Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-12-17 i Cape Times

For the longest time, I dreaded the idea of growing old. Maybe it was because my circle of friends always seemed younger, or perhaps it was the constant bombardment of “age gracefully” advice plastered all over social media, thinly veiled advertisements for injectables, surgeries, or products promising eternal youth. But as someone who grew up navigating the loss of older siblings, I’ve come to see ageing differently. Surviving, thriving, and reaching those golden years isn’t just a biological process; it’s a privilege. Let’s face it: our desperation to stay youthful has opened the door to fear-mongering and manipulation. But here’s the thing, ageing doesn’t have to be scary. It’s not a curse or a trend to resist. It’s a natural, beautiful part of life. And the sooner we embrace it,…

With the SA20 tournament kicking off this December, Sunrisers Eastern Cape batting all-rounder Patrick Kruger is easing into the season with a mindset that’s equal parts hungry and grounded. “I’m going into the tournament with a hungry but calm mindset,” he says, already sounding like a man who knows what he wants from the months ahead. For him, it’s all about staying present, trusting the graft he’s already put in, and contributing wherever he can, whether that’s runs on the board, energy in the field or leadership in the cloakroom. This season, Kruger is putting extra focus on “decision-making under pressure,” a skill he believes can shift the flow of any match. Pressure moments in cricket can force quick calls, reading a bowler’s plan, choosing whether to take a risky…

AS THOUSANDS of local and international tourists are expected to flock to the Garden Route during this festive season, the Knysna municipality, which recently introduced heightened water restrictions, has warned of increased non-compliance and sustained high consumption levels despite ongoing awareness campaigns. With Knysna’s water supply hovering at just 27% capacity, Level 4 water restrictions were implemented from December 3, introducing stricter limits on non-essential water use. Level 4 water restrictions include that municipal water must only be used for human consumption, not used for gardening (not even with a basket) or washing of vehicles and, or boats. Under level 4, the construction industry, car washes and nurseries are to use alternative sources of water. “Heavy fines will be issued to transgressors. Domestic consumption to be limited to 6kl/household per…

I AM writing to express my shock and deep concern at the publication of a letter from a reader titled “Poverty remains greatest threat to humanity” (Cape Times 15 December 2025), in which abortion is listed amongst other man-made disasters as a “cancer” placing mankind on the brink of extinction. This statement is ignorant, inflammatory, and deeply insulting to women. Abortion is not a moral abstraction or a careless choice. It is often the result of complex, painful realities: poverty, lack of access to contraception, sexual violence, health risks, abusive relationships, and systemic inequality. To frame it as a civilisation-ending threat erases women’s lived experiences and reduces deeply personal medical decisions to ideological condemnation. It is troubling that a male author passes sweeping judgement on women’s bodies and reproductive…

The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) announcement that it intends to contest future elections independently of the ANC is not a tactical adjustment. It is a political rupture whose consequences will reverberate through government, Parliament and the broader liberation movement. For decades, the Tripartite Alliance has been sustained by shared Struggle history and negotiated coexistence. Once an alliance partner signals its intention to leave the ANC’s electoral platform, the logic of deployment, loyalty and accountability is fundamentally altered. At the centre of this moment is an uncomfortable but unavoidable truth: no political organisation can contest power against another while simultaneously enjoying the benefits of that organisation’s electoral mandate. If the SACP is serious about standing independently, then political integrity and democratic accountability require that those deployed through ANC lists into…

The EU was yesterday expected to present a first-ever plan to address the continent’s deepening housing crisis, aiming to boost construction and regulate short-term rentals. The figures are stark: nearly 1.3 million people are homeless across the 27-nation bloc – more than the entire population of Brussels. Over the past 15 years, housing prices have surged by 60%, while rents have climbed almost 30%, according to Eurostat data. “For too many Europeans today, home has become a source of anxiety,” European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said in a recent speech addressing the challenge. Responding to a crisis that affects all EU member states, the commission has drawn up an “affordable housing plan” which was to be unveiled yesterday. Housing is not an issue that comes under the remit…

QUITO: Fifteen inmates have died over the past four days at Ecuador’s largest prison, the Litoral Penitentiary in the coastal city of Guayaquil, prison authorities said this week. The National Service for Comprehensive Attention to Adults Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders, which oversees the prison system, said the deaths occurred between December 11 and December 14. Officials said the causes of death will be determined by authorities. Preliminary police reports cited by local media said most of the inmates were between 22 and 45 years old and showed no visible signs of violence, according to forensic investigators. The deaths come amid a worsening health crisis at the prison, which houses around 7 000 inmates, following reports of earlier deaths, some linked to symptoms consistent with tuberculosis. |…

During the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals in June, an upstart prediction exchange, Kalshi Inc, ran a national television advert which went viral. The “unhinged” ad included a farmer floating in a pool of eggs, an alien chugging beer, and an old age pensioner draped in an American flag screaming “Indiana gonna win it, baby” with the finale, “the world’s gone mad, trade it”. These surreal scenes were only possible due to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Google’s Veo 3 text-to-video generator. What made Kalshi’s advert dramatically different, is that it cost only $2 000 to develop, compared to six to seven figure quotes from traditional advertising agencies. It also took just three days from idea generation to finished product. Indeed, Kalshi’s advert creator was one guy, working from home, mostly…

