Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2022-03-15 in Mercury

KIRAN MEGNATH | uMhlanga Ridge SINCE apartheid ended, there has been a lot of issues that South Africa has experienced due to the legacy of apartheid. People of colour, particularly black people, were brutalised, dehumanised and discriminated against. They had inferior education, health care, municipal services and so on. They could also not go into what were known as “white areas”, get certain jobs, stay in hotels and eat in restaurants because of their skin colour. Why is there now so much crime, corruption, racism, unemployment and a breakdown in moral values? It is because of, you guessed it, the legacy of apartheid. Nothing has changed since South Africa became a democracy – it got worse. Hundreds of years of colonialism and apartheid has made the situation what…

MOHAMED SAEED | Pietermaritzburg ACCORDING to calls made by the US, Russia’s bombing of a hospital in Ukraine constitutes a war crime. Sadly, after many innocent human beings have been killed, wounded and incapacitated, civilian and other infrastructure destroyed and the war being over, can investigators and truth-seeking commissions go in and look for factual and objective data? Hence, in most instances finding credible evidence for establishing a case for war crimes becomes difficult and problematic. As a result, most war criminals responsible for serious human rights violations get away with it through various instruments such as amnesties, protective agreements and pacts. The illegal invasions in Libya, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan and the occupation of Palestine prove how the so-called protectors of democratic institutions and rule of law…

Tokyo: Materials that formed the Earth may have been formed very far out in the early solar system and then been brought in during the turbulent early history of the solar system, suggests a study. Earth is believed to have formed partly from carbonaceous meteorites, which are thought to come from outer main-belt asteroids. The new study led by researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology suggests the asteroidal materials may have formed very far out in the early solar system and then been transported into the inner solar system by chaotic mixing processes. The findings, published in the journal AGU Advances, suggest that the surface minerals present on outer main-belt asteroids, especially ammonia (NH3)-bearing clays, form from starting materials containing NH3 and carbon dioxide (CO²) ice that are stable only…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za AN ANC discussion paper proposes deep structural changes, including doing away with the position of deputy president. The paper, prepared by senior ANC activists, recommends that as part of the renewal process of the party, it must implement a range of reforms, including scrapping the “redundant” position of deputy president and overhauling the Constitution to align it with the “new realities” of the country. The paper, titled, “Notes on the Renewal of the ANC”, was authored by Eddy Maloka, an adjunct professor at the Wits University School of Governance, and was leaked to Independent Media on Friday. It was tabled and debated on Saturday during a national workshop of members of the Cosas Generation of Young Lions National Team (NTT) and political activists of the 1980s. The…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za A MAN from Redcliffe, Durban, who had been missing for two weeks, was found dead in his home. Neighbours were alerted to his decomposing body by a foul smell coming from the house. He is believed to have been in his 40s. Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said residents from Summit Drive – Area 2 in Redcliffe called for assistance just after 10.30am and reported the smell of a decomposing body. Balram said Rusa officers and paramedics were forced to break the door to the home to gain entry. “Upon arrival officers/medics entered the home and found a man lying on his bed in an advanced stage of decomposition,” he said. Neighbours told the officers that the man was last seen two weeks ago.…

James Mahlokwane james.mahlokwane@inl.co.za E-HAILING drivers are planning a nationwide massive three-day protest to encourage the government to protect them from exploitation, industry tensions and criminals. Durban, is one of the city’s targeted for the shutdown which is planned for next week. The drivers, who have partnered with global operators such as Uber, Bolt, inDriver and Uber Eats, once brought the streets of Pretoria to a standstill after a driver was killed. The national spokesperson for the e-hailing industry, Vhatuka Mbelengwa, said the drivers were set to hold other massive protests from March 22 to 24 to call on the government to help them curb exploitation by operators. “Demonstrations will be held nationally. We have the capacity in the Western Cape (Cape Town), Limpopo (Polokwane), North West (Rustenburg) and KwaZulu-Natal (Durban)…

