining can rile up both teammates and opponents. "I do things my own way," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "Obviously, it's not nice to hear those things about you, but at the same…