Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-09-05 i Cape Argus

New data, released by Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey, reveals a staggering loss of 291 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2025. The formal sector was hit hardest: trade shed 194 000 jobs, construction lost 119 000, mining declined by 35 000, private households cut 68,000 positions, and community and social services fell by 45 000. Some sectors defied the trend, with the informal sector adding 17 000 jobs and agriculture growing by 6 000. As a result, the official unemployment rate jumped one percentage point to 32.9%, leaving 8.2 million South Africans without work. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes discouraged job seekers, climbed to 42.9%, leaving more than 8.3 million people officially unemployed and a staggering 25 million working-age South Africans currently not in any…

A 14-year-old BOY has been denied bail after he was arrested and charged with the murder of a 31-year-old man and attempted murder of a four-year-old child in Atlantis . The teen, who cannot be named because he is a minor, made an appearance at the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court this week, where the state led a successful opposition of his release on bail. The State is set to prove that the teen, who was allegedly armed with a firearm, shot and killed the man and wounded the toddler, Tuesday in Hoop Crescent, Saxonsea in Atlantis. Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie explained: “Police members and detectives worked tirelessly and traced a 14-year-old suspect within two hours after perpetrating a murder and an attempted murder on September 3 at 7.30am in…

The Ummati Community Upliftment Project, a Tafelsig-based non-profit, is a City of Cape Town grant recipient improving waterways. The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate provides funding to Ummati and 10 other community organizations to foster partnerships, change resident interaction with sewerage infrastructure, and promote resident-led activities to protect urban rivers and the environment. Ummati’s project focuses on education, awareness, and job creation, including “Keep it flowing: water, sanitation and you” workshops for 18-24 year-old’s. These sessions cover responsible water use, causes of sewer blockages, and good sanitation, concluding with clean-up activities in local parks. Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation, said: “The City cannot tackle the vast challenges in the water and sanitation sector alone. By forming meaningful partnerships like the one with Ummati, we…

The biggest talking point in the build-up to tomorrow’s crunch clash between the All Blacks and the Springboks is the home team’s 31-year unbeaten record at Eden Park and South Africa’s inability to win a match there since 1937. But the so-called “hoodoo” is somewhat of a farce, because Rassie Erasmus’s team are playing at Eden Park for the first time (Erasmus took over as Bok coach in 2018), while the last time the Boks played at the iconic stadium was in 2013. Of the match 23 that will take on the All Blacks tomorrow, only veterans Willie Le Roux, Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth featured in that 2013 defeat to the Kiwis. That makes it difficult for this Springbok team to fear playing at Eden Park, as 20 of…

The Western Cape’s rising mixed martial arts talent will take centre stage this weekend at the Sunningdale Sports Complex in Milnerton. Barebones MMA returns for its fifth edition tomorrow, featuring 16 amateur fights, including six title bouts and one contender matchup. Since its inception, Barebones MMA has provided a platform for up-and-coming mixed martial artists from across the Cape, moulding and producing some of the region’s most exciting stars. One of those athletes is Knockout Centre’s champion, Phillip Cronje, who will face Elite Gym’s Ezrah Parrang in the Men’s Lightweight Title fight — the evening’s main event. The card will open with a Youth A Featherweight bout between Ashiq Rhode (House of Warriors) and Hopefield’s Austin Armstrong, with the action starting at 3.20pm. The co-main event sees the Performance Institute’s…

Lewis Hamilton is in the midst of a crisis of confidence and results that the Formula One icon has never known in his storied career, as Ferrari’s fans hope for a sharp turnaround at the Italian Grand Prix. Seven-time F1 champion Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello made Ferrari’s vociferous support dream of an end to an 18-year wait for a world title to be won by a driver in red. Instead, the 40-year-old trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by a whopping 200 points after a disastrous campaign with Ferrari which has not brought him any GP wins, nor even a single podium finish. Last weekend’s Dutch GP was the lowest point of the year for the Scuderia, with both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc crashing out of a race which had been…

