Table of contents for NM-2021-04-09 in Mercury

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s ambitious job creation drive spearheaded by President Cyril Ramaphosa has received a $1 billion (R14.5bn) cash injection from the BRICS Bank to help the country fight rising unemployment levels. The New Development Bank (NDB) yesterday approved a $1bn second Covid-19 emergency loan to South Africa in less than a year to support economic recovery. The NDB said the loan would finance the creation of employment opportunities in South Africa, in particular the first phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES). “The loan will finance creation of employment opportunities in South Africa, in particular the first phase of the PES, together with social protection measures for active labour market participants that temporarily lost their jobs, in order to help them remain in the labour market,”…

THE MANUFACTURING industry in South Africa continues to struggle to recover from the Covid-19 induced depression as factory output fell more than expected in February. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday showed that manufacturing production remained in contractionary territory as it fell by 2.1 percent in February from a year ago. February followed an upwardly revised 4.2 percent slump in January and was significantly weaker than market expectations of a 0.4 percent fall. StatsSA said output was dragged down largely by declines in petroleum and chemical products, rubber and plastic, decreasing by 8.4 percent. The food and beverages division slid by 0.7 percent in February, much slower than the 6.1 decline in January. Textiles, clothing, leather and footwear grouping experienced a marginal 0.1…

Kim Kardashian West is reportedly planning to launch a skincare brand. The 40-year-old reality TV star has filed trademark documents to secure the rights to the skincare line that she now looks set to launch. She is calling her new brand SKKN BY KIM, according to TMZ. The documents suggest she will attach the brand name to a wide range of products, including fragrances and cosmetics, as well as products for skin, hair and nails. Kylie Jenner has already launched her own skincare line with Kylie Skin and Kardashian West – who launched her own beauty line, KKW Beauty, in 2017 – will be hoping to emulate her sister’s success in the industry. Kardashian West previously said she had approached Keeping Up With the Kardashians as a business opportunity and…

Michael Bagraim | Highlands Estate I, as a labour lawyer, have noticed – over the past five years – how cyberbullying has become rife at the workplace. The issue of cyberbullying has become endemic among staff and it is imperative for employers to have a platform through human resource management to allow employees to come forward to lodge their complaint or grievance as soon as possible, so the negative behaviour can be stopped as soon as possible. Employers become liable if the bullying has been brought to their attention and they don’t stamp it out immediately.…

Desi Halse | Durban What are people, the potential voting public, wondering and saying about the widespread crippling government misuse of our tax money? About the shocking stories of corruption and theft? We mutter. We ask why we don’t see conviction and punishment of the guilty. Why the perpetrators aren’t tried and imprisoned. If it’s possible to recoup the stolen billions. Why the self-seeking thieving officials and their co-conspirators are escaping the very long, seemingly paralysed, arm of the law. Why (Zandile) Gumede, (Ace) Magashule, (former president Jacob) Zuma and others parade defiantly, impeding the gathering of judicial evidence. Why their admirers gather, captivated by notoriety as if in a Hollywood movie. We speculate about the slow pace, the failure to prosecute. That justice delayed undermines public resolve to live…

