UCT’s student newspaper has issued a formal apology for printing a survey polling the most attractive race.

Cape Argus - UCT’S weekly student newspaper Varsity has issued a formal apology for printing a survey polling the most attractive race.

The survey documented the dating preferences of 60 people – 10 whites, 10 coloureds, 10 Indians, 10 east Asians, 10 “biracial” people and 10 Africans – and concluded that white people were considered to be the most attractive. African people were considered to be the least desirable.

The accompanying article, by Qamran Tabo for the paper’s opinion page, was headlined: “Is love colour-blind?” It claimed that while all groups would date people outside of their own race, “African and Indian respondents are the only groups that found members of their own racial groups unattractive”.

The survey reportedly revealed that dating a white person was regarded as the ultimate status symbol and that “bagging” a white partner was considered to be an achievement.

Tabo finishes her piece: “Hopefully one day, when the world’s entire population becomes creolised, character will be the only deciding factor for who we want to date.”

Since the article was published on Tuesday, Twitter has seen a storm of outraged tweets, although the SA Institute of Race Relations (Sairr) described the survey as “a useful insight into a real issue”.

In an open letter to the editor of the paper, the university’s own Student Representative Council wrote that it could not condone the manner in which this sensitive issue had been approached.

The council’s president, Lorne Hallendorff, said that to draw conclusions from a poll of 60 people failed to meet any real statistical requirements.

In response to the outrage and various criticisms, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel apologised to offended readers on Thurs.

“I formally retract the title of the pie chart ‘UCT votes on the most attractive race’ as this was not a formal survey conducted by the university,” she said.

But she noted that it was important that people took the context of the chart into account, stressing that the graphic had to be read together with the accompanying article.

“I emphasise that the ‘survey’ conducted by the writer was for her personal insight and not that of a definitive, scholarly analysis. It was intended as a social commentary on the society in which she resides.

“I am aware of the controversy surrounding the sensitivity of race and I understand that the right of freedom of expression has its limits when unnecessarily used to discriminate against others. However, Varsity feels that the writer was not abusing this right, nor had any intention of issuing an attack on individual racial groups, but (was) pinpointing a matter that is still affecting the lives of South Africans.”

Young Communist League spokesman Khaya Xaba said he was not happy with what he called Nagel’s “half-hearted and hollow” apology.

On Thursday, the UCT branch of the league said it planned to lodge a formal complaint against the newspaper, demanding a full apology and the article’s retraction.

Sairr deputy CEO Frans Cronje said printing the survey was a positive move: “This isn’t a spoof survey, it is actually a useful insight into a real issue… If they didn’t print it, it would have the implication that black people aren’t mature enough to deal with these results - which is even more offensive.”

He said the survey was not unique in its findings – examples of these partner preferences were evident globally. He criticised Varsity News’s decision to apologise for printing the chart.

“Are they apologising for being outspoken and controversial?”

Institute research manager Lucy Holborn said she was surprised there was controversy around the printing of the article rather than the results.

“I think in this case they were fairly clear about their methodology,” she said. “The outcome wasn’t being endorsed by the writer.”

She the results were insightful because they created an interesting commentary on society.

kieran.legg@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

An ex-inmate who says he contracted HIV after being raped on his first night in jail is suing correctional services.

Cape Town -

An ex-prisoner who says he contracted HIV after being gang-raped on his first night in jail is suing the Correctional Services Ministry for R1.7 million damages.

The 41-year-old Western Cape man alleges that he was “deliberately” placed in a cell with known 28s gangsters.

The prison warder on duty had incited the attack because when the prisoner had been put in the cell the warder had said: “Hier is die gemors (here is the rubbish).”

On the receiving end of the civil claim is the office of the Minister of Correctional Services – the defendant in the matter – whose lawyers denied the allegations in papers before the Western Cape High Court, saying inmates who weren’t gang members were not placed in the same cells as those who were.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Jonathan Cohen, believed it was important for such cases to go through the legal process because a pronouncement from the courts might prompt the department to take action against sexual violence.

“When someone is sentenced to a prison term it does not mean they’re also sentenced to sexual abuse,” he told the Cape Times.

In this case, the former prisoner was convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years behind bars in 2001. He was released on parole on October 6, 2009 – a decade after he was allegedly raped on October 13, 1999 at Allendale Correctional Institution in Paarl during his first night of incarceration as an awaiting-trial prisoner.

In court papers drawn up by his lawyers, they claim that he was raped by two gangsters, which had resulted in his becoming HIV-positive.

He discovered this in March 2002 when was transferred from Allendale to Malmesbury Correctional Centre and underwent an HIV/Aids test. He had also suffered physical injuries, humiliation and psychological trauma, they said.

