Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2026-01-07 in Cape Argus

Five Malawian nationals have been arrested following the discovery of an illegal liquor manufacturing operation in Durbanville, where City of Cape Town safety officials confiscated more than 2 000 litres of homemade gin. The arrests were made on Monday by Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSOs) after the City’s Public Emergency Call Centre (PECC) received a tip-off from members of the community reporting suspicious activity at a residential property. NSO officers responded to the complaint and were granted permission to enter the premises. Upon inspection, officers uncovered 11 large drums filled with homemade gin, along with a machine believed to have been used to distil the alcohol. Officials also discovered that the suspects had been collecting bottles from two well-known alcohol brands and were allegedly repackaging the homemade liquor to…

Unions representing public servants are demanding that the Government Employees’ Medical Scheme (Gems) reduce its executives’ salaries to align with senior functionaries in the state’s departments. Labour representatives at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Coun- cil (PSCBC) want Gems to align its executives’ remuneration to the public service and a drastic reduction in the level of remuneration of the medical aid scheme’s board of trustees. The unions, which include the largest representing government employees, the Public Servants Association and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), believe that the initiatives undertaken by Gems’ board of trustees are insufficient and want the PSCBC to add other basket of initiatives, including the reduction of the reserve ratio from 25% to 20%. The Council for Medical Schemes requires a reserve or…

WHAT began as a routine ocean outing turned into an extraordinary wildlife rescue after a young African penguin climbed onto a kayak and into the arms of a paddler off the Cape coast. The rescue was shared in a social media post by Kirshia Govender of the International Ocean Institute, who described how the penguin surfaced unexpectedly and began circling their kayaks. Govender said she sensed something was wrong due to the bird’s unusual behaviour. As it moved closer, the penguin allowed itself to be cradled before hopping onto her kayak and into her arms. “Super vocal, it expressed a sense of relief, almost thanking me for helping it,” she wrote. Govender noticed the penguin was injured on its underside and appeared to be in distress. The group decided to…

The call from Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi for mandatory lifestyle audits for all prosecutors comes at a pivotal moment for the country’s judiciary. The initiative is welcomed by numerous stakeholders as a crucial step towards restoring faith in a system weighed down by allegations of corruption and misconduct. This push for transparency follows a series of disconcerting events within the justice system, notably the recent legal troubles of Gauteng High Court Judge Portia Phahlane. Last November, Judge Phahlane was granted R50 000 bail by the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court, alongside her son, Kagiso, and businessman Vusi Ndala, who were both granted bail of R10 000 each. The court proceedings for Michael Sandlana, the primary accused and leader of the International Pentecost Holiness Church, were postponed for…

BAFANA Bafana midfielder Relebohile Mofokeng says South Africa’s round-of-16 exit at the Africa Cup of Nations has provided him with important lessons as his international journey continues. As the tournament enters its business end—where Africa’s top sides are battling for continental supremacy—Hugo Broos and his squad will be observing from afar, having missed out on a significant opportunity to further build on what has been a largely encouraging period for the national team. With their next competitive assignment only coming later this year at the Fifa World Cup, set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Bafana Bafana now face a lengthy wait, relying solely on international friendlies to prepare for the global showpiece. There is optimism that the disappointment suffered at AFCON will serve as…

AUSTRALIAN Open tournament organisers announced a record AUD 111.5 million (R1.2 billion) prize money pool yesterday, the largest in the tournament’s history. The prize money pool saw a 16 per cent increase on last year prize money of 96.5 million Australian dollars (+R1 billion). The winners of the men’s and women’s singles at the season-opening Grand Slam will each receive AUD 2.79 million (R30.7 million), marking a 19 per cent rise from last year’s AUD 2.35 million (R25.9 million). The runner-up will earn AUD 2.15 million (R23.7 million) and the semi-finalists AUD 1.25 million (R13.8 million) each. Qualifying rounds are up by 16 per cent, and all singles and doubles players will receive a minimum of a 10 per cent increase. Players exiting in the first round of the main…

