Innehållsförteckning för 2025-05-13 från Cape Argus

Only two months into the new tax year, many South Africans have again dipped into their retirement fund Savings Pot, after also making a withdrawal in the previous six months. Retirement fund administrators represented on the Retirement Matters Committee of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) reported that around 75% of applications already received in March and April 2025 were repeat claims, ASSA said in a media release. This follows after more than 2.69 million South Africans accessed a part of their retirement savings under the Two Pot Retirement System in the tax year ending February 2025. Experts say this is a clear indication that many are eager to lay their hands on extra cash, and as soon as they can. According to the South African Revenue Service (Sars),…

South African music icon Louise Carver has made a notable return to the pop scene with her latest single, Crush On You. Accompanied by a vibrant and nostalgic music video, the track beautifully captures its playful energy, promising a fresh dose of feel-good pop for fans and new listeners alike. This release marks a significant moment for Carver following her recent achievements, including her first-ever South African Music Award (Sama) win in 2023 for Best Adult Contemporary Album with her acclaimed work, Dark Secrets. With Crush On You, Carver re- establishes her mark in the spotlight, combining the retro shimmer of late-70s synth pop with her unmistakable vocals and emotive storytelling. The track is produced by longtime friend and collaborator Simz Kulla, of The Muffinz fame, who has helped breathe…

CCTV footage shown at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal for a sexual harassment complaint against Eastern Cape High Court Judge President Selby Mbenenge excludes one of the dates which relates to Andiswa Mengo’s complaint. At the continuation of the tribunal hearing yesterday, Prabagaran Naidoo, director of Facilities and Security Management at the Office of the Chief Justice confirmed that protocol to view specific footage was not adhered to. The footage centres on the day on which Mengo alleged she was called to the chambers of Mbenenge, where he allegedly asked her to perform oral sex on him. According to Mengo, she ran out of his chambers and left the office for the day. Naidoo said he was contacted by Norman Mabuza who questioned him if it was correct for a judge…

MUNICIPAL workers’ labour unions have expressed disappointment over the May 9 Labour Court ruling that exempted the City of Tshwane from implementing a 5.4% wage increase for the 2023/24 financial year. The court also ruled that the City’s exemption application regarding the 3.5% wage increase for the 2021/22 financial year should be reconsidered by a different exemption panellist, to be appointed by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). The City approached the court two years ago after its application for exemption from a wage agreement with the unions was rejected by the bargaining council. The City argued in one of its applications that implementing the wage agreement, without an exemption, would require it to spend R489 million on increases, violating the Municipal Finance Management Act. Reacting to the…

US President Donald Trump appears unlikely to attend the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for November in Johannesburg, but South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said it is up to the US to confirm his attendance or absence. During a media briefing yesterday, Lamola addressed speculation about Trump’s potential participation in the G20, highlighting the country’s role as the current president of the summit. “All leaders of G20 member states are invited to attend,” Lamola said. “But it is up to the US government to confirm whether President Trump will attend the G20 summit in South Africa.” South Africa assumed the G20 presidency in December 2024, taking over from Brazil. Lamola emphasised that the US has continued to participate in several G20-related engagements, despite the uncertainty over Trump’s travel…

“REMEMBER this is an industry, one of growth and opportunity… Take pride in what you do, embrace the challenges ahead, and never forget the incredible power of wind.” These were the words shared by Dr Fareed Ismail, operations manager for the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC), to the graduates who completed the prestigious training programme. An intimate graduation ceremony was held at the SARETEC auditorium in Bellville on Thursday, during which several hard-working individuals received their certificates to qualify as wind turbine technicians. Representing roughly half of this year’s graduating class, seven of the graduating students, who were from local communities, were sponsored by Longyuan South Africa Renewable. This marks the second group supported by Longyuan, following a previous intake of nine students. The initiative, driven through the…

After a sobering encounter, Stellenbosch FC’s head coach, Steve Barker, expressed his disappointment following a heavy 3-0 Betway Premiership defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on Sunday. The game, marked by a blistering start from Sundowns, saw the Winelands-based side concede three unanswered goals in the opening 18 minutes. “Everything we didn’t want to do in the first 15 minutes, we did,” Barker reflected, acknowledging that his team failed to execute their game plan. He lamented that his players did not heed crucial tactical instructions, a deviation he described as “disappointing”. “We know Sundowns are an effective and efficient team, especially in the first 30 minutes. “They do well in pressing you and forcing errors if you try to be too clever and smart at the back (in defence). “Unfortunately,…