It is their contention that the prison warder was a Correctional Services employee who knew, or ought to have known, that gang members engaged in sex with other inmates without their consent.

As a result, the defendant had “breached his duty of care” to the former prisoner because the warder had “deliberately” placed him in a cell with gangsters and had “incited” them.

Should the court not agree with this, their alternative argument is that the defendant failed to take steps to protect him and guard against his being raped when it “ought to have known that this was a possibility”.

But the minister’s lawyers have denied all the allegations, contending that the man was not placed in a cell with prisoners who were known to be 28s gang members.

Their court papers read: “… known gang (such as “28”) members are normally as a matter of good practice placed in separate cells, but in proportion to their numbers, with other gang members of other groupings, ie 26 or 27 gang members”.

He had been placed in a communal cell “without a pre-determination” that he’d be placed in a cell with 28s gangsters.

It was further argued that while the man had had the opportunity to report the incident to the prison authorities – he had been at the prison clinic on several occasions between 1999 and 2004 – he hadn’t done so.

In addition, the minister is asking for the claim to be dismissed before it is even heard on the basis that the window period within which the former prisoner could lodge the court proceedings closed in 2002.

While prison rape is known to be a problem, Sasha Gear, programme director for Just Detention International, said it was not clear precisely how prevalent it is.

Although a policy – which would introduce measures to detect, prevent, respond to and document sexual violence in SA’s prisons – had been drafted, Gear said it was “stuck” in the system and was yet to come to fruition.

leila.samodien@inl.co.za

Cape Times

The Western Cape Liquor Authority shut down a tavern in Elsies River for contravening several trading licence rules.

Cape Town -

Contravene liquor laws and we’ll close your business – that’s the warning from Finance and Economic Development MEC Alan Winde.

The Western Cape Liquor Authority, which functions under Winde’s department, on Thursday shut down a tavern in Elsies River for contravening several trading licence rules.

The licence holder of Tootsies Inn was granted an on-site consumption liquor licence last June.

A few months later, the Liquor Authority was informed that Tootsies had contravened the terms of its licence:

* It was selling liquor to take away, and to visibly drunk patrons.

* The licence-holder had made structural amendments to the establishment without approval from the Liquor Authority.

* Liquor was being stored in contravention of the approved plan of the establishment.

In addition, there had been a shooting on the premises.

The matter was investigated, and on Thursday the Liquor Licensing Tribunal ruled that the licence holder was “not a fit and proper person to hold a liquor licence and that it is not in the interests of the public that the holder be allowed to trade in liquor”.

Police delivered a notice to the licence holder on Thursday night to stop trading immediately.

Winde said: “As part of our strategy to curb liquor abuse in our communities, the Western Cape government is determined to root out unruly traders. We take tip-offs from the public very seriously because licence holders who contravene our laws ruin people’s lives.

“This is a warning to irresponsible traders: if you contravene the rules, we will track you down and shut your doors. Our duty is to protect the interests of law-abiding citizens by ridding our liquor industry of bad elements.”

Meanwhile, city authorities started enforcing the new liquor by-law this week.

Safety and security mayco member JP Smith said 67 off-site consumption establishments were visited in Cape Town’s northern suburbs, and four received warnings for not complying with the new law.

Operations would continue over the weekend and next week.

“Through operations like this, the city seeks to educate liquor licence holders about the stipulations of the by-law to ensure that they operate legally.

“There is a focus on issuing warnings and fines before taking more drastic action, so that establishments are given an opportunity to rectify any faults.”

Smith said extra staff would be pulled in to assist during operations.

The city has also asked Winde to make amendments to the Western Cape Liquor Act, which will allow the city’s metro police to enforce the Act and help shut down illegal operations.

Winde’s spokeswoman Tammy Evans said the proposed amendments were being considered.

clayton.barnes@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Three train carriages were set alight near a Cape Town station, Metrorail said.

Cape Town -Three train carriages were set alight near a Cape Town station on Friday morning, Metrorail said.

Regional manager Mthuthuzeli Swartz said the fire, which started near the Woltemade station around 5am, destroyed a carriage and damaged two adjoining ones.

“It is too early to speculate about the definitive cause of the fire, but early indications are that it was deliberate. The train carried no passengers and no injuries were reported.”

Swartz said the loss would place increased pressure on an “already stretched demand”.

A reward of R25 000 was offered for information leading to conviction. - Sapa

The SA Navy is unable to protect the coastline because of problems in the dockyard in Simon’s Town, navy officers admitted.

Cape Town -

The SA Navy is unable to protect the country’s coastline or patrol international waters effectively because of problems in the dockyard in Simon’s Town, navy officers admitted on Thursday.

In a briefing on the state of the Navy on Thursday, Navy Chief Refiloe Mudimu said control of the dockyard had passed to Armscor in 2006 – but he wanted the dockyard back because they “can do a better job” than Armscor.

