Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-08-18 i Mercury

ETHEKWINI Municipality is planning a billion rand flood-mitigation project in Durban South, an upgrade of the M7/N2 interchange, and is expected to partner with Transnet on major projects, including a R5 billion mixed use maritime project. Municipal manager Musa Mbhele revealed the plans during a BRICS/ KwaZulu-Natal Trade and Investment seminar in Durban yesterday. CEO Thabane Zulu of the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) and Hamish Erskine, CEO of the Dube TradePort, also revealed major plans for development and expansion. Mbhele said the municipality accounted for 59.9% of the provincial GDP and had diverse sectors ranging from manufacturing to tourism. He said eThekwini was a strategic point of entry and offered significant opportunities for investment and growth. “One of the catalytic projects is the upgrade of the M7 and…

We are facing a massive fuel increase next month, and it’s all due to the weak rand against the dollar and the outrageous increase in crude oil prices. But that’s not even the worst part. South Africa no longer has fuel reserves, thanks to our government’s illegal selling of them. This is going to hit the poorest and most vulnerable in our society the hardest, as food and public transport costs skyrocket. And let’s not forget about the inflation rate and interest rates going up, too. It’s a complete disgrace that we produce our own fuel through coal, yet we’re forced to pay more than neighbouring countries for the same fuel sold by Sasol. And if that wasn’t bad enough, we’re being held hostage by the international fuel cartel. Did…

It’s settled. England will play Spain in the World Cup Women’s final. For both nations, it will be a historic first World Cup final. The semi-finals were thrilling matches. Spain faced a gutsy Swedish side who had knocked out three times champions, the US. But Spain proved a tougher challenge for the Nordic side. Though they fought gallantly, they eventually succumbed to the Spaniards who edged them out 2-1. England had a more daunting task. They played not only an Australian team boosted by their heart-thumping penalty shoot-out against the French but also a fanatical home crowd which was rooting for a win over their former colonial power. But, sadly, it was not to be. The English Lionesses broke the hearts of the Australian nation when they beat the Matildas…

The public have been urged to be aware of scam artists using traditional beliefs to scam people. This comes as the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) advised of a growing trend in which con artists abuse cultural beliefs to take advantage of the believers’ financial desperation. Head of product development at the SAFPS, Nazia Karrim, said the Hawks specialised 419-Scams Task Team had seen the emergence of “ancestry” scams, and had approached the SAFPS to help inform the public of the threat. “The modus operandi is intricate and malicious. The victim is told to bring a set amount of cash in a bag when visiting the sangoma, which will be cleansed and blessed by the ancestors. “On arrival, the sangoma requests the victim, as part of the ritual, to…

THE clause on the sale of alcohol at schools has been withdrawn from the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill, after the public’s input that it would “lead people into temptation”. MPs who were part of deliberations on the bill during a portfolio committee meeting on basic education this week discussed the scrapping of Clause 8, that provided for conditions under which liquor may be possessed, consumed or sold on school premises or during school activities. DA Basic Education spokesperson Baxolile Nodada said they “sympathised” with the public about the clause. “Travelling the country almost every week to do oversights and help communities, you even find some liquor establishments not even far from schools. “We know very well the cause of GBV and so on, so the concerns of the…

The taxpayer will have to fork out more than R2.4 million after a man was left blind in one eye after the police shot him for no reason. The high court sitting in Bloemfontein ordered that the minister of police had to pay Thabiso Rapudungwane this amount for unlawfully shooting him and for his unlawful detention in a police cell for about 15 hours. Rapudungwane initially claimed R5.5m in damages, as well as for the medical costs he had to incur. He had to undergo surgery on his eye and he is now totally blind in that eye. Although nothing ever came of the charges against him, the police claimed he was arrested for committing the offence of public violence. With regard to the shooting, the police had pleaded a…

JENIN: Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman during a raid that set off clashes in the flashpoint town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, medical officials and militant groups said. The Palestinian health ministry said one of its staff, a woman, was also seriously injured. The dead 32-year-old was a senior operative with Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement, according to relatives. Israel’s military said soldiers came under fire, and shot back, during a mission to arrest suspected members of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad faction. A gun and a dozen bombs were also seized in the operation. | Reuters…

