Latest news with #Bonga
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Tragic shooting at Cape Town taxi rank claims four lives amid ongoing conflict
Police and crime scene investigators at the Mfuleni taxi rank after a tragic shooting claimed four lives and left three others injured this morning. SAPS urges anyone with information to assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Desperate families stood outside the police cordon, anxiously awaiting to identify the bodies of their loved ones, who had been gunned down in an attack at a Cape Town taxi rank. Many arrived in large numbers as the police combed the scene for clues. One woman explained that she had been told her husband was among the four victims killed at the Mfuleni taxi rank on Monday at around 6am. 'I called my husband's number several times. It rang but wasn't answered, and that's when I knew he had been killed.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Four Codeta members were killed and three were injured, including a commuter. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media The family requested to see his body, in accordance with their cultural practices, to send off his spirit before it was removed from the scene. However, the police requested that they wait until the area was cleared to avoid further chaos. Major-General Bongani Maqashalala, deputy police commissioner for the detection division, confirmed that two gunmen had stormed a Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) office, killing four men and injuring three others. 'One of the three injured is a commuter. We believe the suspects used high-calibre firearms, as evidenced by the crime scene. We have since increased police presence to ensure the safety of commuters.' A distraught woman is comforted by the police as she tries to run to her shot brother at Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Maqashalala suggested that the motive behind the attack was related to the ongoing conflict within the taxi industry. 'Codeta has a permit to operate in Somerset West but does not have a taxi rank there. We believe this is causing tension with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata),' he said. The situation is being monitored by the Department of Mobility. The police have announced a reward of R100,000 for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge explained that the association had previously written to the MEC of Mobility on August 29, 2024, notifying them of partial services on the M18 route, as Cata operators had prohibited their return with passengers. 'Despite a notice issued on June 3, 2025, to resume operations, upon doing so, Cata operators blocked legal operations, leading to a meeting scheduled for next week. Unfortunately, the dispute escalated into violence, resulting in this tragic loss of life.' Codeta has called on the Western Cape government to strengthen the regulatory framework to protect both taxi operators and commuters. They also urged for enhanced safety measures to prevent further incidents. The shooting occurred just across the road from the Mfuleni satellite police station. 'The conduct of the attackers showed this was no random act; it was planned. The police station was operational at the time, and we had been monitoring the Somerset West route. This remains one of the motives we are investigating,' Maqashalala added. In response, police have deployed additional officers around taxi ranks and have identified potential threats. Maqashalala also urged taxi association members to remain calm. 'We request their cooperation, and we are scheduled to meet with the Department of Mobility. To the community, we ask that they come forward with any information that could assist us in the investigation.' Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais expressed deep concern over the violence. 'It is devastating to see such incidents in our communities. We've been working closely with the SAPS and LEAP services to apprehend the perpetrators and stabilise the industry. The illegal firearms on our streets are also a major concern. We all know that the SAPS is understaffed, and that is why we have been calling for the devolution of policing powers to the province."
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Married men, side chicks and gout: ‘Ama Grootman' is KZN's wildest reality show yet!
