Mercury -julkaisun 2023-01-31 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

The IFP’s president, Velenkosini Hlabisa, yesterday put on a brave face and insisted that there would be minimal disruptions in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities where it governs despite the EFF ending its coalition with the party. On Sunday, EFF leader Julius Malema announced that the party had cut ties with the IFP, and that EFF deputy mayors had been instructed to resign from their posts where they had been appointed as part of the coalitions with the IFP. It is understood that there are 13 municipalities where the IFP and EFF had formed coalitions to govern. However, Hlabisa said yesterday that the collapse of the coalition was likely to only affect governance in Maphumulo and uMhlabuyalingana municipalities in northern KZN. Addressing the media at the IFP offices yesterday, Hlabisa insisted that it…

South Africa, being a dry and water-scarce country, needs every drop of available water to ensure reliable supply and water security for current and future generations. This then calls for all South Africans to use the available water wisely and sparingly, taking into consideration that water has no substitute. The rainy season is coming to an end in most parts of the country and we are experiencing very hot temperatures, and this is having a negative impact on water availability. Even groundwater resources depend on the rain to replenish and the extreme heat means more water losses due to high evaporation. Water conservation is key to water security. We all need to play an active role in conserving the little water we have as a country by being wise and…

“Eskom woes may benefit profiteers”, The Mercury January 27 refers: I am introducing a Grade 9 pupil to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and trying to explain the evils of usury. “The reason that many religions prohibit the charging of interest is not so much about making a profit as much as capitalising and taking advantage of somebody’s desperate position. This is considered a sin.” It is not just demanding only interest, however, that is considered immoral in times of general desperation. During war or post-war conditions, there is often a shortage of many items as a result of channelling maximum resources to the war effort. This applies especially to vital commodities. So one of the ways to prevent mass exploitation by greedy predators like merchants who resort to hoarding,…

RESIDENTS of Edenvale, Johannesburg, have been on high alert after reports of another tiger on the loose. It was reported earlier that the tiger was spotted on CCTV footage roaming the parking lot of an office park in Edenvale, before it was swiftly caught and taken to a sanctuary for safekeeping. Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee confirmed the capture of the tiger. This comes after a tigress named Sheba took to the streets, injuring a man and killing animals in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. After the news about another tiger on the prowl, the NSPCA called on the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to take responsibility for allowing domestication permits in residential areas. The NSPCA’s wildlife unit manager, Doug Wolhuter, said that becoming the owner of a tiger was…

DESPITE the uMhlathuze Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal warning people it is illegal to swim at the makeshift Emayeni Dam at an abandoned quarry in Nseleni, outside Richards Bay, the spot has turned into a popular recreational area. The land the abandoned mine is on falls under the Khoza Tribal Authority, and the municipality said last week that there were talks to shut down the quarry as it was unregulated for recreational purposes. However, local business owners have said it had become so popular, it had boosted their businesses. Siqiniseko Myeza, who runs a mobile kitchen, Engojeni Chills, that operates in Nseleni township, said he made a lot of sales when he went there. “Our mobile moved there for only marketing purposes. But when we were there, people bought lots of…

Sex-ring accused Gerhard Ackerman, who is facing a string of charges related to the rape and trafficking of children, has been rearrested after his failure to appear in court. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Ackerman was arrested in Florida, west of Joburg, after he was spotted by members of the public. Ackerman faces 740 charges ranging from rape to attempted murder, distribution of child porn and human trafficking of minor children for sexual exploitation. He has pleaded not guilty. He was set to appear in court last Thursday, and his failure to do so prompted the State to make an urgent application to have his bail revoked for contravening the bail conditions. According to the NPA, when police arrived at Ackerman’s home, they found he had moved out…

Leads to positive effect on academic, social and economic outcomes INTERNATIONAL research studies and findings on early childhood development (ECD) as a poverty reduction strategy for both developed and developing countries confirm that quality ECD programmes have lasting positive impacts on academic, as well as other social and economic outcomes for children (Engle et al, 2011). Studies conducted by Unicef (2021) and the World Bank (2020, 2015) tracked trends in Latin America, Asia and eastern as well as southern Africa, and found that pre-school education has a positive effect on children’s ability to succeed in school and to further their qualifications, and to obtain higher wages in the labour market. Pre-school services also appeared to reduce socio-economic inequalities, as children from less advantaged backgrounds benefit more than children from more…

