Содержание выпуска: 2023-10-04 — Mercury

THE COMPETITION Commission of South Africa has called on interested parties to comment on draft revised Public Interest Guidelines related to merger control within 30 days. According to Legal firm Webber Wentzel, since the amendment of the Competition Act a few years ago, the public interest component of merger regulation had achieved particular prominence. “Over the 2021/22 financial year, at least a quarter of all mergers were approved subject to public interest conditions. As a result, businesses have been eager for clearer guidance from the competition authorities on when public interest conditions will be applied and how these conditions should be structured,” it said. In a statement yesterday, the commission said in February 2019, the Competition Act 89 of 1998 was amended to address concentration and the lack of transformation…

ACTOM, a major supplier of electrical equipment, services and balance of plant to the renewable energy sector, is invest- ing R100 million to expand its Pretoria plant. According to group CEO of Actom, Mervyn Naidoo, the company offers tech- nology and advanced products to address issues facing the electro-mechanical industry, from large-scale infrastructure installations to smaller projects and sup- port services. Its Southern and Sub-Saharan African distribution network comprises 13 branches across the country. “We have earnestly started expanding our plant and this will contribute to growing the economy of Gauteng in particular, and the country in general, by building local capacity in manufacturing electro-mechanical equipment,” he said in a statement. The expansion of the Pretoria plant would result in 30 additional people being employed. The company already…

THE COMPETITION Tribunal said yesterday it will give its decision in due course as to whether to confirm or not the settlement agreement by consumer goods company Unilever South Africa on its possible market division case. This is after Unilever and the Competition Commission reached a settlement agreement following the Commission in 2017 referring a case against Unilever and Sime Darby Hudson Knight for prosecution for possible division of markets between 2004 and 2013. According to the commission, in its investigation, it found the two companies entered into a sale of business agreement which contained a non-compete clause that restricted each of them to produce and supply certain pack sizes of margarine and edible oils in possible contravention of the Competition Act. Sime Darby settled the matter with the Commission…

TRADE union federation Cosatu has welcomed Transnet group chief executive Portia Derby’s resignation, but has called for more heads to roll, especially at the beleaguered parastatal’s Freight Division, as it continues to remain a drain on the fiscus. Derby and group chief financial officer Nonkululeko Dlamini resigned recently and will be replaced by Michelle Phillips, as acting CEO, and Hlengiwe Makhathini, as acting CFO. Last month, Transnet reported a loss of R5.7 billion in 2022/23 and a drop of 23.6 million tonnes in rail freight, down to 149.5 million tonnes. Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks said they welcomed the resignations, but also want resignations at the SOE’s rail division, Transnet Freight Rail. Cosatu said since 2020, rail volumes had been languishing below 200 million tonnes, and incidents of cable theft on…

AWARDING the Nobel Prize for Medicine to two scientists for their role in developing the key component of the widely used so-called Covid vaccine, exemplifies the extent to which the narrative of deceit and disregard for human health has reached a new low (The Mercury, October 3). In the wake of the ever-increasing evidence of deaths, miscarriages and ruinous health effects suffered by those who received the mRNA jab, it is iniquitous to credit the two Nobel laureates for “vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times”, when there was no pandemic because 99% of the Covid-infected survived. If the recipients of the award, Drs Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, had any regard for the Hippocratic Oath to preserve human life, they would…

The recent ruling by Parliament’s ethics committee against Bheki Cele should serve as a wake-up call to all elected officials across South Africa. Cele, the minister of police, was found guilty of breaching the ethical code of conduct for MPs after he shouted at a member of the public during a crime Imbizo last year. His behaviour was disrespectful, unbecoming and unacceptable, and it rightly resulted in sanctions. As public servants, MPs have a responsibility to act in a manner that is respectful and humble at all times. They are elected to represent the people, and as such they should behave in a manner that reflects the trust and confidence that has been placed in them. There can be no tolerance for arrogance, disrespect or unbecoming behaviour, regardless of one’s…