POLICE have confirmed that the SAPS head office in Pretoria is now fully functional following a dispute between the building’s landlord and the government. Police and staff members had been locked out of the building for a number of days after a fallout between the Department of Public Works and the landlord. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe announced that the building was now accessible and things were back to normal. This is after almost a week of not functioning. “The SAPS confirms that it is business as usual and the administering of criminal records, issuing of police clearance certificates as well as processing of fingerprint applications for firearms has commenced,” Mathe said. Police unions have lashed out at the government for what they say is an embarrassing situation. The Public Service…

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education’s decision to hold officials accountable for poor Grade 12 results is long overdue. Other provincial departments should be encouraged to follow suit to ensure the overall improvement of matric results throughout the country. Last week, KZN Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu launched the accountability sessions, to understand the challenges that led to poor performance and to hold officials accountable. Mshengu said the accountability sessions would only focus on schools and districts that achieved a pass rate of below 40%. He said everyone tasked with delivering the department’s mandate needed to account for the low pass rate. He vowed that no one would escape scot-free for poor matric results. The accountability sessions should be encouraged as they would spur on officials, at all levels, to work hard…

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said yesterday there were no plans to tighten strict physical distancing measures as the Chinese-ruled territory battles to contain a coronavirus surge that has submerged its health system amid soaring deaths. Lam said there was limited room to tighten further, with the global financial hub already having put in place the strictest measures since the pandemic started. Gatherings of more than two people are banned, most venues are shut – including schools – and masks are compulsory everywhere, even when exercising outdoors. “The government has to be very careful before tightening social distancing measures further ... with the need to consider the mental health of citizens,” she told a daily briefing. Lam said last week that the government had no time frame for a potential…

UN biodiversity negotiations began in Geneva yesterday to hammer out a global deal to better protect nature that is due for approval later this year. Almost 200 countries are due to adopt a global framework this year to safeguard nature by mid-century from the destruction wrought by humanity, with a key milestone of 30% protected by 2030. “The world is clearly eager for urgent action to protect nature,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “And we have no time to spare. Together we must ultimately deliver a truly historic agreement that puts us firmly on the path to living in harmony with nature.” Talks, which run from March 14 to 29, will set the stage for a crucial UN COP 15 biodiversity summit, initially…

Kolkata: Mother Teresa’s former secretary has been named the new head of the Indian charity founded by the Catholic saint, officials said yesterday, months after the organisation’s funding came under government scrutiny. Sister Joseph Michael is the third person to helm the Missionaries of Charity since the 1997 death of the revered nun and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who dedicated her life to helping the poor in Kolkata. Members of the religious order from 110 countries gathered in the megacity to elect their new leader during a weekend prayer retreat, spokesperson Sunita Kumar said.…

Mwangi Githahu NEDBANK has been directed to keep the bank accounts belonging to the Sekunjalo Group of Companies (Sekunjalo) open. Judge Mondi Samela, presiding over the Equality Court matter in the Western Cape in which Sekunjalo is taking Nedbank and South Africa’s banks on for discrimination, ordered the undertaking until such time as the interdict application against Nedbank is heard on April 8 and an outcome is reached. Having heard senior counsel’s submissions for the applicants and the respondents, and having considered the issues raised by both parties, Judge Samela said he was of the view that a case had been made for the relief sought by Sekunjalo. Judge Samela said: “The respondents are hereby interdicted from closing the applicant’s accounts on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. This relief is pending…

DR THABISI HOEANE | Pretoria Being transparent and consultative in making critical appointments is theoretically a welcome idea. This has been the hallmark of the Ramaphosa administration and there is no doubt that he does so for positive reasons. But there is a sense in which such processes can backfire just like in the appointment of Justice Zondo as the new Chief Justice who incidentally, I believe deserves the position. The unintended consequences of these moves can be detrimental in two ways. First, just consider the acerbic and inane interviews which the four candidates for this position underwent at the JSC. These insults ranged from sexist invective hurled against Justice Maya to the crass political posturing by the EFF representatives who were clearly primarily there to push their…