Facebook will not notify those who were affected in a massive data breach involving 533 million users. The company, however, said that it had “made changes to the contact importer” to stop the scraping of the data, which is old. “We have teams dedicated to addressing these kinds of issues and understand the impact they can have on the people who use our services. It is important to understand that malicious actors obtained this data not through hacking our systems but by scraping it from our platform prior to September 2019,” Facebook said in a statement this week. “As a result of the action we took, we are confident that the specific issue that allowed them to scrape this data in 2019 no longer exists,” the company said. It added…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THE SA College of Applied Psychology (Sacap) has committed to helping educators manage Covid-19 burnout and stress by hosting a free mental health toolkit webinar for all South African teachers. Sacap said that currently with their pupils’ futures at stake, trying to teach effectively during the health crisis was a constant, heart-wrenching battle for most teachers. As a result, Sacap has invited all teachers to join a free mental health toolkit webinar this weekend, highlighting the challenges they are facing and presenting solutions to help them improve both pupils’ and their own emotional well-being. The webinar, which takes place tomorrow, will include a panel discussion with registered counselling psychologist and Sacap educator Clare Chester, educational psychologist Dr Anne Govender and educational and research psychologist and Sacap’s head…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za THE eThekwini Municipality has called on developers to present proposals for the planned redevelopment of the Virginia Airport site. The municipality said last week it was forging ahead with the plan to redevelop the area in order to generate rates from it. But any redevelopment of the site could face strong opposition from some of the tenants who have vowed not to move unless they are relocated to a new, suitable site. During a council meeting last week, the eThekwini Municipality resolved to move forward with its plans and granted the head of catalytic projects permission to proceed. It said public consultation meetings on the development had been held and that no objections had been recorded. One individual had requested information which had been provided. The discussion…

Nonhlanhla Hlatshwayo The taxi industry has moved to allay fears that it would be immediately hiking fares amid the huge increases in fuel prices this week. The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) in KwaZulu-Natal has reassured customers that taxi fares will remain at their current rates. The fuel price increases came into effect on Wednesday with the price of petrol increasing by R1 a litre, while the diesel price increased by 63 to 65 cents per litre depending on the grade. KZN Santaco provincial manager, Sifiso Shangase said taxi fares would remain as they were prior to the fuel price hikes, but said increases in fares were expected in June or July. Shangase said the industry was engaging about prices and seeking advice from economists.…

Modibe Modiba FOR SOME time now there’s been a clear well-orchestrated campaign to discredit Radical Economic Transformation (RET). The term has now conveniently been used against the black majority who remain landless and excluded from the economy and any meaningful change. It cannot be that we as the black majority, especially young black people in our so called nation, allow this term to be used against us. The term RET has no owners, it doesn’t belong to any political party or group of people, it doesn’t belong to any faction but belongs to all disgruntled black South Africans. It’s an idea in which all sober-minded black people should believe in and fight to see being implemented by those in positions of power. We shouldn’t allow opinion makers and a certain…

Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government put aside factional differences yesterday to appeal for calm after more than a week of nightly violence, partly fuelled by frustration among pro-British unionists over post-Brexit trade barriers. Hundreds of youths in the British province’s capital Belfast set a hijacked bus on fire and attacked police with stones on Wednesday in scenes reminiscent of decades of sectarian and political strife that claimed some 3 600 lives prior to a 1998 peace deal. The latest eruption of violence has left 55 police officers injured and seen boys as young as 13 and 14 arrested on rioting charges. “We are gravely concerned by the scenes we have all witnessed on our streets,” said the compulsory coalition, led by rival pro-Irish Catholic nationalists and pro-British Protestant unionists.…

Britain yesterday condemned “bullying” by the Myanmar junta after the country’s ambassador to London was ousted in an extraordinary diplomatic coup after calling for the release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Diplomats loyal to the Myanmar military authorities seized control of the embassy on Wednesday, leaving ambassador Kyaw Zwar Minn locked out in the street. The ambassador said the defence attache had taken over the mission in “a kind of coup”, two months after the military seized power in Myanmar. Daily protests demanding a return of democracy have rocked the country and brought a brutal response from the armed forces, with almost 600 civilians killed according to a local monitoring group. The coup prompted several high-profile diplomatic defections, including the country’s ambassador to the UN. The junta recalled…

looks at some Proteas who shone, others whose light dimmed and some who need to turn the light back on again after Pakistan series. OUTSTANDING Rassie van der Dussen: Showed two different sides of his batting in the opening matches of the series; on the first occasion he steadied the ship and made a classy century after a top order collapse; in the second game, he attacked early and often to propel the Proteas to a big total. One of the first names on the teamsheet. Kyle Verrynne: Must have moved ahead of Heinrich Klassen now and, given his recent form he should have played the first two games. Excellent acceleration in the third ODI with the bat, and he can hit big, worthy of more than a back-up spot.…

