Cape Argus
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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GANG VIOLENCE: RAMAPHOSA CONSIDERS SANDF DEPLOYMENT
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is considering deploying the SANDF to support to the SAPS in combating gang violence, but while some civil organisations have welcomed it others have a different view. In the past fortnight, 84 people were murdered and just...
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COMMUNITY POOLS TO REOPEN AFTER PUBLIC OUTCRY
THE City of Cape Town has heeded the call by civic organisations and ratepayers to reopen community pools which are closed during weekdays and open on weekends. The group penned an urgent letter to the City and began a petition calling for it to be...
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WINDE RESPONDS TO DISASTER CALLS
WESTERN CAPE Premier Alan Winde says calls for a disaster declaration in response to escalating violent crime in the province are receiving urgent attention, but stressed that the authority to declare such a disaster lies with national...
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TRAUMA CASES SPIKE IN WESTERN CAPE
THE Western Cape Health Department has reported a surge in emergencies between December 14 and January 15. During this period, emergency centres recorded 423 gunshot wounds, 4450 stabbing injuries, 497 sexual offences, and 1 163 vehicle...
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CALL FOR EMERGENCY MEASURES AGAINST VIOLENCE
IN RESPONSE to mass shootings linked to gang violence and extortion, civil rights organisations and political parties are calling for a Provincial State of Disaster. This comes as Parliament signs off on Premier Alan Winde’s R2.6 million annual...
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YOUTH CENTRES STRUGGLE AGAINST GANG RECRUITMENT
TO ESCAPE the clutches of a gang, a brave 16-year-old boy chose to enter a Secure Care Centre. However, behind these walls, he remains at risk of exposure to the very elements he tried to escape: gangs, assault, and drugs. Activists who work closely...
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CITY FACES BACKLASH OVER DELAYED ROADWORKS
RESIDENTS and commuters are frustrated by the prolonged delays and safety concerns surrounding the Jan van Riebeeck Road rehabilitation project. They are demanding immediate action from the City and its contractor, emphasising the impact on public...
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Tears, tiny uniforms and dreams as schools open for the year
MORE than a million learners returned to classrooms in the Western Cape as the 2026 school year kicks off, filled with a mix of emotions from excitement to nervousness. At pavements, crossings and dropoff points across the province, it was the...
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HISTORY MADE: CLASS OF 2025 ACHIEVES 88%
TAKUNDA Muchweni is flying the flag high for Jan Kriel School in Kuils River, having been recognised as one of the top 42 learners in the country. The release of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results saw some of the country’s top achievers...
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Everything is gone: Dunoon residents struggle to recover
EMIHLE Kanityi was at work when the fire raged through her home in Dunoon, destroying everything in its path including her children’s uniform and stationery which she had prepared for the new school year. The fire has left 5 500 homeless with the City...
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STUDENTS CROWDFUND AS NSFAS FALLS SHORT
R35 Roti and curry bunnies sales are what 19-year-old Amber Mentoor from Macassar will remember one day because it paid for her registration at the University of Cape Town as she faced an outstanding debt of R50 000. Mentoor is part of an overwhelming...
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ANOVUYO’S PARENTS FACE NEGLECT CHARGES
AS SCHOOLS are set to open for the 2026 school year next week- the parents of eight-year-old Anovuyo Oncke of Phumlani Village have been arrested for child negligence and are due back in court next month. Anovuyo is set to begin Grade three at...
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BLAZE FORCES FAMILIES TO SLEEP IN CARS
THEY fled with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Destitute, desperate for shelter they were forced to sleep in their cars and market stalls as they waited for Disaster Risk Management teams to provide materials to assist in rebuilding their...
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MINSTRELS PROTEST AGAINST VENUE UNCERTAINTY
A LONG-RUNNING dispute between the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and the City of Cape Town came into sharp focus on Saturday when members of the association joined a protest march in the city, citing uncertainty over venues and...
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KKKA DEFENDS NEW KLOPSE ROUTE
THE Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA) has defended changes to the 2026 Kaapse Klopse Karnival, saying the revised route and format are aimed at protecting the cultural integrity of the event while responding to rising costs and relief. It said...
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CITY FACES SCRUTINY OVER SEWAGE FLOW INTO OCEAN
THE City of Cape Town has estimated that it would need R12 billion to achieve its long-term plan to improve its sewage discharge at the ocean outfalls to protect the marine environment and ensure the health and safety of the users of its...
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MUSICIAN SPEAKS OUT ON MSC CRUISE ASSAULT
A 29-YEAR-OLD Kraaifontein musician and mother is preparing to lay formal criminal charges on South African soil after she reported that she was allegedly sexually assaulted and choked by her colleague on the MSC Musica while at sea in Portugal. MSC...
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SISTERS RECLAIM ANCESTRAL LAND
IT WAS a bittersweet moment for 83-year-old Juanita Solomon and her 76-year-old sister who finally received the title deed to the 16 plots of land which spans 6.5 acres, taken away from their parents during the Group Area Act. But with joy, came...
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GANG VIOLENCE STRAINS POLICE RESOURCES
PROVINCIAL Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile has acknowledged that the Western Cape police force is struggling to maintain effective crime-fighting capabilities as officers and detectives are being poached by other sectors,...
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SEA POINT RESIDENTS WIN DEVELOPMENT APPEAL
RESIDENTS of the Atlantic Seaboard have successfully had their appeal against the development of a block of flats in Sea Point upheld. The appeal concerned properties located at 29 and 31 St Johns Road, where buildings as old as 60 years once...
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Fresh calls for N2 security wall as smash-and-grab videos circulate
VIDEOS circulating on social media showing how smash-and-grab attacks unfold have intensified fears among motorists, with the city reaffirming its plans for a security wall along the N2, around the airport to be erected. The footage, shared by the...
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COURT ORDER TARGETS TAXI VIOLENCE
AS SANTACO Western Cape prioritises safer long-distance taxi travel this festive season, the Western Cape High Court’s decision for the earlier interim order aimed to curb violence and intimidation within the minibus industry has been made...
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MURDER OF EXPECTANT MOM HIGHLIGHTS GBV CRISIS
“SHE is not gone. She is coming home.” These are the heart-wrenching words of the mother of four month pregnant 23-year-old Shanice Rudolph, whose body was discovered hidden in a shallow grave at Klip Road Cemetery, in Grassy Park, on the eve of the...
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