Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-05-14 i Cape Argus

Cape Ballet Africa presents a new programme featuring Celebrating Tchaikovsky and Desiderata. The production blends iconic ballet music with choreography by South African artists. Narrated by actor Marcel Meyer, it showcases talent from the company’s rising stars, including Mia Coomber’s choreographic debut. Where: The Drama Factory When: From Friday until Sunday, May 25. Times vary depending on date. l Hedda Gabler In this fiery modern take on Hedda Gabler, Hedda is back from her honeymoon and already over it. When her ex Lovborg shows up, she sparks chaos, for the thrill of it. Rolanda Marais leads the cast including Albert Pretorius and Stian Bam. Forget nice. Hedda’s here to wreak havoc, Where: Flipside at the Baxter Theatre. When: Runs untill May 24 at 7.30pm. l Julius Caesar Set on the…

THE ANC has dismissed the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MKP) request for a special forensic audit into the aborted 2025 national Budget speech, calling it “frivolous” and motivated by “political posturing”. Imraan Subrathie, the ANC Study Group on Standing Committee on Auditor-General Whip and MP, said the request did not warrant a special audit, as the information requested could be reported by the National Treasury and respective organs of state through the Auditor-General South Africa’s (AGSA) annual auditing of public institutions. The ANC was responding to a letter MKP Chief Whip Mzwanele Manyi had written to the AG, Tsakani Maluleke, calling for a full forensic audit into the aborted February 2025 Budget Speech, seeking to find whether it amounted to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The speech had to be postponed on…

THE Trump administration welcomed the 49 Afrikaners who landed in the US at Dulles Airport outside Washington after they were granted asylum status following claims that they faced discrimination and violence in South Africa. The group, which included children waving small American flags, was welcomed by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” said Landau. Meanwhile, critics have argued that granting the group asylum status contradicts the Trump administration’s previous suspensions on asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution from their countries, many of whom have endured rigorous vetting processes before reaching the US. During the welcome, a…

THE Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), currently in a legal battle seeking the eviction of residents at 104-106 Darling Street in Cape Town, has defended itself against criticism that it is not following the proper legal process. The property is believed to be among the 338 buildings that are owned by the department, which are believed to have been hijacked and/or illegally occupied. In the DPWI’s court papers, it argues the Darling Street address consists of two properties: a dilapidated three-storey building and vacant land adjoining it, which it says “has become vulnerable to unlawful land grabs or land invasions”. The DPWI is seeking an urgent notice as an interim eviction, with the assistance of the Sheriff of the Court and the police, and notices on boards would…

AS CATHOLICS around the world welcomed Pope Leo XIV, one resident marked the moment in a deeply personal way – by hiking up Kommetjie Mountain with a Vatican City flag in hand. Jason Scott, 21, a Kommetjie-based Catholic writer and contributing author to The Southern Cross Magazine, made the solitary ascent on May 9 as a tribute to the newly elected pope. Born Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV is the 267th pontiff and the first to be born in the US. Scott described the hike as a symbolic act of devotion and reflection. “This solitary ascent, set against the vast Atlantic horizon, quietly reflects a commitment to enduring values. “It recalls the shared ties that bind communities of faith across generations” he said. According to Scott, the pope’s election…

The persistent issue of expensive data and telephone call costs in South Africa requires urgent and meaningful intervention. It has been six years since Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, committed to tackling the “exorbitant” pricing within the communications sector. Regrettably, this commitment has not yet translated into noticeable improvements for consumers. A comparison with other African nations clearly illustrates the price discrepancy. In Ghana, for example, 1GB of data can be obtained for as little as R1.49, with the highest price point around R23 for the same amount. South African consumers, on the other hand, face considerably steeper charges. To illustrate, Cell C offers 1GB valid for a single day at R25. Capitec Connect charges R25 for 1GB valid for a week, and R45 for data…

It’s no secret that Max Verstappen and Red Bull will only be catching a distant glimpse of the rear end of McLaren for the foreseeable future — even with the flying Dutchman’s trademark aggressive driving. Turned all the way up, the RB21 still has no chance this season of catching the papaya lightning, even with Verstappen behind the wheel. A fifth consecutive world title now looks out of reach. The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka figuratively marked the end of Red Bull’s successful partnership with Honda, as Christian Horner’s team now focus on their new alliance with American car manufacturer Ford. Aimed at a more sustainable approach to Formula One, Ford will work with Red Bull to develop the next-generation hybrid power units for both Oracle Red Bull Racing and…

