Innehållsförteckning för 2025-05-06 från Cape Argus

Have you ever thought about what your financial future looks like? Not just your savings or retirement fund, but the full picture? Holistic financial planning is about more than ticking one box at a time. It’s about understanding all the parts of your financial life and ensuring they work together to protect you and your family now and in the future. It might feel practical to focus on one goal at a time — maybe you’re saving for retirement or just want to make sure you have medical cover. But life is unpredictable. Without a comprehensive plan, you might be leaving yourself open to risks you didn’t see coming, especially if you’re not regularly reviewing your plan with a financial adviser. Financial advice becomes crucial when you face significant life…

IN what is sure to become a highlight for South African tourism, this vibrant nation has been recognised as one of the world’s most desirable countries to visit in the esteemed 2024 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards. While not claiming the top spot, South Africa’s impressive 7th place ranking puts it ahead of travel hotspots such as Brazil, South Korea, and Peru, affirming its allure in the global tourism market. The Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards are determined by the voices of avid travellers, with over 3 million votes cast by 168 000 globetrotters this year. This marks the 23rd annual event, celebrating destinations, tour operators, and travel brands across of 22 categories, which include the most desirable countries and cities worldwide. South Africa shone particularly brightly in the wildlife and nature…

TWO gang members convicted of the murder of 7-year-old Emaan Solomons have each been sentenced to 35 years imprisonment by the Western Cape High Court. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the killers, Eben Basson and Chivargo Fredericks of the Junky Funky Kids (JFKs) gang, were convicted in February for the 2020 shooting that claimed the life of the Grade 1 learner, who was hit by stray bullets during a turf war in her street. Though the State had asked for life imprisonment, Judge Gayaat Da Silva Salie deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence, citing the accused’s status as first offenders and their five years in custody awaiting trial. The pair received 22 years for the murder, five years for attempted murder, and eight years for illegal possession…

FORMER South African ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled from Washington in March, has warned that a new global conflict is under way, not over oil, but over critical minerals. Speaking at a Jumu’ah lecture at Masjidul Quds Institute in Cape Town recently, Rasool said: “Let me give you an example, some statistics, the United States has identified 50 critical minerals for its immediate future if it is going to remain the leader and not cede leadership to China in the tech revolution. Of the 50, they are 100% dependent on other countries for 12 of those 50. They are more than 50% dependent for 29 of those 50 minerals. And they are dependent on China for 13 of those. And China has captured 90% of the…

A PENSIONER from Grassy Park has won over R13 million in the Lotto Plus jackpot, sharing her emotional reaction and plans for her newfound wealth. The winning ticket, purchased in-store, was bought for R40 using the manual selection method. The life-changing win comes from draw 2535, which took place on April 23. Recounting the moment when she discovered her win, while watching the draw on television, the woman said: “I watched each of the winning numbers appear, and I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I was holding a ticket that matched every number – a ticket worth over R13 million. I’ve never won anything close to this in my life. It still feels unreal.” The winner had diligently written her details on the back of her ticket and…

IT'S not often that one sees what goes into creating and operating an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAV), but on a tour of the Milkor manufacturing plant in Cape Town, this was exactly the access granted to see how the Milkor 380 is manufactured. Milkor is a private South African defence solutions provider with over 43 years of experience. It is known for defence solutions for air, land, and sea applications. Milkor manufactures armoured vehicles such as the BushCat, Frontier, and Vanguard APCS, which are designed to operate in challenging terrain while ensuring crew safety and comfort. They also manufacture 40mm Multiple Round Grenade Launchers, which they supply to more than 67 countries worldwide. Their facilities in Cape Town focus on aerospace and defence technologies. The Milkor 380 is the largest…

