Inhoudsopgave van 2022-09-02 - Mercury

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu monarch and President Emeritus of the IFP, used the launch event for his legacy foundation yesterday to reiterate that he is positive that his party and the ANC can heal the wounds of the past and embrace the path to reconciliation. “In the last two days something very important has happened. A statement was issued by the governing party in this province. “The message was unsaying the things that have been said … very painful things said by some individuals in this province.” He was referring to a statement issued by the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal in which the party wished him well on his 94th birthday. Buthelezi said he had met with President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2019 and had raised the…

Being an authentic adult is an ongoing challenge and privilege. To become an adult, every person faces the task of the differentiation of self. Continued from yesterday, here are six more (of 18) indications or challenges to increase your emotional and family health: Intentionally staying in touch with others (family members, neighbours and co-workers) while, and even though, there are tensions and disagreements. This does not necessarily include a former spouse or in-laws, or situations where a romance has soured – although it might. Being able to understand what needs can and cannot be met in my life, and accepting that some of my needs may never be met in the manner I’d prefer or choose, or at all. Understanding that I am called to be distinct (separate and unique)…

I enjoyed reading the letter from Thyagaraj Markandan, (The Mercury, August 31) about the iconic status of the Comrades Marathon. He has covered every glowing attribute of the ultimate test of human and physical endurance. But then he wrecks it all by advocating a massive hike in the value of the prize. Is this not the ultimate contest on an amateur playing field? Why must it always boil down to cash? And is there no law or rule that governs the value which an amateur is permitted to receive? If the Comrades Marathon were to become a contest carrying a prize-purse advocated by Markandan, then every entrant should give up their “day job” and become a professional road runner. Sorry, but I cannot respect people running the race for any…

Shameless politicians are canvassing among themselves about 2024. They talk about a coalition to govern the country, a marriage of convenience among mortal enemies; a superficial gathering of the damned. History has revealed that any coalition is bound to be buffeted by political instability. Recent coalitions were characterised by unprecedented volatility and melodrama. The majority of South African voters have lost complete faith in all of the political parties. We are a nation enmeshed in dire poverty. The masses are without jobs, income, food, clothing, proper shelter, education and land. This sordid state of affairs cannot continue at this pace. Sooner or later, the peasants will revolt, with grim consequences for the entire country. A hungry person knows no fear. The economic and financial plight of the poor and downtrodden…

The Department of Health says medicine availability has improved significantly over the years despite some challenges it faces from time to time. This follows findings about the low supply of female sexual and reproductive health medicines. The findings in the latest survey released by the Stop Stockouts Project (SSP) looking into stockouts at public health clinics countrywide, conducted between April and June 2022, revealed a shortage of female sexual and reproductive health medicines. The department said it became aware of supply challenges between April and June, and had attended to this. Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said: “In the April-June 2022 period, suppliers reported some supply challenges for some contracted contraceptives.” The shortages in tablets and implants were said to have been a result of active pharmaceutical ingredient shortages, production…

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube yesterday said the construction of Synergy Blenders’ chemical plant to manufacture caustic soda liquid at the Dube Trade Port in La Mercy will bring massive economic spin-offs for the province’s economy, and would create much-needed employment. Caustic soda, or sodium hydroxide, is a liquid used to unblock drains and remove built-up grease from ovens. It is also used to make soap and detergents. Dube-Ncube described the investment as not only timely, but a vote of confidence in KZN and Durban. “This is a welcome boost towards growing the KZN economy, as there are only three established producers of 47% caustic soda liquid in the country. The local manufacturing of caustic soda is currently unable to meet the demand, and hence an average of 370 000 tons…

Wine Down – the wine experience sweeping the East Coast – is back for its second instalment on September 10. After the success of their first Wine Down event in Shongweni, Hoywa, the team behind the event and creators of the lifestyle app decided to take advantage of Durban’s coastal beauty and created “Wine Down on the Waterfront”, hosted at the On Point Waterfront. The organisers said revellers “can expect excellent wine, live music and delectable food”. “A Wine Down ticket allows you to enjoy wines sourced from a variety of South African farms while soaking up the music provided by the extensive musical line-up.” The line-up includes The Kickstands, Veranda Panda, Matt Gardiner and more. The hosts behind the event are Durban-based start-up Howya, an app that aims to…

