Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-09-23 i Cape Argus

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa intends to issue the Request for Proposal for a 2 500 mega- watt (MW) nuclear programme at the end of March 2022 and complete the procurement in 2024. This is in support of the country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan and to ensure security of energy supply, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Nobuhle Nkabane said this week. Speaking at the 65th International Atomic Energy Agency (Iaea) gathering in Vienna, Austria, Nkabane said the country was trying to expedite its safe nuclear energy programme, which recently got a leg-up with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s approval of a 2 500MW contribution by nuclear to the national energy mix. Nkabane pledged South Africa’s contribution of €238 617 (about R4.14…

Jennifer Breheny Wallace New documents reveal Facebook knows, in granular detail, just how harmful its Instagram app is for many teenage girls, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The newspaper shared findings of what Instagram’s internal researchers called a “teen mental health deep dive”, including a study that found Instagram makes body image issues worse for one in three teen girls. The pressure to look perfect, the tendency to share only the most positive and polished parts of a person’s life, and its addictive nature can send teens spiralling toward eating disorders, an unhealthy sense of their own bodies and depression, according to the article, which references an internal Instagram report from March last year. Boys are also negatively impacted by the app, with 14% of boys…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE whereabouts of three young men from the Covid-19 informal settlement in Driftsands are still unknown, 19 days after their disappearance into the canal where it was alleged they were thrown. The men, victims of an alleged mob justice attack, were on the night of September 4 dumped into a canal that runs across the Covid-19 informal settlement. Out of the four bodies, only the body of 15-year-old Asonele Wanga was retrieved from the stream. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the search for the three young men has intensified with the search party bolstered. Wanga, along with Yonela Mdladlama, 22, Sabelo Rasameni, 21 and Maphelo Mazamisa, 23, were allegedly beaten to death before their bodies were dumped in the canal after they were accused of breaking…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za WESTERN Cape Judge President John Hlophe no longer faces imminent suspension. This follows the withdrawal of his urgent review application to interdict the National Assembly from proceeding with its consideration and processing of his recommended removal from office by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). Hlophe’s advocate, Lihle Sidaki, and the JSC agreed to abandon the urgent application, which was labelled Part A, when the case came before Gauteng High Court Judge Roland Sutherland. Speaking to Sidaki, Judge Sutherland said Part B, which is where Judge Hlophe wants the JSC’s finding of gross misconduct against him set aside, was all that was left. “You and the representative of the JSC must sit down and work out a decent timetable, something sensible, for the exchange of affidavits and heads…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE Freedom Front Plus has nominated former Western Cape provincial police commissioner Lennit Max as its mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town and sitting councillor Erica Botha-Rossouw as its candidate for deputy mayor. Max has previously been a member of the DA, for which he served as the province’s Community Safety MEC. He was also a DA MP, and served as the party’s deputy spokesperson on correctional services. His political party journey began when he became a member of the now defunct Independent Democrats, which was led by the Good party’s Patricia De Lille, now Public Works and Infrastructure minister in the Cabinet. Defending his move to the FF Plus, which took place in August this year, Max said he was free to switch…

Jaamia Galant ESTABLISHED as a public holiday on September 24, 1995, Heritage Day was deemed the quintessential “Rainbow Nation” holiday, declared as a day to celebrate the rich history and diverse cultures that make up the fabric of South Africa as a nation. Ten years later, a campaign which still has some traction today was mounted to reduce the diverse and vibrant cultures into one unifying culture, calling on us to celebrate Heritage Day as “National Braai Day”. Nowadays, on social media and on the radio, Heritage Day inevitably sparks all kinds of conversations about the other traditional and cultural foods we can celebrate on the day. Surely our heritage is more than just our traditional foods? Our heritage is intertwined in the histories of our families, our communities,…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za ahead of the global climate strike organised by the Climate Justice Coalition (CJC) this week, a demonstration was held yesterday outside the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE) Cape Town offices where employees and passers-by came face-to-face with what appeared to be a gruesome crime scene with dead bodies lying in front. The demonstration was organised by Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cape Town with assistance from other organisations that formed part of the coalition to further alert the public to the country-wide #UprootTheDMRE protest taking place at Parliament on Friday. XR Cape Town spokesperson Michael Wolf said they were there to raise awareness of the department’s continued support for fossil fuels in the face of climate change and to hand over a letter of demand to Western…

PREMIER Alan Winde is pushing for a relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions as soon as possible. On Wednesday, Winde also called for an end to the national state of disaster declared in reaction to the pandemic, calling it an “extreme tool” to combat the crisis. “The Western Cape must be moved to alert level 1 (lower restrictions) as soon as possible, as it becomes clear that we are exiting the third wave (of Covid-19 infections),’’ Winde said. “This will provide support to our economy and get the balance right in saving both lives and jobs in our province.” Currently, the whole of South Africa – which started off at alert level 5 at the onset of the country’s first hard lockdown to try and curb Covid-19 infections in March last year…

