Inhoudsopgave van 2021-11-09 - Mercury

LAST WEEK I mentioned that Business Report (BR) is investigating a loan by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) into Sunrise Energy via the Mogs group. The PIC’s loan to Mogs is more than R1 billion – indirectly to Sunrise Energy – this loan has not been serviced over a period of five years, according to sources. Mr Sekgoela, PIC media spokesperson, told BR the loan was serviced, but could not provide any evidence by close of business yesterday “on how the loan was serviced”. Sources confirmed that this is not the case. Sunrise Energy also received a loan from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to the amount of R1bn in 2011. BR queries why Sunrise Energy was not part of the Mpati Commission of Inquiry, even though it is…

Nomonde Zondi nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za DISGRUNTLED residents in Isipingo ward 90 burnt tyres and closed off the main road yesterday because they were not happy with the outcome of the local government elections. The protesting residents said the elections were not fair and accused the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) of not having a proper system in place. The ward, which was won by the DA’s Shad Nowbuth, was previously held by the ANC. Siphumelele Makhathini, a resident, said the problem started when some residents who had been voting in the area were told to go and vote in areas they had left several years ago. “Some people could not vote at all because the system said they had already cast their vote. There was foul play with the votes at the…

Thami Magubane and Sihle Mavuso AS the clock ticks for political parties in KwaZulu-Natal to negotiate coalition deals to jointly run municipalities, Premier Sihle Zikalala has urged political parties in hung municipalities to put aside political theatrics and form coalitions that will make communities and service delivery a priority. Twenty-one municipalities across the province, including the eThekwini Municipality, require co-governance from different political parties. Zikalala, with other members of his Cabinet, held a media briefing yesterday to give an update on the outcomes of the elections and other matters. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) was set to publish the 2021 local government results in the Government Gazette yesterday, starting the process of constituting councils. Local councils must be constituted within 14 working days. District municipalities, on the other…

Benny Pillay Community Activist | Durban There are numerous reports in the media that various communities in South Africa are not happy with the way the IEC handled the local government elections, and yet the IEC declared the elections free and fair. In many voting stations there were huge queues because the IEC systems were extremely slow, especially the ZIP ZIP machine for scanning ID smart cards. Many people in Joburg complained that they had to wait about three hours in the blazing sun and decided to return home and not vote. These are the same sentiments expressed in KwaZulu-Natal voting stations as well. There were several voters who were turned away from the voting stations because their names did not appear on the voters’ roll as per…

“OUR son is in great need and thousands of miles away. We feel so hopeless. We are elderly parents and have not heard from him except that he is desperate. He is a dad of two small children and his wife is from another country and she doesn’t understand our ways. What can we do? Please help.” I am very sad that you are in such a helpless state and in a position where people you love are troubled and seem out of your reach. There is nothing I can do for your son or his wife, but I hope I can offer you this word of hope. If your adult son is the parent of two young children, and a husband and living in a country other than the…

| Yogashen Pillay A 27-year-old man is scheduled to appear in the Mahlabathini Magistrate’s Court this week on charges of murder and attempted murder. The suspect is accused of murdering two people and wounding a further six in Ulundi last Friday. Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the shooting incident occurred at 9pm on Friday night. “There was a rehearsal for a traditional Zulu dance (ingoma) in a rondavel at Dumaneni area in Ulundi, when shots were fired through both windows. “During the shooting, two people, aged 38 and 39, were fatally wounded. Six people were injured and transported to hospital for medical attention. Charges of murder and attempted murder were opened at Ulundi SAPS for investigation.” Gwala said the police had tracked down a suspect. “Ulundi detectives commenced…

IN OUR country’s modern history since 1910, there were several opportunities for changing course for a better life for all its inhabitants, and therefore to be the best on the continent, and a shining example and beacon of hope to all on our planet. We know little of what happened before 1652 when the first white colonisers landed in our country, and recorded history written by colonisers dominated. Our history since 1652 is one of bloodshed, wars, mistrust, non-co-operation, exclusivity, oppression, minority rule, civil unrest, and after several wasted centuries eventually the dawn of democracy in 1994, something that so many had hoped would happen in their lifetime, but were no longer here to enjoy its fruits when it finally arrived. The coming to power of the scare-mongering National Party…

