Table of contents for 2022-10-28 in Mercury

MINING giant Kumba Iron Ore yesterday maintained its full-year 2022 production guidance, despite the impact of industrial action at Transnet this month and the subsequent delay in Transnet’s annual maintenance shutdown. Earlier this month, Transnet declared a force majeure after their workers downed tools and embarked on a strike over wages. In its production and sales report for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, released yesterday, Kumba maintained its production guidance, although at the lower end of 38 to 40 million tons (Mt). Kumba, majority owned by Anglo American, said total production decreased by 8% to 10Mt. Relative to quarter two (Q2) 2022, production increased by 5%, driven by a 22% improvement at Kolomela. It said export sales of 10Mt were flat year-on-year and 2% lower relative to…

WHILE the brown-and-white worlds waited with bated breath as Rishi Sunak became the latest resident of 10 Downing Street to take over His Imperial Majesty’s Jewel in the Crown – this Sceptred Isle, this land of Merlin, Arthur and Lancelot – the big question, apart from removing the shackles of an already poor economy, was the equally challenging, gargantuan dilemma of handling the ever-present communal disharmony between right-wing believers in the BJP’s Hindutwa ideology and the general Muslim population, both residing side-by-side on that miniature continent. Dedicated RSS recruits in the US and elsewhere around the world are threatening to drive a wedge between these two communities. The UK has also had its unfair share of clashes. Already the subcontinent is looked upon with disdain by millions of foreign Muslims…

BOY, do they not pay through the nose in Old Blighty for their entertainment? Liz Truss earned £18 860 (more than R394 000) for her seven- week knockabout show, according to Sky News. During her brief term as prime minister, she consigned 30 ministers and whips to the backbenches in her first three days. Some 71 ministers and whips are now eligible for the pay when Boris Johnson’s term is also taken into account. It could cost the British taxpayer up to R709 000. Nobody knows how many more there could be as Rishi reshuffles. Yes, it’s the soft-shoe shuffle. Bojo, Liz and then Rishi – they’re a formidable troupe of entertainers, but one wonders what the ordinary man in the street will think of it all when he’s stopped…

I have a newfound respect for the political skill of our minister of finance. In an act of political genius he appears to have induced the Gauteng government to accept financial responsibility for the maintenance and future upgrades of the Gauteng Freeway System. This network, which includes the most heavily trafficked sections of roads in Africa, will require billions of rand into the future for upgrades if it is to be kept in sound condition and regularly upgraded. In addition the province has undertaken to pay 30% of the outstanding debt on the cost of the most recent upgrade to the Gauteng freeways which was to be recovered from tolling the users of this very expensive project. I notice the minister raised the possibility of “new toll gantries” –…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement on e-tolls on Wednesday has been hailed as a win for one of the biggest civil disobedience campaigns by Gauteng’s motorists, many of whom refused to pay e-toll bills for more than 10 years. So says the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which was at the forefront of the fight against e-tolls. This is after Godongwana, during his mid-term budget policy statement, tabled bills to allow for the transfer of R23.736 billion from the national government to the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) which will pay off government-guaranteed debt as part of a conditional solution to phase one of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). The minister said that Sanral would get another R3.740bn to be moved from non-toll roads to the GFIP…

THE directive by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) not to pay for past hospital and medical claims issued by members of medical aid schemes has been declared unlawful. In his ruling, Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Mandla Mbongwe was critical of the fact the RAF had issued the directive against the legislation, and because it was done without consulting any of the stakeholders or the public. The order followed an urgent application by Discovery Health after the RAF issued a directive that it would make no payments to claimants if their medical aid scheme had already paid for (claims) arising from a vehicle accident. Discovery argued medical aid schemes would be out of pocket if the new directive to reject claims for past medical expenses already paid was implemented. Discovery…

A 45-year-old off-duty prison warder was shot dead at his home in Hazelmere, outside Verulam, yesterday. The victim’s son, who was also in the home during the shooting, was not injured as he hid in his room. Private security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said they had received a call for assistance at about 7.39am. On arrival, the prison warder’s body was located in one of the bedrooms. “He was shot multiple times. His 12-year-old son who was in the house at the time was not injured.” Balram added that it was established that the minor was in his bedroom at about 1am when he heard his father scream for a person to identify themselves before a shot was fired. “He thereafter heard his dad crying…

