Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-05-09 i Cape Argus

Is your mom into comedy? Then skip the flowers and spend Mother’s Day in the presence of laughter at the first-ever Mother's Day Comedy Festival. Featuring local comedy legends like Yaaseen Barnes, Waseef Piekaan, Mariam Kerrie, Wayne McKay and more. It’s the perfect treat for moms who love a good laugh (and great company). Where: Joseph Stone Auditorium, Athlone. When: Sunday at 3pm. If your mom’s idea of a good time includes live music and local voices she knows and loves, the Mother’s Day Showcase is right up her alley. Expect performances from artists like Emo Adams, Loukmaan Adams, Nur Abrahams and more, all bringing familiar sounds and feel-good energy for a laid-back celebration made for music-loving moms. Where: Fairbairn College, Goodwood. When: Sunday, at 4pm. For the mom who…

A SENIOR member of the EFF has confirmed that party leader Julius Malema and others are not planning to withdraw their visa applications to visit the UK, after a party delegation was not provided with visas to attend a conference at Cambridge University this weekend Malema was invited by the African Society of Cambridge to speak at the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference but could not leave OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg as their visas did not arrive in time. Taking to social media platform X, Malema said he was at the airport when he received a letter, four hours before his departure, informing him he had been denied a visa. “The British authorities have denied me a visa to London for the Cambridge Conference this weekend, providing…

A COMMUNITY in Mitchell’s Plain is calling for drastic state intervention as gang-related gun violence continues to wreak havoc on the Cape Flats. The Lentegeur Community Policing Forum (CPF) has now joined the Mitchell’s Plain CPF in demanding a commission of inquiry into gang violence and the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to stabilise affected areas. The renewed calls follow a deadly shooting on Wednesday night in Linaria Road, Lentegeur, in which a 42-year-old man was killed and a woman wounded. Michael Jacobs, chairperson of the Lentegeur CPF, said the situation has spiraled beyond what conventional policing can manage. Jacobs said police resources remain stretched too thinly to deal with the persistent gang warfare gripping the area. “We reiterated our call for the President to institute…

AMBASSADORS, local politicians, and the public gathered at The Fairtree Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria on Wednesday night to celebrate Victory Day, marking 80 years since the end of World War II. The event was hosted by Russian Ambassador Roman Ambarov, who represented the Russian Federation in South Africa and Lesotho, in anticipation of Moscow’s official Victory Day celebrations today. Russia will celebrate Victory Day as its most significant secular holiday marked by grand parades through Red Square and other ceremonies. For Russia, Victory Day is more than just a ceasefire commemoration but also a potent symbol of courage and unity prevailing over Nazi ideology, which was rooted in hatred and disregard for human life. The Wednesday event featured a screening of the Russian war film “Five Brides” and a musical…

The City of Cape Town has resumed its major project to rehabilitate and revitalise the Table View beachfront, one of the city’s prime tourist attractions along the Atlantic coastline. Civil works, which include the construction of coastal walkways, new and refurbished ablution facilities and upgrades to parking areas, encountered significant delays in 2024. The City said unfortunately, the contractor’s performance did not meet expectations, which led to the termination of the contract in November 2024. The City’s Coastal Management Branch has since developed a Project Recovery Plan, which includes the restructuring of the project to ensure a more efficient and timely delivery of the remaining works. These include: Works package 1: Repairs/refurbishment of all beach access points and staircases Repairs/refurbishment of the existing timber fencing along the beachfront Refurbishment of…

PREMIER Alan Winde's office confirmed this week that the Western Cape Government has returned from a high-level international trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, and Austria, with new partnerships secured and longstanding relations reaffirmed. Led by Winde, the delegation was on the road from April 21 to May 1, focusing on trade, investment, digital innovation, and energy resilience. “Amid global trade complexity, we must maintain and deepen our relations with countries and regions that share our passion and vision for strong economic growth and job creation,” Winde said. “Our government’s strong culture of fiscal discipline, a trusted record of return on investment, and good governance make our province a safe and stable investment destination.” In Dubai, Winde officially opened the new Dubai International Chamber’s Cape Town office, a…

Stellenbosch FC have been dealt a significant setback in their pursuit of a top-three finish in the Betway Premiership as first-choice goalkeeper Sage Stephens has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a calf injury. The bad news comes as the Winelands outfit intensify its chase for another tilt at the African club competition next season. The 32-year-old sustained the injury during the on-field warm-up for the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final against Zamalek last month. Despite the setback, he played in the match in Cairo and kept a clean sheet in Stellenbosch’s 1-0 victory, which secured their historic progression to the semi-finals. Since then, Stephens’ understudy Oscarine Masuluke has stepped in between the posts, featuring in the team’s last five matches, three…

