Table of contents for 2022-06-03 in Mercury

GLOBALLY, inflation has soared in recent months, as evidenced by the latest print of 8.5 percent in the US. Whether this is due to years of quantitative easing and low interest rates or base effects post-lockdown (which may have an impact on the longevity of high inflation) is currently of little interest to consumers. South Africa has not been immune to rising global inflation, with domestic inflation edging higher. The South African Reserve Bank has increased short-term interest rates by 1.25 percent off the lows, with the latest increase of 50 basis points announced in the most recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting. From an investor perspective, the questions are: Do certain asset classes perform better in inflationary conditions, and if so, can reasonable investment returns still be achieved?…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that there was a robbery at his farm in February 2020 and that money had been stolen. However, he denied claims made by former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser that he had a part in concealing the crime. In a statement released by the Presidency yesterday, Ramaphosa also claimed that he had reported the matter to the head of his SAPS detail. Fraser, the former spy boss laid criminal charges at the Rosebank police station in Johannesburg, accusing Ramaphosa of concealing an incident where $4 million (more than R60m) was stolen. Fraser claimed Ramaphosa paid people to conceal the matter after they were tortured. Fraser wrote in a statement circulated on social media that he had laid a charge of defeating the ends of…

HERE we go into celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee – pageantry, pomp and circumstance and a strong dash of humility and common sense on her part. I first saw her as a nipper in 1947 when she and her younger sister, Margaret, accompanied their parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, as princesses on the royal tour of that year. ’Twas a flurry of ostrich plumes in an open Rolls-Royce outside the city hall in Maritzburg. On that same tour the future Queen Elizabeth turned 21 and in Cape Town swore her oath of loyalty to the Empire (very soon to become the Commonwealth). The next time I saw her in person, she was queen, on the balcony of the Durban City Hall. Mirabile dictu, we were back…

I wish to comment on the letter from D Govender in The Mercury (June 1) concerning pedestrians running the gauntlet across freeways. My sympathy falls fairly and squarely for the hapless motorist. Every time! Every reasonable effort is made by the powers that be to safeguard against pedestrians being hit by vehicles travelling at high speed. In many cases, such measures have involved very considerable expense: for just one example, kilometres of “wire wall” fencing on the N3 at Merrivale lasted no longer than a couple of weeks before the people, which it was designed to protect, broke it down in a good many places. It’s just so unjust, however, that the motorist is usually the one who ends up in trouble – not to mention the psychological effects and…

Historically, black farmers have always been associated with subsistence farming, meaning that they were farming only to provide food for their families. This meant that they farmed to survive and not to earn a living. However, with the advent of democracy, the government introduced new laws to assist black farmers by putting in place policies that stimulate agrarian transformation to encourage black subsistence farmers to venture into commercial farming. These policies have not only given black farmers support to cut their teeth in commercial farming but will also have a ripple effect in putting them in good stead for the future. Now Africa is talking about the African Continental Free Trade Area, and by nurturing our smallholder farmers, in the long run, they will benefit from the spin-offs that will…

A Volkswagen Scirocco valued at R538 320 and paid for with the proceeds of crime must be forfeited to the State, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled this week. The vehicle was the subject of three court applications, and its ownership came under legal scrutiny after it emerged businessman Timothy Moyane transferred the vehicle into the name of a disabled unemployed man without a driving licence three months after he had bought it. The Supreme Court concluded this was to disguise the fact he was actually the owner and had bought the vehicle with the proceeds of crime. The National Director of Public Prosecutions earlier managed to obtain an order from the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria for the forfeiture of the vehicle in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime…

A serial rapist has been sentenced to two life terms by the High Court in Polokwane after he was convicted of raping four women he lured on Facebook. Police said Mehlodi Robert Baloyi, 21, was sentenced after he was convicted for raping four victims, aged between 15 and 22, between August 2019 and October 2020. “In addition to the two life terms for two counts of rape, the accused was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each for the other two counts of rape, 10 years for robbery and two years for theft,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo. He said Baloyi claimed to be a tattoo artist on Facebook. Interested customers would approach Baloyi via messenger texts and he would thereafter offer them free tattoos, claiming it will…

Following graphic allegations of abuse, recordings of vicious fights and airings of nasty text messages, will Hollywood be ready to welcome back Johnny Depp or Amber Heard? Depp, the Pirates of the Caribbean star, declared that a US jury gave him his life back when it awarded him a near-total victory in his defamation fight with ex-wife Heard on Wednesday. Jurors supported Depp’s three claims that Heard had defamed him, and awarded him more than $10 million (R156m) in damages. Heard won one counter-claim that Depp’s lawyer had defamed her. The jury awarded Heard $2m. The verdicts came with a cost. Over six weeks, the televised trial provided vivid detail about a troubled marriage and evidence that both Depp and Heard admitted was embarrassing. Still, Depp was expected to…

