Table of contents for 2021-04-28 in Mercury

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SOUTH African stocks closed in the green on Monday buoyed by broad-based gains in banks and grocery stores on the resumption of the Covid-19 vaccination programme. The JSE All Share Index rose 0.41 percent to 67 573 index points, remaining high throughout the day after the government set the date to lift the ban on vaccines. The Sisonke implementation study was suspended earlier this month after some patients in the US developed a unique blood clot, but recent studies have shown this is a one in a million occurrence. Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said that South Africa would resume using the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine today following recommendations from the Cabinet and the health products regulator. Mkhize said that vaccination sites would be…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za ANGLO American said on Monday that spinning off its South African thermal coal assets was part of a journey to reduce its Scope 3 emissions. Chief executive Mark Cutifani said Anglo had come a long way, delivering its 2020 target to reduce its emissions by 22 percent a year earlier. Cutifani said the group’s securing of 100 percent renewable electricity supply across operations in Brazil, Chile and Peru marked another major step, cutting CO2 emissions from those operations by about 70 percent. He said that Anglo’s development of a hydrogen-powered mine haul truck had the potential to remove another major emission source from its footprint. “At the same time, we continue working on reducing our Scope 3 emissions,” Cuttifani said. “Our planned demerger of…

Vernon Mchunu vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za STATISTICS SA revealed a gloomy picture of a nearly 50% spike in the number of businesses that have been thrown into liquidation, a situation blamed squarely on the Covid-19 lockdown. The total number of liquidations increased by 49.0% (71 more cases) in March this year, compared with March last year (before the lockdown), according to figures released this week. While voluntary liquidations rocketed by 61 cases, compulsory liquidations spiked by 10. The total number of liquidations rose by 18.9% in this year’s first quarter, compared with the first quarter of 2020. The hardest hit industries included manufacturing, construction, trade, catering, accommodation, financing, real estate, insurance, business services and social services. The agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing sectors were reported as the least affected. The estimated number of…

Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual who allegedly used the US group’s social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies have announced. The initiative, a first of its kind for both Gucci and Facebook, is the latest example of an internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media. Amazon has filed similar lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo. Gucci and Facebook alleged the unidentified defendant used multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business. Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes and garments have boomed over the past year as the Covid-19 pandemic forced retailers to close stores. Groups like Facebook are…

KEN CRITCHLOW | Kloof About a year ago, there were numerous complaints from customers about the standard of viewing on DStv, mainly the incredible amount of repeated programmes daily. Your newspaper decided they would close the matter. Well, a year down the line nothing has improved. Yes, we do get a new series now and then, but who wants to watch 10 or 12 Bull, Bones or Top Gears week after week? And also now the TV stations have slipped in more and more adverts, particularly with 10 minutes to go on most programmes. It really is time for DStv to improve its service as Covid-19 is keeping more people indoors.…

FAROUK ARAIE | Benoni AS tensions escalate across the world, a major global conflict becomes a grim and deadly reality, and many powerful nations will deploy and use artificial intelligence in their military strategies. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is expanding every day. Self-driving cars, service and cleaning robots are a reality in many parts of the world. Millions of jobs will be lost through automation coupled with artificial intelligence. The prospect of it being used in the realms of future combat and 21st century warfare frightens humanity – when crucial decisions will be made by AI enabled software. The late British physicist Stephen Hawking warned that the emergence of AI could be the “worst event in the history of our civilisation”. Tesla founder, Elon Musk, labelled AI an…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za POORLY performing entities under the Msunduzi Municipality could soon be privatised if the proposal put forward by municipal manager Madoda Khathide is implemented. Khathide has proposed that the municipality should hand over the management of some of these entities to individuals who can run them better and share the profits. These are entities which are not generating much revenue and are a burden to the municipality. He made the proposal during a councillors workshop on Wednesday. “To some councillors privatisation is a ‘swear word’, they were offended and questioned whether Khathide was calling for the privatisation of the city’s assets. The language of the presentation spoke of privatisation,” said a councillor who was in the workshop. The councillor said Khathide had spoken of the crematorium issue; that…