The man arrested and charged with the murder of a Bloubergstrand car guard has been granted bail. Neo Malignant, 30, of Cape Town central, made an appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where his bail application proceeded. Malignant was arrested on August 31, along with a 24-year-old woman, for the murder of the car guard, who was stabbed to death during the early hours of the same day in Marine Circle, Bloubergstrand. On Tuesday, before the court proceedings, the charge of murder was withdrawn against the woman and she was freed. The State contended that they were opposing Malignant’s release on bail. He was, however, granted R5 000 with conditions attached. The matter was postponed to November 26 for further investigation. The police traced the couple to…

THE motion of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa by the MK Party is still being processed for approval before it is tabled for consideration by Parliament. This development comes hot on the heels of the party having to resubmit the motion in an effort to ensure compliance with parliamentary rules. This emerged when MK Party chief Colleen Makhubele enquired at the meeting of the National Assembly Programme Committee yesterday. The motion is not included in Parliament’s programme for the term, which ends with the constituency period from September 22 until October 5. “We submitted a motion of no confidence. We would like to know when it will be tabled and how far it is,” Makhubele said. “I know there are amendments that were submitted. I don’t see it in…

A heated debate in the Western Cape Legislature this week laid bare deep political divisions over how to tackle the province’s violent crime crisis. Opposition parties are accusing the DA of failing communities, while the governing party placed the blame squarely on national policing failures. The debate was introduced by DA MPL Gillion Bosman, who warned that the province is facing “a crisis where dangerous criminals are released on parole and are back in our communities, while SAPS vacancies remain unfilled”. Bosman said the recent spate of shootings in Delft, Gugulethu, Muizenberg, and Eerste River, which claimed more than 30 lives in just weeks, showed how the justice and policing system is failing residents. “Families are being torn apart because the system cannot keep violent offenders behind bars,” he said.…

UCT visual artist Zenaéca Singh, who graduates with her Master’s in Fine Art next week, is using sugar properties to tell the rich story of indentured Indians who left their homeland to work in the sugar plantations in the British Colony of Natal from 1860 to 1911. The university explained that more than 150 000 Indians migrated to Natal with promises of a better life, which never happened. Instead, working conditions were punitive, with pathetic wages, poor housing conditions, extended working hours and numerous injustices on sugar estates. Now at the brink of her graduation, Singh’s work focuses on the complex history of the sugar economy in South Africa. It explores migration, colonialism, labour exploitation, and the dynamics of the domestic sphere, through painting and sculpting with sugar. “My use…

Trust is a rare commodity in South African football. When you have been in the game long enough, you know that back-stabbing is par for the course. And it happens all round, often within the same club. Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos appears to have discovered this for the first time this week. At his arrival press conference ahead of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria, the Belgian resembled a man who had just seen a ghost when he spoke about the lack of information from the clubs. Having worked hard to develop a relationship with them, the silver-haired coach was stunned by the response he received from one club when he enquired about the condition of a player he was interested in. “Their reaction was, ‘we…

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile has pledged his commitment to the club after a much-discussed move away failed to materialise, insisting he is ready to fight for his place in the team. The Brazilians endured a challenging transfer window, marked by several departures and uncertainty around key players’ futures. For coach Miguel Cardoso, having his star striker available again comes as a major boost as Sundowns chase domestic dominance and an elusive second CAF Champions League title. The club has made significant changes to the squad, letting go of some players while welcoming new faces, including former Stellenbosch FC defender Fawaaz Basadien. Shalulile was one of the most talked-about players of the window, with strong rumours linking him to a move to North Africa. At 31, and with his starting…

Open Book Festival Be a part of enriching conversations with this festival that highlights important societal conversations. This event features a panel discussion, comic book creators, food stalls, graffiti artists doing live art and even more books to purchase and indulge in. Where: The HCC Homecoming Centre. When: Runs until Sunday. Show times differ, depending on the day. BOO!: Monkey Business Tour Experience vibrant and electrifying performances as SA's monkipunk legends, BOO!, embark on their Mother City tour. After garnering worldwide recognition from the 1990s, the monkipunk group still continue to captivate the audiences with their electrifying performances. Enjoy a line-up of songs that merges punk, rock, and electronic music, taking the stage by storm and bringing attendees their usual chaotic yet unforgettable performance. Where: The Alma Cafe. When: Sunday…

