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The Pollen Report

 

The Pollen Report provides allergy sufferers with a day-to-day guide on pollen levels for Cape Town specifically, as well as for other major cities in South Africa.  It gives practical information on the types of pollen in the air and alerts allergy sufferers, particularly asthmatics, when to stay indoors and curtail their activities.  Information is presented by Dr Jonny Peters, Head of the Division of Allergology and Clinical Immunology at UCT.

 

This pollen report is brought to you by FEXO, the no sneeze, no snooze, ALLERGY TABLET that provides RELIEF for up to 24 hours.

 

 

Celebrate Hope this Mandela Month with FUTURELIFE and the Nelson Mandela Foundation

“It’s all about the future of our children, and about their chances in life. Children are so honest, uncomplicated, and full of love. If we can bring opportunity to children, we can help them realise their true potential. Children are our future.” – Nelson Mandela

 

During July, FUTURELIFE will be celebrating Mandela Month with the goal of providing a million meals for vulnerable children. To help deliver on this ambitious plan, FUTURELIFE has partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation Early Childhood Development Programme and is inviting all South Africans to join them in this much-needed initiative.

Did you know that…

  • 4.6 million children will go to bed hungry tonight.
  • 27% of all children under the age of 5 years are nutritionally stunted.
  • 76% of children under the age of 4 do not have access to pre-schools.

 

That’s why FUTURELIFE has partnered with The Nelson Mandela Foundation as part of their mission to distribute over 5 million highly nutritious meals for vulnerable children and to build a pre-school. FUTURELIFE Smart Food has been formulated with Moducare, a daily immune supplement and contain 50% of your daily requirements for all 19 vitamins and minerals.

 

FUTURELIFE Smart Food is also high in energy, Protein, Omega-3 and fibre. FUTURELIFE has created a unique SMART FOOD Mandela pack that is available at all retailers and online at www.futurelife.com.

 

To find out how you can contribute, tune in to Smile Breakfast with Bobby and Lindy, look for the special FUTURELIFE Mandela pack in store, or click here.

Smile 90.4FM proudly supports FUTURELIFE and The Nelson Mandela Foundation this Mandela Month.

 

We hope you enjoy your ice cream

Thank you for visiting the Smile Ice Cream Van.

Fill in the form below to win your share of R10 000 worth of data from MTN.

The Smile Ice Cream Van is crafted by Gelato Mania and powered by MTN.

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Le Petit Chef is in Cape Town

DinnerTimeStoriesSA | Le Petit Chef Southern Africa is a mind blowing, innovative, unique, internationally acclaimed, gastronomic experience full of ‘Never Before Seen In CPT’ tabletop projected fun and surprises.

The unparalleled 3D gastronomic experience is open to Cape Town diners at The Capital 15 on Orange for the first time, from 17 March 2022.

“Here, next to the globe’s most famous tabletop, I assemble a culinary world wonder…” declares Le Petit Chef.

Immerse yourself in a 3D, high definition, projected extravaganza that allows you to travel through the big, exciting and flavourful world of the intrepid explorer Marco Polo! Before your very eyes and nose, Le Petit Chef will manufacture world wonders to share his gourmet adventure, designed from his experiences along the Silk Route of Asia.

Le Petit Chef : In The Footsteps of Marco Polo is accompanied by an awe-inspiring and mouth-watering six course dinner, infused with the essence of each country passed through.

Your authentic culinary journey begins as you traverse the Asian continent through the desert sands of Arabia, the dripping colours of India, the peaks of the Himalayas, the heavy mists of China, returning to the point of origin in the romantic cobbled streets Marseilles, France.

Cape Town shows include live Arabian belly and fire dancing, with Bollywood and Chinese LED, which will transport you to each Silk Route country sans passport.

Le Petit Chef as an individual, and as an event, understands the power of those things small, so, while the gourmet dining theatre hosts 64 seats per show, the entertainment remains top-notch, and your tastebuds are titillated as ever before, rest assured that your health and safety remains a priority.

Click here to book!

South Africa braces for more winter cold fronts – how drivers should prepare for safer travel

car driving winter roads
Image by Lizell Persens

 

 

South Africa’s first major cold front of winter hit on Wednesday, with temperatures expected to remain around 20°C and below until next Thursday. As the cold sets in, drivers are urged to prepare both themselves and their vehicles for the change in weather.

MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert says colder conditions pose seasonal risks. “There are several steps that can reduce the risk that naturally comes with the change of season,” he explains.

