Innholdsfortegnelse for 2021-10-05 i Cape Argus

Lest we ever doubt just how much the Springboks mean to an ailing South Africa, consider the following about the best rugby team on the planet ... Siya Kolisi’s world champions left South Africa seven weeks ago as the No 1-ranked team on the World Rugby standings, they returned in exactly the same position to an ecstatic audience after a famous victory over the All Blacks, yet sandwiched in between was a month of bitter discontent. The Boks had arrived in their Queensland bio-bubble fresh from two emphatic Rugby Championship wins over Argentina in Gqeberha, which had been a crowning glory after their dramatic triumph over the British & Irish Lions. The consequent expectations were that two matches against Australia would be duly banked as victories to propel the Boks…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za THE GAP between what customers expected from their medical schemes and what they perceived to receive in return for their premiums has seen customer satisfaction and loyalty of members decline to a six-year low. This is according to Consulta’s latest South African Customer Satisfaction Index for Medical Schemes (2021). Consulta polled 1 950 medical scheme members during the first half of this year. GEMS was the only closed medical scheme included. Bestmed emerged as the leader on overall customer satisfaction, with all other schemes performing on or below industry par, at 76.7 points. Bonitas and Discovery were each at 73.7 points, Medihelp at 72.3 , GEMS at 69.4 and Momentum at 69.9. All showed a decline compared with last year. The least satisfied…

STATION 19 S4 M-NET CITY, DSTV CHANNEL 115, 7.10PM In this riveting season 4 premiere, the Covid-19 pandemic hits Seattle. The Station 19 crew lean on each other for support and Andy tries to make sense of her mother's return. ACE 2 FACE MZANSI MAGIC, DSTV CHANNEL 161, 8PM Couples in committed relationships come together in the hope of working out the truth about a third wheel in their romance and getting closure. And yes, the “side piece” is there in the room with them, but everyone wants to have a mature and considerate conversation. AUSTRALIA BY DESIGN: LANDSCAPES AND GARDENS THE HOME CHANNEL, DSTV CHANNEL 176, 9.30PM Journey with leading landscape architects and horticultural experts as they explore and criticise extraordinary landscapes and gardens. They will then, in the…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za It's always a good idea to give your body some time to reset – and this month is the perfect time for a detox. With alcohol restrictions changing regularly this year, there would have been at least a small period of time that drinkers would have taken a pause from regular alcohol intake. With October known as Ocsober – it might be a good idea to evaluate your alcohol intake. The Ocsober campaign makes a plea to South Africans to quit drinking for a month as part of a campaign to raise awareness about alcohol abuse. The idea behind the OcSober campaign is simple – stay sober in October. “The huge increase in the ‘no and low’ drinks sector sends a clear message that people are becoming…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za RAVENSMEAD community leaders and activists say they are still battling to get support from the government to help fire-affected residents. Ravensmead Action Group co-ordinator Dawn Marcus said that since the fire last month, local leaders and activists had been working around the clock to try to assist families to get help from the government. “After the fire, we arranged temporary shelter, food and other items for the fire victims. However, that was all temporary. Now we need to think long term. Luckily for us, when we approached the Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC), they activated Sassa, which has been very helpful. “Sassa said that the families qualified for a R700 grant, but to access that they need their documents and bank accounts. DRMC had promised to…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE ACDP’s Cape Town mayoral candidate Ferlon Christians is putting the issue of abortion on the agenda of his party’s local government election campaign. The ACDP’s manifesto makes a point of defending Christian family values and states that where these elements are missing, delinquency, crime and violence usually occur. On Sunday, while the party’s manifesto was being launched in Johannesburg, Christians led a group of supporters in the Cape Town CBD on an anti-abortion picket. The group prayed that mothers in “crisis pregnancy situations” could find help and choose the option of giving up their children for adoption instead of terminating their pregnancy. Speaking later, Christians said: “We cannot condone the abortion clinics opening across this province and city. We can only change that situation when…

