Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-05-12 i Cape Argus

Parties condemn suggestion in Green Paper Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za POLITICAL parties drawing support from religious voters have slammed a proposal that South Africa’s marriage laws allow women to marry more than one man. Allowing polyandry is one of a number of proposals in the Green Paper the Department of Home Affairs said it had gazetted for public comment. Al Jama-ah Party leader Ganief Hendricks said they would support street protests if polyandry was included in legislation. It was the government’s responsibility to “uphold decent moral values”, he said. “The second and subsequent marriages in a polyandrous marriage will be considered by Al Jama-ah as an adulterous relationship.” He said the Bill is expected to be ready for Cabinet approval in 2023. “Disapproval will also form part of our manifesto for…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za POLICE Minister Bheki Cele yesterday apologised to the victims of crime for the harm caused by the massive backlogs in processing DNA specimens in national forensic science laboratory services. “I want to take this opportunity to apologise sincerely to all victims of crime for the pain and anguish these delays have caused. “We owe it to all of you to be transparent on how we got here and how we will improve the situation as we go forward,” Cele said. He was speaking in the National Assembly during a debate initiated by the DA on the DNA crisis in the SAPS national forensic science laboratories. The outstanding DNA results stood at 172 787 kits in February, the backlog dating as far back as April 2019. Cele said…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za Former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) group chief executive Lucky Montana says it would be a gross act of injustice if he was not given the opportunity to tell his side of the story at the Zondo Commission. Montana, testifying for the sixth day at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, spent a massive amount of time challenging evidence-leader advocate Vas Soni yesterday. By the end of the day, Montana asked to make an application to have Soni recused from leading evidence against him. It was expected that Montana would be ending his testimony, however, he again told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that he still needed to tell his side of the story, and that his time at the Commission was mainly spent…

Once again the Taliban have carried out a brutal and cowardly attack on civilians by detonating a car bomb near a girl's school in Kabul, resulting in the death of 50, with over a 100 injured. The Taliban will continue to try and impose their Sharia law ideology on Afghanistan by attacking such soft targets as school children and civilians. Yet despite these incessant, cowardly attacks, the Taliban continue to enjoy widespread support. The situation in Afghanistan is a typical example of what happens when the populace have been indoctrinated into religious beliefs and underlines why the vast majority of countries which are strongly religious are characterised by conflict, poverty and illiteracy, whilst countries that are strongly secular enjoy the highest social and economic standards. The examples of countries afflicted…

PN Hendricks | Hanover Park GROWING up in Hanover Park and living there for over 40 years has taught me many things. I have come to know myself, neighbours, friends, and who is poor and those who have more than others to give. This so-called “coloured” community prepares you for many challenges in life. You don’t trust easily, even those close to you. You don’t just agree with whatever happens. You share the little you have with whoever knocks on your door. You eat and fast with your Muslim friends or neighbours. When you do sports, the dream is to be the best ... if it’s soccer, rugby or tennis. The challenges remain but challenge and encourage you to excel at it. The attitude of endurance in times…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has convened an inquiry into allegations of a prohibition on the use of Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University (SU). The hearing, which was held on Monday by commissioner Chris Nissen and SU rector and vice-chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers, was part of the commissioner’s ongoing inquiry into the allegations and complaints. During the engagement, De Villiers said the suggestion that students across campus, as a matter of university policy, had at any time been prohibited from communicating in Afrikaans, was false. “There is no ban on Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University – not in lecture halls, in residences, or anywhere else on campus. That is not our policy,” said De Villiers. DA constituency head at Stellenbosch, Leon Schreiber, said the SAHRC’s…

African countries must embrace the concept of good food as good medicine Fresh impetus is being directed into identifying and advocating for scientific priorities in the area of food security and nutrition across Africa, with a particular focus on health implications. At the centre of these efforts is a five-year project initiated by the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Africa, a partnership between the African Academy of Sciences and the African Union Development Agency – Nepad. This project aims to identify the continent’s most urgent research and development questions and to advocate for investments in these areas. This will go a long way in helping the continent achieve its vision of transforming lives through science. As a professor of pharmacology and having worked in the field of African indigenous medical…