HUGE efforts are being made to salvage material from UCT’s Jagger Library which was burnt when a fire ripped through the university’s campus earlier this month. As part of the #JaggerLibrarySalvage project, UCT and volunteers across the city, including high-school pupils, have been working to retrieve valuable academic resources from the library’s basement in the wake of the devastating fire on April 18. UCT’s Jagger Library was home to the African Studies collection, started in 1953, as well as portions of many other collections: journals, ephemera, manuscripts, film and video, maps and rare antiquarian books. Camps Bay High School spokesperson Carol van der Spuy said the pupils helped with retrieving archival collections from the basement and packaged them. “There was a level of urgency involved, as the basement was ankle-deep…

The Johnson & Johnson Sisonke Programme to vaccinate health-care workers resumes today, the Health Department confirmed. It was paused temporarily after a small percentage (eight out of more than 6 million people) of participants in the US vaccination programme suffered a rare clotting disorder. The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) confirmed that no cases had yet been found in South Africa. “All Sisonke participants need to be informed of the potential risk… therefore re-consent to participating,” the provincial health department said. Vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT, has been recognised as an rare complication of both the AstraZeneca-Oxford and J&J vaccines, the SAMRC said. It presents with new onset severe and unrelenting headache four to 20 days after vaccination. | Mercury Correspondent…

REVELATIONS at the Zondo Commission that its investigators tampered with the affidavit of former public enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba’s estranged wife, Nomachule Mngoma, is a serious cause for concern. It risks affecting the credibility of the final report and recommendations if not attended to. During her testimony on Monday night, Mngoma complained that the commission’s investigators snuck some paragraphs into her affidavit, based on their own investigations and not her version of events. She complained to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that she was made to sign her affidavit under duress, without being allowed to thoroughly read its contents, because evidence leader advocate Paul Pretorius wanted it as soon as possible. Attempts by Mngoma’s lawyer to object to her testimony about the disputed paragraphs were eventually dismissed by Justice Zondo.…

Two Spanish journalists and a man thought to be from Ireland were killed by “terrorists” in Burkina Faso, officials said yesterday, after an anti-poaching patrol was attacked. A senior security source said “the three Westerners were executed”, without specifying who was behind the attack on the patrol, which included soldiers, forest rangers and foreign reporters, in the eastern region of Fada N’Gourma-Pama on Monday. At least three people were injured and one Burkinabe was believed to be among those missing after the attack. The attackers used two pick-up vehicles and 12 motorbikes, according to security sources. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that two Spaniards were killed, naming the two victims. “All our affection for the relatives and friends of David Beriain and Roberto Fraile (de Baracaldo),” he tweeted. Ireland’s…

MOSCOW: The Moscow City Court restricted yesterday’s activities of jailed opposition activist Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, recognised as a foreign agent in Russia) within the framework of the claim to label it as an extremist organisation, a court spokesperson told Sputnik. “On April 27, the judge issued a ruling on implementation of preliminary protection measures in the form of a ban on certain activities of the FBK and the Citizens’ Rights Protection Foundation NGO [also labeled as a foreign agent],” the spokesman said.a…

KABUL: Seven commuters lost their lives and 70 others sustained injuries as two passenger buses collided outside Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesperson Tareq Arian said yesterday. A Kabul-Kandahar bus heading towards Kandahar city collided with a bus coming from the opposite direction in the Arghandi area outside Kabul city, Arian confirmed, without providing more details. This is the second deadly traffic accident in Afghanistan since Thursday. On Thursday, a total of 15 travellers died and eight were injured as a mini-bus and a truck also had a head-on collision in the southern Zabul province.…