Director of Fleet Logistics Monde Lobese said ineffectiveness in the dockyard had a “100 percent direct impact on the navy business of protecting the country”.

“We need to be able to produce, otherwise we won’t be able to meet our national and international obligations,” he said. Ships were spending time tied up instead of being at sea.

During the briefing Chief Director Maritime Strategy Hanno Teuteberg said:

* One of the four frigates was operational. The SAS Amatola was in operation but the other three, SAS Spioenkop, Isandlwana and Mendi, were undergoing maintenance work.

* Of eight patrol ships only three were available. The SAS Galeshwe, Umhloti and Umzimkulu were operationally available but the other five were being refitted or maintenance was being done on them.

* Of four submarines, only one was operational. The SAS Charlotte Maxeke was available but work was being done on the other three.

Lobese said the submarine, SAS Manthatisi, had spent more than two years in the dockyard since it were delivered in 2005.

The navy had to contract out the delivery and instalment of 480 battery cells, worth R30 million, to German company Exide.

Lobese said the ship was brought to the dockyard in February 2010 but due to lack of capacity in the dockyard Armscor was unable to finish the refitment at the end of 2012.

The ship is suppose to be operational at the end of July.

Mudimu said the navy had a vessel in the Mozambique Channel 99 percent of the time to protect against piracy and may expand its patrols up the West Coast towards Angola and upstream to the Democratic Republic of Congo next year.

Lobese said the dockyard personnel had to work 900 000 man-hours a year to make sure the required number of vessels were at sea to patrol South African waters and the Mozambique Channel.

The dockyard only clocked 250 000 man-hours last year and needed electricians, welders, mechanics and boilermakers.

“The navy gave R35m to Armscor to help employ more people to get the work done,” said Lobese.

Armscor had budgeted to spend R159m on the dockyard for the current financial year.

Lobese said top-heavy management, lack of artisans and poor funding all had an effect on the navy’s operations.

“The extent of the problem is the dockyard has one welder, but needs five. The electrical workshop is operating under capacity, as is the mechanical workshop,” Lobese said.

“And the engine repair capability is not there.”

He said Armscor had a recruitment drive last year to hire 100 personnel but he didn’t know how effective it was.

The navy took four of its patrols vessels to Durban and appointed a company, SA Shipyards, for R60m to refit them.

“If we didn’t take them to Durban they would have still been here in the dockyard and affected our ability to patrol the coast,” he said.

Mudimu and Lobese said the decision as to who controls the dockyard was now with Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

“The navy wanted the dockyard yesterday. We are waiting for the minister to give the green light,” said Lobese.

Armscor dockyard manager Themba Goduka could not be reached for comment.

cobus.coetzee@inl.co.za

Cape Times

City of Cape Town officials estimate that about 10% of their employees have an addiction problem.

Cape Town - City of Cape Town officials estimate that about 10 percent of the 27 000 city employees have an addiction problem, with alcohol and tik abuse the most prevalent.

The city’s corporate services committee has revised the city’s substance abuse policy to take a tougher stance on drug and alcohol abusers, saying if addiction problems spiral out of control it will affect service delivery.

Herman van der Watt, manager of the city’s employee wellness programme, said addiction problems were spread throughout the city’s employment structure.

Alcohol is the prevalent substance abused among employees older than 40 and for employees between 23 and 35 the most common substance is tik.

“The city’s programme is currently mostly treating staff members employed on lower levels due to the fact that many of them have reached chronic stages of addiction that need urgent intervention. Higher level employees may never be seen by our service as they would access private treatment utilising medical aid,” Van der Watt said.

A city report said a large number of work sites were affected by drug and alcohol abuse which led to absenteeism, poor performance, criminal activity and injuries on duty.

The most vulnerable group are employees who work in public places with no close supervision.”

Van der Watt said they were discussing with occupational health and safety labour officials how to implement a screening tool.

The city’s own out-patient programme, Matrix 16 week, was established in July 2011.

Since then, 323 city employees had been referred to the programme and some were referred to in-patient rehabilitation centres.

Of the 323, 154 failed to complete it, 33 were dismissed, two passed away and five employees resigned.

Van der Watt said 114 employees had “disappeared” out of the programme in the past year but still managed to work for the city.

“The employee with the disease of addiction manages to continue to manipulate the manager, the service and also the city to their advantage, they have developed an attitude of entitlement and we often hear that they feel the (Matrix) group gives them ‘free time’ away from work and that they are only doing it to not be fired, thus leading to lip service, manipulation and passive-aggressive behaviour,” Van der Watt added.

DA councillor Courtney van Wyk, from the corporate services committee, said: “The policy addresses a zero-tolerance approach to substance abuse but also looks to provide a healthy and safe environment in line with occupational health legislation. We have to balance between being a caring city and being disciplined.”

