Table of contents for 2022-10-25 in Mercury

ALTRON Group lifted headline earnings per share 242% to 41 cents in the six months to August 31, after the technology group’s operations performed well, with all of them becoming profitable, in a challenging environment. New chief executive Werner Kapp said in a presentation yesterday that although it was difficult to make a forecast for the second half, after having only been in office for 15 days, all the businesses were performing well, barring “one or two” facing short-term problems, and he and the management of these entities were “rolling up our sleeves” to deal with problems. The group’s directors said in a statement that “a solid second half” and further strengthening of the balance sheet was expected, in spite of ongoing challenges facing the industry, including a…

AS the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education gets ready to announce the state of readiness for the 2022 matric exams, some education stakeholders have expressed doubts over the prospects of trouble-free exams. Education MEC Mbali Frazer is expected to address a media briefing this afternoon, and there are already questions as to whether she will deal with the problem of load shedding. The National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) said they were concerned about the department’s ability to deliver smooth exams. NASGB KZN secretary Bongumusa Mnguni said they were worried about the effect of power outages, in the preparations for and execution of the exams. “Pupils need to study after hours and during the evenings. When considering the different stages of load shedding we have experienced recently, it shows…

Ultimatums seldom achieve desired goals in intimate relationships and in families. Drawing a line in the sand with a spouse or a teenage son or daughter (or a troublesome-in-law) sets up the one declaring the ultimatum with an illusion of power – power that is almost certain to backfire. “This, or else”, declared, faces the other party within the conflict with a challenge and, therefore with equal power. An ultimatum is a platform, at best, for a power struggle, and, at worst, a beginning of the end, or the end of the relationship. He or she who declares an ultimatum had better be ready to act upon it, had better be willing to face the reality of the other party being unwilling to comply and make the “or else” choice.…

In most of the world’s successful democracies, coalition governments are the rule rather than the exception. And while they can and do work, this does not seem to apply in KwaZulu- Natal, with the problem traced back to political parties. The potential for instability at municipal, provincial and national governments level will always exist, for as long as there are unscrupulous and unprincipled political parties that exist purely for positions and money, rather than to serve the people. Then there is the fact that if a party is built solely around a person or personality – rather than values and principles – then that party’s seats and votes will always be up for sale to the highest bidder. By the same token, parties without internal democracy and where any individual…

A 49-year-old man who has been suffering from severe abdominal pain on and off for decades has been diagnosed with the extremely rare Dunbar syndrome, also known as median arcuate ligament syndrome. Netcare Sunward Park Hospital said Peter Erasmus, who suffers from several other conditions, was recently diagnosed and immediately felt relief after undergoing minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. The hospital in Boksburg, Gauteng, said the syndrome affects the main artery supplying the upper part of the abdomen. The celiac artery normally feeds blood supply through the area, but with Dunbar syndrome it is compressed by the diaphragm. This can cause long-term chronic stomach pain and general discomfort. Dr Keona Lakey, a general surgeon trained in minimally invasive surgery and practising at Netcare Sunward Park, said the condition was exceptionally rare,…

PLANS by the eThekwini Municipality to reduce its reliance on Eskom for energy supply are reportedly at an advanced stage. The municipality tabled a report before the Executive Committee last week calling on the city to host an Energy Transformation Summit, adding that the city’s own plans to procure 400 megawatts from suppliers other than Eskom were moving apace. The report said Durban was already at an advanced stage in its efforts to secure a ministerial determination to procure 400mg of alternative energy from independent power producers (IPPs). It did not detail the steps taken so far and what remains to be done. The report said the municipality, through its energy office, was planning to host the eThekwini Energy Transformation Summit, a three-day event that would cost the municipality R2.8…

