Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-12-08 i Cape Argus

If you are looking to escape into an enthralling mystery this festive season, look no further than Malice, the brand-new Amazon Prime series that is already generating plenty of buzz. With its star-studded cast and enough twists and turns to keep you hooked until the very end – including a seriously jaw-dropping finale – the six-episode British psychological thriller is well worth watching. And while stories about a man plotting vengeance on a wealthy family in a bid to bring some sort of street justice are often played out, this production does more than simply add to the genre – it masters it with its clever structure, compelling character arcs and unique storytelling. Malice unfolds with a confidence rarely seen in new thrillers, gradually tightening the screws until you reach…

The hundreds of occupiers Cissie Gool House have welcomed the City Council’s in-principle decision to dispose of the former Woodstock Hospital site, calling it the strongest opportunity yet to secure long-term affordable rental housing for current residents and others in need. The Cape Argus understands the House is home to 900 people. Their response followed Thursday’s council meeting, where ward councillor Ian McMahon delivered a firm endorsement of the disposal, describing it as a “practical and necessary decision” at the intersection of social need, legality, safety and responsible urban planning. He thanked Mayco member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim for his “accessibility” and involvement in meetings with affected stakeholders, and acknowledged the City’s appointed social facilitation team. McMahon said engagements with residents, U-Watch, the Woodstock Residents’ Association and the Woodstock…

A quick-thinking beach contractor armed with an NSRI pink rescue buoy saved a father and daughter from a rip current at Brenton on Sea on Saturday, moments before NSRI crews arrived. At 1.15pm, Knysna’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) was activated after witnesses reported two people in distress in the surf, Station 12 commander Jerome Simonis said. “Wtnesses reported two persons in distress in the surf zone caught in rip currents,” he said. NSRI rescue swimmers and off-duty lifeguards raced to the beach while rescue craft JayTee IV and Katharine were launched. Police, ER24 and Western Cape Government Health EMS also responded. When NSRI crews reached the shoreline, they found the two casualties, a 45-year-old father and his 17-year-old daughter, already out of the water. The pair, holidaying from Limpopo,…

Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber has withdrawn South Africa’s 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian passport holders after a group of 153 Palestinians arrived last month on a chartered flight from Kenya. “Following investigations and recommendations by national intelligence structures, and consultations within the Security Cluster – which confirmed the deliberate and ongoing abuse of the 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian ordinary passport holders by Israeli actors linked to “voluntary emigration’ efforts for residents of the Gaza Strip – the Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn the exemption,” he said. Schreiber said that a short-stay visa exemptions are commonly used by countries to encourage tourism and short-term travel. However, investigations into the recent arrival of two charter flights carrying Palestinian passport holders revealed systematic abuse of the exemption, with…

Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has expressed concern over the increasing number of travellers intercepted attempting to enter South Africa illegally, with many being Basotho nationals, as well as Zimbabweans and Mozambicans. Yesterday, Masiapato announced the festive season law enforcement operations and outlined security arrangements for the holiday period. He also provided a report on the BMA’s work during the second quarter of the 2025 and 2026 financial year, highlighting movement patterns of people and goods across ports of entry. Over 8 000 people were arrested in the second quarter for attempting to enter the country illegally, Masiapato said. The majority were Basotho nationals, followed by Mozambicans and Zimbabweans. Operational support for the festive season plan will be provided by the National Joint Operations and Intelligence Structures…

KLIP Road Clinic hosted an open day and protest, which focused on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Men’s Health awareness and mental health. The event at the weekend brought together healthcare workers, local stakeholders, and residents, focusing on promoting wellness, preventative care, and access to essential health services. Clinic manager, Thabisa Blayi, said during the session, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about services such as chronic care management, maternal and child health, mental health support, immunisations, Youth & Adolescent services, and screening for conditions like HIV, TB, diabetes, and hypertension. Yaseerah Nelson, GBV ambassador and NHW hero, hosted a silent protest along Klip Road aimed at men, joined by the Community Police Forum (CPF), SAPS, Metro Police, ward 65 NSOs, and the newly introduced Health Committee. Nelson made headlines…

