Mercury içinde 2023-09-20 için içindekiler tablosu

Crime experts have warned the public to be vigilant when they are out at KwaZulu-Natal shopping malls after incidents in recent weeks, including a shooting in Richards Bay yesterday in which five people were killed. City of uMhlathuze mayor Xolani Ngwezi said in the incident gunmen opened fire, fatally wounding five people in a shopping centre parking lot. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the information at police’s disposal indicated that four suspects alighted from a vehicle and opened fire on the victims. “Four victims were certified dead at the scene, while the fifth succumbed to gunshot injuries at a local clinic. The suspects reportedly fled from the scene in a blue VW Polo. The motive of the shooting has not been established, although a drug-related turf war could…

I am shocked beyond measure that Trevor Noah is set to be paid a whopping R33 million for featuring in an advertisement to promote South Africa to the world. The video is expected to be only five minutes long. I am surprised there has been silence from South Africans as we are being ripped off once again. South Africa is in crisis. We live in a lawless country and are at the mercy of criminals. Youth unemployment is rocketing, we have a brain drain as skilled and professional people are leaving the country, we are suffering from economic sabotage, and service delivery remains a growing concern. As a result, the government should be using all available resources in addressing the social needs. If our president cannot deal with the issues,…

I am writing to express my profound concern at the lack of progress or information regarding a motion sponsored by ADeC councillor Visvin Reddy. The motion called for an investigation into possible corrupt practices by DA Chatsworth councillors. This matter is of great public interest as it involves elected public representatives who are held in trust by citizens. It was widely reported that Reddy tabled this motion calling on the speaker of eThekwini to institute an investigation into the much-publicised exposure of certain DA councillors who allegedly received bribes by a contractor working on a multi-billion rand water project in Chatsworth. A former DA councillor produced a recording of a meeting between a DA MP, and the implicated councillors. In the recording, the MP was using vulgarities and profanities unbecoming…

A 32-year-old man who worked at a foreign exchange training company has appeared in the Gqeberha New Law Court in the Eastern Cape on charges of theft. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (known as the Hawks) said Nhlakanipho Nyembe was served with a summons on August 22. Provincial Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said it was alleged that from November 13, 2017, to May 30, 2018, Nyembe was employed as a mentor at a company that offered training on foreign exchange (forex) trading. “He reportedly provided education services to clients in relation to the forex exchange markets,” Mgolodela said. “It is further alleged that Nyembe mentioned to the clients that he had invented a robot software program that would trade on their behalf while they were learning how…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) for another 10 years to bolster the economy of South Africa. Ramaphosa said the extension of the preferential trade agreement will benefit both South Africa and the US by creating jobs. He said this was an important preferential agreement for South Africa and the country was also looking forward to hosting the Agoa summit in November. Ramaphosa was addressing the US-South Africa trade and investment business round table discussion on the margins of the UN on Monday. South Africa has been pushing for the extension of Agoa over the past few months following a fallout with the US after allegations were raised that a Russian ship had picked up arms in South Africa. Ramaphosa…

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille yesterday launched the summer season campaign aimed at inspiring South Africans and international tourists to travel more and explore the country, at Pabala Private Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape yesterday. The event was held by the Department of Tourism and SA Tourism in partnership with the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, and the greater tourism sector. Addressing safety, De Lille said they acknowledged the legitimate concerns that had arisen due to unfortunate incidents involving tourists. In 2022, German tourist Jörg Schnarr was shot dead by criminals in Mpumalanga. In addition, Nick Frischke, a German tourist is still missing after he was last seen going on a hike in Cape Town in February. Five men were arrested for robbing him. De Lille said: “We…

An Mpumalanga-based court interpreter, 47-year-old Timothy Sibuyi, was released on bail after he appeared before the Mhala Regional Court, where he works, on allegations of corruption. The court official appeared in court this week, according to the Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks. “It is alleged that on November 17, 2022, Sibuyi approached the brother of an accused person who was arrested for a rape case. He invited him to his office at Mhala Magistrate’s Court,” said Captain Dineo Sekgotodi. According to the Hawks, Sibuyi told the man that he could arrange a legal representative for his brother – for a fee. The money was raised by the family, and R2 500 was deposited into his Capitec bank account. The matter…

THE silence of the farming communities following the recent arrest of 46 undocumented immigrants en route to work on a farm in Piketberg, Western Cape, does very little to help in the fight against the crimes committed in those farming areas. Farmers are often the first, and rightly so, to demand increased policing and other safety measures when a crime has been committed. They have to play an active role in helping meet the law enforcement agencies halfway. Employing people who cannot be accounted for only aggravates a situation that has already been highly politicised. The latest crime statistics released last month indicates that 14 murders occurred on farms while AfriForum claims this was an undercount. We have not heard much about the arrests. Very often our police sources tell…