THE Finance Minister in South Africa has decided not to impose the 0.5% increase in VAT proposed for May 1, 2025. This comes after weeks of political tussle and debate between members of the Government of National Unity (GNU) as well as various parties. Indeed, this point may be the reason for a potential abrogation of the GNU. The increase of 0.5% on May 1 and a further 0.5% in a year was expected to add a cumulative R30 billion to our national revenue, while the SRD grant of R370 per month introduced during Covid-19 and continued over the years to come to the rescue of the poor has been cancelled to assist the minister with a further R35 billion. These austerity measures are critically needed to stabilise public finances…

Barcelona visit Inter Milan in a tantalising Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg, clash on Tuesday, with Raphinha's latest contribution in the club's spectacular European run ensuring the tie restarts on a knife-edge. For once this season, the statistics did not fully reflect the Brazilian's part in Barcelona’s third goal in the 3–3 first-leg draw, as his vicious strike hit the crossbar and bounced in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer for an own goal. Despite that, his Champions League numbers are spectacular and a just representation of the key role Raphinha plays in Hansi Flick's relentless attacking machine. Raphinha has scored 12 goals in 13 European matches and set up nine more — if you include his assist for Sommer's own goal, that’s 21 goal contributions — while opponents Inter…

Members of pension funds are advised to understand that a legacy policy, any policy in respect of a retirement annuity plan entered into before September 1, 2024, is exempted from the two-component benefit system, according to the pension funds adjudicator, Muvhango Lukhaimane. She says the two-component pension system, implemented on September 1, 2024, was designed to offer greater flexibility to retirement fund members by splitting contributions into two distinct components. One-third of the contributions are allocated to a Savings Component, which allows members to make withdrawals before retirement, while the remaining two-thirds go to the Retirement Component, which must be used to purchase a retirement income product upon reaching retirement age. Recently, Lukhaimane ruled on a complaint from a fund member who was frustrated that the South African Retirement…

The 2025 Metro FM Music Awards shone a light on the rising artists who are currently dominating the airwaves. New kids on the block, Usimamane, Woodblock DJs and Naledi Aphiwe were some of the night’s biggest winners, managing to get enough votes to clinch the prestigious award. Musician Mawelele walked away with two awards; Best RnB Song for his collaboration All my Life with multi-award winning rapper Kwesta, and his love ballad Romeo and Juliet with Naledi Aphiwe won Best African Pop Song. Powerhouse gospel vocalist Xolly Mncgwango won two awards, both being awards of hotly contested categories: Best Female and Best Gospel Album. Mncgwango’s tribute to the fallen stars left many in awe. Rapper Usimamane, who has been having an amazing run since his successful debut album 20th: Days…

PROCEEDINGS in the Judicial Conduct Tribunal into the complaint lodged by Andiswa Mengo against Judge President Selby Mbenenge resumed yesterday, with digital forensic investigator and data analyst, Francois Möller, testifying that 855 messages exchanged between the two were retrieved. JP Mbenenge presides in the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court and was accused by Mengo – a judge’s clerk, of sexual harassment, in which she alleges several disturbing communications from Mbenenge. Möller said he did a logical extraction of information from both devices, which included calls, contact information, media files, messages, and locations. He said that in the logical extraction of information from Mbenenge’s device, they were able to retrieve 95 deleted messages, but he confirmed that these messages did not relate to this matter. On Mengo’s device, Möller…

THE KwaZulu-Natal Health Department is on a mission to find 117 616 people and return them to anti-retroviral treatment (ARV) by the end of the year. KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has urged ARV defaulters to return to care and people to get tested and know their HIV status. Simelane advised those on ARVs to avoid excessive drinking to stay healthy and be consistent with their treatment. KZN has approximately 1.5 million people stable on ARVs, but the department aims to find thousands more who have stopped treatment. The province is part of the Close the Gap campaign launched in February by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. It is a collaboration between the national Department of Health, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and other stakeholders in the health sector,…