For many South Africans, “budget” is often associated with sacrifice—tightening the belt, cutting back, and feeling financial pressure. But managing your money doesn’t have to feel restrictive. Through a simple act of semantic reframing—shifting from “budgeting” to “tracking your cash flow”—you can approach your finances in a way that feels more empowering, flexible, and proactive. It’s a shift in language, but also in mindset, and one that can change how people relate to their money. While most people associate budgeting with limitation, a cash flow statement offers something more useful: clarity and control. You are either the master of your money, or your money will be your master. A cash flow statement shows you where your money goes, without the emotional weight or pressure that often comes with the word…

DEPUTY President Paul Mashatile said while the government wants people to stay in the country, it cannot force those who want to leave, to remain. He was referring to the 49 Afrikaners who left for the US after being granted refugee status. “On the issue of the Afrikaners going to the US, our position is that South Africa is a democracy. “We have set ourselves a standard to believe that it belongs to all who live in it, black and white, but those who decide to leave do so of their own free will. “We would like everybody to stay. We want white people in this country, the farmers; we want them to work in this country, but we can’t stop anybody who decides, ‘I do not want to stay…

IN A PUSH to enhance road safety, the National Department of Transport has launched the 8th United Nations Global Road Safety Week campaign at one of Durban’s busiest taxi ranks. Running until May 18, the campaign, themed “Make Walking and Cycling Safe”, aims to illuminate the critical need for awareness regarding the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Transport Deputy Minister, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, delivered a poignant message at the launch on Sunday, highlighting alarming statistics regarding pedestrian safety. He said 44% of those killed during Easter were pedestrians. “This means we still need to engage on a higher level with South Africans on respecting the rules of the road. “It’s small issues, but they are important. Do not cross where it is not allowed. If there are robots, go and cross…

The beautiful game and the often-cutthroat world of corporate leadership may seem worlds apart, but recent events at Orlando Pirates FC offer a stark lesson in reputation management that any corporate company would do well to heed. The premature announcement of coach Jose Riveiro’s departure, after three seasons at the helm, has seemingly triggered a catastrophic collapse in team morale and performance, a scenario strikingly similar to the uncertainty that can plague a company following the mishandled exit of a CEO. Riveiro’s tenure saw the Buccaneers transformed into a formidable force, clinching a record-breaking third consecutive MTN8 title in October 2024 and adding two Nedbank Cups to the trophy cabinet. However, the announcement of his departure has been followed by a string of devastating results: the loss of their undefeated…

Eighty years ago, the world witnessed the devastating conclusion of World War II with the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The atomic age was born in tragedy, etched permanently into the conscience of humanity. Today, we face a chilling reality: for the first time since those horrific events, the threat of nuclear war is no longer theoretical. It is real, it is present, and it is dangerously close. The visuals of mushroom clouds rising over Japanese cities remain one of the most harrowing symbols of human destruction. Those bombs ended a war but launched a new era of fear, a world living under the shadow of annihilation. Yet, here we are again, closer than ever to that precipice. In Across the River and Into the Trees, Ernest Hemingway wrote…

An “embarrassed” Rúben Amorim raised doubts about his Manchester United future after another poor performance from his team in a 2-0 home loss to West Ham on Sunday. Three days after United reached the Uefa Europa League final, they were brought back down to earth by another lowly side in the Hammers, with the London club recording their first top-flight win at Old Trafford since 2007. Tomáš Souček and Jarrod Bowen scored the visitors’ goals as United, once the undisputed kings of English football, suffered a 17th defeat in 36 league games this season to sit 16th. This latest lacklustre display angered Amorim, who has already delivered several public dressing-downs to his team since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag as United manager in November. “For me, the biggest concern…

