Innehållsförteckning för 2025-09-01 från Cape Argus

AI-POWERED fraud is a growing concern. This is according to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC), which released its annual crime statistics for 2024. They said digital fraud cases nearly doubled to 64 000, causing R1.4 billion in losses. “AI-powered fraud is a growing concern, with digital banking fraud cases nearly doubling to 64 000, causing over R1.4bn in losses, primarily due to social engineering,” SABRIC said. “AI is used to create convincing phishing, WhatsApp messages, and voice deep fakes.” In 2023, South Africa recorded financial crime losses amounting to R3.3bn. This figure dropped to R2.7bn in 2024, representing a reduction of almost 18%. SABRIC attributes this improvement to the strengthened prevention and detection measures introduced by the banking industry. Despite this progress, criminals have adapted to changing conditions,…

THE City’s Traffic Service has recorded a 49% increase in motorists caught on camera over the past year, disregarding red lights. This, as they reported more than 2.7 million offences between July 2024 and June 2025. “Road safety starts with decisions made by road users. If you speed, there is a chance that you can lose control of your vehicle. An overloaded vehicle or not wearing seatbelts puts occupants at risk. Ignore a red light and there is a chance you can cause a collision or hit a pedestrian. Similarly, jaywalking or walking while inebriated can put pedestrians in harm’s way. Despite these very real risks, and the thousands of incidents on our roads every month, the annual traffic statistics continue to point in the wrong direction,” said Safety and…

The Treasury has confirmed that the cost of the National Dialogue has been reduced from R740 million to an estimated R441 million, excluding unexpected expenses. However, one political analyst says it remains too costly for what others have called a “talk shop”. In response to questions, the Treasury said: “The current estimated cost of the dialogue is R441m, excluding contingencies.” It also noted that around half of the amount is expected to be raised through sponsorships and donations. It added that the budget is under continuous review to minimise costs. “These costs are being revised on a continuous basis to minimise the cost of various dialogues expected to be held at a municipal, district and provincial level.” The National Convention of the National Dialogue, held at the University of South…

ACTING Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia, and National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, are rolling over the revival of the KwaZulu-Natal Police Killings Task Team’s investigation. Cachalia in a statement issued on Friday slammed Masemola’s announcement that 121 dockets would soon be returned to the task team. The now-suspended Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, disbanded the team, which was formed in 2019 to investigate and execute arrests in political killings as part of implementing the Moerane Commission’s recommendations. Cachalia indicated that Masemola revived the team’s investigation without consulting him, and that he had kept him in the dark about the status of the team. In the statement, Cachalia is quoted as expressing concern about Masemola announcing the continuation of the team’s investigations instead of waiting for the Constitutional Court’s Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga Judicial…

Societal issues confronting women, including strategies for achieving equity and overcoming barriers that hinder their advancement to executive positions, have been and continue to be important topics of discussion. Every year in August, we celebrate Women’s Month. But, I sometimes think we focus too much on the individual achievements of women, as praiseworthy as they may be, instead of what is holding multitudes of other women back from scaling the same heights, and what is everyone’s responsibility. As we end celebrating Women’s Month through the theme “Building Resilient Economies for All,” I can relate to this theme. It is one I endorse. Additionally, this year my mantra is “Protect, Defend, Grow.” Resilience and creativity As a lifelong serial entrepreneur and as a trained healthcare professional, I have seen firsthand…

Springbok Women’s coach Swys de Bruin and Player of the Match Libbie Janse van Rensburg could not hold back the tears of emotion when they described what beating Italy last night meant to the team. “We have achieved something special," fly-half Janse van Rensburg said. “It just is amazing. A huge shout-out to the team. “We had a job to do, and we came out knowing we had to be direct. “This is what South Africa is about,” she continued. “People feel us when we are on the field, and we appreciate all the support. This is massive. “We spoke about changing history in South Africa for women’s rugby, and we have,” Janse van Rensburg continued. “Every single person here is a part of that; every single lady here is…

Jannik Sinner kept his US Open title defence on track Saturday as Iga Swiatek struggled through to the last 16 and home favourite Coco Gauff booked a blockbuster clash with Naomi Osaka. Sinner rallied from a set down to beat Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and is trying to become the first man to retain the title in New York since Roger Federer in 2008. "I was in a very difficult moment," said Sinner. "The scoreline was a bit against me today, but I just tried to stay there mentally." World No. 1 Sinner will face Alexander Bublik next after the mercurial Kazakh put out US 14th seed Tommy Paul in a late-night thriller, winning in five sets. "Week two is completely different. It's getting tougher…