Thabo Makwakwa thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za THERE have been calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to be disciplined for allegedly taking money from private funders during his campaign in the run-up to the ANC’s 2017 elective conference in Nasrec, Joburg. Yesterday, during a press briefing in Booysens, Joburg, signatories of the ANC in eight provinces called for its disciplinary committee to take action against Ramaphosa. The Western Cape did not to take part in the call. Onica Maphisa, co-ordinator of the signatories, said it was time the ANC stopped applying “double standards” and treat every ANC member fairly. “President Ramaphosa used the ‘CR17 Campaign’ that he established to advance his personal presidential ambitions, as the fund-raising and fund distribution tool. None of this is any longer under dispute, it is common cause that…

Staff Reporter COLLEAGUES at Independent Media have greeted with shock news yesterday of the death of former Pretoria News editor Val Bojé, who had been a journalist for more than 40 years. According to a company statement, Bojé was recently admitted to hospital, and had on social media been positive and upbeat about the care she was receiving even after she was diagnosed with Covid-19. She died on Monday while on the operating table for a minor heart procedure at the Zuid Afrikaans Hospital in Pretoria. Her husband, Roy Devenish, said: “Val lived and breathed Pretoria News since she started there in 1980 and had been part of the fabric ever since. She gave her all to the newspaper she was so proud of, and was an extremely talented reporter,…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za UCT’s Surgical Society is gearing up to host its annual charity event in aid of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. A group of medical students and health-care professionals will take part in the 5km and 10km Virtual Peace Run as part of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on October 16 – in full medical scrubs. Surgical Society head of community development, Buhle Dube, said the runners aimed to raise funds for each kilometre they ran, with 100% of the proceeds going to the hospital, through the Children’s Hospital Trust. “As future health professionals, we need to advocate for institutions that provide patient-centred health care, and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital is one such institution. They provide 24-hour medical, surgical, nursing and paramedic care.…