KAIZER Chiefs face a real test of character in their must-win away match in the CAF Champions League tomorrow. The Phefeni Glamour Boys has had a troubled season in all competitions but have shown promising signs in the continental club competition, including their 1-0 victory over former champions Wydad AC at the weekend. Chiefs midfielder Kearyn Baccus believes that the spirit among his teammates is good ahead of tomorrow night’s group stage encounter against Horoya at the General Lansana Conte Stadium in Guinea. “The boys are in good spirits. We are ready to go and want to do well in the Champions League since we are not doing well in the league at the moment. We are all ready and excited,” said Baccus. Chiefs will go into game…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za Don’t you just love finding new uses for everyday products or items? Well, I certainly do. There are items in your bathroom you’d be surprised to learn how useful they can be. Here are 3 items that have multiple uses: The toothbrush Don’t throw out your used toothbrush, it’s perfect for doing root touch-ups when colouring your hair. When you’re done brushing your teeth, you can gently exfoliate your lips by lightly brushing your lips. If you don’t have a brow brush, your toothbrush can do the trick. Hair spray You can spray manicured fingernails to make the nail polish dry faster. Spraying your hair clips and pins before using them help keep them in place all day. To prevent stockings from running, spray them lightly…

Thami Magubane and Sihle Mavuso THE utterances by eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda that ANC members should “reclaim the party from Stellenbosch capitalists” needed to be viewed in the context of the battle within the governing party. That was the view of a political analyst who spoke to The Mercury yesterday about the statements made by Kaunda at a funeral this week. In a recorded video of the speech delivered on Monday in uMgababa, south of Durban, during the funeral of eThekwini councillor and Umkhonto we Sizwe veteran, Bheki Thabethe, Kaunda said members should not fear severe consequences for speaking out. Speaking to the mourners in Zulu, Kaunda said it did not help to watch the ANC being shunned by voters when the problem was known and could be…

Tom Mhlanga | Braamfontein IF THE reports about supporters of former president Jacob Zuma and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule are true, then we should be worried. These people are planning a national shutdown in support of these two leaders who are both facing charges of corruption. Zuma is also involved in a tug-of-war with the Zondo Commission with regard to him disrespecting the commission and the Constitutional Court. Why are people so hellbent on protecting these two individuals? Are those who are supporting them involved in acts of corruption or are they potential looters? It is unimaginable that in a country that is at war in the fight against corruption there are leaders who support those facing corruption charges. If we are serious about this fight, these two…

FAROUK ARAIE | Johannesburg In 1946, the US began its nuclear testing on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Seventy-five years after testing began, the fallout continues to wreak havoc. Nuclear weapons present the world with several deadly paradoxes. The most destructive military instruments devised, they have remained unused for decades despite the constant warfare since their debut in Hiroshima and Nagasaki nearly 70 years ago. Nevertheless, unused in battle and often declared to be unusable, they dominate strategic thought and ensure that military questions preoccupy the nuclear powers more persistently than ever before in peacetime. All the world’s nuclear powers are rehearsing nuclear chess by trading nuclear insults. The shadow of nuclear Armageddon looms over their fragile lines of control. Ever since Japan was subjected to nuclear warfare, world…

All over your nation and mine, teachers will get up this morning and head to schools and universities to guide students of all ages into the beauty and adventure of learning. A child will tie a shoelace and delight a parent, or turn a phrase and delight a reader, solve a maths problem and delight a teacher or play an instrument and thrill a crowd. In your nation and mine, hundreds of millions of people will respect, honour and treasure people of all races and persuasions. They will not return evil for evil. They will reach across political aisles and barriers and respect those who believe differently, think differently and love differently than they do. People will engage in meaningful work, serve others and pick up after themselves. In our…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za The government wants to improve customer services at the country’s post offices. This is according to a Draft Amendment of the Customer Care Standards Regulations for Postal Services Licensees that has been published for public comment. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) gazetted the draft amendment last week requesting that written representations be submitted before the May 5, 2021 deadline. Icasa said the aim of the amendment bill was to support the provision of quality postal services by updating minimum standards, some of which include accessibility, visibility, languages and reports on complaints received, to protect consumers. It added that the postal services sector was key to the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of the population. Post offices in rural areas may offer surrounding communities different…