Wild Coast communities are celebrating after the Makhanda High Court yesterday set aside Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s decision to grant a permit to global fossil fuel giant Shell to conduct seismic surveys on the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast. The case to review the decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to grant an exploration right was brought by Sustaining the Wild Coast NPC, Wild Coast communities, Wild Coast small-scale fishers and All Rise Attorneys for Climate and the Environment NPC, represented by the Legal Resources Centre and Richard Spoor Attorneys. Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa applied to join the court case. In the judgment handed down yesterday Judge Selby Mbenenge, with two judges concurring, said it was demonstrably clear that the decisions regarding the exploration right were not…

Realities encountered in morgues are projections of life on the Cape Flats AN AWKWARD conversation crept out to punctuate my gathering with friends as we watched the Comrades Marathon on television last Sunday and caught up on developments in our lives. Let me start slowly, carefully, with what can be said. Some friends started sharing photographs, showing four or more young people dead on a cold aluminium surface at a morgue. Their bodies were lined up, so they appeared as though they might be sleeping together. The more I looked, the more I asked: Are these pictures real? Are they staged to feed fake news? It is painful to imagine that, each day, dozens of parents and relatives approach the morgue’s aluminium surface to identify the bodies of their loved…

Southern Pakistan braced for more flooding yesterday as a surge of water flowed down the Indus river, compounding devastation in the country, a third of which is already inundated by a disaster blamed on climate change. Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in northern mountains have triggered floods that have killed at least 1 191 people, including 399 children. The military said it had evacuated some 50 000 people, including 1 000 by air, since rescue efforts began. The UN has appealed for $160 million (about R276bn) to help with what it has called an “unprecedented climate catastrophe”. Britain yesterday pledged $17m in aid. “We’re on a high alert as water arriving downstream from northern flooding is expected to enter the province over the next few days,” Sindh government spokesperson…

OTTAWA: Canada’s Conservatives look set to embrace a career politician, who has promised to fire the central bank governor and has promoted bitcoin as an inflation hedge, to become its fourth leader next month. Having lost three consecutive elections to Liberal Justin Trudeau since 2015, the Conservative Party is keen for a leader like Pierre Poilievre, who is a skilled communicator and right leaning. Poilievre, 43, has signed up more than 300 000 new Conservative supporters, more than the total number of party members who were eligible to vote in the last leadership race in 2020 and far more than his four rivals. Poilievre’s main competitor is a more traditional Conservative from Quebec, Jean Charest, who has criticised his support for anti-Covid-19 vaccine protesters. Poilievre represents a largely rural area…

Warsaw: Poland’s government yesterday estimated the financial cost of World War II losses to be 1.3 trillion euros, and said it would “ask Germany to negotiate these reparations”. Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the ruling Law and Justice party, was speaking at a conference dedicated to the presentation of a report on Poland’s losses in the 1939-1945 war. Work on the reparations report began in 2017, when the government insisted Germany had a “moral duty” in the matter. Germany has often rejected these claims, pointing to Poland’s 1953 decision to renounce reparation claims against East Germany. | AFP…

THE cost of living crisis in England has passed Premier League clubs by with the all-time record for an entire season, £1.86billion from 2017-18, under threat of being broken yesterday. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 37-year-old legs and sky-high wages have deterred Europe’s aristocracy from signing him from Manchester United and granting his wish for Champions League football. However, in contrast United and their domestic rivals have found no outlandish fee or wage demands beyond them. As of last Thursday, gross spending by the 20 Premier League teams stood at £1.5bn, surpassing the 2017 record of £1.43bn spent by English clubs in the close-season window. It was also more than the £1.44bn spent in the whole of last season. United helped reduce the gap further early on Thursday as Erik ten Hag was…