Although the city does not have a definite figure of how many people are addicted, Van Wyk said it was clear there was a problem.

The chairman of the corporate services committee, Derrick America, said the policy was stricter but also clearer on the role of city authorities.

zara.nicholson@inl.co.za

Cape Times

Two men were arrested and tik and cocaine worth more than R1 million seized at a flat in Mowbray.

Cape Town -

Two men were arrested and tik and cocaine worth more than R1 million seized at a flat in Mowbray.

Police said Maitland’s Flying Squad had swooped on the flat in Priority Street on Wednesday night after police received a tip-off about drug dealing at the premises.

At about 7.15pm the officers searched the flat and found the drugs and money, said provincial police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk.

He said that two men, aged 32 and 37, were arrested and will appear in Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of possession of drugs.

Meanwhile, three men were arrested in Kraaifontein on Thursday.

They have been charged with being in possession of drugs after officers on patrol were tipped off about drug peddlers operating in the Bloekombos informal settlement.

The three men, aged 20, 29 and 58, are from Bloekombos.

Cape Argus

Police have arrested two people for allegedly selling fraudulent Cape Town International Jazz Festival entry wristbands.

Cape Town - Two people were arrested on Friday morning for allegedly selling fraudulent Cape Town International Jazz Festival accreditation wristbands, Western Cape police said.

Captain Frederick van Wyk said the arrests took place during an undercover operation in Green Point.

The pair were due to appear in Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday.

“We have reason to believe that a number of people may have purchased these fraudulent entries to the event scheduled for tonight [Friday] and tomorrow night [Saturday], and will not be allowed entry,” Van Wyk said.

According to a statement by event organiser espAfrika on the festival's website, more than 1000 tickets have been purchased using stolen or fraudulent credit cards.

“It is possible that members of the public who did not purchase their tickets directly from a legitimate Computicket sales channel may be in possession of a ticket purchased fraudulently,” espAfrika public relations manager John Boyd said.

“The bulk of these tickets purchased fraudulently were purchased in Gauteng.”

The organiser had the full details and barcodes of the affected tickets and would be able to identify them at the entrance to the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Boyd said those with a wristband only (no accompanying ticket) would not be allowed entry and risked being arrested. - Sapa

The man who lifted the lid on an alleged plot to kill a security firm boss has testified that he had been asked to arrange a hitman.

Cape Town - The man who lifted the lid on an alleged plot to kill an owner of City Bowl Armed Response has testified that he had been asked to arrange a hitman.

Ettienne Lochner, a former armed response officer at the company, took the stand in the Cape Town Regional Court on Thursday.

He testified against his ex-boss, Grant Smith, who is on trial for allegedly conspiring with his lover, Joanne Neethling, to kill his then business partner, Alan Kusevitsky.

Lochner told the court that he and Neethling, who was a paramedic at the company, had worked together on various shifts around the time of the plot.

Neethling approached him on November 20, 2008, to find out if he knew of someone who would hurt or kill another person.

He understood that she was looking for a hitman and asked for time to arrange someone.

The going rate for a hitman was between R12 000 and R25 000, according to Lochner’s statement, read out in court.

Later, Lochner and Neethling met again.

“I told her over and over when she pestered me to get the thing going. I told her what would happen if the plan went skew. I said Kusevitsky had children and there were serious consequences for her,” Lochner said.

But Neethling, who confessed to her role in the incident, insisted.

“After I told her that a person had been arranged and the money was fixed, she told Grant, while I sat in the car (next to her), that he must get the money,” Lochner said.

A few days later, Lochner SMSed Kusevitsky to tell him that there was a hit out on him. Kusevitsky called him and they went to the police.

Neethling was arrested on December 4, 2008, when she handed a deposit of R15 000 for the hit to undercover police officers.

She later pleaded guilty to helping Smith plan the hit. After a plea bargain with the State in which she agreed to testify against Smith, she was sentenced to three years in jail.

Smith’s lawyer, William Booth, put it to Lochner that Neethling had asked him to damage both Smith’s Audi and Kusevitsky’s bakkie a short while before the incident.

“So she asked on behalf of herself and not someone else?” Booth asked.

Lochner agreed.

Smith has denied any involvement in the murder plot.

The defence is set to call its first witness on Friday.

jade.otto@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A nine-year-old girl has vanished while playing with her friends near her home in Nyanga.

Cape Town - Police and community policing forum members in Nyanga and surrounding areas have launched a search for a nine-year-old girl who disappeared four days ago.

Yamkela Mtini was last seen near her home at No 5 836 Samora Machel informal settlement on Tuesday. Her mother, Nomaseni Mtini, was at work and Yamkela was playing with friends. She was last seen at noon, wearing three-quarter denim jeans, a pink Puma T-shirt and brown sandals.