HERMAN GIBBS Maritzburg United eased their relegation woes with a fortuitous 1-0 win over Stellenbosch FC in a DStv Premiership action at the Danie Craven Stadium yesterday. In injury-time referee Abongile Tom awarded Maritzburg a dubious penalty after blowing up a player whose hands was behind his back in a goalmouth frenzy. Maritzburg striker Thabiso Kutumela made no mistake from the spot to salvage three valuable match points for the visitors. There was every prospect of a Top 8 berth for Stellenbosch in the event of a victory. Instead, they will remain in 12th place on the latest standings and one point ahead of 13th-placed Maritzburg. There was no shortage of goalscoring opportunities in a goalless first half and most of it were fashioned by Stellenbosch, who ironically enjoyed…

The great football rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria will come to the fore again this evening when two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC host Orlando Pirates in a crucial CAF Confederations Cup Group A match at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, Nigeria. All four Group A teams will be in action today, and mathematically all four teams have a realistic chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. Pirates are the only unbeaten Group A side and head the log with nine points. A win or a draw will secure passage to the next round. A defeat for third-placed Enyimba will spell the end of the road for them. Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya are in second place with seven points. They are up against Entente Setif…

THE V-SHAPED recovery in the US is surprising on the upside, but the recovery, together with massive monetary and fiscal stimulus, is causing concern that inflation is likely to overshoot on the upside. The housing market is particularly worrying. The fall in mortgage rates and the massive turnaround in employment due to the US moving out of the Covid-19 crisis have led to a feeding frenzy in the US housing market. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that homes are selling in record time and the median sale price of existing homes is up by more than 17 percent, while sales of new single-family houses are at the highest levels since March 2006. Although the unemployment rate dropped sharply to 6 percent from 14 percent…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za HUSQVARNA South Africa, a subsidiary of one of the world’s leading manufacturers of forest, park, garden and construction products, plans to contribute to the revitalisation of the economy by appointing local original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for selected products. The company also plans to diversify into quality, affordable products for emerging farmers, newly appointed managing director Pieter Smuts said on Monday. These plans come following signifi- cant growth over the past three years, as well as a few “silver linings” during the coronavirus pandemic. He said while there had been a possibility that business could come to a standstill during the March and April pandemic lockdown last year, Husqvarna benefited from a significant sell-out of its manual and petrol sprayers, which were used for sanitisation and saw…

NTOMBI NKOSI While President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans to exercise their right to vote during the official Freedom Day celebration event in the Free State yesterday, opposition parties took the opportunity to point out that freedom was still a dream for many. Ramaphosa urged South Africans to vote out all those tasked with handling service delivery, but who were stealing much-needed resources. “I call on all South Africans to exercise their rights to vote. Your vote will demonstrate intolerance to corruption, theft, and the mismanagement of funds that are meant to benefit all citizens. If those who claim to serve you are not doing so, vote them out, take them out,” said Ramaphosa. He added that the elections were an opportunity for citizens’ voices to be heard. He reminded…

THINGS I am trying to practise so that I may teach them to my sons: Look behind you when you leave a room. Have you left anything behind that you need and value or anything you don’t – like clothes, dishes, shoes or litter? Take care of the things you need and the things you don’t. Have you said “please” and “thank you” at least three or four times an hour (or more) even if they are random utterances while you are alone? Gratitude is as much a strength to be developed as being able to spell or kick a ball. When you go out into the world of grocery shopping or go to the mall, put on your good-deed lenses. Assist those of advanced age. Unload their groceries. Return…

MALCOM MITCHELL | Hillcrest FINALLY, after decades of “dithering”, the government has, in terms of a Government Gazette, issued regulations protecting the public against malfeasance in the engineering profession. In the same way as within the medical profession – that certain work may only be done by professionally registered medical doctors, and not nurses – so too in the future in the engineering profession certain complex work may only be carried out by professionally registered engineers, and not technologists. This is a great step forwards in protecting the public against charlatans. However, and “here lies the rub”, the government has excluded public servants from these regulations defined to protect the public. A clause has been inserted in the regulations that public servants currently occupying posts which should be…