Zikalala had said that 200 people alleged to be part of the construction mafia have been arrested to date but the DA disputed the figure. In response, the department has demanded an apology from the party within seven days for its “defaming and fallacious” allegations against Zikalala. In a statement, the department said the DA allegations were “another dose of untruthful and misleading propaganda”. “Under normal circumstances we would not respond to any DA drivel. We are responding because the media and the public at large have now become victims of being infected with falsehoods and propaganda and we respond to protect the vulnerable members of the public. The department confirms that its information that there are over 200 arrests made by the police involving work of the construction mafia…

Remnants of DNA have been discovered in fossilised remains dating to 6 million years ago of a sea turtle closely related to today’s Kemp’s ridley and olive ridley turtles, marking one of the rare times genetic material has been identified in such ancient fossils of a vertebrate, researchers have said. The researchers said some bone cells (osteocytes), were “exquisitely preserved” in the fossil, excavated along Panama’s Caribbean coast in 2015. The fossil is partial, with a relatively complete carapace – the turtle’s shell – but not the rest of the skeleton. The turtle would have been 30 cm long. In some osteocytes, the cell nuclei were preserved and reacted to a chemical solution that allowed researchers to recognise the presence of remnants of DNA.…

South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries will be able to collect their money from all post offices in KwaZulu-Natal today, after Postbank experienced cash-delivery issues at 42 branches yesterday. This comes after dozens of Sassa grants beneficiaries across the country were unable to draw their funds from ATMs and retailers after the bank experienced intermittent technical issues in September. Yesterday, Postbank urged Sassa social-grant beneficiaries in KZN, who were due to be paid, to collect their grant money at ATMs and participating retailers instead of Post Office branches. “This is due to many Post Office branches in KwaZulu-Natal having reported that they anticipate having insufficient cash in store as a result of cash delivery delays,” said Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako. Speaking to The Mercury, Diako said the cash-delivery…

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has issued a warning to the public about possible job scams after a fraudulent advert for 85 data-capturing clerks emerged. The department said that as the festive season drew closer, fraudsters were increasing their unscrupulous efforts to trick unsuspecting South Africans into parting with their hard-earned money. “One of these methods, which is currently on the rise, is to fraudulently advertise jobs, falsely claiming they are at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). “Unsuspecting job seekers are prompted to send their applications to a website bearing the name of the department, but it has a slight difference from the official site. “Once the application is received by the fraudsters, applicants are requested to deposit money for a purported verification fee.” After…

In 2018, EFF number two Floyd Shivambu denied receiving R10 million from VBS Mutual Bank. Shivambu said he had no dealings with the bank and described any attempt to link the red berets to the saga as cheap politicking. At the time, he was reacting to the report that of the nearly R2 billion siphoned from the financial institution, his brother, Brian, allegedly received about R16m. Of this, it was claimed that R10m went to the MP and party’s chief whip. And now, Shivambu will have nine days of his salary docked because he failed to disclose to Parliament three payments he received from VBS, according to a report from Parliament’s ethics committee. In its investigation, the committee found that he breached the code of conduct by not…

The party of French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that it would put forward a bill this year to combat surging numbers of reported bedbug cases, which are being increasingly seen as a major potential public health problem. Bedbugs have gone from being a subject of potential derision to a contentious political issue in France in recent weeks, with aghast citizens reporting seeing the creatures in locations including trains and cinemas. The head of Macron’s Renaissance party in the French National Assembly, Sylvain Maillard, said a cross-party text would be ready “at the beginning of December” to combat the “scourge” of bedbugs. He said the president’s party and its allies had decided to make the subject a “priority” and urged the right-wing and hard-left opposition to come up with…

LOS ANGELES: Tom Hanks has warned that a dental plan ad using his face was faked with artificial intelligence (AI). The Castaway star, 67, denied endorsing a teeth-cleaning product and insisted the promo has nothing to do with him. Hanks, who has been on strike with Hollywood unions over pay and AI, has spoken out about the “artistic challenge” that AI represents to Hollywood. He said: “Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deepfake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow … but performances can go on.” | Bang Showbiz…

New Delhi: Indian police raided the homes of at least eight journalists and activists yesterday, local media reported. The developments deepen concerns over a crackdown in a country where media freedom has nosedived. Those raided are reported to be connected to the English-language news website NewsClick, with Indian authorities filing a case in 2021 alleging the organisation was receiving funding from US millionaire Neville Roy Singham. Singham is said to have “sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points”, claims Singham rejected. The Mumbai Press Club expressed its “deep concern” at the raids. | AFP…