A reader writes… About your article: “Respect your daughter’s decision”. I was in a relationship for six years. Everything was good at first. After my mom passed away, I noticed a change in my boyfriend’s behaviour. He became more dominant. He began disrespecting me and embarrassing me in public. I am a staunch Roman Catholic, so I did what I was taught. I prayed about it for months and the more I prayed about whether to remain in the relationship or not, the more he showed me his true colours. Eventually, I ended our relationship. He was so shocked at my decision and thought I was joking. When I stopped jumping up to open the driveway gates, stopped going places with him and finally told him once again that it…

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN | Kloof Great news for the judiciary, democracy and the country. Justice Raymond Zondo has been appointed as South Africa’s new chief justice. At a time when the horizon looks bleak with war clouds hanging over Europe, Justice Zondo’s appointment comes as a welcome relief. From the time of the pandemic, we have only been hearing depressing news: the fight against the pandemic, the depressed economy, unemployment and poverty, the July riots, the rising fuel prices, and the startling revelations of the Zondo Commission into state capture, only to be exacerbated by the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Now Justice Zondo’s appointment uplifts our spirits and reaffirms our faith in our judiciary. Our judiciary is a shining light in a government riddled with corruption. President Cyril…

Zama Ngcoya zama.ngcoya@inl.co.za Nine (men were expected to appear) before the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of damaging essential infrastructure. The men face charges of tampering with, and damaging essential infrastructure following their arrest on Sunday morning in Charlestown in KwaZulu-Natal. Charlestown is a small town that’s located between Newcastle and Volksrust. In the early hours of Sunday, police officers were patrolling the N11 in when they spotted a suspicious person at a Transnet tunnel in Amajuba. Provincial spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the police conducted further investigations and were joined by security officers. “The suspect was seen cutting overhead rail cable from the line within the tunnel. The suspect was placed under arrest for damaging and tampering with the essential infrastructure,” said Gwala, adding that more suspects…

Building a moderately prosperous society in all respects Arriving at Tiananmen Square for the first time in October 2017 was one of the most elating experiences of my life. It is a sight to behold. It is true, a visit to Beijing is not complete if you have not visited Tiananmen. Anyone who knows the architecture of the northern capital would know that the city has at its heart Tiananmen. Six ring roads, major highways in the capital, encircle the square. To the north of the square lies the Forbidden City and the famous portrait of Chairman Mao. Tiananmen means “gate of heavenly palace”. Straight across from the portrait, in the south of the square, is the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao. The centre of the square hosts the Monument to…

Kyiv: An air strike yesterday on a 9-storey residential building in the capital killed at least one person, the country’s emergency service said, as Moscow maintained its devastating assault ahead of a fresh round of talks. The strike, which injured at least 12 people, came as Russian troops edged closer to the city and kept up their siege of Mariupol, where officials said nearly 2 200 people had been killed. Ukrainian and Russian representatives were set to yesterday meet via videoconference, a Ukrainian presidential adviser and a Kremlin spokesperson said before the latest strike. “Our goal is that in this struggle, in this difficult negotiating work, Ukraine will get the necessary result … for peace and for security,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding both sides spoke every day. He…

VATICAN: Pope Francis once again appealed to the parties of the conflict in Ukraine to end hostilities and resolve it peacefully. “With pain in my heart I join my voice to that of the common people, who implore an end to the war. In the name of God, let the cries of those who suffer be heard and let the bombings and attacks cease! Let there be a real and decisive focus on negotiation, and let the humanitarian corridors be effective and safe. In the name of God, I ask you: stop this massacre,” Pope Francis said after the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer. Earlier this month, the pontiff said that two cardinals – Konrad Krajewski and Michael Czerny – have been dispatched to support the local population in Ukraine. Russia…

NEW YORK: The US is increasingly abusing its position as the host country of the UN’s headquarters for political gain, Petr Ilichev, director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik. “The US has been increasingly abusing its position as the host country of the UN headquarters to extract unilateral political benefits and put pressure on the missions of other countries,” Ilichev said. He said such actions violate fundamental international legal norms, including those enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.…

