Sommaire pour 2023-06-27 de Mercury

THE NATIONAL Treasury has come to the defence of local municipalities who have been accused of hiking property rates way above inflation and which had slowed the economies in five metropolitan areas. Last week, the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) said municipalities had been charging exorbitant commercial property rates that contravene Treasury guidelines. Sapoa said the increases were not only inflationary, as alluded to by the SA Reserve Bank recently, but also threatened the viability of commercial property tenants who form the bulk of ratepayers in most metropolitan municipalities. According to Sapoa, municipalities have regularly increased rates by more than 10% per annum over the past few years, far more than the annual consumer price index, with water and property rates increasing 140% between 2010 and 2021, almost double…

FIDELITY Services Group has committed to working with law-enforcement agencies investigating a controversial multi-million rand security contract at Eskom, allegedly without a competitive bidding process. Fidelity Group CEO Wahl Bartmann yesterday confirmed the group was awarded a R250 million three-month emergency contract to provide “a comprehensive security solution” at Eskom, consisting of a national deployment to cover Generations and Transmissions facilities. According to Eskom, the placement of the security contract was necessitated by information received by management indicating that there was a potential serious security risk to its operations and assets. The contract was established from the period July 2022 to September 2022 with an estimated budget of R500m, but a total of approximately R250m including VAT was spent for the duration of the contract. It was placed under…

INVICTA Holdings was experiencing strong growth in offshore markets and resilient demand from local agriculture and mining customers and the group was cautiously optimistic about its prospects, CEO Steven Joffe said yesterday. The distributor of earthmoving, industrial, automotive and agricultural products, increased earnings a share from continuing operations by 18%, to 481 cents in the 2023 year, which Joffe said in a telephone interview was a strong result considering the challenges they faced. Revenue increased 8% to R7.8 billion. The Singapore-based Kian Ann increased sustainable headline earnings by 58%. The rand’s depreciation resulted in a foreign exchange gain of R439 million. The group also repurchased about 5% of its ordinary and preference shares. The gross profit margin increased from 30.7% to 32.5%. Cash on hand came to…

Aside from the regular communications that may or may not have occurred in years past, friends will travel hours to see each other and will take time to reconnect by listening to where and how life has been since last being face to face. When friends update each other, authentic listening and hearing occurs. Questions lead to deeper, relevant, willing divulgences from both parties, of things important to both the listeners and the speakers. Catching up is healing, encouraging and challenging, all at the same time and for all involved. Life feels safe in the hands of deep friendships. Mutual caring has outlived multiple challenges and the many – not all – multiple challenges that have revealed pathways to deeper love and compassion. When it is time to part, parting…

The National Freedom Party (NFP) vehemently condemns the excessive violence and brutality employed by the apartheid Israeli forces during their illegal operations in Jenin in the West Bank. These actions undermine the human rights and sovereignty of Palestine and its people. The notion that Israel can simply operate with impunity on Palestinian land as if it is their own, is not only ridiculous but contravenes international law. Imagine South Africa simply invading Lesotho with our military, destroying villages, and executing civilians, all in the name of wanting to arrest so-called “wanted” individuals? This would not be allowed. So how are we as the international community allowing such barbarism by Israel? Since the start of 2023, Palestine has witnessed an alarming escalation of violence at the hands of the Apartheid State…

A civilised system of jurisprudence should have no room for any dishonest employee to continue to reap the benefits of any institution funded by the taxpayer, a judge said after an employee of the National Lotteries Commission was found guilty of gross dishonesty, but instead of being fired, got a slap on the wrist. The chairperson of the disciplinary hearing against her convicted Boitemelo Mafonjo on two charges of gross dishonesty after she shared confidential information with outside parties regarding the commission. She was dismissed, but her dismissal was suspended for 10 years – a sanction the Labour Court sitting in Johannesburg frowned upon. It appeared that the chairperson had felt sorry for Mafonjo when it came time to sentence her. Judge Smanga Sethene gave the chairperson a tongue lashing…

A worried wife turned to court for an urgent order interdicting her estranged husband from selling their multimillion-rand former matrimonial home. The husband opposed the application before the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg. He said the Midrand property belonged to his closed corporation and not to him. Thus, he argued, he could do whatever he wanted with it. But the court did not agree with his argument. It said it was clear that he and his closed corporation were one entity – his alter ego. The court interdicted the husband and the closed corporation from selling the property. Acting Judge JL Khan said that if the property had been sold by now, the proceeds had to be paid into a trust account, pending the final divorce. The wife said she had…

