Mercury的2021-07-06目录

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has thrown financially struggling employees a lifeline by allowing them to withdraw more money from their retirement funds as part of a broad retirement fund reform. The government also increased the ceiling for contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), to shore up the fund that was nearly depleted by the impact of Covid-19. The National Treasury yesterday gave effect to increase the de-minimis amount, or threshold, in relation to withdrawals for paid-up annuities. The gazetting of these regulations follows an announcement in Chapter 4 of the 2021 Budget Review tabled by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in February. Draft regulations were published for public comment on the National Treasury’s website in February and the public was given more than 30 days to submit their…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za Jacob Zuma’s rights were not undermined and the former president had “gone to great lengths to avoid the consequences of his actions”, the State Capture Commission has told the Pietermaritzburg High Court. In papers filed at the high court, the commission opposed Zuma’s application to stay his arrest until his matter is heard at the Constitutional Court on Monday. The Concourt had found Zuma guilty of contempt of court and ordered that he be jailed for 15 months. He has made an application to the Concourt to rescind its decision to send him to prison and the court is set to hear the application on July 12. But, in an effort to cover his bases, Zuma simultaneously launched an application asking the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict…

CHRIS PAPPAS DA KZN Spokesperson on CoGTA AS OUR country enters the second week of lockdown level 4, a parliamentary reply to questions by the DA has revealed that KZN’s municipalities are owed more than R2.4 billion in outstanding rates and services by delinquent government departments. The finding comes as many municipalities are hiking rates and tariffs as part of their annual budget processes – with many of these increases above inflation – or adding to the increases passed down from Nersa (National Energy Regulator of South Africa) or their respective water authorities. According to the reply, the departments that owe the most in terms of rates include KZN’s Public Works department, with a tab of R708 million, followed by national Public Works with R206.6m and the Ingonyama Trust with…

A MOTHER bear took her two cubs for a swim in a private pool as temperatures in British Columbia, Canada, reached a record 46.6ºC. The householders looked on from inside, amused and happy to allow them some relief from the heat, as they splashed about before heading off over the garden fence, according to the BBC. Not too long after, much of the province was aflame as wildfires raged through vegetation brought to an ultra-flammable state by the “heat dome” that had settled over the region. One hopes that, amid all the disaster – destruction of towns and mass evacuation – the bears somehow found safety. Brink of democracy POLITICS continue to convulse the US. According to the New Yorker, Senator Mitch McConnell blasts the For the People Act,…

NARENDH GANESH Durban North WITHOUT question, and notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jacob Zuma spectacle, with all its thrills and frills, is the national discourse in South Africa currently – as the nation is gripped in a soap opera-like drama where the end is uncertain, but highly anticipated. Fear, angst, disgust – and even a morbid sense of excitement – permeate throughout most conversations as citizens opine on the state of the nation. In so many ways, South Africa is on the horns of a dilemma – a matter of damned if we do, damned if we don’t, the gravitas of which could have far-reaching implications. Jacob Zuma, love him or hate him, is arguably the single most important factor in lending impetus for change in the country in the…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za THE SA Local Government Association (Salga) has called for the resuscitation of the task team that ensured government debt owed to municipalities was settled, warning of possible disconnections to departments that owe municipalities. This comes after it was revealed that that KwaZulu-Natal municipalities were owed more than R2.4 billion by government departments. Salga’s Sivuyile Mbambatho confirmed the Salga KZN executive committee had met last week and considered the report. She added following a Salga report to the provincial government last year, Premier Sihle Zikalala established a task team chaired by then Finance MEC Ravi Pillay to facilitate provincial budgets in departments to settle such debts. “It will be Salga’s call that the task team be resuscitated in the face of increasing indebtedness by government departments. The team…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za The efforts to bring the Guptas to South Africa have intensified, with Interpol issuing red notices against the brothers and their wives. Investigative Directorate head advocate Hermione Cronje said yesterday that Interpol had issued red notices against Atul Gupta and his wife Chetali; Rajesh Gupta and his wife Arti; former Nulane Investment Bank of Baroda account signatory Ankit Jain; director of Wone Management Ravindra Nath; and the directors of Pragat Investments, Ramesh Bhat and Jagdish Parekh. She said the docket had been disclosed to the six accused in order to aid them in preparation for trial. The Bloemfontein Regional Court postponed the criminal case relating to the R25 million Nulane Investment case. The matter will be transferred to the Bloemfontein High Court for trial on September 6.…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za RESEARCH has shown that the complete ban on alcohol during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to the reduction in unnatural deaths and alleviated the burden on the health care system. This is according to a study which looked at the effects of the alcohol restrictions and the curfew on the number of unnatural deaths in South Africa. Researchers from the SA Medical Research Council and the University of Cape town published new research in the South African Medical Journal, using data from January last year to mid-April this year. It was sourced from the weekly mortality surveillance data, prepared by the university and the council. The study found that the impact on the weekly number of unnatural deaths was only statistically significant if the restriction of alcohol was…

