Innehållsförteckning för 2025-10-15 från Cape Argus

​ In Hey! You Ought to Forgive, author Mahlatse Nchabeleng addresses one of the hardest commands of the heart: forgiveness. She speaks not from theory but from personal confrontation with disappointment, betrayal and pain. “I wrote this book because I once lived with silent wounds,” she says, “wounds so deep that even when I smiled, my soul still bled.” This book rises from that inner dialogue, from the moment she realised that unforgiveness had become a prison she was living in. Nchabeleng does not present forgiveness as an easy choice. Instead, she walks readers through the emotional weight of carrying resentment. She reflects on those hidden scars people learn to live with. “So many move through life functioning yet broken,” she says. “They master strength on the outside but crumble…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has flipped the script on his “learn from the DA” comment, slamming the party for neglecting service delivery to the poor in Cape Town. During the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) meeting held on Tuesday, Ramaphosa slammed the DA’s pro-poor investments as following the same pattern as apartheid policies, saying that per capita, rich white areas were far better maintained. Last month, during the ANC’s roll call for councillors event at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, Ramaphosa said that DA-run municipalities performed better than ANC ones: “I can name it here because there’s nothing wrong with competition. They are often DA-controlled municipalities. “We need to ask ourselves, what is it that they are doing that is better than what we are doing? “And there’s nothing wrong with…

Alleged baby snatcher, Sameemah Jacobs is back in the dock today, three months after she was granted bail. Jacobs was granted bail of R4 000 in July at the Bellville Magistrates’ Court with strict conditions which include that she may not visit the Mitchells Plain or Strandfontein community. Today, the court is expected to hear whether she may face any additional charges or how far the investigation is. Jacobs is facing charges relating to the kidnapping of baby Imaad Sharmar in June. Their team is now awaiting CCTV footage which could mean a second case against Jacobs after a 15-year-old pregnant girl came forward that she had allegedly been approached by a woman named Wasiema and Chevon During the judgment of her bail application, the Magistrate stated that Jacobs was…

The search for the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa, draws attention to how a lack of resources, insufficient political will, and internal challenges within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has hobbled its attempts to prosecute complex state capture matters. The current NDPP, Advocate Shamila Batohi, brought in by Ramaphosa with a mandate to revitalise the NPA and pursue state capture cases, faces the end of her term in January 2026 amidst widespread criticism regarding the institution’s performance. Ramaphosa, who last week appointed a panel to identify Batohi’s successor through an “open and transparent process,” says he is keenly aware of the critical role the NDPP plays in upholding the rule of law. Batohi’s tenure has been marred by a string of high-profile failures…

A TOTAL of over 67 000 matric candidates are expected to write their finals in a matter of days. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that numbers relating to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) will be released tomorrow, determining statistics and the number of exam centres etc. Spokesperson Kerry Mauchline called on candidates to place enough emphasis on preparing for their finals as the days drew closer. “We have over 67 000 full-time matric candidates writing this year, and their matric teachers, tutors and officials have been hard at work preparing our candidates for the final hurdle of their school careers,” she said. “We encourage our matrics to make the most of the time remaining before the exams begin on October 21 to revise their work carefully and…

Arsenal have a great opportunity to cement their new-found status as English Premier League title favourites when league action resumes, with closest challengers Liverpool facing an extremely challenging run in their next five fixtures. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners face a trip to Fulham next up on Saturday, which will be followed by league matches against Crystal Palace at home, Burnley away, Sunderland away and a derby against Tottenham at home. Arsenal will have a point to prove, especially in the first two matches, having dropped points against Fulham and Palace last season in finishing a distant second behind Liverpool. Arteta’s side have momentum on their side, though, and demonstrated that they are a different beast this season with wins over Newcastle and West Ham that also avenged blips from last season.…