Days after Ismail Abramjee texted Parliament’s counsel about leaked information he had “on good authority”, Justice Jody Kollapen disclosed his association with the self-claimed legal expert. A statement issued by the Office of the Chief Justice (CJ) yesterday said Judge Kollapen informed CJ Raymond Zondo and other Justices of the Constitutional Court that he had known Abramjee for many years and they live in the same area. Justice Zondo said that Justice Kollapen also informed them that he and Abramjee were members of the Pretoria Legacy Foundation and that they do interact with each other, including by calling each other. The CJ’s statement followed a briefing by the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on a preliminary investigation conducted by her office which revealed 18 calls exchanged between Abramjee and one phone…

Why Khampepe’s comments about Concourt judgment cross judicial ethics lines Recent revelations about the criminal conviction of global conglomerate Glencore, whose alleged illicit activities and associations with President Cyril Ramaphosa were seemingly ignored by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s state capture commission, have left right-thinking members of the legal profession and the judiciary deeply ashamed of our judiciary. I start with the disturbing observation based on solid evidence that our Constitutional Court has become ensnared in the ANC factional battles and anti-Jacob Zuma antipathy to a point where a clear and binding legal precedent from the very same court is flagrantly ignored. A case in point is the Concourt’s interpretation of international law, or, more bluntly, its blatant refusal to follow international law even in a crystal clear case where precedent…

A cross-party group of US senators renewed talks yesterday on a narrow package of firearms controls, as lawmakers face calls to tackle soaring gun violence including recent massacres in Texas and New York State. Nine senators have been meeting this week to discuss a response to the mass shootings that have appalled the nation, projecting optimism over the prospects for modest reforms. The group has focused on school security, bolstering mental health services and incentives for states to grant to courts authority to temporarily remove guns from owners considered a threat. The political challenge of legislating in a 50-50 Senate, where most bills require 60 votes to pass, means more wide-ranging reforms are unrealistic. House Democrats are nevertheless set to pass a broader but largely symbolic “Protecting Our Kids Act”,…

LONDON: Outbreaks of endemic diseases such as monkeypox and lassa fever are becoming more persistent and frequent, the World Health Organization’s emergencies director, Mike Ryan, said this week. As climate change contributes to rapidly changing weather conditions like drought, animals and humans are changing their food-seeking behaviour. As a result, diseases that typically circulate in animals are increasingly jumping into humans, he said. “So both disease emergence and disease amplification factors have increased,” he said. | Reuters…

MADRID: The Rolling Stones rocked Madrid this week with gusto, and a bit of nostalgia for their late drummer Charlie Watts, as they kicked off a European tour marking their 60th anniversary as a band. About 53 000 fans at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium roared with excitement as they welcomed to the stage the original band members, Mick Jagger, 78, and guitarists Keith Richards, 78, and Ronnie Wood, who turned 75 on Wednesday. They have been joined by drummer Steve Jordan for the tour, titled SIXTY. Watts died last year aged 80. “Hola Madrid!” shouted frontman Jagger to cheering, after the band opened the show with Street Fighting Man. “This is our first European tour without Charlie, we miss him a lot,” said Jagger in Spanish. The band played Gimme…

They are almost here! The sardines should be arriving on our shores soon. The excitement is palpable and the fishermen are starting to vibrate! Make sure you are ready for the sardine run and get the tackle you know you are going to need before it is too late. Things like braided leader and thicker braid for the shore shark hunters, spoons for the spinning guys and trolling lures for the boat guys. The offshore fishing along the north coast has been pretty decent. The dirty water has made choice of venue a bit tricky but once you find a spot with some cleaner water, you are in for a good time. The snoek have been feeding well on the backline along most of the North Coast. Try throwing a…

CORPORATE governance at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) was thrust into the spotlight once more after it announced the suspension of its chief operating officer (COO), Vuyani Hako, following allegations of misconduct, just two years after he was hired as a clean broom to clear up any ethical issues. This comes amid a slew of resig- nations at the asset management company, indicating that all is not well at the firm. In a statement, the PIC said Hako had been placed on precautionary suspension following allegations of misconduct made against him. “The PIC believes that the suspension is in the best interest of both the employee and the employer to ensure that an independent enquiry can proceed unencumbered,” the entity said. The PIC said its executive head: research projects development,…

