Innehållsförteckning för 2025-08-13 från Cape Argus

A “GENEROUS” revised trade offer to US reciprocal tariffs imposed on South Africa will be submitted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of Agriculture. The Cabinet approved the revised trade offer, which is expected to be sent as part of the government’s five-point response to the 30% unilateral tariff imposed by the US on SA imports. Addressing the media yesterday, DTIC and Agriculture ministers Parks Tau and John Steenhuisen respectively also unveiled that they had assembled a high-level team comprising the presidency and the two departments to spearhead the tariff negotiations with the US. However, both said South Africa was seeking trade agreements beyond the US. They revealed that Washington additionally requested South Africa to lower tariffs, aligning with the European Union trade regime…

THE State was dealt a blow in the Western Cape High Court when its application to have a statement admitted as evidence was denied in the notorious gang murder trial against the Terrible Josters alleged gang leader, Elton Lenting, and his 19 co-accused. The warning statement by now-deceased Delano Saptoe was deemed inadmissible by the high court this week. It allegedly implicates two of the co-accused. Lenting and his co-accused face a plethora of criminal charges, including murder, attempted murder, possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Saptoe was never an accused person in the ongoing trial against Lenting and others. “Ostensibly, he could have been charged with the other accused before this court, but he was not charged due to his untimely demise before the 20 accused were charged and…

CHAIRPERSON of the Appropriations Committee, Mmusi Maimane, has written to the National Treasury to enquire about the funding for the National Dialogue, which has no direct allocation in the recently approved Budget. Maimane said he was concerned about how the National Dialogue will be funded and implemented. “While the National Dialogue is vital for our democracy, we are deeply troubled by the absence of a concrete funding strategy. There is no dedicated allocation in the national budget and, in an already constrained fiscal environment, we cannot afford to divert resources from other critical priorities,” he said. Maimane also said any funding model must be sustainable, accountable and must not place additional burdens on taxpayers. His statement comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said all budgetary processes regarding the…

A TWO-and-a-half-year-old Cape fur seal that captured hearts after he was found with fish hooks lodged in his mouth and back along the KwaZulu-Natal coast is recovering positively, thanks to the right medical care and affection from seal experts. The SA Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) shared the story about the young Cape fur seal, now affectionately named Captain Hook, that was admitted into their care last month. Captain Hook, only the second Cape fur seal to be documented in the past 21 years at uShaka Sea World’s rehabilitation facility, was captured in eManzimtoti in early July, where it is believed he followed the Sardine Run up the coast. When the sardines were no longer visible, he needed a new plan. He saw what seemed like an endless supply…

Water is one of the most critical yet undervalued resources in modern business. As climate change accelerates and global demand increases, water scarcity is no longer a distant environmental issue - it is a present-day business risk. For companies operating in water-intensive sectors like mining, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture, water security directly affects continuity, reputation, and long-term profitability. As such, treating water as a strategic business issue is not just about sustainability. It is about survival. When water becomes unavailable, unaffordable, or unreliable, operations stall, communities suffer, and investors take notice. Businesses that continue to view water as merely a compliance item are missing the bigger picture. Moving from compliance to stewardship Historically, most businesses have focused on compliance-driven water management. This typically involves ensuring the quality of water discharge,…

Standing at 2.03m and 145kg, and wearing size 19 boots (it doesn’t matter if it’s US or UK 19, does it?), Will Skelton is built like a brick outhouse. Over the years, there have been many urban legends about the big Wallaby lock. Many of them probably originated in Australian bars and were greatly exaggerated as the evening edged closer to bad-decisions-o’clock. One such tale involves Skelton going through airport security and being unable to fit through the full-body scanner. Before bringing out the metal detector, legend has it the security officer asked Skelton if he had any guns, to which he replied: “I only have these biceps and a half-eaten protein bar…” However, on a rugby field, the legend of Will Skelton is very, very real. A big, intimidating…

THE appeal of the convicted kidnappers in the Joshlin Smith case exploded into an attack on the Western Cape High Court’s handling of the trial, with defence lawyers accusing the State of trampling constitutional rights, hiding crucial evidence, and relying on coerced confessions. Advocate Nobahle Mkabayi, who represents Steveno van Rhyn, came out swinging, telling the bench her client was unlawfully detained for more than 48 hours before his first court appearance on March 7, 2024. “This case was compromised from the start,” she said. “We appeared in court on January 31, bare-handed and clueless, without the contents of the docket. The State knew the attorneys, but details were never furnished before the pre-trial.” “We had to climb the mountain of fetching the contents ourselves. It is unconstitutional to shift…

ONGOING gun violence forced Steenberg High School to dismiss learners and staff early yesterday due to a surge of shootings in the area. A statement by the school read: “Due to recent incidents of gun violence in the vicinity of our school, and in the interest of the safety and well-being of our learners and staff, the school will be closing early today at 2pm. We kindly request that all parents and guardians make the necessary arrangements to collect learners promptly at this time. The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure everyone’s safety.” The decision follows after multiple shots were fired in the area in Grens Street, Quarrier Street, Cradock Road and Flute Street. The gun violence escalated on Monday evening after a 21-year-old male sustained…