Azerbaijan launched military action in the Armenian-populated breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a step that could presage a new war in the volatile area but which Baku said was necessary to restore constitutional order and drive out Armenian military formations. Authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said yesterday that five people had been killed and 80 wounded as a result of military operations by Azerbaijan.Fifteen of the wounded were civilians. Karabakh is internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory but part of it is run by breakaway ethnic Armenian authorities who say the area is their ancestral homeland. It has been at the centre of two wars, the latest in 2020, since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. There were already signs of political fallout in Yerevan where Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke…

LONDON: YouTube has suspended monetisation on Russell Brand’s channel. The platform announced the move after it deemed the 48-year-old comedian had broken the platform’s “Creator Responsibility policy”, which comes after several sexual assault and rape allegations, which he denies, were made against him. YouTube said: “If a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community.” It said this also applied to any other channels owned or operated by the star. Its guidelines state that: “When a creator is suspended from the YouTube Partner Programme, they are prohibited from using a new or alternate channel to circumvent our enforcement decision.” Four women accused the actor of rape, sexual assault and emotional and physical abuse between 2006 and 2013. A fifth accused him of…

KYIV: Six people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine yesterday, including a drone strike that set ablaze industrial warehouses and destroyed humanitarian aid supplies in the city of Lviv, officials said. They said one person was killed in Lviv, three were killed in an attack on the north-eastern town of Kupiansk, and two people, including a policeman, were killed in shelling of the southern city of Kherson. In Lviv, which is far from front lines, fire fighters tackled a blaze after three industrial warehouses were hit in an attack. Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the body of a man who worked at one of the warehouses had been found under rubble. | Reuters…

LONDON: The British government said yesterday that 174 schools in England had so far been found to have buildings with potentially unsafe old and crumbling concrete, up from 147 at the end of last month. The revelations of old and weak concrete in schools, which saw more than 100 ordered to shut buildings only days before the start of a new term and others using rooms propped up by steel girders, sparked anger among parents and teachers. The government said at the time it was working to identify further schools with a lightweight form of concrete used during the 1960s-80s but now considered weak and unsafe.| Reuters…

THE bad news for Premiership teams looking to stop the Mamelodi Sundowns juggernaut from dominating the league yet again is that Lucas Ribeiro Costa has not begun firing on all cylinders. The Brazilian attacker has hit the ground running since joining the multiple championship winners in the close season from Belgian side Beveren. Unlike most foreigners, who struggle and usually take time to find their footing in the South Africa, Ribeiro has slotted into the Sundowns team seamlessly and has already proven his money’s worth with some key goals. Just last weekend he scored a brace and could easily have made it a hat-trick in Tanzania, where Sundowns made short work of Burundian outfit Bumamuru FC in a 4-0 hammering in their first leg, second preliminary round Caf Champions League…

Poor planning and management of resources are among the key factors affecting water supply in municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal. This was found in the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) KZN Water Inquiry report into the province’s municipalities and water authorities, which stated that residents’ rights had been violated as they had not been provided with clean drinking water. The inquiry was conducted in response to the current water crisis in KZN, where many have protested and called for action. The commission’s provincial office said it had received more than 600 complaints regarding access to water since 2020. The commission has given governance entities 12 months to implement its recommendations, failing which further steps will be taken, including litigation, which will be brought before the Constitutional Court in instances where recommendations…

THE new statue of King Shaka that is located at the King Shaka International Airport in Durban is set to be unveiled this coming weekend. Dr Musa Gumede, the deputy city manager for community and emergency services in eThekwini Municipality, told members of the executive committee during a meeting yesterday that the statue could be unveiled on September 23, the day before Heritage Day. This is the second King Shaka statue to be made for the airport. A previous one was removed in 2010 after the late King Goodwill Zwelithini complained that it was demeaning in its portrayal of the founder of the Zulu nation. Gumede made the announcement shortly after he announced that the Heritage Day celebrations on September 24 would be hosted in Durban. He said the City…

As the IFP bids farewell to its founder and President Emeritus, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, I remember the many days, nights and hours that I spent in his presence and drank from his cup of wisdom. I worked with His Excellency for just over 20 years and got to know different facets of a man who dedicated his life to a better South Africa. At all times I found him to be most humble and respectful, to the point of never calling anyone by their first names – it was always a formal greeting. On the numerous occasions that I met him, he would greet me with a huge smile and both his palms together, followed by a warm hug. Even when he visited my home and shared a meal with…