Drivers should check oil levels, tyre pressure, and tread regularly, as colder weather affects performance. Ensure windscreen wipers are in good condition, washer fluid is topped up with freeze-resistant liquid, and park indoors when possible to protect batteries.

On the road, reduce speed in wet or misty conditions, increase following distances, avoid cruise control, and use fog lights instead of high beams. With proper precautions, drivers can navigate winter roads more safely and confidently.

How to prepare your vehicle:

 

 

  • Colder weather makes oil denser. Check oil levels are correct and ensure it is not too full either, as this can create problems too.
  • Check the tyre tread regularly as tyres also tend to have more wear and tear in cold weather.
  • Check the tyre pressure. For every 10⁰C the weather drops, tyre pressure drops as well.
  • Additionally, do not be hasty to inflate your tyres if the warning light shows in the morning but rather give the air time to warm up first.
  • Some vehicles alert drivers about oil and air pressure levels but for the rest, regular checks are important.
  • Look out for perished windscreen wipers. Even in dry winter areas, there can be condensation, and windscreens tend to get dirtier.
  • Check the washer fluid levels and use a freeze prevention washer fluid in below zero weather.
  • During frigid weather, coolant lowers the freezing point of vehicle fluids and keeps it liquid while circulating through the engine.
  • Limit damages to the battery by parking inside if possible, doing regular maintenance on lead acid batteries if required, and avoid leaving vehicles standing for extended periods.

 

How to prepare yourself as a driver:

 

  • Exert extra caution when temperatures drop below freezing or if it rains during winter in your province: increase following distances, do not use cruise control, avoid pooled water on the road, and drive with extra care in places where ice is common like under bridges.
  • Reduce your speed in difficult conditions like on wet roads or in mist.
  • In mist, do not switch your lights to bright as it reflects off mist and further reduces visibility. Rather use fog lights or low beams.
  • Try to only use emergency lights if you are stationary.
  • Avoid sudden lane changes or erratic driving which other drivers may not react to timeously
  • Brake more cautiously and well before time.
  • Further reduce speed around corners.
  • If you do not already switch headlights on with every trip, ensure they are on now.

 

Cape Town Budget Vote Delayed After Public Outcry — GOOD and BOSA Hail Democratic Win

electricity residents
Image by Lizell Persens

 

 

The GOOD party has called the delay of the City’s of Cape Town’s Budget Vote a major democratic win for residents. After mounting public pressure and petitions the municipality has confirmed it will delay its Budget Vote in order to allow for more public input on the 2025/26 municipal budget.

 

 

READ MORE: City accused of using same tactics as Trump to hike Cape Town tariffs

 

 

The extension is a direct response to calls for transparency and a fairer budget. The metro will present amendments at a full Council meeting on 28 May 2025, with a new public comment period running until 13 June 2025. This comes after heightened concerns over proposed tariffs that could overwhelm the already overburdened residents who are battling to stay afloat with the high cost of living.

 

 

GOOD has called on Capetonians to  use this extended window to study the changes, ask the tough questions, and make their voices count. Let’s make this more than a technical compliance exercise.

 

 

 

READ MORE: Cape Town Budget: Major tariff reforms announced

 

 

 

At the same time, Build One South Africa (BOSA) also termed it a win for Capetonians, adding that the move demonstrates that civic action works and that no budget should ever be forced into effect without meaningful consultation.

 

 

“We welcome the reopening of public participation, but our demands remain unchanged,” said BOSA spokesperson Roger Solomons. “The City must go back to the drawing board and deliver a budget that is affordable, equitable, and prioritises cutting waste before cutting deeper into residents’ pockets.”

 

 

This is what Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis had to say:

 

 

“The City’s Mayoral Committee this week considered a report on public participation, including a petition calling for the raising of residential electricity prices instead of a City-wide cleaning charge. Our modelling shows this will negatively impact households and that it is better to pursue other relief measures. It is also not feasible to phase out critical and urgent infrastructure upgrades as the petition requests. Cape Town will not follow the path of decline seen in other cities, and there are no non-urgent major infrastructure projects in our capital budget.

 

 

“We’ve thoroughly examined the budget to find innovative means to further soften the impact on monthly bills and will table these amendments at Council for public comment from 28 May – 13 June. Amendments to commercial tariff structures will also be tabled,” said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

 

 

Hanover Park parolee accused of raping nine-year-old girl appears in court again

Wynberg Magistrates' Court
Image by Lizell Persens

 

 

A man accused of allegedly raping and kidnapping a nine-year-old girl in Hanover Park returned to court today, for his second stint at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court. The matter was remanded to 25 July 2025 for further investigation.

