Cape Argus
JUDGE TOLD TO VACATE STATE-OWNED KUILS RIVER HOUSE
IN A SCATHING order, Western Cape High Court Judge Daniel Thulare has been directed to vacate a state-owned four-bedroom house within one month and repay the difference between the rent he paid and the property’s market-related rental value. The...
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NEARLY 1.8 MILLION SAPS 10111 CALLS ABANDONED
NEARLY 1.8 million calls to the SAPS’s 10111 emergency line were abandoned in a single financial year, raising questions about how many people seeking urgent police assistance were left without help. The figures, revealed in a parliamentary reply to...
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CAPE TOWN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS SURGE BY 67%
CAPE Town’s rapidly expanding urban landscape has exposed a widening gap between formal development and the growing demand for affordable housing, with the number of informal structures across the metro increasing by approximately 67% in less than a...
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FF PLUS ‘KINGMAKER’ IN SEVERAL WC MUNICIPALITIES
MUNICIPALITIES have 14 days to convene newly elected councils and elect office-bearers, while parties negotiate coalitions in hung councils across South Africa and the Western Cape. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reported that...
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DA HOLDS CAPE TOWN MAJORITY
THE DA retained control of the City of Cape Town despite a slight decline in voter support and a loss of council seats, while its rival, the ANC, recorded massive losses during the local government elections. The results released by the Electoral...
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DA CONFIDENT OF HOLDING ON TO CAPE TOWN
THE DA appeared poised to maintain its grip on the City of Cape Town, but opposition parties cautioned against premature celebrations as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) continued counting votes in the local government elections. The...
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QUEUES, TECHNICAL GLITCHES MARK VOTING
VOTING progressed well across the Western Cape yesterday with no major incidents reported amid fears of a low voter turnout in the City of Cape Town. This as long queues were reported in the suburbs while voters trickled in at voting stations on the...
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BALLOT DELAYS DISRUPT SPECIAL VOTING AT 217 STATIONS
THE first day of the casting of special votes got off to a slow start in the City of Cape Town yesterday when more than 200 voting stations could not open on time due to the non-delivery of ballot papers. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in...
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WC PARTIES MAKE LAST ELECTION PUSH AMID SECURITY CONCERNS
POLITICAL parties in the Western Cape upped the ante at the weekend as they sought to win the hearts and minds of 3.4 million registered voters in the province ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections. This comes as the SAPS announced that 33...
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TAXI VIOLENCE RAISES SAFETY FEARS FOR MATRICS
AS CAPE Town’s taxi violence threatens the safety of schoolchildren and matrics, another shooting brought peak-hour traffic to a standstill yesterday, while urgent talks aimed at ending the bloodshed suffered a setback when one of the taxi associations...
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URGENT TALKS AS TAXI VIOLENCE ESCALATES
DELFT police have opened two cases of attempted murder and a case of discharging a firearm following a shooting between taxi drivers at the Palm Taxi Rank yesterday morning. According to the police, the shooting occurred at about 7am, leaving two men...
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UCT PETITION CALLS FOR ARENDSE TO STEP DOWN
MORE than 1 600 people had signed a petition by yesterday afternoon calling for UCT Council chairperson Advocate Norman Arendse SC to step down, amid allegations that his conduct has undermined public trust, breached confidentiality and damaged the...
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MOSHABELA: UCT REPORT DAMAGE CAN’T BE UNDONE
UCT has issued a formal apology after confidential information relating to the appointment of Faculty of Law Dean Professor Mohamed Paleker was exposed in publicly released judicial investigation reports, prompting Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa...
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POLICE TO GUARD WESTERN CAPE VOTING STATIONS
POLICE officers will be stationed at voting stations across the Western Cape during the upcoming Local Government Elections, while the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed its supporting role as authorities prepare to safeguard...
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DUTY TO VOTE, BUT FAITH IN DEMOCRACY IS FADING
A MAJORITY of Western Cape residents believe voting is their civic duty, but growing disillusionment with political parties and declining faith in democracy point to a challenging climate ahead of the November 4 local government elections. The...
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R10BN FUEL RELIEF TO EASE COST-OF-LIVING PRESSURE
FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced R10 billion in temporary fuel levy relief as government moves to cushion households and businesses against rising oil prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East. Tabling the 2026 Medium Term Budget...
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FUEL RELIEF AND SPENDING CUTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana faces mounting pressure as he tables the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) today amid expectations to rein in spending and come up with interventions to address the rising costs of fuel. Godongwana is...
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SCHOOL FACES ASSAULT, INTIMIDATION CLAIMS
SERIOUS allegations of intimidation, assault and learner victimisation have emerged at Soneike High School in Kuils River, where parents have reportedly opened criminal cases after accusing school authorities of failing to protect their children...
