Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-04-01 i Cape Argus

Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum artist Aloe Blacc is back with his highly anticipated album, Stand Together, marking his first collection of original music in five years. Released under Grand Scheme Productions through Vydia, this album is not just a sonic experience; it is a powerful movement aimed at uniting communities and fostering social impact. The album features 12 tracks, each paired with a non-profit organisation, thereby amplifying urgent causes that encompass substance use recovery, urban farming, and more. “Music has always been a powerful tool for bringing people together, and I wanted this album to do more than just inspire – I wanted it to take action,” Blacc remarked. In his lifelong commitment to using his musical platform to effect change, this purpose-driven project is a culmination of his hopes and…

AN Elsies River mother is seeking answers after her son, a Grade 7 learner from Elnor Primary School came home with bruises on his arm, allegedly after being beaten with a water pipe by his teacher. The mother from Epping Forest claims that the incident took place on March 12, but despite multiple complaints to the school, no action has been taken. The angry mother says she is frustrated by the lack of response and fears for the safety of her child and other learners.“My child came home with bruises on his arm and I was told that his subject teacher hit him. “It was not only him there were more children in the class. I was very unhappy and went to the school the next day. I spoke to…

The country will know today whether the DA and the ANC, the two leading parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) have reached an agreement to pass the contentious budget that includes a proposed 0.5% increase in Value Added Tax (VAT). Sources said the DA and ANC have agreed on a deal that would give the DA more influence over economic policies going forward. However, the Expropriation Act – a sticking point for the DA – will remain unchanged. DA leader John Steenhuisen is expected to reveal all in a press briefing today. The DA said yesterday that after a period of negotiation over the Budget, economic growth and spending reforms, Steenhuisen will brief the media on the outcomes, and the implications for the budget, the GNU and…

AFTER surviving a brain tumor that paralysed the left side of his body, Pacific Mbela, of Diep River, has devoted his recovery journey to running for charitable causes. This April, he plans to raise R50 000 running the Two Oceans Marathon in support of the Zoe Project, a non-profit organisation that provides maternal healthcare in vulnerable communities. “I don’t take life lightly. I am the walking miracle,” says Mbela, “We think it’s something that we deserve but I know the meaning of life.” In 2017, Mbela was diagnosed with meningioma, a brain tumour that grows from the protective layers around the brain and spinal cord, that required surgery for removal. He suffered from severe headaches and multiple strokes as the tumour grew, blocking the blood flow. Reliant on public healthcare,…

HOME Affairs Home Affairs has a bad reputation of lack of service delivery. Now it’s worse, in the age of digital era, and under a DA minister. People, young and old, stand in the queue (in the sun and rain) for many hours without getting the necessary service. Whatever happened to Batho Pele Principles? A month or so ago, I had an appointment at the home affairs to apply for a smart card ID. My appointment was at 1pm. I arrived 15 minutes before and left the Krugersdorp Home Affairs at 4pm. When I left, I was tired, angry and hungry. Fortunately, I had taken leave for that day. Two weeks ago, I received an SMS from the home affairs saying my ID was ready for collection. However, I have…

Drought hit coffee farmers in Brazil hard last year, drying up trees and driving global prices to record highs. But Rodrigo Brondani is expecting a bumper harvest. Brondani’s giant plantation on the savanna of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia looks very different to the mountainside farms and estates typical in coffee cultivation across much of Latin America. As he inspects rows of plants laden with green coffee cherries, a long irrigation arm passes overhead nearby. It traces a wide circle above the trees from a central pivot, like the hand of a clock. “This is looking very good,” said Brondani, the lead manager at the Joha farm, which has 900 hectares of irrigated coffee fields – more than 20 times bigger than the average coffee farm in Brazil. This kind…

CAPE Town DJ and Hip-Hop legend Grand Master Ready D has bid farewell to Good Hope FM as host of The Good Vibes. Real name Deon Daniels, took to his social media yesterday morning ahead of his final show sharing a heartfelt post announcing his departure after 16 years at the radio station. DJ Ready D embraced the air waves alongside news and traffic presenter Erin Fox and producer DJ Eazy every Monday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm and when he is not on air, he is wrecking the decks at shows and clubs around the Cape as he has been doing for 40 years. Speaking to the Cape Argus sister publication, the Daily Voice Ready D described the departure as emotional. “The show became more than just…

YOUR Friday edition, ‘Cabinet welcomes withdrawal of cannabis regulations’ refers. I’m not sure what the Minister of Health was smoking when the regulations banned the sale of hemp and cannabis food products. In essence the banning of these food products will not only destroy jobs, businesses and the future of many people in South Africa but it would also force people to go back to smoking cannabis instead of a much healthier approach of eating cannabis food products. It also became clear that the Minister of Health forgot to consult the public and the professions. This issue of forgetting to consult seems to have been entrenched in government time and time again. While I fully understand that there are some unregulated imported food stuffs flooding the South African market,…

