Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-05-19 i Cape Argus

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming visit to the US is expected to be a high-stakes encounter with President Donald Trump, with Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen joining the delegation to help negotiate for the continuation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). The meeting aims to reset strained relations between the two countries and secure a favorable trade deal. Ramaphosa and Steenhuisen, who is also the DA leader, will be joined by Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Ronald Lamola. New special envoy to the US, Mcebisi Jonas is also part of the team. Steenhuisen’s spokesperson Charity McCord, yesterday confirmed that Ramaphosa and his delegation were already en-route and would be landing in the US last night.…

ANOTHER senseless shooting has rocked the community of Lavender Hill, where a woman believed to be in her late 50s was shot in the neck and shoulder in Ashley Court in broad daylight. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said Steenberg police are aware of the incident that took place on Thursday, however, no criminal cases have been registered for investigation. The area has been under siege for the past week with an alleged fight between the Mongrels and Fast Guns. A video of the incident on Thursday shows a man with a gun running through a block of flats shooting continuously at one of the residences. He runs up the steps and shoots directly at the door of a flat, while people in block can be heard shouting. Community activist…

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has dismissed rumours circulating on social media platforms that beneficiaries will receive double grant payments in June and that new rules for pensioners are set to come into effect next month. Sassa said these fake reports have been causing panic among its more than 19 million beneficiaries. The agency emphasised that the only grant increases announced were those made in the Ministry of Finance’s Policy Statement in March and that the next official increase is scheduled for October. “Sassa can make it categorically clear that there have been no announcements made for double grant payments in June. These reports are untrue and should be rejected with the contempt they deserve,” said Paseka Letsatsi, Sassa’s national spokesperson. “We appeal to our beneficiaries not to…

THOUSANDS of people gathered at the Castle of Good Hope yesterday to celebrate the remembrance of Nakba Day, which marked 77 years of Palestinians’ dispossession. They joined tens of thousands who rallied across the world in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war on Gaza and to mark the 1948 attack on Palestinians, remembered as the Nakba, or catastrophe. The Nakba resulted in the permanent mass displacement of Palestinians after the creation of Israel in 1948. The Nakba Day Rally was a peaceful, family-friendly event, open to all who wish to stand against oppression. Attendees carried Palestinian flags, placards, and their voices. Those who marched said that history is repeating itself as the second Nakba unfolds as Israel plans for the total destruction in Gaza. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said…

Economist Dawie Roodt said last week that most public universities in South Africa should be closed because they are not producing the required skills. He gave some examples, such as the need for electricians, and asserted that the humanities are at the bottom of the skills set production. While theology specifically was not mentioned by Roodt in his musings, the question of its place in a university always lingers. For this reason, one is prone to respond, since this question has, in the past, been directed at the humanities – and theology in particular. A myriad of sentiments suggests, with reason, that theology is a science worth engaging with in the university. From the likes of F.C. Baur to Ernst Troeltsch, there has always been conversation on the role of…

The selection of Varsity Cup “nobody” Ntokozo Makhaza and the omission of Stormers star Evan Roos from this week’s Springbok alignment camp speaks volumes about how maverick coach Rassie Erasmus views the selection landscape. On one hand, Erasmus is signalling that he surveys all tiers of the game and that dreams can indeed come true swiftly. On the other, he reinforces that he is unafraid to make bold, unexpected decisions. It’s a powerful message — one that tells players the South African rugby system is akin to the American Dream: full of opportunity, but ruthless when expectations aren’t met. For Roos, the snub must come down to something beyond form, as his performances in the United Rugby Championship (URC) have been nothing short of excellent. One column headline bluntly asked:…

THE highly anticipated animated film Smurfs is set to hit theatres on Friday, July 18, 2025, and the excitement is palpable. The movie’s official trailer has been released, giving fans a sneak peek into the fresh and exciting new take on the classic characters. But what’s really getting fans excited is the soundtrack, the star-studded cast, including John Goodman as Papa Smurf, Nick Offerman as Ken, and Sandra Oh as Moxie. The icing on the cake? Rihanna is voicing the iconic Smurfette! Her powerful vocals will bring the beloved character to life in a way that is sure to delight fans of all ages. The soundtrack is shaping up to be just as epic, featuring tracks from some of the biggest names in music. South African sensation Tyla, Rihanna, and…

