Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-02-02 i Cape Argus

Dr Jack Fletcher has been shortlisted for the 2022 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation (APEI) with the Hyena Power Pod, a fuel-cell based hydrogen generator that converts LPG gas into usable electricity, all within one device is one of the technologies that have been shortlisted for the prize. Fletcher is the 11th innovator from South Africa to be shortlisted for APEI since it started in 2015. The Africa Prize is run by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering and awards crucial commercialisation support to African innovators who are tackling local challenges with scalable engineering solutions. The fuel-cell based hydrogen generator runs on LPG gas, and a mini-grid monitoring system to help utilities and mini-grid operators manage solar installations. Fletcher’s device is a diesel generator replacement technology that produces on-site,…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za Local media personality Bonang Matheba is ready for the next legal battle with her former management company. Following her win against vlogger Rea Gopane, Queen B is ready to take on her next opponent. Last week, the Being Bonang star won her defamation court case against Rea.The court upheld the claim for damages and that Rea has to pay her R300 000 plus legal costs. Following this, she took to Twitter and took aim at CSA executive director Davin Phillips and said: “…buckle up, @DavinPhillips”. This comes after the businesswoman revealed in a Twitter Space in October that she had terminated her contract with CSA Global and was busy with legal action against the management agency. “Today, I announce that I’ve terminated that contract … and they…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za Two hundred and seven people died in motor vehicle-related accidents across the Western Cape during the peak traffic festive season, according to the Department of Transport. Yesterday, Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell and Traffic Law Enforcement acting director Vigie Chetty released the province’s 2021/22 road safety statistics. Speaking at an event, held at the Gene Louw Traffic College, in Brackenfell, Mitchell released the department’s comparative analytical report for the 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 festive seasons, citing that it provided a realistic outlook of progress based on the operational environment, and taking into consideration that the 2020/21 festive season period was during lockdown level 3. “Unlike during the previous festive season, it was very likely that we would witness higher traffic volumes in the province because…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za ACTING Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has recommended criminal charges against former Public Enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba, Gupta associate Salim Essa, former Eskom and Transnet chief financial officer Anoj Singh and former Eskom and Transnet chief executive Brian Molefe. Justice Zondo asked law enforcement agencies to investigate several former Transnet executives for possible prosecution for malfeasance over several years. According to the second part of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture’s report, Essa, Singh as well as former Transnet executives Phetolo Ramosebudi and Garry Pita should face the music. Justice Zondo has also recommended that another Gupta associate, Eric Wood, be investigated for possible prosecution for fraud, corruption and contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (Precca) for Transnet incurring losses of…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za INTERVIEWS for the position of the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court started yesterday with Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga facing questions, with the overarching theme being politics, attacks on the Constitutional Court and the transformation of the judiciary. Justice Madlanga said transformation was an issue closely related to socio-economic realities and the resources available to members of the South African society. He stressed that someone who was not legally represented would not be able to marshal their case in the same manner as their opponent who was legally represented. He said that if there were no resource constraints, there could be a way to try to make access to justice a reality. “Yes, it is so that on the criminal front there is legal aid in South Africa…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za WORLD Wetlands Day celebrated today also marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty to conserve wetlands. CapeNature’s commemoration of the day will be in anticipation of the Berg River estuary being declared a Ramsar site. Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said the Western Cape had lost almost 50% of its wetland areas. “It is imperative that we take a whole-of-society approach to restore and protect these areas,” Bredell said. This was the first year the day was observed as a UN International Day, under the theme, “Action for People and Nature”, to highlight the importance of ensuring wetlands were conserved and sustainably used. The Berg River Estuary’s anticipated status as a Ramsar site will give the wetland national and international recognition as…

Kristin Engel kristin.engel@inl.co.za THE NS Quindao bulk carrier, authorised by the national Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (Deff) and the South African Maritime Safety Authorities (Samsa), was in the process of a controlled dumping of the ship’s unstable chemical cargo 250km off the West Coast resulting in a severe maritime emergency. It has now calmed down to a salvage operation. Media reports revealed the cargo initially reacted with rainwater while offloading in Durban in November last year and started releasing toxic fumes that potentially endangered the ship and the coastline. Speaking on behalf of the department, Samsa spokesperson Tebogo Ramatjie said after various challenges of the toxic cargo re-igniting and the vessel having to be towed back to sea to ventilate the cargo hold at St Helena Bay, the…

Time is running out for the government to draw a line in the sand on the future of South Africa’s social security. With little more than a State of the Nation address and national Budget speech separating the country from the end of the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant at the end of March, Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency and the National Treasury under Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana have to decide what comes after the R350 monthly grant lapses. In the wake of South Africa’s hard lockdowns, the grant offered a lifeline to many of the country’s most impoverished people. The full extent of its impact is difficult to gauge as budget cuts have hamstrung the ability of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) to produce up-to-date estimates of poverty. But…

