Indice dei contenuti per 2023-11-06 in Mercury

IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa, speaking at yesterday’s memorial service for the late founder Mangosuthu Buthelezi, said the party was not going to disappear but was expecting to win KwaZulu-Natal at next year’s elections. The event held at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, was attended by politicians and dignitaries and Buthelezi’s family including his children Prince Zuzifa and Princess Phumzile, the chairperson of the party’s Women’s Brigade and Queen Mother Mavis MaZungu Zulu. The memorial was organised by the IFP which Buthelezi founded in 1975 and led for 44 years – he passed away in September, aged 95. The party had been in a decline prior to 2016 but revived its support and by the 2021 local government elections, it regained several stronghold municipalities that had been held by the…

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana did not budge on Transnet’s plea for a government bailout. But he was ready to help Eskom with its R245 billion debt and 22 municipalities which had come begging him to pay their debt to Eskom. He refuses one with its mountain of debt amounting to R130bn but generously hands out billions to the other. Why punish one and not the other? Is it a shrewd political gambit? With the elections coming up next year, which move would capture the votes for the ANC, bailing out Eskom and the municipalities, or Transnet? Most likely the former two. Load shedding has been the curse of South Africa. It has been the main theme of a long-running, gripping Eskom saga. More than anything else, load shedding directly affected…

THEY come in bright blue, orange and pink. Jellyfish sightings off the British coast have surged 32%, according to data collected by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). They have names like Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, Barrel Jellyfish, Portuguese Man O’ War, Moon Jellyfish, Dustbin Lid Jellyfish, and Mauve Stinger, according to Sky News. Jellyfish numbers vary each year, depending on changes in the environment like sea temperatures and storms – and there have been plenty of those just lately. Jellyfish are regarded as indicator species, signalling changes in the ocean such as warming water. “Research has suggested that an increase in some jellyfish numbers around the UK could be related to climate change. However, currently there isn’t enough evidence to make this link,” MCS says. Mauve Stinger? MCS could do…

EXPELLED Stellenbosch University student Theuns du Toit, who was ousted over a urination incident, lost his legal bid to have his expulsion reviewed. Du Toit turned to the Western Cape High Court, sitting in Cape Town, for the review and setting aside of the decisions of the Central Disciplinary Committee and the Disciplinary Appeal Committee of the university, made against him. He also wanted the court to find him not guilty of having committed a violation of the university’s code of conduct and its residence’s rules, by reason that he was severely intoxicated at the time of the incident. The court, however, found on Thursday that the procedure followed by the Central Disciplinary Committee was in accordance with the code and was meant to be inquisitorial and informal. The procedure…

The acting CEO of Tourism KwaZulu- Natal (TKZN) says the government should have done better on the South African Music Awards (Samas) budget saga which raised eyebrows among the public and opposing political parties. Sibusiso Gumbi, newly-appointed acting CEO of the entity, said the Samas would have brought R350 million to the economy of KZN and given the province huge media mileage to promote it. “I don’t want to note that every-thing regarding the support of Samas was fair. However, it was also important for the government to be attentive to the concerns that were raised in the media regarding the expenditure. It is important to the KZN government to consider all sides with every decision made, and we do support the decision taken by the MEC of Economic…

CHINESE President Xi Jinping’s grand banquet on October 17 in Beijing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) not only highlighted the significance of the occasion but also underscored the evolution and continued relevance of this monumental global project. The BRI, also known as “One Belt, One Road,” is a visionary initiative that emerged in 2013. It was initially conceived as a platform for Chinese companies to invest in overseas infrastructure projects, supported by Chinese development bank loans. The overarching objective was to stimulate global trade and economic growth by modernising and expanding the ancient Silk Road trading routes, connecting China to the Middle East and Europe. Over the past decade, the BRI has transformed from a concept into a global reality. It has left…

Bangladesh police have arrested nearly 8 000 opposition figures in a nationwide crackdown since officers broke up a major rally in the capital a week ago, a report said yesterday. The sweeping wave of detentions comes ahead of a general election due in January. The country’s major opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and its allies have been staging giant rallies in recent months demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down and allow a neutral government to supervise the vote. Hasina has overseen impressive growth in her 15 years of power, but she has been accused of ruling the South Asian nation with an iron fist. The US has imposed sanctions on some of its most senior police figures for widespread human rights violations. More than 100 000 opposition supporters joined…

An armed father who took his four-year-old daughter hostage, forcing the suspension of flights at Hamburg airport, gave himself up “without resistance” yesterday after hours of negotiations, German police said. The 35-year-old man had barricaded himself and the child in his car at the foot of a Turkish Airlines plane on Saturday evening, demanding to be allowed on board after a custody dispute with the mother. He had rammed his car through the security area onto the apron where planes are parked, firing two shots in the air and throwing two burning bottles out of the vehicle, police said. “The hostage-taking has ended,” local police posted on X yesterday afternoon. “The man has left his car with his daughter and been taken for questioning by security forces without resistance,” it…