World champions Proteas will need to make history in Lahore if they are to extend their 10-match unbeaten streak. No team has scored more than the 277 the visitors require for victory at the Gaddafi Stadium. It was reduced to 226 when stumps were drawn on the third evening, but captain Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder are already walking casualties. Both were victims of that wily old customer, Noman Ali, who added the two scalps to his six-for earlier in the day that had reduced the Proteas’ first innings to 269 – a deficit of 109 runs. The veteran left-arm will pose the premier threat again on a wearing sharp-turning surface, and the likes of Ryan Rickelton and first innings centurion Tony de Zorzi, who are the unbeaten batters at…

IN A shocking twist, police discovered two women in the boot of a hijacked City of Cape Town law enforcement vehicle. This was revealed as three men accused of the murder of slain Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officer Yonke Pakade made their first appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Thandolwethu Toto, 21, Asemahle Pama, 20 and Asavela Ndamase, 20, made a brief court appearance in front of a packed court. The Pakade family, law enforcement, traffic and metro police officers were in the gallery. The suspects face charges of murder common purpose, robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft, as well as two counts of kidnapping. The court heard that the faces of the accused cannot be shown as a fourth suspect is outstanding and it could jeopardise the case.…

Civil society leaders say South Africa’s Public Protector must be better resourced and supported if it is to effectively hold power to account and restore public trust. Speaking during the 30th Anniversary International Conference of the Public Protector, Dr Rachel Fischer from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), said that while the Public Protector’s office remains a key constitutional institution, it is struggling under serious capacity constraints. “The Public Protector is a Chapter 9 institution mandated by our Constitution to protect the public’s interests,” Fischer explained. “Unfortunately, it’s hamstrung by a lack of resources, both financial and human. If we want to see the Public Protector succeed, we need to adequately equip the institution rather than cutting funds that should be strengthening it.” She added that redirecting funds from non-essential…

Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, are set to tackle the persistent issue of conflict of interest when they meet today. The issue first arose on Monday when proceedings were delayed for over an hour after suspended deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, raised the issue of conflict of interest. MPs from uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and the DA, who are part of the committee, are complainants in criminal cases lodged in the wake of Mkhwanazi’s July 6 briefing. The cases led to the search and seizure raid on Sibiya last week. The MPs heard that the terms of reference of the ad hoc hearing do not empower them to make any decision on conflicts of interest. Sibiya agreed to proceed…

Cape Town, once celebrated for its scenic beauty, is now in the spotlight for its traffic congestion. The city ranks as the ninth most congested globally, with commuters losing an average of 94 hours annually to delays, equating to nearly four days stuck in traffic. The congestion not only reflects wasted time but also highlights the growing frustration, fatigue, and stress affecting thousands of residents, raising serious concerns about quality of life. According to the 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard, Cape Town was ranked the ninth most congested city in the world, with motorists losing an average of 94 hours per year to delays. But these statistics don’t just represent wasted time, they highlight the mounting frustration, fatigue and stress experienced by thousands of commuters across the city. To put it…

The Stormers boast the meanest defence in the United Rugby Championship after the first three rounds of league action. They managed to keep defending champions Leinster scoreless in their opening game and repeated the feat in last weekend’s match against the Scarlets in Wales. The only points they have conceded so far this season came in their second match against the Ospreys, when they recorded a 26-10 victory at home at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The Stormers pride themselves on big hits and lightning speed off the line, smashing opposition ball carriers with force. But much of their defensive success starts before they rush off the line — with the unseen graft at the breakdown. Their work at the defensive ruck has been central to their success, with…

“The good die young” is something we often hear these days. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock news of the passing of 42-year-old Cape Town-born rugby coach Warren Abrahams, pictured, on Friday night. Rugby has lost one of its most vibrant and dedicated coaches after Abrahams collapsed next to the field at the Safari Sevens tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, while in charge of the Belgium Women’s sevens team. His death came as a huge shock to the rugby community. In response, the Belgian Rugby Federation withdrew their team from the tournament and announced immediate support for players and staff as they dealt with the loss. Abrahams had joined the Belgium Women’s sevens team as head coach in recent years, bringing with him a wealth of experience gained…

