Innehållsförteckning för 2025-08-22 från Cape Argus

THE two teenagers arrested for attacking three DA Members of Parliament have made their first court appearance. The 16-year-old accused appeared alone in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where the matter was heard in Court H, which deals with juvenile cases. The magistrate barred media attendance, stressing that the hearing was a preliminary inquiry. She said the court still had to confirm the boy’s age and determine whether he would admit to the charges against him. The matter will be transferred to another courtroom for his next appearance. His co-accused, aged 18, remains in hospital under police guard after being shot and wounded. The case was postponed to August 28 for a bail application. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said: “A minor, 16 years old, appeared at the Athlone…

National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has served his deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, with a notice of intended suspension or temporary transfer giving him until Monday to respond. This is despite Sibiya’s ongoing case to challenge the decision to place him on a leave of absence. This comes after Sibiya was asked to take a leave of absence when explosive allegations were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Sibiya was accused of conspiring with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the political killings task team. Sibiya launched an application at the Pretoria High Court seeking to have the decision to have him stay at home, set aside. In the letter, issued on August 19, Masemola warned that should representation not be received by Monday, it will be accepted that Sibiya does…

WHILE Standard Bank accused the Competition Commission of “sticking to its bloody-minded ignorance” by continuing to accuse the bank of allegedly being part of a cartel which manipulated the rand/US dollar exchange, the commission hit back to say the bank is pulling out all the stops in a bid not to face the music. Advocate Kate Hofmeyr, acting for Standard Bank, told the Constitutional Court this week that in 2017, when the commission told the media about its allegations that the banks were allegedly involved in an international cartel colluding to manipulate the Rand/US dollar, Standard Bank’s share price dropped in a few days by 3.8%, which equated to R8.5 billion. She argued that while the commission was investigating the case for a year and a half, it did not…

SOUTH African-born Jordyn Joy Pillay has captured the national spotlight in New Zealand by clinching the top accolade at the prestigious 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards. Since relocating from Durban to Auckland in March 2023, the 16-year-old Grade 12 learner at Ormiston Senior College used her experiences as a new immigrant to deliver a powerful and poignant message on race, belonging, and the indivisible strength of diversity – a message that resonated strongly with the judges and audiences. Originally from Phoenix, Durban, Pillay has made a remarkable impact following her family’s move to Auckland in March 2023. She delivered her winning speech at the national finals held there. Out of 150 entries from students across New Zealand, Pillay’s presentation stood out for its compelling metaphor: humanity as the ocean –…

SOUTH Africa is spiralling into chaos under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Here is a leader who has stumbled from one embarrassing crisis to another, fumbling the ball, seemingly fiddling while Pretoria burns. Most infamous among Ramaphosa’s foibles was his handling of the break-in at his Phala Phala home, a scandal for which he has so far escaped accountability. We’ve never gotten to the bottom of the hundreds of thousands of dollars stashed in couches and other furniture that adorn his Limpopo game farm, with investigations and reports into the matter either conveniently clearing the president of any wrongdoing, or having had their adoption and public release blocked by political machinery. I assume one of the shady deals made to include the DA in the Government of National Collusion…

Liverpool can expect a hostile reception when they travel to Newcastle on Monday, amid their pursuit of wantaway Magpies striker Alexander Isak. Meanwhile, Manchester City and Tottenham face off in an early test of their Premier League ambitions. Across Merseyside, a new era begins for Everton on Sunday as they welcome Brighton for the first competitive game at their new 53,000-capacity stadium. AFP Sport looks at the major talking points ahead of the second weekend of the Premier League season. Isak saga hangs over Newcastle vs Liverpool clash Isak is expected to sit out the meeting between his current club and his preferred destination, as a stand-off over the Swedish striker’s future stretches into the final week of the transfer window. Newcastle maintain that the 25-year-old will not leave unless…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is leading a high-level South African delegation to the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), taking place in Yokohama, Japan. “This 9th TICAD Summit takes place at a time of unprecedented threats to global peace and security, ongoing conflicts in some regions of the world, distortions and disruption to global trade and a concerning revision by some states to unilateral action at a time when multilateralism and collective solutions to common challenges is crucial,” said Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. “Rising fuel, food and energy prices have severely impacted developing countries, entrenching poverty and fuelling higher levels of inequality in the face of constrained employment and job opportunities.” Magwenya said the debt and liquidity crisis on the African continent is worsening the challenging socio-economic environment and…