LUANDA: During a summit meeting on Saturday in Luanda, the capital of Angola, heads of state from various Southern African countries expressed their concern about the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), condemning M23 attacks as a “clear violation of the ceasefire”. According to a statement provided by the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of state and government of the Southern African Development Community at the summit meeting conveyed their worry about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the region. They also expressed concern about reports of the M23 resuming attacks. | Xinhua…

Manila: A radio broadcaster was fatally shot inside his studio in the Philippines yesterday, police said, the latest in a long list of journalists killed in the country. Juan Jumalon, 57, was in his home-based studio on the southern island of Mindanao when a gunman shot him in the head, said Captain Deore Ragonio, police chief in Calamba municipality. Jumalon is the fourth journalist to be slain since President Ferdinand Marcos took office in June 2022, the National Union of Journalists said, condemning “the brazen killing”. Marcos condemned the “murder” of Jumalon and ordered the authorities to “swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice”. | AFP…

CLIENTÈLE Limited’s acquisition of 1Life Insurance was accretive and would result in a combined embedded value of about R7.8 billion, with almost 1.5 million contracts that would improve scale and enhance future value, a statement said on Friday. Clientèle had announced on October 24 that it had entered into an agreement with Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH), for Clientèle to acquire 100% of the share capital of 1Life held by TIH for a purchase consideration that would be settled through an issue of shares in Clientèle. The companies announced the landmark conclusion of the merger agreement on Friday. Clientèle’s share price increased 1.4% to R10.90 on Friday, this after the share had traded in a similar range over the past 12 months. Three years ago the share traded at…

WITH the ever-growing numbers of South African learners taking up vaping, there is an urgent need for stronger interventions to address this concerning trend. Limiting access to vaping products is crucial, and both industry stakeholders and parents must take responsibility. In the high-pressure academic environment, students often search for ways to cope with the stress that exams bring. A significant number are turning to vaping (using e-cigarettes and vape pens) as a means of stress relief. Although vaping may appear to offer a quick escape, it is crucial to recognise the addictive nature of nicotine vaping and the importance of stricter age restrictions. According to the CDC, using nicotine during adolescence can be harmful to the developing brain. The brain continues to grow and develop until around the age of…

HIGHER Education Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande has directed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board to provide him with a detailed report within the next three weeks explaining a damning forensic report implicating axed CEO Andile Nongogo in alleged corruption, fraud and illegal tender dealing. The investigation report by Werkmans Attorneys found Nongogo allegedly had a relationship with one of the companies appointed for the new NSFAS direct payment system. It ultimately recommended that NSFAS subject all bid evaluation committee members who are still within its employ to a disciplinary inquiry for their failure and deliberate neglect of duty to conduct bid evaluations as prescribed in the 2021 SCM (supply chain management) policy. Nzimande has now given instruction that the board’s investigation must also produce answers to…

SPONSORING an overseas soccer team to the tune of R1 billion is an absolute travesty. Our nation is being torn apart at its seams by abject poverty and complete breakdown in systems that keep the nation afloat, yet those in the corridors of power have the gall and audacity to spend taxpayers’ money while the nation totters on the brink of total collapse with grim consequences for the poor masses. In 1994, after decades of oppression, our nation became a constitutional democracy. We began a process of breathing fresh air of wisdom; none would have thought that this very fresh air would turn foul and with the passage of time, get so contaminated that it would poison the whole of the country’s democratic set-up and the persons to whom the…

The fear of exposure, of being discovered as a fraud, fake, failure, someone who has been able to masquerade successes, is real. The fear of abandonment, of discovering no one stayed or remained faithful to friendships, even to the continued enjoyment of familial connections. The fear of aloneness, of discovering there is no one in your circle, your corner, there is no one on your team. The fear of total dependence, of discovering you are in the hands of strangers, helpers or nurses who talk loudly, speak in commands, regard you as overly needy, a person without a story and without a rich history. The fear of having unfinished business, of having no time or opportunity to find or establish completion, to close the circle, to express regrets, to ask…

TUBERCULOSIS (TB) kills thousands of people in South Africa and worldwide every year and is second only to HIV/Aids as the greatest killer. It is the leading killer of people living with HIV, causing one-fifth of all deaths. More than 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries including South Africa, and it is among the top three causes of death for women aged 15 to 44. The World Health Organization (WHO) found that in 2021 there were 181 864 notified TB cases in South Africa. “If the estimate of 304 000 TB cases is correct, it means around 122 000 people who fell ill with TB in 2021 were not diagnosed,” the world body added. Among issues causing its prevalence are poor living conditions, the late presentation…