Staff Reporter RESEARCHERS from Stellenbosch University (SU) say they might have found the key to what some have described as “Long Covid”. Professor Resia Pretorius, a researcher in the department of physiological science at the university, found that an overload of various inflammatory molecules, literally “trapped” inside insoluble microscopic blood clots (micro clots), might be the cause of some of the lingering symptoms experienced by individuals with Long Covid. Pretorius made the discovery when she started looking at micro clots and their molecular content in blood samples from individuals with Long Covid. The findings have since been peer-reviewed and published in the journal, Cardiovascular Diabetology, in August this year. “We found high levels of various inflammatory molecules trapped in micro clots present in the blood of individuals with Long Covid.…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za THE DEVASTATING effect of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for credible, scalable pan- African fintech solutions, according to Ukheshe Technologies chief executive Clayton Hayward. He said this as Ukheshe Technologies announced it had partnered with three-year old tech unicorn, Chipper, one of Africa’s most valuable start-ups. Chipper is the biggest and fastest growing payment app in Africa offering instant no-fee local and cross- border money transfers, discounted airtime purchase and zero charges on bill payments. Chipper boasts more than 4 million users serving eight countries in Africa and the UK and is on a mission to unlock global opportunities and bring Africa together, one transaction at a time. Hayward said according to the International Monetary Fund, 57 percent of Africans did not…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za Renowned artist and creative director Vincent van de Waal in collaboration with his Patta co-founder business partner, Edson Sabajo, will honour living icon Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu Archbishop on his 90th birthday. The duo will produce exclusive limited edition T-shirts celebrating Archbishop Tutu’s life and legacy. These are no ordinary T-shirts as they will display a painting of the anti-apartheid and human rights activist. All proceeds of the T-shirts sale will then be donated to the Tygerberg Hospital Children’s Trust (THCT). THCT is a fund-raising body supporting mother and child patients at Tygerberg Hospital, one of the African continent’s biggest providers of paediatric and critical care for more than 44 000 child patients each year. Only 200 Patta T-shirts in black and white design will be available…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za It might be tough, but right now is not the time to let your guard down when it comes to Covid-19 regulations. It’s been more than a year now of the new normal – wearing a mask, keeping a physical distance and the daily fear of this unseen but ever-present threat. If you are fatigued, take a moment to consider it might just be when you drop your guard and disregard what must be done – to stay safe. The spread of Covid-19 is still strong in many areas around South Africa and the world. As the pandemic wears on, it’s understandable some people are getting tired of taking coronavirus precautions. Trying to adhere to anything extra is always a challenge. John Hopkins Medicine and Psychologist…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za FAMILY of a 15-year-old girl, allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow patient while admitted to the psychiatric ward at Stellenbosch Hospital, are demanding that the hospital’s manager and his team be held accountable for failing to properly respond to the incident with urgency and sensitivity. The girl’s mother said the family were still struggling to come to terms with the incident. They felt broken after hearing that their daughter’s ordeal happened weeks before they were officially notified. While waiting for further communication from the hospital she would stay at her daughter’s side, she said. Family spokesperson and community activist Bianca Booysen said that following the local community’s protest outside the health care facility last week, the family were waiting to hear back from the hospital regarding…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za THE Ihata Care Group has taken the ownership of three struggling old-age homes in Heideveld, Bonteheuwel and Bishop Lavis, effective since October 1. Nerina Place, Lilyhaven Place, and Oakhaven were under the Cape Peninsula Organisation for the Aged (CPOA). However, in January, the CPOA indicated it would close them down due to financial pressures and would relocate nearly 300 residents. In April, Ihata and the CPOA signed a Memorandum of Agreement in which Ihata would take ownership of the three homes. Ihata has been caring for vulnerable groups for more than 11 years and is known for caring for victims of gender-based violence. It also runs a youth development academy and has now extended its portfolio to care for the elderly. Ihata director Nuraan Osman said the…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE ANC has accused the provincial government of attempting to hide the true state of municipalities ahead of the local government elections, by not tabling the annual Municipal Economic Review and Outlook (Mero) as usual. Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier broke with tradition this year and tabled the Provincial Economic Review and Outlook without its twin publication, the Mero. Both annual reports are aimed at informing policy-makers, departments and municipalities on key economic issues that will impact policy, planning and budgeting and usually provide an indication of what’s to come in the province’s medium-term budget policy statement, expected later in the year. However, this year, provincial treasury head David Savage said “in the context of local government elections and the new incoming municipal leadership,…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THE full report of the investigation into mismanagement at Robben Island Museum (RIM) has been made public via the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) four months after it was originally submitted. The investigation goes back to November 2018 when the Ex-Political Prisoners’ Association (Eppa) alleged that there was mismanagement at the museum. The RIM council was required by law to assess the veracity of, and to investigate, the allegations even though another investigation had previously been undertaken by the parent ministry, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. An executive summary of the report said the investigation had faced challenges such as unfulfilled requests for documentation, and resistance from certain witnesses, including former RIM council members and RIM officials. “Notwithstanding this, we were able to…

Khayelitsha rugby star Xolisa Guma will soon make his debut for Tel Aviv Heat, an Israeli franchise playing in the newly formed European Super Cup. Tel Aviv Heat have strong South African ties since the team is coached by Kevin Musikanth, formerly of the University of Cape Town. He is assisted by Demetri Catrakilis, the former Western Province and Stormers flyhalf. Both coaches speak highly of Guma, who is a cult-hero in the sprawling Western Cape township of Khayelitsha. For some years now, he has captured the imagination of rugby fans across the country. “Xolisa comes highly rated with exceptional references from his coaches, like Frankie Horne (SA’s Rugby 7s coach) and John Mitchell (former Lions, Bulls coach). Both rate Xolisa highly and tip him to go all the way,”…