Smiso Msomi smiso.msomi@inl.co.za THE January transfer window has come and gone, and title-chasing Kaizer Chiefs have seven contract renewals to show for all their work done this past month. In a period dominated by the potential signing of Siyethemba Sithebe from AmaZulu, Amakhosi have opted to secure their future prospects in an attempt to form a decent foundation for a squad the club expect to bring back the glory days to Naturena. “The club have taken advantage of the January transfer window to extend the contracts of seven of the club’s most promising players,” a club statement read. “Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Reeve Frosler, Sabelo Radebe, Happy Mashiane, Bruce Bvuma, Keletso Sifama and Thabo Mokoena have been rewarded with new contracts and will be a part of the Amakhosi family for the…

given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za THE rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia are worth monitoring because they could indirectly affect the business conditions in South Africa through global agricultural commodity prices in the near term, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz). The organisation’s chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo, said this week that South Africa would likely experience the impact of the Russia-Ukraine tensions through global price channels in the near term. “Still, the situation remains fluid and uncertain but will require close monitoring,” Sihlobo said. Both countries are key players in global agriculture and thus disruption in their production or export activity could impact global agricultural commodity prices. “For example, Russia produces about 10 percent of global wheat while Ukraine accounts for 4 percent. Combined, this is nearly the size of the…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za TV PRESENTER Katlego Maboe’s ex-girlfriend Monique Muller has responded to the Magistrate’s Court absolving him of allegations of misconduct made by her. On Monday, the former Expresso Show host shared a statement regarding the judgment on his social media pages, via his publicist Lerato Maleswena. “The court agreed with the submission of a Point in Limine (preliminary point) from Mr Maboe’s legal team, ruling that there were no grounds for obtaining the protection order. “Furthermore, the court has not made a finding of acts of domestic violence that were allegedly perpetrated against Ms Muller, and as such, the matter has been dismissed. This is a great victory for Mr Maboe, who has maintained his innocence throughout the two-year ordeal,” the statement read. Muller initially said she had…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za POLITICAL parties have questioned the need for a R11.4 billion loan for South Africa from the World Bank. The DA and EFF yesterday questioned Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on the need for the loan when the country was already paying more than R200bn in debt service costs a year. Dion George of the DA and Floyd Shivambu of the EFF told Godongwana there was no clarity as to why the government needed the money. ANC MPs said they would have to give the National Treasury time to respond to questions about the rationale behind the credit given. Godongwana said there was a need for the multibillion-rand loan which was part of the R630bn they were going to raise in the market. “As I indicated, it is necessary.…

Samkelo Mtshali samkelo.thulasizwe@inl.co.za ANC staff members have rejected suggestions from the party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting this past weekend that staff be retrenched to ease pressure on its salary bill. This followed a general meeting held by aggrieved staffers last Wednesday, some of whom have gone months without pay, to discuss retrenchments. An ANC staff representative, Mvusi Mdala, said workers were still on a stayaway due to non-payment of salaries. He said staff in Luthuli House, the Western Cape, the Free State and North West had not been paid for January, while in the North West there were staff who were last paid in October. “We will be on stayaway until every staff member is back paid their salaries. If tomorrow every staff member is paid up we will…

Shakirah Thebus shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za NEWS of an old railway line dug up along Fish Hoek beach was fake, the Fish Hoek Valley Historical Society said. Reports of the discovery made on Monday were celebrated, with images of the corroded remnants widely shared. However, members of the Fish Hoek Valley Historical Society called the discovery a myth and said it was the remnants of the old retaining wall made of old sleepers and strapped with rail. Former Fish Hoek Valley Historical Society chairperson Alan Lindner said: “Aerial photography and knowledge of rail gauge helps set the story right. It is a pity that untested personal views were published without being vetted.” The City’s coastal management branch was on site on Monday to ascertain the findings. Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za THE City’s community services and health directorate says it is still working out how it will use the R3 million it has been given to fix the iconic Muizenberg Beach huts. This after mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced the allocation of the funds during his budget speech at the council meeting last week. He said the restoration was a positive step in the City’s attempts to restore and maintain Cape Town’s beloved attractions. Community services and health Mayco member Patricia van der Ross said: “The money will be used for repairs and maintenance. We are in the process of finalising the quotations, but the funding will be split between the Muizenberg beach huts, Muizenberg lifeguard tower, and repairing the lights along the promenade as this will assist with…