Police in the Free State are investigating inquest dockets after four children suffocated inside an old car in Petsana this week. Authorities were alerted to the scene after the children, three boys and one girl aged between 2 and 4 years old, were discovered inside the vehicle by a family member. It is alleged that the kids were last seen playing outside at about 11.30am on Wednesday, under the supervision of their 72-year-old grandmother. However, she could not find them when she went to look for them, according to the police. They were found by a relative unconscious inside the car later that day, at about 4.30pm. The police were then called. The children were identified as three-year-old Lesedi Mnguni, three-year-old Jwalane Goodness, two-year-old Lerato Donald Tshabalala and four-year-old Mojalefa…

From October 16 to 22, the people of the world had their eyes on the 20th national congress of the Communist Party of China, which concluded with huge success. The congress is a meeting of great importance. It takes place at a critical time as China embarks on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance towards our second centenary goal. The congress holds high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implements the thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and gives a systematic overview of the major theoretical and practical issues on upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The congress laid out the well-informed guiding principles and missions of the party and the country for the…

Tens of thousands of mourners attended the funeral yesterday of a Pakistani journalist shot dead by police in Kenya after he fled arrest in his home country. Arshad Sharif, a strident critic of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment and supporter of former premier Imran Khan, died when Kenyan police opened fire on his car which was at a roadblock outside the capital at the weekend. Sharif had fled the country in August to escape sedition charges. His death triggered widespread speculation in Pakistan that he was targeted for his views. Kenyan officials say Sharif’s death was a case of mistaken identity. They say officers thought they were firing on a stolen vehicle involved in an abduction. The funeral at Islamabad’s main mosque drew up to 40 000 mourners, according to police…

OPPOSITION parties in KwaZulu-Natal are sceptical that the province would see any of the R6 billion the finance minister said will be allocated for the rebuilding of disaster-hit areas across the country. Delivering his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday said the government would allocate at least R6bn more to the rebuilding and humanitarian relief efforts in disaster-hit areas across the country, including KZN. In April KZN experienced floods that left at least 400 people dead and damage amounting to billions of rand, including to homes and infrastructure. Godongwana said in Parliament the government was allocating an additional R13bn for the 2022/23 financial year in the Adjustments Appropriation Bill. “The largest adjustment – R6.3bn, or 49% of the total – is allocated towards disaster relief, especially…

We have two areas of major concern on one of our main highways, the N2, that have been almost impassable for the past six months due to the floods. Even though one lane is usable, the backlog of traffic is a daily nightmare during certain times. The areas are the N2 south before Umgababa and the N2 south at eManzimtoti. What is going to happen when the December holidays arrive and, with them, the hordes of holidaymakers? Whoever is responsible for fixing the N2, get on with it. This is not some Mickey Mouse back road but one of the most important national roads in the country. Where are the priorities?…

In response to The Mercury’s article in the October 21 edition, I have the following questions for the respective ANC secretaries of KZN and Limpopo who were reported as questioning Mr Andre de Ruyter’s “leadership”. Is it De Ruyter’s skills and ability to unearth and expose the long-standing sabotaging of the quality of coal and diesel supplied to Eskom that is of concern? Add to that his unearthing of the deliberate internal sabotaging of equipment, as well as unearthing the corrupt payment to suppliers for materials invoiced but never delivered, that causes the ANC secretaries their concern? These are all practices which occurred during the time of the mismanagement over the many years by the ANC-appointed cadres to Eskom management, well before Andre de Ruyter’s appointment – are they now…

CHILDHOOD shapes people. Your formative years become an enduring backdrop. It’s no wonder there are so many ways of interpreting the world: If your family did not express much physical affection, you may be taken aback when you meet a family who do. You may even think they are pretending or showing off. If your parents seldom disagreed or raised voices, or seemed to have any marital conflicts, you may feel desperate when you are among adults who do and have all those things. Even though you are aware that many adults have conflicts and do raise their voices, it may take you by surprise. If you were taught to respect and revere adults, the dismissive ways of some children you may now encounter may totally confuse you even…

NASA has kicked off a study to help scientists learn more about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) or UFOs (unidentified flying objects). Over nine months, the independent study team with 16 members will lay the groundwork for future study on the nature of UAPs for Nasa and other organisations, the space agency said. The team includes leading scientists, data and AI practitioners, aerospace safety experts, and other experts. The study will focus solely on unclassified data. A full report containing the team’s findings will be released to the public in mid-2023. “Exploring the unknown in space and the atmosphere is at the heart of who we are at Nasa,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at Nasa. “Understanding the data is critical to helping us draw scientific…