Sydney: Australia’s border police raided a home in the south of Sydney yesterday, finding what local media described as “nuclear isotopes”. The home, in the suburb of Arncliffe, was the target of an early morning raid and remains cordoned off with tape warning of a toxic, nuclear or biological hazard inside. Channel 10 reported that mercury and uranium isotopes were found inside, while the Daily Telegraph said officers had found nuclear isotopes. The Australian Border Force (ABF) did not confirm reports about the presence of radioactive material at the property. “All appropriate safety measures are being implemented,” a border force spokesperson said.…

The World Health Organization (WHO) opened its first summit on traditional medicine yesterday, with the group saying it was seeking to collect evidence and data to allow for the safe use of such treatments. Traditional medicines are a “first port of call for millions of people worldwide”, the UN health agency said, with the talks in India bringing together policymakers and academics to “mobilise political commitment and evidence-based action” towards them. “WHO is working to build the evidence and data to inform policies, standards and regulations for the safe, cost-effective and equitable use of traditional medicine,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Traditional medicine could bridge health-care “access gaps”, but was of value only if used “appropriately, effectively, and above all, safely, based on the latest scientific evidence”, Tedros warned.…

Jakarta: Japanese Superbike racer Haruki Noguchi has died from injuries suffered in a crash during an Asia Road Racing Championship race in Indonesia, organisers said yesterday. The 22-year-old died on Wednesday evening after three days of treatment at a hospital in Mataram, on the island of Lombok. “It is with great sadness that we report the demise of Haruki Noguchi after three days of intensive treatment at the Public Hospital of Nusa Tenggara Barat,” the International Motorcycling Federation Asia said in a statement. The SDG Honda Racing rider crashed on the fourth lap of the Asia Superbike 1000cc race at the Mandalika International Street Circuit, which resulted in the race being cancelled. “We conveyed our deepest condolences for the passing of Haruki Noguchi. “We pray that the family he left…

In a landmark ruling yesterday, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria has ruled in favour of making the government’s “secret” Covid-19 vaccine procurement contracts public, giving the national Department of Health a 10-day window to release the documents. The Health Justice Initiative (HJI), which took the matter to court, said Judge Anthony Millar’s order comes as a significant win for advocates of transparency and accountability. It had asked for access to the vaccine procurement contracts concluded with vaccine manufacturers and suppliers, and the records of negotiations with those parties. When the Health Department refused to grant access, the body approached the court. Foster Mohale, the spokesperson for the Health Department, said: “The department will study the judgment and respond in due course.” The court decision gives the government 10 days to…

Several questions and implications come to the fore regarding eThekwini Municipality’s splurge of R1.7 million on 200 employees for their work excellence (The Mercury, August 16). If out of a workforce of 28 000 the ANC can find only 200 worthy of being fêted, then that explains why service delivery is in decline. Of course, many if not all of the 200 may be cadre comrades for whom the bankrupt ANC sees fit to provide an extravaganza using ratepayers’ money. Two weeks ago it was reported that R52m was owed to eThekwini Municipality by certain councillors and officials. One wonders if any of them are among the 200 “guests” because it is well known that the ANC pays lip service to corruption. While the expression of outrage by opposition parties…

KwaZulu-Natal has become a killing zone as innocent civilians are butchered daily. Undeclared war is raging across the province as death and tragedy stalk the heartland of the province. These brutal murders have once again jolted our entire country. Innocent, law-abiding citizens were robbed of the right to life. The latest incidents have left the community in a horror-struck convulsion. These ghastly deeds have shocked the collective conscience of society. Strong emotions of retribution are gathering momentum because the offences were committed in an extremely brutal, grotesque, diabolical, revolting and dastardly manner. The gravity of these heinous crimes depicts hair-raising, beastly and unparalleled behaviour. These killers must be removed from society. They depict extreme mental perversion and cannot be condoned. Our courts and the criminal justice system need to instil…

