Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-17 i Cape Argus

Appeal against life term for ‘corrective’ rape dismissed THE Western Cape High Court has dismissed an appeal by a Cape Town man and confirmed the life imprisonment sentence imposed on him for “corrective” rape. Albro McLean, 45, had initially pleaded not guilty to rape and assault with aggravating circumstances in the Wynberg Regional Court in March 2019. But his DNA was found in the victim’s cervix, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said yesterday. During the trial, McLean first alleged that the woman was a drug addict who had consensual intercourse with him on previous occasions. She falsely implicated him when she realised he would not leave his girlfriend, he claimed. However, he changed his plea after she took the witness stand. The court heard that McLean knew she was…

To drive registrations attendees were offered a chance of winning a R500 grocery voucher Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za FOOD and beverage conglomerate Nestlé had to cancel an online talk shop after health experts warned the company was flouting national regulations by advertising foods for infants, toddlers and young children. Nestlé’s marketing webinar, “Free Stokvel Mom and Child Forum”, was to take place on August 14, but was cancelled due to mounting pressure. The webinar claimed to provide information about infant and child nutrition. Civil society coalition Healthy Living Alliance (Heala) said advertising for the webinar “prominently featured three expensive, ultra-processed and sugary Nestlé products for infants and toddlers”. Attendees at the webinar stood a chance of winning a R500 grocery voucher. Heala and nutrition experts said the advertising had…

Civil servants bill tabled Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE official opposition has submitted a private member’s bill that, if passed, will make it illegal for anyone to be appointed in the public service on the basis of their political loyalty. In May, the National Assembly published a notice inviting members of the public to submit written comments on a draft bill proposed by DA MP Leon Schreiber, who said at the time that the End Cadre Deployment Bill would make it illegal for any person who held office in a political party to be employed as a professional civil servant by the state. He said the bill would direct the Public Service Commission to enforce the requirement that all appointments be based strictly on merit. Schreiber said the DA last week…

TARRYN-LEIGH SOLOMONS tarryn-leigh.solomons@inl.co.za PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has commended the work of Transnet despite the many disruptions the entity has faced. During a briefing yesterday on the latest developments within Transnet, he said a master plan had been developed for the port of Durban and was undergoing consultation processes. The master plan would will serve as the basis for investment in the port, in respect of both the port infrastructure now governed by the Transnet National Ports Authority and the terminals and freight infrastructure that services the ports. He said that within the next decade, if all worked well, there could be a massive increase in the capacity of the Durban port, which was then expected to handle 60% of the container traffic into and out of South…

Phil Greenlees | Pinelands SO CYRIL says: “We should have been alert to corruption and that this has been the main cause of our decline as a nation”. He also admits that this country doesn’t look attractive to foreign investment. You don’t say. All of us possessed with a few functioning brain synapses have been alert to these revelations for many years. The results of corruption have long been hitting us, especially the poor, like a series of body punches, but not Cyril, or anyone else in the ANC. Still, the fact he’s admitting this is an encouraging step, as is the culling of some of the diseased dead wood in his Cabinet, although the decisions regarding the latter could do with some explanation. Or maybe not. It’s…

SOUTH Africa was recently rocked by rioting and looting that devastated the business community. An estimated 40 000 businesses were affected, which cost the country about R50 billion in lost output and endangered about 150 000 jobs. It is important to stress that the rioting and looting in South Africa was not a once-off phenomenon. Over the past few years, it has often left big and small businesses to bear the burden. Many uninsured small businesses might not reopen unless the government helps them. Depending on the extent of the damage, it could take up to 18 months to reconstruct the malls, and for businesses to become fully operational again. This means many of the small businesses might have to temporarily change their location, or permanently relocate. The problem with…

New centre to train judicial officials in refugee law Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE Judicial Institute for Africa at UCT, the International Association of Refugees and Migration Judges (IARMJ), and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a memorandum of understanding in a bid to establish a new centre to offer training for judges, magistrates and lawyers on laws affecting refugees. The collaboration would also include setting up a refugee law hub that would provide credible and up‑to‑date resources of relevant laws and case law. Southern Africa UNHCR regional director Valentin Tapsoba said the signing of the memorandum showcases the commitment of the IARMJ to improve the responses and solutions for refugees in the region in particular and in Africa in general. Tapsoba said the…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE WESTERN Cape Education Department (WCED) has drawn flak for its alleged rejection of the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) offer to employ Cuban maths and science specialists in the province. This after the DA provincial spokesperson on education Lorraine Botha’s reply to a question in the legislature revealed the WCED received “no support” from the DBE to employ Cuban specialists in the province. When the Cape Argus enquired, DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said each province decided whether it needed the Cubans or not. “Only provincial education departments could explain the reasons for not taking them. The money was available from DBE to support provinces that expressed an interest in using the services of the Cubans,” said Mhlanga. He said an agreement between South Africa and Cuba…