THE Lions have stressed the importance of following up the weekend’s impressive away performance in the United Rugby Championship with another in Saturday’s home game against Lyon in the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Joburg side is still searching for their first win of the truncated competition after losing their opening two matches. “The difficult thing with the French teams is that you never know which team they are going to put out, even at home. But what we all know about the French, not just Lyon, is that they are very good once they get momentum, they can generate further momentum. They have a very good kicking game, so they are clever with when they kick and are cautious in their own half until they feel that there is an…

1996 Bafana Bafana AFCON-winning squad member Roger De Sa has weighed in on the team’s run at the ongoing continental showpiece, diverting from “popular opinion”. Bafana were eliminated from the event in the Last 16 on Sunday night after losing 2–1 to Cameroon at the Agdal Medina Stadium in Rabat. That result stung for the team and their supporters as they arrived at the event full of confidence that they would emulate the ’96 class and surpass their third-place finish from the last edition in Ivory Coast. After all, Hugo Broos and his men had done well in the past few months following the event in Ivory Coast, qualifying for AFCON without a loss and automatically securing their ticket to the World Cup finals in June for the first time…

Vindicated principal Wesley Neumann has thanked the public for their overwhelming support after the Labour Court judgment replaced his dismissal from Heathfield High School with a final written warning. Political parties are now questioning the expenditure of the five-year case, which is believed to exceed R4 million. The news has been widely welcomed by the Special Action Committee–Education (SAC-E), the GOOD Party, COSATU Western Cape, and the ANC. Cape Argus approached Neumann for comment yesterday, but he could not speak publicly. A representative on behalf of the principal shared a brief message on his behalf: “I would like to express my gratitude to all the people that I did not even meet for their support and prayers.” Neumann was dismissed in 2020 after deciding to keep the school closed due…

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has assured students that upfront payments for financial support in the 2026 academic year will be made on February 1, aiming to prevent them from being stranded at universities and TVET colleges. Addressing the media yesterday, NSFAS Board Chairperson, Dr Mugwena Maluleke, said the payment would cover the full book allowance, one month of meals, accommodation, personal care, and travel allowances. Last year, students took to the streets in protest in Pretoria, accusing NSFAS of delaying funding to pay for residences, with some facing eviction from their landlords due to unpaid rent. They also claimed that due to the delayed funding, they were forced to attend classes on empty stomachs. Maluleke said the entity is geared up for the new academic year, with…

Almost 10 months after Ebrahim Rasool was expelled as South Africa's ambassador to the US, prompted by his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump, the nation remains without a permanent representative in Washington. Alistair Ruiters, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special advisor for investment promotion, seems to be the frontrunner to fill the ambassadorial void. His candidacy has garnered support from the business community and the DA. Despite this backing, the nomination process has dragged on for far longer than anticipated. Other candidates are ANC veteran and former Minister of Defence and Constitutional Development Roelf Meyer, Marthinus van Schalkwyk (former leader of the National Party who later joined the ANC and served as Minister of Tourism), Andries Nel (the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development), Gerhardus Koornhof (President’s parliamentary…

While Umalusi prepares to officially release the matric results across the country on Friday, the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA) cautioned students against unregistered institutions. SAQA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Makhapa Makhafola, reiterated that “while this period is one of hope, excitement and new beginnings, it is equally a time when learners and parents are most vulnerable to misinformation by unregistered institutions that seek to take advantage of the urgency to secure study opportunities. Makhafola urged all matriculants and parents to exercise caution and verify institutions and qualifications before making any application or registration payments. Matriculants are advised to be alert to red flags such as institutions not being able to prove registration with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), offering qualifications that are not registered on the…

A new study by Stellenbosch University has found that repeating early school grades can lead to significant and lasting academic improvements for pupils who struggle to meet promotion requirements, particularly in language literacy. The report, authored by Ros Clayton from Stellenbosch University’s Research on Socio-Economic Policy Group, examined the impact of grade repetition in grades 1 and 4 using data from nearly all primary school learners across Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu- Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and NorthWest. By comparing pupils who narrowly failed promotion thresholds with those who just passed, the study found that repetition is a meaningful form of remediation, rather than being a deterrent to poor performance. According to the findings, pupils who repeated Grade 1 recorded an average increase of 18.3 percentage points in Home Language marks in…