SOUTH African stocks and currency markets remained on the back foot yesterday on the back of Moody’s cutting global economic growth forecasts as financial conditions tightened. The JSE All Share index fell by 1.3 percent to 66 366 index points by lunchtime as the increasingly negative outlook on the global economy pressured demand for South African resources. Platinum miners Impala, Northam and Anglo Platinum fell 8.3 percent, 4.8 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively, amid lower prices for bullion and base metals. The rand also weakened to its lowest in six weeks, touching R17.17 to the US dollar as the greenback held strong after the US Federal Reserve suggested it would keep raising interest rates to tame inflation. The markets are pricing in a 75 basis-point…

A LACK of political will to ensure that properly qualified individuals are appointed at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has been identified as one of the main reasons behind the frequent escape of wild animals at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is an entity tasked with looking after public game reserves in the province and reports directly to Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) MEC Siboniso Duma. Over the years it has been embroiled in controversy, and critics have argued that the lack of proper management of game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal by Ezemvelo is the primary reason behind the current conflict between the wildlife and neighbouring communities. Over the past few weeks, there have been several escapes of lions from the park. At least seven lions have been killed after they…

As a twin-turboprop aircraft takes off under the burning desert sun with dozens of salt canisters attached to its wings, United Arab Emirates meteorological official Abullah al-Hammadi scans weather maps on computer screens for cloud formations. At 9 000 feet above sea level, the plane releases salt flares into the most promising white clouds, hoping to trigger rainfall. “Cloud seeding requires rainy clouds,” said Hamadi, head of rain enhancement operations in the UAE’s National Centre for Meteorology. The UAE, located in one of the hottest and driest regions on earth, has been leading efforts to seed clouds and increase precipitation, which remains at less than 100mm a year on average. Climate change, a growing population and economic diversifying into tourism and other areas have pushed up demand for water in…

I abhor trophy hunters. They come to our game reserves with their powerful rifles, stand from afar and shoot down defenceless animals. Proud of their manly prowess, they pose with the dead animal for a photograph. And then they take home the heads of these magnificent beasts as mementos and decorate the walls with them, for all their friends and family to see and admire. These trophy hunters disgust me. The newly-crowned Zulu king had to kill a lion as part of his tradition. Accompanied by a professional hunter and several game reserve officials, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini travelled by vehicle in the Mkuze Falls Game Reserve and shot a magnificent, fully grown lion in the leg. The hunter had to finish it off and put it out of its misery.…

THE eThekwini Municipality is petitioning the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) for leave to appeal a high court judgment which ordered that it pay a private company R30 million. The city had appealed the high court judgment, but when it lost the appeal and failed to make payment, the company, Daily Double Trading 479 CC, trading as Pholobas Projects, moved to attach the city’s assets to satisfy the debt. Assets were attached at the electricity department last week, including vehicles, computers and phones. The Mercury has learned that the city has now approached the SCA in a bid to stop the attachment from proceeding further. Opposition parties described the seizure of the assets as a huge embarrassment to the city, and questioned how the matter had been allowed to go…

THE launch of South Africa’s first mobile wash service aims to bring dignity and hope to the homeless. The wash bus, named “Nina Manzi”, meaning “mother of water”, has four hot water showers and four toilets, divided for male and female use. The project is a collaboration between Viva Con Agua, U-Turn and Baz-Art and is based in Cape Town. The initiative has been running since July in Cape Town, and aims to visit key sites providing real solutions to the homeless across the city. “Homelessness has become an unavoidable reality in South Africa. Living on the street means individuals not only having to contend with hunger and the elements, but also with lack of access to basic sanitation due to scarce public amenities. Nina Manzi is kitted out with…

The SAPS has confirmed that it has established a board of inquiry to investigate the cause of Tuesday’s light aircraft crash at the Rand Airport in Germiston. The police said yesterday that an inquest docket had also been registered to determine the cause of death of the five deceased. While initial reports said five SAPS personnel had died, it has since been established that four of the deceased were civilians. The management of SAPS conveyed its condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of the SAPS member and four others who lost their lives in the tragic incident. “On board the Pilatus Porter PC 6 were six people: two of them SAPS members and the rest, technicians from a company contracted to service and maintain SAPS helicopters. “According to…

