Cape Argus
SHOCK AS ‘EYE IN THE SKY’ PROJECT IS CANNED
CAPE Town mayco member JP Smith’s grand “Eye in the Sky” aerial surveillance project, once flaunted as a “groundbreaking weapon against crime and gang violence”, has been quietly grounded following the cancellation of its contract due to...
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DAD RECOUNTS RESCUE OF HIS DAUGHTER (5) FROM HIJACKERS
A BLUE DOWNS father has thanked law enforcement officers for their swift response in rescuing his five-year-old daughter following a terrifying hijacking and robbery ordeal. Shopkeeper Shukur Amadin recounted the harrowing events of May 21, when...
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DELAYS PLAGUE CITY TENDER FRAUD CASE
THE four-year case against seven people, including a former City of Cape Town employee, involving alleged claims of tender fraud and corruption worth R2.5 million has been postponed once again. Activist and whistle-blower, Hanif Loonat, who was...
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BACK ON THE WORLD STAGE
THE opening match of the 2026 Fifa World Cup against Bafana Bafana at the iconic Estadio Azteca tonight is set to be a spectacle, with Mexico stepping into the global spotlight as co-hosts when they kick off the tournament against South Africa at...
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SALT RIVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT MOVES AHEAD
THE Salt River Market redevelopment has been positioned by the City of Cape Town as an initiative aimed at addressing the need for inner-city housing. Yet, amid grand plans and hopeful promises, local residents associations have voiced concerns about...
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FINANCE MMC UNDER SCRUTINY
CAPE Town Finance mayco member Siseko Mbandezi, along with three other City officials, has formed part of an investigation by the SAPS Commercial Crimes Unit involving former contractor, Triple C Maintenance and Service, accused of attempting to buy...
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NEUMANN RETURN ON ICE
THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been granted leave to appeal the Labour Appeal Court’s decision ordering the reinstatement of former Heathfield principal, Wesley Neumann, following his dismissal, with his legal team vowing to oppose...
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RAPISTS SENTENCED IN SA’S LONGEST-RUNNING TRIAL
SOUTH Africa’s longest-running rape and murder trial has finally reached a victorious end with the killers of 17-year-old Cytheria Rex sentenced to 25 years and life imprisonment. The verdict was received with mixed emotions by Cytheria’s mother,...
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PAARDEN EILAND DESALINATION PLANT SPARKS CONTROVERSY
AS THE City of Cape Town embarks on yet another proposed desalination plant idea, this time a R5 billion project in Paarden Eiland, concerns have been raised among residents and political parties due to potential implications for water tariffs. This...
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NEW SHAPE FOR MUIZENBERG SHORELINE
THE highly anticipated refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront has made significant strides with the completion of a crucial connection between two sections of the new revetment. This milestone marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing construction...
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OPPOSITION PARTIES REJECT SALE OF CTICC SHARES
THE City of Cape Town says it has received the vote from the council to potentially sell its 72.7% shareholding of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). But political parties have rejected the idea, saying the CTICC is one of Cape...
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Bothasig residents shocked as truck crashes into kitchen
FRANK Samunda was drinking a cup of coffee in the kitchen when a container truck crashed into the house he was in, in Bothasig yesterday. “My colleagues and I were in the house. I was drinking coffee in the kitchen, and one of the ladies was cooking,”...
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‘SANDF WITHOUT TOILET PAPER’
THE SA National Defence Union (Sandu) is demanding urgent action from the Department of Defence, describing inhumane conditions including a leaking hangar, no warm water for showers, and unsanitary toilets for 146 members who have been deployed to the...
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EVICTION IN CLAREMONT: STRUCTURES AND TENTS REMOVED
ILLEGAL structures that encroached upon a vital parking area in Claremont have been removed by the City of Cape Town following a court-ordered eviction process. The operation involved various enforcement agencies, including the City’s Law Enforcement,...
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AI SYSTEM THWARTS TOURIST SCAMS IN CAPE TOWN
AS UNSUSPECTING tourists continue to fall prey to sophisticated card cloning scams in Cape Town, local authorities have turned to artificial intelligence (AI) in their fight against fraud. One of the latest incidents was caught on CCTV via the...