With less than three months to Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, a Goodwood couple has penned their second children's book in their faith pillar series. Journalist Nurah Tape and her husband, author and publisher Zaahied Sallie, launched We Love Ramadan at Mosque Shafee, a historic mosque located at the corner of Chiappini and Church Streets in Bo-kaap last week. Ramadan will probably start mid-February next year, depending on the sighting of the moon. Muslims fast for 29 to 30 days. The Hijri calendar is lunar, meaning it follows the moon cycle for its months, with each month beginning when a new crescent moon is sighted. Sallie is the son of renowned Islamic jurisprudence teacher and author Sheikh Abdurraghiem Hasan Sallie, who led the mosque congregation from 1979 until…

There were several reasons to be grateful for the Proteas’ Women’s series sweep of Ireland at Boland Park yesterday. For starters it ended a run of bilateral series defeats for a team that has reached consecutive T20 World Cup finals. But on an individual level, it also displayed the value of Western Province duo Faye Tunnicliffe and Dane van Niekerk to the national team’s cause. Tunnicliffe has for a long period been among the leading run-scorers in domestic cricket, but due to a variety of factors has not been able to transfer that form to the international stage since her debut back in 2018 already. Her call-up to the squad for the Ireland series was almost seen as a last-chance saloon, and after Friday’s failure at her Newlands home ground…

Ben Stokes refused to give up hope of winning the Ashes despite going 2-0 down in the five-match series after another heavy loss to Australia at the Gabba yesterday. England went into the series with many at home believing they had a real chance of regaining the Ashes. But after a two-day loss in Perth and Sunday’s eight-wicket defeat in Brisbane, those aims already look daunting. “The worst thing to do now is to not have hope and not realise that we still have the opportunity to do what we came out here to do,” Stokes said. “I haven’t lost hope, the dressing room hasn’t lost hope, and I’ll be doing everything I can as a captain to make sure that everyone is as positive as they possibly can be.”…

The much-anticipated draw for the Fifa World Cup 2026 took a shocking turn on Friday evening as the event at Washington’s prestigious Kennedy Centre spiralled into a chaotic blend of football and politics. The offerings at the Final Draw diverged starkly from its original intention as a celebration of the beautiful game. It was supposed to signal a joyful countdown to the world’s largest football tournament, but instead, it turned into a long, fragmented spectacle that bewildered fans and officials. The draw, which determines the group-stage match-ups for the upcoming tournament co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, was overshadowed by an unexpected wave of political discourse that erupted during the event. Early in the evening, Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s declaration that “it’s not a normal draw” appeared to foreshadow…

Inimba viewers are in for a treat as the Mzansi Magic telenovela has been greenlit for a second season. Since its on-screen debut in April, audiences have been hooked, making Inimba one of the most talked-about shows in Mzansi, with fans flooding timelines to discuss the gripping storyline after each episode. The consistent hype contributed to season one being extended by 90 episodes. Mzansi has developed a love-and-hate relationship with the characters on the isiXhosa telenovela. Lunathi Mampofu, who plays Zoleka Bikitsha, and Sisanda Hewana, who plays Hlathi Mabandla, are central to the story, have had viewers up in arms with all the drama. Season one delivered some unforgettable drama, including Zoleka’s shocking return after two decades, the explosive family confrontations that followed with Hlathi repeatedly proclaiming: “Kukwa Mabandla apha!”,…

POLICE have had their hands full this weekend after another fatal shooting which claimed the lives of two males and wounded a 16-year-old boy yesterday. The police were called to the crime scene along Warwick Crescent just after 8am where the bodies of the two men aged 20 and 25 were found. The teenager was rushed to a medical facility. Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg said: “According to reports the victims were standing in the road when a white vehicle drove up to them and one of the occupants of the vehicle opened fire on them before fleeing. “Murder and attempted murder cases were registered for investigation.” In another shooting in the Cape Flats, two more children, aged four and seven, were also struck by gangsters’ bullets the weekend. This…