Facebook yesterday asked a London tribunal to block a collective lawsuit valued at up to £3 billion (R64.4bn)over allegations the social media giant abused its dominant position to monetise users’ personal data. Meta Platforms, the parent company of the Facebook group, is facing a mass action brought on behalf of about 45 million Facebook users in Britain, who said they were not properly compensated for the value of personal data that they had to provide to use the platform. But Meta’s lawyers said the claimed losses ignore the “economic value” Facebook provides. | Reuters…

Bamako: Investigations into a string of beheadings in southern Mali that have shocked the Sahel nation have scored a breakthrough, judicial and police sources said yesterday. Ten people in the cotton-growing town of Fana have been decapitated since 2018, sparking fears of ritual killings. “We have arrested the main suspect,” said prosecutor Boubacar Moussa Diarra. He is a 42-year-old unemployed Malian man. A police official said the suspect had been arrested a year ago but only confessed last week to the grisly murders. The victims included a former soldier, a housewife, a 5-year-old albino child and a 2-year-old girl, and had apparently nothing in common. | AFP…

A suicide bombing at a crowded mosque in Pakistan’s Peshawar killed at least 32 people yesterday, the latest attack targeting police in this northwestern city where Islamist militants remain active. Hospital officials said at least 147 people were wounded, with many of them in critical condition. Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif called the blast a suicide attack. There were at least 260 people in the mosque, police official Sikandar Khan said. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which ripped through the mosque during noon prayers, causing a wall to collapse on top of worshippers. The building is located inside a highly fortified compound that includes the headquarters of the provincial police force and a counter-terrorism department. “We’re getting that the terrorist was standing in the first row,” said Defence…

a triumphant Novak Djokovic paraded the Australian Open trophy around the gardens of Melbourne’s Government House yesterday, his 10th title having added another notch in the plus column for those who argue he is the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). That debate may never be settled but if it is to be decided purely in terms of major championship success, it now moves on to the French Open in the European spring with the Serbian and Rafael Nadal tied on 22 titles. While the blue courts of Melbourne Park are undoubtedly Djokovic’s domain, the red clay courts of Roland Garros are the preserve of Spaniard Nadal, the other open-era GOAT contender along with 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. Federer is now retired and sent his congratulations to Djokovic on…

FORMER KwaZulu-Natal premier and ANC chairperson Sihle Zikalala has been redeployed to the National Assembly, the party announced yesterday. The announcement of Zikalala’s move to Parliament came as the National Assembly yesterday announced the resignations of MPs Mervyn Dirks and Tshilidzi Munyai. Dirks, an outspoken critic of President Cyril Ramaphosa, was one of the few ANC MPs who voted for the adoption of the independent panel report into Phala Phala. Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo yesterday on Twitter confirmed that Dirks’s resignation was with immediate effect. Zikalala’s redeployment has fuelled speculation that he might be appointed as a minister when Ramaphosa reshuffles his Cabinet. In a statement the provincial ANC said it had discussed and accepted Zikalala’s resignation as he is being redeployed to the National Assembly. “He will accordingly resign…

“My son and his wife and two children are planning a move overseas. Right now it’s early days of research. They are my only family and I want to support them, but I’m finding this news very difficult to accept. I don’t want to make them feel guilty for following their dream, but it’s hard for me to put on a smiling face as they discuss their plans. They have all been very close to me and I dread the goodbye day.” While it may be very difficult, I’d suggest you tell your son and his wife together what their plans mean to you. Expressing your thoughts and fears and sadnesses is not the same as unloading guilt. Speak about the impact their move will have on you and allow…