While the title 'Ama Grootman' suggests stature, what we really get are men navigating gout, girls young enough to be their daughters, and chaotic relationships. Now streaming on Showmax and previously on Mzansi Magic, reality show Ama Grootman dives headfirst into the lives of six self-proclaimed gentlemen from Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal. Viewers are torn between disbelief, laughter and second-hand embarrassment. Welcome to Mzansi Magic's reality show Ama Grootman, where Peter Pan syndrome meets the South Coast breeze and monogamy is a distant rumour. 'I can't be seen with my daughter's friends' – Bonga walks out The respect I done gave these two guys on Ep10 is unimaginable!!!! There are still some good black men in our enviable country, South Africa 🇿🇦 , that episode got me saying, "I'm proud to be black." #AmaGrootman — #blackgirlsrock (@Black_Is_Queen) December 29, 2024 In episode 10, Bonga Madlala drops the kind of line that stops the bottle-popping cold. 'I can't be seen with girls my daughter's age,' he tells the boys before grabbing his keys and exiting stage left, as confused young women sip cocktails in the background. The rest of the 'groot men', Andile, Bheki, Busani, Mpho and Jackey, are left scrambling to politely usher the barely-legal ladies out. Mpho whispers, 'Yo, these kids still have curfews,' before laughing nervously. But the cameras catch every awkward second. ALSO READ: 'Gone but not forgotten': Zahara's fans clean her grave [VIDEO] When wifey shows up, pot plants fly In a follow-up episode, the gents take a boys' trip to Joburg, fully booked and bankrolled by their pal Pablo (no surname, just Pablo). Spirits are high until Bonga's wife, without warning, touches down in Joburg. Cue tantrum: Bonga flings pot plants from a loft staircase, yelling, 'You had no right to come here unannounced!' before storming off and booking a solo suite elsewhere. Viewers were left stunned. 'Men will embarrass you at 12 o'clock midday while the sun is 38 degrees Celsius outside… BONGA,' @Ntokozo tweeted. I'm so disappointed in Bonga. His reaction is uncalled for. What did he want to do that he didn't want his wife to see. Bonga need to learn to control his anger. What we just saw is totally unacceptable. He behaved like a teenager instead of a Grootman #amaGrootman — BMW X5m lover (@Dexigner2) January 16, 2025 iSthembu or just I-sthem-busy? The men frequently reference isthembu (polygamy) as a sort of traditional Zulu permission slip for late nights, side chicks, and 'business meetings' that end in private lounges. It's just older men behaving like kids- having multiple baby mamas and broadcasting their infidelity🚮! Badala for lento labantu😑.#Amagrootman — sego.k ᥫ᭡. (@sego_kk) October 24, 2024 But as Twitter user @MsKay puts it: 'The other day I wanted to ask gore, vela vela, their partners are happy with their lifestyle?' And @Bornqueen adds, 'Childish. We wonder why black families are toxic and apart – it's this very same fake lifestyle we're promoting. Tomorrow we blame bo Van Der Merwe for our problems.' Why did the wives of Ama grootman agree to this show? 😳😭 Haibo izinto esizibona sonke ba happy ngazo?? #amaGrootman November 7, 2024 ALSO READ: 'My children were discriminated against': Mrs J blasts The Mommy Club Groot Men or groot embarrassment? Despite the backlash, the show has found a loyal (if slightly horrified) viewership. LMAO why are these men doing this? Are they not embarrassed? 😭 #AmaGrootman — Keitumetse (@KeituSeaketso) October 31, 2024 Netizens have pointed out the title's irony, since most of these men appear to be regular earners. One viewer remarked: 'Grootman? More like Grootboy. They're cheating with energy they don't even have.' This one deserves a slot on Rekere yakwaMoja love 😂😂😂🚮🚮🚮not 161 please 👏🏾hle😂😂😂#amaGrootman — PhindileKaGwamanda💛 (@KaPhindile) October 31, 2024 Many are calling out the cast's apparent health issues, one groaning about his gout between shots, another struggling to climb out of a jacuzzi, and wondering how they still manage to chase 22-year-olds with such zeal. Mseleku's influence? They all gonna watch #AmaGrootman. Remember they huffed and puffed about Musa Mseleku but continues to watch his shows. His reality show #UthandoNesthembu became the most watched reality on DStv for few years. They are complaining but they will watch this show 😇 — Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) September 4, 2024 Some suspect Port Shepstone's most famous polygamist, Musa Mseleku, might be to blame for the rise in unashamed public infidelity. 'These men have taken Mnakwethu and turned it into MnaClownethu,' joked one user. Season 2? 'Yoh, they must not come back' While disgust is widespread, so is demand. One viewer posted: 'They must not come back for Season 2. They need to grow up first.' But another countered: 'Nah fam, I need a reunion episode. I want them to explain themselves. I want the wives on the couch, too. With receipts.' Ama Grootman may not offer role models, but it's giving Mzansi a front-row seat to some serious midlife madness. Whether it's tragedy, comedy, or just an episode of 'Men Behaving Badly: SA Edition,' one thing's clear: these groot men are groot content.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Takeaways from AP's story on safety concerns about Shell's fleet of oil production ships