Arsenal fell short on the big stage again as their painful Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in north London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but couldn’t convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for those misses when Fabian Ruiz struck in the 27th minute, before Achraf Hakimi’s clinical finish in the 72nd minute put PSG on course for the final against Inter…

FORMER Judicial Service Commission secretary Kutlwano Moretlwe’s version of events, which related to the misplaced initial sexual harassment complaint lodged by Andiswa Mengo, came under scrutiny yesterday at the continuation of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal. Moretlwe continued her testimony for a second day at the Tribunal where she was probed by panelist Advocate Nasreen Rajab-Budlender who described Moretlwe’s evidence as “concerning”. According to Moretlwe, she was alerted to a complaint on December 7, 2022 when she was introduced to Mengo who wanted to lodge a complaint against the Judge President Selby Mbenenge. Moretlwe told the Tribunal that she and Mengo met in her office but later moved to Mengo’s hotel room where the rest of her statement was taken. Moretlwe said she had typed the narrated version of Mengo’s complaint…

A MERE 6% of registered spaza shops have been issued with licences, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said. Ndabeni-Abrahams disclosed that a total of 87 407 spaza shops have been registered since the registration was closed. “Out of that 87 407, 54 583 are owned by South Africans while 32 824 are owned by non-South Africans. “And out of that number, only 5 456 have been issued licences,” she said. Ndabeni-Abrahams gave the figures during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, when ANC MP Cristopher Malematja enquired about the number of spaza shops that have been registered since the expiry of the deadline for their registration. She told MPs that the process of registering spaza shops was the competency of the municipalities. “The numbers…

SOUTH Africa is in deep crisis. The scale of unemployment, the collapse of public services, the precipitous decline of major cities, and pervasive corruption have left many people disillusioned. The ANC, once the bearer of our democratic hopes, has squandered much of its legitimacy. It would be naïve to deny these failures. But amid this bleak domestic reality, there is one area where South Africa has stood firm and offered rare global moral leadership: its unwavering support for the Palestinian people. That principled stance, culminating in the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, has resonated across the globe and reminded many of what ethical internationalism can look like in an age of cynicism. It is precisely because of this moral clarity that William Gumede’s recent call…

The Barebones MMA Championship returns this month in what promises to be a “bigger and better” event in its “new home”. After launching mid-last year, the mixed martial arts promotion, which focuses on building the foundation of the Western Cape MMA scene, has gone from strength to strength as it will roll out its fourth Amateur MMA show on May 17 at the Sunningdale Sports Complex. For the first three shows, Elite MMA in Melkbosstrand did an excellent job hosting the event that showcases South Africa’s up-and-coming stars. Now, as the brand starts to spread its wings, the organisers have decided to find a new venue capable of catering to the ever-growing crowds. “I have decided to move the venue from Elite MMA because the venue was just too small,”…

Orlando Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki has downplayed the significance of his team’s recent dominance over Kaizer Chiefs, insisting that their focus is squarely on the performance required in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final. The Soweto giants meet in a sold-out clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, with kick-off set for 3.30pm. This will be the second cup final for the Buccaneers this season, and a chance to complete a treble under coach Jose Riveiro, who is leaving the club at the end of the campaign. A win would mark Pirates’ third consecutive Nedbank Cup title and sixth overall trophy since Riveiro’s arrival in 2022. Despite the momentum favouring Pirates, having defeated Chiefs in both league encounters this season, Xoki insists that past results are irrelevant when it comes to finals.…

ANTALYA: Young Robin Williams is leading the South African charge in the DP World Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open here at the Regnum Carya in Antalya, Türkiye. The 23-year-old enjoyed a strong start with three birdies within his first four holes, and maintained his form throughout the day with three further birdies to finish on six-under-par to tie with co-leaders Italian Martin Couvra and German Tiger Christensen after Thursday’s first round. Meanwhile, a refreshed Wilco Nienaber believes a new-found philosophical approach to the game will help him succeed in the Turkish Airlines Open. Nienaber, who won the NTT DATA Pro-Am at Fancourt while his grandfather was on his death bed back in February, shot a splendid opening-round 68 to finish three-under par on Thursday. “I think, with the events at home,…

POLICE have found remains of two people who are believed to be Pretoria-based journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli who vanished mysteriously in February. National police commissioner, Fannie Masemola, told journalists that the remains of the two people will now undergo rigorous tests to determine their identity. “The process with the human remains we have found, they would be taken to the pathologists and we will take DNA, process it with the closest relatives – it might be one or two relatives to determine the identity of those remains. “Then we can confirm that it is indeed them or not,” said Masemola, who was with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu at the funeral of 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, who lost her life last month, alongside two colleagues,…