The US reopened its land and air borders yesterday to foreign visitors fully vaccinated against Covid-19, ending 20 months of travel restrictions that separated families, hobbled tourism and strained diplomatic ties. The ban, imposed by former president Donald Trump early last year and upheld by his successor Joe Biden, has been widely criticised and become emblematic of the upheavals caused by the pandemic. At airports in Europe, passengers queued excitedly to board planes bound for the US east coast, while long lines of masked people, cars and motor homes were seen before dawn at the borders with Mexico and Canada. The US closed its borders after March 2020 to travellers from many parts of the world, including the EU, Britain and China, India and Brazil, in an effort to slow…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za DELTA Property Fund, which came out of suspension on the JSE in July, saw its share price rise by more than 24 percent at one stage yesterday after it reported progress to reduce its debt in the six months to August 31. The company lifted its distribution 15.57 percent to 24.86 cents per share in the interim period, but decided not to declare an interim dividend while it continued to reduce its loan-to-value ratio. The share price closed 19.35 percent higher at R0.74 yesterday on the JSE. Interim chief executive Bongi Masinga said Delta had made signifi- cant traction with its debt reduction programme. Four properties were being sold for R176.5 million, the proceeds from which would be to reduce debt. The…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za ANGLOGOLD Ashanti yesterday said that it had prioritised reductions in all costs and the implementation of a new operating model after its latest production forecast saw its share price by 12 percent. In August, the gold bullion producer reduced its production guidance for 2021 to between 2.45 million ounces and 2.6 million ounces and hiked its cost estimates to a total cash cost of up to $950 (R14 252) an ounce amid safety concerns at its Obuasi mine, in Ghana. In its market update report for the three-month period ended September 30, 2021, yesterday, AngloGold said production and costs for 2021 were expected to be in line with revised guidance. The year-on-year performance was impacted by the voluntary suspension of underground mining activities…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za Twelve directives in terms of the National Environmental Management Act have been issued against the eThekwini Municipality, mainly for sewage spillages resulting from malfunctioning pump stations. This is according to a response provided by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) to questions posed by MPL Heinz de Boer, the DA’s spokesperson on environmental affairs. Yesterday after several images were circulated on social media of a possible sewage spill in the Durban harbour, the municipality said sewage had entered the Durban port after some of its pump stations malfunctioned as a result of ongoing load shedding and vandalism. Edtea said in its response to De Boer that the warnings, which included Section 28 and Section 30 directives, had been issued in the…

THABILE MANGE | Gauteng DO South African voters understand the significance of municipal elections? I don’t think so. Do they also understand the importance of voting? I hope they do, but I doubt it. Otherwise, why do they stay away from voting? By their nature, local government elections don’t attract many voters. The recent ones were no different. Something needs to be done to improve the situation. I think voter education can help improve voter turnout. The IEC must do its job. The recent municipal elections have produced hung municipalities. Therefore, coalition governments will be the order of the day. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing. I hope the latter applies. The so-called king-makers will take centre stage. Often these are political parties that…

DOGS in Britain now have their own TV channel. DogTV launched yesterday, according to Sky News, a new television network created specifically for our four-legged friends. Created after three years of research, the channel will air scientifically tested programming aiming to alleviate symptoms of separation anxiety, loneliness and stress. It will also have shows to help owners better understand and look after their pets. The channel has been developed following studies into dogs’ physiological and psychological needs, moods and responses, to help them feel more stimulated or relaxed when needed. Colours, audio frequencies and camera alignment have all been adapted to cater to dog senses. Professor Nicholas Dodman, the chief scientist for DogTV, says: “DogTV is an excellent resource for dog owners to help alleviate some of the behavioural problems…