ABBEY MAKOE THE Communist Party of China celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding on July 1. With only about 50 members on that day in 1921, the CPC has grown in leaps and bounds. Today it boasts a staggering more than 950 million members. Thirty percent of the party membership is made up of young people under the age of 40. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the head of the ruling CPC, marked the occasion by saying China would never be bullied by foreign forces again; however, the country sought no confrontation with anyone and would promote global peace and co-operation. “We are eager to learn what lessons we can from the achievements of other cultures. We welcome helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. However, we will…

PARIS: Hackers yesterday demanded $70 million (about R998m) in bitcoin in exchange for data stolen during an attack on a US IT company that has shuttered hundreds of Swedish supermarkets. Researchers believe more than 1 000 companies could have been affected by the attack on Miami-based firm Kaseya, which provides IT services to some 40 000 businesses around the world. The FBI warned on Sunday that the scale of the “ransomware” attack – a form of digital hostage-taking where hackers encrypt victims’ data and then demand money for restored access – is so large that it may be “unable to respond to each victim individually”. Sweden’s Coop supermarket chain was among the most high-profile victims, with “a majority” of their 800 stores still closed three days after…

Human Rights Watch yesterday urged Senegal to revise new anti-terror legislation that it warned could stifle government criticism by punishing political speech and protests as “terrorist acts”. The rights group said the new laws would “dangerously expand police surveillance powers” in the West African country and threaten the right to association by targeting the leaders of unions and political parties. Senegal’s national assembly passed two contested anti-terror bills on June 25, despite push-back from opposition parties. The government argued that the laws are intended to strengthen its fight against terror groups, but opposition parties maintain they are designed to silence dissent. One clause which has provoked criticism defines “seriously disturbing public order” as an act of terrorism. On Monday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that this “vague definition could be…

LONDON: British royal Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is self-isolating and has cancelled her engagements after someone she came into contact with subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, her office said yesterday. “Last week the Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive,” a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said. “Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all government guidelines and is self-isolating at home.” Kate, wife of Queen Elizabeth’s grandson Prince William, attended sveral events last week, most prominently the Wimbledon tennis championships on Friday. She had been due to attend an event to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of Britain’s National Health Service yesterday with William, who is not required to self-isolate. William fell ill with Covid-19 last April, at about…