WESTERN Cape teachers have done it again at the National Education Excellence Awards. Education MEC David Maynier said the province swept the Top Performing Public Ordinary School in Quintile 5 category. The awards took place on Friday at the Sandton Convention Centre, and recognised the outstanding achievement of quality teaching and learning indicators. Hoёr Meisieskool Bloemhof (Cape Winelands) was awarded first place for the second year running, an outstanding achievement for principal Maré Bosch and the team. Rhenish Girls’ High School (Cape Winelands) took second place, moving up from third place in the same category last year, while Rustenburg Girls’ High School (Metro Central) was ranked third. “Congratulations to these top three schools who are demonstrating consistent quality education, having all appeared in the category in previous years,” said Maynier.…

PERMITS for catching small pelagic fish, such as anchovies and sardines (pilchards), which would have expired yesterday, have been extended by two months. This comes after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) announced that all permits that expired on August 31, will be issued until October 30, due to pending court outcomes relating to the finalisation of appeals in the 2021/22 Fishing Rights Allocation Process (FRAP) for the Small Pelagic sector. The finalisation of the process has been delayed due to review applications brought before the Western Cape High Court. The department confirmed that the extension of the permit validity was to ensure uninterrupted authorisation for all rights holders and for stability in the sector. The DFFE said most of these matters (review applications) have been resolved by…

RESIDENTS and housing advocacy groups, Reclaim the City and Ndifuna Ukwazi (RTC/NU) Law Centre, are gearing-up to face off against the Department Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) in the Western Cape High Court tomorrow. It comes as DPWI Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala on Friday embarked on a mission to claim back stolen/hijacked properties in Goodwood and Khayelitsha under the campaign, Operation Bring Back. It was part of the nationwide campaign, which Zikalala is leading across the country. According to the DPWI, in the Western Cape alone, over 40 state-owned properties are believed to be illegally occupied, hijacked, or stolen. According to RTC/NU, the DPWI will urgently seek to evict residents from Reclaim the City’s Irene Grootboom House. The property was previously known as 104 Darling Street and was once a…

AMID fears of continued teaching posts being cut, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has assured the sector would not see another reduction for 2026. The news comes a year after the WCED cut 2 407 teaching posts for 2025 due to a significant budget shortfall. Education MEC, David Maynier, said they are now able to provide for 35 934 posts, and schools will receive their individual staff establishments for 2026. “Brent Walters, our Head of Department, issued a circular to schools outlining staffing processes for the 2026 academic year, and confirmed that the Basket of Posts allocation for 2025 will be retained for 2026,” he said. “We will be able to provide for 35 934 posts, and schools will receive their individual staff establishments for 2026. “This follows consultations…

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi faced a challenging atmosphere after sensing his team’s mood at half-time during their Premiership clash with Golden Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. Despite leading Chiefs to a narrow 1-0 victory, Nabi noticed a downbeat mood among his players in the dressing room during the break. The Tunisian mentor took it upon himself to rally the squad, urging them to focus and reignite their passion as they sought to convert their efforts into goals. “I think the first half we didn’t create too many opportunities to score, we didn’t have chances to score,” Nabi candidly stated following the match. Recognising the fatigue in his squad after a demanding encounter with Mamelodi Sundowns, he reassured them, “Not to worry, more focus, more demand, I need…

Bafana Bafana's preparations for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers have taken a hit, as head coach Hugo Broos has expressed his disappointment regarding the poor state of the Free State Stadium pitch in Bloemfontein. South Africa is scheduled to host their neighbour Lesotho on September 5, before facing a challenging match against Nigeria four days later. In a recent announcement of his 23-man squad, Broos did not hold back his criticism of the venue, which was expected to be in optimal condition following the COSAFA Cup held there in June. "I am a bit disappointed. I was in Bloemfontein and I saw the pitch," he stated. "They had six weeks to fix it. I have observed the efforts made by other cities – Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and…