Social and redistributive justice is an absolute necessity in an unequal society such as South Africa. This kind of justice is also required to achieve equality in the workplace, especially for persons with disabilities. That’s why pieces of legislation such as the Employment Equity Act should be welcomed as they are important means through which equity in the workplace can be achieved, and persons with disabilities can become economically independent and contribute to the country’s socio-economic development. Historical discrimination continues to disproportionately affect persons with disabilities. In fact, it is estimated that the unemployment rate of persons with disabilities in South Africa is more than 90%, approaching 100% in rural areas. It is against this background that, for this year’s Casual Day (September 2) national campaign, I would like…

Sri Lanka reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a $2.9 billion (R50.1bn) loan, a key step for the bankrupt country to unlock more funding and restructure its debt. The Extended Fund Facility will support Sri Lanka’s programme to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, the IMF said yesterday. The 48-month programme will be subject to approval by IMF management and the board. In Colombo, IMF officials stressed the importance of moving swiftly on debt restructuring to obtain final loan approval. IMF’s senior mission chief Peter Breuer said a timeline for the loan disbursement would be difficult to ascertain. He also reinforced the need for urgent, short-term support for Sri Lanka to avert a humanitarian crisis. Sri Lanka is working with financial and legal advisers on a…

LOS ANGELES: Singer Dolly Parton, 76, is releasing wigs for dogs. She has teamed up with SportPet designs to create a pet apparel line called Doggy Parton. As well as a “blonde bombshell” hairpiece, items in the range include a pink cowgirl hat with tiara, a “gingham Western print two-piece collar and leash set,” tour T-shirts, cowgirl dresses, bandannas and squeaky toys. A portion of the proceeds from the range will go to rescue organisation Willa B. Farms. “Puppy Love was my very first record and six decades later, my love for pets is stronger than ever,” she said. She has also unveiled plans for a new roller-coaster at her Dollywood theme park. | Bang Showbiz…

DUBLIN: Over 10 000 firms completed one million customs declarations to move goods from Britain into Northern Ireland in 2021. This was the first year of operation of post-Brexit checks that London is now seeking to scrap. Under the Northern Ireland protocol, part of Britain’s withdrawal agreement from the EU, Northern Ireland effectively remained in the EU’s single market for goods, given its open border with EU member country Ireland, as the rest of the UK departed last year. That necessitated the introduction of checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from elsewhere in the UK. | Reuters…

THE weekend’s DStv Premiership plum fixture will be tonight’s Tshwane derby at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium (7.30pm kick-off). It will mark the second time SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns clash in six days after they crossed swords in last weekend’s MTN8 quarter-final. In a hard-fought encounter, Sundowns won 2-0 after second-half substitutes Marcelo Allende and Abubeker Nasir intervened with telling impact. Sundowns ran SuperSport dominated with 76% possession, however, SuperSport managed to reverse the flow of the game with counter-attacks which kept their hopes alive. The match stats show Sundowns led the shots-at-goal count 14-9. SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt said his side created more scoring opportunities after the match. “I thought we created some great opportunities - certainly more than them but we don’t score,” said Hunt. “The quality…

JUST like that August has come and gone. The sea has given it a big send off with the large waves we have seen in the last few days. Fishing has taken a bit of a backseat but prior to the big sea, the fishing was smashing. The big seas have kept most anglers on the beach or at home. The tuna have been around as well as the couta and some big snoek. As soon as the sea calms down the hunt will be back on! The north coast has seen the bulk of the gamefish action with variety and size being better than the central or south sections. The snoek have been feeding well in the mornings with fillet baits being the top producing method for boat and…