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NPA HANDED PRASA CORRUPTION DOSSIER
#UNITEBEHIND has handed a dossier detailing alleged corruption involving the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and Swifambo Rail Leasing to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), calling for progress in an investigation that the...
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IMIZAMO YETHU HOUSING PROMISE STALLS
MORE than seven years after over 900 housing opportunities were expected to be completed in Imizamo Yethu, residents are still waiting for answers, with the City of Cape Town confirming that the project has changed and the revised development remains...
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Navi Pillay’s Nobel Prize win strengthens call for justice
“JUSTICE is integral to peace.” That was the message from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Judge Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay after she was recognised for her decades-long fight for human rights and international law. Reflecting on her initial reaction to the...
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TAFELBERG HOUSING PROJECT OPENS FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS
CAPE Town residents have an opportunity to make submissions on the planned approval of the controversial Tafelberg site for the development of social housing units. This emerged when Western Cape Premier Alan Winde listed Tafelberg among the nine...
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COP FACING TORTURE CHARGES PROMOTED
THE promotion of a Cape Town police officer who is awaiting trial on charges of assault and torture has sparked controversy, with questions being raised over how he was elevated to Colonel and appointed as a permanent station commander while the...
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MATRICS CAUGHT IN TRANSPORT STANDOFF
WITH matrics just days away from their final National Senior Certificate examinations, a learner transport dispute in the Western Cape has raised fears that thousands of pupils could be left without a way to get to school. The South African National...
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ARTSCAPE
Theatre becomes a world of shadows, seduction and the supernatural as David Nixon CBE’s acclaimed ‘Dracula’ returns to the stage from October 28, presented by Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) and featuring an all-star cast led by Leading Principals Kirstél...
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GBV ACTIVISTS URGE DA’S TASK TEAM TO ACT
THE DA’s gender-based violence task team says it has pushed Parliament, conducted oversight and exposed failures in services meant to protect women and children, but activists say the true test is whether those interventions are producing tangible...
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PUBLIC FUNDS, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT? ANNANDALE PROBE ORDERED
THE Human Settlements Department will investigate the proposed disposal of the 71.8-hectare Annandale Farm in Milnerton by the City of Cape Town to private developers nine years after purchasing the land with national grant funds intended to relieve...
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COURT CLEANER ACCUSED OF CONTRABAND RUN
A CLEANER working at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court has been nabbed for allegedly running a drugs and contraband “spaza shop”, with goods smuggled through a reported secret passage inside the court building. He was caught when he handed contraband to...
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GBVF ACTIVISTS DEMAND A SEAT AT THE TABLE
CAPE Town gender-based violence activists are fuming over their exclusion from yesterday’s urgent parliamentary debate on GBVF, with DA MP Lisa Schickerling conceding that Parliament should create stronger mechanisms to hear directly from survivors,...
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GBVF INQUIRY LAYS BARE CRACKS IN JUSTICE SYSTEM
SURVIVORS of gender-based violence are being forced to become “case managers” of their own cases, chasing police, tracking dockets, following up on evidence and demanding arrests, as serious failures across South Africa’s criminal justice system...
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MANHUNT AFTER LWANDLE SHISANYAMA SHOOTING HORROR
THE MANHUNT continues for gunmen who stormed a Lwandle shisanyama and opened fire on patrons, killing 10 people and wounding 11 others in the early hours of yesterday. The attack was one of two mass shootings in Gauteng and the Western Cape over the...
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THOUSANDS SAY ‘NO MORE’ IN HERITAGE DAY GBV MARCH
MORE than 2500 women, men and children turned Heritage Day into a day of protest, joining veteran activist Lucinda Evans and One Billion Rising in a mass solidarity march around Princess Vlei along the M5 against femicide and gender-based violence...
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21 000 HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IN CAPE TOWN
HUMAN Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane said her department has identified 21 000 potential housing opportunities in the City of Cape Town. Simelane said 600 hectares of land on 120 land parcels have already been identified for affordable housing...
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42 PROJECTS, R1.48BN, NO ARRESTS
AT LEAST 42 construction projects faced extortion, intimidation and construction-mafia activity in Cape Town over the last five years. This is according to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia when he was responding to parliamentary questions from...
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CPUT DENTAL PROGRAMME’S FATE HANGS IN BALANCE
THE South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) is now expected to consider Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) representations before deciding whether to proceed with a request to suspend its dental technology programme, the Health...
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55 PARTIES, 12 INDEPENDENTS SET TO CONTEST CAPE TOWN ELECTIONS
VOTERS in the City of Cape Town will face a crowded ballot paper after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) certified candidate lists containing 55 parties and 12 independents. Just like other metros in the country with a high number of parties...
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CPUT LOSES COURT BID OVER DENTAL PROGRAMME SUSPENSION
THE Western Cape High Court has dismissed an urgent bid by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to interdict the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) from seeking consent from Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to suspend its...
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Eight women found dead as police investigate possible links
POLICE have confirmed that the death toll in the investigation into the bodies of women found in Gauteng has risen to eight. This comes after the seventh victim was found in a river in Clayville, next to Tembisa Mall, on September 7. Acting Gauteng...
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PROBE INTO N1 HORROR CRASH THAT CLAIMED 21 LIVES
A CULPABLE homicide investigation is under way after 21 people were killed in a horrific three-vehicle crash on the N1 near Leeu Gamka, as authorities worked to establish the cause of the collision. The crash occurred at around 11.30pm on Sunday...
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BABOON SIEGE: NAVY UNDER FIRE
BABOONS in Simon’s Town have reportedly laid siege to SA Naval properties, foraging on its poor waste management and becoming so used to humans that normal deterrents seem to not be working. Now baboon interest groups are sounding the alarm as two...
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ELECTION DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS DIVISIONS OVER CRIME RESPONSE
POLITICAL parties at a local government elections debate offered no lasting solutions to the ongoing scourge of violence plaguing Cape Town and surrounding communities. Instead parties focused on what can be done, what has already been done and what...
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FALSE QUALIFICATIONS, SANCTION, NOW A DA PROMOTION?
THE DA is facing calls to explain why a Cape Town councillor found guilty of lying about his qualifications is reportedly being considered for a position in Parliament or the Western Cape Legislature. This comes after Councillor Abdulkader ‘AK’ Elyas...
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FUR FLIES OVER CAPE TOWN’S PROPOSED PET BY-LAW
A FIERCE row has erupted over Cape Town’s proposed Animal Keeping By-law, with critics warning that pet owners could face new municipal permits and costs to keep their animals, while the City insists there is no plan to introduce a dog or cat...
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MEDICAL EVIDENCE SINKS HOORN’S MURDER DEFENCE
DUNCAN Hoorn was yesterday found guilty of murdering his wife, Chantel Pasqualle-Hoorn, after Acting Judge Amanda van Leeve rejected key parts of his version and found that medical evidence could not be reconciled with his account of what...
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AIRBNB CRACKDOWN GETS CAUTIOUS NOD
THE City of Cape Town’s proposed new rules for short-term rentals have received cautious support from a major ratepayers’ body, which says the draft by-law could help level the playing field but may not go far enough to improve housing availability and...
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EX-UCT STAFFER CALLS FOR PROBE INTO COMPLAINTS AGAINST VC
UCT has remained mum on whether it will conduct an independent investigation into concerns surrounding the manner in which complaints concerning Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela were received, recorded and attributed, citing ongoing court...
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10111 OUTAGE FUELS CONCERN OVER EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM
CAPE Town’s 10111 emergency call service was thrust back into the spotlight yesterday after the system remained offline for much of the morning and early afternoon, before being restored shortly after 2pm. The outage affected SAPS’s emergency call...
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SACP ORDERS WC DEPLOYEES TO IGNORE ANC EXPULSIONS
THE SACP in the Western Cape has instructed its provincial secretary, Benson Ngqentsu, and councillors facing removal as ANC representatives in the provincial legislature and municipal councils to remain in their positions. SACP chairperson Anthony...
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ANC ASKS W CAPE LEGISLATURE TO REMOVE SACP LEADER
THE gloves have come off in the Tripartite Alliance in the Western Cape amid simmering tensions between the ANC and the SACP ahead of the upcoming local government elections on November 4. ANC Provincial Task Team co-ordinator Thandi Mkasi fired the...
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ANC WIELDS AXE ON W CAPE COUNCILLORS AFTER DEFECTIONS
AS THE ANC in the Western Cape summarily dismissed several councillors who defected to other parties, a City of Cape Town councillor at the weekend threatened the party with legal action over his removal from the candidate list. Provincial...
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Social workers under siege
WESTERN Cape social development workers have fallen victim to 22 hijackings and attempted hijackings so far this financial year, as concerns mount that attacks on already stretched social workers could leave vulnerable children and families without...
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CITY’S BY-LAW SPARKS RED TAPE CONTROVESY
THE Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF) says the newly-approved Municipal Planning Amendment by-law will increase property prices by adding another layer of administrative requirements which will carry costs. WCPDF chairperson Deon van Zyl...
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Sea Point Promenade rules tighten with 8km/h e-scooter limit
SPEEDING e-scooters and high-powered electric bikes on the Sea Point Promenade are facing tougher restrictions as the City of Cape Town moves to introduce an 8km/h speed limit, pedestrian right-of-way and possible fines and impoundments. The City’s...
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Mixed reactions to council land disposal plans
THE City of Cape Town’s plans to dispose of several municipal-owned land parcels has drawn mixed reactions from political parties. At a meeting on Thursday, Council decided in principle to dispose of portions of land in Pinelands and Thornton for an...
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HOUSING GROUP OBJECTS TO SHELTER PLAN
A PROPOSED temporary housing development in Gugulethu has drawn strong opposition from residents and some politicians, who fear the City of Cape Town could create another longterm temporary settlement similar to Blikkiesdorp. The controversy centres...
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WATER CRISIS LOOMS LARGE
WHILE Cape Town’s taps are not in immediate danger of running dry, the City is warning that residents cannot afford to become complacent as water demand rises and forecasts point to a drier end to the rainfall season. As of August 17, the Western Cape...
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Bellville march turns violent
CHAOS erupted in the Bellville CBD yesterday as an anti-illegal immigration march descended into violent clashes, looting and a heavy police response as tensions between South African protesters and foreign nationals boiled over. There were scenes of...
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UCT Council suspends resolutions amid VC’s court challenge
UCT's Council has suspended the implementation of four resolutions being challenged by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela in the Western Cape High Court, while opening the door to mediation. The decision follows a special Council meeting held on...
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Operation Prosper unravelling
A WORRYING disconnect between police and soldiers deployed to tackle gang violence on the Cape Flats has emerged, with SANDF members allegedly complaining about poor co-ordination, weak intelligence-sharing and inadequate support during Operation...
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Where are SAPS’ body cameras?
THE delayed rollout of body-worn cameras for South African Police Service (SAPS) members has drawn fresh criticism, with policing experts and opposition MPs warning that procurement failures are increasingly affecting frontline policing and...
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KIRSTENBOSCH’S FUNDING CRISIS
CONCERNS over the condition and long-term sustainability of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden have resurfaced after Parliament heard that South Africa’s national botanical and zoological gardens are facing severe infrastructure pressures, with the...
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UCT STUDENTS ‘TIRED’ OF CONTROVERSIES
UCT’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has expressed concern that the university once again finds itself dealing with a public governance conflict. Speaking to the Cape Argus yesterday, an SRC member said the broader mood among students appeared...
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DANIELS’ MAYORAL BID NOW IN DOUBT
WHILE Patriotic Alliance (PA) Cape Town mayoral candidate and councillor Cheslyn Daniels and his wife, Deveney, celebrated with supporters their release on bail yesterday, Daniels’ mayoral bid is in doubt following comments by the party’s leader,...
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11 killed in weekend bloodshed
CAPE Town’s renewed push for greater policing powers has been thrust into the spotlight after 11 people were killed in three mass shootings over the weekend, with policing experts warning that expanding Metro Police powers alone will not stop the...
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TAXPAYERS FOOT R4.6BN PARLIAMENT REBUILD BILL
THE cost to rebuild parliament has ballooned to R4.6 billion after initial cost of R2.1bn, sparking calls for a full investigation into the project. The DA accused Parliament of risking billions of rand in taxpayers’ money after the estimated cost of...
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‘NO’ TO METRO COPS’ CRIME ROLE
ACTING Police Minister Firoz Cachalia yesterday ruled out expanding the policing function to include the investigation of crime by metro police because he has been advised that doing so was inconsistent with the Constitution. Speaking at the meeting...
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AI, DRONES JOIN FIGHT AGAINST PHILIPPI CRIME
A TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN project using drones, artificial intelligence and facial recognition hopes to turn the tide on rampant crime in Philippi East. The Philippi East Integrated Safety Initiative is being spearheaded by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and...
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CITY’S CCTV PROGRAMME UNDER SCRUTINY
AS CAPE Town prepares for local government elections, the focus on crime and safety has been reignited, with the City’s expansive closed-circuit television (CCTV) programme coming under scrutiny by critics and crime fighters who question its location,...
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R114M N2 WALL DIVIDES CAPE TOWN
AS THE City of Cape Town progresses with its R114 million N2 Edge Safety Project, also known as the “N2 wall” project, residents, crime activists, and political parties have expressed mixed reactions. Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said...
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WAVE OF VANDALISM, THEFT DEVASTATES 57 SCHOOLS
THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) will have to cough up over R2.1 million to foot the bill for 67 incidents of burglary and vandalism at 57 schools during the winter holidays. The primary targets were the School Nutrition Programme...
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MOM MOURNS SON AS 11 DIE IN 24 HOURS
A 74-YEAR-OLD mother had to be wheeled past her son’s dead body after they both sustained gunshot wounds in a wave of shootings that claimed the lives of 11 people in 24 hours. Residents have been urged to come forward with any information regarding...
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‘EXTORTIONIST’ ARRESTED IN DA COUNCILLOR’S KILLING
SLAIN DA councillor, Sinovuyo Dyokwe, was a victim of extortionists demanding protection money, and she was killed after refusing to continue these payments, a police investigation has found after a suspect was arrested at the weekend. Dyokwe was...
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