INSIGHT by research firm Ipsos has revealed that Work From Home (WFH), which has become an established trend under Covid-19 lockdown requirements, might not be to the advantage of businesses as indicators point to slide in competitiveness as productivity slumps, employees lose motivation, cohesion of teams is eroded and managers struggle to keep their finger on the pulse. According to Ipsos, managers reported concerns with WFH, saying they found it more challenging to manage their teams remotely, and they were fairly sure employees were not fully focused on their work. This corresponds with the responses of employees themselves, with 55 percent reporting that teams don’t collaborate as well, that the same percentage takes more frequent breaks and that about 49 percent of respondents reported experiencing more interruptions at…

UMAKOTI WETHU SHOWMAX Zanenhlanhla truly loves her husband, Sizwe, but in the 5 years that they’ve been married, everything has just crumbled. She reluctantly agrees to him bringing a second wife into their home, never expecting that she’ll fall in love with her, too. From there, a complex love triangle unfolds in this isiZulu romantic drama (with English subtitles). With Fulu Mugovhani, Melusi Mbele, Kwanele Mthethwa and Duduzile Ngcobo. GOODBYE GOGO SHOWMAX In this isiZulu drama (with English subtitles), rich matriarch Mrs. Linah Dlamini calls her surviving family members to her bedside in the hopes of making up for neglecting them in favour of her empire. Her hospital room becomes a place where secrets are revealed, marriages are tested and people fall in love. With Thembi Mtshali Jones, Hope…

Sacha van Niekerk sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za In the home, garden and on the street, if you have pets, being aware of the hidden dangers of poison could help save their lives. The toxins and poisons found in households that pets should be kept away from are: Antifreeze Bleach or bleach-based cleaners Carpet or rug cleaner/shampoo/deodoriser Essential oils Plant fertiliser Glue, other adhesives Laundry or dishwasher detergent Paint, solvents, spackle Rat/mouse/slug bait, insecticides Vinegar (plain or mixed with water) Window cleaner A good first step is to assess dangers to your pets at home and infrequently visited areas like parks: Ensure all cleaning supplies, arts and craft products, medication, alcohol and anything else you don’t want your pet getting into is stored away. If you have a curious cat that enjoys climbing up…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za THE Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) said the killing of three of its taxi operators at the Joe Slovo taxi rank in Dunoon yesterday should not be seen as an indication of war between it and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta). Cata secretary Mandla Hermanus said the incident has shocked them. However, they were not going to speculate on the motive behind the killings. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the police were called out to the crime scene at 9am, where they found the bodies of three men with gunshot wounds. “A fourth person who was also shot and wounded in the incident, was taken to a medical facility for treatment,” said Potelwa. She said the police had opened murder and attempted murder dockets…

City taken to task in letter by Imam Omar Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE recent placement of a monument celebrating the foundation of the Newlands Brewery without mention of the cultural and historical significance of the Kildare Road spring has caused an outrage among Capetonians commemorating Heritage Month. The City demolished the spring in Newlands back in 2018, despite lobbying by the group Friends of the Kildare/Newlands Spring about the symbolic importance of the water-collection space. Stellenbosch University Sociology and Social Anthropology Professor Steven Robins said at the time: “What these officials and residents could not see was that this spring was more than simply a pipe filled with flowing water. It was a space saturated with history, memories and sociality.” Ahead of Heritage Day celebrations, Claremont Main Road Mosque Imam…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za THE Salt River Heritage Society will host a Heritage Day Community Arts Festival on Saturday, focusing on social justice. Salt River Heritage Society chairperson Dr Yusuf Lalkhen said the day’s events will be centred on the unveiling of murals with historical significance. He said there would be an unveiling of three art pieces at three locations. “We will assemble on the corner of Pope Street and Kingsley Road where we will unveil wall art reflecting the history of key figures related to Salt River that had promoted social justice and the defence of human rights. From there we will walk to the second site that will promote the history and relevance of sport in the area, and particularly the role of women in sport. “The third site…