 

“In response to your media enquiry kindly be advised that the case was remanded until 25 July 2025. The suspects stays in custody,” Western Cape Provincial SAPS spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed.

 

READ MORE: More charges added to alleged Hanover Park rapist’s rap sheet

 

Just over a week ago, on Tuesday 20 May 2025, the little girl was walking en route to her Muslim school when she was apparently stopped by the 51-year-old identified as Igshaan Williams who asked her to buy milk for him.

 

Upon her return, the man — who is a convicted rapist and was recently freed on parole — allegedly lured her into into his home, where  she was sexually assaulted, raped and later found by community members following a wide-scale search. Hundreds of angry Hanover Park community members descended on the suspect’s home, which led to his arrest and an additional case of public violence.  Williams was freed on parole in November 2024 for a similar crime which dates back to 2005.

 

The suspect, who faces four charges including rape, sexual assault, human trafficking and abduction, made his first court appearance on Friday 16 May 2025. Dozens of community members were outside the court venting their frustration at the fact that a convicted rapist was allowed back into their area without their knowledge. At the time, the matter was postponed by a week in order for the suspect to seek legal representation.

 

Proceedings will resume in the next two months.

 

 

R1bn City housing tender fraud case still on track – Police

police
Malusi Booi in the dock (L), with Abdul Kader Davids next to him (R)

 

 

Police management in the Western Cape has moved to clarify that the housing tender fraud investigation into Ralph Stanfield and 11 others, including the former MMC for Human Settlements in the City of Cape Town, is still on track.

 

This is despite the provisional withdrawal of commercial charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, Advocate Nicolette Bell, on Friday, 23 May.

 

Police say it is not uncommon in complex investigations for the direction of the investigation to change in recognition of new and additional information that emerges as part of the investigation.

 

Brigadier Novela Potelwa says in this case, commercial crimes investigators became privy to new information that will now be incorporated into the investigation.

 

She says it is envisaged that the commercial charges provisionally withdrawn will be reinstated in due course.

 

Potelwa says the decision to provisionally withdraw charges is by no means an indication of failure on the part of investigators.

 

“Rather a change in direction, taking into account the legal framework within which as a law enforcement agency the SAPS is compelled to operate.”

 

It is alleged that Booi accepted cash and other gratifications from Stanfield and his associates in exchange for illegally obtaining City of Cape Town’s housing tenders.

 

The fraudulent tenders involved in the scheme allegedly amounted to approximately R1 billion.

 

READ: Former Human Settlements MMC Malusi Booi in dock over housing tender graft

 

Booi is currently out on bail, while Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, remain behind bars as they face separate charges unrelated to the tender fraud case.

 

In September last year, one of the co-accused in the case was shot dead in Mitchell’s Plain.

New draft ICT policy may pave way for Musk’s Starlink in SA

policy

 

The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has announced a new policy direction designed to attract investment in South Africa’s ICT sector while accelerating transformation efforts.

 

Published today in the Government Gazette, the draft policy outlines how equity equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) can be used by multinational companies to meet empowerment obligations under the Electronic Communications Act.

 

EEIPs offer alternatives to traditional equity ownership, enabling companies that do not typically sell local shares, such as Elon Musk’s Starlink, to invest in initiatives that support South Africa’s transformation goals. These include local enterprise development, digital inclusion projects, skills training, infrastructure support, and SMME funding.

 

“Digital infrastructure and access to the internet open a world of opportunity — from applying for jobs and studying, to accessing government services or even starting a business,” Malatsi said.

 

The move could potentially enable Starlink to secure a licence to operate in South Africa. Musk has previously stated that local black ownership requirements have been a barrier to entry for the satellite internet service.

 

Currently, ICT licensing regulations require a minimum of 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged individuals. This has proven a challenge for international tech companies looking to enter the South African market.

 

The new policy aims to close this gap by recognising alternative contributions through EEIPs, in line with the ICT Sector Code under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act. It also reaffirms that transformation obligations will remain in place for all entrants, regardless of their size or technology model.

 

“Transformation is non-negotiable — all players must contribute meaningfully to equity, skills development, and economic inclusion,” Malatsi emphasised.

 

Once finalised, the policy will empower the Minister to direct the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to align its ownership regulations with the full provisions of the ICT Sector Code.

 

The public has 30 days from the gazette publication to comment on the draft policy. Feedback can be submitted to the Ministry via email at kmoloto@dcdt.gov.za.