Table of contents for 2022-12-09 in Mercury

It’s going to be the worst December in living memory for South Africans. That is the message from business owners and organised business after power utility Eskom moved South Africa to Stage 6 load shedding on Wednesday, with a warning that the power cuts were set to persist for the next six to 12 months. Durban businessman Janus Horn yesterday said he had to fork out R200 000 each month for diesel for generators to enable his establishment to function without any hiccups, labelling this as an expense that no one plans for. Horn, who runs a top-end conference and accommodation facility which has been operating for 25 years, said in all his years of operation, he had not experienced anything equal to the current power crisis. “We have been…

When we hide anything in the manner the president allegedly did at Phala Phala, it simply means that we don’t want anyone to know anything about it because we know that we are on the wrong side of the law. Yet, the independent panel that reviewed the case stated in its report that the president “may” have violated the Constitution and “may” have a case to answer. Actually, Cyril Ramaphosa has violated the Constitution and many laws and regulations in South Africa, so prescribing the case as “may have”, as the panel concluded, is not enough. In addition, the president was given many chances to explain what happened, but he refused to talk, and now he wants to get away with his alleged serious misconduct without any accountability. The hesitant…

So Cyril Ramaphosa could become the third successive president to be ousted before the end of his term has been completed. Maybe it is the whole ANC which should resign; it would benefit the country more. Let’s face it, the ANC has in nearly 30 years brought the country to its knees and achieved nothing on the way. Although we have had above average rainfalls, parts of the country remain on water restrictions, the whole country is on blackouts (stage 6 announced on Wednesday), and roads in most provinces are irreparable because of the number of pot holes that remain unattended, sometimes for months. Qualified engineers have offered to help Eskom repair its ageing plants, but because of the EFF and BEE, this is not acceptable, better to give the…

A CONVICTED robber will be home for Christmas after his conviction and 8-year jail sentence was overturned – all because the criminal justice system did not have its house in order. A judge sitting in the high court in Bloemfontein expressed his concern about the fact that court records often go missing. This means if a matter goes on appeal, it is often impossible for the appeal court to reassess the existing evidence. This in turn means the convicted person often scores the advantage of being freed. The judge commented that it would be a travesty of justice if more and more convicted criminals were allowed to walk free because of incomplete or lost records relating to the earlier court proceedings. In this case, which pertained to missing court records…

About 90% of road traffic crashes could be directly attributed to the human element, which invariably relate to violation of traffic rules, Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said yesterday. Mbalula was launching the 2022 Festive Season Road Safety Arrive Alive Campaign. He said the festive season was a time for many to relax, recharge and take a well-deserved break from a challenging year. However, it is equally a period when many revellers take to the roads under the influence of alcohol, while others conduct themselves recklessly, placing the lives of other road users at risk. With migrant workers also expected to make their way home from the cities where they earn a living, crossing provincial and national boundaries, congested roads were “an expected reality”. “This places tremendous pressure on our…

Iran carried out its first known execution yesterday over the protests that have shaken the regime since September, sparking international condemnation and warnings from rights groups that more hangings are imminent. Mohsen Shekari, 23, had been convicted and sentenced to death for blocking a street and wounding a paramilitary soldier during the early phase of the protests in mid-September, after a legal process denounced as a show trial by rights groups. At least a dozen other people are at risk of imminent execution after being sentenced to hang over the protests in recent weeks, human rights groups warned. Demonstrations have swept Iran for nearly three months since Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, 22, died after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for an alleged breach of the country’s…

Moscow: The Kremlin said yesterday that the Crimean peninsula it annexed in 2014 was vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks after officials there said they had shot down a drone near a key naval base. The latest drone attack comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the only bridge connecting Crimea with the Russian mainland to survey work to repair the key artery in the wake of a blast. Yesterday, Russia said it had shot down a drone over the Black Sea near Sevastopol, the largest city on the Crimean peninsula that hosts a key Russian naval base. The shooting down of the drone came after a series of attacks deep in Russia. | Reuters…

SEOUL: South Korea yesterday passed laws to scrap its traditional method of determining ages and adopt the international standard, a shift which will make its citizens either one or two years younger. Koreans were deemed to be a year old when born and a year was added every January 1. A system also exists for conscription purposes or calculating the age to drink alcohol and smoke, in which a person’s age is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on January 1. Since the early 1960s, however, South Korea has for medical and legal documents also used the international norm of calculating from zero at birth and adding a year on every birthday. | Reuters…

