Inhoudsopgave van 2023-10-23 - Mercury

Shudufhadzo Musida, Miss South Africa 2020, is working hard to ensure her name is not forgotten from the history of the most impactful beauty titleholders. It’s been three years since she moved from the throne but she continues to work to strengthen her brand. Musida announced the launch of her limited edition swimwear range called Imbe. Imbe, short for “Imbelani”, means to sing and praise in Venda and was inspired by her Venda roots. “Proud to announce a labour of love made by women for women. For a limited time only, Imbe’s first swimwear collection will be available in @Woolworths_SA Sandton, Gateway, Menyln, Canal Walk and V&A Waterfront stores,” wrote Musida on her social media accounts. The first collection drops today and her fans have welcomed the move. “I…

In a bid to assist the struggling Palestinians, humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has mobilised its resources to support hospitals in Gaza grappling with a critical shortage of medical supplies. Through the launch of its own crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, and with the assistance of two volunteers, Ruqaiyah Peer, a 24-year-old optometrist from East London, and Aaliya Kader, a 10-year-old girl from Johannesburg, the Gift of the Givers amassed more than R250 000. Peer said: “Our fellow Palestinian brothers and sisters are in dire need of emergency shelter, sustenance, and medical provisions. Collaborating with the Gift of the Givers, we can make a significant impact in assisting them.” He said the ongoing violence had strained health-care facilities to their limits. Peer said Gift of the Givers had taken a…

A boundary is a line (usually invisible) that separates a person from all other people. Each person is responsible for the wellness of his or her own boundaries. Indications of poor or troubled boundaries: Sharing too much too soon. Falling in love quickly and with anyone who reaches out. Being preoccupied with someone. Going against your values to please someone. Hoping someone you meet will have poor boundaries. Accepting food, gifts, touch or sex you do not want. Taking for the sake of getting. Giving for the sake of giving. Letting someone be in charge of your life. Allowing someone else to say what you feel and see. Believing someone can and should anticipate your needs. Being moody and withdrawn to get attention. Expecting people to read your mind and…

The virus that has definitely overtaken the deadly Covid-19 variety in being the greatest scourge, since the callous bombing of Hiroshima has already numbed most of humanitarian senses. It’s over. When a majority UN decision is overturned by just one nation that not only refuses to be a member of the International Criminal Court but has vetoing power to upturn any resolution just because it finances the concrete UN headquarters in New York, it certainly means end days have arrived. The second largest democracy has became the biggest despot in the world – the distinction of being the second largest despot to become authoritarian having already been grabbed by India. Let’s stop speaking about human rights. Stop screaming about freedom of expression. Forget about complaining about land invasion. Let’s get…

Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu has assured Parliament that Postbank will be able to pay social grants without any glitches. She said Postbank had strengthened their infrastructure to allow their system to take in large volumes of transactions. Zulu said the new system was tested and was compliant with regulations. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) came under fire last month after thousands of elderly grant recipients failed to receive their payments on time. Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe had said there were several factors that caused glitches, but this was now resolved. Mbengashe had said part of the reason was that the South African Reserve Bank had asked them to upgrade their system in compliance with the law. When this was done, it had an impact on their…

Four-day work weeks improved Spanish workers’ health by lowering stress, while reducing fuel emissions and benefiting children, a pilot programme has showed. The coastal city of Valencia – Spain’s third-largest with more than 800 000 inhabitants – scheduled local holidays to fall on four consecutive Mondays between April 10 and May 7 this year. Many participants used the long weekends to develop healthier habits such as practising sport, resting and eating home-made food, according to an independent commission of health and social science experts that evaluated the programme. The data showed an improvement in self-perceived health status, lower stress levels and better feelings regarding tiredness, happiness, mood and personal satisfaction, it added. A drop in the use of motor vehicles led to better air quality on the four Mondays during…