Police questioned friends and neighbours who saw her just before she disappeared, but this has not brought them any closer to establishing what happened to her.

On Friday morning, the Cape Argus spoke to Mtini as she waited at Nyanga police station to accompany officers on their search.

She said she did not know where to begin looking.

“My daughter only moved to Cape Town from the Eastern Cape last year and she is still unfamiliar with the city. There is no family in the area where she could have gone. We truly don’t know what to think, but my husband and I are suffering immensely.”

Mtini said the only irregularity at their house was that the DStv was disconnected and the card in the decoder was missing. Mtini said Yamkela may have disconnected it accidentally and run away because she was afraid of getting into trouble.

Martin Sandile of Nyanga’s Community Policing Forum said today 30 volunteers had been mobilised from neighbourhood watches to support police in the search.

Dessie Rechner of the Pink Ladies, an organisation that helps to search for missing people, said she had got a photo from police and she was making a flyer.

Yamkela is in Grade 2 at Khanya Primary School in Mitchells Plain. She is 1.1m tall and has black hair.

Nyanga Police asked anyone with information about her whereabouts to call Nyanga police at 021 380 3374, Constable Flekisi at 084 716 1903 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111. Rechner can be reached at 072 214 7439.

daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A Cape Town police officer who knocked down a two-year-old boy now faces culpable homicide charges.

Cape Town - A Philippi police officer who knocked down a two-year-old boy after he had tried to avoid hitting other children playing on a Mitchells Plain road now faces culpable homicide charges.

David George was knocked down on Wednesday evening as the officer drove over a speed hump on Sentinel Road, Tafelsig. The boy had followed his older sister home after she had been playing in the road.

The accident took place opposite Yellow Wood Primary School grounds about five metres away from his home.

Police spokesman Frederick van Wyk said the 30-year-old constable will be formally charged on Friday.

“It is alleged the two-year-old boy crossed the street and was knocked down by a man driving a blue VW Polo Classic. The two-year-old died on the scene,” Van Wyk said.

A distraught father, also named David George, said on Thursday David was playing at the front door before he ran into the road.

“We were in the house doing normal chores. I don’t know when he went over the road but at about 6.10pm I heard a commotion outside the house. I went outside and saw that Junior was lying in the road,” George said.

“He was a very active and playful child. You would always find him playing in the yard or with sister Chelsea. She especially is very sad,” he said. The boy’s mother, Christine, was too traumatised to speak.

Yellow Wood Primary School assistant caretaker Mogamat Abrahams, who was waiting for a bus to go home, saw the accident.

“The car came down the road at an average speed. Junior’s older sister Chelsea was playing on the pavement next to the school grounds. She (Chelsea) went over the road to go home, the car then slowed down just before he reached the speed hump.

“As the car went over the hump Junior then also decided to run over the road following his sister. The headlights on the right side struck Junior’s head. He went over the speed hump and slowly picked up speed. The driver could not see Junior because he is very small,” Abrahams said.

“He knocked Junior down driving over his leg. He immediately braked after he realised what had happened,” he said.

“I don’t blame the driver for the child’s death. There was no way he could have seen Junior, he was very small, and the driver had to focus on the other kids who were in the road. That man was in shock, he looked liked he was going to burst into tears,” he said.

Abrahams questioned why a two-year-old was out on the street.

A resident of Tafelsig and neighbour of the George family, Gabriel Blake, 62, said although speed humps have been built in the road children are still at risk of being knocked down.

jason.felix@inl.co.za

Cape Times

The SAHRC are probing a student article which surmised that UCT students thought whites were the most "attractive" race.

 Cape Town - The Young Communist League of SA has lodged a complaint over an opinion piece in the University of Cape Town's student newspaper, the SA Human Rights Commission said on Friday.

“We confirm we received a complaint on Thursday and we are busy looking into it. The respondents in this matter are the Varsity newspaper, the editorial staff, and UCT,” said SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena.

The commission would study the complaint, list the allegations in letters to the respondents, and give them an opportunity to respond.

The commission would then deliberate and deliver a ruling timeously, depending on the co-operation of all parties.

The YCLSA UCT branch's complaint was based on a Varsity newspaper piece titled “Is Love Colour Blind?” published in the paper on Tuesday and written by Qamran Tabo.

Tabo explored interracial dating and surveyed sixty students, ten of each who said they considered themselves to be white, coloured, Indian, East Asian, “mixed” (bi-racial), or black.

A pie-chart accompanying the piece titled “UCT votes on the most attractive race” surmised that 38 percent of students apparently thought whites were the most “attractive” race, followed by coloureds, and Indians.

The lowest percentage by race was blacks (eight percent).