#MYANC# | Durban Thank you for comprehensive and objective coverage and reportage of the #LGE2021. But I was expecting the outcome of 66 hung councils. I despise all the excuses that the likes of Jessie Duarte punted after the IEC signed off on the final outcome. The “great fear” that Alan Paton expressed way back in the 1960s that “one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating” dawned on the ANC on November 1, 2021. And I am not surprised. I am angry. How could it, with its “30% threshold for a pass rate”, read the writing on the wall? It couldn’t read it, that’s the reason why. Permit me to express my anger too. I’m not surprised that 48%…

Jolene Marriah-Maharaj jolene.marriah@inl.co.za A Durban metro police officer who was shot twice while protecting a councillor is recovering in hospital. Constable Fanele Gcwabaza, 41, was shot in the neck and leg at C Section KwaMashu on Friday. According to Durban Metro police spokesperson Parbhoo Sewpersad, Gcwabaza had been on official duty protecting a councillor when the shooting took place. He said preliminary reports indicated that three people entered the councillor’s office and an argument and a shootout ensued in which one of the suspects was fatally shot. “Two suspects fled on foot and the councillor was unharmed.” The outgoing eThekwini councillor Mamane Xulu told The Mercury on Sunday that she was alive thanks to the efforts of the metro police officials. The officials had been assigned to protect Xulu after…

Xolile Bhengu xolile.bhengu@inl.co.za DESPITE concerns and apathy, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane says at least 15 000 children have been vaccinated for Covid-19. Simelane said the provincial Health Department would have wanted more parents to bring their children but said timing might have affected uptake. The vaccine programme was opened to the 12- to 17-year-old cohort group for vaccination in late October. “Schools are currently going through exams and parents are still working. “We anticipate that after the exam season and during the festive season we will have more parents bringing their children forward.” Speaking during the update on the Covid-19 pandemic, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said the government was pleased and relieved that the rate of new infections in the province remained relatively low, even though it had…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za THE governing party in KwaZulu-Natal will start grilling its potential mayors following a difficult election in which it lost some wards and municipalities. A list circulating on social media shows that the contest for the position of mayor of eThekwini Metro is a three-horse race between current mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, Thabani Nyawose and Zama Sokhabase, while in Msunduzi Municipality current mayor Mzi Thebolla is up against Jabu Ngubo and Rudolph Madlala for the top position. ANC KZN spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela confirmed that the party had held its Provincial Executive Committee yesterday, where the candidate mayors’ nominations process was discussed. Asked when the candidates would be interviewed, Ntombela indicated this would take place this week, but would not give the date. The elections outcome was also set to…

A DURBAN man, who appeared last week in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court charged with dealing in drugs worth R2.2 million, had his case postponed to this morning after a hitch with his legal representation. The case was postponed on Friday last week to allow the accused to apply for a Legal Aid lawyer as he indicated in court that he did not have the money to appoint a private attorney at that stage. Yesterday, however, NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The Legal Aid attorney did not come on record but a private attorney will come on record on Tuesday if he has financial instructions. “Therefore, the case is postponed for legal representation and to arrange a date for formal bail application,” Ntabazalila said. The accused was arrested near Beaufort…

POLITICAL parties holding coalition or partnership talks this week should set aside their differences and prioritise the needs of the electorate, who are crying out for improved service delivery. As a result of last week’s watershed local government elections, the ANC failed to receive an overwhelming majority from the voters in 66 municipalities across the country. The municipalities include some of the most important councils such as eThekwini and Tshwane municipalities, and the Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg metros. Various political parties have made their views known on how they would approach coalition talks. The DA has made it clear that it will not be working with the EFF and the ANC. Herman Mashaba has been telling everyone willing to listen that Action SA will not enter into coalition talks…