Nonhlanhla Hlatshwayo and Zintle Mahlati KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni says the department has identified challenges with the R34 road between Vryheid and Ulundi where 10 people were killed and three critically injured in a crash on Tuesday. She said this during her visit to KwaNongoma yesterday to the Mhlungu and the Mbatha families whose relatives were killed. Nkonyeni said the department would send its engineers to assess the road to see how to deal with the problems that had been identified. “We are very worried, as the provincial government. Our last count of fatalities on the road over the Easter weekend was 47, but just a day after we learnt about this incident,” she said. Nkonyeni said the department would partner with a…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za MORE than 500 frustrated students from Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) embarked on a violent protest yesterday, demanding that the institution resolve its registration issues. The students blockaded both sides of Mangosuthu Highway and the university’s main entrance with refrigerators and burning tyres. According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala, the protesters also threw stones at police officers who were at the scene. Gwala confirmed that a 24-year-old suspect was arrested for public violence. The university announced on Tuesday that it would be closing due to the ongoing workers’ strike that started last week. The Student Representative Council (SRC), led by the EFF Student Command, said they believed the university’s management was not addressing many issues. SRC president Mthokozisi Gumede said that they, together with staff…

TEMBA Bavuma’s first series as captain of South Africa’s men’s One-Day International team was certainly exciting. Two matches went down to the last over, there was controversy about a run out, great batting – particularly from Pakistan – and fabulous fast bowling, especially by Anrich Nortje. The outcome of the series wasn’t one Bavuma, the players, coaches and the South African public would have wanted, but there was enough good play from the hosts, against an excellent Pakistan side, to suggest that under Bavuma’s guidance, the Proteas will be a competitive team. Of course, more than being competitive, what South Africans want is for the Proteas to be winners again. However a number of elements need to be put in place for that to happen. From his own perspective, Bavuma…

A backlog of container ships carrying consumer goods has grown in some key strategic ports after a near week-long blockage in the Suez Canal, adding to ongoing disruptions to global trade, industry sources say. Dozens of container ships were stuck when the 400m-long Ever Given ran aground in the canal last month, with specialist rescue teams taking almost a week to free the vessel. Container shipping companies have been contending for months with disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and a demand for retail goods. While some transporters of goods have turned to rail, that option has barely made a dent as about 90% of world trade is transported by sea. Port officials in Europe’s leading gateways say the impact on global supply chains was expected to last for several…

LONDON: Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistani PM Imran Khan has taken to Twitter to quote the holy book of Islam, the Qur’an – to slam her ex-husband’s recent remarks on how women’s “vulgar” dressing entices men to rape them leading to a rise in such cases. “’Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts,’ Qur’an 24:31. The onus is on men,” read the tweet by the 47-year old British screenwriter who divorced Khan after nine years of marriage in 2004 owing to his hectic political life. “World history tells when you increase fahashi (vulgarity) in society, two things happen: sex crimes increase and the family system breaks down. This entire concept of pardah (covering up) is to avoid temptation,”, Khan said…

SOME players are lucky, and some are just blessed. It is not every day that every player enjoys the splendour of being coached by the same person in two different ranks: academy and senior structures. But well, one can only hope that Njabulo Blom, Happy Mashiane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo et al are counting their blessings. It’s an honour to play for Kaizer Chiefs. This is a club that has preserved its culture and history since their establishment in 1970. That’s why those who’ve been fortunate to don their famous gold and back jersey are bemused by their recent decline. Chiefs are the most successful club in local football with 93 trophies, official and unofficial. But they are on the brink of a sixth successive season without silverware. Unless, of course, they…