A FAMILY from Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, recently found themselves facing a uniquely dangerous visitor – a Cape cobra – that made its way into their children’s bedroom. In the early hours of the morning, SnakeRescue NSRR Eastern Cape received an urgent call about the snake sighting in Mdantsane township. The distressing report detailed how a young boy had felt a cold, slithering presence wrap around his neck before making its way down his body. His sister caught a fleeting glimpse of the serpent as it vanished underneath the blankets at the foot of the bed, prompting the children to flee the room in panic. “At 5:30am, I got a call for a snake in the bed of a young boy. They ran out of the room, shut the door, and…

PARKLANDS and Camps Bay residents have been invited by the City of Cape Town to comment on new proposed MyCiTi stops, which fall in line with a bid to tackle Cape Town’s traffic congestion. The new MyCiTi bus stops have been proposed along the Parklands and Camps Bay routes. The City said this follows an assessment of various public requests to make it easier to access the bus along existing MyCiTi routes. The proposed stop in Parklands would be on Tryall West (northbound and southbound), where the closest intersection is West Coast Road and Tryall Road. In Camps Bay, the proposed stop would be on Argyle (eastbound and westbound), with the closest intersection being on Argyle Street and Lincoln Road. The City is making a big push into using the…

With Liverpool’s dominance having turned the race for the English Premier League title into a doddle, at least the dash for Uefa Champions League football next season has given footie fans something to get excited about in the run-in. Surprise package Nottingham Forest had the potential to join Newcastle United (fourth) and Chelsea (fifth) on 63 points with victory over Crystal Palace on Monday night. Nuno Espirito Santo’s men seemed to have blown their chance with a recent dip in form, but they are still firmly in with a shout, no matter last night’s result. Their remaining fixtures are against relegated Leicester, struggling West Ham and Chelsea, which could be a straight shoot-out for a Champions League spot. The Blues were arguably gifted three points as part of Arne Slot’s…

AmaZulu FC are plotting a fresh chapter — both on the pitch and in the boardroom. At a packed AmaZulu Fan Experience event in Durban on Monday, the club announced a new technical partnership with local sportswear brand PRIMO. The three-year deal will kick off with the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season. It brings to an end a six-year association with Umbro SA — one that club president Sandile Zungu described as “one of the easiest partnerships the club has had the pleasure of enjoying.” The headlines weren’t just about kit deals. In a significant move for continuity, Zungu confirmed that coach Arthur Zwane will remain in charge beyond the current campaign. His initial deal was due to run out at the end of the season, but AmaZulu have decided to…

In today’s challenging economic climate, many companies face financial distress and even insolvency. However, recent legal developments make it clear that financial hardship is no excuse for failing to meet statutory obligations, particularly the obligation to pay over retirement fund contributions deducted from employees' salaries. This was the view of the Western Cape Division High Court in Engineering Industries Pension Fund v Installair (Pty) Ltd and Others (1633/2023) [2025] ZAWCHC 8 (16 January 2025), which confirmed that financial distress cannot shield employers from the consequences of non-compliance. This case underscores the legal duty of employers to comply with retirement fund obligations, and it highlights the potential for directors to be held personally liable for non-compliance. Legal framework The Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956 (the PFA) aims to protect…

JUST as the clash between the DA and ANC over the 0.5% VAT hike begins to calm, a new political storm is brewing. This, as the DA today heads to the Pretoria High Court over the Employment Equity Act, threatening to reignite tensions within the rocky Government of National Unity (GNU). The DA alleges that the Act will damage the economy even further, while the ANC has accused the DA of hindering the progress and transformation of the country. In the move that could further strain the GNU, the DA approached the court to challenge the constitutionality of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, which introduces rigid national race quotas in the workplace. In a tweet on X over the weekend, ANC parliamentary chief whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli, said the DA’s action…

THE woman accused of burning down Joshlin Smith’s home is expected back in court again next week after making a brief appearance in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Monique Kekana, 27, stood in the dock alone after she was arrested on Friday night on the scene in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay. The incident happened just hours after the 6-year-old girl’s mom Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were convicted of kidnapping and trafficking in the Western Cape High Court. Joshlin went missing from her home on February 19, 2024. She had been in the care of Appollis when she vanished around 2pm. The trio was arrested two weeks after the incident. Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, said: “Saldanha SAPS registered an arson case for…