DEREK BIRD | Hillcrest Having read about the draft budget in the Metro insert, I decided to inter rogate my accounting program which only retains information from the 2016/17 municipal year. I knew that it would be bad news, but I was somewhat surprised to see how bad it was. With the proposed increases in the draft budget, my rates will have increased by a total of 51.67% in the five financial years. Refuse, which is the biggest rip-off of all the so-called services, is almost as bad at 49.62%. I have not considered water and electricity here because the user does have an element of control over consumption (not sufficient to off-set the crippling increases, but slight control nevertheless), so my question to the mayor and councillors…

Max Polyakov, an ultra-wealthy entrepreneur with ambitions of building a space transportation empire, has acquired South African satellite maker Dragonfly Aerospace, he said. The deal gives Polyakov an anchorpoint in the booming but fiercely competitive market for small-satellite technology, and a potential revenue source for rocket maker Firefly Aerospace, which is majority-owned by Polyakov’s Noosphere Ventures investment fund. He declined to disclose the value of the deal earlier this month. “This deal … allows us to bring everything in-house,” Polyakov said. The acquisition comes amid a frenzy of capital infusions and blank-cheque deal-making around a new breed of firms building miniaturised launch systems to cash in on the exponential growth of compact satellites needing a ride to orbit in future years. Texas-based Firefly is seeking to raise up to…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za THE Mercury Hibberdene Children’s Holiday Home is appealing for public assistance to help repair the 81-year-old building. Nishi Naidoo, who is the manager of the seaside holiday home for underprivileged children, said the home’s leaking roof was the issue that needed urgent attention. She said the home had been closed for over a year, and was recently reopened to host children. She said that during rainy weather, water leaked through the ceiling and on to the walls in the children’s dormitory. “When it leaks, it goes into the rooms where the children are sleeping … We are concerned about the safety of the kids because what if there is heavy rainfall, and the kids come here and the place is flooded?” Naidoo said, due to the Covid-19…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za CHURCHES are among the thousands of customers accused of stealing electricity from the Msunduzi Municipality by bypassing their electricity meters. The Mercury has seen a confidential list with thousands of names of the individuals and organisations that have allegedly bypassed their prepaid meters. The list also includes the area they are from and the meter numbers. Another 1 000 traditional meters are bypassed but are not included in the list. The list is part of a study being conducted on issues of theft. The report highlights several churches, court buildings, and mentions areas called “Chiefs Kraal”, believed to be buildings that could be used by traditional leaders, as among those that have bypassed meters. In the past, there have been reports that about 22 000 prepaid meters…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za CIVIC organisation Transform RSA led by Adil Nchabeleng wants the state to act against First Rand Bank and First National Bank (FNB) for allegedly providing banking facilities to JSE-listed EOH despite reports of the company being implicated in alleged acts of corruption. Nchabeleng opened a case of money laundering and corruption against the banks at the Johannesburg Central Police Station yesterday. Nchabeleng was joined by Regy Letswalo of Sanco, Dumisani Thango of Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans, and Tahir Maepa of the Public Service Commercial Union. They went to the police station armed with documents which were presented to the officers who registered the case. Nchabeleng said his organisation took the action following media reports that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) had asked EOH to return R40…

Myanmar’s junta said yesterday it would heed regional pleas to stop violence only when the coup-hit country “returns to stability”, as fresh fighting erupted with a major ethnic rebel group along its eastern border. The nation has been in turmoil since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the February 1 coup, triggering an uprising that has seen security forces mount deadly crackdowns against protesters. The violence – in which more than 750 people have been killed by security forces, according to a local monitoring group – has raised alarm among regional neighbours. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing attended a weekend meeting on the crisis with the leaders of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – his first overseas trip since he seized power.…

Human Rights Watch said yesterday that Israel was committing the crime of “apartheid” by seeking to maintain Jewish “domination” over Palestinians and its own Arab population, an explosive allegation Israel firmly rejected. Currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, Israel blasted HRW’s accusations as “preposterous and false”, accusing the New York-based group of having “a long-standing anti-Israeli agenda”. Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said he hoped the report might lead the international community to hold Israel “accountable for its crimes”. The 213-page report finds that the Israeli government is the “single authority” with primary control “over the area between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea”. That area includes the occupied West Bank, the blockaded Gaza Strip, annexed east Jerusalem as well as all the…