A man was mauled to death by lions at the Dinokeng Game Reserve (DGR), in Hammanskraal, Gauteng this week. Johannes Matshe, 30, who was an employee of one of the land owners at the reserve, was killed on Sunday night and his remains discovered on Monday morning, the reserve said in a statement. “The individual was tragically attacked and killed by lions while attempting to navigate the reserve on foot after dark,” said Hartogh Streicher, reserve spokesperson. “Walking within the DGR during the night, or at any time, is strictly forbidden in accordance with reserve regulations.” He said the incident came to light when the vigilant reserve fencing team of DGR stumbled upon what appeared to be human remains at approximately 10.37am on Monday. “The operations manager responded promptly, confirming…

Amid widespread complaints from university students about the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS’s) new direct payment system, the scheme’s chief executive, Andile Nongogo, was placed on special leave. The portfolio committee on higher education has since scheduled a meeting for next month to be briefed about the student grievances and allegations levelled against Nongogo. Hundreds of students in the Western Cape, led by their Student Representative Council (SRC), marched on Wednesday to Parliament and handed over a memorandum expressing their dissatisfaction with continued payment of their allowances by the direct banking system. Several student protests have been taking place at universities across the country over the payment system, including in KwaZulu-Natal. Issues reported by students included not getting paid their allowances and having to pay transaction fees. The portfolio…

The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) has said it is prepared for any potential court challenge to a high court decision that has authorised pharmacists to manage and prescribe medicine to patients with HIV and/or TB. A doctors’ organisation, the IPA Foundation, lost its high court bid to set aside the Pharmacist-Initiated Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (Pimart) initiative. During a media briefing yesterday, the SAPC said it was time for doctors and pharmacists to work together. SAPC president Mogologolo Phasha said while there was a possibility that the IPA might appeal the judgment in the Supreme Court of Appeal, “we encourage them not to pursue that route as the real winner in all this was the patient and patient rights”. Phasha said 900 pharmacists, which is 5% of those on…

In today’s rapidly changing world, sustainability is a critical issue for organisations globally. Amid growing environmental concerns, resource limitations, and increased social expectations, companies are under mounting pressure to integrate sustainable practices into their main strategies. However, despite heightened awareness and goodwill, many companies still find it hard to effectively embed sustainability into their operations. Although companies realise that implementing a sustainability strategy is important, they have to deal with challenges that limit results. One of the primary reasons companies struggle to incorporate sustainability into their main strategies is an inadequate understanding of its implications. Moreover, some leaders might view sustainability as an added cost rather than an opportunity for innovation and growth. As a result, managers often do not communicate to employees why they are implementing a sustainable strategy.…

KUALA LUMPUR: A small aircraft crashed in Malaysia’s Selangor state with eight people on board yesterday, the country’s civil aviation authority said. The condition of the six passengers and two crew on board the Beechcraft Model 390 aircraft could not immediately be confirmed and a search and rescue mission was underway, the civil aviation chief said. It crashed near Elmina township after departing from the holiday island of Langkawi, en route to Selangor’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, chief executive Norazman Mahmud said. “A total of six passengers and two flight crew were on board and their conditions have yet to be confirmed,” he said. | Reuters…

ACCRA: The West African bloc Ecowas stands ready to intervene militarily in Niger should diplomatic efforts to reverse a coup there fail, a senior official told army chiefs who were meeting in Ghana yesterday to discuss the details of a standby force. Ecowas Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, accused the junta that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 of “playing cat-and-mouse” with the bloc by refusing to meet with envoys and seeking justifications for the takeover. “The military and the civilian forces of West Africa are ready to answer to the call of duty,” he told assembled chiefs of defence staff. | Reuters…

Firefighters yesterday struggled to contain a wildfire that broke out in a mountainous national park on the Spanish island of Tenerife, prompting authorities to evacuate about 3 800 people. The fire’s perimeter expanded to 31km across dry woodland covering both flanks of steep ravines near the Mount Teide volcano – Spain’s highest peak – hampering access to the area and covering much of the island with smoke clouds and ash. The fire, which broke out on Wednesday, has burned through 2 600 hectares of land. “The night has been very tough. This is the most complex fire we’ve had in the Canary Islands in the last 40 years,” the region’s leader, Fernando Clavijo, told a news conference. Pedro Martinez, head of emergency services in Tenerife, said the…