India cricket will enter an uncertain new era next week when selectors name a Test squad without all-time greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the first time in more than a decade. Batting stalwarts Kohli and captain Rohit both retired from Tests in the past week, leaving Shubman Gill as the front-runner to lead a new-look India side in England. The retirement last year of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leaves India without the backbone of the team that was formerly No 1 in the world Test rankings. Top-order batsman Gill is the favourite to be given the task of starting India’s rebuild with the five-Test England series, which begins on 20 June at Headingley. “Gill looks like the heir apparent, but his record overseas hasn’t looked too great,” veteran…

FOR the first time in 46 years, one of the Western Cape’s most mysterious mammals, the Boosmansbos long-tailed forest shrew (Myosorex longicaudatus boosmani), has made a reappearance, exciting conservationists and volunteer biologists. Conservationists from CapeNature, Grootvadersbosch Conservancy and Helihack, together with volunteer biologists, are ecstatic at finding the tiny mammal on the edge of a pristine forest patch on CapeNature’s Boosmansbos Wilderness Area in the Langeberg Mountains. First described in 1979 by scientist Nico Dippenaar, the shrew was recognised as a unique subspecies, geographically isolated from its relatives by the Gouritz Valley. Its limited known range, combined with forest habitat loss and climate change, led to it being listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2016. Armed with little more than Dippenaar’s original field notes and habitat…

POLICE are investigating attempted murder after a 17-year-old was allegedly pranked into drinking a liquid from a cooldrink bottle which contained acid. The victim, who left school to assist his single mother, was employed at Mitchell’s Moslem Butchery in Woodlands, and was apparently set to get a promotion. According to reports, the victim allegedly drank oven acid from the Sprite bottle thinking it was cooldrink, however, spat it out. The manager, who allegedly put the acid in the bottle, sent the cashier to get pills for the victim. The medication allegedly resulted in internal bleeding and the victim was admitted to Groote Schuur hospital. The victim was on life support in the ICU, but has recently gone off critical status. Police spokesperson, Anelisiwe Manyana, said Lentegeur police are investigating an…

GENDER rights activists are not confident that the appeal application by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Timothy Omotoso matter will serve its purpose, and believe sexual violence victims will be further traumatised. The reaction comes after the NPA announced they would appeal the decision of Judge Irma Schoeman, in which she found the State had not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Televangelist Omotoso and his co-accused - Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, were acquitted last month of all charges brought against them which included rape, sexual assault, racketeering and trafficking in persons. The trio were acquitted following a mammoth eight-year trial. In a statement, NPA spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, said they have made the decision after senior legal opinion was sought. Sonke Gender Justice chairperson, Bafana Khumalo, said…

A LEAKED list of new appointments to Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) boards has sparked a political outcry, as prominent ANC-linked individuals – including Mineral Minister Gwede Mantashe’s son, Buyambo Mantashe, and former KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube – have been tapped to lead these influential institutions. The appointments were made by Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Nobuhle Nkabane. DA national spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, condemned the appointments, describing them as blatant “political patronage” and warning against the growing politicisation of public institutions. “These appointments raise serious concerns about the politicisation of institutions meant to serve all South Africans. SETAs are not ANC cadre deployment havens, nor should they be misused as rewards for political loyalty,” Khakhau said. According to the leaked list: Buyambo Mantashe has been appointed Chairperson…

OPPOSITION parties in the Western Cape have thrown their weight behind a growing civil society campaign urging the City of Cape Town to light up City Hall in the colours of the Palestinian flag on Nakba Day, tomorrow. May 15 is the day to commemorate the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians that followed the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. The call, led by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), is directed at Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Premier Alan Winde, and follows multiple requests by the organisation to the City. In a letter, PSC spokesperson Prof Usuf Chikte questioned why the City responded swiftly to the Ukrainian crisis in 2022 by lighting up City Hall, yet has remained silent in the face of what many describe as…

After some job gains between March and December last year, the official unemployment rate – which doesn’t include discouraged work seekers – is back to where it was a year ago, at 32.9%. However, this is off-the-record high of 35.3% seen in the fourth quarter of 2021 in the direct aftermath of Covid-19. South Africa saw record low unemployment rate of 21.50% in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to Trading Economics data. The official unemployment rate rose because 291 000 people lost their jobs quarter-on-quarter, dropping the employed workforce to 16.8 million as at March this year, Statistics South Africa said yesterday. At the same time, there was an increase of 1.3 percentage points of people entering the workforce, or 532 000 more working-age South Africans, which resulted in…