WHEN South Africa entered the realm of the free, dreams and TV hopes soared – the bread basket of Africa became an oyster – we were the apple of the world’s eye. Where has it all gone? As we recede deeper and deeper into the abyss of despair, our governors choose to make power and politics more important than the well-being and safety of the people. Rampant crime has not only become a scourge of unimaginable proportions, but it has diminished the value of life to such an extent that it beggars belief. Without fail, every single day is polluted with news of horrific murders – and this has gone unabated for decades, without adequate recourse from the authorities who once boasted of “safety and security for all”. Criminals now…

If you are a tennis lover you would have enjoyed the gripping clash between the giants of the tennis world, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The French Open quarter-final clash set the sports world alight. Though in recent years Djokovic has had the upper hand, leading 30-28 in his head-to-head encounters with Nadal, the Spaniard showed on Wednesday his dominance on his favourite hunting ground, Roland Garros. Only twice before had the world number 1 beaten Nadal at Roland Garros. Playing into the wee hours of the morning just a few days before his 36th birthday, Nadal produced some of his best tennis to oust the defending champion in a four-set thriller. It was well worth staying up so late into the night to watch this tennis classic. Nadal may…

Plettenberg Bay Tourism said it was thrilled to have been nominated, for the 13th year as Africa’s leading beach destination in the World Travel Awards. Every year the World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to celebrate the achievements and strengths of the travel industry within each key geographical region. The town of Plettenberg Bay, on the Garden Route, had its first win at the awards in 2020. It also boasts six international Blue Flag beaches, as well as two international Blue Flag status boats and is a recognised Mission Blue Hope Spot. Bitou Municipality spokesperson Andile Namntu said the nomination was a great reward for the people of Plettenberg Bay. “To us, our beaches are our unique selling points to attract tourists…

COVID-19 pandemic restrictions heightened discrimination against most marginalised groups including LGBTI+ people, sex workers, drug users and the homeless, Amnesty International said in a new report. Amnesty International released a report this week which revealed that marginalised groups were disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 regulations that exposed them to further discrimination and human rights abuses. Based on an online survey of 54 civil society organisations in 28 countries, which included South Africa, the report documents that groups who were already over-policed before the pandemic experienced discrimination, unlawful use of force and arbitrary detentions by security forces. “Though Covid-19 measures may have varied from country to country, governments’ approaches to tackling the pandemic have had a common failing. An overemphasis on using punitive sanctions against people for non-compliance with regulations, rather than…

Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Obed Bapela said they have paid almost R339 million to former councillors in gratuities after they did not return to office following the local government elections. Bapela said when the elections happened they had set aside R350m for councillors who would not come back. He said there were a few councillors who have not yet been paid due to outstanding documents. Bapela, who was speaking in the National Council of Provinces, said attempts were being made to ensure all the remaining councillors were paid. “At the time of our last budget vote speech we reported that we had set aside R350m as a gratuity to non-returning councillors.”…

OTHONGATHI residents continue to suffer due to water shortages and some are falling victim to profiteers looking to take advantage of the crisis. The community has been without water for several weeks following the floods that destroyed water infrastructure in the area in April. The water shortage has led to frustrations felt by community members, who held protests this week. It has emerged that two problems are at the centre of the community’s frustrations. They said there was no predictable schedule for the water delivery and at times the tankers did not keep to the scheduled times. They also alleged that unscrupulous business people were taking advantage of the crisis by “stealing” municipal water and selling it at exorbitant prices to the community. The municipality announced on Wednesday that it…

THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal narrowly won a by-election in uMvoti (Greytown) on Wednesday, in what the ruling party says was an encouraging sign that the people still believed in it. The ANC emerged victoriously in ward 13 during the by-elections contested in uMvoti municipality, pipping both the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The council position became vacant after the murder of the previous ANC councillor Thembinkosi Lombo. ​Lombo was gunned down while walking to a food outlet to buy lunch in February. He had just left a council meeting when the shooting took place. A man was arrested in connection with his murder. ANC KZN spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said: “We are extremely grateful for the efforts, hard work, selflessness and commitment of the ANC supporters…

The head of the AU, Senegalese President Macky Sall, will speak with President Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Sochi today. The visit is aimed at “freeing up stocks of cereals and fertilisers, the blockage of which particularly affects African countries”, along with easing the Ukraine conflict, Sall’s office said yesterday. The visit was organised after an invitation by Putin, and Sall will travel with the president of the AU Commission, his office added. The AU will also receive a video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The Kremlin said talks would address “Russia’s interaction with the AU, including the expansion of political dialogue, economic and humanitarian co-operation”, adding that “the current international agenda” would also be discussed. The war in Ukraine has sent the cost of fuel,…

