Innehållsförteckning för 2025-05-27 från Cape Argus

A recent Tax Court ruling in favour of the South African Revenue Service (Sars), which treated large loan account balances as undeclared income, serves as a warning to directors and shareholders to properly manage these accounts, maintain accurate records, and be prepared to explain the origin of funds when Sars flags loans as unexplained. The case of Taxpayer D v CSARS (IT 35476, 25 February 2025) dealt with the question of whether the taxpayer had satisfactorily explained a large sum reflected as a loan account owing to him in one of his wholly owned companies. The dispute was factual in nature, relating to the source of the funds for the 2014 to 2017 tax years. The case revealed a staggering tax exposure. Sars assessed the taxpayer on undeclared income of…

After a decade in the entertainment industry and several personal challenges, internationally acclaimed English singer and songwriter Calum Scott insists that he has never felt better. “I am probably happier than I have ever been,” he explained during an interview with Independent Media Lifestyle. “I’ve never been more content in both my personal life and my professional life, I feel like I believe in myself more than I ever have and I am in a really good place in my life.” With his increased positivity, the You Are The Reason hitmaker is thrilled to be bringing his The Avenoir Tour to South Africa early next year. The former Britain’s Got Talent star will be performing in Cape Town on January 14, before making his way to Durban two days later…

ANC provincial secretary in Limpopo, Reuben Madadzhe, has legitimised the Peter Mokaba Regional Elective Conference, despite chaotic scenes and allegations of irregularities. The conference, held in Polokwane recently, saw Polokwane Mayor John Mpe, re-elected unopposed as chairperson for a third term, amid violent clashes and police intervention. The conference descended into chaos on its first day, with delegates clashing and hurling chairs and tablecloths at one another in protest. Some delegates accused the Regional Task Team (RTT) of allowing “bogus” delegates into the venue, leading to verbal disputes that escalated into physical confrontations. Police intervened to restore order, and the conference continued with the election of Mpe and his slate uncontested. Madadzhe dismissed allegations of irregularities, stating that the party’s regional structures followed all protocols. “We stand by that decision…

The Durban High Court has ordered the State to make a report available that states that the forensic company that investigated the former mayor of eThekwini Zandile Gumede and 21 others, was appointed unlawfully by the eThekwini municipality’s investigation unit to investigate tender irregularities surrounding the R320 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender. Gumede and her 21 co-accused are facing numerous charges including money laundering, racketeering, fraud, corruption, and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Municipal Systems Act relating to the DSW tender. The forensic company is Integrity Forensic Solutions (IFS); it was outsourced by the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU) to investigate DSW tender irregularities. This is after the CIIU received a stack of documents anonymously alleging solid waste tender irregularities. After IFS investigated, the…

THE driver of a yellow Porsche was arrested yesterday for driving under the influence of alcohol, after he crashed into a minibus taxi on FW de Klerk Boulevard. The driver was more than twice the legal limit with an alcohol reading of 0.52 near Marine Drive in the CBD. The legal limit is 0.24mg/1 000ml. “This is but the latest incident involving luxury sports cars in recent months, and certainly not a good start to the week,” said Safety and Security mayco member, JP Smith. “The fact that the driver was arrested early in the morning and with an alcohol reading of more than double the legal limit makes this offence even more alarming. “The motor vehicle accident could have had serious consequences with innocent passengers sustaining injuries. “Our enforcement…

Donald Trump was promised Christian farmers fleeing “white genocide” in South Africa. What he got instead was AfriForum’s charity box of surplus volk: out-of-work bouncers, hairdresser assistants, boarding house managers, and working-class families looking for a better life. If the contents of that consignment had been chicken instead of people, the US Department of Agriculture would’ve shut it down for misleading labelling. Just as the US dumped its low-grade chicken parts into Africa through AGOA – wings, necks, gizzards – AfriForum and Solidariteit appear to have tried the same trick with what they perceive as politically expired volk. It was strategic dumping – with a PR budget. Disguised as a refugee programme, this was AfriForum’s Great White Offload. Ideological offcuts in the guise of human cargo. The roots of this…

South Africa's two-pot retirement system, which became effective on September 1, 2024, introduced significant changes to how retirement savings are both managed and accessed. These reforms, which aim to balance the need for long-term retirement preservation with short-term flexibility and accessibility, are far-reaching and, as such, should be fully understood in the context of one’s wealth creation journey. Under the two-pot system, retirement contributions are divided into three components: 1. Vested Component: This includes all retirement savings accumulated before September 1, 2024. These funds remain subject to the rules that were in place before the implementation of the two-pot system. 2. Savings Component: Starting from September 1, 2024, one-third of all new retirement contributions will be allocated to this component. It is designed to provide limited access to funds before…