FARMING associations and economists have welcomed the first bulk export of beans to China, describing it as a major boost to the local agricultural industry and the economy. The announcement was made by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) on Friday. Jaco Minnaar, president of Agri SA said they welcomed any markets that’s opened for exports of agricultural products. “Since 2008 the soya bean production in South Africa has increased more than fivefold. Due to a collaborative effort in the industry we first needed to supply our local demand. We reached that point last year and started to export to various countries around the world.” Minaar added that export opportunities were always welcomed by Agri SA as it brings in foreign capital and stimulates the…

AUDITOR-GENERAL Tsakani Maluleke said her office had found that issuing material irregularity notifications to accounting officers often jolted them into action to address irregularities and transgressions they should have dealt with previously. “In 86% of cases, nothing was being done to address the material irregularities we identified until we issued the notifications. Through the material irregularities process, accounting officers have taken action, leading to financial losses totalling R511.76 million being prevented, already recovered or in the process of being recovered,” Maluleke said. She was briefing the standing committee of the auditor general on Friday on the material irregularities in the local government sphere during the 2021-22 financial year. Maluleke said she was required to report on how she applied powers that were given to her in terms of the Public…

Eskom's decision to implement a debt relief arrangement for municipalities owing the power utility R56.8 billion is a praiseworthy initiative that could help struggling councils recover their financial stability. Nevertheless, it is imperative for the National Treasury to ensure that these indebted municipalities do not evade responsibility but are held accountable for adhering to the stringent conditions set forth. Finance Minister Enock Godongwana, during his medium-term Budget policy statement in Parliament, unveiled this arrangement, which entails municipalities’ debts being written off over a three-year period, subject to specific criteria such as enhancing revenue collection and expediting the installation of smart meters. These conditions also encompass implementing rigorous credit controls and collecting revenue to cover essential expenses like electricity and water. Municipalities failing to meet these requirements will be obligated to…

China will further expand market access and increase imports, its premier told a trade fair in Shanghai yesterday, amid criticism from European firms who said they wanted to see more tangible improvement in the country’s business environment. Li Qiang told the opening ceremony of the annual China International Import Expo that the country was committed to opening up its economy, and that imports of goods and services were set to reach a cumulative $17 trillion within the next five years. “No matter how the world changes, China’s pace of opening up will never stall, and its determination to share development opportunities with the world will never change,” Li said. China will promote coordinated development of trade in goods and services, protect an international business environment, and relax market access including…

LONDON: a woman who has accused Russell Brand, 48, of sexually assaulting her on the set of Arthur in 2010 felt “used and abused” by him. The unnamed actress filed a civil lawsuit against the actor – hit by rape, assault and emotional abuse claims from 2006-2013, following a joint probe by two newspapers and the TV show Dispatches – in New York on Friday, accusing him of exposing himself to her in full view of cast and crew, then assaulting her in the toilets “as a crew member guarded the door”. | Bang ShowBiz…

PYONGYANG: North Korea has designated a “missile industry day” to mark a test-firing of its Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in 2022, reports said yesterday. North Korea test-fired the ICBM on November 18, 2022, with leader Kim Jong-un declaring that the missile reaffirmed his regime’s acquisition of a powerful and reliable capability to counter any nuclear threats, Yonhap news agency reported. November 18 was designated as the “missile industry day” because it displayed “the might of a world-class nuclear power and the strongest ICBM possessor was demonstrated to the whole world”. | IANS…

MOGADISHU: Flash and riverine floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 14 people in Somalia, the UN humanitarian agency said Saturday. The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said since the start of the 2023 seasonal deyr (October to December) rains, floods have affected at least 405 652 people, with deaths mostly in four federal member states. “The majority of those affected are living within their settlements, but at least 47 000 people have relocated to higher grounds to avoid the risk of flooding,” OCHA said in the latest Flash Update released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. | Xinhua…

BALL: The late Shane Warne delivered a couple of beauties in his hey-day, namely “The Ball of the Century” to Mike Gatting and the ball that left Herschelle Gibbs spellbound in the 1999 World Cup semi-final. But Keshav Maharaj’s delivery to Shubman Gill was on par with either of Warne’s specials. The left-arm spinner drifted a delicate delivery into the pads, drawing Gill forward, before it turned sharply from outside the leg stump to hit the top of off. Gill was so surprised that he asked the umpires for a review to see whether the ball had actually hit the stumps. NERVES: Marco Jansen admitted ahead of the match that he was “nervous” about playing India in such a massive game. It duly showed with the 23-year-old seemingly overwhelmed…

THE senior manager in the eThekwini Municipality who was assassinated on Friday had been under the protection of the Durban Metro Police for almost a year because of the threats that have been made to his life. Acting senior manager for Plants and Logistics in the Water and Sanitation Unit, Emmanuel Ntuli, was shot at his home in Mandeni. Acting head of the Metro Police Sbonelo Mchunu said Ntuli had been under protection for almost a year as they had received intelligence that his life was under threat. The threats received were related to his job. “On the day of the attack, he was going home (outside of the city) and because of that (he felt safe and) told his protectors that they could stand down.” The Mercury has been…