The ANC has intensified its challenge to Premier Alan Winde’s administration, arguing that the Department of the Premier’s failure to disclose a R51 000 reimbursement from the Under2 Coalition has now confirmed the need for external scrutiny. In a statement issued on December 4, opposition leader Khalid Sayed, speaking on behalf of the ANC caucus, condemned what he called the department’s “dismissive and evasive conduct” during Friday’s Standing Committee session on the adjustment budget. Sayed said the department had “failed yet again to disclose the R51 000 payment received from the Under2 Coalition for the Premier’s trip to New York last year”, despite the reimbursement being received in April. Sayed said the payment “does not appear in the revenue section of the adjusted estimates, nor in the legally required gifts…

Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi made a surprise appearance at the Baxter Theatre when he joined Marc Lottering on stage at the opening night of Colleen the Musical. The moment unfolded at the end of the performance, when Kolisi walked on to the stage to congratulate Lottering on the launch of his new production. He shared warm words with the comedian before singing Happy Birthday to him. Lottering’s birthday was celebrated on Thursday, December 4, adding to the significance of the surprise. Speaking on stage, Kolisi said: “Marc and I’ve been friends for a very long time and he has been a blessing in my life. His shows are funny but also very educational. They address many things that are difficult to speak about but he brings so much love…

THE Western Cape has launched one of its largest festive-season road safety operations, deploying more than 600 provincial officers and over 300 vehicles to help manage holiday traffic across the province. The plan was unveiled on Saturday in Beaufort West during the Western Cape Mobility Department’s 2025 Festive Season Road Safety launch. According to the department, the purpose of the campaign is “to make sure every person using our roads feels safe, protected, and able to reach those important moments with friends and family.” Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku said the approach is focused on ensuring that residents and visitors reach their destinations safely. “One life lost is one too many. We enter this festive season with an unwavering determination to ensure that everyone is safe on our roads. Road safety…

After nearly 20 years of navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child, Dorothy Pietersen has turned her story into a book aimed at inspiring and guiding other families. Her debut book, The Beauty in Being Different, was officially launched in Grassy Park, last month , with all proceeds going toward a foundation. Pietersen, a Mitchells Plain resident, established to support families of children with special needs and to invest in the community. The book chronicles her journey supporting her 24-year-old son, Jean Pietersen - born in 2001 and diagnosed on the autism spectrum - through school, higher education, and the ongoing struggle to find employment, highlighting both the hardships and the hope that have shaped their lives. Pietersen’s son attended Northwood Primary in Woodlands and later Spine Road High…

At a time of heightened geopolitical fragility and protectionist policies undermining multilateral cooperation, China has demonstrated its commitment to work with the African continent to advance shared modernisation and prosperity. China and South Africa jointly unveiled the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernisation in Africa on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit held in Johannesburg on November 22. The Initiative demonstrates confidence in Africa despite swelling geopolitical headwinds threatening economic and political stability in the continent. China has been Africa’s largest trading and development partner for over 16 years. The China-Africa trade volume is massive and growing, reaching around $296 billion in 2024. The fragmented geopolitical order presents major risks to the fragile economies on the African continent. Divisive external interests and transactional, coercive, and unreliable partnerships threaten…

ABDESLAM OUADDOU, the coach of Orlando Pirates, was celebrating Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s growth instead of lamenting the loss of an influential player in his squad. On the night when the young centre back played his final match for the Buccaneers by lifting the Carling Knockout trophy following a one–nil extra-time victory over Marumo Gallants, many were wondering just how Ouaddou was going to ‘replace’ the lad from Hluhluwe in KwaZulu-Natal. Mbokazi has been snapped up by American Major League Soccer franchise Chicago Fire and will be making the move to the US, after the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations finals in late January. But, having played the game himself, the Moroccan coach is only too pleased to see one of his players making the step up. “I cannot say he…

Lando Norris claimed his maiden drivers’ championship yesterday to complete McLaren’s first title double since 1998 with a perfectly judged drive to finish third behind Red Bull’s winner Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri. A tearful Norris won the title by two points ahead of Verstappen, who relinquished his crown after four consecutive years, in a tense and emotional season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix dominated by strategy and tactics. After crossing the line his team engineer told him: “That’s it mate, you are world champion, world champion!” “Thank you guys, you made a kid’s dream come true,” he replied. “I haven’t cried in a while, I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” Norris said, on the podium in the desert night at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit. “I…