Gunmen seized at least two villages overnight in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo near the border with Uganda and Rwanda, a local official and an activist group said yesterday. Lieutenant-Colonel Muhindo Luanzo, assistant to the administrator of Rutshuru territory, blamed fighters from the M23, a rebel group that seized large swathes of territory in 2012 and 2013. The two villages, Tshanzu and Runyoni, were the last redoubts of the M23 before they were chased by Congolese and UN forces into Uganda and Rwanda in 2013. Since then, there have been regional efforts to demobilise the fighters, but the group has complained about the slow pace at which a peace accord has been implemented, and some have returned to Congo. It was not immediately possible to confirm the identity…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy was happy with the resurgence of his team following their 2-0 win over Cape Town City at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday night. Usuthu won the game through a first-half brace from substitute Augustine Mulenga who was introduced to the game earlier than expected following an injury to defender Philani Zulu. Earlier last week, Usuthu played out a 0-0 stalemate with Marumo Gallants. They looked deprived of energy in that game and it will have to go down as one of the most boring games in the PSL-era as neither side appeared to be interested in scoring goals. “I’m happy for the boys and happy for the win,” said McCarthy. “They deserved it. “(Sunday) we showed a little more character…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za South Africa’s foreign exchange liquidity could enter a slump in spite of gross reserves rising marginally in October as the US tapering threatens to put brakes on large capital inflows. This could mean that finance minister Enoch Godongwana should carefully balance South Africa’s future spending priorities against declining reserves when he tables his maiden Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on Thursday. The SA Reserve Bank (SARB) yesterday said foreign exchange reserves position rose by $46 million (R690m) , or 0.8 percent, to $57.52 billion, after declining by 1.35 percent in August. The SARB said the international liquidity position also increased by $42m to $55.43bn. The bank said the changes were mainly due to the increase in the US dollar gold price, the depreciation of US dollar…

Yogashen Pillay yogashen.pillay@inl.co.za PARENTS, pupils and a teachers union have raised their concerns about the impact of load shedding on the matric exams. Eskom yesterday announced that Stage 4 load shedding would be implemented from 1pm until Friday at 5am. Thereafter the power cuts would switch back to Stage 2. The power utility said Stage 4 load shedding was necessary to ration its remaining emergency reserves. Matric pupils wrote maths yesterday and will write economics, business studies, physical science, history, geography and engineering graphics and design this week. Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents Association of KwaZulu- Natal, said: “Many rely on computers and laptops to study and without electricity it becomes very difficult to study. Also, it is very difficult for learners to write if exam rooms have no…

Tom Mhlanga | Gauteng The 2021 local government elections have come and gone, but the people of South Africa have to live with the choices they made. Big metros and other municipalities are to going to be led through a coalition government. But what does it means for the people on the ground? Is South Africa ready for coalition government? If the past experiences are anything to go by, the answer is no. Coalitions are only good when parties involved have the interests of the people at heart. This is unfortunately not the case with our politicians. For most of them, being in government is about self-enrichment, while the poor remain on the periphery. It will be difficult for these parties to agree on who should be what…

RANKEPILE KHOMO | Duduza Having read an article by a political correspondent a few days ago about how local governments must take a more proactive role in supporting small-scale food traders and producers, I was reminded of an interview I had with Ms Dineo Mokgoshi of Sekgometsi Bagoshi Agricultural Co-operative based in Winterveld, outside the City of Tshwane, a while ago about her triumphs and difficulties in running her farming business. Sekgometsi Bagoshi Agricultural Co-operative is one of the main poultry suppliers not only in Tshwane but in the country, and the business has operational challenges that need to be resolved in a more co-ordinated way by the government structures that are there to help emerging farmers. More co-ordinated and proactive collaboration between local, provincial and national governments…

| Reuters Colombia’s hippos, an oversized legacy of deceased drug lord Pablo Escobar, are being darted with adapted contraceptives normally used for controlling deer populations to stop over-breeding. About 90 hippopotamus, descendants of those Escobar imported more than 30 years ago for his private zoo, are thought to roam Colombia, said David Echeverri, co-ordinator for forests and biodiversity at regional environmental authority Cornare, in an interview. Escobar’s zoo was seen by Colombians as a symbol of his power and extravagance. Most of the animals were taken to local public zoos after his death but the hippos were considered too big and dangerous to transport. Hippo waste threatens water environments, and the animals may attack people and destroy crops, according to a study published in the journal Biological Conservation. Neutering…