LAGOS: At least 37 people, including two pregnant women, were burned to death after a blast at an illegal oil refinery in southern Nigeria, a local security official and community leader said yesterday. Illegal refining is common in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as impoverished locals tap pipelines to make fuel to sell for a profit. The practice is often deadly. The latest incident happened this week in the Ibaa community, in Rivers State, officials said. A witness saw charred remains of 15 people at an open space surrounded by burnt palm trees and a motorbike. Relatives had identified some of the victims and taken them for burial. | Reuters…

It is not being helped by declining commodity prices, we could see further weakness THE rand fell to its lowest level against the dollar in four months yesterday on the back of fresh strength in the US dollar, as global oil prices soared. Markets were concerned about the prospects of further interest rate hikes to curb the potentially rising inflation. The local currency weakened by 0.8% to R19.35 against the greenback by lunchtime yesterday, its lowest since June 2, pressured by a stronger dollar and the rising fuel prices. The US dollar hit a fresh 10-month high following ongoing strong US economic data, which supports the higher-for-longer interest rates narrative amid expectations that monetary policy will need to stay restrictive for “some time”. The dollar’s strength was further supported…

THE DIPULA Income Fund is “refreshing” many of its retail assets with a 200 million investment to provide modern, accessible appealing shopping experiences for retail- ers and customers. Dipula is invested in a R10 billion portfolio of 169 properties spanning one-million square metres across nine provinces in South Africa. Its retail property portfolio represents more than 60% of its gross rental income. Dipula invests in urban convenience centres and lower living standard measure retail in townships, rural areas and towns throughout South Africa. CEO Izak Peter- sen said in a statement that they were optimistic about the defensive perfor- mance of retail property, and believed in optimising this by keeping their shopping centres fresh, relevant and appealing to both retailers and customers. Dipula has earmarked more than…

THE FOSCHINI Group Limited (TFG) will list its shares for trade on the stock exchange A2X Markets from October 10, 2023, a statement said yesterday. A2X provides a secondary platform for companies to list their shares for trade. Other well-known retailers with secondary listings on the platform include Mr Price, Truworths, Shoprite, Pick n Pay and Woolworths. TFG is South Africa’s leading speciality retail group and has a unique portfolio of brands, geographic reach and customer retention initiatives both in South Africa, the UK and Australia which include more than 4 600 outlets, 34 brands, 46 500 employees and 30 million TFG Rewards customers. TFG CEO Anthony Thunström said they were continually looking for new ways to add value to our customers and shareholders. “As…

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) says it is engaging with the retail industry and working to ensure there is no shortage of eggs due to the avian flu outbreak. Reggie Ngcobo, spokesperson for the DALRRD, said Minister Thoko Didiza met retailers to discuss the impact of the avian flu in the country on Monday. “It was evident that the main challenge is primarily on the egg production side, where there are supply constraints in some regions of the country.” Ngcobo added that steps were being taken to address challenges in the supply of eggs. “The minister is dealing with improving efficiency in issuing import permits for egg products to ensure sufficient supplies for consumers. In addition, the minister is looking at the possibility of vaccination…

When you are at the end of your tether … You probably don’t need much or any guidance from others given that you have come thus far and succeeded at so much already. Trust your inner reserves. Most people are more powerful and resourceful than they are willing to admit. Take a little time to remember your journey. Recall the skills you employed to overcome earlier hurdles. There will be much to learn from your moments of past successes that can be put into practice right now. It is the off-the-cuff stuff, the unplanned reactions, that get most of us into deeper trouble. Take time to think and plan. Time is your friend, not your enemy. What would your mother or father say? What would your grandmother or grandfather say?…

I have heard it suggested that Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, and EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema are separately savouring the prospect of becoming the president of the republic at some stage in the future, the very thought of which has turned my hair white and caused me sleepless nights. But if this nightmare scenario is to become a reality then I think it only fair that others be invited to toss their hats into the ring and I have prepared a brief document setting out what is required and expected. It reads as follows: Applications are invited for the position of Head Honcho for the Republic of South Africa, to replace the present incumbent when his term of office expires. This is a challenging position and the successful applicant must be…