LUCKNOW, India: Scores of bodies are washing up on the banks of the Ganges amid deaths and cremations in India of around 4 000 people a day from the novel coronavirus. India now accounts for one in three reported virus deaths across the world, a Reuters tally shows. Its health system is overwhelmed, despite international donations of oxygen cylinders. Rural parts of India are now also running short of wood for traditional Hindu cremations. Authorities said yesterday they were investigating the discovery of scores of bodies floating down the Ganges in two separate states. “It is very difficult to say where these dead bodies have come from,” said M P Singh, the top government official in Ghazipur district, in Uttar Pradesh. Akhand Pratap, a local resident, said “people are immersing…

LONDON: A juvenile minke whale that became stranded in London’s River Thames has been put down after its condition deteriorated and vets decided it could not survive in the open water. The whale, measuring 3-4m, was first spotted in south-west London on Sunday and was washed ashore at a set of gates controlling water flow. Rescue efforts by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) service and firefighters failed when the whale slipped its leash and then swam upriver, instead of towards the sea. “The last 45 minutes we were with the whale its condition was deteriorating, its breathing wasn’t right and it wouldn’t have survived much longer,” BDMLR national co-ordinator Julia Cable said late Monday.…

ESHLIN VEDAN and MIHLALI BALEKA RICHARD Mbulu’s 37th-minute goal consigned AmaZulu to their first defeat since February as Usuthu fell to a 1-0 loss against Baroka FC at King Zwelithini Stadium yesterday. The result has effectively cleared the path for Mamelodi Sundowns to stroll towards another Premiership title. Bakgaga’s goal came against the run of play with Evidence Makgopa first producing a dummy before finding Mbulu, who cut in from inside and fired in a shot which sailed beyond AmaZulu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa. Baroka showed confidence against their second-placed opponents and had their first shot on goal as early as the third minute. Makgopa capitalised following a defensive error from Mbongeni Gumede, though the 20-year-old striker ended up failing to take advantage of the opportunity. After meeting a pass…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za LOBBY groups have demanded answers from SANParks over safety risks after more attacks on Table Mountain National Park users. There were two recent incidents on the mountains above Soetwater. Three trail runners were attacked and one was slightly injured. The other incident involved an attempted mugging near the Bos 400 Wreck. André van Schalkwyk of Table Mountain Watch said it was a only matter of time before there was another death. He said for years they had made proposals for the joint management of safety in the park, but these were met with reluctance and rejection. “Now we’re told about this R2 billion Mission Area Joint Operations Centre (MAJOC), which they would be launching at some yet-to-be-disclosed date, but there are no clear set objectives or time…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za ALL eyes will be on suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule today. The senior governing party leader was given until today to apologise to President Cyril Ramaphosa or face disciplinary action following his decision to write an “unlawful suspension letter” to a sitting president of the party. Yesterday, Magashule and his supporters suffered another blow when acting secretary-general Jessie Duarte dismissed any possibility for an early elective conference for the ANC. This comes after national executive (NEC) member Dakota Legoete recently advocated for an early conference due to the factional fights within the party at last weekend’s NEC meeting, but Duarte’s comments on the outcome of the meeting yesterday poured cold water on the matter. “There was no decision on an early conference. Such a decision must be…

Embassy of Israel in South Africa. Since May 10 Palestinian terrorist organisations in Gaza have been firing rockets at the capital city of Israel, Jerusalem, other cities across the country, and Israeli communities along the border with Gaza. Since May 10, more than 200 rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians. These events are part of a wave of terror being led by the terrorist organisation Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and are the result of reckless and irresponsible incitement to violence. The Palestinian terrorist organisations committed another war crime, launched an indiscriminate attack on a civilian population, and assaulted the holiness of the city of Jerusalem. Israel sought to achieve calm in Jerusalem. We took every measure to prevent conflict or violence and to…

We condemn the determination of the Israeli regime to evict Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Al Jarrah, East Jerusalem. This development must not be seen in isolation. It is part of a well co-ordinated and elaborate agenda by apartheid Israel to entrench its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and to render the people of Palestine landless in their own land. We also condemn the callous brutality and repression meted out against innocent Palestinian protesters at Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, where more than 200 peaceful protesters were injured. A situation where Palestinians are forced off their land and into exile or refugee camps must not be allowed. We have consistently expressed its profound opposition to the colonial occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli regime.…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za CAPE Town-based visual artist Loyiso Mkize has made a breakthrough, becoming the first South African to illustrate an international comic. Mkize, 34, was originally from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape and studied graphic design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Partnering with Warner Bros’ DC Comics, he has illustrated a Batman comic. Mkize has illustrated volume 4 of Batman: Urban Legends, with Batwing, aka Luke Fox, taking on “The Riddler”. It is set to go on sale in the US on June 8. In the DC universe, Batwing is often referred to as the “Batman of Africa”, which has contributed to Mkize’s career being centred on comics since its inception. Mkize worked as head illustrator of the popular soccer comic book series Supa Strikas until 2014,…