SHE once spent years trapped in addiction, hiding from her family and herself. Now, Natasha Mentoor uses her experiences to guide homeless people through recovery, proving that even the darkest chapters can lead to a life of purpose and hope. As manager of the Parow Centre of Hope, she encourages women to celebrate their power and pursue a world where every woman can flourish. Her turning point came at age 24, after five years trapped in addiction, when her mother discovered drugs hidden in her bedroom. “I remember coming from a party one night, and my mother had found a stash of things. She confronted me. And it was, wow, I think it was the worst day of my life. “If I’m going to be honest with you, I…

The Springboks are ready to win ugly, if necessary, in their second Rugby Championship Test against Australia tomorrow in Cape Town. While they’ve steadily progressed on attack under assistant coach Tony Brown, the Boks’ strength has always been their ability to use their forwards in a power game to subdue opponents. From there, space opens up for their backs to work their magic and score tries. More recently, and much to the delight of supporters, they’ve been utilizing a running rugby blueprint alongside their forward dominance. While it has brought spectacular tries, the ease with which they sometimes score has led them to take their foot off the accelerator. That allows the opposition to claw their way back into the game — something that has already happened twice this season.…

Thank goodness for small mercies. Like finding a well-placed chair after a day of walking, your feet beating in time with your heart, or that first slurp of cold tap water when your mouth feels like a gravel trap. Or, perhaps, like the blessing of a wedding scheduled on the same day the Springboks lost to the Wallabies at Ellis Park for the first time in more than 60 years. The ceremony unfolded against a waterfall backdrop, and after a short trek up to the reception, the customary speeches regaled us with tales of the bride and groom for much of the match. By the time the formalities had drawn to a close, the Boks had already stumbled to a 38-22 defeat — leaving those of us at the wedding…

Netflix has released the trailer for a new true crime limited documentary series, Beauty And The Bester. The series chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, a celebrated celebrity doctor whose involvement with convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester sent shockwaves across the nation. Friends and family open up in exclusive interviews, each trying to make sense of the strange and unsettling bond between a respected doctor and her convicted criminal partner, Bester. The trailer shows actress, DJ, presenter and businesswoman Pearl Thusi, The Mommy Club reality TV star and businesswoman Happy Simelane and broadcaster and multi-hyphenate personality Penny Lebyane. Lebyane, a South African media personality, was among several local celebrities who unknowingly visited the practice of the criminally-accused skin doctor. She has previously been featured on…

THE National Lottery Ithuba said they were aware of “misleading and factually incorrect” information currently circulating on social media regarding the legitimacy of winners. They said winners are “determined purely by chance,” adding that no one, including Ithuba, can predict or influence the outcome. In addition, all winner records are kept for necessary auditing purposes. “It has been suggested that all big winners since 2020 have come only from Absa or FNB, and that Ithuba issued a statement that all 2022 Division 1 winners were from these banks. “This is simply not true. Winners come from across the country, via both retail outlets and digital platforms.” Ithuba said it was important to note that FNB and Absa were the first banks on board with National Lottery games on their platforms.…

THE SA Department of Defence has provided clarity regarding the official visit of General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), to the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the EFF has rejected what it called an “arrogant posture” by the US after reports that Washington was demanding clarity from Pretoria regarding Maphwanya’s visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Initially slated for 2024, the visit was postponed to 2025, following a decision from Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga. Motshekga granted authority for Maphwanya to honour an invitation from Iranian officials, a move that underscores the importance of international military relations During the visit, Maphwanya engaged in bilateral discussions with Iranian military leaders on various topics of mutual concern. A statement was issued by Major…

Proteas Women’s fast bowler Ayabonga Khaka is pleased with the development of women’s cricket in the country and believes the next area of focus should be grassroots and university level. Khaka, at 33-years old, is one of the senior players in the Proteas side, having earned her first international cap at 20 over a decade ago. The Eastern Cape-born fast bowler is among the few players still active who began playing long before the domestic game turned professional two seasons ago. Having been involved in the women’s game for such a long time, Khaka praised the exponential growth since professionalism began. However, she maintains that grassroots and university cricket require more attention to take the game to new heights. “I think in the country the game is improving, and it’s…

As anticipation builds for the MTN8 semi-final second leg clash between arch-rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates tomorrow in Pretoria, coach Miguel Cardoso is keen to manage expectations, downplaying any advantages his team may hold. With memories of a tightly contested first leg still fresh — in which Sundowns secured an important away goal in a 1–1 draw — the stakes are set for a high-octane encounter at home. Reflecting on last week’s performance in Orlando, Cardoso acknowledged the challenges inherent in knockout competitions. “It might be a cliché, but it’s a fact that matches like our competitions with knock-out rounds over two legs are always very tough, both tough,” he stated, underscoring the intensity and unpredictability that define this format. Despite holding the advantage of a home ground and…