IN RECOGNITION of Women’s Month, 50 medical interns at Groote Schuur Hospital received specialised training on how to sensitively screen for intimate partner violence (IPV) and administer a rape kit. Executive Director at Groote Schuur Hospital Trust, Kristy Evans, said the programme changed how their healthcare workers respond, with compassion and care. “Every day, women walk into our hospitals carrying more than illness. Many carry the silent weight of violence. This intervention gives them a moment of safety, of being seen and supported, often for the first time. “The scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) and IPV can be defeated when we work together, drawing on the strength of partnerships, building awareness, and ensuring every person in the healthcare system knows what to look out for,” she said. Evans said she…

IN CELEBRATION of Women’s Day, Survé Philanthropies, in partnership with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, visited Phoenix High School in Manenberg, delivering a message of empowerment, hope, and opportunity to 520 female learners. The initiative, rooted in the belief that education and inspiration can transform lives, aimed to equip the young women with not only essential items but also the tools to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and determination. Addressing the packed school hall, South African free-diving champion and founder of I AM WATER Foundation, Hanli Prinsloo, shared her journey with the learners. She spoke candidly about the challenges she overcame and encouraged the girls to hold onto their dreams, remain focused, and believe in their ability to shape their futures. Each learner received a gift pack filled with practical…

Israel has murdered 18 000 children in 700 days. That’s roughly 1 child every hour for 700 days. Let that sink in. 18 000 young lives ended by a ruthless genocide of Palestinians by an Israeli regime hellbent on exterminating a people through bombs, bullets and barricades. Just this week, five journalists were assassinated by Israel’s Zionist regime, bringing to over 270 the number of journalists and media workers killed in this latest escalation of conflict since October 7, 2023. No human should turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the apartheid state of Israel. It is morally reprehensible, cruel and savage. This is why we have chosen as a media organisation to honour the murdered children of Palestine. When you visit www.capeargus.co.za today, you will see the…

EVER since Dewald Brevis first stole the spotlight when he topped the run-scorers charts at the ICC Under-19 World Cup he’s had to live with the moniker “Baby AB” in reference to Proteas legend and his childhood hero AB de Villiers. But three years later on a balmy night in Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, Brevis lifted the immense weight of expectation off his shoulders to become his own man through an innings for the ages. Brevis eclipsed everything De Villiers achieved in a Proteas T20I shirt – and in fact anyone that’s ever worn it – by booming an undefeated 125 not out off 56 balls (12x4, 8x6) to power the Proteas to series-levelling 53-run victory over Australia. “I've always believed that this is where I need…

THE driver of a minibus taxi died and two passengers transported to a medical facility after the taxi driver allegedly jumped a red robot and crashed into a Golden Arrow bus on Sheffield Road in Philippi East on Monday morning. It is alleged by the Golden Arrow Bus Service (Gabs) that the taxi jumped the red robot and collided with the bus that was not carrying any passengers at the time. Gabs spokesperson, Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, said the bus departed from the depot at the time of the accident. “According to the information available to us, the driver of the third-party vehicle allegedly jumped the red robot causing the third party to collide with our bus. “We are deeply saddened to share that the driver of the third-party vehicle passed away…

YOUTH and mental health issues were addressed at the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) as attendees broke off from the main ballroom and attended smaller discussion groups yesterday. The forum convenes religious leaders, civil society organisations, government officials, multilateral institutions, and scholars to explore collaborative solutions to pressing global challenges. Yesterday's discussion sought to explore analytic work and policy proposals in the face of challenges often cited by the youth, including employment, quality education, and addressing challenges to mental health. The discussion was moderated by Andrea Kaufman, director at World Vision International, and Angela Nielsen Redding, executive director at Radiance Foundation. The moderators set the scene with Redding explaining that Radiance Foundation looked at Gallup World Poll data, a global network of quality data collection built to measure public opinion, which…

As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, the soul of South Africa’s struggle document must be returned to centre stage, especially its most uncompromising and emotive clause, "The Land Shall Be Shared Among Those Who Work It." Born out of the searing injustice of the 1913 Land Act, this clause was not poetic idealism; it was a war cry, a confrontation with a colonial and apartheid order that uprooted, dispossessed, and dismantled the African peasantry and agrarian enterprise. The 1913 Natives Land Act was the legal scalpel that excised millions of Africans from their ancestral land, amputating them from their economic base and cultural lifeblood. It barred Africans from owning land in over 87% of South Africa and confined them to impoverished reserves, setting in motion a…

REVENGE might be a dish best served cold but Miguel Inacio says Kaizer Chiefs have long put their defeat by Polokwane City behind them and Amakhosi will thus not be trotting on to the FNB Stadium pitch with vengeance on their mind. Chiefs’ failure to qualify for the top eight a second season running had much to do with the goalless draw they played against the team from the Limpopo capital and many are of the view it is time to get even. “It's not a revenge game for us,” the Chiefs skipper told the media during the club’s open day in Naturena on Tuesday. “We just have to do our best to win the match. Last season we were not at our best but now that we’ve started this…