Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-07-29 i Cape Argus

When managing your money, it’s easy to confuse saving with investing. While the two are closely related, they play different roles in your financial journey. Saving is about setting aside money for short-term needs or emergencies, while investing is about growing your wealth over time. Both are important, but one must come first: saving. The habit of saving This July, as we observe National Savings Month in South Africa, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the foundation of all financial progress, the habit of saving. Think of saving as paying yourself first. Before you pay any bills or cover any expenses, prioritise putting something away for your future. South Africa remains one of the countries with the lowest savings rates globally- the gross savings rate for South Africa is…

MURDER-accused mother, Tiffany Meek, deliberately shifted the focus of investigations into the death of her 11-year-old son Jayden-Lee, the State claimed in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The State alleges that Meek killed her son, went back to her flat between 4am and 5am on May 14 to remove his body and place it elsewhere. It was also submitted that she tried to incriminate the school transport driver. The State highlighted the fact that it was never argued that Jayden-Lee had never arrived home. Jayden-Lee lived with his mother and he was usually home by 4pm, the court heard. “It would be reasonable to accept that the applicant would be asking why he’s not home. "Interestingly, according to the security guard, she does not ask about Jayden. The following morning,…

THE role of BRICS in the world has been hailed as a positive force driving dialogue and creating strategic conditions for development, rather than opposing any particular nation, including the US. This message was delivered at the Russia-Africa conference, co-hosted by the Valdai Discussion Club and the South African Institute of International Affairs in Pretoria. The conference, titled “Realpolitik Responses in a Fractured World: Rethinking Russia-South Africa Ties in Global and African Context”, brought together top government officials and academics to share their perspectives on “G20 and BRICS: Assessing Strategic Roles in an Evolving Global Order”. Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the Department of Economic Co-operation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that the BRICS leadership cycle in the G20 has coincided with a strengthening of its economic positions.…

DA MP Emma Powell has resigned from her role as the party’s spokesperson on International Relations following allegations that she spread disinformation about the South African government during a visit to the US. In a statement released yesterday, Powell said she decided to step down after more than two years in the role, citing the personal and political toll of her work. “We must each do what is possible to tip the world’s axis toward freedom, but good leaders know when it is time to step back and allow others to carry the baton forward,” she said. The DA confirmed her resignation in a separate statement, saying Powell had “chosen” to step down. The party thanked her for her service and announced that she would soon be reassigned to a…

The City of Tshwane is working to resume flights between Pretoria and Cape Town, which were halted in 2018 due to profitability concerns. Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise disclosed the city’s plans on Friday at Wonderboom National Airport, which hosted The Children’s Flight 2025 programme. He said the airport is among the municipal strategic assets for revitalising the local economy, with plans to put it on the market in September. “Our primary objective is to ensure that it is fully functional,” he said. He said the City will revive talks on resuming flights, aiming to get the South African Civil Aviation Authority to reactivate and renew the licence for Pretoria-Cape Town flights, and also introduce a new route to Durban. The announcement follows the news in April that Messe Frankfurt South…

YOUNG entrepreneurs from around the Western Cape came together in the first edition of iAccelerate SA (iASA) to learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and launch their first venture. The high school teenagers participating in the four-month, fully-funded programme were exposed to established entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors and more for mentorship and guidance on their journeys. The programme culminated in a final pitch day competition, where the young entrepreneurs excitedly pitched their ventures to a panel of judges and potential investors. The pitches reflected the creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit proudly fostered under the leadership of Rayhaan Survé and the iASA team. The iASA Competition Day included a networking lunch, which provided the students with an excellent opportunity to connect with investors and key players driving innovation in South Africa and…

US President Donald Trump’s yo-yoing foreign policy continues to cause unprecedented ructions in international relations, with his sudden adoption of a hard stance against Russia the latest example of the dreaded unpredictability in diplomacy. One expert has likened President Trump’s cantankerous approach to foreign relations to a “monkey playing with a hand grenade”. In a typical flip-flop move the US leader gave Russia 50 days to make a deal on ending the war with Ukraine or face 100% tariffs. In addition, Trump announced that he was immediately undertaking a programme to supply weapons to Nato for use in Ukraine at a cost of up to a trillion dollars. “America will manufacture and supply, and Nato will pay,” he said. Leading Nato member-states – the UK, France and Germany, under…