An Eastern Cape chief traffic officer from the Sakhisizwe Local Municipality has been sentenced to eight years behind bars after being found guilty of corruption. Kholekile Melford Mbambo, 56, and two others, Lindikhaya Lengisi, 42, a clerk in the same municipality and Noxolo Jane Mangwana, 67, a driving school owner, were sentenced at Elliot Regional court this week. The corruption took place in 2019, and one of the accused, Loyiso Nyembe, 49, has died. The Hawks said that the Office of the Presidency received a complaint about the alleged corruption at Sakhisizwe Local Municipality’s traffic department. “It was alleged that learners and driving licences were issued to undeserving persons in exchange for money as gratification,” said Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela. She said a sting operation was conducted, and the…

EXPERTS say it would be best to allow nature to take its course regarding the caterpillar infestation in Morningside. They agreed with the eThekwini Municipality that the issue will come to an end when the caterpillars pupate and emerge as moths. Residents told The Mercury this week that the caterpillar infestation was causing rashes, sores and other ailments. Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said they have sent teams on different occasions to investigate, describing the infestation as a seasonal occurrence that is a part of nature. He said the caterpillars will pupate into moths and eventually fly away. Professor Terry Olckers from the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), said after viewing images of the caterpillars, he agreed with the municipality that the caterpillars will…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced yesterday that it had “decided to withdraw” the charges of rape, sexual assault, and robbery with aggravating circumstances against all 13 men and a minor who were charged for the Krugersdorp gang-rape incident. The incident, which made international headlines, took place on July 28. Eight women were allegedly gang-raped while filming a music video at a mine dump in Krugersdorp. The crew of 20 people were also robbed of equipment, money and cellphones. The suspects were among 82 illegal miners arrested during raids after residents went to the mine shaft to demand that the miners be removed. Phindi Mjonondwane, NPA regional spokesperson in Gauteng, confirmed the withdrawal of the charges. “The prosecution will however continue in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court in respect of charges…

Iran’s supreme Leader vowed yesterday to retaliate against those threatening the country’s security after the massacre of Shia pilgrims, an assault claimed by Islamic State which threatens to inflame tensions amid widespread anti-government protests. In a statement read on state TV, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the assailants “will surely be punished” and called on Iranians to unite. “We all have a duty to deal with the enemy and its traitorous or ignorant agents,” said Khamenei a day after the attack killed 15 people. Khamenei’s call for unity appeared to be directed at mostly government loyalists and not protesters whose nearly six-week old movement is seen as a threat to national security by authorities. Iran’s clerical rulers have faced nationwide protests since the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a…

The feeling of summer is in the air. Northeast winds, screaming drags and warm sunny days ... what a time to go fishing! The dorado have finally arrived and in decent sizes as well. There are plenty of fish up north and the local offshore fishing has started to pick up. The north coast has been the place to go with most launches proving successful. The fishing skis and ski boats have all seen good results while targeting tuna and dorado. The couta has also made their presence in most catches. The tuna and dorado have mainly been taken on trolled lures. The higher speed lures have produced most of the bites, but they also allow for more water coverage. The purples and pink colours have done well. Both skirted…

Fighting to the very end, Prince Mbonisi and other Zulu royal family members still insist they don’t recognise Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the king of the Zulus, adding his coronation tomorrow is “without the blessing” of them as elders and core royal family members. Their assertions came only two days before President Cyril Ramaphosa hands over the certificate of recognition to King Misuzulu, concluding his official ascension to the throne. Prince Mbonisi, Prince Mathuba and Prince Vulindlela had gone to ground for months after losing a court battle in the Pretoria High Court on July 28 this year. The battle aimed to stop the coronation of the king. The court ruled that the matter was not urgent as claimed in the court papers. They then went to ground and did not…

Graffiti with the name of a 15th-century Swiss knight has been discovered in Jerusalem, carved into the walls of a building where pilgrims stayed, the Israel Antiquities Authority has said. The knight Adrian von Bubenberg is believed to have visited the holy city in 1466, when researchers say he may have marked his name alongside his family emblem on a stone ceiling. The building was a monastery and hostel for the Western pilgrims, who left their mark on the walls, said the leaders of the research, Michael Chernin and Shai Halevi. The team uncovered more than 40 inscriptions on Mount Zion, adjacent to the Old City, which they attributed to Christian and Muslim pilgrims. Von Bubenberg was renowned for his role in the 1476 Battle of Murten near the city…

As the country watches the culmination of political events in our strife-torn country, we witness political leaders being assassinated in a quest for political supremacy. The death count increases every day. Political tolerance has ceased to exist as we lurch from civility to political insanity. Entering politics today is a dance with death, if we continue on this deadly trajectory, we will sow the seeds of our own demise. Our democracy was paid for in blood by our past heroes, let it not be obliterated by the fire of intolerance. Killing of political leaders has been used as a deadly tool since the beginning of recorded history, grimly determining the course of events through brazen and carefully enacted acts of murder. Their strategic impacts have altered the course of history…