TRANSPORT Minister Barbara Creecy is contemplating an investigation into the financial misconduct by the board of directors of the Road Accident Fund (RAF). This potential probe arises from the ongoing litigation between the RAF and the Office of the Auditor-General (A-G). Creecy revealed this during a question session in the National Assembly on Wednesday when asked about litigation involving the RAF, with DA MP Chris Hunsinger voicing concerns about the RAF’s persistence in legal proceedings against the A-G. Hunsinger said the Pretoria High Court had dismissed RAF’s legal challenge against the A-G and that many see the institution’s stubbornness in not following the prescribed accounting standards is seen as an indictment of the RAF’s management and board. In her response, Creecy said she and her deputy Mkhuleko Hlengwa were on…

CONTINUING to give evidence at the reopened inquest into the death of Nobel Peace Prize winner Inkosi Albert Luthuli at the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday, steam train expert Lesley Labuschagne said it was cast-in-stone rules that when approaching a railway line bridge, a tunnel and a pedestrian or vehicle crossing, the driver should blow the hooter and slow down the train as precautionary measures. “Had the driver blown the whistle before entering the bridge, in this particular case, Chief Albert Luthuli or any other pedestrian would have known that there was a train coming,” said Labuschagne. “The steam locomotive whistle is extremely loud,” said Labuschagne. It was suspected that Luthuli was killed by the apartheid operatives, and the train accident was used as a cover-up. The transcript of the 1967…

MALMESBURY commuters have called for a boycott of local minibus taxis after the Malmesbury Taxi Association (MTA) disrupted contract transport services that many residents rely on. This comes after a notice circulated by the MTA declared that all contract taxi arrangements would expire at the end of April, effectively halting operations for drivers who transport residents under fixed monthly agreements. “No taxis will be allowed to drive any contract people,” the notice read. But commuters say the move unfairly penalises them financially and logistically. “This is going to impact our pockets the most,” said one commuter, who asked not to be named. “We pay the contract vehicles once a month and don’t have to worry for the rest of the month. With taxis, we must always have cash. We pay…

Technology has been a force for good and bad. Sadly, we have hyped mostly the good and shied away from highlighting its negative elements. As a result, our society is less informed about the real impact of technology. Leaders and communities often adopt technologies without fully understanding the true cost, risks and implications of embracing technology. Throughout my career as a technologist, storyteller and analyst I’ve always felt the need to have conversations with an intention to better inform our society. I have a view that society often adopts tech without fully understanding its real implications. This is partly because the technology ecosystem is offered in a way that grants you limited freedom to choose. It creates an impression that you have a choice, however that choice is often…

Springbok Manie Libbok could be the starting flyhalf for the Stormers tomorrow if director of rugby John Dobson follows his policy of introducing injured players back into the fray. This season, Dobson has opted to include those returning to action in his starting team to have the necessary back-up on the bench should they complete the desired minutes in their first game back from the sidelines. Libbok will mark his first game back when the Stormers play the Dragons at Cape Town Stadium tomorrow (6.15pm start). Often players coming back from injury are selected off the bench, as was the case with Damian Willemse against the Ospreys overseas. Still, Dobson has mostly decided to go the other route with his selections this season. He explained it simply: he wants the…

A team in a desperate situation heading to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Bulls can be a dangerous one. That is what the home side would’ve learned from their meeting with the Stormers in February in Pretoria, when the men from the Cape needed to snap a two-match losing streak against their arch-rivals in the United Rugby Championship (URC). The Stormers won 19-16, and they turned the corner towards the playoff thanks to that underdog-status victory at Loftus. Cardiff, like the Cape side, arrived in Pretoria this week as the overwhelming underdogs for Saturday’s clash at Loftus (4pm kick-off). Still hunting a playoff spot, they will be a desperate team to record a victory on foreign soil as they push to stay in the top eight. That should be…

There will be a perfect opportunity for some Stormers youngsters to make a statement ahead of the playoffs when they face the Dragons at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday (6.15pm kick-off) With key players injured, especially up front, the Cape side will rely on some rookie front-rankers to hold the fort. It should be the perfect match against the bottom-dwellers of the United Rugby Championship to give them a good run. Independent Media looked at five players that could benefit from the clash... Sazi Sandi Praised for his ability with the ball under the arm and his defensive grafting, the scrums will be the focal point for the tighthead. He’s been on the receiving end of a couple of scrum penalties that developed into a yellow card in his…