HANOVER Park gangsters opened fire and wounded three people just 30 minutes after City of Cape Town officials completed a stop-and-search operation in the area on Friday. Members of the ShotSpotter deployments, which consist of metro police officers, law enforcement and traffic services, were led by the City’s Safety and Security boss JP Smith on the raid, but they had to return to the gang-infested area when the shots rang out. Three individuals were found shot when officials arrived on the scene at Ryston Road. Residents were angered as it was alleged that the members of the Laughing Boys fired the shots. As ShotSpotter deployments cornered off the scene, tensions were rising as community members attempted to stop the bleeding of the man who sustained a gunshot wound.. As people…

NIGERIAN pastor and televangelist Timothy Omotoso was expected to depart South Africa yesterday, signalling the end of protracted legal ordeal that has lasted nearly 10 years. Omotoso chose to be deported after being re-arrested by immigration officials in East London on May 10. The Department of Home Affairs has declared him a prohibited person, citing that his continued stay in the country is unlawful. Earlier this year, on April 2, the Gqeberha High Court acquitted Omotoso of 32 serious charges, including rape. He and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani, 41, and Zikiswa Sitho, 33, had faced 32 counts ranging from racketeering and trafficking in persons to rape. Omotoso, founder of the Durban-based Jesus Dominion International church, was originally arrested in 2017. His high-profile trial drew national attention and sparked widespread…

AS South Africa inches closer to the tabling of what is known as the ‘3.0 Budget’ for the 2025-26 financial year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is under immense pressure to address a gaping R75 billion Budget shortfall. This marks his third attempt at presenting a Budget in just two months, raising expectations and apprehensions alike. Economist Dawie Roodt said Godongwana will certainly make sure that he has the DA on his side and the DA’s support for his Budget. “It will be very irresponsible for the Minister of Finance to go into Parliament without the DA’s support. You must get the buy-in of your most important coalition partner, and that of course is the DA,” Roodt said. He also said with the VAT increases scrapped, he did not expect the…

HIGHER Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has reserved her comment after severe criticism from President Cyril Ramaphosa and ahead of Parliament’s Higher Education Committee hauling her before MPs to account for her decision to withdraw appointments to the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Seta) boards. Last week, members of opposition parties sounded the alarm about ANC politicians dominating the list of at least 22 Setas as board chairpersons. In a stunning move Nkabane appointed senior ANC members such as former KwaZulu-Natal MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, Johannesburg municipal council member Loyiso Masuku and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube as Seta chairs. She also appointed former higher education director-general Gwebs Qonde, the current adviser to Minerals Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and his son, Buyambo Mantashe. Ramaphosa intervened by calling Nkabane and she…

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad may have named five fast bowlers in his artillery for the World Test Championship final against Australia next month at Lord’s, but in the case of an emergency he will not need to look too far for backup if required. Lions fast bowler Codi Yusuf has taken the English County Championship by storm, claiming 13 wickets in four innings for Durham, in Division 1. He is currently playing in a four-day fixture against Nottinghamshire, which includes Proteas wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne in their line-up, who was ironically his 100th first-class victim on Friday. Yusuf also struck a handy unbeaten 44 from No 9 against Hampshire. It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the 27-year-old after swapping Florida on the west Rand of Johannesburg for the…

Passion, power, skill, heart, bright lights, and frenzied fight fans encapsulated the atmosphere of Barebones MMA Championships 4: Apocalypse, held at the Sunningdale Sports Complex in Milnerton this past weekend. The venue was packed to capacity with spectators supporting their favourite fighters, as BMC 4 delivered a behemoth fight card featuring 19 bouts in total — including three title fights and one title eliminator. The card was divided into three sections: the Early Prelims, Prelims, and the Main Card. The Early Prelims featured the Youth division, while the remaining bouts showcased senior competitors. Fourteen gyms were represented, highlighting the diversity and growth of the Cape Town MMA scene. The Early Prelim Card showcased the impressive skillsets of the Youth fighters, offering optimism for the future of MMA. A standout bout…

Nasreddine Nabi believes Kaizer Chiefs can still secure a Top 8 finish and has urged the Amakhosi faithful to turn out in large numbers to spur the team on in their final match of the season against Polokwane City at FNB Stadium this weekend. Speaking after Chiefs drew 1-1 with Sekhukhune United at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane — a result that left them stuck in ninth place on 31 points — the Tunisian coach expressed confidence that his team can sneak into the coveted top-eight bracket. “If you look at the table, it’s a situation that will be resolved in the last game,” he said, referring to the fact that Chiefs are just one win away from sixth-placed AmaZulu and trail seventh-placed Cape Town City by only two points.…