HERMAN GIBBS COSAFA Women’s Championship title holders South Africa ground out a 3-1 victory over Mozambique in their final Group A match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha yesterday after leading 1-0 at half-time. The outcome gave Banyana the green light for Thursday’s semi-final and a chance to stake a claim for a fifth consecutive title in the regional championship. After Banyana’s unexpected draw with a defensive Angola last Friday, the pressure was on to clinch a semi-final berth with victory against Mozambique, and they made heavy weather of it in the first half. Banyana managed to take play into the opposition goalmouth twice in the opening three minutes. At that rate they threatened an avalanche of goals, but it did not materialise. Their ineffectiveness in front of…

SOUTH Africa has an overcrowding problem in its 243 correctional centres. Although overcrowding is, on average, 25 percent, some prisons are running at an astonishing 220 percent capacity. Over the past few years, the number of prisoners has grown dramatically. Until last year, the main driver was the unsentenced prisoner population. After last year, the major driver can be attributed to prisoners serving increasingly longer sentences that are partly due to the introduction of the so-called minimum sentences legislation. Smart technology A possible solution to deal with the problem is smart technology. The past few years have seen rapid advances in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in prisons globally. China and Hong Kong are using AI to monitor inmates. Hong Kong’s first smart prison, Tai Tam…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za South African poet, playwright and producer, Siphokazi Jonas is honoured to be the featured act at the 2021 Poetry Africa Festival. Under the theme “Unmute: Power to the Poet”, the 25th edition of the virtual festival will take place at the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal next week from Monday until Saturday. “Being selected as the Poetry Africa Featured Poet this year has been a lesson in celebrating all the moments of impact, because art allows us to contribute something to society and ourselves every day. I am truly grateful to the festival, this is an honour,” shares Jonas. Jonas says she will be tackling mental health and how the sense of community has been affected, particularly during these uncertain times. The renowned…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za THE trial of Ntuthuko Shoba has been postponed to January next year. Shoba, 33, a former JSE analyst, is accused of masterminding the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Tshegofatso Pule, last year. Pule, 28, was found hanging from a tree in a secluded area in Roodepoort. Shoba’s trial was due to start yesterday at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. However his lawyer brought a postponement application. Acting Judge William Karam was informed that Shoba’s legal team was not ready to go to trial.The State, which previously pronounced its readiness to prosecute, did not oppose the application. Acting Judge Karam said: “Having regard that this postponement application is not opposed, this matter is postponed to the first available date to the defence, being January 17, 2022.…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za A MAN facing charges ranging from being in possession of illegal firearms to money laundering has been denied bail a second time by a judge in the Western Cape High Court. Judge Deidre Kusevitsky ruled that the fact that Moegsien Haywood, 63, committed the firearms offences while out on bail, “would bring the administration of justice into disrepute” if he were to be granted bail again. Haywood is the father of Ziyaad Haywood who was last year sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to 21 charges, including the murder of three men and the attempted murder of a woman, kidnapping, robbery and weapons charges. Haywood, from Grassy Park, was arrested on May 17, 2019 with two other suspects in Mitchells Plain during a joint…

Gunmen open fire on contender’s home Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za KILLINGS and death threats against ANC councillors and candidates around election time are on the increase yet again. This time the family of an ANC ward 18 candidate in Site C, Khayelitsha came under attack when gunmen opened fire on their home. Vuyani Nongalo said he was woken by the gunshots, which shattered several windows, while he and his wife, Siphokazi Nongalo, and their two children were still asleep. Nongalo believed Sunday’s shooting was politically motivated. “I was told by the community that one of the women involved in politics said someone is going to die,” he said. Siphokazi Nongalo said they tried to call their neighbours but could not reach them. She said the incident shocked the family. “We now…

