Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-04-30 i Cape Argus

THE Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) has indicated a willingness to sit down with service providers and resolve “inhumane” issues affecting drivers. A stayaway by e-hailing drivers came to an end at midnight yesterday. The action started on Saturday. Association secretary Omar Parker said the organisation made their voices heard when they stopped operating at the Cape Town International Airport. “One important achievement for us is that we’ve been able to wage a demonstration at an unusually restricted place, which falls under the national key point. “We’ve been able to make the public aware of our plight at the appalling conditions under which we are working at the airport. “Uber and Bolt have reached out to us and indicated that they are prepared to look at much better toilets. “Uber…

TWO children were wounded in alleged gang-related shootings in Lotus River and Parkwood this week. In one incident, a boy’s arm was broken after he was caught in the crossfire while playing. Louqmaan Boonzaaier, 9, was struck by a bullet when two men reportedly shot at each other in Lotus River on Sunday at around 4.40pm. His mother, Nazeemah Boonzaier, 35, said: “I was standing outside with him and I left for 10 minutes. I heard gunshots, and then later my son ran into our home. I didn’t know that he had been shot at the time. “He went into the bathroom and when he came out he saw blood oozing out of his arm and then collapsed. “We rushed him to hospital, and he was admitted for the night.…

A POWERLIFTER from Mitchells Plain wants to put his strength to the test at the upcoming world championship. Haroun Petersen, 36, was chosen to represent South Africa at the International Powerlifting Federation Championships in Lithuania in June. From training on his own for the last decade and only competing since 2023, Petersen said he has worked extra hard to achieve this goal. “It has always been my dream to be part of a South African sporting team. “I have done sports throughout my life, I have done athletics, rugby, soccer and was captain of the school athletics team. “My first competition was in 2023 and now in 2024 I have qualified to compete in the World Championships to represent SA on the world stage.” Petersen has participated and won several…

The UK and US said yesterday that they were “gravely concerned” by reports of civilian massacres by Burkina Faso military forces earlier this year and authorities subsequently suspending various international news organisations. In a joint statement referencing a Human Rights Watch report of the alleged atrocities, London and Washington urged Ouagadougou to “thoroughly investigate these massacres and hold those responsible to account”. It follows Burkina Faso suspending a string of international news organisations, some indefinitely, for airing accusations of the army massacres, with the country’s communications regulator CSC adding more outlets over the weekend. Among those named were French newspaper Le Monde, British publication The Guardian, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and French broadcaster TV5 Monde. “The Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States are gravely concerned by…

They’ve never been in a must-win situation on tour, so the Stormers look forward to this “new” challenge over the next couple of weekends to secure their place among the top eight in the United Rugby Championship (URC). After dispatching Leinster 42-12 this past weekend with a slightly tweaked game plan, the Cape side will go into the three matches with the same mindset – to build scoreboard pressure from which they can then settle into their running rugby game when they have a significant points buffer over opponents. On Saturday, whenever they won a penalty within kicking distance of the poles, flyhalf Manie Libbok would set his aim for the uprights instead of the touchline as was the norm in the past. Captain Salmaan Moerat explained the thinking around…

Proteas coach Rob Walters will name his 15-man squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in the US and Caribbean today, and while our cricket writers Zaahier Adams and Ongama Gcwabe mostly agree on who should go, there are some key differences in their teams. Stick to the veterans with the BMT, writes Zaahier Adams The Proteas are blessed with an abundance of top-order batting options. And there will be many calling for the injection of fresh faces such as Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, and possibly even a wildcard such as Dewald Brevis. But I simply cannot forget the T20I series against Australia in Durban last year in a hurry, when the 2021 T20 world champions wiped a youthful Proteas team 3-0 with white-ball coach Rob Walter stating “our next…

Financial illiteracy has been a problem in South Africa for many years, and if nothing is done, it will continue to be a burden for generations to come. According to a baseline survey on financial literacy by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council, 49% of South Africans are financially illiterate. With high poverty rates and limited generational wealth creation, financial literacy is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. It is, therefore, critical that we educate consumers on how to manage their money like a pro. This may start with financial literacy but, essentially, we need to aim for financial intelligence. This means it’s not just about understanding the basics; it’s about understanding how you can use your salary to change your future…