Four games … two at home, and two away. That will decide the fate of the Emirates Lions and the nine other teams in Pool B of the EPCR Challenge Cup; and whether they get to play as hosts if they make the knockout rounds, or keep a packed travel bag at the front-door as they fly to Europe and parts unknown. The Lions begin that undertaking tomorrow against a familiar foe, the Dragons, at Emirates Airline Park at 12.45pm, and then a week later have an extremely tough encounter against Stade Francais, also at home. The return fixtures will both be away in January in hostile conditions with Europe deep in the grip of winter. So, striving for maximum points – 10 in all – in the next…

THERE has been unprecedented demand for solar and alternative energy equipment and quotes over the past few days due to load shedding but stock remains in short supply, a feature that is likely among all local distributors, Ellies CEO Shaun Prithivirajh said yesterday. Ellies, the listed wholesaler, importer and distributor of LED lighting, electrical and electronic products for the residential and commercial sectors, is in a “transition” phase to focus more of its products towards alternative energy and solar power solutions. The share price lit up by 7.05% to 15 cents on the JSE yesterday afternoon. Prithivirajh said in a telephone interview yesterday South Africa was at the “tail-end” of solar panel markets, as the energy crisis in Europe had driven demand for solar panels and equipment to that market,…

ALL eyes will be on the ANC’s integrity committee today as it announces its decision on whether President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala scandal has brought the party into disrepute. Ramaphosa has approached the Constitutional Court to challenge the recommendations of the Section 89 independent panel report, which found prima facie evidence that he may have violated the Constitution regarding steps taken to investigate the theft of a large sum of foreign currency from his farm and the subsequent cover-up. An ANC national executive committee (NEC) member who attended Monday’s meeting said there was very little confidence that any ANC processes would hold Ramaphosa to account, especially after contradicting views were shut down at the meeting. “There were at least 35 members who wanted to ask questions, but the meeting was…

Global talks have begun on drafting new health rules for combating pandemics, and developing nations are lobbying for fairer access to treatments than they got during Covid-19. But they worry that the odds of a favourable outcome from a scheduled 18 months of negotiations at the World Health Organization (WHO) are already stacked against them as they lack the negotiating firepower of wealthier countries. South Africa, Pakistan and India were among countries that made formal requests, during an initial three days of talks that ended on Wednesday, to ensure the process is inclusive. That challenge is “very daunting,” said an ambassador from a developing country who asked not to be named. “The advanced countries have the requisite resources and can afford to have it covered and we cannot,” he said.…

Dear Rod, As a parent, it’s not easy to apply tough love, but ultimately you need to do it for the sake of your child/children. Each child is different so your degree of pressure will differ accordingly. Having a heartfelt discussion about their goals and aspirations may be a starting point. Tell them that your responsibility is to provide them with basic necessities, especially food and personal security. Also that you will fund their education for as long as is necessary, even if they get married! This will enable them to find sustainable employment and acquire assets for themselves and their future family. Make it clear that they are not entitled to inherit from you and you need to ensure your own retirement needs are taken care of without depending…

A NEW era dawns as the Sharks take on Harlequins at Kings Park tomorrow – not the Harlequins okeys from the Bluff, that is, it’s the Harlequins okeys from London. For the first time ever, local sides are playing for the Heineken Cup against the top clubs of England and France. The Sharks are at full strength, their internationals on board. This should be a cracker! Let’s start on a high! Small wonder that the damsels of the Street Shelter for the Over-Forties are already strumming at their knickers in anticipation of supplying elastic for a fashioning of catapults for the time-honoured celebratory feu de joie in which the street lights are shot out. ’Erewego, ’erewego, ’erewego! Birdie frolics IF YOU want entertainment aside from rugby, just throw down some…

THE eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Solid Waste (DSW) unit has come under fire as it struggles to collect refuse that is piling up in many suburbs and in the CBD. Angry residents have said this is becoming a health hazard. Residents in areas including Glenwood, Glenmore, Malvern and Yellowwood Park have had to contend with an erratic refuse collection schedule that often leaves refuse piling up on the streets for days or weeks. In the Glenwood area, the collection has been erratic for the past four to five months, residents said. The general cleanliness of the city was a subject of complaints from councillors during an executive committee meeting on Tuesday. Exco was discussing issues of overtime pay and opposition party councillors pointed out that in most cases, overtime claims cannot…