The National Freedom Party (NFP) is deeply concerned about the recent interest rate hike announced by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). This marks the ninth hike since November 2021, totalling 375 basis points. The increase will have a significant impact on all South Africans, but particularly on the middle class. As the backbone of our economy, the middle class plays a crucial role in driving economic growth and stability. They are the drivers of small businesses, the consumers that drive demand, and the taxpayers that fund essential services. The NFP calls on the president to take urgent action to mitigate the impact of the interest rate hike on our economy as a whole. It is essential that a comprehensive approach is developed, that addresses the underlying issues driving inflation,…

The decision by Facebook and Instagram to reinstate Donald Trump’s access to their platforms (The Mercury, January 27) coincides with significant developments regarding the integrity of the media narratives on several issues in the US. It is well known that the number of followers of the mainstream media has been declining. A Gallup poll conducted last October found that two-thirds of US adults distrusted the accuracy of mainstream news bulletins. Growing as more credible sources of news are Fox and Newsmax along with platforms like Rumble and Truth Social while CNN’s top shows barely manage a viewership of 500 000. The timing of Trump’s reinstatement coincides with a major upheaval in control of the news narrative. Since Musk’s takeover of Twitter and his pledge to uphold the first amendment, disclosures…

TWELVE cheetahs are scheduled to be flown from South Africa to India in February, after the two countries’ governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to co-operate in the reintroduction of cheetahs into the Asian country. In terms of the agreement, the initial batch of 12 cats will join eight cheetahs introduced to India from Namibia in 2022. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said the initiative followed the extinction of the iconic species in India. “Following the import of the 12 cheetahs, the plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years,” the DFFE said. “The initiative to reintroduce cheetahs to a former range state following the local extinction of this iconic species due to over-hunting and loss of habitat…

Former president Jacob Zuma’s legal team is preparing to make a fresh application for the recusal of arms deal trial prosecutor State advocate Billy Downer. Zuma’s lawyers will file an application to Judge Nkosinathi Chili after Judge Piet Koen announced yesterday that he had recused himself from the matter. Zuma and his co-accused, French company Thales, face charges related to fraud, corruption and money laundering in connection with the arms deal that took place in the 1990s. Judge Koen postponed the matter in October, saying that the issue of his continued involvement as presiding judge in the trial needed to be addressed in the interests of justice. Yesterday Judge Koen, in explaining his recusal, said that the law worked on the apprehension of bias and that he could no longer…

TO help stop police killings, the government should consider amending the legislation and allow longer jail sentences for criminals targeting law enforcement officers. Police Minister Bheki Cele, speaking at the 8th SAPS National Excellence Awards in Limpopo at the weekend, urged officers to defend themselves when faced with danger. Cele was referring to the murder of a Port Edward officer who was gunned down with his partner and two children in KwaZulu-Natal. The officer’s third child, who is only 7 years old, is fighting for her life in hospital. Police killings have been on the rise over the past financial year. Emphasising the importance of defending themselves, Cele said: “Police must defend themselves decisively; that is why we give teachers chalk, we give doctors stethoscopes and we also give you…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv yesterday for talks to urge a de-escalation in deadly violence that has flared in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Washington’s top diplomat arrived in Israel on the second leg of his Middle East tour, after meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the country’s foreign minister in Cairo. Israel is reeling from an attack on Friday that killed seven civilians outside a synagogue in annexed east Jerusalem, a day after the deadliest army raid in years in the occupied West Bank claimed 10 Palestinian lives. On arrival at Tel Aviv’s airport, Blinken condemned those who celebrated the Jerusalem violence and “any other acts of terrorism that take innocent lives”. “It’s the responsibility of everyone to take steps to calm tensions rather than…

AUCKLAND: Mayor of Auckland in New Zealand, Wayne Brown, has warned that“more dangerous” weather is ahead after four people have been killed in heavy rainfalls and floods since Friday. Brown said yesterday that the ground was so saturated and the drains so full “it could be more dangerous than even Friday” when Auckland declared a state of emergency. All schools and childcare centres are closed until February 7. Brown said he asked for the military’s help. Severe damage had occurred in all parts of the region. About 40 homes have been red-stickered, and about 5 000 damaged after a deluge across the upper North Island. | Xinhua…