The use of prescribed steroids, including inhalers, is linked to changes in the structure and volume of white and grey matter in the brain, finds a new study. The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, indicates that the associations found might help to explain the neuropsychiatric effects, such as anxiety, depression, mania, and delirium frequently seen after long-term use, say the researchers. “This study shows that both systemic and inhaled glucocorticoids are associated with an apparently widespread reduction in white matter integrity, which may in part underlie the neuropsychiatric side effects observed in patients using glucocorticoids,” said researchers, including Merel van der Meulen from Leiden University Medical Center. Their immunosuppressive properties mean that glucocorticoids, a class of synthetic steroids, are among some of the most frequently prescribed drugs. They…

FORMER colleague Wordsworth (aka John MacDonald) who used to write a column in this newspaper on the vagaries of the English language, is intrigued by the “grumpiness”, often discussed in this column – like yesterday – of local investment analyst Dr James Greener. It coincides, he says, with something he wrote recently from his present location in Bulgaria. “As with greatness, so with grumpy. Some are born that way, some achieve it, the rest have grumpiness thrust upon us. Never having been a self-confessed grump, nor even aspired to that status, I can only resort to the ‘thrust upon’ explanation, albeit with due modesty. “Petty bureaucrats, jobsworth officialdom, lack of common sense (always a misnomer in being a very rare commodity), poor service, useless ‘help’ lines and websites … all…

We read that some KwaZulu-Natal councillors have expressed the wish to learn to read and write (never mind a rudimentary understanding of arithmetic). This would explain why they are unable to grasp the ludicrous situation of how much overtime is claimed, which is easily disproved by a few simple calculations. In a 30-day month (4.2 weeks), there are 720 hours of which, for my example, let us assume 12 hours a day is allocated to sleep, meals and travel, thus 360 hours remain for a person to hypothetically work. By law, the working week is 40 hours which, times 4.2 weeks, totals 168 hours at normal pay. Add the claimed overtime of 317 hours to 168 hours of normal pay and the result is 485 working hours, which is some…

One of our employees was the victim of a hit-and-run in Jacobs at about 4.30pm recently. He could not move and so those on the scene thought it wise to wait for an ambulance. On the instruction of Wentworth Hospital, the ambulance service, at 10177, was promptly phoned. Well, two hours later and the ambulance had not arrived. By now, it was cold and dark and this poor man was in such pain. Although, the police were there, the one hope of rescue, an ambulance, was missing in action. Eventually, in desperation, against all that we are told about not moving the patient, he was loaded up into a private car and taken to Wentworth Hospital. What a hopeless situation for the citizens reliant on critical public service.…

Aspen Pharmacare has signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India to manufacture and sell four Aspen-branded vaccines for Africa, as it seeks to utilise its near-idle Covid-19 vaccine production lines in South Africa. Shares in Aspen jumped 6% in afternoon trade on Wednesday on news of the deal and after it posted a 31% jump in full-year profit. The agreement gives Aspen an assured pipeline of vaccine orders for years to come, CEO Stephen Saad told Reuters. Aspen has a contract with Johnson & Johnson to package its Covid-19 vaccine into vials and earlier this year it extended its agreement to allow it to package, sell and distribute the vaccine under its own brand Aspenovax for Africa. But it has not received a single order yet for the…

THE suspicious disappearance of a Mariannhill man a week ago has left his family with many questions. Sihle Mthare, 27, of KwaSanti, was allegedly taken from his uncle’s home in Dassenhoek by men who identified themselves as the police on Sunday, August 21. His mother, Sebenzile Phungula, said she was alerted the next day that her son had been arrested. She said she was surprised because she spoke to Sihle on Sunday night at about 8pm. “He called me to tell me that he was going to sleep over at his uncle’s home as it was already late. “He said we would see each other in the morning,” she said. The distraught mother said when she learnt that her son was arrested, she went to the Mariannhill Police Station to…