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Kipchoge upstaged, Esa breaks African marathon record
MOHAMED Esa ensured the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be remembered for far more than Eliud Kipchoge’s much-anticipated continental marathon debut after the Ethiopian produced the fastest marathon ever run on African soil yesterday. While much of the...
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PROCUREMENT ACT: LEGAL BATTLE LOOMS
WHILE the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Provincial Government headed to the Constitutional Court to challenge the Public Procurement Act, trade federation Cosatu says keeping the status quo will allow the “Wild West that is public procurement to...
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RISING FUEL COSTS THREATEN FOOD SECURITY
WITH World Hunger Day exactly a week away, one in five households in the Western Cape will go to bed tonight on an empty stomach. And even those who somehow manage to scrape together enough for milk or eggs will likely need double the cash soon, as...
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TRAFFICKED TEENAGER MET PREDATOR ON INSTAGRAM
IN A HARROWING case that has prompted urgent warnings from police, an 18-year-old girl has been rescued from her alleged abductors and rapists, who lured her from Manenberg to Durban, using an Instagram account. The ordeal began when the perpetrators,...
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RAID HALTS BREE ST CONSTRUCTION
A CONSTRUCTION site on lower Bree Street came to a screeching halt yesterday as authorities conducted a raid where several undocumented workers were detained. “It’s just that we have foreigners who are working on the construction site, and now they...
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837 RAPE CASES CLOSED DUE TO ‘UNTRACEABLE VICTIMS’
IN A SHOCKING revelation during a parliamentary session, police disclosed that 837 rape cases were closed in the past three financial years because the victims could not be traced. This alarming statistic follows a recent report indicating that rape...
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RISING RENT FORCES LOCALS OUT OF CITY BOWL
RISING rent prices in Cape Town’s City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard are increasing monthly housing costs for residents and placing further pressure on households trying to remain close to employment hubs. In suburbs such as Sea Point, Green Point,...
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LEGAL BATTLE ERUPTS OVER SEA POINT FLATS
RESIDENTS have launched a legal challenge against the development of a block of flats in Sea Point, which was previously upheld by City Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. The City has now confirmed that the development along 29 and 31 St John’s Road in Sea...
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CAPE CRIME WAR CRIPPLED BY DETECTIVE SHORTAGE
THE Western Cape is operating with a shortfall of 791 detectives and thousands of vacant SAPS posts, according to provincial policing data and oversight reports, as crime-fighters and political parties continue to raise concerns over policing capacity...
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CAPE OF STORMS CAUSES WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION
A DRIVER killed by an uprooted tree in Kenilworth, 6000 people left destitute due to flooding across the metro, cancelled flights from Cape Town and George airports, and power outages affecting scores of families are among the series of disasters...
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Cape storm set to wreak havoc
CAPETONIANS are on high alert as two cold fronts crashed into the Mother City yesterday, with flooding expected to wreak havoc across the metropole. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned of heavy rain, strong winds and freezing...
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India’s first all-women armed forces crew docks in Cape Town
AFTER months battling some of the world’s harshest oceans, an all-women crew from India’s armed forces has docked in Cape Town, as they prepare for the final leg of a historic circumnavigation voyage back to Mumbai. Sailing aboard the Indian Army...
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Social worker killed, schools shut after storm hits Garden Route
A social worker who was on her way to conduct assessments of residents evacuated due to adverse weather conditions in Knysna has died after a tree fell on her during the storm. This, while 89000 learners stayed home yesterday due to the closure of...
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‘This is intimidation’: NCC’s Fadiel Adams claims innocence
NATIONAL Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams says he went knocking on SAPS’s door for answers before his arrest yesterday in connection with charges of fraud and defeating the course of justice. This comes after the SAPS yesterday morning said...
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BRACE FOR RECORD-HIGH DIESEL PRICE INCREASE
SOUTH African consumers face a record-high diesel price from tomorrow, paying R31.54 a litre at the coast. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) yesterday announced the fuel price increases for the month, with sharp increases for...
