Innehållsförteckning för 2025-10-23 från Cape Argus

Though she plays its vampy femme fatale, Jennifer Lopez is constantly receding from Kiss of the Spider Woman. The latest incarnation of Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel places its two prison cellmates – Molina, an eccentric romantic, and Valentín, a pragmatic revolutionary – squarely at the erotic and emotional centre. J-Lo is essentially an elaborate distraction, which is just fine as the story goes, but not exactly a kinetic position for a star. The film written for the screen and directed by Bill Condon is a hybrid adaptation of Puig’s book and the 1992 musical it inspired, revered by Broadway fans for a dazzling and otherworldly performance by Chita Rivera. The macabre warble of her voice and the wild jangling of her limbs are at least as memorable as any part…

EVIDENCE involving toxicology, histology and fingerprint reports are currently outstanding in the case against the Khayelitsha couple accused of raping and killing seven-year-old Lolitha Kowa. The couple briefly appeared yesterday in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court where their case was postponed to December pending outstanding forensic reports. Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni were arrested on July 23, hours after Kuyasa residents discovered Lolitha’s body about 1.5km from her home. The young girl had gone missing the previous afternoon after she played with Matyeseni’s daughter. Her body was found with a screwdriver in her head and further forensic investigations confirmed she had been raped and tried to fight off her killers. The pair faces charges of kidnapping, rape, and murder. The kidnapping charge was added earlier in the investigation as the State…

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has vowed to crack down on drug dens and Lolly lounges in Westbury and other drug-infested neighbourhoods in Gauteng. "Lolly lounges must be closed down because most of the children who should be in school are spending their time smoking whatever they are smoking there when they should be in school," Masemola said. This comes as Masemola visited the Sophiatown police station yesterday following the deaths of two teenagers, who died after being shot by their alleged gang rivals. According to a police report, seven teenagers aged 14 to 19 were ambushed by four others who opened fire on them while they were sitting on the veranda of a house in the area around lunchtime on Tuesday. Two reportedly died while five others are…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has embarked on a three-nation Asian tour aimed at deepening South Africa’s ties with Southeast Asian economies and diversifying its trade relations amid shifting global dynamics. The visit to Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia seeks to expand trade, attract investment, and strengthen multilateral cooperation. Ramaphosa is accompanied by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, and Deputy International Relations Minister Alvin Botes, along with business leaders. In Indonesia, Ramaphosa met President Prabowo Subianto, describing their talks as “good discussions concerning bilateral relations.” A key outcome was an agreement to accelerate the implementation of their 2023 defence cooperation pact. “We agreed on the need to increase trade between our two countries as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth,” Ramaphosa said. He…

A HUMAN Resource manager’s failed workplace romance with a chief operating officer has left her securing a significant legal victory against her former employer. Lauren Ebony Masimla from St Helena Bay, who was dismissed from Pioneer Fishing after her relationship with the chief operating officer deteriorated, will not be forced from her company-provided home while her unfair dismissal case is pending before the Labour Court. Masimla, who was a human resources manager at Pioneer Fishing (PTY) LTD, was dismissed from her position in June 2023, having faced charges of misconduct and dereliction of duty, but she has since taken the matter to the Labour Court for a review of the sanction. In the Labour Court, she does not seek reinstatement as a remedy but a declaration of unfair dismissal and…

It’s been a rather eventful 12 months for Springbok loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon — most of it off the field. After making his Bok debut in 2024, Dixon and the Stormers were involved in a bit of a stand-off over his contract towards the end of the previous United Rugby Championship season. The two parties were in disagreement over the interpretation of a release clause in his current deal, which runs until 2027. This was also during the time when Dixon was nursing a wrist injury, which eventually kept him out of the Springboks’ June and July Tests against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia. After that, he also failed to make South Africa’s Rugby Championship squad due to an obvious lack of game time following the injury. Since then, the…

Nottingham Forest will be hoping it is third time lucky as new manager Sean Dyche takes over the reins of the two-time European champions for the visit of Porto in the Uefa Europa League tonight. Dyche, already Forest’s third boss of a turbulent season, has arrived at the City Ground to take charge of a side seeking their first win in the competition after garnering just one point from their two previous outings. Appointed on Tuesday to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou, who won the Europa League last term with Tottenham but lasted only 40 days at Forest, Dyche will know that only victory will suffice to keep tempestuous owner Evangelos Marinakis happy. For the 54-year-old, his Forest debut marks a personal milestone as it will be his first time…