THE South African government has confirmed that it will not back down on its International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel, despite concern from some senior ANC officials that President Cyril Ramaphosa was considering withdrawing the case after the meeting with US President Donald Trump. The case, which accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, has generated significant international interest and support and has been thrust back into the spotlight after concerns were raised by ANC senior members that Ramaphosa was considering doing a U-turn on the government’s stance on Israel. Ramaphosa said the ICJ matter was not discussed in the bilateral meeting but some ANC national executive committee (NEC) officials remain concerned that Trump may have twisted Ramaphosa’s arm on the matter, especially in relation to trade between the…

POLICE in the Western Cape have reported reductions in serious crimes such as murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, assault, and robbery in the fourth quarter of the 2024/25 financial year. At a media briefing held in Green Point yesterday, SAPS Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile was joined by several high- ranking officials, including MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais, CPF Board chairperson Francina Lukas, and MP Dereleen James, as they analysed the provincial crime statistics. It followed the release of the national crime statistics released by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Friday. According to police spokesperson, André Traut, Patekile acknowledged that while proactive policing efforts and numerous anti-crime initiatives have been implemented across the province, more work remains to be done. The commissioner emphasised the importance…

DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Acting Director-General Nomthandazo Moyo has set the record straight on reports of genocide in South Africa. Moyo was speaking during the opening of the G20 Development Working Group in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. She said that, while the country deals with development issues, it also faced challenges and every country deals with crime issues. Moyo said issues of public safety were something that affected every- one, irrespective ofthey were in the south, the north or the east of the globe. As the administrator responsible for land, Moyo confirmed that there was no expropriation of land without compensation when it came to land redistribution issues and there was also restitution for those whose land was taken during apartheid. “When we restitute the land,…

THE anticipated potential entry of Elon Musk’s Starlink into the South African telecommunications market has ignited a flurry of strategic considerations among industry players, regulators, and policymakers. Vodacom, the giant South African network operator, has waded into the debate saying satellite technology should be seen as a complementary force in expanding digital inclusion rather than a direct threat to its core operations. This comes amid recent government developments, including the gazetting of a new B-BBEE policy that could potentially facilitate the entry of companies like Starlink, shortly after a high-profile meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump, whose campaign was partly funded by Musk. Responding to IOL, a Vodacom spokesperson clarified the company’s position on satellite internet providers like Starlink. “We recognise satellite networks as a valuable…

SIX trees at a Newlands public square have been removed due to a polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) infestation, as the invasive beetle continues to threaten Cape Town’s urban forest and agricultural crops, potentially causing R275 billion in economic damage over the next decade if uncontrolled. It is for this reason that Claremont ward councillor, Mikhail Manuel, joined forces with Deputy Mayor and mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, along with other departments and agencies, to carry out a tree planting ceremony yesterday in Newlands, where five water oak trees (quercus nigra) were planted in the Kildare Circle parking area, which are non-reproductive hosts for the PSHB. Originating in south-east Asia and identified in South Africa in 2017, the PSHB has spread to eight provinces and infests…

When my mother passed on in 1973, I learnt about the pain of losing a mother and hoped it was my last experience. Today I feel the same pain with the passing of Mme Gertrude Shope, Isithwalandwe. She treated me as her child and showed me the love of a mother. She was my leader and mentor at the same time. Her late husband, Mark Shope, was equally my father and political mentor. He groomed me to be a political instructor in our camp in Angola and recruited me to the underground structures of the SACP. The Shopes were the in-laws of my childhood friend and Comrade, the late Tebogo Mafole. We all shared a strong bond of comradeship and selfless service to our people. Many others have experienced the…

Ace South African sprinter Akani Simbine made it a hat-trick of wins this year in the 100m at the Diamond League meet in Rabat on a great weekend for South African speedsters. The fastest man in the world so far this year was again imperious over the final 50m as he streaked away from a strong field that included African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and former world champion Fred Kerley of the US. Simbine stopped the clock at 9.95 seconds in the 100m sprint, not far off his world-leading time of 9.90, to remain unbeaten this year over his specialist distance. Omanyala was second in 10.05 while Kerley took third place in 10.07. What made Simbine's feat all the more impressive was that it came in the…

Picking a list of the 'best' players in a certain league is highly subjective most of the time. At others it can seem impossible. This English Premier League season falls into the latter category as the Top 6 morphed into a Top 8 during the recently concluded campaign. Liverpool's title triumph was among a number of shocks in a campaign where there have been three winners of the three major domestic trophies: the League, FA Cup and League Cup. The rise of the likes of Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth and FA Cup kings Crystal Palace has also coincide with the fall of giants Manchester United and Tottenham. Spurs managed to salvage some redemption in the Uefa Europa League final win over the Red Devils. United and noisy neighbours Manchester City…