The country’s fight to put an end to corruption will not produce the desired results if the government does not prioritise the protection of whistle-blowers. There is no doubt the state’s inability to protect whistle-blowers has silenced those who want to speak out against the scourge of corruption. The continued murder and silencing of these men and women is a serious threat to the country’s democracy. Speaking at the Union Buildings on Sunday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa commended whistle-blowers and the role they played as witnesses in the state capture inquiry. He also emphasised the importance of protecting these individuals in the fight against corruption. However, in his speech there was little detail on what the government and law enforcement agencies are going to do to make them feel safe…

Stockholm: A Swedish zoo has been partially shut down after a king cobra escaped from its enclosure at the weekend, with staff yesterday still searching for the venomous vagrant. The snake, named Sir Vas (Sir Hiss), escaped on Saturday via a lamp fixture in a terrarium and was believed to be in an inner ceiling. He had only been brought to the zoo a few days earlier. The snake has now been renamed Houdini after the famed escape artist. Staff have spread out flour to try to track the slithery fugitive, sticky traps and special cameras designed to inspect sewage pipes in serach of the reptile. A visitor managed to capture the escape on video. King cobras are the world’s longest venomous snake. | AFP…

The EU is aiming to clinch deals on three new laws to fight climate change in time for the annual UN climate negotiations next month, in a bid to boost its political clout at the talks. Nearly 200 countries agreed at last year’s UN COP26 negotiations to upgrade their climate pledges by this year’s summit, to bridge the gap between their current plans and the far faster reduction in greenhouse gas emissions needed to avert disastrous climate change. But two weeks away from the COP27 summit in Egypt, only two dozen countries have done so and the 27-country EU was still to decide whether to raise its own target. Meanwhile, the EU has agreed to speed up negotiations on three emissions-cutting laws, so it can arrive at the UN summit…

Prague: Czech conductor Libor Pesek, who led the Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a decade, has died at age 89, the Czech culture minister said Monday. “One of the most prominent Czech conductors, Libor Pesek, has died,” the minister, Martin Baxa, said on Twitter. Pesek, who was born in Prague in 1933, was the head conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from 1987 to 1997. He also led orchestras in the Netherlands and was a conductor-in-residence of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. | AFP…

GLOBAL grains and oilseeds prices are unlikely to return to the pre-Covid-19 and pre-war levels anytime soon due to current production levels, according to Agricultural Business Chamber chief economist Wandile Sihlobo. Overall, the 2022/23 global grain and oilseed season presented an encouraging picture of supplies. “Still, the price moves of the commodities will likely differ in the coming months because of the variations in the production levels compared with the 2021/22 season. “The current forecasts will probably be sufficient to provide relief from the levels the prices were at in the weeks after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war,” Sihlobo said. Agbiz said as the 2022/23 summer crop season began in the southern hemisphere, the grains and oilseeds production estimates released by the International Grains Council (IGC) and the US…

ETHEKWINI Municipality urgently needs a new and reliable water supply source or residents will face a steep increase in water prices that will see their water bill double in the next 10 years. Head of Water and Sanitation in eThekwini, Ednick Msweli, said the city was implementing many measures to ensure a reliable supply of water that could stave off any steep increase in water prices in the future. The state of the city’s water security is a concern at a time when other cities such as Johannesburg and Gqeberha have also been dealing with serious water challenges in recent months. In an interview with The Mercury, Msweli said the city either needed to have a new dam in place by 2030 or would have to implement a desalination programme…

A proposal to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 would be “meaningless” without a huge boost to staffing and budgets, researchers have said, warning of chronic shortages of rangers in the world’s most precious ecosystems. Governments around the world are locked in negotiations over how to keep animals and plants safe from human destruction, as scientists warn the world is potentially facing its sixth mass extinction event. Healthy ecosystems are also essential for sustaining human habitats and the fight against global warming. The goal to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans is one of the key targets of UN biodiversity talks, due to wrap up in December in Canada, known as “30 by 30”. But a new study by experts from wildlife organisations including the International Union…