London: A sculpture of African baptist preacher John Chilembwe, who led an uprising against colonial rule, will look over London’s landmark Trafalgar Square for the next two years, the mayor’s office said yesterday. “Antelope”, by Samson Kambalu, restages a 1914 photograph of Chilembwe and European missionary John Chorley as a sculpture. A larger-than-life Chilembwe is shown wearing a hat, defying a colonial rule that forbade Africans from wearing them in front of white people. “By increasing his scale, the artist elevates Chilembwe and his story.…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za A KABWE medical doctor has filed an affidavit in the Zambian High Court in which he claims that Anglo American had been aware of lead poisoning at its mine. Dr Ian Lawrence, who was stationed where Anglo operated the world’s largest lead mine in the 1970s, said in an affidavit that the company was aware of lead poisoning to their employees as blood levels of staff were checked regularly. Lawrence said that there had been a high number of deaths among children under the age of five years in the township housing mine employees. “I became deeply concerned at the number of deaths among children under the age of five in the residential township where local employees lived (the township), particularly children between one and three…

Julie Zhu, Kane Wu and Scott Murdoch Investors were shocked by the announcement of a Chinese regulatory probe into ride-hailing firm Didi just two days after its $4.4 billion (about R63bn) New York stock market debut. While Didi’s initial public offering (IPO) prospectus did mention some of the regulatory risks to its operations, there was no indication that the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) would begin investigating the company and ban it from accepting new users during the review. Didi said yesterday that it was not aware of the probe announced by the CAC on July 2, which sent its shares as much as 10 percent lower, before its IPO. The stock closed down 5.3 percent and did not trade yesterday due to the US holiday.…

Vernon Mchunu vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za A LEADING municipal workers’ union in KwaZulu-Natal is threatening to distance itself from the ANC local government voter mobilisation drive unless the fate of its more than 900 members currently expelled or suspended is reconsidered. But the KZN chapter of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said it would not be waiting for the cases to be brought back to the alliance tables for review. Provincial secretary Nokubonga Dinga said the union had taken its gloves off in preparation for a fierce fight with three affected municipalities at a hearing expected soon at the Labour Court, a move she said would be concurrent with the union’s isolation strategy for the ANC in the run-up to the polls. Samwu KZN was contacted for comment after their Eastern Cape…

KEVIN GOVENDER | Shallcross EVERY now and then when we switch on the television news channel, there is news of a normally dormant volcano erupting in some faraway land. But the heat was nearer to home as Nyiragongo erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, causing a mass evacuation in the town of Goma. Not much is in known about how long the volcano has been erupting but since 1882, the volcano has erupted about 34 times. One of the world’s most beautiful and active volcanoes, on January 17, 2002, it erupted angrily and the lava lake drained from fissures on its western flanks, destroying the city centre of Goma. Two hundred thousand people were left homeless. Also in 1977, a huge lava flow poured out, killing hundreds…

With several people going the extra mile to help others during the Covid-19 pandemic, Indonesian volunteer biker Sebastian Dwiyantoro and his team have stepped in to help ambulances navigate heavy traffic in Jakarta’s satellite city of Depok to get Covid-19 patients to hospital as infections soar in the country. The volunteers ride motorbikes in front of the ambulances, and with the deafening noise of the sirens behind them, work to free up space or to stop other cars in order to clear the path for the ambulances. Twenty-four-year-old Sebastian, who has worked for volunteer group Indonesia Escorting Ambulance for four years in his spare time, says his team now makes up to 20 trips a day versus three or four daily trips before the latest surge in cases. “Nowadays, we…

NORMAN MAHLANGU Mpumalanga A LOT of incorrect interpretations come to mind when we talk of greatness. The most common is that to be great, one should have lots of money or own as many valuables as possible. Yes, money and riches are some of the tools we can use to transform and affect people’s lives positively, but they don’t automatically turn us into great people. Real greatness is determined by the number of people one has affected positively. The more you get involved in transforming people’s lives positively, the more you become great. Riches and valuables are not enough on their own, it’s the way that you use them to make others better that counts. We need more great people among us. It is not only through money that you…