Nomonde Zondi nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za THE family of a man who was allegedly killed by police in Cato Crest on Friday, said they are angry and are demanding to know why he was killed. Siyabonga Manqele, 38, who was allegedly shot dead by police, had been asking why his girlfriend was being arrested when the police allegedly opened fire on him. Manqele’s murder comes after Cato Crest residents blocked roads with burning tyres and stones, protesting against the arrest of four suspects in connection with vigilante killings that took place in January. A family member, who cannot be named for fear of victimisation, said he hated police officers because of how his brother was killed. The family member said the police, who were wearing balaclavas and driving a vehicle without number plates,…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Sihle Zikalala has refuted claims from the IFP of selective invitation to an event to honour Struggle heroes and unveil a wall of remembrance for victims of the Seven Days War in Pietermaritzburg. The event, held last Saturday, was attended by Msunduzi mayor Mzi Thebolla and uMgungundlovu District mayor Mzi Zuma. IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa had criticised the event, saying members of the provincial legislature had not been invited by the premier. “This is a government-sponsored and government-led event. However, no members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature have been invited or informed,” said Hlabisa, who added that he had also not received an invitation in his capacity as leader of the opposition. In a statement, Hlabisa took issue with the exclusion of the IFP from the…

JOHN WHITLOCK | Germiston A teenager dies after a stabbing incident outside a school in Verulam. A 15-year-old is stabbed to death by a 16-year-old after an altercation. A female matric pupil in Pretoria is attacked and stabbed four times for her cellphone. In Pinetown a 15-year-old boy is stabbed and killed by another pupil. The list goes horrifyingly on. These incidents seem to involve only black pupils. What is strange is that these incidents don’t evoke furious demonstrations by black parents, and no frenzied media and television coverage that school racism generates. Coverage that goes on for days, if not weeks on end. Also no frustrated, shocked and dismayed MECs are rushing to brief parents, pupils, governing bodies, the media, and send counsellors to help grieving pupils.…

BRITISH cartoon character Peppa Pig is the latest casualty of the war in Ukraine. A Russian court has ruled, in retaliation for the economic sanctions that have been imposed following the invasion, that the cartoon character’s trademarks cannot be used without punishment. Entertainment One, which owns the rights to the popular children's series, had taken legal action against a Russian who had drawn his own versions of Peppa Pig, according to Sky News. The company had asked for 4 0 000 roubles (£4 000) in compensation last September, but the currency’s collapse means this would now be worth just £320 (about R6 300). A judge has now dismissed the case anyway and mentioned “unfriendly actions of the US and affiliated foreign countries”. This is war! Oink! Adopt her! A STUNNING…

GLEN CHRISTIE | Durban North THE article in The Mercury, March 14, and also on electronic media refers, regarding the irregular expenditure in the Defence Department. It again just highlights that those put into managerial positions of any department by the ANC, in this case, the Defence Force, can be classified as incompetent. While the current minister might not have let this over-expenditure occur, the minister who was in charge at the time should be held responsible and fired. But no, she will never be fired as the ANC does not fire its derelict ministers. A major question now arises: how long is this continuous, regular irregular and uncontrolled spending by managers, directors, ministers, etc, in all government departments going to continue? This time and time again…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za WHILE there is no legislation making it mandatory for an employee to be vaccinated for Covid-19, there are circumstances in which an employer can dismiss a worker who refuses to adhere to vaccination policy at work. The issue of a vaccination policy in the office came under the spotlight when a candidate attorney doing articles at a Western Cape law firm was fired after he refused to be vaccinated. It was a win-win outcome for both the candidate attorney, Dale Dreyden, and his now former employee, Duncan Korabie Attorneys. Two commissioners of the CCMA found that Dreyden’s dismissal was substantially fair, but procedurally unfair. It was fair in the sense that the head of the law firm, Duncan Korabe, had comorbidities and was medically vulnerable, which required…

SOUTH African National Parks (SANParks) in partnership with the Agence Française de Dévéloppement (AFD) launched a bipartite agreement between the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and Reunion Island National Park worth €1.5 million (R24.7 million) yesterday. The funding is allocated to support park actions that facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experiences between South Africa and Reunion Island. “Biodiversity conservation is one of France’s priorities. France hosted the World Conservation Congress in 2021. Through this exemplary regional co-operation project, France is providing concrete support for the preservation of biodiversity in southern Africa and the Indian Ocean,” said Aurélien Lechevallier, the Ambassador of France to South Africa. SANParks oversees the management of 67% of the country’s terrestrial protected areas. TMNP covers 25 000ha of natural areas located in…

