Table of contents for 2023-07-25 in Mercury

AS ratepayers in the eThekwini Municipality fume over the tariff increases, it has emerged that some councillors in the metro are among those “battling” to pay their municipal bills. A report for the month of June tabled before the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (Mpac) last week has revealed that close to 45 councillors owe the municipality a combined total of R1.27 million. The report shows that the number of councillors owing has fluctuated in the past few months. In May, there were 35 councillors that owed R1.1m and in April there were 49 councillors that owed R1m. The report is submitted monthly to the Office of the Speaker. “Councillors are also subjected to credit-control policies including disconnections, redlining with the credit bureau and legal processes,” the report said. It was…

The collapse of the state is undesirable, and it has to be avoided at all costs. But the way things are going in South Africa, the future looks gloomy and uninspiring at all levels. A number of things have gone wrong, and there is little evidence that the government has the temperament or the will to solve any of these problems effectively – from the energy crisis, unprecedented interest rate hikes, and the rise in corrupt officials, to lately, the trucks’ burning episodes. These are the hallmarks of a failing state. It is high time all leaders of society work with the government to arrest this. They need to start reorienting civil servants and communities towards a renewed sense of civic duty. It is common course that civic duty and…

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s threat to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was a much-needed wake-up call to the ANC and its ministers. It is about time the party recognises the need for accountability and takes action against incompetent ministers who have led the country to economic ruin. However, the ANC’s response to Mbalula’s statement and its defence of Gordhan sends a clear message that certain individuals within the party are untouchable, even if they are failing the voters who put them in power. This is unacceptable, and it is high time that the ANC put the needs of the people before its own interests. Gordhan’s continued oversight of state-owned entities such as Eskom, SAA and Prasa, which cost taxpayers billions each year, is a clear indication he is not fit…

CALLING in sick and then participating for two days in an EFF march came at a high price for a junior investigator at Sars, as his supervisor saw him on television, appearing healthy while singing and clapping as he marched. Sars fired Benneth Mathebula following a disciplinary hearing, but he turned to arbitration, where he fought his dismissal. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) commissioner ruled that Sars was too harsh and that he had to be reinstated. Sars then turned to the Labour Court in Johannesburg, where it succeeded in overturning the CCMA’s decision. The Labour Court found that dismissal was warranted in this case. Mathebula’s problems started on September 7, 2020, when he sent a text message to his supervisor, stating that he was not feeling…

Thirty years ago, on this day of July 25, while we were worshipping at St James Church, Cape Town, a sudden noise at the front door of the sanctuary, startled us. Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) terrorists stepped in, lobbed grenades among the congregation, and opened fire with automatic rifles. I returned fire at the attackers inside the church, which caused them to flee; I followed up on foot and fired at the getaway car, which took off down the road. Eleven congregants were murdered and over 50 injured. Having struggled with hatred and unforgiveness after the attack, an idea struck home: the Biblical idea of reconciliation. Reconciliation is the restoration of cordial relations. It involves a change in the relationship between God and man, and man and man. It…

The ANC needs to consider discharging government ministers who are not fulfilling their obligations if the party intends to halt its electoral decline in the coming year’s elections. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, while addressing the ANC Women’s League national conference in Nasrec over the weekend, issued a stark warning to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to resolve issues at Transnet promptly or risk losing his position. Mbalula, having demanded accountability from ANC appointees since assuming his role as secretary-general, stated that the government must take decisive action to transition the transportation of goods and other freight from road to rail. Transnet, however, has been struggling to perform efficiently, with its harbours facing significant issues, including poor maintenance and locomotive shortages. The deterioration of Transnet’s rail infrastructure has led to the…

SOME of the Zulu princes have reacted with anger to a statement issued by Zulu King Misuzulu’s spokesperson which alleged that the meeting held by the royals in Empangeni yesterday was another act of undermining the throne. The statement issued by the king’s spokesperson, Prince Africa Zulu, said the meeting had not been sanctioned by the king and amounted to an act of defiance against the reigning monarch. The statement said there had been continuous attempts at interfering in the affairs of the Zulu royal house and urged all members of the royal family to take note that this meeting was not sanctioned by the king. “The decision of certain royal family members and those of certain political parties to participate in this meeting is in direct contravention of the…

I WRITE this despatch from a place where the landscape is painted by Nature. The hills unfold towards the mountains, which are capped with snow. The sun is shining, yet there’s a chill in the air. Yes, this is the Drakensberg, Cathkin Peak to be precise, Cayley Lodge to be even more precise. How refreshing to be back in this natural splendour. However, it’s with great regret that I have to report a case of cruelty to a child, quite out of place in a setting such as this. The lodge has on its front lawn a huge chessboard manned by giant chess pieces. In our party is a 10-year-old girl plus two loutish individuals of advanced years, one of them her Dad. The girly’s name is Genevieve. To spare…