Kristoffer Reitan overcame what he described as “excruciating pressure” to become the first Norwegian winner of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player at Sun City on Sunday. Reitan took a five-stroke lead into the final round and withstood strong challenges from South Africa’s Jayden Schaper and England’s Dan Bradbury to win by a single stroke on 17 under par with a closing 72. Schaper and Bradbury shared second place on 16 under par, with respective final rounds of 68 and 66. “It feels amazing," Reitan said, after the second DP World Tour victory of his career, which now ties him with countryman Viktor Hovland as the Norwegian player with the most wins on the DP World Tour. "This is an amazing tournament, an incredible golf course and…

The echoes of the exhilarating 2010 Fifa World Cup still resonate in the hearts of South Africans, and for Bafana Bafana winger Mohau Nkota, those memories are more vivid than ever. As South Africa prepares to take on Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, the 21-year-old former Orlando Pirates player is inspired to emulate Kaizer Chiefs legend Siphiwe Tshabalala, who scored the memorable opening goal against Mexico 16 years ago. Tshabalala’s thunderous strike on June 11, 2010 not only illuminated Soccer City but also ignited a wave of national pride, marking the start of Africa’s first-ever World Cup. During that game, South Africa led until former Barcelona star Rafael Marquez equalised, leaving the match at 1-1. Now, with history set to repeat itself, Nkota feels the…

The family of 39-year-old Hermalise Wenn, a Cape Town mother allegedly murdered by her boyfriend in October, faces their first Christmas without her as they struggle with grief and caring for her two children. Her tragic story highlights the devastating impact of gender-based violence on families, especially during the festive season. “Every mother killed leaves behind children whose lives are permanently altered.” These are the words from TEARS Foundation, an organization that advocates, provides counselling and education services for those impacted by gender-based violence (GBV). An example of this is GBV victim, Wenn, a mother of two from Elsies River, who was allegedly stabbed and tortured to death by her boyfriend, Clinton “Duiwel” Moses, who was out on parole for a previous stabbing and had a protection order against him.…

The Animal Rescue Organisation (ARO) staff members are in shock after they survived an attack and robbery while doing their routine community veterinary outreach work near the Siyahlala Clinic, close to Brown’s Farm, Philippi, on Tuesday, December 2. ARO spokesperson Lindsey Concer said two of their employees who were part of ARO’s mobile clinic stationed near the Siyahlala Clinic were attacked when nine men surrounded them at around 11am. According to Concer, the men trapped their employees who could not leave their mobile clinic. “The attackers began to physically assault them by twisting arms, repeatedly hitting staff, and attempting to force them into the mobile clinic vehicle with the apparent intention of moving them to a second location,” she said. Concer said her colleagues showed immense courage to fight back…

CAPE Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has welcomed a final North Gauteng High Court order that compels the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to make municipal electricity tariff decisions on time, ending years of late rulings that have disrupted municipal budgeting across the country. The court confirmed the City’s proposed timetable and declared Nersa’s public participation process for the 2025/26 municipal tariff applications invalid under section 172(1)(a) of the Constitution. The ruling requires Nersa to inform municipalities of Eskom and other generator increases by January 31 each year, to consider and publish every municipality’s cost-of-supply study and tariff application for public participation, and to finalise all tariff decisions, with reasons by May 5. These deadlines reflect the City’s proposals during the AfriForum application and are now binding. Hill-Lewis said…

Tygerberg Hospital has made national medical history by performing South Africa’s first fully internal bone transport and limb-lengthening reconstruction. This complex limb salvage technique, conducted in partnership with Stellenbosch University (SU), is the only one of its kind performed in the country, spanning both the public and private sectors. The hospital is now one of only a few centres globally capable of offering this advanced procedure within a public healthcare setting. The patient, a 64-year-old former police officer, had lived with the long-term consequences of a gunshot injury sustained in 2018. Despite multiple surgeries elsewhere, he continued to struggle with chronic pain, an unhealed fracture, and a substantial difference in leg length. According to the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness WCDHW, surgeons reconstructed a 50mm bone defect and…