While Eskom has announced stage 6 and 5 power cuts this week, taxpayers have forked out nearly R800 000 for diesel to run generators, in order to keep the lights on at the state-owned houses of ministers over the past five months. They are also due to pay for up to three more generators to be procured and installed at official ministerial houses. This was revealed by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille, when responding to parliamentary questions. DA MP Samantha Graham wrote to De Lille enquiring about the total number of generators bought for the official ministerial homes, and whether each house was equipped with a generator. Graham also asked whether any new generators were bought since July, and the total amount that had been spent on…

ON DECEMBER 3, we celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is an important observance day on the international calendar because it highlights the need to create an inclusive, accessible and equitable world for people with disabilities. The day also emphasises how addressing access is at the core of equity, especially since research shows us that there cannot be equity without access. When we speak about issues of access, we remember how development that is not inclusive impacts people’s lives, especially in South Africa, with its seismic and systemic inequality. One issue that still hinders access to health care in many rural areas is apartheid-era spatial development. Access to health care is a fundamental human right for all. However, people with disabilities face personal and environmental barriers which…

Israeli troops killed three Palestinians yesterday in their latest deadly raid on the flashpoint city of Jenin, Palestinian health officials said, as violence surges in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces said no troops were hurt in an exchange of fire in Jenin, during one of scores of near-daily raids it has carried out in recent months following a series of deadly attacks on Israelis. The Palestinian health ministry said three people were killed “by bullets from the Israeli occupation during its aggression in Jenin at dawn today”. The Israeli military said troops entered Jenin to detain people “suspected of involvement in terrorist activity”. “The soldiers operated while being targeted with direct fire and responded with live fire,” the army said in a statement. Mahmud al-Saadi, head of the Palestinian…

Lima: Peru’s Vice-President Dina Boluarte has become the country’s first female president after she was sworn-in following the impeachment of former president Pedro Castillo for alleged “permanent moral incapacity”. This was the third impeachment proceeding against Castillo since he came to office in July 2021. He was detained after he had said that he was replacing Congress with an “exceptional emergency government”. Peru has had multiple presidents ousted from office. In 2020, it had three within five days. | IANS…

THE SA rock and surf teams are currently fishing against Namibia. Let us hope our boys can pull it off. The rock and surf fishing has been very productive along the KZN coast and the opening of the shad season has helped. The north coast has seen some good summer action already. There have been some proper fish caught already. The blackfins have been around most of the river mouths of the north coast. Mackerel and live baits have been the most productive. The flatfish have been on the radar with honeycombs, brown skates and sandies all making up the catches. Mackerel has been the most successful bait. The central coast fishing has picked up with the opening of the shad season. The Blue Lagoon pier has been very busy…

Pressure is mounting on eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, amid growing calls from opposition parties for him to resign or be removed due to the sewage crisis affecting the city’s beaches, general infrastructure challenges and delays in finding accommodation for flood victims. The EFF yesterday staged a protest at a full council meeting calling for Kaunda to go, accusing him of failing at his job. The party said Kaunda was “singing and twerking at the beach” while the city crumbled. The DA had earlier in the week made similar calls demanding that Kaunda resign by yesterday amid sewage leaks that are threatening to bring the tourism industry in the city to its knees. But the ANC defended Kaunda yesterday, with ANC councillor Nkosenhle Madlala arguing that it was unfair to single…

Once again, the people of Chatsworth have been let down by the municipality. Every week the Mobeni Heights Crematorium closes for at least three days due to a shortage of gas. The debate is raging in Chatsworth over whether the crematorium should be privatised for the community to get excellent service. The Clare Estate Crematorium, which is a private service, is known for its professionalism and with every member on the board having a hands-on approach in the running of the facility. The chairperson of the board, Pradeep Ramlall, is an engineer by profession and if they have a breakdown it is repaired before close of business. But should there be a breakdown at the Mobeni Heights Crematorium, it will take more than five years to be repaired. This…