TULSA: A man armed with a rifle and a handgun killed four people inside a medical building in Tulsa, Oklahoma yesterday before fatally shooting himself, police said, in the latest of a series of mass shootings to rattle the US. Eyewitness video of first responders arriving at the St Francis Hospital campus showed a police officer pulling a high powered rifle from the boot of his car. Armed police then ran towards the medical centre. Police arrived at the medical centre three minutes after receiving a call about the shooting. The officers made contact with the victims and the suspect five minutes later. Police responses have come under increased scrutiny after the May 24 Texas school shooting. | Reuters…

Israeli troops shot dead a teen in the West Bank yesterday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the fourth Palestinian killed in the occupied territory in two days. The ministry identified the slain Palestinian as 17-year-old Odeh Odeh, who was hit in the chest by what it said was an Israeli bullet near the village of Al-Madiya, west of Ramallah. The Israeli army had no immediate comment. It came hours after a Palestinian man was killed during a clash with Israeli forces conducting an arrest operation in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. On Wednesday, a woman approaching soldiers with a knife was shot, and later that day a man was killed in an Israeli raid in the northern West Bank. The Israeli security forces have stepped up their operations in…

THE Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) says should its demand for a 10% wage increase not be met, strike action might be on the cards. The position from the union, an affiliate of Cosatu, comes as the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) said the public service salary negotiations were continuing and there was progress as parties at the council, the state as the employer and the admitted trade unions, were engaging in a meaningful manner. The PSCBC, a non-partisan body, said the process commenced on May 4, when labour tabled their demands that included, among others, a single-term agreement for the period 2022/2023 and a demand of a 10% increase across the board. The employer, the PSCBC added, responded on May 19 indicating that their preference would be…

A Jamaican legislator is asking the country's parliament to name reggae legend Bob Marley a national hero, an effort that comes amid rising nationalism in English-speaking Caribbean countries that are distancing themselves from their colonial past. The proposal by Lisa Hanna would confer a title on Marley already held by seven Jamaicans including black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey and the nation's first prime minister Alexander Bustamante. It comes months after Barbados bestowed a similar honour on pop singer Rihanna during a November 2022 ceremony in which the island severed its ties to the British monarchy and created a republic – a process Jamaica is considering. “Bob Marley deserves that recognition because he lived a very short life that transformed the thinking of people around the world," Hanna said. It is…

I would like to promote South Africa as a country. Yes, South Africa has its downside and has faced turmoil and corruption. But then which country hasn’t? South Africa has never been the target of a terrorist attack. South Africa has never seen a major World War. In fact in many ways we have kept our nose clean. Yes, we have civil unrest. Yes, we have load shedding and water shortages. But all in all, we are doing our best as a country. South Africa has extensive beautiful game reserves and natural habitat and wildlife. Let’s not destroy that but implement careful conservation measures. We have a stunning coastline extending from the east, all the way south and around to the west. South Africa was once the destination of tourists…

YOU know this kind of person. I do. Perhaps you are this person. It is sometimes who I am. They are worried, even if there is nothing obvious to be worried about. They are busy, even if there is little or nothing to be busy about. Looking and watching and wary; even if there is no obvious reason to feel pressure or to discern a threat, they are looking and watching and wary. Always in a hurry, even if there is nowhere to go. Is this you? Is this even partially you? Sometimes it is me. Rest easy. You have been this way for a long time. It is the way you operate, the way you perceive the world around you. It is your lens and very few will understand…

The case involving Wild Coast communities against Shell, Impact Africa and the Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe ended ahead of its expected three-day duration with judgment reserved in the Gqeberha High Court. In December last year, the Makhanda High Court temporarily interdicted Shell from continuing its oil and gas project, pending this week’s hearing. Applicants included civil society organisation Sustaining the Wild Coast and other Wild Coast residents, who were represented by Richard Spoor Attorneys and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), while environmental law firm Cullinan and Associates represented Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa. They sought to stop Shell’s proposed seismic survey permanently and for the court to set aside the exploration right granted to Impact Africa in 2014 by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), which was…

Parliament has agreed to hold an urgent debate on rising fuel prices after the ministers of Finance and Mineral Resources and Energy were again forced to intervene. Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has asked the technical committee of the National Assembly programming committee to report back next Thursday on when the debate will be held. Political parties said yesterday that besides affecting motorists the massive increases in the price of fuel had an impact on food prices. Consumers would bear the brunt of the price hikes and this needed to be addressed. DA deputy chief whip Siviwe Gwarube raised the matter at the programming committee with the speaker. Earlier this year the IFP tabled a similar motion and it was debated. But political parties said they wanted a long-term solution and the…