AMSTERDAM: Gaffes during Covid-19 lockdowns have badly dented the popularity of the Dutch king, a study said yesterday, as the Netherlands held a public holiday marking the monarch’s birthday. Confidence in King Willem-Alexander dove to 57%, from 76% in April last year, the Ipsos poll said as many Dutch donned orange to celebrate King’s Day. “Last year, King’s Day celebrations were cancelled at the last minute because of the outbreak of the coronavirus,” said the 37-page report, commissioned by the NOS public broadcaster. The king then made a televised speech “in which he spoke about the crisis, the uncertainty and the isolation that goes with it. “The speech had a positive reception”. “But a lot has happened in the meantime. Several times last year the king involved himself in controversy,”…

Lagos: The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has started an investigation into the reported killing of Nigerian soldiers in airstrikes in Borno State in northern Nigeria. More than 20 soldiers were allegedly killed when a NAF fighter jet, responding to attacks on a military camp by Boko Haram insurgents, bombed the camp based on a wrong co-ordinate. Scores of insurgents had attacked the military camp in Mainok during which over seven soldiers, including an officer, lost their lives. The NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, was quoted as saying that the incident was under investigation. | APA…

MIHLALI BALEKA KAIZER Chiefs ended Mamelodi Sundowns’ 21-game unbeaten run this season during their 50th meeting in the Premiership on Sunday, but both teams will be equally desperate for wins when they clash with Chippa United and Golden Arrows respectively today. After smashing Chiefs’ record of 20 games unbeaten in a league season, Sundowns looked invincible heading into the last nine games of the season. But that was before they welcomed Chiefs to Pretoria on Sunday. Not only did they choke in the last 20 minutes of the game, after Gaston Sirino’s strike late in the first half had put them ahead, but they also lost for the first time in the league game this season, keeping the lead between them and second-placed AmaZulu to three points. Sundowns will…

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za THE BIDVEST Group has signed an agreement with National Aviation Services (NAS), Colossal Africa and a consortium consisting of the current executive team to acquire its business BidAir Services for an undisclosed amount. BidAir is the country’s largest ground handling company and its acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, as well as permission from the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa), which manages South African airports. NAS chief executive Hassan El-Houry said NAS prides itself on its global expertise and local knowledge. “We believe that the success of the aviation industry in Africa is tied to its economic prosperity and have made significant investments into the industry across the continent. “We look forward to adding BidAir Services, the largest South African ground handling company to our expanding…

Starting a fitness routine is a tough and overwhelming choice. Especially if you are a beginner and can barely differentiate between a bench press and a cross trainer, let alone know what goals you can achieve with either. If you want to see the change in your body and are ready to make serious changes to your lifestyle while stuck at home again, Niraj Puran Rao, fitness icon, shares some cardinal rules to help your fitness expedition take off today: Self-commitment You need to understand that this is a process that will require full commitment at your end. You need to be ready for taking on this challenge since fitness is all about finding the perfect balance. It will be difficult to reach your desired goals with a lack of…

Vernon Mchunu vernon.mchunu@inl.co.za EMBATTLED Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe has accused the judiciary of being soaked in politics, battling to deal with transformation, and allowing apartheid-era judges to dominate the narrative. In a scathing criticism of the judiciary, Judge Hlophe described the country’s law as a “white man’s law” imposed by colonialists and an infusion of English heritage and the Roman-Dutch law, which rendered it incapable of delivering justice for the common man. Judge Hlophe made the damning assessment of South Africa’s judicial system in a lecture he delivered on invitation by the University of South Africa’s Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law on Monday. “South African judges are already steeped in politics, although they often deny this,” said Judge Hlophe, who faces an uncertain future pending a…