Colombo: Police in Sri Lanka announced the arrest of more than 200 drug suspects in a special operation conducted in parts of the island country. Police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said the operation was jointly carried out by the police, special commandos and the air force in the western and southern parts of Sri Lanka. He said that during the operation, the police arrested 285 suspects for smuggling narcotics. Thalduwa said heroin and cannabis were among the illegal substances seized. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Navy said a large haul of cannabis was seized in the northern Jaffna peninsula during an operation carried out by the navy. | IANS…

On reaching 100 days in 10 Downing Street this week, Rishi Sunak will double the duration of Liz Truss’s brutally short term as British prime minister. But having stabilised panicky financial markets after the calamitous Truss tenure, the Conservative leader has little to celebrate. Double-digit inflation is fuelling a winter of misery for many in Sunak’s Britain. Tomorrow, the day before his mini-anniversary, up to half a million workers will escalate a rolling series of strikes to shut down schools, railways and other public sectors. Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer has been portraying the wealthy premier as “weak” and out of touch, as both parties gear up for an election likely next year. Ambulance drivers have also been striking, joining nurses on their first walkout. But Sunak is adamant that…

ETHEKWINI Municipality’s controversial billing system, which was installed at a cost of more than R1 billion, faces the chop as it is not compatible with some of the “financial control tools” that are to be implemented by the City. The Revenue Management System (RMS), which was implemented in 2016, was a source of endless problems for ratepayers who complained of inflated bills. The system also came with a price tag of more than R1bn after costs had ballooned from an initial amount of about R150 million. It emerged during a special executive committee meeting yesterday that the city could soon begin the search for a new billing system, a move that took opposition party councillors by surprise. They said the municipality had spent a fortune on RMS and that there…

IS THERE a danger of wild animals being seduced into the same afflictions humans have of being totally captured by film, TV, the internet and the often trashy values of the current age, to the exclusion of all else? In the US state of Colorado, scientists set up a wildlife camera in a wilderness area to capture what goes on. It’s activated by rustlings in the foliage and other movement. But so far the camera has, according to Sky News, attracted mainly a Canadian brown bear who appears to have twigged as to what’s going on. This bear has so far returned to the camera 400 times for close-ups and other poses that look like studio shots. This surely demands urgent further investigation. How has nature’s pattern been penetrated like…

The burning of the Holy Qur’an by a right-wing fascist, Rasmus Paludan, in Sweden, is extremely disturbing. Only a warped mind would commit such a vile act. Under the guise of freedom of expression, the internet and the 24-hour news cycle gave a single obscure malcontent the platform to make himself heard at the highest level of geopolitics and force his way on to the international stage. Burning any holy book is an act of sacrilege that warrants global condemnation. A vile act of this nature should not be conflated with freedom of expression. Hatred and fear of Islam is the new engine of 21st-century demagoguery. Their capacity for more accurate perception and minimal self-awareness is altogether obliterated by their greatest of all fears – that they might have to…

EASTERN Cape police commissioner Nomthetheleli Mene has condemned the killing of eight people and the injuring of three others in KwaZakele in Gqeberha on Sunday evening. Preliminary investigations revealed that between 5.15pm and 5.30pm, the owner of the house was celebrating his birthday when two unknown gunmen entered the yard in Makanda Street, KwaZakele, and started shooting at the guests. Seven people – three woman and four men – were fatally injured, while another four people – two women and two men – sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital for treatment. One of the victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital, bringing the total number of dead to eight. The owner of the house was among them. “Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects while an investigation…

FORMER mayor of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse, has her eye on contesting John Steenhuisen for the position of federal leader of the DA. Phalatse briefed the media in Soweto yesterday, where she confirmed she would be contesting for the DA’s top job. Over the past few months, Phalatse has been in a strained relationship with Steenhuisen. Independent Media understands that some in the DA were shocked that she would want the position of party leader when she failed to keep things together in the City of Johannesburg. “I believe that I am the kind of person that can help us find each other for the sake of our country. This country needs the DA. This is a contest and I have to put in the work. I know I have time…