Arbitrator ruling on Econ Oil, Eskom case reserved Thabo Makwakwa thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za AN ARBITRATOR has reserved judgment in the Econ Oil and Eskom matter regarding tender irregularity and allegations of false invoicing amounting to R1.2 billion. Advocate Michael Kuper SC for Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa informed both legal representatives, Hilton Epstein SC for Econ Oil and Wim Trengove SC for Eskom, that he would communicate his decision on whether there should be a separation of hearing for a prescription. The dispute arose from an agreement concluded in May 2012 between Eskom and Econ Oil for the supply of fuel oil. The agreement was for five years. The interlocutory arbitration preliminary hearing was to determine whether there should be a separation of hearing for a prescription. Epstein had argued that the…

THE Marikana tragedy will remain a constant reminder of the distance that must be travelled to build a truly economically inclusive, equal and just society, the ANC said yesterday. “The ANC acknowledges that South Africans can never go back and undo the tragic events of that fateful day. However, we have a responsibility to draw valuable lessons from them,” said national spokesperson Pule Mabe. “The ANC stands with every widow, mother, father, son and daughter, brother and sister who lost a loved one during that entire period. As the governing party, we acknowledge that the fateful events of Marikana occurred on our watch.” On August 16, 2012, 34 people, mostly striking miners, were shot dead and 78 people were wounded when police fired on a group gathered at a hill…

Samaoen Osman | Crawford THE US, Nato, the international community, the people of Afghanistan, and the warring parties have realised that there is no military solution to the conflict. The continuation of war, and relying on military means, will only result in more bloodshed and violence. An immediate ceasefire should rank first among all priorities. Without a political solution, peace-building, and reconciliation, the country will continue to suffer from economic underdevelopment, dysfunctional political infrastructure, factionalism, lawlessness, and rampant corruption. After the signing of the Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban, the Afghan people were hoping for speedy positive developments. After a year of non-substantive meetings between the government and the Taliban, the talks for an intra-Afghan peace agreement have stalled. It is evident that, without third-party…

Councillor Yagyah Adams | Cape Muslim Congress THE West made a mistake invading Iraq and Afghanistan, with both outcomes the worst-case scenarios. The West, handed Iraq to the Ayatollahs of Iran and gave the Iranians the oil and gas resources of Iraq. The US, Britain, Australia, Canada and so on were militarily and financially humiliated in Iraq. In Afghanistan, the US abandoned its military bases in the middle of the night, fearing the Taliban. This is not the behaviour of a global super power. The US left before its official withdrawal date as the Taliban closed-in on scared US troops. The dishonour is obvious, as the Taliban instantly took control of US, military bases and equipment left behind. The US left in such a rush it did not…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za EMPLOYERS of domestic workers should recognise that their homes are workplaces so they must create a fair and mutually beneficial environment. So said Social Economic Rights Institute (SERI) researcher Kelebogile Khunou who, with the Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance, created a guide for employers to inform them of their rights and obligations and provide practical advice and support to assist them in improving their employment practices. Izwi co-founder Amy Tekie said that one of their findings during a public awareness campaign about domestic workers’ issues was that many employers of domestic workers were unaware of the laws which regulated domestic work. Tekie said because of this domestic workers always bore the brunt of employer non-compliance with labour laws such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. This resulted…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za CAPE Town City coach Eric Tinkler has stated his team are prepared to “play ugly football” to achieve the desired results this season. City dug deep at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday evening to find a late Mduduzi Mdantsane winner in their 2-1 victory over AmaZulu in the last MTN8 quarter-final. The visitors had taken an early lead through an excellent individual goal from Terrence Mashego within the first 10 minutes, but then allowed Benni McCarthy’s team to take the initiative which eventually led to Lehlohonolo Majoro slotting home the equaliser on the hour mark. Such circumstances last season would have seen City buckle under the pressure and relinquish the result under former coach Jan Olde Riekerink. Often City would play an attractive brand of…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka Phakama, Mandla Ncikazi, ixesha lifikile! (Stand up, Mandla Ncikazi, your time has come!) That phrase must have gained momentum yesterday when Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer resigned, citing family reasons. Early in December 2019, Pirates made the audacious decision of appointing Zinnbauer, who was an unknown figure in African football and had an underwhelming pedigree, to take over the reins from Milutin Sredojevic. As expected, his appointment was met with jeers. But Zinnbauer appeared to turn his detractors into admirers, inspiring the team to a top-three finish in the Premiership. A lot was expected from him in his first full season with the club last season. Zinnbauer appeared to heed the call, inspiring the team to the MTN8 crown as they ended a six-year trophy drought. But…