Police are on the hunt for two suspects who raped a 37-year-old female police officer who was walking home after visiting a friend in Delft in Cape Town. The incident took place on Sunday morning in Voorbrug, Delft, while the police officer, who works at a local police station, was off duty. The identity of the police station where the officer works cannot be revealed in order to protect the victim. The area’s community policing forum (CPF) has since condemned the incident, calling for prayers and justice for the victim, who is recovering in hospital. The police officer was approached by two unknown males between 1am and 2am. One of the men hit her on the back of the head and both men raped her. Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut…

Rapula Moatshe rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za POLICE in Mpumalanga have recorded a breakthrough in the fight against rhino poaching at the Kruger National Park (KNP) after a regional court in Skukuza sentenced two rhino poachers to an effective sentence of 16 years in jail. Provincial SAPS commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela applauded the sterling work and commitment displayed by the Skukuza stock theft and endangered species unit. “I am delighted and impressed by the hard work displayed by these members. They should keep it this way so that we can be safe and protect our endangered species. Should we not protect them, our children would not have an opportunity to see them. They must continue to do the good work,” Manamela said. The accused were caught in February after they illegally entered the Kruger…

| Mercury Correspondent Police have opened an inquest following the deaths of three children after they ate noodles. Police said that on Saturday, the children and their grandparents visited relatives in New Brighton in the Eastern Cape. On Sunday, Sinothando Ngwendu, 11, bought noodles at a shop. She cooked them and the children ate them. Back home in Motherwell, she complained of nausea. The other child, Olwam Ngwendu, 7, had stomach cramps. All the children, including Athenkosi Ngwendu, 4 months, died en route to hospital.…

IF THE distribution of power as a result of the outcome of the November 1 local government elections, which produced 66 hung municipalities, set out a strong outline, the task for next month is to fill in as many details as possible. My involvement in advising potential coalition partners on the application of the constitutional and local government framework in the process has proved much more encouraging this time, given the willingness of politicians to genuinely engage. The long-term ambition of a multiparty democracy in which layers of coalition governments across the country geared towards providing a conducive environment for the realisation of the constitutionally defined objects of local government now being negotiated would have been hard to imagine in the early years of our democracy, where single-party dominance…

Managua: International opprobrium rained down yesterday on Nicaragua’s long-time leader Daniel Ortega after he won a fourth straight presidential term in what critics described as a “farce” election with his political opponents jailed or exiled. With Ortega’s victory in Sunday’s poll a foregone conclusion, the US and Europe led fierce criticism of the 75-year-old former guerrilla, accusing him of dictatorial tactics and of crushing dissent. By early yesterday, ballots had been counted in 49% of polling stations, with Ortega and wife Rosario Murillo, his vice-president, securing 75% of votes, according to official partial results from the country’s Supreme Electoral Council. Nicaragua is now fully “an autocratic regime” after the deeply deficient elections handed Ortega his fifth overall presidential term, the EU said. The polls “lack legitimacy” after Ortega “eliminated all…

Bafana Bafana are currently on top of Group G in Caf 2022 World Cup qualification with two games to play. Hugo Broos’ team have 10 points from their four games so far and are one point ahead of Ghana who are in second place. Third-placed Ethiopia and fourth-placed Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are out of the running. The winner of Group G will advance to the third and final round of qualification, which will be a home and away playoff with the winner advancing to the World Cup in Qatar. For Bafana to qualify for the next round, the following permutations apply: 1. If Bafana beat both Zimbabwe and Ghana in their upcoming matches, they will qualify irrespective of the outcomes of other games; 2. If Bafana draw against Zimbabwe and Ghana…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com Bafana Bafana’s youthful upstarts have reached the point of no return ahead of this week’s final World Cup Group G qualifiers and coach Hugo Broos warned “there is no way back” at yesterday’s press conference in Dobsonville. No one would have foreseen that six months ago when Broos was appointed the national team’s coach that Bafana would have a realistic chance of reaching the final qualifying round after topping Group G with two games remaining. Broos himself was surprised at how well things have gone, considering he started out the qualifying campaign with a group of mainly greenhorns. The team are undefeated after four matches and have two outstanding Group G games against Zimbabwe (Thursday, at home) and Ghana (Sunday, away). “We have two very important games,…