SAFETY-related incidents, including vandalism of the rail infrastructure, have seen an increase with about 8 600 incidents reported in the last year, according to the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR). The regulator was able to share with The Mercury’s sister paper the Cape Times a glimpse of their upcoming 2022/2023 report, which is expected to be released later this month. It will cover the period April 2022 until March this year. RSR chief executive Mmuso Selaledi spoke on Monday during the official opening of the International Rail Safety Council (IRSC) conference themed “Reshaping railways in an uncertain world” at the Century City Conference Centre. The conference covers topics such as demand-based technology interventions and improving safety performance through digitalisation, and will conclude on Friday. “In the rail space we report on…

EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu has indicated that he will challenge the report of Parliament’s Ethics Committee that found him guilty of breaching the ethics code by failing to declare money he received from VBS Mutual Bank. The committee has recommended to Parliament that Shivambu’s salary be reduced for nine days. In response to the finding, the EFF said the money was not from VBS, but Sgameka. Sgameka Projects is a business owned by Shivambu’s brother, Brian Shivambu. It said this was a loan and not a donation as claimed by the committee. The EFF said that based on the fact that this was a loan, Shivambu did not have to declare it to the Registrar of Members’ Interests in Parliament. The ethics committee came to the wrong conclusion by…

National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members in KwaZulu-Natal say they want to get clear plans from Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni on how vacant posts will be filled in the public service in her mid-term budget statement. The union members staged a lunchtime picket outside the KZN treasury offices in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, complaining about what they called the “unfair state of affairs” facing workers in the public service. Nehawu KZN secretary Ayanda Zulu said they had noted with anger how their members were subjected to gruelling working conditions in government departments because some of the posts had not been filled. According to Zulu, yesterday’s picket was part of commemorating the World Federation of Trade Unions and paying tribute to Moses Mabhida. Zulu pointed to a list of grievances…

THE top 200 water consumers in Msunduzi Municipality will soon have above-the-ground meters installed to enable easy meter reading by municipal staff. The municipality said these consumers, which include industries and big corporates, constituted 33% of the City’s revenue, and therefore it wanted to ensure that they were properly serviced. The move was contained in the municipality’s five-year water masterplan. The plan is aimed at reducing water losses by dealing with leaks and illegal connections and ensuring that customers pay for the water use. “The five-year water masterplan will assist with reducing water losses while simultaneously improving the accuracy of the water sales,” read a report. The plan comes as the municipality has faced criticism over the accuracy of its bills, with some consumers insisting that the municipality simply uses…

THE family of two South African engineers locked up in Equatorial Guinea’s Mongomo Prison are calling on the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) to pursue every avenue available to help bring them home. Frederik “Frik” Potgieter, 53, and Peter Huxham, 55, were arrested at their hotel in Malabo, in Equatorial Guinea, on February 9 on drug-related charges. In June, they were found guilty of trafficking and illicit possession of drugs and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment each. In addition, they were ordered to pay $5 million (more than R96m) each in damages with an additional $2.5m fine to be shared between them. The men deny any wrongdoing, with their families saying they believe the matter is politically motivated. This follows reports that their arrests were allegedly linked to…

The UN Security Council this week approved a Kenyan-led mission aiming to bring stability to Haiti, a year after leaders in the violence-ravaged Caribbean nation first pleaded for help. The Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation has been in turmoil, with armed gangs taking over parts of the country and unleashing brutal violence, and the economy and public health system also in tatters. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have been calling since late 2022 for international support to back the police force, but much of the global community had been jaded by the failure of earlier interventions in Haiti. The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour, with China and Russia abstaining. It was hailed by Haitian foreign minister Jean Victor Geneus as bringing a “glimmer of…

Thousands took to the streets of Ghana’s capital Accra yesterday demanding the central bank governor be removed for what they say is the mismanagement of the economy during the worst debt crisis in a generation. The demonstrations are the latest show of frustration with rising living costs, joblessness and hardship in one of West Africa’s largest economies. Similar multi-day protests gripped the capital last month. The crowd marched to the central bank’s head office under the watch of riot police, blaring reggae from speakers and calling for bank governor Ernest Addison and his two deputies to resign. Many were dressed in red and black, colours typically worn at funerals. Ghana’s central bank in July posted a record loss of 60.8 billion cedi ($5.3 billion) for 2022, mostly due to debt…