INDEBTED Durban ratepayers are not taking advantage of the debt-relief programme being implemented by eThekwini Municipality to help them settle their outstanding municipal bills. Lihle Ndzelu, head of the revenue management unit in the municipality, sounded the warning and urged struggling ratepayers to take up the opportunity. The programme provides ratepayers whose accounts are in arrears with an opportunity to settle their bills, while also assisting the municipality to contain its ballooning consumer debt. The municipal debt is currently at R26 billion. The benefit of taking up the programme is that residents could see the interest that has accumulated on the debt cancelled. Ndzelu, speaking on the City’s communication platform, eThekwini Matters, said during the last round of the programme, there was no significant uptake in the initiative. However,…

IF THE first casualty of war is the truth, what are the subsequent casualties? Are they morality, humanity, proportionality and justice? No doubt there are a cornucopia of other metrics depending on the context – historical or current – and the very combatants. What about the environmental degradation, the pollution from the ordinance, missiles and other weapons of mass destruction, and the wanton devastation of natural resources, food, water, biodiversity, wildlife and infrastructure? Such are the vagaries of modern warfare. If confined to a narrow strip of land, as in Israel/Palestine, the casus belli defies logic given that it is in the “holy lands” supposedly sacred to the great Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. War is the perfect pushback against achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals…

More than 1 200 African migrants have reached Spain’s Canary Islands, with one vessel bringing a single-boat record of 321 people, authorities have said. A total of 1 235 migrants reached the Spanish islands off the western African coast between Friday night and yesterday morning, the authorities said on X, which added to a recent spike in arrivals. An emergency services spokesperson said all the arrivals were from sub-Saharan Africa. On Saturday, 321 people reached the island of El Hierro aboard one vessel, a rescue services spokesperson told AFP, surpassing the previous record for a single boat of 280, on October 3. Spanish broadcaster TVE showed images of a multi-coloured vessel crammed with smiling and waving passengers reaching port. Latest data from Spain’s interior ministry showed 23 537 migrants reached…

PARIS: France, already on its highest security alert, is to boost security at airports around the capital and on trains after a wave of bomb hoaxes, the transport minister said yesterday. Security patrols at Paris airports will be increased by 40% and staff at the national railway company SNCF will be reinforced by 20% in addition to extra police patrolling railway stations, minister Clement Beaune said on France Inter. France has been on its highest alert since October 13 after a 20-year-old man fatally stabbed a teacher in the city of Arras in northern France. Alongside the heightened risk, there were “people who are playing with fear”, he said, referring to the wave of fake bomb alerts. | Reuters…

Brussels: The Islamist gunman who shot dead two Swedish football fans in Brussels last weekend had escaped from a Tunisia prison where he was serving a long sentence, which prompted Tunisian officials to seek his extradition from Belgium, prosecutors said yesterday. Belgian received the extradition request in August last year but it was not dealt with. Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne resigned last week over what he called a “monumental error”. The attacker, 45-year-old Abdesalem Lassoued, had been sentenced “to more than 26 years in prison in Tunisia in 2005, but had escaped from prison in January 2011”, the prosecutor said. | AFP…

China’s move on Friday to curb exports of graphite, a key electric vehicle battery material, will only accelerate efforts to develop alternative sources and materials, but that will take time, industry executives and analysts said. China, the world’s largest graphite producer and exporter, will require export permits as of December 1 for some graphite products, including spherical graphite used by carmakers. It refines more than 90% of the world’s graphite into the material used in almost all EV battery anodes, which is the negatively charged portion of a battery. China’s decision may escalate trade disputes globally and spur other countries to prioritise research into alternative sources and materials, industry executives said. “We see China’s move as a potential catalyst to highlight the urgency of improving (US) graphite supply,” said John…

POLICE Minister Bheki Cele has called on police officers not to allow criminals to take over communities. Cele was speaking in KwaMashu at the funeral of Warrant Officer Sthembiso Mazibuko. The 40-year-old National Intervention Unit (NIU) member died during a shoot-out with suspects at a house in C Section in Ntuzuma on October 17. Four people, including a most-wanted suspect sought for killing 12 people during September, were shot dead in the same shoot-out. Cele said in his nine years in policing, it was the first time that he was attending the funeral of a member of the NIU team. “This is the first time I have attended a funeral of an NIU member who was killed by criminals, and I want to demand that it be the last time.”…