Becoming Meg Dashwood Rebecca Humphries Multi-cast narration Audible Originals IN A delightful twist on 19th-century feminism, Becoming Meg Dashwood ushers listeners back to an era defined by stringent social norms and unyielding expectations - only this time, it’s looking at the other side of the coin. An Audible Original that runs four hours, the audiobook, executive produced and starring the brilliant Emma Thompson, offers not just a sequel but a scintillating reimagining of Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility. The story leaps into action through the eyes of Margaret Dashwood, a spirited young woman who, rather than succumbing to societal dictates about love and marriage, audaciously declares that she will not be caged by the institution. It opens with a prophecy of sorts: “When you are thirteen years old,…

There was an eruption of joy at a packed Cape Town Stadium yesterday evening after the Blitzboks came from behind to beat Argentina 21-19 to win the Cape Town Sevens. It was the first time a team had won the Cape Town event back-to-back, and there was an overflow of emotion as the South Africans triumphed before a kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and crazy outfits. Victory was especially sweet after the Blitzboks found themselves lagging behind the South Americans with only a few minutes to go. The Blitzboks rallied, however, scoring two late tries to inch over the line. Ultimately, it was Christie Grobbelaar’s try that secured victory, thanks to a brilliant turnover by Shilton van Wyk. After the final, a delighted Van Wyk said: “It was all about rewarding…

Life keeps getting better for the unbeaten Stormers, who return to South Africa from their heroics in Bayonne to a massive boost in the form of three influential Springboks. Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Cobus Reinach are fit, fresh and eager to slot into the team for this weekend’s crunch Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle in Gqeberha. For the match against Bayonne, Stormers coach John Dobson used two Boks who were on the November tour — Ben-Jason Dixon and Ntuthuko Mchunu — while Zachary Porthen was with the team in France but not selected. Dobson was thrilled with his relatively inexperienced team’s gutsy 26-17 comeback win over Bayonne, who had not lost a home game in two years. “The first half was great – tactically really good,” he said.…

French giants Toulouse had too much firepower for a relatively inexperienced Sharks side, winning their first-round Investec Champions Cup clash at Stade Ernest-Wallon 56-19 on Sunday, but the visitors never wilted in the face of the onslaught. The six-time champions, loaded with international stars, scored eight tries and coped comfortably with the late withdrawal of French international flyhalf Romain Ntamak against a Sharks side led by No 8 Nick Hatton but missing several of their Springbok big guns. The Durban side showed a willingness to run the ball early on, but a cross-kick in the third minute led to the opening score for Ange Capuozzo, which flyhalf Thomas Ramos converted. The Sharks responded well to the early setback, building multiple phases, with lock JJ Scheepers particularly strong in the carry.…

Kaizer Chiefs will not only search for redemption but also for all-round team organisation when they start the second half of the season next year, following a disappointing end to the year. Chiefs were held to a 0-0 stalemate by TS Galaxy in the last game of the year — and in the Betway Premiership — as they finished fourth on the log with 24 points. Given the fact that this was their fourth successive game without a win, and that they trail log leaders Orlando Pirates — who have a game in hand — by four points, this was certainly not the ideal end Chiefs wanted in 2025. After ending last campaign with silverware, there was plenty of hope that Chiefs would turn around their fortunes this season, but…

Arne Slot was still reeling from Liverpool’s latest stumble at Leeds when Mohamed Salah took aim at his coach and the club’s hierarchy in a post-match rant that could mark the end of his legendary career at Anfield. The English Premier League champions are facing problems after a run of four wins in 15 games in all competitions and now have to contend with what could be a messy divorce from one of the club’s all-time greats. Only two men – Ian Rush and Roger Hunt – have scored more than Salah’s 250 goals for the 20-time English champions. The Egyptian has been key to two of those title triumphs, most notably last season when he swept the board of individual awards during a stunning campaign as Slot won the…