Zintle Mahlati zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za Suspended Pretoria chief magistrate Desmond Nair has denied benefiting from Bosasa-sponsored security upgrades to his home. Nair, who appeared before the Zondo commission yesterday, was implicated in testimony provided to the commission in January 2019. Former Bosasa IT specialist Richard le Roux said he had been instructed by former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi to oversee security installations at Nair’s Pretoria home. Le Roux said that the installations had cost R250 000 and included an electric fence, camera system and alarm beams. Nair faced questions regarding the security installations. He admitted to the security upgrades but disputed Bosasa and Le Roux’s involvement, and the cost of the project. He said that a Mr D Baijoo, who worked for Sondolo IT, a Bosasa-linked company, had…

Sonri Naidoo Spirits were high at Orlando Stadium in Soweto as the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out for members of the SAPS began yesterday. The first person to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was Police Minister Bheki Cele, followed by national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole. Acting minister of Health Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said more than 180 000 police members will be vaccinated across 108 registered sites in the country. Cele welcomed the roll-out and positive response from the members of SAPS. “There is no other scientific way to prevent the spread of Covid-19, therefore we have educated the members of SAPS about the importance of taking the vaccine. “They are very excited and we have not received any negative feedback,” Cele said. The police minister said it was heartbreaking that the…

Q: On July 1, China held a grand ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the ceremony has received wide attention from the international community as well as South Africa. What do you think are the key points in President Xi Jinping’s speech for the outside world to observe China’s future development? A: July 1, 2021 marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on which day China formally announced the realisation of the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This means that we have brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty in China. General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech at this important historical…

THOUSANDS of people on the outskirts of Thailand’s capital were evacuated and firefighters battled a massive blaze yesterday after a factory explosion killed one rescue worker and wounded 29 people, officials said. Police said another blast might happen. The blast happened at the Ming Dih Chemical Co factory, which has six warehouses with 50 tons of chemicals, the Bangkok Post reported. The explosion caused extensive damage to the factory in Samut Prakan Province and nearby buildings and houses. The cause of the explosion remains unknown. Thai police have issued a warning that another explosion could happen at the chemical plant. “The plant still contains a large amount of chemicals, up to 60 tons, which cannot be removed in the context of an ongoing fire. “The fire can get close to…

The collapse of the multi-storey condominium in Surfside could have been triggered by multiple factors, including poor maintenance, tidal waves as well as a weakening of the foundation because of nearby construction, Tina Paul, vice mayor of Surfside, Florida, told Sputnik. “In my opinion, there’s more to this story than just the building collapse because of poor maintenance or poor construction,” Paul stated. “We hired structural engineering firm to evaluate it, they’re heading the investigation as to what happened and how this happened. A lot of it comes down to the maintenance. We’re under the threat of sea level rise.” Paul pointed out, however, that this does not mean that the building was just having maintenance issues, but there are other factors that are being explored to see…

DAMASCUS: Rocket fire targeted a US military base in Syria’s eastern province of Deir al-Zour on Sunday night. The shelling targeted the base in the al-Omar oil field, state news agency Sana reported. It added that US warplanes flew over the area after ground troops closed it off. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rockets, identified as “Iranian-made” were fired from the city of al-Mayadeen in the countryside of Deir al-Zour. It added that the rockets exploded inside the base. The observatory noted the US forces didn’t respond to the fire. The US-led coalition spokesperson denied any attack against US forces.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za Golden Arrows confirmed the appointment of Lehlohonolo Seema as their new coach in a statement yesterday. The 41-year-old who most recently helped Chippa United avoid relegation via the PSL promotion/relegation playoffs succeeds Mandla Ncikazi as coach of the Durban-based club. Ncikazi was rewarded for his impressive tactics by being roped in by Orlando Pirates. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Lehlohonolo Seema as our new head coach. “We wish him well in the position and look forward to the continuation of growth in the side,” said Arrows in a statement. Seema, who hails from Lesotho, will have his work cut out for him next season if he wants Arrows to emulate the form that they showed under Ncikazi last term. Abafana Bes’thende surpassed expectations…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za BUSINESS activity and sales were hit by the reintroduction of stricter measures in South Africa in June which saw the country put back to adjusted level 4 lockdown. The IHS Markit Purchasers Managers Index (PMI) yesterday showed the first output fall in 2021, falling for the second consecutive month to 51.0 index points in June from 53.2 points in May. Level 4 lockdown saw businesses in the hospitality, tourism and alcohol-related industries take a hit as restrictions on gatherings and sale of liquor were enforced. Though it stayed above the 50 level that indicates expansion, the PMI signalled a loss of momentum in the rate of improvement in operating conditions across the private sector economy. IHS said new business growth largely stalled after two successive months of…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za CULTURAL expert Dr Sihawu Ngubane says the nomination of Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the next AmaZulu king should be a clear indication that there is no vacancy for the position of the monarch of AmaZulu nation. While Misuzulu’s coronation has yet to take place, there should be no doubt about his position as successor to King Goodwill Zwelithini, he said. Ngubane was commenting following a public spat between Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister to the Zulu monarch and nation, and an induna, Mgiliji Nhleko, over the visit by amabutho (regiments) to former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home at the weekend. “What is missing is that the next steps towards the coronation should be observed and culminate in the crowning, but as things stand, and mindful of the…