WHEN grown men and children cry out of gratitude that their team has made it to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final – even by the skin of their teeth – then you must know that you’re doing something right while representing them on rugby’s biggest stage. That is exactly what the Springboks did late on Saturday night as they clinched a nerve-racking 16-15 win over England to head to a fourth final and one step closer to winning the title back-to-back and becoming the first team in history to win the Webb Ellis Cup four times. Things were far more comfortable earlier on Saturday when the Proteas romped to a 229-run victory over the same old foe at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during their Cricket World Cup group clash.…

Thousands of individuals have marched in support of Palestinians in cities around the globe calling for an end to the Zionist apartheid Israeli bombing of Gaza. Progressive and freedom-loving people around the world are now using their power of speech for the voiceless indigenous people of the Holy Land, the Palestinians, that they will not stand for Israel committing any acts of mass slaughter or genocide on Palestinian civilians. Western leaders unashamedly perpetuate biased narratives about the Palestinian struggle for liberation from the Israeli occupiers to sugar coat the Israeli agenda. There is no uncertainty that Zionism is a settler colonial crusade committed to taking over the Palestinian land and replacing the original inhabitants and the ancient civilisation with Zionist Israeli chronicles. This heinous Israeli occupation and a plethora of…

As our province’s agricultural sector continues to face challenges – including load shedding, logistical difficulties such as dismal port and rail infrastructure, disease and rural crime – there remains little support from KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to recent research, the issue of food security – directly linked to agriculture – is alarming, with indications that by 2025 almost half of our country’s population will be food insecure. This should be a wake-up call, not only to the department but to KZN’s ANC-run provincial government. Proactively addressing the avian flu crisis is critical. Rural crime in KZN also demands urgent focus. The government must invest in modern technology to ensure the safety of our rural communities. The government also cannot shy away from the issue of land…

Former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has been sworn in as the EFF’s newest MP. Mkhwebane officially joined the EFF last Monday, saying she chose to join the red berets because she believed in its seven cardinal pillars and wished to continue to protect South Africans. The EFF welcomed the new MP at a signing event on Friday in Cape Town. The party said that prior to her role as public protector Mkhwebane boasted a rich history in civil service, including key roles as a senior researcher for the South African Human Rights Commission, a senior investigator in the Office of the Public Protector, and a director in the Department of Home Affairs. Mkhwebane was last month removed from office following an overwhelming majority of parliamentarians who voted for her impeachment,…

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is one of the most important statutory institutions established, to play an active role in the realisation of democracy, in line with the key tenets of the South African Constitution Act 108 of 1996. The fundamental existence of this Constitution is to protect the rights of citizens as stipulated in the Bill of Rights, and the SABC as a public service content provider, continues to play a pivotal role in the protection and preservation of human rights. One of the key objectives of the Constitution is to heal the divisions of the past and establish a society on a firm foundation of democratic values, social justice, and fundamental human rights. The SABC has over the years proven to be a catalyst for social…

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s commitment that the ANC would play a leading role in establishing peace in the province ahead of next year’s elections has been largely welcomed by opposition parties. Statistics released by the provincial SA Local Government Association (Salga) show that 17 KZN councillors have been assassinated in the province from September 2022 to July this year, with a task team established in 2018 having arrested 348 people in connection with the murders. Dube-Ncube, speaking at the provincial legislature last week, said they would monitor the work of the multiparty political intervention committee, which she chairs, with the view that political parties settle their differences in an amicable and peaceful manner. Dube-Ncube said that the ANC was committed to engage with other parties related to preventing intra and…

THE state’s initiative to impose substantial fines, arrest and prosecute individuals who have falsified their qualifications deserves praise as a significant step towards penalising those involved in alleged fraudulent activities. President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to authorise the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act. Although the bill was passed into law in August 2019, its enforcement was postponed until Ramaphosa officially declared October 13, 2023, as the date it would take effect. The enactment of this bill comes in response to recent incidents where individuals who misrepresented their qualifications were exposed on social media. One such case involved a Tik-Tok sensation known as “Matthew Bongani Lani”, who was publicly exposed for falsely posing as a medical doctor. The Gauteng Department of Health filed a criminal case against him,…