Overport residents say a continuous sewage problem and illegal dumping at an informal settlement are posing severe health risks to residents and affecting their daily lives. Residents in Sheringham and Hope roads spoke to The Mercury yesterday about the issues plaguing the community. Tariq Sarkhot, manager of a company which owns a residential building across from where the sewage problem is, said the stench was unbearable. “Residents can’t open their windows because of the stench. The other issue is that in the informal settlement there are no ablution facilities and people are using the place as a dumping zone. It’s a bad situation. I have tenants who want to move out because they can’t bear it and I also can’t get other people who want to move into the flats…

AS AFRICA continues its rapid economic development, the energy sector stands at the forefront, ending energy poverty, driving growth, job creation and technological advancements. However, this pivotal sector is now facing a new threat: foreign disinformation. Foreign actors are increasingly engaging in a dangerous game, disseminating false narratives and sowing seeds of doubt in Africa’s energy landscape. This deliberate misinformation campaign not only undermines progress, but also hinders sustainable development and the quest for energy security. It is high time we recognise this challenge and take proactive measures to combat foreign disinformation in the African energy sector. Foreign disinformation campaigns are aimed at manipulating public opinion, distorting facts and fostering mistrust. In the context of Africa’s energy sector, these campaigns often target key energy projects, such as hydroelectric dams, oil…

Pakistan’s army has sacked three senior officers, including a lieutenant- general, for failing to avert last month’s violent attacks on military assets by former prime minister Imran Khan’s supporters to protest his arrest, the army’s spokesperson said yesterday. At least 102 people are being tried in military courts in relation to the violence, Major-General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. He gave no details regarding how many were civilians or military officials. He also declined to name the senior officers who had been fired. Human rights groups have raised concerns over the military trials of civilians, which they say can’t ensure a fair defence. They have also been challenged in Pakistan’s Supreme Court. In May, thousands of Khan’s supporters rampaged through military installations across the country…

London: The UK’s performance on key health metrics is a “serious concern” and lags comparable countries, says a report released to mark the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service’s (NHS). The report compared the health systems of 19 similar countries, and cited Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development data that showed the UK performed worst in fatality rates for strokes. The Netherlands and Canada performed best in the ranking. The report also found that the UK has a “strikingly low number of both nurses and doctors per person compared to its peers”, and was also lagging in terms of capital investment and equipment. | AFP…

WASHINGTON: The top Republican in the US House of Representatives is threatening an impeachment investigation of Attorney-General Merrick Garland over the Justice Department’s criminal probe of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that US Attorney David Weiss, the federal prosecutor overseeing the probe, must answer questions about allegations that the Justice Department intervened to protect Biden’s son. Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges of failing to pay income taxes and to enter into an agreement that could avert a conviction on a gun-related charge. | Reuters…

Boland Rugby Union (BRU) has to over the next week convince its clubs why the proposed deal with Johann Rupert and Patrice Motsepe is a step in the right direction for the region and their professional arm. Rupert and Motsepe, who also own a controlling stake in the Blue Bulls, tabled an offer to buy a controlling 74% interest in the company of the provincial union. The Boland Cavaliers, the club's professional team, this past weekend won the Currie Cup First Division at Boland Stadium in Wellington, and it is their goal to reach the Currie Cup next season. The financial injection that they will receive from the sale of the commercial arm will provide them the opportunity to bulk up their squad ahead of next season. But, the clubs,…

Two-time champions the West Indies face an almighty task to qualify for the World Cup after losing to the Netherlands in a thrilling final group game decided by a super over yesterday. Nicholas Pooran’s second hundred of the qualifiers propelled the West Indies to a commanding 374/6, but Teja Nidamanuru hit 111 in reply and the Dutch needed one from the final ball for victory. Jason Holder took a brilliant catch to deny Logan van Beek as the scores finished tied, but Van Beek blasted Holder for 30 runs in the super over to set up a remarkable win in Harare. Van Beek then restricted the West Indies to just eight off five balls as he removed Johnson Charles and Romario Shepherd with successive deliveries to seal an extraordinary triumph.…

