Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-08-16 i Cape Argus

The Zip Zap Circus returns with its latest acrobatic wonder, Kaleidoscope. This high-energy, family-friendly show will take audiences on a magical journey, with stunning displays of acrobatics, dazzling colours and exciting music. The performers, drawn from Zip Zap’s Zappers and Dare2Dream programmes, are a courageous cast of ordinary kids doing extraordinary things. “You will be amazed with their trapeze acts, juggling, scarf performances and handstands, all set to incredible music,” the organisers said. The Zip Zap Circus, founded in Cape Town in 1992, is a vibrant and distinctly South African social and professional circus. Through circus arts, they seek to inspire and empower youngsters from all walks of life. The organisation also promotes social cohesion, creates opportunities, unlocks potential and transfers life skills, all at no cost to the participants.…

FIVE learners from Pinelands High School accused of selling their black classmates in a mock slave auction have returned to the classroom as investigations continue. This was revealed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) as the department explained the hearings required input from various roleplayers. The southern suburbs school was thrust into the spotlight last month, when shocking videos surfaced on social media showing coloured learners selling their black classmates in a slave auction. The incident, captured on a cellphone camera was reported to the school management by concerned parent, Merle Potgieter. In the captioned video “Slavery at school is crazy”, black learners can be seen placed behind a gate while their coloured classmates are heard making bids of various amounts between…

Fans flocked to London’s Wembley Stadium yesterday ahead of Taylor Swift’s return to the stage a week after her Vienna concerts were cancelled due to a foiled suicide attack plot. Hundreds of ecstatic so-called “Swifties” streamed towards the stadium hours before the American mega-star was due to wrap up the European leg of her Eras tour with the first of five sell-out shows. “It doesn’t feel real, that it’s actually happening!” excited ticket-holder Katie Moulson, 24, said as she arrived at Wembley mid-afternoon. About 90 000 fans will again pack the venue each night, with additional ticket checks and restrictions in place after the scare over the Austrian plot. Revelations of an Islamic State- inspired plan to launch an attack using explosives and knives there led to the cancellation of…

Japan yesterday lifted a warning that a “megaquake” potentially causing colossal damage and loss of life could strike, with the government telling people to “go back to normal”. The week-old alert that such a catastrophe might hit the archipelago of 125 million people prompted thousands to cancel holidays and stock up on essentials, emptying shelves in some stores. “The people of Japan are free to go back to normal lifestyles,” disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said as he announced the lifting of the advisory. However, he said people should not forget measures such as securing furniture, ensuring family members know the location of evacuation shelters, and stockpiling emergency foods. “The special call for attention ended but it doesn’t mean the risk of a major earthquake has been eliminated,” Matsumura told…

Jason Smith belongs to an elite group of players in South Africa. The Dolphins all-rounder was part of the Aiden Markram-led South African side that raised the ICC Under-19 World Cup trophy in Dubai a decade ago. Markram and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who led the Junior Proteas attack, have enjoyed stellar careers with the senior national team since, and many expected Smith to follow. Blessed with long levers, the Capetonian stands tall at the crease, and seemed to possess all the ability when he struck a maiden List A half-century on his 1-Day Cup debut for the Cape Cobras all those years ago. The expectation proved too much for the former Wynberg Boys’ High School prodigy, and he was in danger of drifting into obscurity, before moving to the…

Emerging Cape Town singer Carletheia has been confirmed as the opening act for Grammy-Award-winning American musician and songwriter, PJ Morton, on his upcoming South African tour. The Home Again singer announced his Cape Town To Cairo Tour earlier this year, with concerts in Cape Town on September 6, Durban on September 7, and Johannesburg on September 8. Emerging soul singer, Carletheia is set to complement Morton as the opening performer for the Cape Town leg of his tour. Carletheia shared: “I am beyond ecstatic and truly blessed to have the opportunity to open up for PJ Morton. It's rare to get a chance to open for an international artist, let alone a multi-Grammy award-winning one. I don’t take this opportunity lightly.” She is looking forward to her moment in the…

THE trial of four alleged members of the 28s gang accused of robbing missing German tourist Nick Frischke was closed to the public yesterday amid concerns for State witnesses’ safety. After days of delays, the trial of Ishaam Fischer, Melvin Geunantin, Vanroy Petersen and Carlo Geunantin finally got under way in the Wynberg Regional Court. The group from Hangberg face a plethora of charges linked to the missing 22-year-old, and a spate of robberies they allegedly committed across Hout Bay. Frischke vanished without a trace while hiking on the Hangberg trail between Hout Bay and Sandy Bay on February 15, 2023 while visiting Cape Town. While Frischke has never been found, the State has slapped the group with various charges including robbery, housebreaking, firearm and ammunition-related charges and charges under…

Plans for a mixed-use development in Rondebosch East with the potential to include 800 residential units and retail opportunities have been given the go-ahead by the City’s mayoral committee. City council approval will now be sought to start the public participation process for the proposed sale of 7 hectares of well-located City-owned land on the corner of Kromboom Road and Seventh Avenue. The land has a potential yield of 800 residential units within a mixed-use development, including affordable housing, open market housing, public open space, and retail opportunities, the City said. The site is made up of several vacant erven with a desktop valuation of R155 million. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said on receipt of council approval, a public participation process would be undertaken. “The proposed sale would include a clause…

Throughout the country, during this past National Women’s day long weekend, South Africans came together to celebrate the place, prospects as well as problems facing females in society. Up and down the land, diverse groups and innumerable civic organisations marked the critical contributions of women, be it in politics, law, commerce, education, the professions as well as other priorities like gender- based violence, sexist chauvinism and social discrimination. While these celebratory gatherings rightly focus on these salient facets affecting women and girls, this is, however, not the complete picture. Far too often, the crucial subject of religion, belief and faith is relegated and rarely talked about or properly addressed on National Women’s Day. For the vast majority of people, there is little doubt that spirituality and religiosity is an intrinsic…