Oil major Shell operates a fleet of giant ships permanently moored over oilfields around the world. The ships receive oil pumped from wells beneath the seabed and transfer it to tankers. Reporting by The Associated Press, based on internal documents, raises questions about the safety of these ships. Here's what to know: The Bonga oil spill What can go wrong was illustrated off Nigeria in 2011, when a pipe connecting Shell's production ship Bonga to a tanker sprang a leak. The spill wasn't noticed for more than four hours, and 40,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Atlantic. An oil slick spread over 685 square miles (1,776 square kilometers) of water, an area twice the size of New York City. A $3.6 billion fine was the result, though it's still being appealed today. Restricted files An internal review of Shell's oil production ship fleet in 2022 shows that, 11 years after the Bonga spill, problems remained. The vessel had 'continuously deficient' firefighting, lifesaving and oil transfer systems. Oil transfer systems were what failed in the 2011 spill. Tony Cox, an offshore oil accident investigator, said this was concerning given transfers are a 'recognized hazard' and a 'well known" potential spillage point. The report described 'recurring incidents' on other ships, noting 'severe corrosion' in a vessel off Brazil. Two workers were left 'with moderate to severe burns' after an accident in U.S. waters. There were 'degraded facilities' on the gas-producing ship Prelude, anchored off Australia, where fire broke out in 2021. Overall, it blamed a 'lack of clear and established standards and processes.' Worker concerns Surveys of Shell workers beginning in 2012 also raised concerns. The surveys, obtained by AP, measured employees' perception of performance in 10 areas, including maintenance and safety awareness. Between 2012 and 2021, employees' views of company performance dropped in nine categories. In 2021, some 59% of workers on Bonga thought maintenance needed improvement. More than half worried about the resources and expertise onboard. Shell's response The company said accidents aboard the Bonga fell from an average of one per year to zero after 2018, and spills by 90% since 2020. Safety experts look after Prelude, Shell said, while the Brazilian ship was decommissioned. The U.S. accident isn't reflective of the company's culture, the company said. The company also noted more than 90% of those surveyed in 2021 felt positive about another category measured, the Bonga's safety processes. Rich Howe, Shell's vice president for deep water operations, said a 'relentless focus on safety' was 'deeply ingrained in the Shell culture' and was 'widely recognized.' 'These documents are evidence of that culture,' he said, speaking about the internal report and surveys. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leaked files raise fears over safety of Shell oil production fleet, years after devastating spill
Off the coast of Nigeria, one of the world's largest oil production ships, called the Bonga, was taking oil from a field on the ocean floor and transferring it to a tanker ship. Such transfers are routine in the offshore oil industry, but something went wrong on the Bonga, owned by energy giant Shell. A major leak began in one of the lines that connected the two vessels. Over the next three hours, the crew detected that more oil was being pumped from the ship than the tanker was receiving. Another hour passed before an oily sheen was spotted on the water. An hour after that, the crew member in charge of the fueling shut off the flow. By then, about 40,000 barrels of oil had escaped into the Atlantic Ocean, according to an English High Court evaluation, making the December 2011 incident one of Nigeria's worst spills in a decade. At the height of the spill, an oil slick spread over 685 square miles (1,776 square kilometers), twice the size of New York City. Nigerian regulators later fined the subsidiary Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) $3.6 billion, an amount being appealed today. Now a confidential review of Shell's fleet of production ships, obtained by The Associated Press, plus internal company safety surveys and interviews with two whistleblowers, show that as recently as three years ago — almost 11 years after the Bonga spill — there were safety issues with the fleet, including the Bonga. The 2022 review found fault with the same systems involved in the Bonga spill. The whistleblowers said the problems risk another Bonga-type disaster. Problems flagged with the Bonga Oil production ships like the Bonga are a critical part of the offshore oil industry. Often permanently moored in one location, they take oil from wells on the ocean floor and transfer it to tankers. The 2022 review of the Bonga was an attempt to address maintenance and safety problems in Shell's oil production ship flotilla. It was authored by Shell senior maritime auditor Zubair Ali Khan. It found issues on several ships, ranging from corrosion to bad upkeep and poor firefighting