Cape Argus
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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Buttskop crossing shutdown proposed
SIXTEEN years after 13-year-old Jody Phillips was killed at the Buttskop railway crossing in Blackheath, the City of Cape Town says the crossing could finally be removed. On August 25, 2010, Jody left home for school like any other morning. He never...
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AUCTIONING ANCESTRAL LAND ‘A SLAP IN THE FACE’
CONTROVERSY surrounding the City of Cape Town’s planned land auction this week has intensified, with a broad coalition of Indigenous bodies, civic organisations, traditional councils and political groupings announcing plans to oppose the sale through...
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POOCH OWNERS PUSH FOR GROUND ACCESS
A VICTORY has been reached for residents after the City of Cape Town announced that a public participation process begins today on the proposed amendment to the ten-year lease agreement of Herzlia Sports Ground following an uproar due to its set...
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Two years later, Joshlin still missing
TWO years after six-year-old Joshlin Smith vanished from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, the three people convicted of trafficking and kidnapping her are serving life sentences but the child has still not been found. Joshlin was reported missing...
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TYGERBERG HOSPITAL REFUTES NEGLIGENCE CLAIM
TYGERBERG Hospital has concluded an internal review regarding claims of negligence made by the parents of twins. The parents alleged that one of the infants fell from a faulty incubator shortly after birth. The hospital’s investigation found no...
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Herzlia sports grounds closure faces community resistance
RESIDENTS and dog owners in Van Riebeeck Park are raising concerns regarding the announced closure of the Herzlia sports grounds to the general public, effective March 1. The community argues that this closure breaches the existing lease agreement,...
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OUTRAGE OVER UNIVERSITY PLACEMENTS AT STELLENBOSCH
STELLENBOSCH University (SU) has defended its 2026 admissions process after a dispute over a rejected application escalated publicly, with a parent alleging unfair treatment and questioning whether coloured students were being disproportionately...
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RAMAPHOSA SENDS ARMY TO CRUSH ORGANISED CRIME ON CAPE FLATS
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist police in tackling organised crime, gang violence, and illegal mining, warning that criminal networks have found a new shape to weaken...
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SONA’S ‘FINAL ACT’ AT CITY HALL
IF ALL goes according to plan, this year’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (Sona) – which comes with a R7 million price tag – will be the last one held in the City of Cape Town’s City Hall. This is according to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza,...
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SANRAL REFUTES MAYOR’S N2 SAFETY CLAIMS
THE South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has pushed back against claims by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis that national authorities have failed to keep communities along the N2 safe, saying it was never consulted on the City of Cape Town’s...
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WESTERN CAPE SCHOOL PLACEMENT CLAIMS SPARK BACKLASH
THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has confirmed that over 26000 learners have been placed across the province with 1 870 yet to be accommodated. Education watchdogs and political parties, however, have criticised the numbers, citing it was...
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SCHAAPKRAAL FACES GROWING VAGRANT CRISIS
RESIDENTS and property owners of Schaapkraal have urgently petitioned for immediate action regarding a growing informal vagrant encampment at the main community entrance. Community leaders have reported that residents have become victims of crime,...
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‘DA operating under shadow of a leadership vacuum’
POLITICAL analysts have warned that the DA’s looming leadership contest could prove a defining moment for the party, as it seeks to stabilise declining support while protecting its strongest governing base in the Western Cape, hinting mayor Geordin...
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CPUT students face uncertainty amid residence placement issues
AS STUDENTS at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) continue to queue outside the District Six campus waiting for residence placements, neighbouring universities say they are experiencing a smooth and largely disruption-free start to the...
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SAFETY CONCERNS RISE AFTER ANC COUNCILLOR GUNNED DOWN
AN ANC councillor serving in the City of Cape Town has been shot dead inside the Community Hall in Old Crossroads while conducting a discussion with residents, intensifying concerns about the safety of public representatives in the Western...
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NIEUWMEESTER DOME REMAINS UNCERTAIN AHEAD OF SONA
A DATE for the completion of the Nieuwmeester Dome which is expected to be utilised for the State of the Nation Address (Sona) replies, has yet to be provided, citing technical delays, with the ceremonial parades continuing at the City Hall. The...
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CITY FACES BACKLASH OVER NEW HOUSING TENDERS
RATEPAYERS and housing rights activists are rallying against the City’s new housing tenders worth R125.6 million, claiming exclusion from the public participation process and protesting against spatial apartheid. Last week the City announced that the...
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R114M N2 EDGE SAFETY PROJECT SPARKS DEBATE
THE City of Cape Town has set aside R114 million in its adjustment budget for the N2 Edge safety project, aimed at improving safety for motorists, pedestrians and communities along a 9km stretch of the highway. The allocation has drawn sharp debate in...
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SA FILM AND TV INDUSTRY ON ‘LIFE SUPPORT’
THE South African film and television sector has called on the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Parks Tau, to resolve the crisis stemming from prolonged dysfunction of the DTIC Film and Television Production Incentive. Under the banner,...
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ELECTRIC CAR FIRE FORCES PAARL HOSPITAL EVACUATION
FIRE and Civil Engineering experts have commended the Drakenstein Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services and Paarl Hospital staff for their preparedness after a fire broke out at the hospital. Councillor Stephen Korabie, Executive Mayor of...
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