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CHAPEL ST UPGRADE NIGHTMARE
WHAT is meant to be a historical moment for residents of Chapel Street in District Six amid upgrades to the pavements and pedestrian walkways, has become a nightmare, with a petition of grievances sent to the City concerning restricted movement, health...
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AIRBNB, GUESTHOUSE THEFT RISES
SPECIALISED investigators and forensic experts say the owners of Airbnbs and guesthouses are increasingly seeking their assistance in a bid to nab thieves, as the crime continues to grow across Cape Town and the country. Airbnb owner, Heidi Sampson,...
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PENSIONER’S DIAMONDS SWITCHED FOR FAKES
POLICE, assisted by a forensic expert, have arrested the carer of a 96-year-old woman from Durbanville, living with dementia, for allegedly swapping her patient’s diamond earrings for fakes and selling them to an unknown buyer. The suspect made an...
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Freedom Day a reminder of the arduous path to democracy
PARLIAMENT and local political parties have commemorated Freedom Day, marking 32 years of freedom and democracy since millions of South Africans cast their votes in the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Parliament’s Presiding Officers, led...
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RAMAPHOSA DEFERS MCHUNU’S FATE
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa says any formal action or decision regarding the future of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu will wait until the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry releases its final findings. Ramaphosa addressed the status of Mchunu while...
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TEN YEARS ON, TRAFFIC WOES PERSIST AT SALT RIVER BRIDGE
RESIDENTS and businesses in Salt River have slated the unresolved safety and traffic congestion issues caused by the concrete bollards and barriers on the Voortrekker Road bridge. The barriers were installed after a fire beneath the bridge in December...
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ELECTION RACE HEATS UP
POLITICAL parties are positioning themselves ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with Cape Town’s race drawing early focus as the DA announced its latest group of 11 mayoral candidates in the Western Cape. It has yet to name its pick for the...
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STORM HAVOC SPARKS BLAME GAME
THE major cold front that made landfall over Cape Town has triggered political mudslinging over the cause of widespread disruption across the metro. Flooding, electricity outages and transport interruptions unfolded as heavy rainfall and strong winds...
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CAPE TOWN PORT HIT WITH FUEL LEVY
THERE have been mixed reactions following Transnet Port Terminals’ (TPT) announcement of a fuel neutrality charge in May following fuel price increases. TPT said recent fuel price increases, driven by ongoing global supply chain disruptions, have...
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MALEMA’S 5-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE SHAKES POLITICS
THE sentencing of EFF leader Julius Malema to five years in prison has sparked a divisive array of reactions across the nation. The East London Magistrate’s Court yesterday sentenced Malema to five years’ direct imprisonment, released on warning,...
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TEACHER VINDICATED IN ‘SICK GAME’
A WESTERN Cape teacher has been vindicated after an arbitration ruling cleared her of sexual misconduct allegations that were later admitted by the learner to have been part of a “sick game”. The teacher, allegedly blackmailed and extorted for money,...
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FOREST HEIGHTS TEACHER FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL ABUSE
A FOREST Heights Secondary School teacher has been axed after an arbitration ruling found him guilty of misconduct for sexually abusing a Grade 12 learner, with the case raising concerns about how earlier complaints were handled. According to the...
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LEGAL STORM BREWS OVER METRO POLICE AND US MARINES DRILL
THE national Ministry of Police says it was not aware of US Marines’ training Cape Town Metro Police cadets in Muizenberg, while concerns have been raised over the authorisation and legal basis of the training. Spokesperson for the Minister of Police,...
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PHILIPPI SEWER SPILLS CAUSE HEALTH CRISIS
RESIDENTS in Philippi and Wesbank are being forced to live with raw sewage flowing through their streets, with reports of skin infections linked to prolonged exposure. The City of Cape Town maintains it is responding to ongoing blockages. In Hlungulu...
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Hanover Park man overcomes adversity to earn law degree
A HANOVER Park man who was paralysed after being shot in a crossfire as a child has completed his law degree, choosing a path of purpose over revenge. Riyaadh Kader, now an LLB graduate of the University of the Western Cape, was just 13 when he was...