The piece was questioned by a number of individuals and organisations, including the UCT Student Representative Council (SRC), which said greater sensitivity should have been shown to an issue that had “painful historical significance”.

Varsity news editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel issued an apology in a press release on Thursday afternoon.

She said the newspaper's role was to act as a mediator and platform, and that the intention of the piece was for students to engage on a very prevalent topic.

It did not sanction hate speech, but endorsed the right to have an opinion and create a forum for response.

“I emphasise that the 'survey' conducted by the writer was for her personal insight and not that of a definitive, scholarly analysis. It was intended as a social commentary on the society in which she resides,” Nagel said.

She formally retracted the title of the pie chart and said the chart should be read in conjunction with the article, and not as a separate piece.

The article was written in the opinions section and thus did not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper, as stated in the online disclaimer, she said.

“I am aware of the controversy surrounding the sensitivity of race and I understand that the right to freedom of expression has its limits when used unnecessarily to discriminate against others, slandering religion, race, sexuality.

“However, Varsity feels that the writer was not abusing this right nor had the intention of issuing an attack on individual racial groups, but simply pinpointing a matter that is still affecting the lives of South Africans.”

The YCLSA UCT branch, in a statement on Friday, rejected the newspaper's response and retraction of only the pie chart heading.

It stated that the article had incited racial division and caused psychological harm to students.

“We all deserve a 1/8full 3/8 retraction and an apology from all concerned with the publication of this filth,” the statement read.

“The article and its alleged survey were always leading to inculcate a culture of one race being the jewel of all others. It is despicable to read and should not have been published, even more so that we were without the full details of the survey.”

It called on the university to dedicate a month to “race relations building” programmes and for the newspaper to dedicate a full page to racial issues in every issue until the end of year.

“If the editorial team is not able to fulfil the above requested feature of the newspaper, we as the YCLSA of UCT are prepared to do such an article.”

UCT was not immediately available to respond. - Sapa

A man appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court in connection with the death of a Cape Town traffic officer and a motorist.

 Cape Town - A man appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Friday in connection with the death of a Cape Town traffic officer and a motorist.

Quinton Ashley Cordom would be back in court on April 12, National Prosecuting Authority Western Cape spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said.

Traffic Officer Wesley Woodman, 35, and a motorist were shot dead on Prince George Drive, in the Lavender Hill area, around 9am on Wednesday.

City of Cape Town safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith said on Wednesday the officer had stopped a Toyota Corolla for a broken tail light when two men approached him from behind and opened fire.

The motorist died on the scene. Woodman died in hospital later that day.

Police Captain Frederick van Wyk said Cordom, 26, was arrested in connection with the crimes on Thursday.

A second man appeared separately in the same court on Friday in connection with illegal possession of Woodman's firearm, Ntabazalila said.

He could not immediately identify the accused, but said the cases were likely to be joined at a later stage. - Sapa

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival is expected to contribute over R450 million to the Western Cape economy.

Cape Town - This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival is expected to contribute over R450 million to the Western Cape economy and employ more than 2 000 people.

The 14th annual two-day festival begins tonight at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. More than 40 international and African artists will perform on five stages in front of about 35 000 fans. The event is sold out.

Thousands of revellers got a taste of what to expect at Wednesday’s free concert in Greenmarket Square, where local and international artists included the Brand New Heavies, Jimmy Dludlu and Jimmy Nevis.

Finance and Tourism MEC Alan Winde said the Western Cape government had contributed R300 000 to this year’s festival, in large part because of the economic benefits it drew into the region.

Last year, event contributed R457m to the Western Cape economy, R860m to the national gross domestic product, created 2 715 jobs over the duration of the festival and drew a crowd of 33 500, of which more than 60 percent were from other countries.

“These tourists contribute to growth and job creation in our province. This year’s jazz festival promises to be yet another success with performances by internationally renowned artists and local talents. The Western Cape is proud to host this prestigious event.”

Ivan Meyer, the MEC of cultural affairs and sport, said the festival was also a powerful social and cultural lever. “The jazz festival is one of those rare events that manages to attract both a local and international crowd.

“For two days, our city becomes the cosmopolitan heart of the world, a place where people from a multiplicity of backgrounds come together to dance to the same beat, share in one another’s cultures and learn more about us,” he said.

Nick Seewer, the chief executive of the Pepperclub Hotel & Spa, said taking full advantage of events such as the jazz festival was a way for stakeholders in the tourism industry to meet their target of creating more than 225 000 jobs in the sector by 2020.

“The jazz festival has grown year on year and has firmly established itself as a globally recognised event, currently attracting over 33 500 people. Drawing both local and international visitors, the festival provides an additional boost for tourism in terms of revenue for the city and the facilities that the festival attendees use, such as local hotels and restaurants. This in turn also results in job creation.”