Staff Reporter THE Milnerton Holistic and Wellness Market is an event held on the last Saturday of each month, from 10am till 2.30pm, at the Jansen Road community hall in Milnerton. An indoor and outdoor market, it offers wellness, healing and food products to the public – encouraging a positive, healthy lifestyle. Food stalls include coffee, sweet and savoury treats and vegetarian-friendly goodies, while also on offer are natural skincare ranges, quality incense, crystals, jewellery, creative clothing, crocheted beanies and bags for winter. There’s a hair stylist doing cuts and trims; healing 30-minute stress release body sessions (a combination of acupressure, alignment and balancing and massage), Reiki therapy; angel card reading; astrology readings/guidance and more. The next market to be held on Saturday, May 29, hosts consciousness leader and writer…

LAST week, a picture popped up on social media of suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, seated and allegedly playing a game of chess. That picture was supposed to convey a message to his supporters that, like former president Jacob Zuma (a known chess player), his moves were carefully calculated and strategic. But instead, Magashule’s play was ridiculed by chess know-it-alls and none other than Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov for being a “photo-op” move. Facing criminal charges over the R255 million Free State government asbestos roof tender, which happened while he was the province’s premier, Magashule was forced to “step aside” in terms of the ANC’s 54th conference resolutions. The “step aside” resolution, adopted at the ANC’s Nasrec conference, was so broad in its interpretation that anyone in the party could…

At least nine people were killed after shooting broke out yesterday at a high school in the central Russian city of Kazan, local news agencies reported. Citing local sources, agencies reported that two people had opened fire at School No 175 in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s republic of Tatarstan. Interfax reported that one of the attackers, a 17-year-old, had been detained but that a second assailant was still inside the school building. It said nine pupils and one teacher had been killed and that police had sealed off the fourth floor of the school and were attempting to detain the second attacker. News agency Tass also reported nine dead and said 10 people had been injured, including several children. Tatarstan president Rustam Minnikhanov had arrived at the scene, agencies…

BOGOTA: Colombia’s three largest cities are bracing for an extended third peak in coronavirus cases and over-stretched intensive care units after nearly two weeks of anti-government protests, local authorities said. Demonstrations fueled by outrage at a now-canceled tax plan began on April 28. Protesters’ demands have expanded to include a basic income, an end to police violence and the withdrawal of a long-debated health reform. Marches look set to continue for the foreseeable future, with protest leaders and the government at odds despite an initial meeting to discuss the demands. Capital Bogota is confronting a “hospital collapse,” Mayor Claudia Lopez said in a press conference on Monday.…

Today’s Premiership fixtures ZAAHIER ADAMS zaahier.adams@inl.co.za KAIZER Chiefs will need to lift themselves for another Soweto derby today if they hope to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the Premiership’s top eight. Amakhosi are currently three points off the pace in ninth position, which is in complete contrast to their form in the CAF Champions League, where they will face Tanzanian champions Simba FC in the quarter-finals on Saturday. However, before Chiefs can start dreaming of continental glory, they will need to take care of business closer to home with neighbours Swallows FC set to visit FNB Stadium today (5pm kick-off). “They have been playing some good football, so we know what to expect from them and we are preparing well for them,” admitted Chiefs defender Yagan Sasman. “I…