THE couta have been keeping the ski and boat anglers busy with most guys putting in a concerted effort to land a crocodile. The north coast has seen most of the couta action. The smaller fish have made up the bulk of the catches. Rigging your baits at different depths has made it easy to find the depth the fish are feeding at. Rig one bait close to the surface (with only a bait swimmer) and rig the other bait with a 4oz sinker up the line. In deeper water, this can be switched out for heavier weight. Umdloti has been producing very consistent results but the shark tax has been very high ... Heavier tackle can help you get the fish in quicker but this is sometimes not enough.…

cheryl waterman \ SITTING across a table from Susan Nel and chatting over a cup coffee, one cannot help gaining inspiration from her joie de vivre about lawn bowls and her desire to identify and develop new talent. Susan’s relocation from Gauteng to the KZN coast promises to have a positive impact on the development of bowls in her new district. In 1990 an invitation to try her hand at lawn bowls on the greens at Westville Correctional Services evoked a fascination in the complexities of the seemingly simple game. Before long she surrendered to the appeal of the bias and gave up league squash, badminton and aerobics instruction to concentrate on mastering her newfound interest. The Nel family’s move to Gauteng in 1997 sparked a flurry of success in…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za So much about a country and its culture is expressed through its cuisine, and salads form a big part of South Africa’s food scene. The way we prepare our salads and the ingredients we choose are uniquely South African. Now, social media users are questioning what constitutes a salad. This comes after Nando’s tweeted that baked beans and mayo is not a salad. Promoting their latest creative campaign ‘Tin for Tjips’, which aims to help disadvantaged children, the food chain wrote, “Baked beans and mayo is not a salad! Rather give to those in need, re chenchisane for a good cause. #TinForTjips Ts & Cs apply.” While some Twitter users believe that describing the popular combo as a salad is a serious offence, others are more…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has referred eight cases to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution and two others for disciplinary proceedings to the department regarding its investigation into the affairs of the Office of the Master of the High Court. The Office of the Master of the High Court is the subject of an SIU investigation to probe allegations of maladministration, corruption and fraud in its offices countrywide. In February 2020, the offices of the Master of the High Court were closed for at least two days to enable the SIU to gather, collate and retrieve information. Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said in a parliamentary response that the SIU had referred eight cases to the NPA for prosecution and two others for…

Thabile Mange | Krugersdorp THE ANC has been in existence for more than 100 years, making it one of the oldest political parties in Africa. It has survived many a storm. However, the governing party is now imploding. The pertinent question is: will it survive the next 20 years? There is no easy answer. There are two cliques within the ANC: CR 17 and RET. CR 17 is led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and RET by the secretary-general, Ace Magashule. The fight within the ANC is not about service delivery or ideological differences but access to state resources. This is nothing new but this time it seems to have gone to a higher level. Magashule is facing criminal charges dating back to his time when he was the…

SABER AHMED JAZBHAY | Newlands West Repeated hikes in the petrol price are detrimental towards our economic recovery. In this time of uncertainty, credence is being lent to the perception that the ANC government doesn’t care for the people, that it doesn’t have at heart the interests of most South Africans who are poor and struggling desperately to make ends meet. However, to attribute that to corruption is a most specious argument, for the hike is in no way due to corruption but rather to poor governance and ineptitude at worst. That is driving up costs of basic foodstuff and it would be wise if there were interventions in the form of subvention to ensure that the impact is less harmful than currently. Instead of embarrassing the government,…