“I AM not my hair. I am not this skin. I am the soul that lives within.” These powerful lyrics from India Arie’s song I Am Not My Hair challenged society’s long-held beauty standards, questioning the idea that a person’s worth or identity should be tied to their appearance. Hair has long been more than just strands growing from the scalp – it carries history, culture, and personal identity. At the University of the Western Cape (UWC), students embrace a variety of hairstyles, each reflecting their journey, confidence, and self-expression. Across UWC and beyond, hair trends have continued to evolve, reflecting cultural shifts and growing empowerment in embracing natural beauty. The natural-hair movement has gained momentum over the years, challenging outdated beauty standards that favour Eurocentric aesthetics. Zoe Groep, a…

It’s a sad fact of South African life that too many fathers are missing in action. According to the recently released State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 (SOSAF 2024) report, in 2023, only 35.6% of our children lived with their biological fathers. While this is a poor state for all children, it is particularly tough on boys who are growing up without male role models. It’s exceptionally hard for boys to build a positive masculine identity in the absence of caring, committed and engaged men in their lives. Fatherlessness This state of ‘fatherlessness’ leaves boys vulnerable to turning to macho gangsters in their communities and abusive online bros as their guiding lights of what it means to be a man. In a country like South Africa with its high rates…

Brad Binder had to retire his bike during Sunday’s MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas due to electrical issues, concluding a miserable weekend for the South African and Red Bull KTM. It was all the more disappointing as the main event could have been his most solid finish of the season so far. Held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Binder managed to complete only 12 laps before he had to retire. The 29-year-old had a good start to the race and worked his way up the pack to P5 before his bike let him down. His teammate Pedro Acosta, meanwhile, also had to retire his bike but after just 10 laps. Acosta suffered “rear vibrations” during the Sprint on Saturday and a day later encountered…

IN THE wake of public outrage, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the South African Police Service (SAPS) have attempted to reassure the public that the rape of a seven-year-old child, Cwecwe, at Bergview College in the Eastern Cape, is being prioritised. The alleged abuse occurred on the Matatiele school premises in October 2024 while the child waited for transport. Now, the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation has called for urgency on the matter. “Our thoughts, prayers, and unwavering support go out to Cwecwe and her family during this harrowing time. No child should ever have to endure such unimaginable trauma, and no family should be left in the dark, fighting for justice alone. “It is unacceptable that, nearly six months after this horrific incident, no one has been held accountable. Justice delayed…

The Department of Home Affairs has issued a new immigration directive granting temporary relief to foreign nationals affected by persistent delays in the processing of visa waivers, long-term visa applications, and appeals. The directive was signed on Friday, days before the March 31 concession deadline was set to expire. In Immigration Directive No 4 of 2025, signed on by Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber, the department has extended the validity of temporary visa statuses until September 30 for affected applicants, citing ongoing challenges with application processing and the printing of outcomes. “The department has, since issuing Immigration Directive No 16 of 2024 dated 18 December, addressed the backlog in its visa and permitting processes. However, many outcomes of applications will not be ready for collection prior to the…

THE powerful 7.7 earthquake that shook Thailand and Myanmar, is a graphic reminder to humanity that nature has the power to rock planet earth. The ring of fire is on the rampage. Monster earthquakes are going off all around the Pacific Ocean’s ring of fire. The amount of devastation is going to be unbelievable. Historical records show earthquakes became more frequent and much more intense during the 20th century. One Japanese earthquake was so powerful that it shifted the earth on its axis, in amounts estimated to be between 4 and 10 inches. About 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur along the ring of fire. In a 40 000km horseshoe shape, it is associated with nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches,…

THIRTY years of ANC rule after all the sacrifices and difficulties they had to endure during the many years of the liberation struggle, are bound to make it exceedingly difficult for the ANC to let go of the power they had finally managed to win, finally becoming conquerors against all odds. A great achievement by all accounts. However, they must appreciate and be grateful for all the support they enjoyed from a nation that patiently supported them for a long thirty years, even though they failed to deliver all those lofty promises that had gradually seemed impossible to accomplish, with everything gradually falling apart, while they were getting richer and richer, beyond their wildest dreams. While the rest of us were not only getting poorer and poorer, but also…

RULES exist for a reason. Schools need structure, discipline and policies must be followed to maintain order. But when a 17-year-old learner is kicked out of school for trying to help her family survive, it is fair to ask if the punishment fits the crime. The recent expulsion of a matric learner at Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard for asking friends’ parents for financial help has sparked debate. By definition, her actions could be classified as extortion, asking for money under circumstances where others might have felt obligated to give . But intention matters, and in this case, the mother’s account of what happened paints a more complicated picture. The girl was not looking for money for luxury or indulgence, she was trying to support her family – buying food, paying…