The Premier League has welcomed the British government’s announcement on the easing of lockdown restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and chief executive Richard Masters says it is their priority to have full stadiums next season. The government said in February that under the third stage of its four-stage “roadmap”, stadiums would – if all conditions are met – from May 17 be allowed to hold up to 50% of their capacity, or 4 000 people, whichever is lower. A special provision will be made for large outdoor, seated venues, so that they can open their doors to up to 10 000 people or 25% of the capacity, whichever is lower. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday the roadmap would progress as planned. “It’ll be brilliant to see fans back.…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za When media personality Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung found himself at the top of the trends list on Monday morning, he was probably just as shocked as the rest of Mzansi. It all started on Twitter when a picture of Somizi replying to his husband’s tweet started making its rounds. In the picture, Mohale Motaung-Mhlongo tweeted: “For the record, abusers and scammers are two different things. I’ll stop here.” Somizi replied to the tweet by apparently swearing at Mohale. The streets of Twitter were in a mess. At face value the tweets appear authentic, with the correct user names for both Somizi and Mohale and the correct profile pictures used, but Somizi has said they are fake. The Idols SA judge tweeted both tweets were fake. “ … this…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons The Special Investigation Unit has lamented how the country is still grappling with corruption and inequality. In a presentation made to the portfolio committee on justice in Parliament yesterday, SIU head advocate Andy Mothibi said Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are the top hotspot provinces for corruption. According to the SIU, Gauteng accounts for 44% of complaints lodged with the unit with whistle-blowers mainly coming from the City of Johannesburg at 22.1%, followed by the City of Tshwane at 10.1% and Ekurhuleni Municipality at 7.1%. KZN was identified as the province with the second highest number of corruption cases, with 13% matters reported, followed by the Western Cape with 10% of cases reported. The eThekwini Municipality makes up 5.8% of the corruption reports in KZN, while…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za A SURREY Estate Islamic school principal and educator has pleaded not guilty to three counts related to sexual assault, sexual grooming, and exposing a minor to child pornography and sexually explicit content. Abdul Karriem Davids, 46, appeared in the Sexual Offences Court at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Davids’s wife, sister and father were present inside Courtroom G, behind him as the charges were read. Davids founded the Halawa tul Quran hifth academy in Taurus Road, Surrey Estate, after an internal investigation was launched by his former place of employment, Jam ’Eyyatul Qurra, into allegations of sexual harassment made against him by a staff member. Davids resigned with immediate effect. The court heard that between 2016 and 2019 Davids had unlawfully and non-consensually committed acts of…

This week’s word is pragmatism. The idea is to trigger discussion or galvanise further research. Whatever your level of interest, it is a win-win situation for all. For argument’s sake, I shall be pragmatic this week and not climb onto the wagon of the disintegrating ANC, the toothless justice system, the hi-jinks of the diffident Ace Magashule. Or even the ominously quiet Jacob Zuma. I shall use my space to deal with words. Pragmatism is an approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. Put simply, it means to think of or deal with problems in a practical way, rather than by using theory of abstract principles. Associated words are pragmatist and pragmatic. The term is often used as the opposite (antonym) of…

MOHAMED SAEED | Pietermaritzburg THE brutal, inhumane, illegal and unacceptable crimes against humanity that are being waged against Palestinians, the indigenous people of the land, need to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The disgusting scenes of settler violence in Sheikh Jarrah and other parts of Palestine are nothing new. The Palestinians have been subjected to this brutal violence of systematic discrimination, displacement, persecution and dominance even before Israel declared its illegal independence on the Palestinian homeland. It still continues, relentless till this day. The Palestinian good fight for freedom, human dignity and human rights against a brutal regime is a just and moral right. Global leaders need to stop using hollow language such as “clashes” or “deep concern”, or “evictions” or “de-escalate tensions” to describe the…

Jean Michel Bouvier | Bryanston AFTER a three-day meeting all the ANC NEC came up with was not to try to solve any of the problems plaguing our country, such as the economy, education, the land reform, the failed municipalities and the most pernicious enemy: the pandemic. The president came on TV with a lot of fluff of a non-plan, as he squirms away from reality, uttering whatever inanities will get them re-elected and trying to put his foot down. He was still talking about “collective leadership” while the country is sinking. Some leadership. No one will be responsible for what damage they have done or keep on doing to the country and its people. Small wonder none of them is behind bars as yet.…

Staff reporter A WEST Coast dad is R13 million richer after hitting the Lotto jackpot a week ago, Lotto operator Ithuba has said. The winning ticket was purchased on the National Lottery website, with a ticket wager of R10 using the quick pick selection method. Despite his new millionaire status, the father of two maintained he didn’t plan on changing his life drastically, Ithuba said. It quoted the winner as saying: “My wife and I want to save a huge portion of our winnings. I don’t plan on leaving my job as I earn a very good salary, however, the winnings will make a difference in our lives. Firstly I want to pay off all my debts, renovate my children’s bedrooms and buy myself a brand new car.” Asked…