PATIENTS of government clinics can now choose to receive their chronic medication at a post office instead of collecting it from their clinic. The post office said the service was aimed at patients who live or work closer to one of these post offices than a government clinic. “Post offices are open until 5pm on weekdays and also open on Saturday mornings, allowing much longer hours for collecting medication,” said post office spokesperson Johan Kruger. According to the post office, queues at its outlets have vastly reduced since the collection point for grants was moved to supermarkets and therefore medication can now be collected quickly. “Patients of government clinics who would like to collect their medication from their local post office, should arrange it with their clinic. The Department of…

Four armed criminals robbed a homeowner and his friends on Wednesday and then shot a patrolling security officer while fleeing the scene in Newlands West, Durban. Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the complainant was outside with his friends when they noticed four armed men jumping over the wall at 7.30pm. Gwala said the suspects assaulted the complainant with a firearm on his face and then forced him and his friends inside the house. “They locked them (the victims) inside the room while ransacking the house,” she said. Gwala said the suspects stole laptops, cash, jewellery and cellphones and drove off in their getaway vehicle. “It is alleged that while fleeing, the suspects came across a security guard driving past the house. They opened fire, wounding him in the…

In 2001, Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs foresaw the tremendous potential of emerging markets and coined the term “BRICs”. Since then, a shared commitment to multilateralism, prosperity and a greater role of developing countries in global governance has brought Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – the current five members of BRICS – closer together. Yet 16 years since its founding as a mechanism, as the global economy struggles with the Covid-19 crisis, some people have become less sanguine about BRICS, asserting that the grouping has “disappointed” and asking questions like “Is the emerging world still emerging?” Has BRICS lost its lustre? To answer this question, it might be helpful to take a look at the state of the world first. The pandemic has devastated lives and livelihoods across…

The European Investment Bank (EIB) committed €75 million (about R1.2 billion) yesterday to finance construction of a new facility in Senegal that will produce Covid-19 and other vaccines for use across Africa. The plant, run by the Dakar-based Institut Pasteur, is intended to help Africa reduce its dependence on vaccine imports, which account for 99% of the continent’s needs. It will produce vaccines against Covid-19, yellow fever and other endemic diseases. The EIB and the EU had already donated €5m in 2021 for feasibility studies and project preparation for the plant. Institut Pasteur hopes the facility will begin producing vaccines before the end of the year. At full capacity, it should produce up to 300 million vaccine doses a year, the EIB said. Africa’s reliance on outside manufacturing delayed…

TUNIS: Tunisia’s president sacked 57 judges this week, accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists in a purge of the judiciary that comes as he seeks to remake the political system after consolidating one-man rule. President Kais Saied said he had given opportunity and warning to the judiciary “to purify itself”. Hours later the official gazette published a decree announcing the dismissals. Among those sacked was Youssef Bouzaker, the former head of the Supreme Judicial Council whose members Saied replaced this year as he moved to take control of the judiciary. The council had acted as the main guarantor of judicial independence. | Reuters…

Businesses in the sleepy Italian town of Cartigliano are so worried about its declining birth rate and lack of workers that they have begun paying families’ nursery school fees and child-care costs to spur them to have more babies. Cartigliano, a town of 3 800 inhabitants and scores of small businesses in the north-eastern Veneto region, is not unique. Similar schemes have sprung up around Italy’s industrial north as exasperated firms of all sizes take matters into their own hands to try to arrest an acute demographic crisis. Italy’s fertility rate of 1.2 children per woman is among the lowest in the world, but the trend of declining births and ageing populations is common to many advanced countries. Veneto is known for its multitude of family-run businesses that form the…

LUVUYO Memela is one of 15 players confirmed to be on their way out of AmaZulu FC following a season of uncertainty and redirection. While the exits of Zambian Augustine Mulenga and Thapelo Xoki had been confirmed in recent weeks, Usuthu yesterday afternoon released a list made up of the likes of crowd favourite Xola Mlambo, Hendrick Ekstein and Thabo Qalinge. The most controversial name on that list however was that of Kaizer Chiefs-bound Siyethemba Sithebe. The dreadlocked midfield dynamo hasn't appeared for AmaZulu after his desire to leave for Naturena was met with disgruntlement in the Usuthu camp. “Tapelo Xoki has been acquired by Orlando Pirates while Sithebe has opted to not extend his contract with AmaZulu. “As for the others, the club decided not to renew…