A Libyan militia leader whose detention sparked clashes that killed 55 people in the capital Tripoli this week has been released, a military official said yesterday. Gun battles had raged on the streets of Tripoli from Monday night through Tuesday after 444 Brigade leader Mahmoud Hamza was apprehended by the rival Al-Radaa Force. Hamza “was released on Wednesday night and returned to his headquarters south of Tripoli”, an official at army headquarters in Libya said. “He was released under a government-sponsored ceasefire agreement” which also provides for the “withdrawal of fighters from the front lines”, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Videos circulated on social media on Wednesday night showed Hamza dressed in military fatigues and surrounded by his fighters at the Tekbali barracks south of the…

The AA and economists have predicted a major fuel price increase for petrol and diesel for next month, and added that the hikes could drive up inflation and result in an interest rate increase. Layton Beard, spokesperson for the AA, said: “According to the Central Energy Fund’s data, petrol is facing increases of between R1.41/litre (for ULP93) and R1.45/l (for ULP95), while diesel could climb by as much as R2.60/l and illuminating paraffin by R2.55/l.” Beard added that if such increases were implemented, it would be the highest price hikes since December last year. “For ULP95 users in Gauteng, the increases will result in a price point of around R24.28/l for fuel, and it will cost about R1 335 to fill a 55-litre car. Filling the same car at the…

“My wife of 12 years has told me she wants to end our marriage. There is no one else. I believe her. She says there is “no flame” between us, and we have grown apart. I am not filing for divorce as she has requested. It is not something I want or believe in. We have two wonderful young children, and I have no desire to end this marriage and break up our family. She says we will always be a family, even if we are divorced. Please help.” Your wife’s ideal that you will “always be a family” is hopeful, but rather naive. It takes a very mature couple to divorce well. It is unusual for a divorce to be anything short of a domestic war. I find her…

It is scandalous for the eThekwini Municipality to approve the spending of R1.7 million on staff awards. Although there is little evidence, there would be a modicum of justification if the funds were to be spent directly on staff who have genuinely displayed outstanding service. Instead, the bulk of the expenditure will go to service providers to host the event. Taking into consideration the backlog in housing for the poor; poor service delivery (a cursory inspection will reveal the horror of the City – potholes, leaking water pipes; pile-up of garbage; shocking condition of informal settlements and so on); ratepayers withholding payment of rates for these reasons has resulted in a municipality on the verge of being put under administration. It is reliably reported that over the past two years,…

Rwanda genocide suspect Ukiliho Fulgence Kayishema appeared in the Western Cape High Court this week in connection with an application for him to be surrendered to Tanzania. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the appearance in court was in terms of the application made for Kayishema to be transferred to Arusha, Tanzania, to appear before the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (UNIRMCT) in connection with the genocide crimes. He said the NPA was being represented in the matter by the deputy director of public prosecution for the Western Cape, advocate Tommy Bunguzana. The matter was adjourned to later this month. Kayishema, 61, is alleged to have orchestrated the killing of 2 000 Tutsi refugees in Rwanda. He had been at large since 2001 but was…

While the country on Wednesday remembered those who died in the Marikana massacre 11 years ago, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reaffirmed its commitment to dealing with criminal proceedings relating to the deaths. On August 16, 2012, 34 Lonmin mineworkers were killed, allegedly when police opened fire on them during a strike for a wage increase. After the tragedy, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry made recommendations for law-enforcement entities to institute criminal charges against the perpetrators, where evidence was available. The commission also recommended investigations to be instituted to bring the perpetrators to book. The NPA said having noted the litigious nature and complexity of the incident, all role-players had been in constant consultation to fast-track the process of completing investigations and where possible institute criminal charges. Regarding the death…