HERMAN GIBBS Talk of Keagan Dolly resurrecting the lethal ‘CBD’ triumvirate has gained momentum after his cameo stint for Kaizer Chiefs as a second-half substitute against his former team Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday. Ahead of the weekend’s MTN8 quarter-final showdown, Dolly took some flak after he looked overweight at pre-season training, but he now seems destined to play a vital role as Chiefs look to reinvent themselves following last season’s rollercoaster ride. After the match, Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi was the first to highlight Dolly’s timely intervention. He pointed out that Dolly’s pass led to Chiefs scoring the equalising goal in the clash. “Good pass from Keagan and good finish from Khama (Billiat), I must say,” Mngqithi remarked. At the time of Dolly’s signing, Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter…

Worcester killer boyfriend handed two life sentences A MURDERER, who bludgeoned his girlfriend and her 10-year-old son to death, has been sentenced to two life terms for their deaths. Moegamat Kassiem Fortuin, of Worcester, was sentenced in the Worcester Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, two years for attempted arson, and a further five years for the attempted murder of his sister. Fortuin, who was convicted on August 5, pleaded guilty. Evidence before the court revealed that Fortuin had a relationship with Melvina Adler, 30, and he murdered her, and her 10-year-old son, Jovante Clyde Deelan, at his family home in Monrone Street, in Roodewal, Worcester. The court heard that the pair had an extremely volatile…

SANDF owed R130.9m Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za SEVERAL national and provincial departments owe the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) a collective R130.9 million in debt for services rendered for more than three years. Defence and Military VeteransMinister Thandi Modise revealed this when responding in writing to DA MP Kobus Marais. In May this year, the Budget Review and Recommendation Report revealed that several departments still owed the SANDF for services rendered. Marais asked for the total amount owed by each specified department, the period of the debt and the details of the payment arrangements that were agreed to with each department. Modise said a total of R130 994 127 was owed by the Department of Correctional Services; North West Department of Health; Gauteng Department of Health; Department of Military…

Ebrahim Essa | Durban VIRTUALLY nothing gets resolved in this country: Jacob Zuma ducks. Eskom takes 14 years to commission a power plant, which suffers a mysterious, unsolved explosion two days later. No explanation. Hundreds of loyal royalists have had a friendly, 3-year-long chat with Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. What’s the bet nothing will come of it. Nine years gone after the Marikana Massacre and everybody sits back. President Cyril Ramaphosa, allegedly implicated as chairperson of Lonmin at the time, again pleads ignorance and innocence. After his performance at Zondo, doubts abound about taking his perpetual dead-pan expression at face-value. At the recent scientific measured speed of time during Covid-19 as being now close to 20 seconds a minute, and therefore 183 days for a leap year,…

THIS week I present this column as an open letter to Premier Alan Winde, mayor Dan Plato, the mayco member for health, and the directors in the Department of Social Development: Sheltering the homeless with dignity refers. I’ve worked in this sector for over a decade and received commendations from some mayco members and a minister for Social Development. Being homeless taught me more about the subject than my years at university. For over a year, I vowed to take the horrible Strandfontein experience and turn it into some good and a benefit for homeless people. I kept my word in trying to give them a voice, and civil society and government a conscience. As a response to how delegates at the Inkathalo Conversations felt about the current system to…

SIHLE MAVUSO sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za THE nephew of Ahmed Timol, Imtiaz Cajee, is confident that the reopened inquest into the death of Dr Hoosen Mia Haffejee will reveal the truth. The inquest was supposed to begin yesterday under Judge ZP Nkosi of the Pietermaritzburg High Court, but most of the day was spent in the judge’s chambers where the parties met to iron out some issues. According to Cajee, Haffejee was a 26-year-old dentist who was driving to work on August 2, 1977 when he was arrested by Special Branch police, including James Taylor and PL du Toit, and was taken to the Brighton Beach police station. Within 20 hours, he was found dead and it was alleged that he had hanged himself. The apartheid state then appointed magistrate Trevor Blunden to…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za AS impressive as the new-look Springbok team was in defeating Argentina 32-12 last week, assistant coach Deon Davids says they have to get significantly better ahead of the overseas leg of the Rugby Championship. After playing a return match against the Pumas on Saturday, the Boks have a week off before heading to Australia, where they play the Wallabies twice and then the All Blacks twice. There were 12 changes to the match 23 for Saturday’s game and the Boks surprised many by hitting the ground running and completely dominating the Argentinians. “The plan the players made for the last game was correct, but our execution was not always as effective as we would have liked it to be,” said Davids. “That said, the players found solutions…