The UN rights office said yesterday it had asked Moscow for permission to visit Russian regions affected by a cross-border attack by Ukrainian forces. “I can confirm that the UN Human Rights Office has sent a request to the Russian authorities to facilitate access by the Office to areas of the Russian Federation affected by the hostilities, including Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions, further to our human rights monitoring and assessment mandate,” Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in an email. The request was sent on Wednesday. The office has already asked Russia on several occasions for access to both Russian territory and to Ukrainian territories under Russia’s control, to no avail, she said. The Ukrainian army entered the…

Manchester United kick off the 2024/25 Premier League season at home to Fulham tonight, before Manchester City begin the defence of their title at free-spending Chelsea on Sunday. New Liverpool manager Arne Slot will be under the spotlight tomorrow with a trip to newly-promoted Ipswich for his first competitive game since succeeding Jurgen Klopp. AFP Sports looks at what to expect from the opening weekend of the new season ... Ten Hag needs a fast start Manchester United’s shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City back in May went a long way to keeping Erik ten Hag in charge at Old Trafford. The Dutchman has been backed by United’s new football operations hierarchy, led by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, and was handed a contract extension until 2026. Leny Yoro,…

Police are probing the attempted assassination of a City ward councillor amid a gang fight in Kensington on Wednesday night. Ward councillor Cheslyn Steenberg was forced to run for cover as two brazen gunmen fired more than 20 shots just minutes after he arrived to quell a gang fight. The 31-year-old father said he became the target after responding to desperate pleas for help from residents shortly before 10pm on Wednesday. “I was at home when I received calls from worried residents who informed me that the Wonder Kidz and the 28s were getting ready to fight and they were worried. I didn’t go immediately and first called the police to inform them. Then I got another three calls and the people were scared and begging for help, so I…

THE escalation in crime in Thornton has become a major concern for the Ratepayers and Residents Association. In a meeting this week, civic issues, illegal squatting and crime were on the agenda. Residents highlighted the problems they experience with the Green Wall squatter camp in Epping, where someone was arrested for dealing in drugs. Association chairperson Nadeem Hendricks said: “We have been extremely busy addressing civic issues and concerns raised by Thornton ratepayers. Additionally, our members have been proactive on issues including squatting, crime reporting, attending crime-prevention workshops and imbizo with ward CPF, addressing the removal of the Green Wall squatter camp at local, regional and provincial level and the proposed Epping truck-stop. “Thornton Ratepayers and Residents Association is feverishly pursuing the mandate given by the Thornton ratepayers to…

INDEPENDENT carrier Airlink has apologised to the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana for prematurely announcing flights between Cape Town and Gaborone. The apology comes after the aviation authority noted with concern the advertisement for Airlink-scheduled flights between the two destinations, and the sale of the flight tickets. Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana spokesperson, Modipe Chris Nkwe, said the airline was not permitted to fly the route. “The airline’s acts contravene Regulations 5 and 7 of the Civil Aviation (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations, 2012. “Consequently, the authority has fined Airlink (Pty) Ltd for violating these regulations,” he said. As per the act, Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana is tasked with overseeing airport management, supplying air navigation services, regulating air transportation, and counselling the government on matters about civil aviation. It…

THE South African criminal justice system has egg on its face this week. Jeremy Sias, the man who stood trial for the 2019 murder of Meghan Cremer was released on parole after serving just 14 months in prison. Sias had been convicted of theft of the showjumper’s vehicle, and defeating the ends of justice for abandoning the car with her body inside. The court found him not guilty of her murder. This after testimony from a witness who revealed that Meghan had a drug problem, and that suspicious characters had been seen lurking around the Philippi farm she frequented prior to her disappearance. If Sias did not murder her, it means five years on, police have failed to arrest the real killers. Even more shocking was the acquittal of Yanga…

A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks was under way in the Qatari capital Doha yesterday, an official briefed on the meeting told Reuters, with Israel’s spy chief joining his US and Egyptian counteparts and Qatar’s prime minister for the closed-door meeting. The talks, an effort to end 10 months of fighting in the Palestinian enclave and bring 115 Israeli and foreign hostages home, were put together as Iran appeared on the point of retaliating against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. In Tel Aviv, families of some of the hostages protested outside the headquarters of Netanyahu’s Likud party. “To the negotiating team – if a deal is not signed today or in the coming days at this summit, do not return…

France commemorated the 1944 Allied landings in Provence yesterday, an event overshadowed by the D-Day Normandy landings two months earlier, but still key to the World War II endgame in Europe. Six African leaders joined official events as President Emmanuel Macron singled out the contribution of soldiers recruited – often forcibly – in French overseas colonies, notably in Africa. It took decades for France to highlight the crucial role of non-white soldiers in the fighting. Speaking at the ceremony, Cameroon President Paul Biya said that their effort had been decisive. “There would have been no Allied victory without the contribution from the other peoples, without the foreigners,” he said. “The fight was conducted together, to defend the universal values and ideas of peace and justice.” Much of the second part…

IN THE world of combat sports, confidence and self-belief are at the core of any athlete’s success. The slightest signs of doubt in the world of mixed martial arts will get exposed inside the octagon. From the moment Dricus du Plessis, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion, set foot in the octagon, he has displayed the utmost confidence in his skill set. And now, going into his first title defence at the RAC Arena in Perth on Sunday against two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, Du Plessis believes he will come out on top. The South African has adopted a slightly different mental approach to the fight, one he believes will see him emerge victorious this weekend. “In my mind, I’m going to fetch that belt. I’m not going out…