Innehållsförteckning för 2025-06-30 från Cape Argus

The F1 movie is here to send audiences to a blissful era when the movies were loud, their stars were hot and the male main-character energy was flowing with exhilarating abandon. From its opening scene – a credits montage featuring Brad Pitt, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love – F1 settles into a supremely confident, viscerally entertaining groove: an old-school, still-handsome movie star; sexy racecars; roaring crowds; vintage Zep; fireworks – F1 has it all, and that’s just in the first 10 minutes. What follows in F1, true to its title, may be formula. But it’s one that works, even when the constant vrooms, tricky turns and explanatory dialogue threaten to become tediously repetitive. The movie is directed by Joseph Kosinski from a script by Ehren Kruger…

ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has challenged the DA to withdraw from the Government of National Unity (GNU) following the party’s recent threats to boycott the upcoming National Dialogue. The confrontation between the two parties follows hot on the heels of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent axing of former deputy minister Andrew Whitfield, who allegedly undertook an unauthorised trip to the US. DA leader John Steenhuisen on Saturday slammed Ramaphosa’s decision, claiming it was indicative of Ramaphosa’s “inconsistent approach to governance while also threatening to destabilise the GNU, unless all so-called delinquent ministers are removed from their positions within 48 hours”. However, Mbalula, who was speaking during the third day of the OR Tambo Regional Conference in the Eastern Cape yesterday, said the GNU was a temporary partnership among all the…

POLICE minister, Senzo Mchunu has cautioned South Africans against speculating over the alleged imminent arrest of National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. This comes after media reports indicated that the commissioner was being sought by law enforcement agencies over his alleged involvement in the alleged looting of the Crime Intelligence secret service account. Dumisani Khumalo, the head of the Crime Intelligence division within the Saps and seven others have been linked to the probe into the alleged looting of the Crime Intelligence secret service account as well as the appointment of 30-year-old Dineo Mokwele to an executive position within Crime Intelligence in April last year. It is reported that Mokwele was appointed to the position despite her having no policing capabilities, knowledge or skills. Khumalo and his co-accused, who were…

CONSUMERS who rely on images for promotional material to find what they see in the shop should be able to rely on this promise, but in the case of popular jeweller Lovisa, some of its advertised products could not be found in store. The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), in one of its latest findings, rebuked the jewellery chain for not delivering on its promise despite Lovisa not being a member of the ARB. This followed a complaint by a consumer, who could not find the items displayed in pictures in its promotional material, which displayed sparkling images of jewellery in its stores. The complainant submitted that the main picture was of jewellery, but the items in that picture were not for sale. In fact, they didn’t even stock those items,…

THERE are some people you meet in life who leave a lasting impression – not because of their fame, but because of the spirit they carry. Louis Moholo and his wife Mpumi were such people. Gentle, principled, and full of life, they were more than musical legends. They were fellow South Africans in exile, friends of the struggle, and vessels of a sound that carried our country’s deepest hopes and truths. In January 1989, Amnesty International invited me to deliver one of the keynote addresses at a global conference of Doctors Against Torture, held at UNESCO in Paris. This was in recognition of the work I was doing at the time with detainees and political prisoners in South Africa. As part of the discussions at that conference – and in…

Barbora Krejcikova insists she is fit for her Wimbledon title defence, despite suffering a thigh injury scare just days before the tournament. Krejcikova’s participation at the All England Club was thrown into doubt after she withdrew from the warm-up event at Eastbourne on Thursday. The 29-year-old pulled out ahead of her quarter-final clash with Varvara Gracheva, having sustained the injury during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage on Wednesday. However, after several days of rest, the Czech star is confident the injury will not hinder her attempt to retain the Venus Rosewater Dish. “I had to have a couple of days off where I didn’t really play any tennis, but I did some off-court work. I’ve been feeling a little bit better every day, so I’m really happy with…

Arguably the most high-profile signing of the current transfer window ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season is that of Sipho Mbule by Orlando Pirates. The highly rated midfielder joins the Buccaneers on a free transfer, having been released by Mamelodi Sundowns following a troubled loan spell at Sekhukhune United. Often described as a ball genius, a superstar, a master, Mbule has yet to fully live up to those lofty labels, largely due to off-field misdemeanours that have limited his time on the pitch. That a player such as Teboho Mokoena has gone on to become a continental star – despite having once been considered the lesser talent when the pair were at SuperSport United – underscores Mbule’s failure to fulfil his potential. Now that he has joined Pirates, many…