NEW YORK: Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud trial got under way with jury selection yesterday, nearly a year after his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse shocked markets. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan told a group of 50 prospective jurors in a courtroom in lower Manhattan that he would ask them questions to try to seat a 12-member panel that could be fair to both prosecutors and Bankman-Fried’s defence. Federal prosecutors say the 31-year-old former billionaire embezzled from FTX customers through its November 2022 bankruptcy to prop up his hedge fund Alameda Research, buy luxury properties and donate more than $100 million to US political candidates. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. He has acknowledged inadequate risk management, but denied stealing funds. | Reuters…

Warsaw: Warsaw and Kyiv said yesterday that they had agreed to speed up the transit of Ukrainian cereal exports through Poland to third countries, a first step towards resolving their “grain war”. It is the first breakthrough since the start of a diplomatic spat between the two allies that was triggered when Poland slapped a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, aimed at protecting local farmers against a collapse in cereal prices. Ukrainian exports transiting Poland on route to world markets, in Africa and the Middle East in particular, remain authorised. Some Ukrainian grain destined for world markets will transit directly through Poland. | AFP…

RB Leipzig face Champions League title holders Manchester City tonight, having emerged strongly from a close-season rebuild which could have derailed the young club. Champions League regulars who had just won their second German Cup in succession, Leipzig lost four first-team players to big money deals in the close season, underlining their place in the European football hierarchy - still viewed as a small-club outsider. Centre-back Josko Gvardiol moved to City, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool and top scorer Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea all for large transfer fees, while Konrad Laimer went to domestic rivals Bayern Munich on a free. But continuing their remarkable ability to identify and develop young talent, Leipzig brought in several new players from across Europe, many of whom have already shone in a Leipzig uniform.…

Patrick Maswanganyi is glad that he heeded Orlando Pirates’ last-minute call, having become a fan favourite since arriving at the club. Having cut his footballing teeth at the renowned Stars of Africa Football academy, Maswanganyi honed his craft in Portugal, playing for UD Oliveirense and Academica OAF’s reserves. But after failing to get a senior debut abroad, 'Tito' returned home to join SuperSport United last season, making his professional breakthrough at the age of 24. Maswanganyi slotted into the system under coach Gavin Hunt without fuss, helping the club to a third-place finish in the league last season. And while he wasn’t popular, it appears that Pirates were keeping tabs on him as they – surprisingly – made an offer for him during pre-season. “It’s also something that I didn’t…

FRANCE captain Antoine Dupont is meeting his goals at training following his return to their World Cup squad after surgery on a broken cheekbone and will know next Monday if he can resume playing rugby, the team’s health manager said yesterday. The scrumhalf also passed a return-to-play protocol and will see surgeon Frederic Lauwers, who will decide whether he is allowed to engage in physical contact with other players. “He met the goals we had set - being at 50%, then at 70% of his running capacities,” France’s health manager Bruno Boussagol said. The French camp is hoping their captain, who is already sidelined for Friday’s final Pool A game against Italy, can be fit for a potential quarter-final in mid-October but there will be several deciding factors. “The next…

THE PUBLIC Investment Corporation (PIC) has reported a 27% plunge in profit for the year ended March 31 on the back of poor performing assets on the JSE due to weaker economic conditions and higher levels of risk aversion among major investors. This was in spite of the largest asset manager in South Africa growing total assets under management (AUM) by R52.1 billion or 2%, to R2.599 trillion, compared to R2.548trln a year ago. The PIC yesterday reported a net profit of R221 million and a balance sheet growth by R200m for the 2022/23 financial year, which was characterised by high levels of global inflation and higher interest rates. PIC acting chief financial officer Brian Mavuka said global financial markets had to contend with tighter financial…