It is shocking to read in The Mercury (December 7) that R71 million has been set aside to pay performance bonuses to staff to avoid a wildcat strike. What type of management do we have here who, it would seem, have no idea how to run a company? Spineless. What type of management agrees to a bonus knowing full well that no performance has been reached to warrant such a bonus, with all service delivery virtually non-existent? It sounds, by some comments made, that this is bribery money to halt a wildcat strike. If these individuals want to go on strike, fire them and employ new staff.We have many unemployed people looking for work, unless the officials are looking after their buddies. What type of officials are employed in…

As 2022 draws to an end, the blood- letting in many parts of the world continues, turning from minor skirmishes into full-blown acts of human savagery. Millions of refugees are fleeing from their places of birth as war- mongers seize their lands in an orgy of madness. Drone warfare today dominates the global headlines, as lethal combat enters a new dimension. Future historians will record and remember the year 2022, when man ceased to be the supremo of planet Earth. Artificial intelligence will direct world affairs in every direction. Cyber- warfare will become the ultimate weapon of immense destruction. Trade wars and sanctions have become instruments of war, displacing diplomacy. The shameless display of military might has become a crude weapon of intimidation, as nations and weaker people are bludgeoned…

A travel report has revealed that South African travellers are globe- trotting adventurers. The report, compiled by Bryte Insurance Company Limited, states that the UK is the No 1 international destination for South Africans. Other popular places include Mauritius, the US, Italy, Thailand, France, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. Over the past decade, Bryte travel customers chose Mauritius, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Namibia, Mozambique and Botswana as their African destinations of choice. The report also notes that South Africans consistently chose Thailand as one of their favourite destinations. Popular destinations in Asia included India, Indonesia, China and Vietnam. “Bryte’s travel data shows South Africans commonly travel via major air hubs … Qatar Airways and Emirates have been Bryte customers’ airlines of choice. The UAE is a popular destination for South…

The KwaZulu-Natal government has undertaken to pay the debt owed to different municipalities across the province for services and rates. The move was approved at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and came after cries from many municipalities that they were battling to make ends meet owing to government debt. Msunduzi Municipality recently embarked on a campaign to disconnect water and electricity services at government departments and entities in Pietermaritzburg, in a bid to collect millions of rand in debt owed to it. In a statement yesterday, the provincial government revealed it had resolved to establish a technical committee to focus on debt owed by the government to municipalities which is reported at R2.8 billion. “Included in this is debt reported to be owed by the Ingonyama Trust Board of R420…

South Africans woke up to some good news as President Cyril Ramaphosa declared December 27, 2022 a public holiday. This is because Christmas Day this year falls on a Sunday. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya made the announcement yesterday morning, saying the declaration was in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act. This comes after the two biggest trade union federations Cosatu and the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) made the proposal. “Section 2(1) of the Public Holidays Act provides that ‘whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday’. In this instance, the Monday following December 25 is another public holiday, Day of Goodwill,” said Magwenya. If the Christmas holiday were to be moved to December 26 this would cancel…

VIOLENCE and harassment in the workplace have affected more than one in five people, an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report has revealed. According to the UN agency, almost 23% of employees have experienced violence and harassment at work, whether physical, psychological or sexual, according to an analysis by the ILO, Lloyd’s Register Foundation, and Gallup. Although the report said violence and harassment at work were difficult to measure, it found that only half of victims worldwide had disclosed their experiences to someone else, and often only after they had suffered more than one form of violence and harassment. The most common reasons given for non-disclosure were “waste of time” and “fear for their reputation”. Women were more likely to share their experiences than men – 60.7% compared with 50.1% –…

Multiple global crises are masking the challenges faced by sub-Saharan Africa The narrative has hardly moved on, as if it is perpetually stuck amid the seemingly never-ending impacts of pandemics ranging from Covid-19 to macro and socio-economic disruptions. A world beset by crises and multiple uncertainties. Covid-19 bears testimony to the devastation caused in mortality, hospitalisation, health system failures, pandemic unpreparedness, vaccine inequality and insecurity, policy deficits and procurement profiteering. The beauty of human ingenuity is reflected in the invention and production of vaccines, especially those based on mRNA technology, in record time, which no doubt prevented millions of further deaths. The ugly side of human nature is that access to that ingenuity has been heavily skewed against the most vulnerable and marginalised of the world, of which many of…