CORRECTIONAL Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has disclosed that 12 037 foreign nationals are currently awaiting trial in prisons across the country for the contravention of the Immigration Act. The number of foreign prisoners waiting for trial constituted just 19% of the remand population in the country’s prisons. Groenewald revealed this when asked during a question and answer session in the National Assembly this week whether he intended to initiate bilateral engagements with the South African Development Community (SADC) countries to deport offenders who were foreign nationals to alleviate correctional facilities from the overcrowding. “Currently there are no bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries due to the fact that South Africa does not have an enabling domestic legislation to regulate and facilitate the transfer of sentenced foreign offenders, including South Africans incarcerated…

A PRESENTATION by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to the Western Cape legislature’s Standing Committee on Mobility has highlighted progress in rail service recovery across the province, but also exposed political fault lines over the City of Cape Town’s role in the future of commuter rail. The briefing, framed as an update on the Service Level Plan (SLP) agreed between Prasa and the City, outlined operational improvements. These include the restoration of 13 train services and a rise in train punctuality from 81.1% last year to 87.4% in 2024/25. Train cancellations have also dropped from 7.2% to 4.6%. Yet despite these gains, serious concerns remain. The Central Line, a vital commuter corridor linking Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain with Cape Town and Bellville, continues to struggle with informal settlements…

IN SOUTH AFRICA, a child can be placed in foster care until they turn 18 years old, with the possibility of extensions until the age of 21 if certain conditions are met, under section 180 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. Many factors land a child in a situation where they are no longer in their birth parents’ care and are homeless or are in foster care - a child of the system. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) demographic analysis indicates that the homeless population comprises approximately 7% children (0-17 years) and 44% youth (15-34 years). Although youths face different hurdles in their transition to adulthood, those in child and youth care centres experience significant challenges resulting from their past experiences of harm, neglect, abuse and separation from parents.…

Arsenal booked their place in the Uefa Champions League as Declan Rice’s thunderbolt sealed a 1–0 win against top-five rivals Newcastle United on Sunday. Rice’s brilliant second-half strike at the Emirates Stadium guaranteed that Arsenal will compete in Europe’s elite club competition next season. Mikel Arteta’s side ended a five-match winless run to avoid a nervous final day next weekend, with the battle for top-five places no longer a concern for the Gunners. Second-placed Arsenal are likely to finish as English Premier League runners-up for a third successive season after failing to keep pace with champions Liverpool. The north Londoners, who were knocked out in the Champions League semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain, have now gone five years without a trophy. Despite another season of frustration, Arsenal still appear the most…

Max Verstappen took a dominant victory at Imola on Sunday to celebrate Red Bull’s 400th Grand Prix and end Formula One leader Oscar Piastri’s run of three wins in a row for McLaren. Australian Piastri started on pole and finished third, overtaken by teammate Lando Norris on fresher tyres seven laps from the end, with his championship lead cut from 16 points to 13 after seven rounds. The victory was the 65th of Verstappen’s career, second of the season and the four-times world champion’s fourth in a row at the Italian circuit near Bologna after wins in 2021, 2022 and 2024. There was no race in 2023 due to flooding. “The start itself wasn’t particularly great but I was still on the outside line, the normal line, so I was…

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said his players had given fans a "moment for their life" by beating Manchester City 1-0 to win the first major trophy in the club's history. Eberechi Eze scored in the first half at Wembley on Saturday and Palace dug deep against Pep Guardiola's men to get over the line and secure a first full venture into European football. "We wanted to write history," said Glasner. "I think now we wrote really a big chapter in history." The Austrian said the players had stuck together after a terrible start to the season, when they won just one of their first 13 league games. "I think you can see now what you can get when you are patient as a club and also a big credit…

Mamelodi Sundowns have to try to follow the model of the 2016 CAF Champions League winning season when they face Pyramids in the final this campaign. Sundowns will host Pyramids in the continental showpiece final first leg at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday before visiting the Pharaohs on June 1. This will be the second final for Sundowns since 2016, while Pyramids are making only their first showdown on the continent. And so given the gulf in experience, Sundowns are tipped to put that into good use and become only the first SA based team to win the continental crown twice. Coach Miguel Cardoso will also be eager to make up for lost time as he lost last season’s final with Tunisian giants Esperance to outgoing champions A Ahly. Cardoso is…