The milestones keep rolling in for the Stormers with speedster Suleiman Hartzenberg set for his 50th cap for the Cape side on Friday against Cardiff in their final round-robin match of the United Rugby Championship (URC) season. Following in the footsteps of Damian Willemse, who celebrated his 100th appearance this past Saturday, the 21-year-old Hartzenberg raced to the milestone of half a century of games despite picking up various injuries over the last couple of seasons. It shows how valuable the utility back, who is comfortable at outside centre or on the wing, is to the inaugural URC winners. Halfway to the 100 mark, he could, in the future, reach the milestone in a record time, with Willemse currently having that honour at the age of 27. For the youngster,…

In the latest episode of Podcast and Chill, Macgyver “MacG” Mukwevho addressed the controversy surrounding his recent comments about television personality Minnie Dlamini. MacG joked about the situation and stated, “We took podcasting to another level; we’re now honourable speakers.” He asked: “Is it even a podcast if you haven’t been summoned by parliament?" MacG went on to say that sometimes the backlash he receives makes him want to quit. “Sometimes I feel like ah, f*** this s*** man, let me pack my bags and go back to Venda to start farming, I don't need this s***,” he said. Additionally, he said that seeing the love from his fans “fuels him” and makes him want to keep going. This nonchalant attitude comes after Deputy Minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike called for…

A KING’S Pardon may be the gift that Ashley Oosthuizen and her mother, Lynn Blignaut, have been praying for her after her prison sentence in Thailand was reduced by 20 years, from 33.4 years to 13.4 years. And if granted, she may only need to spend another two years inside the Thai prison. Oosthuizen was found guilty of drug related charges after her arrest in 2020, when she allegedly accepted a package containing MDMA while working at a restaurant. Blignaut had completed a legal petition together with an appeal to the Supreme Court in Thailand, which was submitted in 2022 and 2023. The verdict handed down on March 27, 2025, stated that Oosthuizen’s sentence was reduced by 20 years following an initial charge of “international drug smuggler” that was changed…

PROTESTERS blocked Malibongwe Drive and Potsdam Road with burning tyres yesterday after the City’s Law Enforcement allegedly demolished a brick structure used for business purposes in the Ezihagwinie informal settlement on Monday. A resident of the nearby ZweZwe informal settlement, located just a short walk from Ezihagwinie, said the protests continued into the early hours of yesterday. Protesters burned tyres and pelted stones along the N7 and Malibongwe Drive. He said residents of Dunoon felt they were being “treated like animals” when a police riot vehicle and Law Enforcement officers arrived to demolish the structure. It belonged to an elderly woman who sold food and groceries from the site, he said. “Why come here without notifying anyone? “They demolished her stall – where is she supposed to trade from when…

Consumers are increasingly feeling the pinch with a record number of people who are now in debt review having a personal loan. The latest DebtBusters’ Debt Index for the first quarter of the year showed that more South Africans than ever are using personal loans to make up the shortfall between income and the rising cost of living. This, it said, is despite South Africans having access to some of their retirement savings in the form of the “two-pot” retirement regime. Research also found that 37% of people applying for debt review had a one-month loan – also known as a payday loan. Benay Sager, executive head of DebtBusters, said “personal loans, especially one-month loans, remain a lifeline for many, because income has not kept pace with rising expenses”. Those…

WHEN Proteas coach Shukri Conrad announced his squad for next month’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s in London, many were anticipating a few surprises as the 58-year-old has made some old calls in his time as coach. However, Conrad only made one noticeable change from the squad that played Pakistan here at home last summer, with Lungi Ngidi replacing the young Kwena Maphaka in the side. Many would have thought that Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee would be in the squad, considering that they are back to full fitness. However, Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma believed their inclusions in the side would be too much of a risk, as they simply haven’t played much red ball cricket in the ongoing cycle. “There’s a guy like Gerald, and Ana (Nortje)…

Mamelodi Sundowns are on the brink of yet another historic milestone as they prepare to face Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Wednesday evening (7.30pm kick-off). A single point is all the Brazilians need to officially seal the Betway Premiership title — their eighth in a row — by reaching an unassailable 68 points, a tally that Orlando Pirates can no longer match, even if they win all their remaining games. The match carries enormous weight, not only as a potential title-clincher but also as another marker of Sundowns’ unquestionable dominance in South African football. Their sustained success this season has come despite significant changes on the technical bench. Following the shock departure of head coach Rhulani Mokwena — a move that caught much of the footballing…