PUBLIC opinion in South Africa on legal practitioners often swings from holding them in the highest esteem to a lack of trust in these professionals. This is due to the various encounters that the public experience when getting legal services from them. In fact, the reality is that, much like any other profession, legal eagles come in all shapes and sizes. But what happens when, as an innocent, unsuspecting member of the public, you experience misconduct? What recourse do you have and how do you protect yourself against being duped by a dodgy legal practitioner? The Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund (LPFF), previously known as the Attorneys’ Fidelity Fund, exists to protect the public against loss because of the theft of trust funds. The protection provided by the fund means the…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za IT WAS while South African musician Guy Buttery was on a concert tour of India, as part of a trio with the highly acclaimed Indian classical musicians, Mohd Amjad Khan and Mudassir Khan, that the seed was sown for One Morning In Gurgaon. Remarkably, all three musicians had never met before, let alone made any music together, and before their first concert, they had “practised” via voice recordings and exchanged texts somewhere between Hindi and English to break down the various parts of the set. Ultimately, it was the unrehearsed approach combined with the inauspicious and 11th-hour nature of their first meeting that provided stardust for the collaboration. “Towards the end of 2019, I was fortunate to work with tabla player, Mohd. Amjad Khan, and sarangi…

Marchelle Abrahams marchelle.abrahams@inl.co.za The first time I attended the Cape Town leg of Sexpo, I remember being particularly self-conscious about my whereabouts. I had my story planned in my head should I bump into anyone I knew: “I’m here for work, why are you here?” The event was my introduction to Pricasso, an Australian artist who is known for using his rather large penis to paint portraits (Google him, I dare you) and a world where sex wasn’t spoken of in hushed tones, and the latest Rabbit vibrator was proudly on display while salespeople urge you to come over and “give it a try”. Over the years, the clientele started changing, the event went mainstream and now attracted married couples who were eager to expand their bedroom repertoire beyond lilly-white…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za THE Grabouw Community Policing Forum says it has seen a sudden influx of gangs in primary and high schools in the area. This follows the recent stabbing incident of a primary school learner. This also follows an incident in which the Grabouw Youth Patrollers, who search schoolchildren for dangerous weapons, confiscated 95 weapons ranging from pairs of scissors, pangas, knives and screwdrivers yesterday and on Tuesday. CPF chairperson David Williams said in 2019, two primary school learners died after they were stabbed, but community leadership managed to stop gangsterism in schools and throughout 2020 no incidents were reported. However, he said since March they have seen an increase in gangsterism at schools. “This affects schooling and learning as you have children who are afraid…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za A GUGULETHU mother who worked for the Department of Community Safety, checking if police stations are sensitive to gender-based violence (GBV) victims, became a GBV victim herself when she was set alight, allegedly by her boyfriend, and died. Jacquelene Mpontsana, 40, was set alight in a domestic violence dispute. She was initially rushed to hospital, and family, friends and colleagues had hoped that she would recover from her severe injuries. Unfortunately, she died on Monday afternoon. Her distraught uncle, Mncedisi Mpontsana, said the family were having difficulty coming to terms with the horrific manner in which she had died. Mncedisi said that Mpontsana, who was a breadwinner in the family, had a 13-year-old child. He said they were informed by the boyfriend’s family early on Monday. “We…

Thabo Makwakwa and Kailene Pillay HUMAN rights activist and violence monitor Dr Mary De Haas said corruption would continue uninterrupted because while many people were willing to talk, many others were afraid because they were not protected. De Haas was reacting to the Analysis of Corruption Trends (Act) report released yesterday by Corruption Watch, which revealed the large extent to which corruption had continued unabated during the first half of this year. To date, up to 1 964 whistle-blowers reported acts of corruption in both the public and private sectors. The report indicated that while South Africans were desperate to be protected, numerous complaints received from the public showed corruption still ruled the day. Corruption Watch researcher Melusi Ncala, who penned the report, said the organisation noticed similar trends…

Staff Reporter WHILE the hospitality industry has suffered greatly due to the Covid-19 restrictions, for Franschhoek’s Grande Provence Estate it’s been “a blessing in disguise”. Events and estate reservations manager Anine Bezuidenhout says the estate started a Heritage Garden, growing a variety of fresh vegetables for sale at the farm shop. “We brought in live chickens to lay eggs and sell in the farm shop and, since then they are producing sufficient stock for us to use in our kitchens also,” says Bezuidenhout. While indoor dining was restricted, she says the estate opened up take-away options for locals. “When we were able to serve guests again, we started weekend markets with local suppliers to come and sell their products on-site and also hosted weekend braais.” She says this created a…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za PUBLIC Works Minister Patricia de Lille, the Good Party leader, and the DA’s Cape Town mayoral candidate Geordin Hill-Lewis are crossing swords over the release of state-owned land for affordable housing in the city. Hill-Lewis wrote to De Lille last week, requesting that she cancel the lease on the Acacia Park parliamentary village so that the City could buy the land and release it for the development of affordable housing. Hill-Lewis, along with DA activists, picketed outside the Department of Public Works offices yesterday to hand over a memorandum of demands. Hill-Lewis said the City has been faced with a worsening housing shortage due to the consistent refusal by the national government to sell, terminate lease agreements or otherwise release land it owns or leased for housing…