EDDIE Howe said yesteday that he is “100 percent” committed to Newcastle as he dismissed speculation linking him with the vacant Manchester United manager’s job. Ruben Amorim was sacked on Monday after 14 months in charge at Old Trafford after an explosive post-match interview following his team’s 1-1 draw at Leeds. Newcastle boss Howe has been touted as a possible permanent replacement for the Portuguese boss. He was also linked to the Chelsea job after the departure last week of Enzo Maresca, who has since been replaced by Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior. The 48-year-old Howe was asked by reporters on Tuesday whether anything could tempt him away from St James’ Park. “No, not at this current time,” he said on the eve of his team’s home match against Leeds. “The…

THE Bulls are bracing for an onslaught from the in-form Bristol Bears’ dynamic and mobile forward pack, with skipper Ruan Nortje warning of the danger of tiring themselves out chasing shadows in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash at Loftus. “Bristol have unbelievable quality, so we will have to be much better with our finishing. They play a very expansive game, they run from everywhere on the field, and they’ve got very fit forwards who can almost operate as backs,” Nortje warned at an online media conference on Tuesday afternoon. “The altitude won’t be such a big factor for them because they’re such a mobile pack, so we have to be prepared for anything. It will be an unbelievably big challenge for us because they’re in a relatively good place. They…

THIS season, Connor Esterhuizen has come into his own, scoring big runs across the formats and showing maturity while doing it. The 24-year-old has always been earmarked as one to watch for the future because of his explosive game in the shorter formats of the game. Last season, when he played a key role in MI Cape Town winning the third edition of the SA20, he lived up to those expectations, especially since he had the big shoes of Nicholas Pooran to fill as a first choice wicket-keeper batter. This season, the right-hander has taken his game up a notch, smashing big scores domestically for the Lions including a double century and a couple of centuries in the first-class cricket, showing his class and what he can achieve in the…

FORMER Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn described is as “weird” and “strange” that fast bowler Ottneil Baartman did not make the ICC T20 World Cup squad, despite being the leading wicket-taker in the SA20. Baartman was a key player for South Africa in the previous edition of the ICC T20 World Cup, as he bowled a total of 19 overs in the five games he played, meaning it was only in one game that he didn’t go through his allotted four overs in a match. The right-arm quick returned an economy rate of 4.94 runs per over, an almost unheard of rate in the shortest format of the game. In the SA20, he is one of two bowlers that have crossed the 50 wickets mark, alongside Marco Jansen who has…

Award-winning artist Makhadzi has been discharged from hospital after a car accident that occured while she was travelling from Limpopo to Johannesburg late last month. The singer was involved in the accident on December 31, with her management company, Makhadzi Entertainment, confirming at the time that she had been admitted to hospital and was receiving medical care. In an emotional update shared with fans on social media, the artist confirmed that she has since been discharged and is now recovering at home under the care of her family. “I feel a need to update you about my health because of the love and support you have been showing me, not only in South Africa but across Africa globally,” she said. While grateful to be alive, the star revealed that her…

AfriForum, who is part of the court battle against the Information Regulator (IR) and fighting the publication of matric results in newspapers, said it will strongly consider obtaining an urgent order for the results to be published next week. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected to announce the national results on January 12. However, the IR's notice to appeal last month’s judgment, which gave the green light for the publication of the results, this is automatically suspended. Alana Bailey, head of cultural affairs at AfriForum, said that if it turns out that the results will not be published in newspapers early next week, it will consider turning to court. In its notice to the parties, including the DBE, the State Attorneys made it clear the DBE remains prohibited from…

THE National Coloured Congress (NCC) has accused the DA of attempting to sell historically significant land in Cape Town as the City prepares for a major public auction of municipal properties later this year. NCC leader Fadiel Adams alleged that the DA was planning to “sell off the birthright” of communities displaced under apartheid, claiming that prime land would be sold at below- market value and would not benefit poor residents of the city. Adams further claimed that the move would entrench inequality and warned that it would be met with resistance. No evidence was provided to substantiate claims of foreign beneficiaries or financial kickbacks. “Prime parcels of land rightfully belonging to the coloured people of Cape Town will be sold at a fraction of their market value to Israeli…