According to a 2024 report from Lightstone, women are driving the local property market. Women-only buyers own 38% of residential properties, compared to just 29% owned by men. But property ownership isn’t the only challenge women face. A report by Stats SA revealed that 45.4% of children live with only their mothers, while just 4.2% live with only their fathers. The property burden on motherhood can be immense, which is why I believe in placing greater emphasis on the dual financial and caregiving roles that so many women take on. Whether single, widowed, or supporting families on their own, mothers need to be especially vigilant about the long-term financial implications of owning a home. Prospective home-buying mothers must look beyond the bond and seek expert financial advice before signing on…

WHILE the lawyers who represented more than 200 claimants of the 2017/18 listeriosis outbreak have welcomed the recent commitment made by Tiger Brands to settle claims brought by the victims, some have slammed the company for excluding them from the offer placed on the table. Through the company’s lead reinsurer, QBE Insurance Group, Tiger Brands presented a conditional settlement offer to the plaintiffs’ legal team, with the offer said to apply to certain victims of the deadly 2017/2018 listeriosis outbreak. The settlement specifically caters to victims who were affected by the ST6 strain of Listeria monocytogenes, which is the same strain that was traced back to the Enterprise Foods factory in Polokwane. In 2017/2018, South Africa recorded the largest listeriosis outbreak in history, claiming the lives of 218 people –…

YET another body of a woman was found on Sunday evening in Heideveld’s notorious “crèche of death”. The property, which was formerly known as Rainbow Educare, has now become a crime hotspot in the community. The body is the second found at the same abandoned building in Jonkershoek Road. Last year, the charred body of 40-year-old mother, Hilda Lewis was found after she had been murdered and set alight with paraffin inside the building. Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said Manenberg police registered an inquest for further investigation concerning the latest incident. Vanessa Adriaanse of the Manenberg Community Policing Forum (CPF) said the woman’s body was found by the tenants in Heideveld and according to word of mouth, the body was allegedly found naked. “This is a big concern not just…

THE SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) have raised concerns about job losses amid a decline in the country’s manufacturing sector. This was after Statistics SA (Stats SA) released data showing that manufacturing production decreased by 0.8% in March compared to the same period last year. This marked the fifth consecutive month of decline in industrial activity. The largest negative contributors were petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products and electrical machinery. On a quarterly basis, production fell by 2.3% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. It also decreased by 2.2% on a monthly basis – March 2025 compared to February 2025. Saftu attributed the decline to neoliberal policies, insufficient investment and an extractive economic…

THE public participation process into the contentious Tafelberg site in Sea Point, which housing activists have called to be used for social housing, has begun. The first step of the process is set to take place on May 21 at the Life Conference Centre in Sea Point. According to ward councillor, Nicola Jowell, the process seeks to gain communication from the residents. “The province has sent out an invitation to attend an information session on the site enablement of the Consolidated Erf 1424 – RE (including unregistered Erf 1675), 353 Main Road, Sea Point East (Tafelberg Site),” she said. “This is the first step in the public engagement process. “It is aimed at providing interested and affected parties with essential information and an opportunity to engage directly in the co-creation…

Stormers coach John Dobson seems to have painted himself into an interesting corner because of the form of a Durban prop that is likely to make way for another Durban prop. The Durban dilemma for Dobson is that he has signed Springbok looshead Ntuthuko Mchunu from the Sharks, the Maritzburg College old boy, only to have given a spectacular weekend URC debut to Vernon Matongo, a Durbanite himself Matongo was excellent for the Stormers in their defeat of the Dragons at the weekend. The pizzazz was all about Damian Willemse’s 100th cap, but there were sideshows from openside flank Paul de Villiers and Durban schoolboy Matongo. The former Northwood schoolboy forced several scrum penalties to indicate that he is not going to give in to Mchunu when swaps Durban for…

Love him, or loathe him, Virat Kohli was undeniably one of cricket's brightest entertainers. On Monday, the cricketing world celebrated a player who not only excelled at the highest levels but transformed the very fabric of Test cricket, as he announced his retirement from the format. With an impressive tally of 9,230 runs across 123 Tests and a commendable average of 46.85, Kohli ranks amongst India's cricketing elite, sitting below legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. However, Kohli's contributions go beyond just numbers. In an era where the faster-paced T20 cricket reigns supreme, threatening to overshadow the traditional format, Kohli emerged as a beacon of hope for Test cricket. He instilled a sense of pride and relevance in the timeless art of batting, ensuring that the next…