THE DA in eThekwini is embroiled in a leadership dispute after the move to elect a new caucus was challenged by individuals within the party who are calling for the elections to be stopped. Mzamo Billy, one of the caucus leaders ousted recently through a motion of no confidence, has written to federal leader Helen Zille, calling for the election to be stopped. In his letter that The Mercury has seen, he highlighted discrepancies about how the motion of no confidence, which saw him and the rest of his caucus leadership removed, had been carried out. The Mercury reached out to Billy, but he declined to confirm or deny the complaint. Outgoing caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa, deputy leader Billy, chief whip Vincent Mkhize and whip Zoe Solomon were recently ousted…

The idea of closing schools and repurposing them in KwaZulu-Natal is not new. When the concept was first implemented in the DA-led Western Cape, the ANC dragged that provincial government to court and lost. When the discussion first arose in KZN in 2019, the DA – both in committee and publicly – proposed that certain schools be repurposed but that any decision should always revert to the position mentioned by Western Cape Minister of Education David Maynier, who said: “No two schools are the same, and any proposal for closure should be based on a school’s unique circumstances, and above all, must be focused on the best interests of our learners.” It is for this reason that in the DA-led Western Cape, there is currently a moratorium on the closure…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the energy action plan is under way and the country will see lower stages of load shedding. Currently a number of renewable projects were being implemented and this would reduce the severity of the power cuts, he said. Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said two weeks ago that there were currently 60GW of renewable projects in various stages of implementation. These projects were in various parts of the country. In his closing remarks to the ANC’s provincial conference in the Western Cape on Sunday, Ramaphosa said they were making strides in dealing with the power cuts. The work that the government was doing to revive the economy and create jobs was undermined by the energy crisis, he said. However, they were making interventions that will reduce…

Two people were shot dead and another person was injured in a drive-by shooting in Isipingo on Friday. Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said three men were standing outside a business premises in Lotus Park when they were shot by the suspects at about 6.30pm. “Two men aged 35 and 40 were declared dead on the scene, while a 34-year-old man was rushed to hospital.” Ngcobo said Isipingo SAPS were investigating two counts of murder and attempted murder. According to an incident report, a witness said he was at his shop when he noticed two men open fire randomly. The suspects allegedly fled in a Silver grey hatchback vehicle. It is further alleged that multiple AK-47 and 9mm spent cartridges were found at the scene. The motive for the shooting…

TEACHER unions are optimistic about KwaZulu-Natal posting even better matric results for the class of 2023. Last year, the province recorded a 6.2 percentage point improvement in the pass rate from 76.80% in 2021 to 83%, and was the most improved province. Both the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Teachers’ Union (Natu) said they were hoping for improvement. They were commenting as the provincial education department unveiled its winter school programme that will run until July 7. Education head of department Nkosinathi Ngcobo said the programme aimed to assist schools that continue to record poor matric pass rates. The department announced that all 12 districts in the province will be a part of the programme accommodating 98 975 pupils at 1 001 centres. The programme will target…

THE CRACKDOWN on construction mafia that have been disrupting development projects across the country can only work if the police start arresting and prosecuting those behind the illegal practice. Speaking in Durban last week, Minister of Public Works Sihle Zikalala promised that the government would crack down on the illegal activities of these gangs, saying their activities could not be normalised. Zikalala said a national forum had been set up to co-ordinate the cases in all the affected provinces. He added that according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, the disruption and blockages of construction sites in 186 projects cost the economy more than R68 billion before the pandemic. The invasion of construction sites by the so-called business forums has caused serious economic impact and fuelled criminality and…

Forest fires in Canada have left Montreal blanketed with smog, giving it the worst air quality of any major city in the world, according to pollution monitor IQAir. Quebec province’s most populous city had “unhealthy” air quality, as hundreds of wildfires burnt across the country. Environment Canada issued smog warnings in several Quebec regions, saying, “high concentrations of fine particulate matter are causing poor air quality and reduced visibilities”. Outdoor pools and sports areas have been closed and multiple outside events cancelled due to the unhealthy smog. There are 80 active forest fires in Quebec. However, “significant amounts” of rain were expected in the northwest of the province. Tomorrow 119 French firefighters are due arrive in Quebec to relieve their compatriots in the field since early June. Fires have burnt…