THE gruesomeness in Gaza has evoked indescribable, unlimited and even near-irrational anger in most countries of the world. Nations of virtually all races, religions and languages have joined in their hundreds of thousands across the globe to jointly condemn Zionist Israel. Even Orthodox Jews have protested, blocking Grand Central Railway Station in New York and actually inviting arrest. Not too strangely or surprisingly, voices from some sections of our own South African communities have been more silent than the Sphinx, thus far. The subject of this piece is, however, the business of imposing sanctions on “collaborators” of neo-Nazis and Zionists. India was the very first to call for punishing apartheid South Africa, way back in 1948. It turned out to be, again, merely symbolic, as there was not…

TWENTY-EIGHT years ago, was the last time I watched the rugby cup final match in 1995 and you do not have to guess which side I wanted to be crowned the rugby world champions at the end of the game. The period between 1990 and 1995, South Africa was going through a tense negotiated settlement transition process; and many of us then were highly politicised, philosophical, and ideological in all our responses to any activities and events taking place around us. Fast-forward to 2023, it makes perfect sense for all South Africans from all sections of our society to ride on the crest of the South African national rugby team for winning the World Rugby Cup for the 4th time since its inception 36 years ago. Siya Kolisi the captain…

The widow, who clung to a luxury mansion in Bantry Bay, Cape Town, following her husband’s death and her subsequent marriage, will have to give up the comfort of occasionally visiting the home to indulge her passion for painting at the home’s studio. The trust, which actually owned the property, turned to the Western Cape High Court to evict the widow and her son from the property. The property belongs to Blue Dot Properties, and for about 35 years it was the home of Dr D, who died in 2021. (The court only referred to the parties by their initials.) He commenced occupation of the property in 1986 and was joined by his widow in 1997, who became his life partner and later his wife. They were married shortly before…

THE developer of the Beachwood Coastal Development in Durban is adamant that it will go ahead despite strong objections from some residents who have lodged objections against the project. Developer Gavin Strydom said they are waiting on the final decision from the eThekwini Municipality on the objections filed by residents before they break ground. The planned development had complied with all statutory requirements, he added. The Beachwood development will lead to amenities like residential and hotel property developed on the site. A residents association in Durban North said over the past six months they had collected more than 3 000 signatures as part of the petition objecting to the development. The residents had raised numerous concerns about the project, including that the area earmarked for the development is an environmentally-sensitive…

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to the occupied West Bank yesterday, meeting with Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas as Israel pressed its war to destroy Hamas – a war that has already claimed thousands of lives. Blinken arrived in Ramallah under tight security one day after meeting in Jordan with Arab foreign ministers angered by mounting civilian deaths in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry said dozens were killed in a strike on a refugee camp. Washington has rebuffed calls for a ceasefire, instead backing Israel’s goal of crushing Hamas militants who staged the deadliest attack in the country’s history on October 7, killing more than 1 400 people and taking 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel has relentlessly bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip…

Search and rescue efforts after an earthquake in Nepal wrapped up yesterday as the focus shifted to providing relief to survivors awaiting food and shelter, officials said 36 hours after the disaster struck. At least 157 people were killed in isolated western districts of the Himalayan country when the 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit late Friday. Many survivors spent the night under the open sky, their mud houses reduced to piles of rubble. Several people died in the village of Nalgad, in the worst-hit Jajarkot district, where Mahesh Chanare prepared to cremate his father-in-law Sunday. “The rest of my family is safe,” the 34-year-old plumber told AFP. “But the houses have buried everything with them, there is hardly anything to eat,” he added. “No relief materials have reached us. People here desperately…

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis made an urgent plea for a halt to the conflict in Gaza yesterday, calling for humanitarian aid and help for those injured in order to ease the “very grave” situation. “I keep thinking about the grave situation in Palestine and Israel where many people have lost their lives. I pray you to stop in the name of God, cease the fire,” he said, after his weekly Angelus prayer. The pontiff renewed his calls for a ceasefire and for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attack, focusing on the children, who he said “must return to their families”. A Gaza health official said yesterday that more than 9 770 Palestinians have been killed in the war since Hamas fighters launched a…

New Delhi: Authorities in the smog-ridden Indian capital New Delhi yesterday extended an emergency schools closure by a week, with no signs of improvement in the megacity’s choking levels of pollution. Every autumn New Delhi is blanketed in acrid smog, primarily blamed on stubble-burning by farmers in the neighbouring agrarian states. The city is regularly ranked as one of the most polluted on the planet, with its annual smog blamed for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year. As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed | AFP…