Staff reporter SOUTH Africa’s Natasha Joubert is a hot favourite to take the Miss Universe title, according to social media polls. The Miss Universe pageant takes place on May 16 in the US (2am-5am on May 17 SA time) and will be broadcast live on DStv channel 103. Reigning Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa will crown her successor at the end of the event and South Africans are hoping for the “magic double” – back-to-back consecutive wins, which has only happened once before in the history of the pageant. Contestants from 74 countries and territories are expected to compete. The show will be hosted by Mario Lopez and Olivia Culpo, who was crowned Miss Universe 2012. Joubert said: “I know I have big shoes to fill but Zozi…

Donald McMillan The Covid-19 pandemic saw an increased demand for hospital beds which resulted in a shortage of medical resources to handle other infirm patients and ensure their recovery. To help counter this shortage, medical aids are now providing cover options for professional home-care services. While this will ensure that patients requiring post-operative care can get the medical attention they require in the comfort and safety of their own homes, the demand for nurses is still high. This points to a need to source alternative resources in providing medical home care, which is where Temporary Employment Service (TES) providers come in. TES providers that specialise in the medical industry can play a critical role in facilitating homecare while helping to reduce rising unemployment numbers. As South Africa enters its…

Israel and Hamas exchanged heavy fire yesterday, with at least 25 Palestinians killed in Gaza, in a dramatic escalation between the bitter foes sparked by unrest at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Nine children were among those killed in the blockaded Gaza Strip that is controlled by the Islamist movement and 125 people there were wounded, local health authorities said. More than 300 rockets have been fired by Palestinian militants towards Israel since Monday, with more than 90% intercepted by its Iron Dome missile defence system, army spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said. At least six Israelis were injured. Israel has responded with 130 strikes carried out by fighter jets and attack helicopters on military targets in the enclave, killing 15 commanders from Hamas, said Conricus, while the Islamic Jihad group confirmed…

Luxembourg: One of two whistleblowers behind the so-called Luxleaks scandal that revealed tax breaks for multinational companies lost an appeal at Europe’s top rights court Tuesday against a conviction for sharing confidential documents. The LuxLeaks scandal erupted in 2014 and sparked a major global push against generous deals handed to multinational companies, which grew even stronger with new revelations such as the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers leaks. Raphael Halet, a former employee of auditing company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), was fined 1 000 euros in Luxembourg over his role in sharing internal tax documents with a journalist. He failed with an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) yesterday.…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka NEW Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says he wants his team to win matches, while at the same time being pleasing on the eye. It’s been more than two decades since Bafana won the Africa Cup of Nations. Their form has declined since as the closest they came was in the last edition after reaching the quarter-finals in Egypt under coach Stuart Baxter. They failed to qualify for the 2022 showpiece, which cost coach Molefi Ntseki his job as he was sacked at the end of March. Broos, 69, was not the primary candidate for the job as the SA Football Association wanted either Carlos Queiroz or Pitso Mosimane, but both declined. Broos has a lofty billing on the continent after winning the Afcon title with Cameroon…

Timing is everything in life and in cricket and while the heavens may not be aligned right now with Hashim Amla still scoring double centuries in the English County Championship and preparing to turn out for Western Province in the new domestic structure next season, I can't help but feel the Mighty# may just be the man to fix the Proteas' batting woes. There is no hiding from the fact that South Africa's batting has been on a downward spiral, particularly in Test cricket, for a number of years now. Current Proteas coach Mark Boucher raved about Jacques Kallis' contribution to the national team during his short stint as the batting consultant and there was almost a national outcry when Kallis recently joined the England set up. I have no…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za WINGS in rugby need to have a certain type of attitude if they want to be successful. Some would call it arrogance and others confidence. Madosh Tambwe certainly has “it” in abundance, and it is showing on the pitch. The 23-year-old, born in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of Congo, and raised in Johannesburg, first made his name at the Golden Lions, but after a few years went to Durban and the Sharks. Things didn’t work out for him at Kings Park, where the arrival of Yaw Penxe from Eastern Province and the presence of Sbu Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi (soon), as well as Werner Kok, saw Tambwe out of the mix. He decided to shift to the Bulls in February, and now the change is paying off for…