LOOK at how the British are breaking records in politics: Queen Elizabeth II was the oldest reigning monarch in British history. When her son, Prince Charles, ascended the throne after his mother’s death, he became the oldest royal to ascend the British throne. Liz Truss, who was in power for only 49 days after Boris Johnson resigned, became the shortest serving prime minister in the UK’s history. Kwasi Kwarteng, England’s first black chancellor and who sent the British pound plummeting, lasted even shorter – only 38 days. Rishi Sunak is the first Indian to become the prime minister of the UK. He is the youngest UK prime minister in 200 years. He is also the first non-Christian – a Hindu – to be the leader of a Christian country. He…

I refer to your headline: “City’s plan to avert water crisis,” (The Mercury, October 25, 2022). It says the City needs a new and reliable supply source to prevent a doubling of residents’ water bills in the next 10 years, and then offers various schemes to prevent this: from a new dam in the Upper Umkhomazi at R24 billion, desalination, mixing seawater and wastewater as per a Japanese-led pilot project, rainwater harvesting and treating and reusing wastewater. The simple mathematical answer is in the recognition that 54% of bulk water obtained from Umgeni is not billed to users because of leaks and other non-revenue water consumption. Assuming that, say, 14% of bulk water is used by the municipality to flush pipes and for other purposes, such as watering gardens, sports…

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has put measures in place to ensure that no dubious health products find their way into the country, after the deaths of children in The Gambia and Singapore were linked to contaminated cough syrups. Earlier this month, the drug regulatory authority for all health products in the country issued an alert to the public, following the deaths of dozens of children in The Gambia due to kidney-related illness caused by health products from Indian company Maiden Pharmaceuticals. Laboratory tests conducted by the World Health Organization had linked the 69 deaths of children to cough syrups manufactured by the company. Sahpra spokesperson Yuven Gounden said these products have not yet been identified in the country, according to their knowledge. “Medicines have designated ports…

A SPATE of break-ins and brazen attacks at some of eThekwini Municipality’s community service centres have placed the municipality at risk of losing lives and becoming uninsurable. Councillors warned the city needs to improve security at these centres which have been targets for criminals who steal equipment. The city revealed yesterday that it wants to conduct a security assessment of some of its facilities in order to upgrade the security in these facilities. A report on the matter from the Governance and Resource Committee detailed the extent of the challenge of the break-ins and the robberies at the Human Capital Centre and Sizakala centres. It showed that between 2019 and 2022, close to 18 centres had been broken into, attacked and robbed and in most of the incidents, computers were…

WHAT is both unique and amazing is that the national composition of South Africa was also reflected in the Struggle. Whether people contributed in their capacity as individuals, or as part of the collective, the bottom-line is that it all mattered. The very contribution made one a marked person by the authorities and became dangerous as time progressed. Taking strong action against the apartheid regime warranted hard action from the beginning from the authorities. The Struggle against apartheid was taken step-by-step until it reached a saturation point. But the likes of David Pratt wanted to make it short and went solo after not getting support for his intentions. Pratt did not just make headlines but risked his life. He did not rely on any political party or army but…

Two organisations from Ethiopia’s Oromiya region have accused the army of conducting air strikes there in recent days which they said had killed hundreds of civilians, just as peace talks on the separate Tigray conflict were about to start. Government and army spokes- persons did not respond to requests for comment on the accusations made by the opposition Oromo Liberation Front and outlawed armed splinter group the Oromo Liberation Army. Reuters also spoke to a civilian in Oromiya, which is in western Ethiopia and surrounds the federal capital Addis Ababa, who said he witnessed an air raid on Sunday in which about 60 people, including his uncle, were killed. Oromiya, home to Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, numbering over 40 million, has experienced unrest for many years, rooted in grievances about…

NINE games into the job, Graham Potter remains unbeaten as Chelsea manager. Tomorrow, he aims to extend that streak to double figures when he returns to his former club Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Potter, who Brighton lured from Swansea City in 2019, took over at Stamford Bridge after Thomas Tuchel's sacking. While Chelsea have not been spectacular since his arrival, the 47-year-old has taken little time to get his message across. Still, successive draws in their last two Premier League fixtures - away to Brentford and at home to Manchester United, games in which they struggled to create chances, leave them fifth in the table. Victory in Salzburg on Tuesday meant Chelsea reached the last-16 of the Champions League, but Potter will be anxious to get…