I recently wrote about emotional maturity. This list attempts to expand on how emotional immaturity manifests itself. If emotional maturity is demonstrated in the capacity to switch lenses, to see the world from another’s point of view, the immature person is fixed in his or her corner and will regard differences as evil or dangerous. If emotional maturity is demonstrated in the capacity to report what is heard even if it is a point of contention or disagreement, the immature person may refuse to verbalise accurately or will tilt content to his or her favour. If emotional maturity is demonstrated in the capacity for objectivity, the immature person becomes locked into positions and opinions that protect self-interest. If emotional maturity is demonstrated in the capacity to see the differences among…

A 30-year-old shop owner was found dead in his business operating from a shipping container in Magwaveni township in oThongathi on Monday night. Prem Balram, from security company Reaction Unit South Africa, said their response centre received a call from a resident at 7.28pm. “According to the caller, a single gunshot was heard at a general dealer operating from a shipping container. The caller believed that the owner had been shot,” Balram said. “Reaction officers were dispatched and on arrival discovered a private security company in attendance.” Balram said the body of the businessman was found in a pool of blood inside the shipping container. “The oThongathi SAPS arrived shortly thereafter and utilised a bolt cutter to cut a lock and enter the premises. Upon examination, the deceased was found…

While Postbank said it had “fully corrected” payments owed to social grant beneficiaries following a technical glitch two weeks ago that prevented the distribution of grants, human rights organisation Black Sash, said the impact was still being felt. “Black Sash are still encountering beneficiaries who can’t access their funds, however, this is decreasing, we can only comment according to the pay sites we visit,” said spokesperson Angie Richardson. “This means we don’t have a full view of the number of beneficiaries who may still be struggling. “What we are also seeing is an escalating number of beneficiaries changing their payment details to a commercial bank account due to the fear that next month there may be more issues with their Sassa gold card account.” Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako said 600…

EDUCATION quality assurance council Umalusi has expressed satisfaction that not only were assessment bodies on track with preparations for matric final exams, but security measures had been strengthened. Umalusi presented its preliminary report on the state of readiness to the portfolio committee on basic education yesterday. The quality assurance body’s Mary-Louise Madalane said based on the observation from the administration of the June exams, Umalusi was confident that the same security measures would be applied as standing requirements for the upcoming National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. A total of 855 607 candidates were registered as of August 31. Of these, 723 877 were full time. “The cohort registered to write the November 2023 NSC examinations have been captured successfully on the Integrated Examination Computers System (IECS). ” Basic Education Department…

Amid the great jamboree that was Africa Climate Week, one of the important messages hidden within the festive atmosphere of a much-needed global expression of Afro-optimism, was that the continent must make hard choices. What is the path to climate prosperity, and did the African Climate Summit deliver the necessary boost? The expression of the UN Secretary-General of the vision for Africa as a “renewable energy superpower” was powerful. The expected follow-up of statements of support from Africa’s partners in the developed world could have been more robust. “Opportunities that Africa and the world are primed to capitalise.” The African Climate Summit attracted Heads of State, leaders of multilateral and regional institutions as well as development institutions including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, private sector leaders, philanthropies, civil…

CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said authorities were “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking New Delhi’s agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, an assertion India quickly dismissed as “absurd”. The spat deals a fresh blow to diplomatic ties that have been fraying for years, with New Delhi unhappy over Sikh separatist activity in Canada. It now threatens trade ties too, with talks on a proposed trade deal frozen last week. Each nation expelled a diplomat in tit-for-tat moves, with Canada throwing out India’s top intelligence agent and New Delhi responding by giving a Canadian diplomat five days to leave. Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen is “an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty”, Trudeau told the House of Commons this week. He…

Thousands of children are feared to be dying in Sudan as violence, disease and severe malnutrition rip through the country. The UN refugee agency UNHCR said yesterday that more than 1 200 children had died in refugee camps since May. A measles outbreak killed some and thousands more were dying due to malnutrition and lack of health care, the UN’s children’s agency Unicef said. Sudan is being ripped apart by a violent conflict that erupted on April 15 between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war has killed at least 7 500 people, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. It has decimated already fragile infrastructure, shut down 80% of the country’s…

Damascus: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would visit China from tomorrow, his office said, his first trip to the allied country since before the Syrian civil war broke out more than 12 years ago. China will be the third non-Arab country Assad visits since before the conflict, which has killed more than 500 000 people, displaced millions and battered the country’s infrastructure and industry. Beijing has provided Damascus with international support, particularly at the UN Security Council, where it has abstained from resolutions against Damascus. | AFP…