SUMITOMO Rubber South Africa, backed by its Japan-based parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), plans to boost production of Dunlop tyres at its Ladysmith plant with a R1.7 billion investment. The production capacity is being boosted as more Original Equipment Manufacturers look to domestic tyre producers to meet their vehicle specifications, a statement said. The investment drive was announced during the 50th anniversary of Dunlop’s Ladysmith manufacturing plant on Monday. The facility opened in October 1973. Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA) also distributes the Sumitomo and Falken tyre brands.Minister of Trade Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, said the new investment would provide a boost to local production, strengthen the factory’s output, support local jobs and modernise the plant. “South Africa has an 88-year history of tyre manufacturing, and…

WATER and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has instructed municipalities to ensure the collection of water revenue from all consumers, warning that the culture of non-payment for services will lead to a “total collapse” of infrastructure. The minister said municipalities should account for every last drop of water supplied to consumers, adding that collecting only from those who paid voluntarily would be disastrous because they would be burdened and overwhelmed by the escalating bill. He gave the directive while updating stakeholders on the building of the R24 billion uMkhomazi Water Project. The event was held at the Durban ICC yesterday. The dam is critical for the provision of water supply in big municipalities across the province, including eThekwini Metro and uMgungundlovu. During his address, where Mchunu also unveiled the 12-member board…

There was an uptick in ATM explosive attacks and digital fraud, according to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre’s (Sabric) Annual Crime Stats 2022 report. Despite the activation of dye-stain technology, ATM explosive attacks rose by 23% and criminals often succeeded in removing the stains from the cash, the report noted. Digital banking fraud saw a surge in reported incidents, which resulted in a 24% increase in incidents compared to the previous year. “Cybercriminals took advantage of banking clients’ utilisation of platforms to engage in their unlawful actions, resulting in a substantial impact on the financial industry. Alongside the rise in incidents, the financial losses associated with digital banking fraud also saw a large increase. Gross losses escalated from R44O million in 2021 to R740.8m in 2022, reflecting…

The ANC has been in power for almost 30 years, and it’s time for it to acknowledge that it has had every opportunity to create real change in South Africa. The party needs to start addressing the many problems that plague our country and stop deflecting responsibility on to a system that no longer exists. Similar to the many South Africans that are fed up with the ANC’s lack of progress, a growing number have made it clear that they are looking elsewhere for leadership. The party’s declining voter support should be a wake-up call, and it’s time for the ANC to take stock of its actions and to take responsibility for its shortcomings. If the ANC wants to regain the trust of the people of South Africa, it needs…

Aziz Pahad, the former deputy foreign affairs minister, received a special state funeral. President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered that flags be flown at half mast in honour of a man who had dedicated his entire life to freedom. It was all praise for Pahad at the funeral on Saturday with his coffin decked with the South African flag. Speaker after speaker lavished praise on the veteran Struggle stalwart. He wasn’t a controversial public figure but worked quietly behind the scenes for the noble cause of freedom and equality. President Cyril Ramaphosa described Pahad as a “consummate diplomat … who worked tirelessly for the global community”. Former president Thabo Mbeki paid tribute to Pahad as a key figure in shaping South Africa’s foreign policy and advocating its non-aligned policy. Both the Speaker…

The five men accused of killing soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, have denied meeting Constable Sizwe Zungu on the night of the murder and said they first met him in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Zungu continued under cross-examination on Monday following two weeks of recess. According to his testimony, he was with the five accused on October 26, 2014. He said he was visiting his nephew, Sfiso Zungu, at Basotho hostel in Vosloorus and they were drinking and eating. Advocate Charles Mnisi, who represents accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, said his client denied being at Vosloorus hostel on that day. “He says it’s just hogwash, nonsense, it never happened. You could have been there, but he wasn't there. “Further, he asked me to put it to you that…