Bafana Bafana are just weeks and months away from competing at the AFCON and the Fifa World Cup respectively, but such is the disarray at Safa that their preparations for both events could be in serious jeopardy. Bafana brought euphoria across the country in the past few weeks by automatically qualifying for the global showpiece – which will be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada next June – for the first time since the 2002 edition. But that joy seems to have been short-lived in Safa's plush offices in the south of Johannesburg. The fact that Bafana coach Hugo Broos, his assistant Helman Mkhalele, and controversial team manager Vincent Tseka cut a cake yesterday to celebrate their triumph is neither here nor there, honestly. This week, it was reported…

COMMUNITY policing forums are calling on authorities to place pressure on criminal gangs and conduct stop-and-search operations to rid communities of firearms following five mass shootings in Cape Town in less than a week. The call comes less than a week since the provincial SAPS launched its Safer Festive Season Operations under Operation Shanela II. The most recent occurred in Site C, Khayelitsha, on Tuesday night, when two men were killed and another wounded. Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the shooting took place in Nkonjane Street at about 11.25pm. “Khayelitsha police are investigating two counts of murder and one of attempted murder following the incident, in which two males aged 31 and 34 were fatally wounded and a 24-year-old male was injured. The suspect or suspects fled…

The University of Fort Hare may be placed under administration following a recommendation by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education. This comes in the wake of recent violent student protests and deepening governance challenges at the institution. Committee Chairperson Tebogo Letsie said placing the university under administration would help stabilise the situation and rebuild trust between students and management. The Eastern Cape university has been rocked by unrest that culminated in the burning of seven buildings, some of which hold national heritage status. “Some of the university’s buildings are national heritage sites and a Unesco World Heritage Site,” he said. The committee visited the campus on Tuesday as part of an urgent oversight programme following the unrest. During the visit, members of Parliament assessed the extent of the damage and…

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) said it strongly condemns the hate speech, personal attacks, and defamatory commentary directed at Dr Jean Redpath, a researcher at our Dullah Omar Institute,. This follows her recent contributions to the national debate on policing and public accountability. Gasant Abarder, UWC’s Manager: Media and Marketing confirmed, when asked by the Cape Argus, that no formal action would be taken at this stage. “The utterances were made on online platforms in the comment sections of reputable media houses, one in particular which has the largest audience for a news site in South Africa,” he explained. Professor Robert Balfour, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of UWC called on media platforms to scrutinise commentary by the public, which provided hate speech and defamatory comment. “Dr Redpath is a…

Proteas Women’s all-rounder Marizanne Kapp insists South Africa need to continue improving their basics ahead of their final round-robin fixture against Australia in Indore on Saturday. Following South Africa’s 150-run victory over Pakistan in Colombo on Tuesday, the Proteas Women registered their fifth consecutive win in the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup – a feat the team has achieved for the first time in World Cups. Kapp delivered a stellar all-round performance against Pakistan, scoring an unbeaten 68 and taking three wickets, earning the Player of the Match award. In previous games, various players have stepped up for the team, helping South Africa book a semi-final spot with two matches to spare. Despite what looks like a flawless round-robin campaign for the Proteas women thus far, Kapp believes the…

McLaren have confirmed that they will continue to back both their drivers equally in the 2025 Formula 1 world drivers' championship title fight – at least until one of them is mathematically out of contention. It is a decision that team principal Andrea Stella says is rooted in fairness and team harmony, but it may come at the cost of losing crucial points in an increasingly intense championship battle. With just five races and two sprint events remaining, Oscar Piastri currently leads the McLaren charge, but Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are closing in fast. The Woking-based team are walking a tightrope between sportsmanship and strategic precision, and the next few weekends could determine whether their open-competition policy proves noble or naïve. “We are not going to close the door…

It’s been a season of growth and quiet authority for Bulls lock Reinhardt Ludwig, one that now sees the 23-year-old emerge as a genuine leader within the squad. Ludwig’s composed performance as stand-in captain in last week’s hard-fought win over Connacht caught the attention of coach Johan Ackermann, who believes the young forward is beginning to mature into one of the Bulls’ most influential figures on and off the field. The Bulls’ United Rugby Championship tour has tested the depth and resolve of Ackermann’s men. Ludwig was handed the captaincy for the match in Galway in the absence of senior stars such as Ruan Nortjé and Marcell Coetzee, a move that paid off handsomely as the Bulls ground out a crucial away victory. Ludwig’s progression has been one of…