The driver of a bakkie that crashed on the R612 between iXopo and Highflats on Sunday resulting in the death of seven passengers has been arrested and will soon be appearing in the iXopo Magistrate’s Court. A joint statement by the KZN Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison and the KZN Department of Social Development yesterday said the driver would be facing charges of culpable homicide and negligent driving. The announcement of the arrest was made by MEC Sipho Hlomuka and MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza during a visit to the accident scene. The statement said it was alleged that the vehicle was speeding at the time of the crash. “The vehicle was speeding excessively and hit the guard rail on the opposite bound (lane) before losing control. The section of…

The Durban Regional Court has sentenced a Durban man to an effective eight years’ imprisonment following his conviction for housebreaking with intent to steal and theft. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said during the public violence and looting that took place in KwaZulu-Natal in July last year, Njabulo Ncube and a group of others broke into a shop in the Umbilo area and stole groceries. “They were arrested by members of the police who were passing by. In court, Ncube conceded that he had no means to compensate for the R27 000 damages or to pay a fine. “He was thus sentenced accordingly,” Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, provincial spokesperson for the NPA, said. She said the matter was successfully finalised by Regional Court prosecutors Kuveshni Pillay and Thami Njapha. Meanwhile, the trial…

UN inspectors arrived at a Russian-held nuclear plant in southern Ukraine yesterday despite an early shelling attack, as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned the consequences of a strike on the facility could be “catastrophic”. After crossing the front line into Russian-held territory, the 14-strong team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reached the facility, the agency said. “IAEA’s support and assistance mission to #Zaporizhzhia led by director general Rafael Grossi has just arrived at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to conduct indispensable nuclear safety and security and safeguards activities,” it said. Wearing bright blue flak jackets and helmets, they had vowed to press ahead to reach Europe’s biggest nuclear facility despite early-morning shelling in the area that forced the closure of one of its six reactors.…

Ethiopian and Eritrean government forces launched an attack in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray yesterday, targeting Tigrayan forces, a Tigrayan military spokesperson said, as the government blamed the Tigrayans for renewed fighting. The Tigrayan military command said the northern town of Adybayo had been attacked from four directions. “The enemy, having already relocated a massive force to Eritrea, has now begun a joint campaign with the foreign invading force of Eritrea,” it said. Fighting was also continuing on the southern front. The Ethiopian government said attacks by Tigrayan forces had led to the deaths and displacement of civilians and property destruction. It also accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of diverting food aid meant for hungry Tigrayans. Both sides blame each other for breaking a ceasefire. The conflict in…

Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday that Britain would invest £700 million in EDF’s planned Sizewell C nuclear plant, his last major policy announcement before stepping down next week. Ramping up nuclear energy production would in the longer term reduce the country’s reliance on natural gas, which made up around 45% of electricity production last year. However, it would be years before the plant is operational. The Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, which is also being developed by French energy group EDF, has faced repeated delays. The Hinkley plant is expected to start in 2027, a decade late. EDF said Sizewell C would benefit from being “a near replica” of the £25-26bn Hinkley plant, and predicted it would cost about 20% less than Hinkley. The UK government also…

Washington: Former US president Donald Trump is likely to have stashed copies of classified documents, seized in Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) raids from his Mar-a-Lago residence, in multiple locations across the country in an apparent attempt to use them as bargaining chips with the Department of Justice and the FBI to escape prosecution, says Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen. Trump may be hiding the classified documents in his children’s homes and the Trump Towers in Manhattan in New York and several other locations as well, as per him. Cohen has also posited that Trump may try to find a scapegoat for any offences uncovered by the Mar-a-Lago raid, such as his former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. | IANS…

AmaZulu, although with a bolstered squad, are amongst many DStv Premiership sides dealing with a gruelling opening month of the season. Usuthu coach Brandon Truter has steered the club to their best ever start in the league, managing this amidst a tight schedule that has left him sweating over the fitness of some of his big guns ahead of a difficult match against Kaizer Chiefs. The KwaZulu-Natal club reached the MTN8 semi-finals with a victory over Cape Town City in extra time, a match that was bound to take its toll on a team that rarely makes significant changes. “We had a tough encounter over the weekend, the boys put in a hard shift for a 120 minutes, so we have a few tired bodies and niggles here and there…