Your lead article, “City councillors, staff, dodging bills,” (The Mercury, October 21) begs a response. It seems that councillors and staff who are in arrears with their municipal accounts are given special privileges. One owes R488 000. An exco member comments that each case must be treated on its merits to rule out the possibility of incorrect billing. This attitude by some city leaders makes me seethe with anger. Why are ratepayers treated differently? I submitted a motion to council to reconsider the billing system because many customers are complaining that their bills are calculated incorrectly. I went so far as to call the bills fake. The administration is dragging its feet on a matter that potentially affects every citizen, yet is quick to protect a few councillors and staff.…

It is disappointing to note that Thyagaraj Markandan, whose contributions to these columns are invariably well-informed, appears to have been drawn into the false narrative that belching bovines are contributing to global warming (The Mercury, October 20). While climate change is a natural, historical reality, global warming is a false narrative challenged by the fact that temperatures over the past 60 years have been consistent and that none of the dire predictions of rising ocean levels has occurred. Regarding the emission of CH4 (methane gas) by cattle, Professor Frank Mitloehner of the University of California stated in the International Livestock Research Institute’s September 2020 edition that the effect of those emissions is overstated. He points out that while the UN’s Global Carbon Project claims an average of 558 tons of…

UGU District Municipality will fork out millions of rand in back-pay compensation to staff members it dismissed three years ago after the workers were reinstated following an agreement between the municipality and the labour union. A total of 119 workers in the Water Unit are going back to work on November 1 following the agreement between the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the South Coast municipality. The agreement stipulated that the workers would be paid a back-pay of 12 months and there were ongoing negotiations regarding how the issue of their pension would be settled. The agreement is set to be concluded by council on Thursday during a meeting. While some councillors have claimed the back-pay alone could be a minimum of R34 million, the municipality and the unions…

SOUTH Africa’s Sector Education Training Authorities (Setas) collectively control billions of rand. Some are doing a great job. Others are pathetic, squandering millions without showing much to email home about. One of Africa’s education and training routes is driven by the UN Environmental Programme through its Africa Environmental Education and Training Action Plan 2015-2024, aimed at strengthening sustainable development on the continent. While the jury is out on how the plan is proceeding, one has yet to understand how Setas are positively transforming the skills landscape for the better in South Africa. Yet, they have an opportunity to bring about dramatic change, per the government’s wishes, via Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s key champion in this regard. And there are lessons for the…

Elected for the first time to parliament in 2015, Rishi Sunak is set to become Britain’s youngest prime minister in more than 200 years, tasked with steering the country through an economic crisis and mounting anger among some voters. It is a remarkable return for Sunak who lost a leadership bid to Liz Truss less than two months ago when he was accused by some in the Conservative Party of bringing down their hero, Boris Johnson. One of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster, he enters Downing Street facing a need to make deep public spending cuts to stem a fiscal crisis, as well as tackling a cost-of-living crunch, a winter of strikes and Russia’s war in Ukraine. His backers say the former finance minister is a safe pair of hands…

Western countries accused Russia yesterday of plotting to use a threat of a bomb laced with nuclear material as a pretext for escalation in Ukraine, as Moscow evacuated civilians from a southern city in anticipation of a major battle. With Ukrainian forces advancing into Russian-occupied Kherson province, Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu phoned Western counterparts on Sunday to tell them Moscow suspected Kyiv of planning to use a so-called “dirty bomb”. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and the US said they had all rejected the allegations and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine against Russia. “Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory,” they said. “The world would see…

LOS ANGELES: Opening arguments are set to be made in the Los Angeles rape trial of Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer who became the face of #MeToo allegations five years ago. Weinstein, 70, is serving a 23-year sentence for sex crimes in New York. In Los Angeles, he is facing 11 charges of rape and sexual assault involving five women in the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area between 2004 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty. Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary film-maker, actor and wife of California governor Gavin Newsom, is one of Weinstein’s accusers in the California case. She is expected to testify that Weinstein sexually assaulted her during what she thought was going to be a business meeting. The identities of the other accusers are being kept…