A GROUP of people braved the cold morning air in Durban yesterday for a placard demonstration against the killing of innocent people in Kashmir, India. Amidst the traffic at the corner of Joyce and Inanda roads, stood a group with placards, waving flags against the killing in Kashmir. On April 22, gunmen opened fire on tourists, killing at least 26 people at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam. Pravesh Naipal said they decided on Sunday, when they held a mass prayer, that before a strike happens, they should do something to create awareness that terrorism is not acceptable. Naipal said the entire world has spoken out against the terrorism happening in India, the Hinduphobia, and the killing of people because of their beliefs. He said the victims were asked to recite a…

DEPUTY President Paul Mashatile has vowed that the government will put stringent measures in place to ensure that the proposed R100 billion transformation fund does not end up in the wrong hands. The fund, proposed by Minister of Trade and Industry, Parks Tau earlier this year, aims to create a R100bn pool to support businesses owned by black entrepreneurs and drive inclusive growth across South Africa’s economy, with R20bn set to be allocated annually over the next five years. The proposed fund has faced criticism from several political parties, including the DA and Freedom Front Plus, who argue that it is merely a rebranding of unsuccessful programmes from the past. Tau has maintained that participation in the fund would be voluntary and emphasised that the government would not interfere with…

SOUTH Africa’s economy continues to be threatened by illegal trade, specifically in sectors such as alcohol, tobacco, food items, pharmaceuticals, agri-chemicals, counterfeiting, mining, and wildlife trafficking. Illicit trade in tobacco and alcohol alone is estimated to cost government R30 billion a year in lost revenue. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s recent reversal of a 0.5 percentage point VAT hike will leave the fiscus with an estimated shortfall of R75bn. This was according to the South Africa Illicit Economy 2.0 Report, launched by the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) in conjunction with Business Unity South Africa. “Illicit trade continues to pose a serious threat to South Africa’s economic stability, governance, and international standing,” the report said. This comes at a time when the country is endeavouring to get itself removed…

In a world increasingly grappling with public health crises, the current turmoil in global health financing could have dire consequences for millions. World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says global health financing faces unprecedented disruption amidst donor cuts. During a media briefing on Thursday, Ghebreyesus said: “We are living through the greatest disruption to global health financing in memory”. He said that for years, they have said global health financing needs to be changed and emphasised the importance of self-reliance and domestic financing. “Of course, donor countries can spend their money where they want, and they have the right to spend it where they want,” Ghebreyesus said. “We are grateful to those who have, for decades, funded health systems globally.” “But instead of an orderly decline, or an…

At the young age of 27-years old Damian Willemse will reach 100 caps for the Stormers when he takes to the field on Saturday afternoon against the Dragons. The double World Cup winner will celebrate his birthday on Wednesday and will hope to cap off the week with a victory when he brings up his century of games for the Cape side in their second-last United Rugby Championship (URC) round-robin match. Since his injury return, Willemse, alongside Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, breathed a breath of fresh air into the attacking game plan of the inaugural URC champions. He hopes they can continue with that running style on Saturday as they look to claim a place in the URC quarter-finals. Willemse, Willemse, who made his debut at 18-years old, says he’s been privileged…

The Blitzboks haven’t fired on all cylinders this season, but this past weekend they delivered an outstanding performance that brought them the SVNS World Championship title in Los Angeles. Defeating Spain 19-5 in the final in the early hours of Monday morning (SA time) at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Springboks Sevens brought the curtain down on a season with ups and downs by claiming the spoils of the final tournament. They took the tough road to the title but won it in style. Their performance, especially on defence, was reminiscent of the Blitzboks side that dominated the World Series when current head coach Philip Snyman was still the captain. Snyman’s troops showed over the weekend why they shouldn’t be written off even if the season did not entirely go…