IT IS interesting to examine how states that abolished the death penalty behave after having done so. Russia, embroiled in the invasion of its neighbour Ukraine, has been known as an abolitionist state. It is claimed to have done so way back in 1917 after their revolution, only beaten by the Netherlands which did so in 1870. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, did so in 1961 soon after the hanging of one of Hitler’s arch-henchmen, Adolf Eichmann, who killed many Jews. Our country, after its brutal and bloody colonial and apartheid eras, was one of the most recent ones to abolish this scourge, in 1995. It is never easy for countries to take this bold step, but if they do so they should surely live up to…

Sudanese security forces opened fire yesterday as protesters in several cities across the northeast African nation marched against military rule and a worsening economic situation. Costs of bread and transport have soared in recent days, and protesters marched to demand a return to civilian rule and protest the rising cost of living. Regular protests calling for civilian rule have taken place since a military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on October 25, with heavy-handed crackdowns leaving 87 dead, according to medics. “Down with military rule,” protesters chanted in Damazin, a city some 450km south-east of the capital Khartoum. Security forces opened fire to disperse protesters, witness Mohamed Abdel Qader said. On Sunday, the price of bread shot up over 40%. Sudan has been especially vulnerable to fears…

Following reports that Moscow had contacted Beijing for military assistance, including procurement of drones and military equipment for its campaign in Ukraine, Chinese officials denied the claims and said it was ‘disinformation’ from the US. According to Indo-Asian News Service, the Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said he was unaware of any talks between China willing to assist Russia in the request for military aid. Pengyu said China had and would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and that the priority needed to be in preventing the “tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control”. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has found himself in a tough spot amid the conflict as he holds strong ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi said no goodwill could come…

TEHRAN: Iran will stay in the Vienna nuclear talks until its demands are met and a “strong agreement” is reached, Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani said yesterday. Talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear pact face the prospect of collapse after a last-minute Russian demand forced world powers to pause negotiations for an undetermined time despite having a largely completed text. “We will remain in the Vienna talks until our legal and logical demands are met and a strong agreement is reached,” Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, which makes the decisions in the Vienna talks, said in a tweet.…

Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za You have to give it to Karim Benzema. His resurgence at Real Madrid has been a marvel to watch, considering that he was in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale when the duo ruled the Spanish capital not so long ago. In four successive seasons, Benzema has scored more than 20 goals. That’s a great return for a striker who has surpassed the 30-year mark where players are deemed to be past their peak and are subjected to scrutiny, and are even dropped to the bench. Benzema has been so good that he guided Madrid to the top of the La Liga standings and into the quarter-finals of the Uefa Champions League after beating Paris Saint German 3-2 on aggregate in the last-16. Benzema scored…

Cristiano Ronaldo gave Manchester United fans a glimpse of what they thought they were getting from his second coming at Old Trafford with a trio of thumping finishes to see off Tottenham 3-2 on Saturday. The 59th career hat-trick of Ronaldo’s career was just his second for United in a second spell that has failed to match the hype around his signing in August. United go into today’s finely balanced Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid, after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital, knowing European glory is their only remaining chance of silverware this season. Ronaldo has tended to save his best for the Champions League this season, scoring six goals in the group stage just to ensure United did not suffer the ignominy of a group stage…

comment by Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za Hugo Broos’ decision to select nine defenders in his final squad for Bafana Bafana’s two international friendlies against Guinea and France is alarming - he is coming across as afraid with this defensive approach. Bafana are expected to be no match for the reigning world champions France on March 29, but you’d expect them to fancy their chances against fellow Africans Guinea, who were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations last month in the last-16, next week Friday. Friendly matches are where coaches get to gauge the team’s readiness for major tournaments and even though Bafana are out of the qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup, you wouldn’t expect Broos to rest on his laurels this month. So why would Broos select so…