| Dorothy Parker HEY, a blast from the past and a little bit of newspaper history. Kim Parkes, of Durban, has found a recording of an interview with Ugandan military dictator Idi Amin on an issue that reverberated about the world. We need to go back a bit. Kim is the son of Brian Parkes, a Yorkshireman who in the 1970s was chief sub-editor of the Sunday Tribune – and already a legend for his newspaper design skills. Also in the ’70s, French film director Barbet Schroeder made the English-language Idi Amin Dada: A Self- Portrait, with the Ugandan president’s full co-operation. The movie was a hoot. At one point, Amin declares that any Ugandan with a problem need only phone him – and gives an Entebbe telephone number.…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za NEWLY appointed Presidency director-general Phindile Baleni could soon become the administrative head of the public service, according to proposals made by Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu. Mchunu has released for public comment proposed amendments to the Public Service Act of 1994 to be in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), which recommends a super director-general based in the Presidency. The administrative head of the public service will be the top public servant to whom other directors-general will report on operational, organisational and administrative matters. At provincial level, the same role should be played by the directors-general in premiers’ offices. According to the proposals, Baleni will also be responsible for intergovernmental relations on an administrative level between the Presidency, national and provincial departments and other…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za IN A fitting final farewell, KwaZulu-Natal’s first democratically elected premier and the country’s former ambassador to Egypt, Dr Frank Mdlalose was lauded for his humility, political maturity and peacemaking. Mdlalose, who died aged 89 on Saturday, was buried yesterday in Madadeni, Newcastle. Glowing tributes were paid by his family, local politicians and the provincial government. The first tribute came from Dr Musa Ngubane, the district mayor of Amajuba, which was built on the ashes of the Bantustan-era Madadeni council, whose first mayor was Mdlalose. He said Mdlalose was “a pioneer” and a local “doyen”. He told mourners a rarely told story; one where Mdlalose was the first black medical doctor from the township and instead of deserting it, he came back to open a medical practice that…

| African News Agency (ANA) Several diplomats representing foreign governments in Pretoria are being investigated for diverting alcohol and cigarettes purchased from duty-free shops into a booming South African illicit market. This has reportedly cheated the South African Revenue Service (Sars) out of an estimated R100 million in unpaid taxes every month. The alcohol and cigarettes are reportedly sold in large volumes to businesses and liquor traders. Foreign diplomats found to be involved in the high-level dodgy deals will face repercussions, said Lunga Ngqengelele, the spokesperson for International Relations and Co-operation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor. “I can confirm that we are aware of the investigation and we are working with Sars, and with other law enforcement authorities to make sure that we get to the root of this issue,”…

Few countries will want to antagonise the rising superpower over political issues Global geopolitics have certainly changed. The world used to be divided into Cold War alliances, of which Nato is one of the lasting relics, but today it is economic and not military pacts that have the most relevance. Strategic security alliances in Asia such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, comprising the US, Australia, Japan and India are not the overriding concern in the region. What will determine the future of Asia is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which will build economies of scale, and enable the region to be an engine of economic growth. Representing two thirds of the world’s population, the RCEP is one of the most important developments in global trade. China’s Belt…

It is tearful that the police, local councils, the vehicle inspection department that issues driving licences and the education department are among the most corrupt institutions. The resulting institutionalisation and systematisation of corruption in Zimbabwean political and economic spheres has been extensive. Critics and the opposition accuse President Emmerson Mnangagwa of failing to tackle high-level graft and say endemic corruption is one reason foreign companies are hesitant to invest in the country. Mnangagwa has at times admitted to corruption among his cabinet ministers but there is a lack of the evidence to prosecute. It is true that corruption is overwhelming in Zimbabwe but we don’t have people who are prepared to give evidence, those causing corruption are those who are supposed to end the corruption in Zimbabwe. Corruption…

Beijing has surpassed New York City (NYC) as the city with the most billionaires after gaining 33 billionaires last year, taking its total to 100 and topping NYC for the first time. According to Forbes’ 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List, the Big Apple added just seven new billionaires to bring its total to 99, with NYC’s richest resident, Michael Bloomberg, a former mayor and co-founder of Bloomberg LP, with a fortune worth $59 billion (R856bn). Meanwhile, the founder of social media video-sharing app TikTok and chief executive of ByteDance tech company, Zhang Yiming, accumulated a net worth of $35.6bn. “The number of billionaires exploded to an unprecedented 2 755 … 660 more than a year ago,” Forbes said. “The US still has more billionaires than any other country, with 724…