London: As Pirola, the new mutation of Omicron strain of Covid-19, worries health experts, the UK’s National Health Service has asked senior citizens to get their top-up booster jabs. People aged 65 and over in England are being urged to get a top-up booster vaccine against Covid at a time when more people are coming into hospitals with the highly mutated BA.2.86 virus. The vaccines will soon be provided for free to more vulnerable groups. According to the report, Covid hospital admissions are now at the highest rate since the end of April, at 4.6 per 100 000 people. That is still below the level reached last winter. | IANS…

The results of a titanic midweek fixture list might just be the beginning of the end of dreams for some, while for others it could signal a newfound lease on life. The implications of a meeting between two title contenders at this stage of the season usually doesn’t offer much in determining the eventual champions. However the Premiership is currently under a unique spell, a hegemony that has ruled South African football for six years in a row. Therefore, the outcome between defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates so early in the season might prove significant this time around. The Buccaneers will play hosts to Sundowns today at Orlando Stadium, looking to reel in their runaway opponents. Although having played two more matches than Pirates, Sundowns have established an…

THE eThekwini Municipality is disputing the latest E coli test results released by an independent water research company that show critical levels of the harmful bacteria at the City’s beaches. A researcher from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has previously explained to The Mercury that high E coli counts in water indicate probable sewage contamination. The beaches have on previous occasions been closed to swimming because of high E coli readings due to sewerage infrastructure damage and deterioration. Yesterday the City was questioned about the latest readings conducted by water research company Talbot. Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda had told the members of the Executive Committee during a meeting yesterday that he anticipated that all beaches would be opened for the summer season. Addressing the issue of the results,…

The National Freedom Party (NFP) vehemently condemns the recent proposal to ban the wearing of headscarves (hijabs) by Muslim nurses while on duty in the nursing profession, viewing it as an affront to the principles of religious freedom and equality that form the bedrock of our democratic society. The NFP stands in solidarity with Muslim health-care workers who are opposing the regressive dress-code policy. We firmly believe individuals should not be forced to choose between their faith and their chosen profession, especially in a diverse and inclusive nation like South Africa. The proposed dress-code policy, issued by the Department of Health, states that “headscarves are not allowed while on duty” and it imposes restrictions on other aspects of nurses’ appearance. While the policy claims to promote uniformity and hygiene, the…

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has apologised for the delay in arranging the board medical exams. According to the council, the Medical Board exams were previously managed by an external service provider on behalf of the Medical and Dental Professional Board. Earlier this month, the council appealed for patience after South African foreign-qualified medical doctors whose registration with the council has been delayed due to administrative challenges raised their frustrations. HPCSA registrar Dr Magome Masike said the appointment of the new service provider had been a lengthy process. “However, a new contract has been signed with the University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN) to manage the HPCSA Medical Board exams for the next three years,” said Masike. The first round of exams will be held as follows: Theory…

South Africa is a mess and moving towards the kind of crisis facing Zimbabwe, because of a lack of leadership. These are some of the observations of former vice-chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and former health ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, in his new book. The book, which is Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Vice-Chancellor Professor Tinyiko Maluleke’s “Book of the Month”, is titled Leadership for Transformation since the Dawn of SA’s Democracy. Makgoba was speaking at a discussion event moderated by Maluleke at the TUT Pretoria campus, where students gathered to “take a leaf from the book” this week. Makgoba did not mince his words about the future and politics of the country, saying a lack of leadership was keeping the country in dire straits. “We don’t have leadership…

Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan has thrown his weight behind the board of Transnet to come up with remedies to turn the parastatal around, despite numerous calls for its CEO and executives to be axed. Gordhan was reacting to correspondence from the Association of South African Chambers (Asac) in which its members have called for decisive action to resolve the issues affecting the economy because of Transnet’s underperformance. Last week, IOL reported on a scathing letter penned by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry to Gordhan calling for the removal of Transnet chief executive officer Portia Derby and her executive team. South African mining companies also recently reported shrinking revenue and profit margins as a result of Transnet’s inefficiencies in exporting ore and called for experienced personnel to…

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development told Parliament yesterday that progress was being made in implementing the recommendations of the Zondo Commission. Briefing the justice and correctional services portfolio committee, deputy director-general Kalay Pillay said a comprehensive proposal on an effective and integrated anti-corruption institutional framework will be produced for public consultation, finalisation and implementation. This after advice was received from the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council and there was a review of South Africa’s anti-corruption architecture by the department. “The department has completed its comparative research on the models followed in other countries, and is preparing a proposal on the recommendations for a model for South Africa’s anti-corruption architecture. “The deadline was extended following the guidance received. Draft legislation is also under consideration. Consultation with stakeholders will commence once…