Adeoye O Akinola Soon after their independence in the 1960s, several post-colonial African countries, such as Nigeria, slipped into military regimes, which reversed their political development and economic growth. Where military interventions held sway in countries such as Tunisia and Zimbabwe, diverse forms of authoritarianism existed. Africa seemed to have rid itself of the curse of the military over the last two decades. However, the recent militarisation of politics and the resurgence of coups in Africa has become a serious concern. Now, several governments are embarking on crackdowns against opposition parties, gagging the media and other “non-conforming voices”, manipulating their constitutions to extend their tenure, and engaging in other undemocratic shenanigans. On January 23, the military executed a coup d’état in Burkina Faso and removed President Roch Kaboré, who is…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@gmail.com THE prodigious Teboho Mokoena has undoubtedly been the marquee signing of the Premier Soccer League’s January transfer window. SuperSport United kingpin Mokoena, arguably the hottest property in the PSL, was nearing the end of his contract, and the January transfer window presented his club with a lucrative opportunity to fill their coffers. Losing their best player can never be easy, and for this reason, many clubs have a love-hate relationship with the January transfer market. Anderlecht, the top Belgian club, were among the early European-based suitors, before Kaizer Chiefs joined the fray. For a few weeks, there was a good old-fashioned tug of war between Chiefs and Sundowns. However, given their financial backing, Sundowns left Chiefs and other interested buyers floundering in the dust. The Amakhosi faithful…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za “IF it is as humid as it was when we walked off the plane, I think I’m going to have to kick a few high balls!” That was the view of new Western Province captain Tim Swiel ahead of today’s Currie Cup clash against the Sharks in Durban (8pm). WP have a belief system of playing attacking, ball-in-hand rugby, but conditions at Kings Park may dictate their approach against a powerful Sharks outfit. Swiel will have to guide a new-look backline missing impressive fullback Tristan Leyds, who is out with a foot injury, which sees Sergeal Petersen at No 15 and a debutant wing in UWC star Andre Manuel. Mnombo Zwelendaba will partner Cornel Smit in midfield, while scrumhalf Godlen Masimla will look to stamp his authority…

Given Majola WELLNESS Warehouse has partnered with honeybee Heroes to produce a new honeybee education initiative for the health and wellness company’s customers. Honeybee Heroes is a honeybee sanctuary and education non-profit organisation in the Overberg region in the Cape. The organisation seeks to create accessible opportunities for South Africans to engage with the environment, grounded in the conservation of country’s endemic Capensis honeybee, which is an increasingly at-risk species. The new partnership between Wellness Warehouse and Honeybee Heroes will bring honeybee advocacy to Wellness Warehouse stores countrywide. The partnership also offered customers the opportunity to sponsor a Honeybee Heroes beehive through the hive adoption programme, giving a new home to up to 30 000 Capensis honeybees for R2000. Hive sponsors receive a personalised adoption kit, including a range of…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons tarryn-leigh.solomons@iinl.co.za THE standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) has called on the Presidency to provide regular updates on Special Investigating Unit reports. In addition, the committee summoned the department to submit an update within 14 days and a full progress report of the implementation of the SIU recommendations by the end of this month. Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele’s office yesterday briefed Scopa on the final SIU report in respect of the National State of Disaster under Proclamation R23 of 2020 and progress on the disciplinary matter against the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure director-general, advocate Sam Vukela. The Presidency has since 2019 processed 81 final SIU reports. These include the latest report into the Covid-19 related procurement investigation by government departments, which entailed the probing…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za The new Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) board has not only inherited 3 000 ghost workers, but it has been revealed that the parastatal has no reliable data on the agency’s assets and that more than 40 employees, who are still on its payroll, are facing disciplinary hearings and charges over corruption cases. This was confirmed by new Prasa board chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane when he briefed the media yesterday on plans by his board to root out corruption which has plagued the organisation. Ramatlakane and board member advocate Smanga Sithini said the board, which was appointed in October 2020, conducted Operation Ziveze (Show Up). They said they were told that the agency had 17 000 members in its workforce, but during the operation, only 14…

Australians Pat Cummins, David Warner and Steve Smith are among 48 players who will enter this month’s IPL players’ auction with a base price of 20 million Indian rupees ($268 000), the Indian board said yesterday. England fast bowler Jofra Archer has also entered the auction, but is unlikely to play as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery. Cricinfo website quoted IPL chief operating officer Hemang Amin’s mail to the franchises saying Archer had been registered primarily “with a view to potential participation in 2023 and 2024”. The 15th edition of the IPL – the world’s richest Twenty20 competition – will feature 10 teams who will have 590 cricketers, including 220 overseas players, to choose from in the two-day auction beginning in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13, the…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za SPEEDY forward Fagrie Lakay has left Cape Town City and joined Egyptian club Pyramids FC. “We are very pleased to have brokered the deal to Pyramids on behalf of Cape Town City and Fagrie,” Lakay’s agent Paul Mitchell was quoted as saying. “Fagrie is joining a great club in a very competitive league. He is thrilled and excited to be taking this as the next step in his career. “He is a gifted footballer and a matured young man who should have left South Africa before now. This is a great opportunity for him. “It’s pleasing for the agency to facilitate another SA footballer overseas, yet again.” By joining Pyramids, Lakay adds to a growing list of South Africans who are swapping the PSL for Egypt including…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@gmail.com THE semi-final line-up of the Africa Cup of Nations shows that the axis of power on the African continent has started to shift from north Africa to west Africa. West Africa will be represented by Burkina Faso and Senegal in the semi-finals. They face each other today (9pm kick-off). In the other semi-final tomorrow (9pm), hosts Cameroon (Central Africa) will play seven-time Afcon winners Egypt (north Africa). The Burkina Faso-Senegal match ensures there will be at least one west African team in the final. Egypt and the other UNAF (north Africa) teams Algeria (2), Morocco (1) and Tunisia (1) have dominated Afcon for many years and collectively have 11 titles. Their closest rivals have been countries from the West African Football Union (WAFU-UFOA), who in the last…