Qatar has launched a work safety investigation into the death of a worker, Qatari officials said yesterday, after reports that a Filipino man died at a training site during the soccer World Cup, which has been marked by controversy over treatment of migrant workers. Nasser Al Khater, the chief executive of the 2022 World Cup in Doha, confirmed that a worker died. Online sports publication The Athletic reported that a Filipino man contracted to fix lights in a car park at the Sealine Resort, the training site of the Saudi national team, died after he “slipped off a ramp while walking alongside the vehicle and fell headfirst against concrete”. It said the accident occurred during the World Cup. “If the investigation concludes that safety protocols were not followed, the company…

London: The first coins bearing the likeness of Britain’s King Charles III entered circulation yesterday, The Royal Mint announced. The new 50 pence piece features an effigy of Charles, who became king after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September. The Royal Mint, official producer of UK banknotes and coins, is initially releasing 4.9 million of the coins via transactions made at the country’s postal offices. Millions more will eventually enter use, with Charles’s head on all denominations. The effigy is the work of British sculptor Martin Jennings. The reverse side celebrates the life and legacy of Elizabeth, using the coin design for her coronation in 1953. | AFP…

BRAZIL were gearing up for a showdown with Croatia while Argentina prepared to face the Netherlands as anticipation mounted yesterday on the eve the World Cup quarter-finals. After three weeks of pulsating action, just eight teams are left standing as the 32-nation tournament heads into the final rounds of the knockout competition after a two-day break. A blockbuster set of quarter-finals gets under way today when five-time champions Brazil face 2018 runners-up Croatia. That clash is the appetiser for another heavyweight World Cup collision between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and three-time losing finalists the Netherlands. Tomorrow, Morocco will carry the flag for African football in their quarter-final clash with Portugal before holders France face England in an eagerly anticipated showdown. Wins for Argentina and Brazil today would set up a titanic…

ONE of the most mouth-watering aspects of tonmorrow’s World Cup quarter-final between England and France will be a head-to-head battle between Kylian Mbappe and Kyle Walker as the tournament’s most devastating forward faces its fastest defender. Mbappe has been on fire in Qatar, scoring fabulous goals and playing with a freedom, zest and pure joy rarely seen at international level and particularly within the sometimes stultifying tension of a major tournament. For all his skill and adventure, however, his ability is underpinned by the knowledge that he can beat his man simply by pushing the ball past him and exploding out of the blocks. He did it twice in the win over Poland, giving his defender a metre start but turning it into a metre deficit within a second. For…

THE return of talisman Percy Tau to the starting line-up and scoresheet for Egyptian giants Al Ahly augurs well for Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. On Wednesday night Tau got his first goal for the Red Devils this season as they beat Ghazl El Mahalla 2-0 in the Egyptian Premier League (EPL). This pleased South African football fans and the beleaguered senior men’s national team commander in chief. In the last few months, Broos has been forced to play without his vice-captain due to matters beyond his control as Bafana endured a mixed bag of results. Without Tau, Bafana were winless in four games, before they recently won three and drew one as they prepared for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. But with Tau enjoying his football again,…

AFTER springing the latest World Cup upset in a tournament which has had its fair share, an increasingly confident Morocco side that masterminded victory over Spain will aim to continue their fairytale run in tomorrow’s quarter-final with Portugal. Thirty six years ago, Morocco made history by becoming the first African country to qualify for the World Cup last 16 at the 1986 tournament in Mexico. They now have a chance to become Africa’s and the Arab world’s first semi-finalists in front of a fervid support which has been swollen by backing from much of the rest of the region. Morocco will no doubt revel in another opportunity to thrive as underdogs, having previously made a mockery of their unfancied status by topping a tough Group F ahead of Croatia, the…

ORLANDO Pirates announced the signings of Ndumiso Mabena and Craig Martin on one and a half and two-and-a-half-year deals respectively yesterday. Mabena returns to the Sea Robbers’ for a second time, having initially played for the club for five years between 2009-2014. During his stint with Pirates, Mabena won five trophies, including a successive trebles, before leaving to join Platinum Stars. But it was recently with Royal AM where the 35-year-old proved that he still has plenty of offer, inspiring the team to qualify for the Caf Confederation Cup. His relationship with Royal AM turned sour, though. So much so that he was released before the start of the season. And after getting all the money that was owed to him by Royal AM, Mabena resurfaced at the Bucs'…