A QUICK search online will bring up pages upon pages of developers rhapsodising about the merits of their laptops and computer offerings. Inevitably, “core”, “memory ram”, “professional”, “harness the power”, “designed for groundbreaking performance”, “all-day battery life” and “2-year onsite warranty” appear above the “add to cart” choice bar. Sounds to me like much of South Africa’s teaching corps during lockdown – except that our teachers have a lifetime guarantee! In keeping with an IT-related metaphor, let’s add the term “commitment device” (pardon the pun) to the many descriptions of teachers during lockdown. They were grounded, flexible and purposeful. Their innovative agency made them resilient energisers as they built up collaborative networks in an unfamiliar space. Overnight. Literally. Teachers discover early that their love of children draws them to teaching.…

Sisonke Mlamla sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za TAXI bosses say they understand that the Red Dot taxi service would not benefit every single operator in the province and, as such, there might be operators who feel excluded. This after Premier Alan Winde, Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell, and Health MEC Dr Nomafrench Mbombo launched the Red Dot taxi service at the Saxonsea vaccine site in Atlantis yesterday. Winde said the launch of the Atlantis Red Dot taxi service followed a need, identified in the local community, for free public transport to enable people to get vaccinated. Mitchell said it was one of many efforts undertaken by his department to improve their overall public transport system and to align it with the real needs of their residents. “The provincial Department of Health identifies…

Edwin Lombard edwin.lombard@inl.co.za AN ATHLONE grandmother said she refused to pay rent to the City for a home the family has occupied for nearly 70 years, now infested with rats and mice and on the brink of collapse. Jamiela Levy, 69, said she hadn’t paid the rent of R3 582 for nearly two years for the home on Tancred Street, Athlone. Rats and mice from a nearby veld had eaten through the wood and zinc structure, forcing the family to fill the numerous holes with steel wool. No one in the family of 12 was currently employed, and they relied on South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants to sustain them. Levy said the situation had caused her to lose weight, and on top of existing health issues, such as…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za THE Overstrand Municipality says it has received a number of letters of gratitude supporting the decision to “euthanise” “Scarface” from the Betty’s Bay troop last month. This was the municipality’s response to the Rooiels, Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay residents who demonstrated over the alleged cruelty and the killing of baboons in the area. The municipality said that no other authority or organisation had presented or proposed an alternative to the current guidelines and that until alternative guidelines had been approved the current guidelines were applicable and would be implemented. Municipal manager Dean O’Neill said while they appreciated role-players’ input and although not everyone agreed with the implementation of the Baboon Management Guidelines in their current form, he said it was the only tool available to guide…

Two moments of magic from Mohamed Salah ensured Liverpool remain the only unbeaten side left in the Premier League this season after an enthralling 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday. For 45 minutes City’s collective brilliance threatened to blow the Reds away and inflict a first league defeat at Anfield in front of supporters since 2017. However, for all the beautiful football put together by Pep Guardiola’s array of creative midfielders, the English champions cannot call on a clinical finisher in the same league as Salah. The Egyptian showed the other side to his game in creating Liverpool’s opening goal for Sadio Mane with a perfectly-weighted pass after skipping beyond Joao Cancelo. But it was his finish for his side’s second that will live long in the memory. Cancelo…

Mark Keohane mark.keohane@inl.co.za Durban Surf’s Amica de Jager’s five individual golds, a team gold and a silver medal saw her crowned senior women’s athlete at the DHL Lifesaving South Africa National Championships, and the KwaZulu-Natal dominance continued when the juniors took to the surf and sand at Kings Beach in Gqeberha yesterday. De Jager and club teammate Wade Krieger, who won the coveted Iron Man title, were acknowledged for their outstanding performances, but the KZN juniors were equally emphatic in showcasing the strength of the sport in the province. Umhlanga’s Samuel Norton was ridiculously good in winning four gold medals in the Under-19 section, including the Iron Man, while Norton’s teammate Kezia Elliot took gold in the U19 Iron Lady and another of South Africa’s teenage rising stars, Umhlanga’s Tatum…