We often believe great relationships are built on grand gestures: luxury dinners, surprise holidays, and jaw-dropping gifts. But research keeps whispering something more grounded, more intimate, and honestly much more achievable: the tiny, everyday acts of effort matter more than the big, occasional wow. According to a 2022 study published in The Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, couples who consistently share small positive experiences like laughing together, hugging more often, or spending intentional time together report higher long-term relationship satisfaction than couples who focus only on milestone celebrations. In short: love thrives in the ordinary. Between work, errands and endless to-do lists, carving out time for loved ones can feel like just another item to check off. But here’s the thing: relationships thrive not on grand gestures but on…

KISHORE Hurribhujan was a commercial farmer from Verulam with a fine arts degree. He dedicated 40 years of his life to building JH Fresh Produce and generously donated vegetables several times a week to feed the local community. His daughter shared how this artistic soul tragically lost his life while delivering fresh produce for charity An emotional Bhavisha Soorajmoney said her father was demanding but loved deeply. “I grew up with tough love. My father wanted me to learn his business. He was strong-minded and always wanted to build big things. He had a big heart and helped anybody and everyone. We would never find another person like him,” she said. She said her father supplied vegetables free of charge to Food For Love Africa. “He was close to Vic…

THE Family of Warrick Stock, popularly known as DJ Warras, has appealed for calm following his murder in Johannesburg’s CBD yesterday. The shooting took place opposite the Carlton Centre, on the corner of Von Wielligh and Commissioner Street, after the well-known DJ and media personality parked his vehicle. DJ Warras worked at various radio stations including YFM, 5FM and Gagazi FM. According to Johannesburg Central SAPS spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, DJ Warras was approached by three unknown suspects who opened fire before fleeing the scene on foot. “The motive for the shooting is currently unknown. No arrests have been made yet, and the investigation is underway,” Sibeko said. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) superintendent Xolani Fihla confirmed that JMPD officers were the first responders after being stopped by members of…

IGNORING previous letters to yourselves at the Cape Times and to the Mayor and to Council representatives, the incessant hooting by drivers of the trains continues from almost all of the 32 trains running daily between Cape Town and successive stations down the line. Certain drivers show excellent circumspection in sounding their horns, giving well regulated toot-toots between Harfield and Kenilworth stations. Others, notably on the downline, race their motor coaches at full tilt, hooter blaring until they arrive at a still screaming halt in Kenilworth station. The worst of all is the driver of the 8.28am downline train, whose hooter is the driver's plaything, a high-decibel level unrestrained monster of a warning-giver. An idea for alleviating this situation might be that for the assistance of drivers who are…

THE State intends to oppose bail for the 11 Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) officers who face charges of murder, assault, kidnapping and torture. The officers, who may not be identified as per court ruling, returned to the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday. They are accused of the murder of Wade Price from Manenberg on December 4 after an interrogation following a shooting incident outside the same court a week ago. The accused face Schedule 6 offences including charges of murder, four counts of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, four counts of kidnapping and one count of torture. The court previously heard that Price and three complainants were taken to Manenberg SAPS. According to court documents, the accused allegedly kidnapped Price and the trio from Helen Court to…

It is the only idea that can save South Africa There is an argument, repeated with the ease of a political cliché, that the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) has outlived its usefulness. That it belongs to an era of Cold War frameworks and liberation movement nostalgia; that it is a relic dragging the ANC into theoretical cul-de-sacs; that South Africa’s complex present requires something fresher, more technocratic, more modern. These criticisms are not new. But they have recently resurfaced with renewed confidence, travelling through media commentary and policy debates with an air of common sense. Yet this supposed “common sense” dissolves the moment one actually confronts the realities described in the NGC Base Document, which opens by observing that South Africa stands amid “a volatile, uncertain and insecure global situation”…

In Kadugli, a besieged city in Sudan’s Kordofan region, escalating violence and worsening famine have left civilians trapped in a state of constant fear, according to testimonies. Two and a half years of war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have ravaged the South Kordofan state capital, with strikes intensifying in recent weeks. The latest, a drone strike on a UN peacekeeping base at the weekend, killed six Bangladeshi troops. Two rare accounts have been obtained of daily life in the embattled city, anonymised for safety reasons. Under a communications blackout, internet use is limited, expensive and monitored by the army authorities that control the city. Here are the accounts of life today in Kadugli, where the UN has declared famine and repeatedly warned of “brutal escalation”.…

KINSHASA: The March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group announced this week its decision to “unilaterally withdraw its forces” from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) city of Uvira, which it claimed to have seized the previous week, describing the move as a confidence-building measure aimed at supporting the ongoing peace process. In a statement, Corneille Nangaa, political leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a politico-military coalition allied with the M23, said that the decision followed recent progress under the Doha peace process, including the signing of the Doha Framework Peace Agreement in November. The M23 stated its intention to initiate a “unilateral trust-building measure” and to “give the Doha peace process the maximum chance to succeed” in delivering a lasting solution to the conflict. |…