POLICE have asked the public for assistance in locating two men who could shed light on a mass killing on Saturday that left seven people dead in Gugulethu. The Gugulethu Community Policing Forum (CPF), the Western Cape Provincial Community Policing Board and the Cape Flats Safety Forum have condemned not only the weekend’s violent shooting in the Kanana informal settlement, but also the spate of violence that took place across the Cape Flats. SAPS spokesperson Andrè Traut said patrol officers were alerted to the shooting at around 3am on Saturday. “Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered the bodies of seven men, all with gunshot wounds,” he said. “Preliminary information suggests that the victims were socialising in the kitchen when they were ambushed by unknown assailants. “Three other men who…

POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu has refuted allegations of a substantial backlog of forensic exhibits in SAPS laboratories. This after EFF MP Rebecca Mohlala, had asked about what concrete steps the police took to address the persistent and massive DNA backlog that continued to delay justice. This included victims of rape and femicide amid thousands of forensic samples remain unprocessed for years, perpetrators remain at large within communities and affected families are left in a prolonged state of uncertainty. “How does the SAPS justify the ongoing backlog crisis when the lives and dignity of women urgently depend on timely forensic intervention?” Mohlala asked. Mchunu said the assertion that there was a persistent and massive backlog of exhibits at the police forensic science laboratory (FSL) was invalid. “The FSL has had an…

ESKOM has rejected false claims circulating online about imminent stage 4 and stage 6 load shedding from July 6 until July 20 with the power utility saying the country’s power system remains stable with load shedding suspended since May 15. “The Winter Outlook, published in May, covering the period ending August 31, remains valid. It indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2. There are no planned outages of this scale … trust only official Eskom updates on our official platforms,” the power utility said. Last week, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said municipalities with a…

STAFF REPORTER UPGRADES to the Wesfleur Athletics Track in Atlantis and the Blue Downs Athletics Track are still in progress and are expected to be completed before the upcoming athletics season, the City announced. This was as it completed a major refurbishment at Vygieskraal Athletics Stadium in Athlone, including the installation of new floodlighting, roofing repairs valued at nearly R1 million, and the restoration of the shotput and long-jump areas. Plumbing and electrical systems have also been improved, while new spectator seating will enhance the visitor experience. Further upgrades at Vygieskraal include ongoing work on the effluent line as part of scheduled maintenance. The works are part of a wider investment intended to improve the stadiums’ functionality. Vygieskraal’s adjacent rugby facility has also seen upgrades, with parking and fencing projects…

One thing about Springboks’ coach Rassie Erasmus is that he keeps us and the rest of the rugby world on their toes. Going into the international season, a lot of people would have wondered about what he has up his sleeve for 2025. What is he going to cook next? Well, on a wet, windy and cold night against the Barbarians at DHL Stadium, all was revealed early on in the second half when the “bomb squad” took the field. Erasmus sent on his entire bench, all of eight of them. Among them Andre Esterhuizen, with probably everyone in the stadium thinking he was coming on to replace inside centre Damian de Allende. However, at second glance De Allende was still on the field some people in the press box…

Lando Norris resisted vigorous attacks from team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri to claim a masterful McLaren 1–2 in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix. In torrid heat at the Red Bull Ring, the 25-year-old Briton came home 2.695 seconds clear of the 24-year-old Australian to trim his lead in the title race by 15 points. It was Norris’s first win in Austria, his third of the season, and the seventh of his career. It also marked McLaren’s first victory in Austria since David Coulthard triumphed in 2001. The McLaren pair battled throughout to provide thrilling racing for the packed crowd and to put behind them their costly collision in Canada two weeks earlier. Charles Leclerc finished third ahead of Ferrari team-mate and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, their best result of the…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for the urgent inclusion of young people in building a capable, ethical and developmental state. Mashatile was delivering the keynote address at the G20 High-Level Intergenerational Roundtable in Sandton on Friday, where he highlighted the importance of empowering youth to lead economic transformation, social development and global engagement. Having recently returned from a working visit to the Russian Federation, he stated that the trip offered valuable insights into strengthening South Africa’s bilateral ties with Russia and reaffirming historical solidarity. He noted that institutions such as St Petersburg University were playing a role in people-to-people relations by committing to teaching South African languages such as isiZulu and isiXhosa. He also praised Russia’s progress in digital and artificial intelligence capabilities, urging that “we too in South…