Sandile Kagiso Mantsoe, the man serving a 32-year jail term for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Karabo Mokoena, is behind bars – despite speculation growing on social media where claims were made that he had been spotted in public. Spokesperson for the Justice and Correctional Services Department, Chrispin Phiri, dismissed the allegations on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, insisting that the killer is locked up at Standerton Correctional Centre in Mpumalanga. “We asked for an assurance that offender Sandile Kagiso Mantsoe is still in custody. Mantsoe was sentenced to 20 years for murder and still has an outstanding case,” said Phiri. Phiri said they received confirmation that Mantsoe was at the Standerton Correctional Centre. “His next court date is October 18, in Evander Court.” Numerous social media users…

police are investigating a case of murder after a homeowner in Ottawa, north of Durban, shot dead a man who allegedly attempted to enter his house. KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Verulam police are investigating a case of murder following an incident on Monday. “It is alleged that an unknown man was shot after entering a private property and attempting to stab the owner with a knife,” said Netshiunda yesterday. Security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) were first at the scene. Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram, said Rusa received a call for assistance at 1.14pm. He said that on arrival, reaction officers were directed to a bush at the rear of a property. “An unresponsive male was located in the overgrown vegetation. He sustained a single gunshot…

Problems lie with who is being deployed and underlying capitalist system THE DA’s court application against the ANC’s cadre deployment policy, and subsequent judgments of the High Court, has again brought the matter into public and legal discourse,. A DA victory would be pyrrhic and solve nothing. The DA is misdirecting the public discourse to defend the status. It wants the bureaucratic apparatus of the state to remain as constituted by the apartheid regime, as if the latter employed people based on any merit other than being white. To this end, the DA vulgarises the policy, and the ANC is unable to unashamedly defend it because cadre deployment is far from what the ANC is doing. Much more problematic is the fact that the essence of the DA position is…

Thailand’s police arrested a teenage gunman suspected of killing a Chinese national and critically wounding six people yesterday in a shooting spree at a luxury Bangkok mall, the latest high-profile gun violence to rock the country in recent years. Hundreds of people, including children, were seen screaming and racing into the streets after gunshots rang out at the Siam Paragon mall, a major shopping and entertainment venue popular with tourists in Bangkok’s crowded commercial heart. Emergency services said a woman had been killed and six people wounded, five critically, correcting an earlier statement that three people had died. Police said the deceased was a Chinese citizen. National police chief Torsak Sukvimol said the suspected shooter was 14 years old and had been receiving psychiatric treatment, but had skipped his prescribed…

The British government’s independent migration adviser yesterday recommended abolishing one of the main routes for businesses to hire migrant workers in sectors where there are severe staff shortages. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said making it easier to recruit low-wage workers increased the risk of exploitation. Business lobby groups had previously called for the government to expand the number of occupations on the list to help firms facing issues recruiting staff after Brexit. Employers can hire migrant workers at 80% of a job’s usual “going rate” for occupations on the list. For occupations on the list, employers can bypass the general minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa of £26 200, MAC said. It said that no employer should be able to pay below the going rate, to protect…

KATHMANDU: Two earthquakes rocked western Nepal yesterday, injuring 17 people, damaging homes and triggering a landslide that blocked a major highway. The landslide after the quakes of magnitude 6.3 and 5.3 in the district of Bajhang, bordering India, blocked the road to the southern plains, the interior ministry said. The temblors, centred on Talkot and Chainpur, struck with an interval of about 30 minutes. Tremors from the quakes were felt as far away as the Indian capital of New Delhi, where people rushed out of their homes and office buildings in case the structures were compromised. There were no immediate reports of damage. | Reuters…

Madrid: Nine migrants were arrested in the Canary Islands on “piracy” charges for forcing the ship that rescued them to change course for Spain instead of Morocco, police and rescuers said yesterday. They were among a group of 78 migrants who tried to cross from the African coast to the Canary Islands in two boats that got into trouble and were rescued on Monday by a Dutch tugboat. But when they realised the boat was taking them to the port of Tan Tan in southern Morocco and not to the Spanish archipelago, they allegedly became aggressive towards the crew, pulling out knives. The tugboat then changed course for Fuerteventura. | AFP…

PROTEAS captain Temba Bavuma is back in the saddle. After a week of fearing the worst due to Bavuma’s sudden return to South Africa for “family reasons”, he has returned to India and the full focus can now shift to the Proteas’ opening 50-over World Cup game against Sri Lanka in Delhi on Saturday. As it turned out, Bavuma did not miss much of the on-field action due to both warm-up matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand being affected by the weather. The Afghanistan clash was abandoned, while Monday’s hit out against the Black Caps allowed the bowlers to get a full complement of 50 overs under their belts but the batters were only out there for 37 overs before they were forced to return to the shed. In his…