The present struggle goes beyond the party, meaning the country must take keen interest THERE are events happening in South African politics that are quite difficult to explain but point to a specific direction nonetheless. These do not involve a single individual or one political party, but several actors appear to be in cahoots towards a particular goal. The national discourse is smoothing divisions between political parties and favours a specific discourse, meaning that the ideological distance between the PAC and the Freedom Front Plus is not as wide as it is often portrayed, in practice at least. Neo-liberalism ideology has always been associated with whites in South Africa and blacks with mainly left-leaning ideas for historical reasons. However, there is now a very rehearsed script to create a…

Telephone and internet links were severed yesterday to Libya’s flood-hit city of Derna, a day after hundreds of people protested there, blaming the local authorities for the thousands of deaths. A tsunami-sized flash flood broke through two ageing dams on rivers up- stream from the city on the night of September 10 during heavy rains dumped by storm Daniel. The flood razed areas sweeping untold thousands of people into the Mediterranean Sea. Protesters massed on Monday at the city’s grand mosque, venting their anger at local and regional authorities whom they blamed for failing to maintain the dams or to provide early warning of the disaster. Yesterday, the national telecom company LPTIC blamed the communication outage on “a rupture in the optical fibre” link to Derna, in a statement…

Britain said yesterday that it found no evidence of “political” bank account closures, according to a review launched after the controversial withdrawal of facilities for Nigel Farage, angering the arch Brexiteer. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said in initial findings that the evidence it has gathered “suggests that no firm closed an account between July 2022 and June 2023 primarily because of a customer’s political views”. However, the financial markets watchdog also conceded that it had collected limited information and needed to investigate further. The announcement sparked fury from Farage who described the FCA as “overtly political”. The probe was launched after Coutts, the private banking arm of British lender NatWest, decided to end its relationship with Farage, the former leader of the Brexit Party and the anti-immigration party UKIP.…

Yangon: A boat carrying around 100 passengers sank on a river in northern Myanmar yesterday, with dozens feared missing. The vessel sank on the Chindwin River in Mingin township in Sagaing region, local media reported. A source close to the local transport minister said a search operation had begun and the number of missing people was being tallied. A pro-junta Telegram channel also reported a boat had sunk in Mingin township. Sagaing is a hotbed of resistance to the military’s 2021 coup, with anti-coup fighters clashing regularly with junta troops. Vessels ferrying people along Myanmar’s coast and rivers are often overcrowded, and accidents can have high death tolls. | AFP…

BEIJING: Chinese sovereign lending to Africa fell below $1 billion (about R19bn) last year, the lowest level in nearly two decades, underscoring Beijing’s shift away from a decades-long big ticket infrastructure spree on the continent, data showed yesterday. The drop in lending reflected in data from Boston University’s Global China Initiative comes as several African nations struggle with debt crises and China’s own economy faces headwinds. Boston University’s Chinese Loans to Africa Database estimates Chinese lenders provided $170bn to Africa from 2000 to 2022. But lending has declined sharply since a 2016 peak. | Reuters…

It was a fantastic come-from-behind one-day international series victory over the Australians, but the Proteas must put all that behind them and turn their focus to the impeding 50-over World Cup next month. Here, Zaahier Adams looks at five areas South Africa must build on as they prepare for the tournament in India Proteas’ new state of mind Saying that you will play fearlessly and doing it are different things. For the first time the Proteas did what they said and never stopped doing it - even when they were 2-0 behind in the series and on a five-game losing streak. The management has certainly played their part in maintaining the players’ belief that despite the losses they were still on the right track. “It’s one of the biggest cliches…

Sekhukhune United coach Brandon Truter has set his sights on an improved record against KwaZulu-Natal-based clubs as his team prepares to face Royal AM. Babina Noko will make the long trip to Pietermaritzburg for a meeting with Royal AM at the Harry Gwala Stadium today. The former AmaZulu coach, although buoyed by a morale-boosting victory in Sekhukhune’s debut match in the Caf Confederation Cup, has expressed his desperation to try to rectify a poor run of results in the province last season. In their five five trips to KZN last season, Sekhukhune managed just two draws against Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United and were beaten by AmaZulu, Richards Bay FC and Royal AM. Speaking ahead of today’s match, Truter expressed his desire to get a more positive result this time…