With the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) only three days away, the city is preparing for a significant influx of visitors, promising increased spending across the retail, hospitality and entertainment sectors. Come May 3 and 4, thousands of music enthusiasts will flock to the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the 21st staging of Africa’s Grandest Gathering. But not before the Free Concert, at Greenmarket Square on Thursday, May 2, from 4pm to 10pm, fires up. Artists on the bill at this year’s CTIJF include Tunde Baiyewu of Lighthouse Family (UK), alternative R&B group Moonchild (US), Grammy-winning bassist virtuoso and experimental musician, singer and songwriter MonoNeon (US), and Francesca Biancoli (Italy/SA). Award-winning drummer and composer Darshan Doshi will also be on hand to present his trio featuring saxophonist Mark…

A German former soldier has admitted that he had spied for Russia at the start of his trial, saying he wanted to avoid the escalation of the war in Ukraine. “It was wrong,” said the defendant, named only as Thomas H, who is at the centre of one of several espionage cases uncovered in Germany since Russia’s war on Ukraine started in February 2022. The 54-year-old is accused of passing on information from his post in the military procurement service. Prosecutors say he photographed old training documents related to munitions systems and aircraft technology and dropped the material into the letterbox of the Russian consulate in Bonn. The defendant “approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin and offered his co-operation” in May 2023, prosecutors…

ACCORDING to political economists, wages and working days are fixed by competition. Fair seems to require that both sides should have the same fair start on equal terms. But that’s not the case. The capitalist, if he cannot agree with the labourer, can afford to wait, and live on his capital. The worker cannot. He has but wages to live upon, and must therefore take work when, where and at what terms he can get it. Working people should not be exclusively absorbed in the unavoidable guerrilla fight incessantly springing up from the capital’s never-ceasing efforts to cut wages and job security, its attacks on unions, etc. Why, then, does the proletariat so often ask just for higher wages or tiny reforms when the wage system itself could be abolished?…

AS the so-called Republic of New South Africa marks three decades since what was supposed to be the end of apartheid and a dawn of democracy, the nation finds itself mired in a deepening crisis of corruption that threatens to undermine the very foundations of its hard-fought freedom. What once seemed like a beacon of hope and reconciliation now stands tarnished by the pervasive culture of government-sponsored looting that has become all too common at every level of public service. The promise of freedom and equality that once seemed within reach now appears to be slipping away, overshadowed by greed and self-interest. Modern-day South Africa stands as a nation that ought to have made significant strides since what was to have been the end of apartheid in 1994. Yet to…

The relegation battle in the DStv Premiership continues to spring surprises, with three teams fighting to retain their top-flight status. Bottom-placed Cape Town Spurs, Richards Bay and, by a close call, Moroka Swallows, are seemingly the three teams battling for the multimillion-rand chance to play elite division football again next season. While the Urban Warriors were reviving their last hopes of at least making the promotion/relegation play-offs, the Dube Birds were falling from the sky after a collision with TS Galaxy in Mpumalanga. What looked straightforward at the turn of the year has now seen Swallows allow themselves to be drawn into the relegation conversation. Head coach Musa Nyatama has seen his team win just one of their nine league games this year. Goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has watched his net…

The Department of Health has urged the public to take extra precautionary measures to protect themselves against respiratory infections expected to increase over the winter season. In a statement, the department said respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is currently at peak circulation in the country. Spokesperson for the Department of Health Foster Mohale said Covid-19 continues to circulate at low levels, while the influenza virus infections are starting to increase. “The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has a surveillance system which monitors the circulation of respiratory viruses throughout the country.…

AN ALLEGED underworld plot to murder the brother of alleged Sexy Boys gang boss, Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, has been revealed in the Western Cape High Court. It emerged during the testimony of a former bodyguard of slain “Steroid King”, Brian Wainstein, who took the stand and lifted the lid on the inner workings of nightclub feuds in Cape Town. The witness, who may not be named, claimed that due to a breakdown in relations between Jerome and his brother, Colin, that one of Jerome’s affiliates had planned Colin’s murder. According to the indictment, the rivalries date back to 2016, when Mark Lifman, Jerome, Colin and Andre Naude, established a “brotherhood” which oversaw all the bouncers at the night clubs. It stated that in May 2016, a violent altercation broke…