The protracted divorce battle between renowned actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa and DJ Black Coffee is set to continue, as the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) prepares to revisit the case this year. Following over six years of legal turmoil, the couple’s customary marriage and antenuptial contract dispute will once again be scrutinised in court after Black Coffee obtained leave to appeal the matter. The Gauteng High Court, Johannes- burg, said in light of the question of law of importance and general application, including the conflicting judgments on the subject matter, the SCA must now resolve the issues. Black Coffee is set on appealing part of the ruling issued in October last year, in which it was found that he and his wife had entered into a valid customary marriage in…

A convicted child rapist will continue serving his life term after his appeal against his conviction and sentence failed in the Western Cape High Court. Songezo Wulana, who was 43 years old during the trial, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Parow Regional Court for the rape of an 11-year-old neighbour to whom he had given R20 in exchange for her silence. “During cross-examination, she (the child witness) maintained that (Wulana) raped her. She also stated that she took the R20 that he gave her as she was desperate for it. She wanted to buy chips for herself. There was a time when her mother was not working, and she could not afford to buy chips. When she was asked why she went again to his house despite the…

Today, I invite you to pause and pay tribute to the Class of 2025, our matriculants. You have remained in school. You have shown up. You have learned and acquired knowledge. You have endured, persevered, and given it your all. Such dedication deserves recognition and respect. As results draw near, we acknowledge that this season can be challenging. Anxiety can stem from various sources: the fear of not passing, uncertainty about admission into institutions of higher learning, and concerns about securing funding or financial support throughout one’s academic journey. These pressures are real, burdensome, and profoundly human. It is crucial that we, as parents and adults, fully appreciate this moment and stand in solidarity with the Class of 2025. Be assured that, regardless of the outcome, we are proud of…

Former President Thabo Mbeki warned that we sometimes believe today is unchanging, forgetting that tomorrow brings difference. This gentle truth feels unsettling when reflected against South Africa’s present reality. South Africans are weary, yet increasingly hopeful. That is the layered truth as we enter 2026. Weary of unemployment figures that remain stubbornly high, hovering around 32%, with youth joblessness still exceeding 45%. Weary of crime that, despite recent declines in murders and some violent categories, continues to claim lives and erode our sense of security. Yet hopeful, because for much of 2025, loadshedding largely receded, a relief not seen in years, thanks to sustained improvements at Eskom and private energy investments. Hopeful, too, because the Government of National Unity (GNU), now in its second year, has delivered modest economic growth,…

IT still hurts, and will probably do so for some time. But such is the nature of Bafana Bafana’s early elimination from AFCON that it could very well be a silver lining for clubs. Bafana exited the continental showpiece after losing 2–1 to Cameroon in the last 16 at Agdal Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday night. That defeat all but signalled how disappointing the South Africans had been since the start of the tournament. They failed to punish the Indomitable Lions in the first 20 minutes on three occasions, before ultimately conceding on the stroke of half-time and immediately after the restart - the fact that Evidence Makgopa scored two minutes before regulation time notwithstanding. Indications that they might struggle as the tournament progressed didn’t start there. They were…

BAFANA Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign came to an abrupt end in the round of 16, offering moments of promise alongside clear areas for growth. While Hugo Broos’ side showed resilience and flashes of quality against Africa’s elite, inconsistency across the pitch ultimately proved costly. As South Africa reflect on their early exit, some players emerged with credit, while others saw the tournament as a missed opportunity to make their mark. Here, we rate those who saw a decent amount of minutes on the field. Ronwen Williams – 5/10 Reliable on the goal line, the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper could do little as six goals were conceded across the tournament, many through no fault of his own. More than just a shot-stopper, Williams played a key leadership role, helping marshal…

WE’RE at the halfway point of the English Premier League season and the only wobble coming from league leaders Arsenal is in the leftover jelly from one festive meal too many. While their rivals trip over banana skins of their own making, Arsenal have turned what is traditionally their most joyless stretch of the season into something that looks suspiciously like an early title parade. The open-topped buses haven’t been booked quite yet, but the champagne is definitely chilling somewhere in north London. January was once Arsenal’s bogey month, the graveyard of seasons when hope quietly slipped away. Now, it’s becoming their power play – a chance to grind away results and pull clear while everyone else looks for excuses. Six points clear, to be precise. They are quietly dismantling…