Research conducted by the organisers, espAfrika, showed that festival goers who came to Cape Town for the 2010 event spent most of their money on accommodation, followed by food, restaurants and transport.

The 2012 Cape Town International Jazz Festival summary report showed that the festival generated R29.7m based on visitor spending and that the total direct spending over the festival amounted to R50.8m.

Seewer said this research proved that the capital generated by the festival flowed directly into the tourism industry, which was encouraging.

“Successfully hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup and more recently, several internationally renowned musicians, such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lady Gaga, emphasises how South Africa is increasingly being noticed across the world as a destination for staging world-class events,” Seewer added.

Grant Pascoe, the mayoral committee member for tourism, events and marketing, said the City of Cape Town was pleased to be one of the main sponsors of the festival.

“The festival resonates with this administration’s aim to build an inclusive city by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds from all over Cape Town, the rest of the country and continent, and globally, to revel in a superlative live jazz experience,” he stressed.

He said more than 20 000 international guests visited Cape Town last year for the festival, providing a major boost to tourism in the region.

joseph.booysen@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A student newspaper piece about love and race is problematic in many ways, the University of Cape Town said.

Cape Town - A student newspaper piece about love and race, which sparked a complaint, is problematic in many ways, the University of Cape Town (UCT) said on Friday.

“UCT respects the right of all to express themselves, and the right of a student newspaper, like Varsity (which has editorial independence), to print what it wants,” spokeswoman Pat Lucas said.

“(However), the article in the April 2, 2013 edition of Varsity newspaper, titled “Is love colour-blind?” is problematic in many instances.”

Lucas said it was incorrect to use the headline “UCT votes on most attractive race” for a pie-chart that reflected the views of only 60 students.

She said the most worrying matter was the thinking behind the article.

“One would have hoped that a more informed, enlightened view would have guided those involved to understand the offensiveness of the question that was asked, namely: 'Which race is more attractive?',” she said.

The university appreciated that the piece had created discussion, even if it was sometimes offensive and uncomfortable.

Such an experience could serve to change people's perspectives and become educational, she said.

“UCT wishes for its student newspaper to be an example of outstanding editorial quality. In this case, perhaps the journalist and the paper disappointed.”

The opinion piece was written by UCT student Qamran Tabo and explored interracial dating.

Tabo surveyed sixty students, ten of each who said they considered themselves to be white, coloured, Indian, East Asian, “mixed” (bi-racial), or black.

A pie-chart accompanying the piece surmised that 38 percent of students apparently thought whites were the most “attractive” race, followed by coloureds, and Indians.

The lowest percentage by race was blacks (eight percent).

Varsity news editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel issued an apology in a press release on Thursday afternoon.

She said the newspaper's role was to act as a mediator and platform, and that the intention of the piece was for students to engage on a very prevalent topic.

It did not sanction hate speech, but endorsed the right to have an opinion and create a forum for response.

The Young Communist League of SA UCT branch, in a statement on Friday, rejected the newspaper's response and retraction of only the pie chart heading.

It stated that the article had incited racial division and caused psychological harm to students.

“We all deserve a 1/8full 3/8 retraction and an apology from all concerned with the publication of this filth,” the statement read.

“The article and its alleged survey were always leading to inculcate a culture of one race being the jewel of all others. It is despicable to read and should not have been published, even more so that we were without the full details of the survey.”

It called on the university to dedicate a month to “race relations building” programmes and for the newspaper to dedicate a full page to racial issues in every issue until the end of year.

“If the editorial team is not able to fulfil the above requested feature of the newspaper, we as the YCLSA of UCT are prepared to do such an article.”

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) confirmed that the YCLSA lodged a formal complaint.

“We confirm we received a complaint on Thursday and we are busy looking into it. The respondents in this matter are the Varsity newspaper, the editorial staff, and UCT,” said SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena.

The commission would study the complaint, list the allegations in letters to the respondents, and give them an opportunity to respond.

The commission would then deliberate and deliver a ruling timeously, depending on the co-operation of all parties.

Lucas said the university would co-operate fully with the SAHRC investigation. - Sapa

In a Twitter post Matt Silver-Valance said: “These ain't your Spur balloons, kids.”

Cape Town - An SA Navy Vessel on Saturday morning set sail from Table Bay harbour to lend support to a man attempting to float from Robben Island to the Mainland using balloons.

South African born Matt Silver-Vallance is trying to raise money for the building of the Nelson Mandela Children's hospital. Silver-Vallance will use 200 helium filled balloons to try and pull off his mission.

On one of his latest twitter posts, Silver- Valance said: “Inflation team hard at work, filling 200 balloons with helium. These ain't your Spur balloons, kids.”