A FORMER attorney has outed alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack as the person who funded the defence’s cases of an alleged hitman and members of the Terrible West Siders gang. A visibly annoyed Gary Newmark took the stand in the Western Cape High Court yesterday after being subpoenaed to testify amid allegations by a self-confessed hitman that he helped to smuggle him out of court. In his testimony, the witness, referred to as “Mr A”, had told the court that after allegedly executing hits for Modack, he was arrested by police in Woodstock. He had testified that he opened fire on police and was taken into custody, but on the day he was set to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, he was simply let go. He…

THE battle for the ANC’s Western Cape premier candidacy continues as the party is caught in internal squabbles. Khalid Sayed is said to have been appointed by the ANC’s National Working Committee as the premier candidate ahead of the national and provincial elections; however, his name was disputed by some members of the party, who said that he doesn't bring confidence to voters. According to a source inside the party, the delay in announcing the Western Cape premier candidate has been a political football between various factions within the party. The source said Sayed is viewed as an opponent by the faction that won the ANC’s last Western Cape conference, which elected Vuyiso JJ Tyhalisisu as the provincial chairperson over Cameron Dugmore. “This matter is in fact beyond the election,…

A FIRE near Skeleton George and behind Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens was being closely monitored yesterday. In a statement, the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) reported yesterday that aerial firefighting resources were placed on standby amid challenging wind conditions and cloud cover. “Throughout the day, ground crews from TMNP NCC Environmental Services, Working on Fire, as well as the City of Cape Town Biodiversity Unit, will be deployed, with staff presence scheduled for overnight monitoring. “Given the fire’s location in inaccessible terrain, particularly in the cliffs, it poses ongoing risks, especially if wind patterns shift. For safety reasons, we urge hikers to avoid the area until further notice.” Meanwhile, the Newlands Forest access area – or fire base – and surrounding trails remained closed to members of the public yesterday, along…

French police yesterday detained screen legend Gerard Depardieu for questioning after two women accused him of sexual assault, a source close to the case said. The 75-year-old actor, who has made more than 200 films and television series, was charged with rape in 2020 and was forced to put his career on hold last year as allegations of sexual harassment and assault mounted against him. He denies any wrongdoing. Police were to question Depardieu over allegations from two women that he assaulted them on film sets, one in 2021 and the other in 2014, a police source said. Arriving at the police station in the capital’s 14th district, the actor’s lawyer Christian Saint-Palais refused to comment. The first woman accuses him of having assaulted her when she was a member…

My column will probably leave most people in Cape Town gobsmacked and no doubt lead to rumours of my having either been corrupted and paid by the DA or on the other side of the spectrum have others say I am trying to curry favour with the DA to ensure I have a job post these elections. Such is the nature of politics. I, however, have decided to take this proposed strategy at face value, see no ulterior motive behind it and respond to it in a way that will maintain the integrity that my lived experience has brought to my advocacy on homelessness, since the first day at Strandfontein when I saw the City’s cruel and inhumane treatment of those living on the streets. Not merely persisting, but being…

In a move reminiscent of his controversial actions during his presidency, Jacob Zuma, former South African president, has once again resorted to the axing of leaders from the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), employing conspiracy theories and skulduggery as his preferred methods of political management. The recent expulsion of MKP leaders, including the party’s founder, Bongani Khumalo, has raised serious concerns about Zuma’s influence on MKP which has boldly proclaimed that it would replace the ANC. Zuma’s history of using underhanded tactics to remove political opponents is well-documented. During his presidency, those who opposed his actions in the Cabinet were, more often than not, axed using bogus “intelligence” reports. These actions were widely criticised as politically-motivated moves to consolidate power and eliminate dissent within the ANC. The timing of the axing…

Orlando Pirates’ bid to finish second in the DStv Premiership is out of their hands, but coach Jose Riveiro has urged his charges to control what they can. Pirates will fly down to Cape Town tomorrow night, visiting Cape Town City in the league, hoping to continue their purple patch. The Buccaneers are on a high as they’ve won their past four games – three in the league and one in the Nedbank Cup – during the season’s run-in. But while they’ve been winning games for fun, including hammering Royal AM 4-0 in the league on Sunday, their top-two aspirations are hanging by thread. The Sea Robbers are third in the league and three points behind second-placed Stellenbosch, while both teams have played 25 games apiece so far. And that’s…