POLICE officers have targets on their backs and have to constantly be vigilant to prevent attacks on themselves and their families. This was the view of a police officer who spoke to The Mercury on condition of anonymity yesterday. The officer was commenting after Police Minister Bheki Cele raised concern about the recent attacks on officers and called on them to defend themselves. He was speaking at the SAPS’s excellence awards in Polokwane on Saturday. Last week, Port Edward Warrant Officer Roger Mavundla was shot dead along with his wife and two children. A third child is still in hospital. The officer said threats came as a result of the police doing their jobs. “There are times when you drop your daughter off at school and you are not sure…

SOUTH Africa is indebted to many wonderful people who made an enormous contribution to this country, especially those who forfeited their skin colour and class privilege. It is a pity that history or the Struggle is not recorded like the movies. Crying over spilt milk is not going to help, but that does not take away the fact that it is unfortunate that the likes of Bettie du Toit could not be honoured while they were still alive. Yet the opportunity was there, unlike for Shulamith Muller who passed on long before democracy was achieved. Du Toit is one of the amazing unsung people in the history of South Africa who contributed to shaping it. Many people still wonder why she has not been honoured. Political activists committed to change…

Russia told the US yesterday that the last remaining pillar of bilateral nuclear arms control could expire in 2026 without a replacement due to what it said were US efforts to inflict “strategic defeat” on Moscow in Ukraine. Both Russia and the US still have vast arsenals of nuclear weapons which are partially limited by the 2011 New START Treaty, which in 2021 was extended until 2026. What comes after February 4, 2026, however, is unclear, though Washington has indicated it wants to reach a follow-on agreement with Russia. Asked if Moscow could envisage there being no nuclear arms control treaty after 2026, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: “This is quite a possible scenario.” Ryabkov, Russia’s top arms control diplomat, said the US had ignored Russia’s interests and dismantled…

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that Covid-19 continued to constitute a public health emergency of international concern. The pandemic was likely in a “transition point” that continues to need careful management to “mitigate the potential negative consequences”, the agency said. It is three years since the WHO first declared that Covid-19 represented a global health emergency. More than 6.8 million people have died during the outbreak, which has touched every country on Earth, ravaging communities and economies. The advent of vaccines and treatments has changed the situation. | Reuters…

LONDON: Housing companies will be blocked from new development work unless they pay for cladding removal and other repairs on unsafe multi-storey buildings – a bill totalling £2 billion (R42.9bn), the British government said yesterday. Ministers want developers to sign a contract committing them to pay to fix buildings classed as unsafe following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 which killed 72 people. The blaze revealed the widespread use of cheap flammable cladding on blocks of flats across the country. The government said new legislation would give ministers the power to stop builders who don’t sign the contract from developing properties or to getting building approval. | Reuters…

SRINAGAR: Several hundred people gathered as snow fell in Indian Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar yesterday to mark the end of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi’s foot march that he began at the southern tip of the country 135 days ago. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, or Unite India March, was aimed at boosting the 52-year-old’s popularity but Congress still faces an uphill battle against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party that appears poised to sweep the general election due next year. “The aim is to stand against an ideology that wants to destroy the foundation of the country,” said Gandhi. Leaders from opposition parties attended the rally, the largest opposition gathering in India’s erstwhile Muslim-majority state that Modi’s government reorganised into two federally administered territories in August 2019. The…

Springbok rugby captains, especially World Cup-winning ones, are revered in South Africa. Proteas cricket captains, particularly as none have lifted a World Cup, not so much. Bar the late Hansie Cronje, who was later crucified for his match-fixing shenanigans, none have been universally loved. Even Graeme Smith had his detractors. Smith, in fact, was so paranoid at one stage of his career that he firmly believed there was personal vendetta against him purely due to his English mother tongue. So, when Temba Bavuma fell on the wrong side of the public’s affection there was precious little sympathy for the current Proteas white-ball captain. It was simply registered as part and parcel of the job. But it wasn’t in fact. The current age of social media has fostered a culture where…