A MASIPHUMELE man has tragically lost his life and 80 people have been left displaced after a fire ripped through the Zululand Informal Settlement during the early hours of Monday. According to residents who were affected by the blaze, the fire started around 5am. Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the City’s Fire and Rescue Service received reports of informal structures alight in Masemola Street, Masiphumelele, around 6am. “Several crews were dispatched to the scene, including the IMT Type 4 team. One person is confirmed to have died, however, their age and gender is unknown at this stage, “ Carelse said. Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that Ocean View police registered an inquest for investigation following a shack fire on Monday at a premises in Masemola…

The Hawks are investigating three cases of theft amounting to R158 million at the SA Post Office (Sapo) and Postbank after Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke became unhappy with how the matters were dealt with by the entities. In her 2024/25 audit reports for both Sapo and Postbank, Maluleke said she has been assured by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the Hawks’ official name, that the investigation is in progress after the material irregularity was referred to the law enforcement agency. The cases were opened with the Garsfontein, Tshwane police in August 2023 and two others at Pretoria Central and Park Road, Mangaung in June last year. Maluleke said in October last year the Hawks informed her that the docket was still with the prosecutor for decision making and in…

Czech fugitive and jailed organised crime boss Radovan Krejčíř faced a dilemma as the court earlier granted him permission to use his laptop in his cell for study purposes, but he cannot charge the device overnight, as he has no plug point in his cell. Krejčíř told the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, that Correctional Services are refusing to allow him to charge his laptop via an extension cord to an electrical device outside his cell. The department offered to charge his laptop overnight and give it back to him the next morning, but Krejčíř is refusing this offer. He explained that he had signed an indemnity agreement with the department that he will not hold it responsible if anything happened to his laptop He was earlier given the green light…

Proteas Women aim for perfection in World Cup The Proteas women have won three consecutive matches in the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, having beaten New Zealand, hosts India and recently Bangladesh as they recovered impressively from the embarrassing loss to England in the first match of the tournament. Though coach Mandla Mashimbyi’s side has been successful, there are still quite a number of concerns about their performances. Too often, the team unnecessarily complicate matters making what should be easy games to win into close encounters. In the match against Bangladesh earlier this week, South Africa had them 78/5 in the 23rd over, but allowed them back into the game as the subcontinent team ended up setting 233 runs as a target. Chloe Tryon’s 60-odd was key to…

BAFANA BAFANA 3 (2) Mbatha 6’, Appollis 25’, Makgopa 73’ RWANDA 0 In the heartbeat of Mpumalanga –Nelspruit – the sun shone brightly on Hugo Broos and his Bafana Bafana boys as they successfully knocked on God’s window to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Bafana beat Rwanda 3-0 to reach the promised land – automatically qualifying for the first time since 2002 – after finishing top of Group C, thanks to goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, and Evidence Makgopa. The victory was also made possible by an unexpected source: Nigeria, who beat Benin 4-0 in Lagos, dethroning them from the No 1 spot in Group C. With this region of the country also boasting the Big Five, Broos and Bafana deserved to feast on the buffalo for…

Stellenbosch FC will return to the CAF Confederations Cup this weekend, travelling to Equatorial Guinea to face 15 de Agosto FC at the Ebebiyin Stadium on Saturday. The Cape Winelands side make their entrance in the second preliminary round after reaching the last four of last season's competition, where a narrow 1-0 aggregate loss to Simba FC denied them the chance to extend their impressive continental run. With this marking their second consecutive season in Africa’s secondary premier competition, the Maroons progress on the continental stage has been undeniable, demonstrating their growth and ambition despite being a relatively young club in top-flight football. However, the team heads into this weekend’s clash following a tough start to their league campaign. After nine matches, they have claimed only a single victory and…