A teenage Iranian girl, who fell into a coma earlier this month following an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country’s hijab law, is said to be “brain dead”, Iranian state media reported yesterday. Right groups such as Kurdish-Iranian Hengaw were the first to make Armita Geravand’s hospitalisation public, publishing photos of the 16-year-old girl on social media that showed her unconscious with a respiratory tube and bandage over her head, visibly on life support. Reuters could not verify the pictures. “Follow-ups show Armita’s condition of being brain dead seems certain despite the efforts of the medical staff,” state media reported. Rights advocates fear Armita might face the same fate as Mahsa Amini, whose death in the custody of morality police last year sparked months of nationwide anti-government protests.…

CAPE CANAVERAL: Nasa has launched a mission to explore an asteroid that could make every human on Earth a billionaire. The US space agency confirmed last year that it was planning to explore asteroid 16 Psyche –comprised of metals similar to those in the core of Earth, such as iron, nickel and gold. Between 30% and 60% of 16 Psyche’s overall volume is thought to be made up of metal and has an estimated worth of £8 000 quadrillion. This dwarfs the current global economy of approximately $74 trillion. Nasa’s mission successfully launched last week and is aiming to survey the 140-mile-wide asteroid that orbits the sun. | Bang Showbiz…

Aston Villa climbed to within two points of the Premier League lead as Douglas Luiz struck twice in a 4-1 win over West Ham ]yesterday. Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey were also on target as Unai Emery's men recorded an 11th consecutive home Premier League win. Villa have been transformed in just over a year since Emery took charge and showed why they harbour ambitions to qualify for the Champions League for the first time this season. Luiz is just one of a number of players that are performing at a different level under the Spaniard and continued his scoring streak at Villa Park. The Brazilian became the first Villa player to score in six consecutive home Premier League games when his strike from the edge of the box had…

ADCOCK Ingram, one of South Africa’s top five companies in the private and public sector pharmaceutical markets, was able to adapt to changing market dynamics and affordable brands would continue to be sought to add to the company’s range, chairperson Nompumelelo Madisa and CEO Andrew Hall said. The annual report released on Friday said that in the consumer division, the heritage brands would be used to leverage new launches within the portfolio. A focus was on reducing the above normal cost increases from suppliers to ensure sustainable profitability. Opportunities would also be sought to close gaps in the portfolios in areas the company doesn’t compete in. New channels, markets and adjacent categories would be targeted. Brand-led initiatives such as the Island Tribe solar programme were expected to contribute toward the…

Four people died and more than 100 homes were destroyed in a storm in northern KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend. This is according to the KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta). The South African Weather Service (Saws) issued a level 6 weather warning for widespread to scattered showers and thundershowers in the province over the weekend. Cogta spokesperson Siboniso Mngadi said the storm tore roofs off houses and damaged infrastructure, including power cables, roads, bridges and vehicles in Mtubatuba. “Our initial report from Mtubatuba reveals that at least four individuals lost their lives due to a thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds,” he said. Cogta MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families and friends. The department said about 70 houses in Somkhele and KwaMyeki were destroyed.…

A MOST extraordinary case of shoplifting has come to light in Poland, according to the BBC. This fellow would join the mannequins in a shop window, holding the same pose until closing time. Then he would wander about the store, choosing what he fancied. In one case he chose jewellery. Police have released a picture of the 22-year-old standing still and holding a bag in a window of the store. They say the accused went “hunting” in various departments after closing, before settling on the jewellery stand. The unnamed 22-year-old is also accused of stealing items from a second mall. Police say he dined late at a restaurant there and waited for the mall to close. He then broke into a clothing store and “exchanged his clothes for new ones”,…

It is inherent in humans to take sides between two opposing parties. People choose sides based on their values and belief systems, or when they have an affinity for someone or something, or gravitate towards the underdog and empathise with human suffering and a cause. While some see reasoning and apply logic in a situation before lending their support, there are those who refuse to see the naked truth and break the bond of tunnel vision by holding personal bias towards others. The fact remains that whenever people take sides very little can be done to change their mindsets, no matter what one says or does and, despite any evidence, their hearts will remain sealed and unmoved. And so it is within the context of Israel conducting a full-scale military…