A team of 25 people started the inflation process at 3am on Saturday morning and were expected to wrap up shortly. The balloons are 15 meters in diameter, which organisers say is as high as a 12 storeys high.

Silver-Vallance's flying time from the Island to the mainland shore at Bloubergstrand is expected to be somewhere between 45

minutes and an hour. - Sapa

Two men have appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court in connection with the murder of a Western Cape traffic officer.

Johannesburg - Two men appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Friday in connection with the murder of a Western Cape traffic officer.

The first man, a 20-year-old, was allegedly found in possession of the officer's CZ 75 pistol, spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said.

“He was arrested on Thursday after two firearms were recovered on Thursday behind a bed in a house in Retreat.”

The other firearm was an unlicensed 9mm pistol. The man's case was postponed to June 19.

The other man, Quinton Ashley Cordom, 26, appeared separately and had his case postponed to April 12. National Prosecuting Authority Western Cape spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said the cases were likely to be joined at a later stage.

Traffic officer Wesley Woodman, 35, and a motorist were shot dead on Prince George Drive, in the Lavender Hill area, on Wednesday. Woodman had stopped a Toyota Corolla for a broken tail light when two men approached him from behind and opened fire. The motorist died on the scene. Woodman died in hospital later that day. - Sapa

Seven cleaners were injured when a lift malfunctioned in Parliament, SABC news reported.

Cape Town - Seven cleaners were injured when a lift malfunctioned in Parliament, SABC news reported on Saturday.

Parliament spokesman Luzuko Jacobs told the broadcaster the contract workers were taken to hospital for observation after the accident in Marks Building on Friday night.

The building, which houses the SABC studios and the opposition parties offices, has been cordoned off until engineers have certified the safety of the elevators. - Sapa

The fog appears to be lifting from the Atlantic Ocean, shortly before Matt Silver-Vallance attempts to float from Robben Island to the mainland.

Cape Town - The fog appears to be lifting from the Atlantic Ocean, shortly before Matt Silver-Vallance attempts to float from Robben Island to the mainland, near Cape Town on Saturday.

Lift-off is expected shortly after weather conditions improve.

Helium balloons, which will be used as the adventurer's transport, were inflated by a team of 25 since the early hours of the morning for the unique challenge.

It forms part of a campaign to raise R10-million for the building of the Nelson Mandela Children's hospital.

The sun has peaked through the fog, which will make it easier for media and other spectators to view the voyage.

If the fog lifts enough, journalists and other spectators aboard the navy vessel SAS Mhloti will see Silver-Vallance's take-off and follow his trajectory from the Island to Blouberg.

South-African-born Silver-Vallance, who currently works in the medical industry in the UK, will use 200 helium filled balloons to try and pull off his mission.

On one of his earlier twitter posts, Silver-Valance said: “These ain't your Spur balloons, kids.”

The balloons are 15 meters in diameter, which organisers say are 12 storeys high.

Silver-Vallance's flying time from the Island to the mainland shore at Bloubergstrand is expected to last somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour.

Earlier, he was waiting for the wind speed to pick up and change direction.

The ideal wind should be blowing in a north-westerly direction, but was blowing north earlier. - Sapa

According to a police source, Yamkela Mtini and her two-year-old sister were left in the care of a neighbour.

Cape Town - Door-to-door searches for a nine-year-old Nyanga girl who went missing on Tuesday have so far had no success.

Yamkela Mtini, a Grade 2 pupil at Khanya Primary School in Mitchells Plain, was last seen playing with her friends at her home at No 5636 Samora Machel informal settlement.

Nyanga police, who were only told of the girl’s disappearance on Thursday, said neighbours and friends assisted.

“We search the whole area up until midnight on Thursday and again on Friday but could find no new leads,” local police said on Friday.

Captain FC Van Wyk said she had been wearing three-quarter blue denim jeans, a Puma pink T-shirt and brown sandals.

“The mother of the child (Nomanesi Mtini) was at work at the time she went missing.”

According to a police source, Yamkela and her two-year-old sister were left in the care of a neighbour.

Police say it is not the first time Yamkela has disappeared, but previously she was soon found.

Neighbours, who saw her just before she disappeared, could also shed little light on what happened to her.

Yamkela’s mother, Noma-seni Mtini, said on Friday that she did not know where to begin looking.

“My daughter only moved to Cape Town from the Eastern Cape last year and she is still unfamiliar with the city. There is no family in the area where she could have gone. We truly don’t know what to think, but my husband and I are suffering immensely.”

Nyanga police suspect that Yamkela may have disconnected their DStv when she took the card out of the decoder and ran away because she was afraid she would get into trouble with her parents.

l Anyone with information can contact the Nyanga police at 021 380 3374, Constable Flekisi at 084 716 1903 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111. - Weekend Argus