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CAPE TOWN STADIUM R39.5M SUBSIDY SPARKS DEBATE
THE Cape Town Stadium remains at the centre of a growing debate over public spending, with critics questioning its cost to ratepayers as the City insists the venue is becoming more financially sustainable. GOOD Party councillor and Stop CoCT founder,...
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Investigation launched after vehicle hits Boeing
FLYSAFAIR and Airports Company SA (Acsa) said they are investigating a collision of an airstairs vehicle with FlySafair flight FA112, operated by a Boeing 737-800 (registration ZS-FGF) on Monday. The ground vehicle used for boarding (passenger stairs)...
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TOURISTS FLOCK TO CAPE TOWN
CAPE Town has continued to draw global travel interest, with recent figures released by Statistics SA showing 121 612 visitors arriving at Cape Town International Airport in February alone. According to StatsSA’s International Tourism release for...
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‘BROKEN PROMISES’ SHROUD NEW JOOSTE HOSPITAL
MORE than a decade after GF Jooste Hospital in Manenberg was closed and demolished, construction on a replacement facility has yet to begin, with no timeline in place. The delay has renewed concern about healthcare access on the Cape Flats, where...
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SANDF TO HIT CAPE FLATS STREETS
A LARGE-SCALE security deployment will begin on the Cape Flats today, with the SANDF set to support the SAPS in intensified crime prevention operations amid ongoing concerns over violent crime in the area. The deployment follows a joint operational...
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CRACKDOWN ON BUS EXTORTION
SEVEN suspects accused of running an alleged extortion network targeting long-distance bus operators across multiple provinces appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing serious organised crime charges including racketeering,...
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‘35 LITRES ONLY’: MOTORIST FLAGS PETROL LIMITS
A DURBANVILLE woman’s attempt to fill her tank is fuelling concern across Cape Town, after she says she was told she could only buy 35 litres of petrol, despite government assurances that there is no national fuel shortage. Her experience comes as...
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CTIJF BOOSTS WC ECONOMY BY R522M
THE Cape Town International Jazz Festival is expected to deliver a significant boost to the Western Cape economy, with its impact estimated in the hundreds of millions of rand. According to Bobby Jordan of the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce, estimates...
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CTIJF: CULTURAL REVIVAL, ECONOMIC BOOST
CAPE Town’s city centre is set for a significant economic boost this weekend as thousands of music lovers arrive for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, signalling a strong return for the city’s events and tourism sectors. The surge in visitors...
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FLOWER MARKET TRADERS CHALLENGE PERMITS, FEES
CAPE Town’s iconic Adderley Street Flower Market is facing a growing standoff, as long-standing sellers push back against a City plan to introduce permits and fees. For Alison Snyders, who has traded at the market for 45 years, the label itself is the...
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Carlo Mombelli’s fresh start at Cape Town Jazz Festival
AFTER more than four decades in music, acclaimed South African bassist and composer Carlo Mombelli is not slowing down, he is starting again. As he prepares to return to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Mombelli speaks less about legacy and...
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Boesak honoured at his 80th birthday party by Dr Iqbal Survé
MANY of South Africa’s political figures came out to show their support for Dr Allan Boesak at his 80th birthday celebration, hosted at the Castle of Good Hope last night. Some of the attendees included Reverend Courtney Sampson, who served as...
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ARMY BOOTS HIT CRIME HOTSPOTS
POLICE and military teams have begun ground and aerial assessments ahead of the planned deployment of the SANDF to identified crime hotspots in Cape Town. The SAPS in the Western Cape confirmed that a select contingent of its members and SANDF...
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RACE TO BRING F1 GRAND PRIX TO CAPE TOWN
WHILE South Africa pushes for a Formula One Grand Prix in Cape Town, advocates envision a street circuit that could transform the city and inspire a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts. Despite Formula One’s global appeal, Africa has been absent...
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HORSE CRASH SURVIVOR CALLS FOR SAFETY MEASURES
WESTERN Cape traffic authorities are concerned about cattle roaming on public roads following several accidents, including one in which a young man’s car was written off after he crashed into a wild horse. The man, who was hospitalised along with his...