THE Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) has indicated it will challenge the six-week closure of four contentious routes. The Western Cape Government filed an urgent interdict on Thursday in the High Court, to prohibit members of the affected taxi associations - Codeta, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and affiliates, from interfering with transport services at the Somerset West taxi rank, Somerset West Mall, and on four key routes: Route 611 (Khayelitsha – Somerset West), Route 43 (Lwandle – Khayelitsha), Route M18 (Mfuleni – Somerset West) and Route X19 (Nomzamo – Mfuleni). Conflict over the routes has left 10 people dead and five others wounded in five days. Two days before the application, the associations sat in a meeting, which didn’t produce any results, and they…

THE South African Cricket Team’s tour to India in November this year will mark history and celebrate the 34th anniversary of South Africa’s readmission to international cricket. The Proteas are set to play all three formats in India in November and December after the BCCI confirmed the fixtures for the tour. The tour will begin with a two-match Test series from November 14, while three ODI games will be followed by five T20Is. The upcoming tour to India coincides with the 34th anniversary of South Africa’s readmission to the international stage, where in 1991, India became the first country to host a South African cricket team after the country was banned from international cricket in 1970 by the International Cricket Council (ICC). This followed a resolution taken against the then…

Room 27 Ariana Godoy Performed by a full cast Audible Originals DISCOVER how an unexpected encounter rewrites the direction of a young man’s life while exploring the nuances of love and hope in extraordinary circumstances. Room 27 by Ariana Godoy, performed by a full cast for Audible Originals, is an evocative coming-of-age audiobook that takes listeners on an emotional journey filled with the ups and downs of young love, ambition, and the unforeseen twists of fate. Just over three hours in length, it offers an engaging narrative. The story revolves around Zachary Wilson, a talented high school baseball player whose dreams of a college scholarship are shattered when a severe muscle tear sidelines him for months. In the throes of a personal crisis, Zach encounters Sunny Smith, a patient…

They have done it! The Springbok Women are through to the quarter-finals of a Rugby World Cup for the first time after showing true South African grit to outlast Italy 29-24 in a dramatic Pool D match in York last night. The Boks needed to win two of their three pool matches to make it to the playoffs, and the defeat of Italy, combined with last week’s rout of Brazil, means they go through, regardless of the outcome of their final pool game against France next week. There were scenes of unbridled jubilation at the final whistle as the South Africans enjoyed a moment they had worked so hard for. In many ways, this game was about the pace of Italy versus the power of South Africa, and it was…

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has reportedly stayed in Germany in a bid to revive his aborted loan move to Bayern Munich after the deal was called off at the last minute. Jackson flew to Munich on Saturday to seal his season-long switch to the Bundesliga champions, only to be told the move had to be aborted due to Chelsea's injury problems. Blues striker Liam Delap will be sidelined for up to eight weeks after suffering a hamstring problem in Saturday's win over Fulham, while England forward Cole Palmer is also out due to a groin injury. With Christopher Nkunku having joined AC Milan this week, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca would be left with Joao Pedro as his only fit senior striker if Jackson were allowed to leave. Speaking after a…

The Proteas face off against England in a much-anticipated ODI series starting in Leeds tomorrow. Independent Media’s Zaahier Adams selects six players to watch. Matthew Breetzke (SA) The English should be well-acquainted with the flamboyant right-hander after spells with Northamptonshire in the T20 Blast. In fact, Breetzke has just penned a two-year deal with the Steelbacks. Breetzke has been on a record-breaking streak in ODI cricket, having become the first batter ever to hit four consecutive scores of 50-plus in his first four ODIs. Jacob Bethell (England) England’s new golden boy. Only 21, Bethell was recently named England’s youngest men's captain when he was tasked with leading the national team in the absence of Harry Brook in the T20I series against Ireland. Born-and-raised in Barbados, the blonde-locked Bethell plays his…

The Cheetahs went from virtual shoo-ins for a home semi-final in the Currie Cup to needing to win their last league game of the season next weekend to potentially secure a place in the playoffs, after their 40-10 thrashing by the Griquas on Friday that kicked off Round Six of the competition. Friday’s loss at the Free State Stadium left the Cheetahs in fourth place on 21 points. It also opened the door for the Lions to draw level on points with the Free Staters after their bonus-point 44-5 victory over the Bulls in Saturday’s crunch derby clash that shut the door on the Bulls’ slim playoff hopes. The Lions moved up one spot, to third in the table, thanks to a superior points difference. The biggest movers at the…