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has told Parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education that they plan on revisiting the quintile system for schools. This after issues with the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) and quintiles recently arose in the DBE’s briefing to the committee. Public schools are divided into five quintile rankings – schools in quintile one to three are “no fee-paying” schools, quintile’s four to five schools are “fee-paying” schools. The NSNP provides meals for quintile 1-3 schools. Portfolio committee chairperson, Bongiwe Pricilla Mbinqo-Gigaba, said: “What progress is made for reviewing the quintile system?” DBE deputy minister, Dr Makgabo Reginah Mhaule, said they were going to revisit the issue in light of financial situations within the country. Mhaule used Sinenjongo High School in Milnerton, Cape Town as an…

Former ANC president Jacob Zuma led an ANC mini-rally organised by the General Gizenga Mpanza Region in Mandeni, north of Durban, and urged would-be ANC voters to not be discouraged or take out their anger against individuals on the party. He said in spite of all the problems the ANC is facing, they should continue to support the party and do the right thing by the party. “I do not want to talk about the way the party is conducting itself at the moment. We want the ANC to help change the lives of the poor people … And myself as Gedleyihlekisa, I am concerned about the direction the ANC is taking and how it is led. “You can’t say, I’m not going to vote because of a certain individual.…

The families of two KwaZulu-Natal pensioners, who were murdered in August, are hoping for justice. Zanele Mbuso, 62, and Monica Xulu, 70, from uMgababa on the South Coast, went missing on August 9. They were found murdered and buried in a shallow grave outside the crèche that they worked at. A security guard, Thokozani Mhlongo, 60, who also worked at the crèche, was arrested for the murders. Mhlongo appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on October 19 and pleaded guilty to the murders. He will be sentenced today. Dawn Gounden of Renegade Search and Rescue and spokesperson for the Mbuso family, said the family were battling to deal with the loss. “They are saying that Thokozani’s guilty plea does not justify his actions to harm two vulnerable women.” Tshepo Xulu,…

THE “Golden Week” is the People's Republic of China's most extended holiday. Every year the Chinese celebrate the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 1949. This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival fell on 29 September which combined with the National Day Golden Week for a long, 8-day holiday from September 29 to October 6. Traditionally, Chinese people use the week-long holiday to travel for leisure and visit their families in other parts of China resulting in the world’s largest migration in the year. This year was no exception as a total of 826 million trips were made in mainland China during the Golden Week. This was 4.1% more than the Golden Week in 2019 before the pandemic, according to data released by the Ministry of Culture and…

Fears that the Israel-Hamas war could mushroom into wider Middle East conflict rose yesterday with Washington warning of a significant risk to US interests in the region as ally Israel pounded Gaza and clashes on its border with Lebanon intensified. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 266 Palestinians, including 117 children, had been killed by Israeli air strikes in the past 24 hours in the enclave, to which Israel laid “total siege” after a deadly mass infiltration into Israel by Hamas gunmen on October 7. In neighbouring Syria – where Hamas’s main regional backer Iran has a military presence – Israeli missiles hit Damascus and Aleppo international airports yesterday, killing two workers, Syrian state media said. Along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has clashed with Israeli forces in…

Dakar: UN peacekeepers made an early withdrawal from their camp at Tessalit in northern Mali because their “lives were in danger”, the UN mission said yesterday. Malian troops on Saturday took over the Tessalit camp, the army said, the first handover in the Kidal region where clashes with armed groups have flared recently. The withdrawal of the UN stabilisation mission in Mali (Minusma) after 13 years has ignited fears that fighting will intensify between troops and armed factions for control of the territory. The pullout was completed “in an extremely tense and degraded security context putting in danger the lives of personnel”, Minusma said. | AFP…

LONDON: At least seven people have died as a result of massive flooding caused by Storm Babet in the UK, with several more people still missing, British media said yesterday. Although the worst of the storm has passed, flood warnings remain in place as water levels are still high in a number of the country’s regions, the Independent newspaper reported. It added that the major flooding could last until October 24. Disruptions to UK traffic were expected to continue on rail routes and highways. Last week, the UK weather service declared the highest, red level of danger in Scotland due to the approaching storm. | Sputnik…