TIN PAN Alley meets traditional Zulu … Alliance Francaise was jampacked last Saturday evening for a lively and totally absorbing session of traditional Zulu songs set to the instrumentation and zing of jazz and pop music. It works. So wound up were the audience that they took to the floor in numbers, adding another dimension of gyrating bodies. On stage were Amahambayo, a foursome who are committed to preserving Zulu folk music by fusing it with modern jazz and pop techniques. The four are Frankie Buthelezi (vocals), Nhlanhla Zondi (vocals and guitar), Barry Clausen (bass) and Oudskul (percussion). They just about brought the house down. Durban-based, they have been playing together for a few years now in various parts of the province. The distinct ethnic style of this music surely…

MUHAMMAD OMAR | Durban North FORMER President Mandela served a term of incarceration for 27 years before his release in 1990. Strangely, after his release, his first passport had only a one-year validity. In any case, Madiba would have needed a passport given his international travel, so the pages would have filled up pretty fast and, probably, with more destinations than the entire South African Cabinet prior to his release. The elections that made Madiba president were held on April 27, 1994. The year 2021 marks 27 years since the eventful elections so, it was 27 years for Madiba, April 27, and 27 years for SA’s democracy. SA is a more prosperous place than 1994. Better roads in the townships, bigger freeways and bridges (we are still waiting…

KEVIN GOVENDER | Shallcross I CANNOT imagine an Indian household without the ubiquitous “jam” tomatoes and cooking oil. There have been acute shortages of these two essentials leading to price hikes – tomatoes, due to inclement weather affecting crops, resulting in poor yields; and the shortage of the premium brand Helios sunflower cooking oil, due to a shortage possibly spurred on by shipping delays of imported crude sunflower oil. Helios is made up of 100% sunflower oil, filled with omega 6 and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Just a month ago, good quality, firm “jams” were selling at 3kg for R20, now you won’t even get a kilo for that price! When in abundance, clever housewives are known to buy in bulk, liquidise and pour the pureed fresh tomatoes into…

Nonhlanhla Hlatshwayo nozizwe.hlatshwayo@inl.co.za The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has condemned the recent apparent hate crimes targeted at people in the LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer) community. Six people from the LGBTQI+ community have been killed across the country in suspected hate crimes in recent months. This includes the murder of Sphamandla Khoza of Ntuzuma, who was allegedly killed, because he was gay, by someone from his neighbourhood. The commission said there were three bills before Parliament which aimed to assist in the battle against gender-based violence (GBV). “The Gender Commission is also cognisant of the fact that the adoption of the three Bills on GBV before Parliament cannot eradicate hate crimes and GBV. However, a clear implementation strategy is needed. This will ensure that all role…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za The KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) department has been called on to conduct an investigation into the incorrect and unfair billing practices of municipalities in the province. The request was made by the DA, who wrote to the department urging it to implement a provincial strategy that would protect residents and ensure that municipalities have functional and fair revenue management systems. The party said they ran a survey of over 770 respondents from across the province as part of an ongoing probe into the state of local government. Chris Pappas, DA KZN spokesperson on Cogta, said the assessment identified billing as a key challenge, with most municipalities failing to provide an adequate and fair billing service to residents. According to the party, about 47% of…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za THE leader of the Zulu regiments that shot to fame in March while accompanying the body of King Goodwill Zwelithini to its secret burial place, has dismissed reports that they have been co-opted to guard Jacob Zuma’s home in Nkandla. The leader of the regiments, Mlandeli “Mgilija” Nhleko, has dismissed rumours that they would soon be trekking to Nkandla in northern KZN to fortify Zuma’s home to prevent his looming arrest because of his defiance of the Constitutional Court. The rumour that the famed Zulu regiments would join uMkhonto weSizwe veterans and others in guarding Zuma’s home was started late last month by Andile Hlatswayo, the leader of the Ubumbano Lokuthula movement. Hlatswayo’s movement caught the public’s attention early last year when it engaged in violent protests…