The Bulls are sweating on the fitness of influential veteran Marcell Coetzee and scrumhalf Zak Burger ahead of their Durban derby against the Sharks on Saturday (kick-off 6pm). While the duo are not believed to be seriously injured ahead of the United Rugby Championship (URC) clash, things are looking far gloomier for flyhalf Kade Wolhuter, who appears to have picked up a serious knee injury in the devastating loss to Northampton Saints this past weekend. The flyhalf, who joined the Bulls on loan from the Lions, has apparently damaged his MCL and is currently on crutches. He will go for scans on Wednesday and only then will there be clarity on the extent of the injury. Coetzee and Burger are senior players, and the Loftus side will hope for better…

Former Rhythm City actress Pam Andrews has opened up about her decision to remain in an open marriage. Her candid Instagram video captivated and divided opinions among her followers. In the video, Andrews discussed the dynamics of her 11-year-long marriage, which has been non-traditional, as she and her husband do not live together and both date other people. “As you guys know, me and my husband have been married for 11 years, we don’t live together, and we have an open marriage,” she says. She went on to share her views on relationships: “Most people ask me how I can be in an open relationship or in an open marriage. Listen, let me tell you something, most couples, most marriages are in open relationships, it’s just that one of…

The Bondi Beach shootings should be condemned. Who was responsible? It reminds me of the SS Patria, a ship with 1800 Jews on board, bombed and sunk by the Haganah Jewish gang. More than 250 Jews perished, and the rest were aided by Palestinians to reach land. The aim was political: to force the hand of the British during the mandate, to allow undocumented immigrants into Palestine. In the 1940s, the Irgun Jewish gang, dressed up as Arabs, bombed the British Headquarters in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. A couple of Jews also died in the blaze. In 1953, in what is known as the Lavon Affair, Jews, dressed as Arabs, planted bombs in libraries and markets in Cairo. The hope was that civilians would be injured,…

THE seven suspects arrested outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court were allegedly planning a gang-related shooting when police foiled the attempt. Police said integrated teams acted on intelligence indicating that an attack was being planned in the vicinity of the court on Monday. Officers moved swiftly and descended on an identified vehicle parked outside the Wynberg court precinct, where three illegal firearms and approximately 60 rounds of ammunition were seized. Seven suspects, aged between 18 and 64, were arrested at the scene. “All the suspects were apprehended before any harm could be caused, and the illegal firearms were taken off the streets,” said SAPS Western Cape spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa. “This proactive operational response saved lives in what was meant to be another gang-related shooting.” The arrests come amid persistent concerns…

OUTGOING National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi’s complete disregard and disrespect at the Nkabinde inquiry is indicative of the monumental failures of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) under her leadership. Her conduct is of an individual who cannot wait to exit the office with little to no interest in the state she is leaving it in. Her decision to walk out of the commission in the middle of her cross-examination by Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi should not come as a surprise, though. Instead, it should serve as confirmation of why the NPA has yet to register any major success in high-profile state capture-related cases. Having the state capture architects behind bars was one of the main priorities South Africans were promised Batohi would fulfil when she took over. The…

A father and son appeared to be driven by “Islamic State ideology” when they opened fire on a Jewish festival at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday. Sajid Akram and his son Naveed killed 15 people in a mass shooting that targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at the famous beach at the weekend. Authorities have described the attack as an antisemitic act of terrorism, but have so far given little detail on the deeper motivations. Albanese gave one of the first hints yesterday that the pair had been radicalised before committing “mass murder”. “It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” Albanese said. “The ideology that has been around for more than a decade that led to this ideology of hate, and in…

Kolkata: An all-women-crewed Indian Army sailing vessel, Triveni, carrying the message of Nari Shakti (women empowerment) to distant shores, sailed into Lyttelton Port in Christchurch this week, where the crew received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Indian community in New Zealand. The crew comprises women officers from all three wings of the Indian Armed Forces – the Army, Navy and Air Force. Details of the felicitation programme were shared by a communications officer of the organising body, who is of Indian and Bengali origin with roots in Kolkata. The 16.05-metre, India-built yacht set sail from Mumbai on September 11 after being flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It first reached Fremantle in Australia before undertaking the challenging journey across the Tasman Sea to Christchurch. |…

PARIS: France’s first lady Brigitte Macron apologised this week for using a slur against activists that sparked a feminist backlash, trying to quell an incident that generated a social media trend against her. “I am sorry if I hurt women victims,” the 72-year-old told the media outlet Brut, calling the remarks caught on video early this month “private” comments. But, she added: “I can’t regret them. True, I am the wife of the president of the republic, but I am above all myself. And so when I am in private, I can let myself go in a way that is not totally proper.” Macron was referring to a description she made of activists who disrupted a December 7 stand-up show she attended of a French actor accused of – but…