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EMS STAFF COME UNDER ATTACK
THE Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness said the latest attack on EMS personnel, where their ambulance was stoned, highlights a serious wave of violence that has resulted in 90 safety-related incidents involving staff in nearly a year,...
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PENSIONER FORCED TO SLEEP ON STREETS FOR 16 DAYS
AS HUMAN Rights Day approaches a 69-year-old woman awaits judgment in her court battle against an alleged unlawful eviction from the Haven Night Shelter. Sheree Foggitt is challenging the actions of the MEC for Social Development and two other...
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MCKENZIE SLAMS ANOSIKE’S R135M BID FOR GOOD HOPE CENTRE
PASTOR John Anosike has defended his reported R135 million bid for the iconic Good Hope Centre in Cape Town’s CBD after Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly criticised the proposed acquisition, citing he would not allow it to...
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How the chief heat officer is tackling City’s heatwave crisis
THE City of Cape Town’s Chief Heat Officer, Albert Ferreira, has found himself in the spotlight this week as a heatwave drives temperatures into the high 30s, and low 40s across the Western Cape. This unique position, created to help the city prepare...
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CALL FOR CHANGE IN SU LEADERSHIP
FORMER Stellenbosch University chancellors Edwin Cameron and Johann Rupert have called for new leadership on the university’s council following controversy over the handling of the Wilgenhof residence investigation, saying current chairperson Dr Nicky...
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MITCHELLS PLAIN HOSPITAL: 9-HOUR WAIT SPARKS LEGAL ACTION
THE family of a 39-year-old mother of three will be seeking legal action against Mitchells Plain District Hospital after she allegedly waited nine hours before being seen by a doctor or receiving medical treatment for a brain aneurysm. Noerisah Sonday...
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SINGABALAPHA’S EVICTION FIGHT
THE community of the Singabalapha informal settlement, which has made Observatory Main Road their home for the past eight years, has been surviving without access to water, electricity, and ablution facilities. They have expressed their willingness to...
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R24BN PLAN TO EXPAND GRANGER BAY
THE V&A Waterfront has outlined plans for a major expansion at Granger Bay that could see land reclaimed from Table Bay to accommodate new coastal public amenities, marine infrastructure and mixed-use development. In a notice published in the...
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CITY MANAGER EXPOSES MAJOR BRIBERY SCHEME
IN A DRAMATIC turn of events amid ongoing investigations into tender fraud, City of Cape Town Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo has been lauded for his bravery after leading a sting operation that exposed a R1.4 million bribery attempt. The meticulous...
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1157 KILLED IN 3 MONTHS
THE Western Cape recorded 1157 murders between October and December last year, with about 385 victims a month, more than 96 per week and more than 13 a day, as it remains the epicentre of gang-related violence. The number recorded is 41 fewer than the...
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NAVIGATION APPS IMPACT N2 SAFETY
THE safety of motorists on Cape Town’s N2 is increasingly shaped not only by traditional patrols and law enforcement but also by navigation app algorithms, which are altering driving routes and perceptions of safety. The City of Cape Town says...
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R30.23/H, STILL TOO POOR TO LIVE
AS SOUTH Africa’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) rises from R28.79 to R30.23 an hour, political parties have criticised the increase, saying domestic workers continue to struggle to survive. Experts warn of the need to hold defaulting employers...
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R135M PRICE TAG FOR GOOD HOPE CENTRE
CAPE Town’s iconic Good Hope Centre went under the hammer yesterday despite recent protests, with the City of Cape Town’s appointed service provider, the Claremart Group, selling the property for R135 million. While the property has been sold, the...
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PLANS FOR ‘LIVELIHOOD GRANT’
FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday revealed that discussions regarding a new Livelihood Grant to replace the widely-utilised Social Relief of Distress Grant are currently underway. During a closed media briefing prior to his 2026 Budget...
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COURT DISMISSES BLOCK ON ANCESTRAL LAND RELEASE
HOURS after angry demonstrators passionately chanted “Hands off our land” outside the Western Cape High Court, opposing the City of Cape Town’s planned auction of 50 parcels of public land, their urgent application to halt it was dismissed. The South...
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