China has clear path mapped ahead to reduce emissions and articulates 6-point initiative On April 22 President Xi Jinping was invited to attend the Leaders Summit on Climate and he delivered an important speech. He called on the international community to address together the challenges in global environmental governance with unprecedented ambition and action, and to jointly foster a community of life for man and Nature. This has provided a clear direction for advancing global climate governance. China has proposed a systemic solution to address global climate change. President Xi put forward at the summit a six-point initiative: u We must be committed to harmony between man and Nature. It is important to respect and protect Nature and follow its laws and to foster a new relationship where man and…

A Turkish woman who shot dead her husband after years of violent abuse has been freed by a court that ruled that she was acting in self-defence. The verdict in the Mediterranean port city of Antalya delivered a rare victory for women’s rights organisations in Turkey. It came one month after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan provoked international outraged by withdrawing Turkey from a convention aimed at combating gender-based violence and femicide. Melek Ipek was mobbed by her two sobbing daughters as she walked out of the court room after a judge ruled that she had the right to protect herself against constant torture. The 31-year-old was arrested in January with bruises and wounds to her face. She testified in court that her husband routinely handcuffed her and beat her for…

A Dutch appeals court has upheld a decision to fine a Netherlands-based company for issuing bonds to Mozambique linked to a $2 billion (about R28.7bn) loan scandal that plunged the country into financial crisis. Dutch financial regulator De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) in 2018 charged TMF Management B.V. with “serious” violations of trust and fined the company €594 000 (about R10.3 million) for its involvement in Mozambique’s 2013-2014 “hidden debt scandal”. TMF took the case to a Dutch appeals tribunal for business, which upheld a 10% lower fine on Monday. “The appellant’s argument that DNB was not reasonably able to impose an administrative fine for violation of the sanctions regulations failed,” the court ruling said. Mozambique in 2013 and 2014 secretly borrowed $2bn from global investors to finance a tuna-fishing…

WASHINGTON: More than 5 million Americans, or nearly 8 percent of those who received the first jab of their Covid-19 vaccine, have missed their scheduled second dose, US media reported. The number of those skipping their important second dose has increased from about 3.4 percent last month, more than double the rate among people who got inoculated in the first several weeks of the nationwide vaccination campaign, CNN reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The inoculation of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines requires people to return for a second shot three or four weeks after the first dose to be fully effective.…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za ONLY four men have won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the same Olympic Games – Jesse Owens (1936), Bobby Morrow (1956), Carl Lewis (1984) and Usain Bolt (2008, 2012 and 2016). But there is a South African who could join that illustrious group at the Tokyo Olympics later this year: Akani Simbine. The 27-year-old sprinter is one of the main medal contenders for the 100m, where he will look to go a few steps further than at Rio 2016, where he ended fifth in 9.94 seconds. His recent wind-assisted time of 9.82 at the national championships may not have gone into the record books, but he said at the time that it has given him extra confidence as the “time is in the legs”. As…

Mike Greenaway IT is fait accompli that Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi will join former Stormers teammate Siya Kolisi at the Sharks following the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa later this year but the Sharks are still on the hunt for a quality tighthead prop to back up Thomas du Toit. They were in the market for Mbonambi’s sidekick at the Stormers and Boks, Frans Malherbe, but the latter has chosen to keep his colours pinned to the mast of the Cape franchise. In the meantime, the Sharks have loaned Wiehahn Herbst from the Lions for the duration of Rainbow Cup SA. The 32-year-old Herbst spent his formative years at the Sharks before moving to Ulster for a five-year stretch and then returned to South Africa in late…

UFC president Dana White gave African fans, fighters and media a splash of joy on Sunday. Following a successful UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida which saw Nigerian-born Kamaru Usman defend his welterweight title in fine style after knocking out Jorge Masvidal in the second round of the main event, the Ultimate Fighting Championship boss confirmed that the billion-dollar mixed martial arts machine plans on making its way to the motherland next year. When asked if UFC Africa is a strong possibility now, the UFC president responded: “22 (2022), yeah,” during the UFC 261 post-fight press conference. The calls for a first UFC Africa event have increased over time and fighters from different countries have shown their support. With the UFC having three African champions - Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya…