Table of contents for 2022-10-27 in Mercury

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) says it will continue to hold discussions with the government over its call for the relocation of the Mooi River Toll Plaza to a safer spot on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal. The lobby group has cited the safety of drivers and goods carried by trucks as the primary reason behind the call, warning that failure to act promptly could have dire implications for the supply of food across the country. CGCSA is an industry association that represents retail and manufacturing member companies in the sector, such as retail giant Pick n Pay. The toll plaza is a few metres away from Bruntville township in Mooi River, and some road users have cited this proximity to the settlement as the reason for…

The US Embassy has warned of a possible terror attack in Sandton this weekend. “The US government has received information that terrorists may be planning to conduct an attack targeting large gatherings of people at an unspecified location in the greater Sandton area of Johannesburg, South Africa, on 29 October 2022,” the Embassy said in an alert on its website yesterday. The embassy added that it had no further information about the timing, method or target of the potential attack. “The US Embassy has advised staff to avoid crowds of people and other large public gatherings in the greater Sandton area of Johannesburg during the weekend of 29-30 October 2022.” Police Minister Bheki Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, said the police would not comment on the matter. Speaking to the SABC,…

By electing Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader and next UK prime minister, the Tories have virtually signed their own death warrant for the next general elections in the UK. The British public are very unpredictable people; unlike the South African voters, they do not just vote for a party, they vote for the person in charge. At the last general elections Boris Johnson won over the British public, with his candid, down-to-earth speeches. Seats previously held since the 1930s by the Labour Party, fell to the Tories. Boris was not stupid, he knew some of these seats were only loaned, as he said in his speech. If the party did not perform, they would lose them again, which they have. The British public did not vote for Liz Truss…

The cartoon in The Mercury on Tuesday hit the nail on the head, with each past president blaming their successor for all the ills in the country. While Cyril Ramaphosa has failed somewhat, all his predecessors have also contributed to the downfall of this country. All their failures have just been passed on from one president to another while accumulating more problems. Now we have each one blaming the other. Just goes to show how divided the ANC is and this, of course, means the government and its leadership, the result being a rudderless ship – going nowhere – with the bilge pumps taking in water. When it comes to Eskom, all past presidents are to blame for the current state of Eskom. With Jacob Zuma now wanting to get…

MEDICAL graduates from Mpumalanga have accused the government in the province of plunging them into debt and deserting them after they trained for years in a foreign country. The medical graduates who received their training in Russia said months after completing their training and returning home, they were sitting at home with no indication when they would be placed in jobs by the provincial government. According to one of the affected graduates, there are 49 graduates who are in limbo and it is a similar case in other provinces. They were trained under the bursary scheme that sends underprivileged but gifted pupils to train as doctors. Some of these pupils were sent to train in Cuba. The SA Medical Association confirmed it was aware of the plight of the students…

Public trust in national and local government is declining, with the failure of infrastructure and systems leading to increasing disengagement. Experts on governance say the decreasing trust levels can be reversed through improved service delivery, but there is an overwhelming feeling that services are collapsing. Bongani Qwabe, a local government expert from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said service delivery in terms of good governance had failed post-1994. “There are many loopholes that should have been identified and addressed by now and we should have seen positive developments. Infrastructure is failing. If you look at Eskom, the issues with the Transport Department’s driver’s licence card printing machine, and major problems with water infrastructure. There must always be a plan that looks at the growing population and whether the infrastructure that is…

A skills audit has found some staff members in eThekwini Municipality are highly educated and are over-qualified for the positions they hold. The skills audit was conducted by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), which looked at the skills of the city’s 26 000-strong workforce as well as the councillors. The audit was done for staff and councillors in municipalities across the province. In terms of education, the report found that of the city’s 26 000 workers, 34% had a matric, 16.5% had general education (Grade 1-9), 15.2% further education (Grade 10-11), 12.9 had a national certificate, 10% had a national diploma and 8.4% a degree. Of those with tertiary qualifications, 1.3% had an Honours, 1.1% had Masters and 0.1% had obtained a doctorate as the…

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) is set to return in 2023 after a three-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In a statement, the organisers said the festival would continue with its 21st anniversary celebrations that were postponed in 2020, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, on March 17 and 18, 2023. Artist Judith Sephuma said she was excited to be a part of the line-up. “The Cape Town International Jazz Festival holds a special place in my heart. I performed at the very first one and am happy to be at this, the 21st event, to share my music again. “There has been a definite gap in the music festival calendar these past couple of years, so I am delighted it is back, and it promises…

AJ Davies, in his 1995 book, We, the Nation: The Conservative Party and the Pursuit of Power, titles the chapter on the Conservative Party and its handling of the UK economy as “The economy is safe in our hands”. After 42 bumpy days in office, former UK prime minister, Liz Truss, has shattered that reputation for the Tories. Britain’s first woman prime minister must be turning in her grave. In fact, according to Davies, it was due to the internal divisions that dominated the party after Margaret Thatcher’s unceremonious dethroning and the view that the UK economy was fast beginning to look unsafe in Conservative hands under John Major that New Labour could trounce the Tories to victory in the general elections of 1997. Little wonder the Tories fear a…

THE MEDIA have privileged access to the finance minister as well as Treasury officials during the lock-up, while the minister is joined by the director-general of Treasury, the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank and the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. Questions related to Eskom dominated the media briefing as journalists wanted to know why the resolution had been delayed to the February 2023 Budget, what was the quantum of relief that the Treasury would provide and would it be one lump sum or spread over several years. The reason for the delay was that there were several stakeholders involved with an army of lawyers and accountants wanting to make sure that their clients’ interests were protected so that Eskom bond holders would not lose out. The…

Opposition political parties yesterday criticised Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as a mixed bag, saying it had provided more bailouts but failed to give precise details on the plans to fix ailing state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Godongwana said government would take over a significant portion of Eskom’s R400 billion debt to ensure Eskom’s long-term financial viability, however, no further details on the plan were discussed. “The debt takeover, once finalised, together with other reforms will ensure that Eskom is financially sustainable,” said Godongwana. He also announced that the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grants would be extended until March 2024. Tabling his adjustment appropriation bill, Godongwana also said R13bn in spending adjustments were made. These included the R389m for Welizizwe Rural bridges, R500m to start the…

Film buffs in the Gaza Strip,who for decades have been deprived of going to the movies due to the destruction of cinemas during bouts of unrest in the enclave, are enjoying a rare chance to see a slate of films on the big screen. Cinema once flourished in Gaza, with audiences flocking to see Arab, Western and Asian films but the movie houses were torched in the First Intifada in 1987 and then burned down again in 1996 during another wave of internal violence. Since then, Gazans have had to rely on television and online streaming services and the chance to see films on the big screen offered a rare treat for people living under a border blockade. The Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival, which opened last week, is…

Instead of bemoaning the situation in South Africa in respect of many happenings in the country, we should look on the bright side of things and point out to overseas young professionals the comprehensive and exhilarating practical experience they can gain in our country towards developing their careers. Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is Johannesburg is the largest in the country and is internationally well known as a place where young doctors can gain experience, working 15 hours a day, seven days a week and enduring many frustrations in treating a multiplicity of medical conditions, mainly trauma patients. The Onderstepoort Veterinary faculty in Tshwane is world-renowned for the practical experience students receive from the outset. Some of the many areas where young professionals worldwide could be induced to gain experience in…

AT 42 YEARS OLD, the latest UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, exudes a fresh, schoolboy look, charm and a lanky swagger imbued with aesthetic elegance. Amid a sense of patriotic hoopla, he has accepted the king’s invitation to lead during troubled times. A son of the soil, he is an Oxford graduate and his swift ascendency in politics is a bit bothersome when it comes to experience. A pilot can only fly a jetliner after accumulating a specified number of flight hours. Whether he is qualified, only time will tell, however his party’s faith in him is indicative that he has the sine qua non to tackle the issues they are facing. He is extremely wealthy, a multi- millionaire and the son-in-law of billionaire Narayana Murthy, the Steve Jobs…

While the Public Servants Association (PSA) served a seven-day notice of its intention to strike on Monday after wage negotiations stalled, the government is planning to allocate R42 billion, which would allow for a 7.5% salary increase. Cosatu said this week most of its unions had rejected the government’s latest wage offer and it had begun a programme of picketing, and had since declared a wage dispute with conciliation set for the end of the month. Speaking to the media on Tuesday on the R42bn allocation, acting Minister for Public Service and Administration Thulas Nxesi said the government was being accused of unilaterally imposing a wage settlement after no agreement was reached at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). Nxesi said the planned move was drawing from what Finance…

A memorial including pictures, flowers, balloons and messages of condolence have been placed at the site where the bodies of Leila Lees, 18, and Ethan Kirkland, 19, were discovered on Monday in Stellenbosch. They were reported missing on Saturday after Lees failed to arrive for work. They were last seen on Friday, leaving The Niche apartment complex in Kirkland’s maroon Subaru Forester at about 5pm. On Monday, a resident saw a vehicle in a dam on Paul Kruger Street, and alerted authorities. Hours later, the car was dragged out of the dam by law enforcement. Police confirmed bodies were found inside. Yesterday, family, friends and residents of Stellenbosch erected a memorial for the young lives lost. Kirkland relocated to Stellenbosch from Pretoria. He was a first-year BSc student at Stellenbosch…

THE ANC in eThekwini has moved a step closer to installing the massive bronze statues of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo at the Durban City Hall precinct. A resolution was passed at the city’s executive committee meeting on Tuesday to spend R1 million on installing the statues. The matter, which has been ongoing for the past few weeks and faced stiff resistance from opposition parties, went down to a vote as the opposition parties refused to give their blessing for the installation to go ahead. The vote was evenly split, four each, between the ANC and opposition parties that include the DA and the IFP who voted against the project. Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda cast the deciding vote in favour as the chair. The EFF and the ABC were absent from…

The SACP has threatened to use King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s coronation event in Durban this weekend to highlight the plight of eSwatini citizens, under what the party regards as the oppressive leadership of King Mswati III. On Saturday, Durban will be abuzz as thousands are expected to gather at the Moses Mabhida Stadium for the handing over of a certificate of recognition by President Cyril Ramaphosa, confirming King Misuzulu as the monarch to the Zulu nation. The SACP leadership believes that the event will be an opportune moment to raise the plight of the people of eSwatini. SACP KwaZulu-Natal second provincial secretary Bheki Mbatha said the party had decided to hold a protest. He pointed out that it was not meant to disrupt the festivities, but was aimed at raising awareness…

It’s a massively scalable, persistent network of interconnected virtual worlds In Men Like Gods (1923), HG Wells prophesied a futuristic utopia where people would exclusively communicate through wireless systems. While he did not have the terms, he described what we now know as a converged voicemail and email system. Wells imagined this would take thousands of years. This took only 75 years. Arthur C Clarke, in 1945, proposed a “geostationary orbit”, where three rocket stations (we now call these satellites) could serve as permanent real-time global communication relays. This is a reality. Philip Rosedale’s cult immersive game Second Life is acknowledged as the forerunner to the Metaverse. Second Life was created to be “a 3D online world created and owned by its users”. Rosedale reflected that an indelible trip to…

MORNINGSIDE residents are battling a caterpillar infestation which has seen some developing rashes, sores and other ailments. Residents are demanding that trees where the caterpillars are be cut down and the Avondale area be cordoned off to prevent cars and people entering the caterpillar-infested area. Residents claim they have been using creams and allergy medication to treat the sores, allegedly caused by the caterpillar infestation. When The Mercury team visited the area yesterday to speak to the residents, they witnessed caterpillar-infested trees. Contacted for comment, eThekwini Municipality said it was addressing the problem, describing the caterpillar infestation as a seasonal occurrence. Rene Louise, a resident in one of the complexes near Avondale Road, said her family has been affected, with some developing sores and lumps due to the caterpillar problem.…

SO THE Brits have a new prime minister – or last time I looked, anyway. I just hope it doesn’t undermine their tourism industry. A couple of days ago Daily Telegraph cartoonist Matt had a beauty. A London Sightseeing bus is parked. An official is speaking to two tourists on the pavement. “You can see Changing of the Guard in the morning and Changing of the PM most afternoons.” And now what is this? Boris Johnson had claimed, as he returned from holiday in the Caribbean, that he had 102 votes assured him from Tory MPs in the election of a new prime minister. The cut-off point for eligibility to contest for the post was 100. But, according to the BBC, Bojo had only 57 votes behind him. What?…

QUEEN Victoria, who was the Empress of India, and Winston Churchill, who hated Mahatma Gandhi, must be turning in their graves. How could it happen – an Indian a prime minister of such a great, proud nation? They never dreamt that one day an Indian whom they despised and subjugated would one day occupy 10 Downing Street, probably the most famous address in the world. A Christian country, once a mighty empire that ruled the high seas, is now in the hands of a Hindu with an Asian heritage. No Englishman, Scott or Irishman capable enough to be prime minister of this great nation? It’s unthinkable. Italy has its first woman prime minister; now Britain has its first Asian prime minister. How the world is changing. Fortunately for Queen Elizabeth,…

“My elderly, 85, dad is dating again after the loss of our stepmother two years ago and our mother before her who died at a young age. “The woman he is dating (about the same age as he is) is nice and we (the whole family) like her a lot. They met in the past few months and are talking about marriage. They have been driving all over the country and really living it up. “How do I tell him or both of them to slow down?” I would suggest you don’t tell them to slow down. By your brief outline, it seems your father is good at marriage and probably cannot stand to be alone. I’d suggest you encourage him (and the woman whom he has met) to enjoy…

Decades ago, spouses under a customary marriage had no legal protection in South Africa, but things changed drastically over the years and such unions were recognised in law. A husband discovered this after he entered into a civil union with another woman while still being married to his first wife, whom he wed in a customary marriage. The wife, from rural Limpopo, had no idea her husband was married until her son found the marriage certificate in his father’s bag. The woman turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where she was successful in an application to have her husband’s marriage to the second wife declared null and void. The applicant (who cannot be named) told the court that she was not going to allow her husband to sidestep his…

A Northern Cape father accused of raping his daughter over 12 years has been denied bail. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the 47-year-old man made an appearance in the Galeshewe District Court this week. “It is alleged that the accused started raping his daughter when she was 9 years old and stopped when she turned 21 this year,” said NPA regional spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane. “The daughter informed the community organisation, which then took her to the Galeshewe Thuthuzela Care Centre and reported to the police. The accused was arrested and charged with rape.” Senokoatsane said during the accused’s bail application, the court heard how the victim had endured sexual abuse at the hands of her father for years and how this affected her. “The court was also informed…

THE fathers of the two young women who were allegedly shot dead by their cop boyfriend in KwaNyuswa near Hillcrest, say their families are relieved that the suspect will remain in prison for now. Hillcrest police officer Mlungisi Blessing Sikhakhane appeared briefly at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a formal bail application which was postponed to November 7. The deceased, Enhle Majozi, 18, and Sithembile Ngobese, 24, were both in a relationship with the policeman. It is alleged that Sikhakhane shot the two women multiple times in a back room he was renting in Kwa- Nyuswa on October 14. Isaac Ngobese, the father of Sithembile, said he was relieved to hear that Sikhakhane’s bail application was postponed. “I thought he was going to be released because I have no…

Stellenbosch University management can no longer be convinced that alcohol is solely to blame for the recent racist incidents plaguing the institution. That’s finding an easy way out of an institutionalised problem that requires the university to first concede that its environment is a safe haven for such attitudes, and then move with speed in dismantling it practically. In 2022, it’s beyond heartbreaking that black students in that facility are made to feel inferior by their white counterparts who demean their dignity by either using racial slurs or urinating on their belongings. Yes, these incidents mostly happen when the white perpetrators consume alcohol, but that does not even come close to justifying their actions. The latest incident in the early hours of Saturday involves a white student who urinated on…

ORLANDO Pirates defender Nkosinathi Sibisi has credited hard work and “good working relationships” for being the key ingredients behind his successful transition to life at the Sea Robbers. The 27-year-old moved from Golden Arrows to Pirates during the close season and has quickly established himself as an important player in the heart of defence for Jose Riveiro’s team. Sibisi most recently played in and starred for Pirates in their 3-0 MTN8 semi-final second leg win over Sundowns last weekend. He made some vital interceptions and clearances for his side as they dumped last season’s champions out of the competition. “It’s been a smooth transition. I did not believe that it would be as smooth as this. I’m glad that my hard work is finally paying off. We have…