systems, and cited a 'lack of clear and established standards and processes.' For example, the report noted 'continuously deficient" systems for oil transfer and firefighting and lifesaving equipment. Oil transfer systems are what had failed in the massive 2011 spill, and in 2022, the problems on the Bonga with oil transfer systems were deemed 'high risk.' Replying to a LinkedIn message, Khan declined to comment. Tony Cox, an accident investigator with decades of experience in the offshore oil industry, said it was concerning that transfer problems persisted on the Bonga 11 years after the giant spill given that transfers are a 'recognized hazard' and 'well known to be a potential point of spillage.' A Shell spokesman said by email that the company's safety record was continuously improving. Serious accidents aboard this ship have gone down from one per year on average to zero since 2018, Shell said, with less serious incidents reduced by 70% and spills by 90% since 2020. A total of 369 pieces of critical safety equipment were not in satisfactory condition in 2014, the spokesman said, dropping to two last year. Shell did not respond when asked if all the recommendations in the report were adopted. The review cited problems with other ships Beyond the Bonga ship, the 2022 internal safety report said there were other 'recurring incidents.' The report described 'severe corrosion' in pipes and protective barriers around oil tanks in the vessel Fluminense, off Brazil. Two workers were left 'with moderate to severe burns' after an incident on a vessel off the U.S. coast in 2016. There were 'degraded facilities' on the gas-producing ship Prelude anchored off Australia, where fire broke out in 2021. In 2023, more than a year after the safety report, problems on the Prelude persisted, according to Australian regulators who found health and safety violations related to 'exposure to chemicals and risk of an explosion.' They ordered improvements. In the case of the Prelude, Shell said a dedicated local team of safety engineers and experts looked after the vessel but didn't provide more details. Other incidents have been reported by regulators or in the press. For example, another Shell ship off Nigeria, the Sea Eagle, began to take on seawater in 2022 and needed urgent repairs, something Cox said was highly unusual for floating production vessels. The company is currently in the midst of a wrongful dismissal lawsuit with a former employee, a safety engineer from London, whom Shell said was fired for poor performance. An interim court ruling leaned toward Shell's argument and a Shell spokesman said the company is 'clear about the merits of our case." The former employee, Irina Woodhead, advised on safety standards aboard the Prelude. She said that in the 2021 fire incident off Australia, safety systems didn't activate. Seven people had to seek medical treatment for heat exhaustion, Shell said. Woodhead said she blew the whistle on safety failings and was fired for doing so. 'One mistake can cost a lot of lives,' Woodhead said, and a future disaster is 'absolutely' possible. 'If you don't maintain that equipment, that's when the fires happen, that's when the explosions happen.' Regarding the Fluminense, off Brazil, a Shell spokesman said it identified problems, shut down production and took the vessel out of service. In the case of the Sea Eagle, off Nigeria, the spokesman said Nigerian regulators were promptly informed of the leak and it was swiftly repaired. The incident that left two workers with burns off the coast of the U.S. in 2016 isn't reflective of the company's overall safety culture, he said. Internal surveys show concern about safety at Shell Similar issues were raised in safety surveys carried out by statistician Caroline Dennett, a former Shell consultant. Beginning in 2012, she surveyed thousands of Shell workers on the company's safety culture. She quit in 2022 over Shell's climate policies and became an activist. The surveys measured employees' perception of performance in 10 areas, including maintenance, communication and safety awareness. Surveys obtained by AP of 97, 159 and 128 workers on the Bonga, done in 2012, 2014 and 2021 respectively, show that employees' views of company performance overall dropped in nine categories. The Bonga was problematic 'from day one," said Dennett, citing a lack of manpower, difficulty getting spare parts and falling standards. 'The fear was getting more severe over time as skilled personnel were not replaced,' she added. The surveys also invited workers aboard the vessel to make their own comments. Based on these, in 2014, Dennett was concerned enough to write to a Shell manager, flagging worker fears that Bonga was a 'keg of gunpowder' and in 'impending peril,' with everyone on it 'at risk.' The manager promised to act. The next year, a leaked memo by the operational safety team for Nigeria said the need for 'drastic improvements' was shown by the 2012 survey. They were also 'worried' by the 'thought provoking' 2014 survey, which had worse results. In an email, Shell said safety has improved on the Bonga since the 2012 and 2014 surveys, when a worker described it as a powder keg. Still, as recently