Defending a world championship title belt is often harder than having earned it. This is something the Proteas were acutely aware of when they saw their World Test Championship schedule for the next two years with three tours to the subcontinent included, starting with this on-going series in Pakistan. There were going to be moments where their skill and character would be put to the ultimate test, and how they stood up from the canvas would be a defining factor. It would require their most senior players to lead the way when the furnace heated up. Enter Kagiso Rabada. But not with the ball as is customary, but rather through his flaying willow which helped the Proteas turn this second Test on its head with the visitors now holding the…

INTERPOL has announced a first-of-its-kind operation targeting terrorism financing and the illegal activity supporting it, has led to 83 arrests across six African countries and the identification of 160 persons of interest. Interpol indicated that Operation Catalyst, which took place from July to September, aimed to identify and disrupt financial flows and schemes found to have connections to terrorism financing and its support networks. Of the 83 arrests, 21 were for terrorism-related crimes, 28 were for financial fraud and money laundering, 16 were linked to cyber-enabled scams and a further 18 were related to the illicit use of virtual assets. Over the two-month operation, jointly co-ordinated by Interpol and Afripol, authorities across participating countries screened more than 15 000 persons of interest and entities, uncovering around $260 million in both…

TWO Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) officers escaped with their lives after they were shot and attacked during a violent confrontation with the community while pursuing a stolen vehicle in Lavender Hill. According to the Cape Argus’ sister newspaper, the Daily Voice, a source said a tip-off was received that a Toyota Conquest was stolen. A pointing out took place which led police to the BP Garage in Capricorn on Tuesday. The vehicle was chased down Prince George Drive towards Lavender Hill. The source said: “The members tried to block the vehicle and shot its wheels, but missed. The vehicle was chased to Mirby Road, Lavender Hill where it was then blocked off again and it nearly knocked over a SAPS member. “Shots were fired and the vehicle came to a…

Suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu yesterday said he is “baffled” why his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) made some in the police top brass link him to drug cartels. Responding to questions, Mchunu said he was wondering why National Commissioner Fannie Masemola and KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made such a serious allegation during their testimonies in the inquiry probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system. “It is something I am still baffled about that I am associated with drug cartels. Now, I am saying there is no drug cartel that I am linked to. There is none, and I never acted in support, directly or indirectly, of any drug cartel in South Africa. It never happened,” he said. Mchunu was responding to…

A SIGNIFICANT milestone has been achieved, a first for African aviation with the arrival of a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi powered by sustainable aviation fuel produced in Kenya. The announcement was made by the City of Cape Town’s mayco member for Economic Growth, James Vos yesterday. “As someone who has long championed the Open Skies policy for Africa, this moment is especially meaningful. Because as we connect our cities to grow trade and tourism, we must do it responsibly. That means ensuring that our open skies are also clean skies.” Vos added that this is a defining milestone showing that sustainable aviation fuel can be produced and used right here in Africa, advancing our continent’s shift toward low-carbon aviation and green-growth innovation. “Not long ago, I was in Nairobi…

Paris Saint-Germain scored seven and both Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven hit six in big victories while Arsenal crushed Atletico Madrid 4-0 on a prolific night of Champions League action on Tuesday. Erling Haaland was among the scorers in Manchester City's 2-0 win at Villarreal as a total of 43 goals rained down across nine games. However, it was champions PSG who stole the show with their 7-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Desire Doue scored twice in between goals by Willian Pacho and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for PSG in a first half which saw Alejandro Grimaldo miss a penalty and Aleix Garcia net from the spot for Leverkusen. Both sides had a man sent off in the opening period, with Robert Andrich seeing red for Leverkusen and Illia Zabarnyi walking…

Having buried the ghosts of Ulster, the Sharks are aiming to finish their United Rugby Championship opening month on a high when they face bottom-placed Scarlets at Kings Park in their last outing before the November Test window. Still searching for a victory after a fruitless start to the new season, the Durban side has decided not to dwell too much on this past weekend’s missed opportunities, but to rectify them on Saturday when the struggling Welsh outfit hit the shores of KwaZulu-Natal. They had a tough week of preparation after the Ulster fallout, and according to Springbok centre André Esterhuizen, they have a couple of things to rectify before the big break. “The key message was to get everyone on the same page so that we can play to…

One plus one makes 11. The proverb, of course, refers to when two individuals or entities work together, they create something greater than the sum of their parts. It further suggests that two people together are more powerful than when they are apart. Unfortunately for Liverpool Football Club, this cannot be more true with their No 11 Mohamed Salah struggling without his other one, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who ran out his contract before leaving for Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer. Salah has endured a quiet start to the 2025/26 season with just two goals and two assists in eight Premier League appearances. It's his lowest attacking metrics since joining the club in 2017. Crucially, the swagger and confidence that has made the Egyptian king into a cult hero at…