With less than a month to go to the World Cup in Qatar, Independent Media will begin the build-up for the showpiece with daily features The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has raised an unprecedented number of questions among fans over issues ranging from whether they will be able to drink alcohol, hold hands with a partner or even just getting into the Islamic Gulf state. Here is a guide on rules and customs in Qatar for fans at the tournament between November 20 and December 18 ENTRY Qatar is expecting at least one million people to visit during the World Cup and has said that only people with a Hayya fan pass and a match ticket can enter the country. Each ticket holder can invite three people but they…

Cape Town City will be eager to return to winning ways in the DStv Premiership when they host the fast-improving Chippa United at DHL Stadium tonight. After enduring the heart-break of crashing out of the CAF Champions League preliminary qualifiers, City returned to local football last Wednesday night. But their misery continued there as well as they were beaten 1-0 by rookies Richards Bay to remain rooted in 14th place on the league standings. As if things couldn’t get worse, they’ll host the red-hot Chippa knowing that victory is not guaranteed. The Chilli Boys are currently enjoying a purple patch under administrator-turned coach Morgan Mammila, who’s won four games on the bounce. However, the Citizens cannot go into the game thinking that they’ll face a mammoth task, they should strive…

ACTIONSA leader Herman Mashaba has come out in support of former president Jacob Zuma’s claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa is corrupt. On his Twitter account, Mashaba shared a one-and-a-half-minute clip taken from Zuma’s weekend media briefing, saying it was the first time that he agreed with the former ANC leader. “Life is sometimes a very interesting journey. I never thought a day would come where Jacob Zuma and I agree on any matter. On this Phala Phala, we are exactly on the same page,” said Mashaba. According to Zuma, Ramaphosa is guilty of treason because he used his executive powers to suspend a Chapter 9 institution leader because she was investigating him. This was in reference to the Western Cape High Court finding that Ramaphosa’s suspension of advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane…

HEY, where do we track down this David Muller guy? It seems he’s touring the schools of the Midlands with his show, Oom Schalk from the Heart, based on the writings about the Groot Marico by Herman Charles Bosman. He put on a one-night show for adults last week at the Old Mushroom Farm, in the Karkloof, which my pals and I unfortunately missed, and I guess he’s now gone back to the kids. But he’s a must for the St Clement’s arts soirée one of these days. I’ll buy him a mampoer. We Bosman fans are delighted that somebody has at last taken up the portrayal of Bosman that was so brilliantly done for so many years by Patrick Mynhardt. Bosman wrote mainly in the words of Oom Schalk…

It is ironic that a nation that once virtually ruled the world is unable to elect a competent prime minister. The Conservative Party of Harold MacMillan is a pale shadow of what it was. The blunderer, Liz Truss, is a true reflection of what the Tories stand for. They elected a leader whose knowledge of geography and the cost of nuclear war is shocking. The only leader who can restore civility and stability in the Tory party is Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons. She is a hugely inspirational leader who can lead the UK, with openness, strength and creativity. As an MP, she has the sharpest of brains, the most lively conscience and the deepest compassion for humanity. She has the capacity and capability to transform…

The British are known for their good drama. But there’s nothing to beat the live drama now playing at Westminster Palace. With an all-star cast, it is gripping drama which will keep you riveted to the TV, the best H rivalling Hollywood has to offer. There’s the splendid performance by former PM Boris Johnson in the lead role with his female counterpart Liz Truss making a dramatic but fleeting appearance. They are supported by Rishi Sunak and a brief appearance by chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng who caused economic turmoil making the pound plummet against the dollar and was replaced after just 10 days by Jeremy Hunt. British politics was reeling and lurching in disarray. The British press couldn’t have had it better. They were making fun of Truss’s role as prime…

THE eThekwini Municipality has detailed the progress made in the building of the KwaMashu Bridge City Urban Hub, revealing that sites have been acquired for construction – including the building of a light industrial precinct. Several sites have been acquired for the purpose to develop several things, including an office precinct that could be used by government departments, the development of a light industrial park and social housing. The city’s plan is for the “Bridge City Town Centre” to become the regional hub of the greater INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) area, creating easy access to public transport for its residents. In a report tabled before the Economic Development Committee recently, on the progress made in relation to the development of the hub, it revealed that several sites have been acquired…