ATHENS: Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised to rebuild Greece’s credit rating, create jobs, raise wages and boost state revenues after he was sworn in for a second term as prime minister yesterday following a resounding election win. His centre-right New Democracy party got 158 seats in the 300-seat parliament in a repeat election on Sunday, well ahead of the 48 secured by leftist Syriza which ran Greece from 2015-2019 at the height of the decade-long economic crisis. The 55-year-old former banker has promised to push ahead with reforms to rebuild the credit rating after the debt crisis, boost revenue from the vital tourist industry and increase wages to near the EU average. | Reuters…

At least 14 civilians have been killed in war-torn Sudan’s capital as rival forces are locked in a key battle over control of the Khartoum police headquarters, activists said yesterday. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which since mid-April has been fighting Sudan’s regular army, announced late on Sunday a “victory in the battle for the police HQ”. “The headquarters is under our complete control ... and we have seized a large number of vehicles, arms and munitions,” the RSF said in a statement, noting the capture of bakkies, armoured vehicles and tanks. If the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, maintain their hold on the strategic site, it “would have a major impact on the battle of Khartoum”, a former army officer said. Nearly 2 800 people have been…

The Springboks could be forced to use the “Bomb Squad” sparingly ahead of the World Cup especially after New Zealand managed to decipher the strategy in last year’s Rugby Championship. Despite captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth on the injury list, there are still plenty of forwards who can slot into positions to easily allow Bok coach Jacques Nienaber to go ahead with fielding a replacement bench of six forwards and two backs. But the exploits of New Zealand, and Ireland in the November Tests, against the Bomb Squad, could force Nienaber and his brains trust to use the much-talked-about replacements strategy sparingly ahead of the World Cup in France later this year. Take the two Kiwi Tests in the Rugby Championship last year when Faf de Klerk and Jesse…

Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are joining Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners in an investor group taking a 24% equity stake in Alpine Racing, the Formula One team's parent company Renault announced yesterday. The €200-million (about R4.1-billion) deal values British-based Alpine Racing at around $900-million (about R16.4b) following the investment. Alec Scheiner, the co-founder and partner of Otro Capital, will join Alpine Racing's board of directors. Deadpool star Reynolds leads Maximum Effort Investments with McElhenney, of American comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and fellow-actor Michael B Jordan as co-investors. Reynolds and McElhenney took over Wrexham in November 2020, funding the Welsh football club's return to the English Football League as fifth-tier champions in April this year. Their popular docu-series Welcome to Wrexham has proved…

The Blue Bulls Company has mutually terminated the contract of Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi with immediate effect, the union revealed via a statement yesterday. In the statement, chief executive Edgar Rathbone thanked Nkosi, who joined the Pretoria-based side last year, for his service to the team. “I would like to thank Sbu for all that he has contributed towards our campaigns during his time with us,” Rathbone said in the statement. “I know that it wasn’t an easy time for him personally, but I am confident that the support we provided to him was invaluable. Having a Springbok wing of his calibre in our team has been a pleasure. “I know that he now feels as though it is the best time to move on and we respect his wishes.”…

Can you imagine a philharmonic orchestra playing a symphony without a conductor? Obviously, it would be very chaotic. This is precisely how the ANC government manages the affairs of our country, where the ministers, in the absence of the president, apply their discretion and do as they please without any co-ordination, plans or accountability. However, the party to blame for this odd style of governance is the president, who has started to pay heavily for this. This short article will focus on some of the disastrous mistakes in South Africa’s foreign policy. A few days ago, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe refused to sign an agreement concluded after a meeting hosted by President Ramaphosa in Pretoria with prominent European leaders to launch a European-funded green energy initiative.…

One year on, the parents of 21 young people who died at Enyobeni Tavern in East London are still seeking answers on what caused their deaths. One of the parents, Khululekile Ncandana, who lost his 17-year-old son in the tragedy, said he and other parents were struggling to find closure as they had no concrete answers on what caused the tragedy. On June 26, 2022, the 21 youngsters were patrons at the tavern who died while partying. “It’s been a year since the passing away of our children but it is still as if it happened yesterday. “The pain is still there, and it is unbearable, and there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Ncandana. The preliminary findings were inconclusive, however the parents were…

A Durban policeman has been arrested in connection with the theft of a Ford Ranger from the police pound. Provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said Isipingo police were investigating a case of theft after attempts were made to remove a vehicle from the Isipingo SAPS pound on Sunday at about 9am. “It is alleged that a tow truck was seen towing the vehicle and exiting the pound but the vehicle was stopped by the commander,” said Ngcobo. “Reports indicate that a police officer was involved when the vehicle was spotted exiting the pound. He was arrested by the anti-corruption unit.” According to an incident report, a Lieutenant-Colonel was visiting the police pound, when he noticed a grey Ford Ranger being towed out. When he enquired from the tow-truck driver…

ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal has launched a campaign to return the provincial legislature to Ulundi instead of the government’s plan to build a new precinct to the tune of over R6 billion in Pietermaritzburg. The political party said it supported the IFP’s call to move the legislature and for the government to use the state-of-the-art infrastructure already in place in Ulundi. The IFP said it was important that the provincial legislature be moved back to Ulundi, arguing that it would boost economic development, especially through tourism in Zululand. According to ActionSA, the KZN government spends over R11 million a year for the rental of office space for the legislature in Pietermaritzburg. “Why spend that kind of money when the people of KZN need better housing, water and sanitation infrastructure and…

MORE than 300 SA Post Office (Sapo) branches have closed, at least two of them due to failure to pay rent. This came to light in a reply to a Parliamentary question by the DA from Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele. He said most of the branches that were closed had merged with other nearby branches. The closure of 314 branches included 22 in 2020/21, 146 in 2021/22 and 122 in 2022/21, with an additional 24 closures within the first month of this financial year. Sapo did not respond to questions by deadline yesterday. Gungubele said one Retail Postal Agency was converted to a post office. This follows reports that Sapo wanted to let go of thousands of employees earlier this year. DA Communications and Digital Technologies…

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin defended his aborted mutiny yesterday as a bid to save his mercenary outfit and expose the failures of Russia’s military leadership, not to challenge the Kremlin. The rogue warlord’s first audio message since calling off his troops’ advance on Moscow was released as Russian officials attempted to present the public with a return to business as usual. Fighting continued in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces claimed new victories in their battle to evict Russian troops from the east and south of the country, but in the Russian capital authorities stood down their enhanced security regime. Prigozhin, who did not reveal from where he was speaking, said in an online audio message that his revolt was intended to prevent his Wagner force from being dismantled, and bragged that…

Kano: An angry mob in the northern Nigerian city of Sokoto has killed a Muslim man for alleged blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, police said. Usman Buda, a butcher at the city abattoir, “was mobbed and attacked by some Muslim faithfuls who inflicted serious injuries on him”, police said. Blasphemy attracts the death penalty under Islamic law, or sharia, which operates alongside common law in a dozen mainly Muslim states in northern Nigeria. The attackers fled when police arrived at the scene. Buda, a Salafi Muslim, was stoned and beaten to death by his colleagues following an argument, fellow butcher Isa Danhili said. | AFP…

New Delhi: About a dozen shackled workers in India were rescued from “torture” in a chain gang digging wells for 12 hours a day without wages, a government rights body said yesterday. The case has shone new light on the practice of bonded labour, dubbed “debt slavery” by rights campaigners, in which debtors are forced to work to pay back borrowed cash while interest keeps mounting. The reports of the 11 labourers from Maharashtra state emerged after one slipped his chains, told police about the use of “torture” and brought them to free the others, the National Human Rights Commission said. Police arrested four people. | AFP…

South Korea’s government yesterday unveiled plans aimed at curbing the country’s burgeoning spending on private education, which has been blamed for being a major factor behind the country’s declining fertility rate. The move comes as President Yoon Suk Yeol this month criticised college entrance tests that incorporate questions not in the curriculum at public schools, including some that have been dubbed “killer questions” because of their complexity. “We will cut the vicious cycle of killer questions in exams, which leads to excessive competition among students and parents in private education,” said education minister Lee Ju-ho. The ministry also vowed to crack down on private education “cartels” by ramping up efforts to monitor what it termed false and exaggerated advertising by private schools targeting exam preparations. Local media have reported on…

The Currie Cup is far from dead, and the Free State Cheetahs showed their mettle on Saturday defeating the Pumas to claim the crown. They picked up momentum at the right time in the tournament to secure a seventh title in front of their fans in Bloemfontein. Here, Leighton Koopman looks at five moments from South Africa's premier domestic competition that shows it is still alive. Champagne Champions They had a slight hiccup with a few losses but when they finally hit their straps in the last couple of games, there was just no stopping the Cheetahs. It was their team effort that took them over the line with the evergreen Ruan Pienaar and captain Victor Sekekete leading from the front. They came up with some exciting running rugby, especially…