Perhaps you’ve noticed the inability of many people to hold back and allow another to tell and enjoy his or her story. I can see it happening, I see the wheels turning in others as someone shares what’s on his or her mind. It happens with the weather, illnesses, “small world” stories, and travel stories to name a few. Just mention lost luggage and someone will tell you about the week he spent in London going to and from Heathrow in the same clothes looking for lost bags. Mention you met a South African in some obscure resort in Thailand and someone will top the story with his own can-you-believe-it tale. This is not something new and it’s not going to stop, and nor should it. I am interested in…

DUNCAN DU BOIS Bluff THE fiasco surrounding the issue of Metro Police overtime (The Mercury, July 5), once again reflects the “shambles that passes for governance by the ANC in the eThekwini municipality”. Typically, a blame game has ensued over the R1 billion in overtime costs – with no consideration given to the source of that funding – as expressed by spokesperson Mandla Nsele: “It is an internal matter between employer and employee.” Wrong, Mr Nsele. It is not an internal matter. That is because the funds involved come from external sources – the ratepayers. Proper governance is about transparency and accountability. If the principles were practised, this fiasco would not have occurred. Instead of being high-handed about the issue, Nsele needs to be reminded of the commitment of eThekwini…

THE funeral procession of Nigerian pastor and televangelist TB Joshua began yesterday with a series of services which will culminate in a thanksgiving service on July 11. Joshua, founder of the Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (Scoan) mega-church, died on June 5 after a live broadcast, leaving his wife, three children and millions of followers throughout the African continent. The church confirmed that all services will be broadcast live on the Christian television network founded by Joshua, Emmanuel TV, as well as on YouTube. From today, tribute services will be held at Scoan between 10am and 7pm and will be open to the public. This will include services of songs in addition to an all-night prayer service. On July 8, Joshua’s body will lie in state at Scoan and will…

Nonhlanhla Nozizwe Hlatshwayo nozizwe.hlatshwayo@inl.co.za A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy made the gruesome discovery of his aunt’s body, after she was killed in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban. Phlisiwe Mvubu, 46, was found murdered in her home on Thursday. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Nqobile Gwala said a case of murder was being investigated by KwaMakhutha SAPS after a woman was stabbed to death by a known suspect. The aunt of the victim, Fikile Hlophe, said Mvubu lived with her 10-year-old nephew who alerted neighbours about the incident. The alleged suspect was a man who had been in a relationship with Mvubu, however they had been having problems, she said. “We were told by the child she lives with that on the day of the incident, the suspect sent the child to go buy bread. When…

VERNON MCHUNU vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za THE University of Fort Hare (UFH) has welcomed an arbitration award that compels the institution only to pay a R700 000 golden handshake to its former deputy vice-chancellor, as opposed to reinstating her. In response to questions from The Mercury, Professor Nokwethemba Ndlazi said: “My legal team is studying the award but … the CCMA found that my dismissal was substantively unfair.” A former Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) executive director, Ndlazi was fired from the position of deputy vice-chancellor for Institutional Support at UFH in October last year. UFH sacked her after being alerted “by a whistleblower” about the fact that Ndlazi left MUT while facing a forensic probe that ultimately found her guilty of alleged corruption and recommended – aside from an internal disciplinary action…

Xolile Bhengu xolile.bhengu@inl.co.za Qualifying pregnant and breast-feeding mothers are the latest group to be granted eligibility for the Covid-19 vaccine. This is according to Department of Health spokesperson Popo Maja, who added that for now pregnant and breast-feeding mothers who were part of the essential services, such as health-care workers, education personnel, SAPS, the SANDF and anyone over 50 were eligible for the current roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines. Maja said the vaccination guide had been widely communicated in both public and private health-care facilities using multiple channels, including emails and official WhatsApp groups. “The eligibility continues to be clarified to avoid confusion. This guide is applicable for those who are eligible and pregnant,” said Maja. In the Department of Health statement addressed to provincial health departments, Dr Nicholas Crisp, the…

THE results of a new survey in support of a wealth tax on multimillionaires in the country is a welcome development. It can assist in tackling poverty and stop the widening gap between the rich and the poor. The poll, conducted by an international research agency Glocalities, shows that 60% of people support the proposal that people who own more than R150 million should pay an extra annual tax of 1% of their annual wealth to fund the recovery and help people in need. The poll confirms the high level of support for redistributive policies and the concrete form it could take through a wealth tax. According to the poll, 78% of ANC voters have given the proposal the green light, with only 9% opposed. South Africa has always…

Philippine authorities yesterday ordered an investigation into the crash of an Air Force plane that overshot a runway killing 47 soldiers on board, three civilians on the ground and injuring dozens. Some passengers on the Lockheed C-130 jumped free seconds before the plane crashed and burst into flames on the weekend, officials cited witnesses as saying. The aircraft, carrying recently graduated troops bound for counter-insurgency operations, had been trying to land at Jolo airport in southern Sulu province. All 96 passengers on board had been accounted for, with 49 military personnel injured and four civilians on the ground, military spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said. In a news conference, Arevalo said the plane was in “very good condition” and had 11 000 flying hours remaining before its next maintenance was…

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis is alert, breathing without assistance, and in a good overall condition following intestinal surgery, while expected to stay in hospital for seven days barring any complications, the Vatican said on yesterday. Spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the 84-year-old pope’s operation on Sunday night, by a 10-person surgical team at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, had lasted three hours. Francis underwent the scheduled surgery for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon, in which sac-like pouches protrude from the muscular layer of the colon.…

NEW DELHI: Several mainstream Kashmiri parties have expressed disappointment over the outcome of a recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding that elections in the Union Territory only be held after the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. The People’s Alliance of Gupkar Declaration said there was a lack of confidence-building measures, like the release of prisoners, which would have reached out to Jammu and Kashmir . Modi had urged Jammu and Kashmir’s parties to get on board with the process of carving out parliamentary and assembly seats, to enable elections in the territory.…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za The Sharks, or Natal in their previous incarnation, have never beaten the British & Irish Lions in over a century of trying, and current coach Sean Everitt is fully aware of the magnitude of the task facing his team if they are to make history tomorrow night at Ellis Park. In those bygone days of yore, the Natal team would have been at full strength and there were some monumental battles, one of them in 1980 when a late John Carlton try saved the Lions; another in 1974 when Lions fullback JPR Williams infamously attacked Natal captain Tommy Bedford with a flurry of fists; but in 2021 it will be a young team of Sharks up against seasoned international stars. “It’s a massive challenge for us,” Everitt…