ACCUSED child rapist and killer Moehydien Pangaerker faces multiple life sentences as judgment got under way at the Western Cape High Court yesterday. He is accused of the murder of Tazne van Wyk, 8, after he had allegedly lured the girl from her Clare Street home at Connaught Estate before disappearing with her on February 7, 2020. Her body, with her left hand sawed off, was found in a stormwater pipe near Worcester on the N1 after Pangaerker showed police to the site. Added to the criminal charges, the State had built up a prima facie case against Pangaerker where he faced 27 criminal charges, including 11 counts of rape, murder, three counts of common assault, three counts of sexual assault, two counts of kidnapping, incest and desecrating a corpse…

Douala: Nine hostages, including five Catholic priests and a nun, have been freed more than a month after they were seized in violence-torn anglophone Cameroon, the church said yesterday. “With great joy, I announce the release of the nine people who had been abducted,” Bishop Aloysius Abangalo Fondong of Mamfe diocese said. The six clergy were kidnapped along with three worshippers on September 17 during an attack by unidentified armed men on St Mary’s church in Nchang in the Southwest Region. The nine were freed on Saturday, the church said, giving no details about the identity of the kidnappers or the conditions involved. | AFP…

Bangladesh authorities were evacuating hundreds of thousands of people yesterday from the path of a cyclone heading for the densely populated, low-lying country. About 33 000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, controversially relocated from mainland camps to a storm-prone island in the Bay of Bengal, were also advised to remain indoors. Scientists say climate change is likely making cyclones more intense and frequent, and Bangladesh is already rated by the UN and civil society groups as one of the countries most affected by extreme weather events since the turn of the century. Cyclone Sitrang, packing gusts of 88km/h, was forecast to make landfall near the southern Bangladeshi town of Khepupara by this morning, the weather office said. Most worrying for authorities was the predicted storm surge of up to three metres…

Negotiators from the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebel authorities were yesterday readying for peace talks in South Africa aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the country’s brutal two-year war. The AU-led negotiations have been flagged to start yesterday, after a surge in fighting in the north of Ethiopia in recent weeks that has triggered alarm in the international community. Kindeya Gebrehiwot, a spokesperson for the rebel authorities in Tigray, announced their delegation’s arrival in South Africa on Twitter on Sunday. “Pressing: immediate cessation of hostilities, unfettered humanitarian access & withdrawal of Eritrean forces. There can’t be a military solution!” Addis Ababa said its delegation had left for South Africa yesterday morning: “The government of Ethiopia views the talks as an opportunity to peacefully resolve the conflict.” But it also…

It was about a year ago that the Sharks and Bulls found out at the 11th hour that their matches against Welsh and Irish teams had been unilaterally called off by their visitors, hence the deja vu I experienced on Friday when the news exploded that Ulster and Glasgow were non-starters for their games at Kings Park and Ellis Park, respectively. It was the sudden diagnosis by (ironically) a South African scientist of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 that had the tourists pushing the panic buttons back then. The haste with which Munster and Cardiff headed for the airports was indecent and when they, in fact, could not leave because they had positive cases, they reacted as if they had been plunged into purgatory. Some of the Cardiff players,…

Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu were heavily criticised for appointing unknown European-born coaches Jose Riveiro and Romain Folz this season. But the duo has achieved the improbable, leading their respective sides to the MTN8 final that will be held at Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 5. Both teams are high in confidence as they believe they can reach the promised land by winning the 2022 Wafa Wafa competition and that wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Riveiro and Folz‘s exploits in the second leg semi-finals at the weekend. Riveiro and Folz proved they have ample tactical prowess as they engineered their team’s wins over champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs. Pirates beat Downs 3-0 on aggregate on Saturday after winning with that scoreline, thanks to a Monnapule Saleng inspired performance,…