WesBank has issued an urgent warning to South African car buyers following a worrying resurgence of online auction scams, many of which are proliferating on social media platforms like TikTok. “Always ensure that you are dealing with a registered auction house, and in the case of a bank auction, an official bank representative,” says Lebo Gaoaketse, WesBank’s head of marketing and communication. “Do not be enticed into accepting unofficial offers. It is often a ploy to defraud those looking for a good deal. Trust your instincts and proceed with caution. It's better to err on the side of caution than to fall victim to a fraud scheme.” Gaoaketse further urged vigilant consumer action: “We urge participants to report any suspicious activity promptly to the auction platform to prevent others from…

CHAIRPERSON of the newly established Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of political interference and corruption within the SAPS, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, assured the public during a media briefing yesterday that preparations are well under way. The commission is currently in its set-up phase, with hearings expected to begin in August. The commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa following allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi against police minister Senzo Mchunu. Mkhwanazi’s claims include that senior police officials, including Mchunu, were involved in criminal syndicates and had interfered in politically sensitive investigations, including disbanding elite units tasked with corruption probes. Madlanga stated that although Mkhwanazi’s claims prompted the inquiry, the process must follow due diligence before any public hearings can start. “The fact that General Mkhwanazi…

GRASSY Park police have confirmed that a case of fraud is under investigation against the owner of BT Football. This, after the mother of one of the players, who asked to remain unnamed, accused him of misleading her about her son’s return flight and refusing to refund the money. She said her son misplaced his passport at Dubai airport and never made it to Spain with the rest of the team. She also claims he assured her the flight was booked, but no ticket existed. Initially, 38 people travelled to Spain to participate in the Donosti Cup. After the tournament ended, 10 returned home on their own, but the remaining 28 – children and three coaches – were left stranded without return flights, sparking widespread concern. According to the mother,…

The Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has recorded a historic performance, achieving 62% above target in the week ending July 20 , 2025. This milestone marks the terminal’s highest weekly volume since March 2019, with 19 931 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled against a target of 12 283, it said. This achievement is particularly significant given CTCT’s previous challenges. The terminal’s resurgence in the 2025/2026 financial year is a testament to focused leadership, strategic investment, and a renewed commitment to operational excellence. Since April, CTCT has consistently exceeded expectations, closing the first quarter 32% above its targeted volumes. This sustained improvement is underpinned by ongoing investment in terminal infrastructure, including the acquisition of 18 new rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, with nine of the RTGs already being commissioned for operations. “CTCT…

TALL, athletic, with her blonde pigtails hidden under a bucket hat, Libbie Janse van Rensburg is instantly recognisable at every Springbok Women’s training. She’s also usually the player calling the shots in every offensive move. But of late, the Springbok flyhalf has been moved around the backline with coach Swys de Bruin still testing out combinations less than a month away from the Boks’ Rugby World Cup opener against Brazil in Northampton. Janse van Rensburg started at No 10 with Tayla Kinsey as her halfback partner against the Black Ferns XV last Saturday at the Athlone Stadium before De Bruin made a complete switch with Zintle Mpupha slotting into the flyhalf position along with Nadine Roos shifting from fullback to No 9 in the second half. “I think it’s exciting,…

In their desperation to hang on to wantaway star Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest may have committed a cardinal error. The midfielder was central to Forest’s surprise run in the English Premier League last season. They eventually finished in seventh place, and if it weren’t for a late wobble, they would have been preparing for Uefa Champions League football next season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team also reached the FA Cup semi-final. Yet, it seemed that their talisman had been lost to Forest, after Tottenham had announced that they had activated the player’s buyout clause with a £60 million (about 1.44bn) bid earlier this month. The club’s billionaire owner, Evangelos Marinakos, refused to let their star leave without a fight, especially after the backlash from some quarters that greeted the departure of…

The rock scene has a fresh heartbeat – and it’s coming from a father and son duo in South Africa that’s turning heads far beyond their hometown. Meet Cantrel, the explosive new band making waves on the global stage with their debut EP, Jump. Made up of Pietermaritzburg-born Neil Breytenbach, the legendary keyboardist and co-songwriter from one of SA’s most iconic rock bands, Prime Circle, and his equally talented son, Jesse Breytenbach, Cantrel is more than just a collaboration – it’s a generational bridge that fuses experience, passion and raw talent into a sound that’s both timeless and thrillingly new. Independent Media Lifestyle caught up with the duo, who opened up about their sound, their relationship and the wild ride they have been on since Jump dropped. A leap of…

WESTERN Cape-focused Spear REIT said it will acquire Maynard Mall, in Wynberg, for R455 million, marking its second acquisition concluded in two consecutive trading days. Maynard Mall was being acquired from the Sphinx Trust and Glisan Street Investments, and the deal announced yesterday was aligned with Spear’s objective to grow its portfolio of well-located, convenience retail assets within the Western Cape, the REIT’s directors said in a JSE notice. On Friday, Spear announced the acquisition of Consani Industrial Park in Elsie’s River Industria, for R437.3m, from Adrenna Property Group. Maynard Mall is a dominant, convenience-oriented community shopping centre anchored by Shoprite. It is fitted with a 924kWh solar installation, which further aligns with Spear’s sustainability strategy, and 70% of tenants are national retailers, such as Ackermans, Absa Bank, Clicks, Capitec…

THROUGH its Informal Settlements and Basic Services branch, the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate provided 709 new taps and 5 873 toilets across more than 75 informal settlements during the 2024/25 financial year. At a cost of just over R35 million, the City said it formed part of its efforts to expand access to basic services, particularly clean water and safe sanitation. The latest roll-out brings the total number of services provided to 69 081 toilets and 10 488 taps at 702 informal settlements throughout the City. “Water and sanitation service delivery is about more than just provision of basic infrastructure. The hard work being done by our Informal Settlement and Basic Services branch to maintain these facilities, is to restore dignity and continuously improve the quality of life for…

The Umkhonto we Sizwe Party’s (MKP) growing relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco, as laid out in the document titled ‘A Strategic Partnership for African Unity, Economic Emancipation and Territorial Integrity: Morocco’, was recently strengthened during a high-profile visit to Morocco by MKP leader, Jacob Zuma. This deepening alliance raises serious questions about the MKP’s ideological commitments and political motivations, especially in light of Morocco’s controversial political stance and human rights record. MKP’s partnership with a country with deep links to Israel – and one that has been complicit in the ongoing occupation and human rights violations against the Sahrawi people – is a marked departure from the party’s earlier messaging as a champion of anti-colonialism and African self-determination. Rather than standing in solidarity with the oppressed, MKP now appears…

PIETER Coetzé booked his place in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, after powering to second place in his semi-final yesterday, finishing ahead of Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon of Italy. The 21-year-old star had secured his semi-final spot with a time of 52.80 seconds in the morning heat and then went even quicker in the semis, clocking 52.29. That performance saw Coetzé qualify third-fastest for the final, behind Hungary’s Hubert Kós (52.21) and Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (51.26). Coetzé heads into today’s final with the fastest time in the world this year, having claimed gold at the World University Games in Germany just nine days ago. There, he posted an impressive African and World Student Games record time of 51.99 seconds, becoming only the eighth swimmer…

As the 2025/26 South African football season kicks off, the contrasting ambitions of two Betway Premiership clubs set the stage for an intriguing campaign. Mamelodi Sundowns, the undisputed giants of domestic football, enter the new term with silverware in their sights and continental glory firmly on their radar. In stark contrast, top-flight debutants Orbit College are preparing for a battle of survival, armed with belief, loyalty to their playing identity, and a few strategic signings. From title favourites to hopeful newcomers, both clubs face defining seasons ahead. TOP TRUMPS MAMELODI SUNDOWNS Club Owner: Patrice Motsepe Head Coach: Miguel Cardoso Highest ever finish: Champions Competitions participating in: Betway Premiership, Nedbank Cup, MTN8, Carling Knockout Cup, Caf Champions League Silverware chances: Excellent for all domestic competitions; one of the favourites for the…

The British Football Academy (BFA) in Pinetown is slowly turning dreams into reality — not just for ambitious teenage footballers in KwaZulu-Natal, but for South African development structures as a whole. Backed by England-based duo John Read and Peter Coyle, BFA has brought a new rhythm to youth development by giving township talents more than hope — they’re offering a passport to the big stage. Since partnering with Pinetown Boys High School in 2023, the academy has been expanding both in vision and impact. The aim? To bridge the gap between raw talent in South Africa and professional football abroad, with clubs like Queens Park Rangers already keeping a close eye on the progress. More than just a pipeline to Europe, BFA has made its presence felt locally. Their team,…