The Mouille Point Ratepayers’ Association (MPRA) supports the V&A Waterfront’s rezoning application, acknowledging its economic benefits and job creation as its R20bn redevelopment phases moves from heritage assessment to environmental authorisation. However, the MPRA said they were concerned about potential increased building heights, negatively affecting views, and additional traffic impacting surrounding suburbs. They request that these negative impacts, especially traffic, be thoroughly investigated. The R20 billion project is set to be rolled out over 15 to 20 years and involves reclaiming 3.2 hectares from Table Bay and constructing new mixed-use facilities, including residential, hotel, leisure, and commercial spaces, along with public amenities like a coastal walkway and tidal pools. The development, proposed by V&A Waterfront Holdings (Pty) Ltd, requires Environmental Authorisation under the National Environmental Management Act and approval for…

A SOCIAL worker broke down while reading a heartbreaking victim impact report after a child was raped, impregnated and left HIV positive by her stepfather who was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Parow Regional Court heard gripping details from the social worker who explained that during their first counselling session, the victim, who was 10 years old at the time, was pregnant. The accused pleaded not guilty, despite DNA evidence revealing that he is the father of the child. The social worker read from the victim’s report: “Before I was happy, I had my own room. When I woke up at 07:00 my stepdad had sex with me, he said I mustn’t say anything. “I used to sleep in my mom’s bed in the middle of them. He said to…

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has raised its concerns as it believes the government is ‘soft-peddling’ when it comes to live exports of animals. On July 11, the Department of Agriculture invited public comments on the proposed Regulations for the Exportation of Live Animals by Sea, made under section 10 of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962. These regulations are intended to replace the existing Guidelines for the Exportation of Live Animals by Sea issued in March 2023. According to the NSPCA, it lodged a detailed submission in outright opposition to the draft regulations. The organisation said it has consistently rejected live animal export by sea as inherently cruel and unenforceable. It said the current draft not only fails to…

Following this week’s admission of 16 amici curiae (friends of the court) who will assist the Western Cape High Court with insights concerning the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development welcomed the court’s decision. In its litigation, the applicants challenge the constitutionality of provisions under the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007, and the City of Cape Town By-Law on Streets, Public Places, and the Prevention of Noise Nuisances (the By-laws), insofar as they criminalise the provision and solicitation of sex work. The main application, brought by S.H. and Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), against the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, will be heard from May…

Playing in leagues like The Hundred in the UK is not only valuable experience but also vital for understanding the minds of the world’s best cricketers, Proteas Women all-rounder Chloe Tryon believes. Tryon returned this week from England alongside Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt, who also featured in the short-format competition. She and Wolvaardt represented Southern Brave and reached the final, only to fall short. “It was a bit disappointing not to win the final, but I cherished the experience nonetheless,” Tryon said in an exclusive interview with Independent Media. The Durban-born all-rounder has a few days’ rest before she and the rest of the squad head to Pakistan for a three-match ODI series, which will also double-up as warm-up matches for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Playing in…

Springbok lock Ruan Nortje says it has not fully sunk in that he is about to achieve his childhood dream of playing for the Springboks against the All Blacks in New Zealand. The 27-year-old featured in the Boks’ two home victories over the All Blacks in last year’s Rugby Championship, but he has not faced the old foe on their own soil — let alone at Eden Park, the New Zealand fortress where the All Blacks have won their last 50 matches, stretching back to 1994. In fact, of the match 23 selected for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash in Auckland, only veterans Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi have played at Eden Park before. “It is an unbelievable privilege for me to play against New Zealand in New Zealand,” Nortje said.…

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Monday backed new Liverpool recruit Florian Wirtz to return to his best form after a low-key start to his Premier League career. Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer for €125 million plus bonuses, but has not stood out despite the Reds winning their first three matches. Speaking to reporters in Bratislava before Germany's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia yesterday, Nagelsmann called the 22-year-old midfielder "a key player for us". The coach said Wirtz had "not been incredibly dominant", and added he needed time to adjust at Liverpool. "You have to look at the whole gang playing around him. They've spent a few euros on the top squad they've got there and you don't always stand out as an individual. "Rather it's the…