WESTERN Cape residents will get a short reprieve from the rainy conditions until tomorrow before another two cold fronts are expected to hit the province this week, bringing further icy and wet conditions. Last week, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Yellow Level 1 Warning for Disruptive Rainfall, which remained in place until Saturday night. SAWS’s Cape Town forecaster, Joew Malebane, shared an update yesterday, stating that the warning for disruptive rain was no longer active as it was for Friday and Saturday for the City of Cape Town municipality only. The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRM) said they had been actively monitoring the current weather forecast for any potential impacts, and that there were no significant incidents reported to the Disaster Operations Centre.…

REFUGEES living at the Wingfield tent in Maitland and Paint City in Bellville have joined hands, accusing mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Minister of Public Works Dean Macherson, and Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber of renewing a wave of state-backed Afrophobis and xenophobia as they plan to evict them. In a statement issued to the media at the weekend, the refugees said plans to evict them were against their human rights, while they continued to live in squalor. They said they intended on hosting a public meeting yesterday afternoon. The Cape Argus approached the City for their response, to which they said they would stick to the statement issued on June 18, announcing the plans for eviction. Macpherson’s office said it was for the City to communicate on the matter while…

SOUTH Africa is uniquely surrounded by three magnificent ocean spaces – the Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans – offering a resource-rich and biologically diverse environment. Our oceans represent a significant asset for current and future generations. Beyond the well-known direct socio-economic benefits of the ocean, they offer less obvious, yet equally vital benefits through the provisioning of ecosystem services like climate regulation, carbon storage, and waste absorption. Furthermore, our oceans and coastal areas support a thriving tourism industry, as countless citizens and international visitors flock to our shores for recreational activities such as swimming, diving, and whale-watching. One of the most pressing concerns we face is the impact of pollution on our marine and estuarine environments. Chronic pollution, stemming from domestic and industrial wastewater, stormwater runoff, and solid waste, is…

Cape Town City owner John Comitis, one of the wealthiest club bosses in the PSL, is reportedly actively exploring avenues to purchase the top-flight status of another club. This comes in the wake of City’s relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship, following a disappointing play-off campaign. Born in Kinshasa, DRC, Comitis is a former professional player who turned out for Wits University, Jomo Cosmos, Hellenic, Cape Town Spurs, Vasco da Gama, and Korinthos FC in Greece. During a recent radio interview, Comitis reflected on the daunting challenge of fighting for promotion in the second tier. Said Comitis: “The shortest route (buying a franchise) is the best route.” The sentiment echoes Comitis’ initial entry into the PSL, when he acquired the status of Mpumalanga Black Aces and subsequently founded Cape Town…

Toulouse’s Scottish winger Blair Kinghorn said it had been “weird” seeing the British and Irish Lions tour start without him, as he helped his club to a record-extending 24th French Top 14 title on Saturday. The 28-year-old played the full 100 minutes, including draining extra-time, as the giants of French rugby held off Bordeaux-Bègles 39–33 in dramatic fashion to claim a third straight domestic crown. Kinghorn, who can also play at fullback and flyhalf, now flies to Australia with the Lions two games into a 10-match schedule, for his first experience with the historic touring team. He is only expected to be available when the Lions face the Waratahs in Sydney next Saturday, following a gruelling club campaign. “I’ve been so focused on Toulouse stuff that I’ve not really thought…

It wasn’t easy to control his emotions when he ran onto the field and sang the national anthem in his first-ever international match for South Africa. But one thing Neethling Fouché controlled was not stumbling as he was running out at the DHL Stadium, like his prop mate Asenathi Ntlabakanye did when the Springboks faced the Barbarians on Saturday. Fouché came on as a substitute shortly after halftime in what he describes as being “a dream come true”. The Springboks beat the Baabaas 54-7 and laid the perfect foundation for the rest of the season as they head into three Tests in July, a double against Italy and one against Georgia. “You know, you watch the Springboks and dream of playing for them one day, I got to do it,”…

The main appeal of the Fifa Club World Cup so far has been the chance to see South American and African clubs – and their fans – offer a reminder that football thrives outside of Europe, too. But as the tournament moves towards the business end, Fifa’s new competition is also providing an opportunity to watch one of the game’s greatest coaches in the midst of rebuilding and recreating his dynasty. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have won six of the last eight Premier League titles, along with a host of cups including the 2023 Champions League. But last year they looked like an empire in decline, finishing 13 points behind Liverpool, with performances even less inspiring than the results they generated. At times, it felt like the end of the…