The portfolio committee on health will begin nationwide public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill starting today. The public hearings take place as the portfolio committee moved the closing date for submission of written comments from August 4 to September 4 after some organisations asked for more time to make submissions. The bill will repeal the Tobacco Control Act, strengthen public health protection measures and align the country’s tobacco control law with the World Health Organization Framework Convention. Some of the proposed legislative and policy changes contained in the bill include provision for indoor public places and certain outdoor areas to be 100% smoke-free. Committee chairperson Kennet Jacobs said Parliament and legislatures had committed to enhance the constitutional imperative. “The hearings are in line with…

This continent is far more than just its vast resources Dr Iqbal Survé is the former chairperson of the BRICS Business Council (2018), and the current co-chairperson of the BRICS Media Forum. He is also a member of the advisory council of the Belt and Road Initiative for Africa. On the eve of the BRICS Summit, he shares some insights pertaining to the theme of this year’s meeting: BRICS and Africa: Uniting for Development, Integration, and Industrialisation. In the global landscape, Africa has long been perceived as a continent with untapped potential, rife with abundant resources and opportunities. The emergence of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) as an influential economic bloc presents a unique opportunity for the entire African continent to seize its rightful place in the…

STOCKHOLM: Sweden will raise its terrorist alert to the second highest level, the Dagens Nyheter daily reported yesterday, after burnings and other acts against the Qur’an outraged Muslims. The Sapo security service plans to lift the warning level from 3 to 4, meaning there is a concrete threat of an attack, the newspaper reported. Sapo was to hold a news conference later yesterday about national security. Britain and the US have warned nationals against going to Sweden due to possible terrorist attacks amid protests there and in neighbouring Denmark over the burning and damaging of copies of the Qur’an by anti-Islam activists. Sweden and Denmark are among the most liberal countries in the world. | Reuters…

Police were guarding a Christian neighbourhood in Pakistan yesterday, after hundreds of Muslim men rampaged through its streets burning and ransacking churches and homes over accusations of blasphemy a day earlier. The violence broke out in Jaranwala, on the outskirts of the industrial city of Faisalabad, after allegations spread that Christians had desecrated the Qur’an, forcing families to flee their homes. Yesterday morning, hundreds of police were deployed in the area – including outside the main Salvation Army Church that had been gutted by fire, its walls and window blackened. The day before, rioters had hammered the cross atop the church until it split apart, to cheers from crowds below. “All the Christians have left their homes and taken refuge here and there,” said Fayaz Masih Khokhar, a Christian man…

LONDON: British broadcaster Michael Parkinson, best known for interviewing some of the world’s biggest celebrities on his long-running chat show, has died, aged 88, the BBC said yesterday. Born in Yorkshire in northern England, he dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer before turning to local newspaper journalism. After moving into current affairs television, he was given his own prime-time chat show, Parkinson by the BBC in 1971. “Michael was the king of the chat show and he defined the format for all the presenters and shows that followed,” said BBC director-general Tim Davie. | Reuters…

North Korea may launch an intercontinental ballistic missile or take other military action to protest against a summit of the US, South Korea and Japan, a South Korean lawmaker said yesterday. US President Joe Biden will meet at Camp David today with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, hoping to tighten ties between Seoul and Tokyo amid nuclear threats from North Korea at a time when China’s regional influence is growing. North Korea has criticised the deepening military co-operation of the three countries as part of a dangerous prelude to the creation of an “Asian version of Nato”. The reclusive state could also attempt another spy satellite launch at the end of August or early September after its first such effort failed in May,…

THE offshore fishing has been mainly based on bottom fishing for the past few weeks and for good reason. The yellowtail has been putting some serious bends in the rods! The north coast has seen some good snoek fishing along most of the usual spots. Tinley Manor and Blythedale have been the true hotspots. Trolling fillets on the backline along with good quality, small lipped minnows is the way to go. The bottom fishing up north has been a bit quieter than the rest of the coast but there have still been some good hauls of geelbek and daga. In the Durban area, the tuna has managed to keep the gamefish guys pretty happy over the past week. The big seas have made targeting snoek on the backline a bit…