After two failed attempts and weeks of political wrangling, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana finally delivered the third iteration of the 2025 National Budget Speech on Wednesday, 21 May. While many South Africans breathed a sigh of relief at the announcement that the proposed VAT increase had officially been scrapped, the true cost of this budget might not be as comforting as it seems. Consumers should look beyond the headlines. No VAT increase sounds like a win, but when you dig deeper into the numbers, the financial strain on households is still very real. Hidden Costs Behind the Relief Although VAT will remain at 15%—a move that Minister Godongwana says reflects the government’s commitment to listening to the public—the budget makes up for lost revenue in less obvious ways. These include:…

SANPArks and the Camps Bay Central Improvement District (CID) have nabbed a suspect believed to be behind a series of robberies along Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. The breakthrough was made at the weekend. SANParks said it was conducting an interview with the suspect when he allegedly fled and was cornered after the Camps Bay CID closed off a section of Kloof Road following another robbery. SANParks said it believed there was a link between the two incidents. A search involving Camps Bay police, law enforcement, security and external resources was launched. The suspect was also allegedly found to be in possession of stolen items and weapons. He has since been detained at Camps Bay SAPS. SANParks spokesperson, JP Louw, said it was for this reason that they continued to…

IT HAS BEEN months since the State closed its case against Rivers of Living Waters Church leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, but rather than proceeding with his defence against the 10 mostly rape charges against him, Zondo is using legal avenues open to him to avoid this. Zondo’s legal team, headed by advocate Piet Pistorius, indicated that he was set on appealing Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Papi Mosopa’s refusal to recuse himself. The case was postponed to June 13, when Zondo will launch a leave to appeal application. It is expected that if this also fails, Zondo and his team will turn to the Supreme Court of Appeal to ask for leave to appeal. In his earlier application for recusal of the judge hearing his trial, in which he…

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has decided to try e-voting again, and it is now in the policy-making stage. IEC senior manager in the office of the CEO, Dr Victor Shale, said the commission aims to be at the forefront of innovation. “We want to make sure that elections add value to democracy,” Shale said. Shale said that having undertaken significant work since 2013, the IEC is now in the policy-making phase. He said that policy begins when identifying an issue. “Whether we like it or not, digital technology in elections is inevitable. We are using digital technology in elections, in one way or the other,” Shale said. He said they have done research and continue to do research. They also read and familiarise themselves with comparative studies…

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has expressed satisfaction with the progress made in curbing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the province. A traceback epidemiological investigation showed that cases were linked to an auction in Utrecht, KZN, in February. The disease has since spread to Mpumalanga and Gauteng. In KZN, an outbreak of the disease was confirmed in Amajuba, uMkhanya- kude, Zululand, King Cetshwayo and uMzinyathi districts. MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha- Mthethwa recently conducted a site visit to the affected dip tanks. She said she was happy with the progress so far, but noted that more work needed to be done to eradicate FMD. “We have visited different affected areas and witnessed some good work being done, we also continue to plead with our people to…

When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi still waits for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post- apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to “advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.” As a Schedule 3A entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it must operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating…

Iga Swiatek said her defeat at last year’s Paris Olympics proved she is not unbeatable at Roland Garros, as she launched her bid for a fourth consecutive French Open title with a 6–3, 6–3 victory over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova on Monday. Swiatek extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 22 matches, yet the Pole has dropped to fifth in the world rankings after a year-long trophy drought and has appeared unusually vulnerable on clay of late. The 23-year-old has not reached a final this season and is no longer the overwhelming favourite at the tournament she has dominated since claiming her first title there as a teenager in 2020. Asked whether stepping onto Court Philippe Chatrier fills her with the same sense of invincibility that once surrounded Rafael Nadal,…

Now that the dust has settled on a tumultuous season, Kaizer Chiefs will embark on a comprehensive review of Nasreddine Nabi’s tenure as head coach. Over the past few months, Chiefs’ performances have remained underwhelming, and concerns about Nabi’s ability to lead one of South Africa’s most iconic football clubs have persisted. Kaizer Motaung Jr, the club’s sporting director, and marketing director Jessica Motaung addressed these concerns by confirming that the club would assess Nabi’s performance at the end of the season. The review is expected to highlight inconsistencies throughout the campaign and the failure to meet expectations. A primary target was securing a Top 8 finish, as outlined two weeks ago by Motaung Jr during a radio interview: “We need to be (in the top 8)," he said. "We…