as 2021, some 59% of workers on the Bonga thought maintenance needed either a lot of or some improvement. Another 3% said it was failing outright. Only 28% of team leaders felt positively about the levels of maintenance the company performed on its equipment. A majority, 57%, were concerned about the level of resources and expertise on the vessel. In response, the company noted that more than 90% of those surveyed in 2021 felt positive about another category measured, the Bonga's safety processes, and the overwhelming majority felt comfortable speaking out about problems. Internal emails seen by AP show Shell safety experts and lawyers had agreed that if 10% of workers thought a safety category was failing or needed considerable improvement, it would be considered 'legally critical.' The issue would then need to be resolved within 18 months. If that figure hit 20%, it would be urgent with a one-year deadline. The negative responses about the Bonga more than passed these thresholds. But the company later eliminated these commitments, according to an email seen by AP. 'This steer comes from legal,' Shell health and safety advisor Bradd McCaslin wrote to another Shell safety manager in 2018. After that date, the thresholds disappeared from surveys reviewed by AP. Safety reviews don't work if people don't make the suggested improvements, said safety expert Cox. McCaslin did not respond to LinkedIn messages from AP seeking comment. In internal correspondence from 2012, also seen by AP, Shell's U.S. operations chose not to use the surveys at all after a lawyer raised 'legal liability concerns.' The company said its common practice for legal teams to advise on processes, and it doesn't fall to just one team to direct how risk is managed. Rich Howe, Shell's vice president for deep water operations, said a 'relentless focus on safety' was 'deeply ingrained in the Shell culture,' and its standards are 'widely recognized across the sector.' 'These documents are evidence of that culture," said Howe, speaking of the surveys and safety report. 'A company which is continually looking to strengthen safety performance by proactively seeking out problems or concerns that can then be addressed.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
03-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Takeaways from AP's story on safety concerns about Shell's fleet of oil production ships
Oil major Shell operates a fleet of giant ships permanently moored over oilfields around the world. The ships receive oil pumped from wells beneath the seabed and transfer it to tankers. Reporting by The Associated Press, based on internal documents, raises questions about the safety of these ships. Here's what to know: The Bonga oil spill What can go wrong was illustrated off Nigeria in 2011, when a pipe connecting Shell's production ship Bonga to a tanker sprang a leak. The spill wasn't noticed for more than four hours, and 40,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Atlantic. An oil slick spread over 685 square miles (1,776 square kilometers) of water, an area twice the size of New York City. A $3.6 billion fine was the result, though it's still being appealed today. Restricted files An internal review of Shell's oil production ship fleet in 2022 shows that, 11 years after the Bonga spill, problems remained. The vessel had 'continuously deficient' firefighting, lifesaving and oil transfer systems. Oil transfer systems were what failed in the 2011 spill. Tony Cox, an offshore oil accident investigator, said this was concerning given transfers are a 'recognized hazard' and a 'well known' potential spillage point. The report described 'recurring incidents' on other ships, noting 'severe corrosion' in a vessel off Brazil. Two workers were left 'with moderate to severe burns' after an accident in U.S. waters. There were 'degraded facilities' on the gas-producing ship Prelude, anchored off Australia, where fire broke out in 2021. Overall, it blamed a 'lack of clear and established standards and processes.' Worker concerns Surveys of Shell workers beginning in 2012 also raised concerns. The surveys, obtained by AP, measured employees' perception of performance in 10 areas, including maintenance and safety awareness. Between 2012 and 2021, employees' views of company performance dropped in nine categories. In 2021, some 59% of workers on Bonga thought maintenance needed improvement. More than half worried about the resources and expertise onboard. Shell's response The company said accidents aboard the Bonga fell from an average of one per year to zero after 2018, and spills by 90% since 2020. Safety experts look after Prelude, Shell said, while the Brazilian ship was decommissioned. The U.S. accident isn't reflective of the company's culture, the company said. The company also noted more than 90% of those surveyed in 2021 felt positive about another category measured, the Bonga's safety processes. Rich Howe, Shell's vice president for deep water operations, said a 'relentless focus on safety' was 'deeply ingrained in the Shell culture' and was 'widely recognized.' 'These documents are evidence of that culture,' he said, speaking about the internal report and surveys. ___