Our trucking industry has become the lifeblood of the South African economy in many ways. The transportation of food being the main aspect, as all of us are dependent on food for our survival. The role of the trucking industry after the fall of Transnet – deliberately caused by saboteurs – has taken on a critical role. The operators, whether small entrepreneurs or large companies, transport all kinds of goods that sustain our economy. The burning of trucks while in transit has to be an area of major concern for the government. The attacks are deliberate, malicious, criminal and subtly political, and the government needs to read the tea leaves to see what the impending implications are going to be of such attacks if they are not halted immediately. Besides…

While civil rights advocacy group Black Sash has expressed support for Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu’s intention to lobby for the extension of the R350 social relief distress (SRD) grant for another two years, it wants permanent social assistance for the unemployed. The temporary grant was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic and is expected to end in March next year. According to Zulu, cash transfer programmes such as the R350 SRD grant have been shown to have many benefits including reducing dire poverty, increasing school enrolment and improving nutrition. “Cash transfers are effective in addressing negative coping strategies such as poor diets or debts. The distribution of cash allowances boosts the local economy, especially on market days. Cash can link with existing social protection systems or build the blocks for…

The Gauteng Department of Health has condemned the continued targeting of health-care workers in criminal attacks. In a recent incident, a Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew was hijacked, kidnapped, assaulted and robbed of their personal cellphones and work tools while responding to what appeared to be a distress call from Nellmapius, near Mamelodi. Spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Health, Motalatale Modiba, said the criminals also used the EMS staff’s cards to withdraw money. “An emergency call was registered for a 48-year-old male who collapsed. An ambulance was dispatched to the area from the Mamelodi base and on arrival, two men waved to stop the crew. When the emergency responders stopped to engage them, the men pulled out firearms and forced them to drive to an unknown location. “Both…

FORMER minister of communications Dina Pule, who was fired in 2013, returned to prominence when she was elected deputy secretary-general at the weekend’s ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) conference. Pule was a high-ranking minister, but a parliamentary probe found she lied to Parliament and had abused her position as minister after using her office to improperly benefit her boyfriend. When then-president Jacob Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet, Pule was dropped and has kept a low profile. However Pule’s name made it on to the ballot on Saturday night after it was raised by delegates from the floor. Sisisi Tolashe, from the Eastern Cape, who is also Deputy Minister in the Presidency, was elected Women’s League president with other leadership positions being filled by deputy president Lungi Gcabashe, secretary- general Nokuthula Nqaba and…

SOUTH Africa is widely commended for its transformative and progressive policies, from the Constitution right down to the policies and frameworks that constitute the fabric of everyday life. Despite this, South Africa is ranked the most unequal country in the world. Young black South Africans continue to be subjected to inequality and abject poverty, poor access to services, lack of access to quality education and opportunities, unemployment, and consequentially poor mental healthcare services. According to Stats SA, South Africa has over 10 million young people aged 15-24 years. For the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63,9% for those aged 15-24 and 42,1% for those aged 25-34 years. The National Youth Policy (NYP) 2020 – 2030, a cross-sectoral framework that centres youth as key role players in…

South African golf fans have not had too much to shout about on a major stage for some time now, but in amateur Christo Lamprecht there may just be a star unlike we have seen before. That’s a significant statement as SA can lay claim to phenomenal golf talents like Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen. In fact, Locke, Player, Els, et al are all multiple major champions. However, the 22-year-old Lamprecht already boasts a unique honour no other South African has achieved. The 2.03m big-hitter on Sunday became the first SA player to win the silver medal as the top amateur at the Open Championship. For his efforts, Lamprecht joined the “Champion Golfer of the Year” Brian Harman at…

Police are searching for a gang that assaulted an elderly woman during an armed robbery at a farm in Dalton in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on Sunday. KZN police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said it was alleged that five armed men entered a business premises, held a worker at gunpoint and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. Ngcobo added that reports indicated that the owner of the property was assaulted by the suspects, and was subsequently taken to hospital. The incident comes as life sentences were handed down yesterday to two men who killed a farm manager, his wife and father-in-law in December 2020 in Bishopstowe. Lizo Madukane and Thembelani Majola were sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg High Court. They were found guilty of the murders of Daniel de Bruin, 58,…

May all adults enjoy … The freedom to be alone and enjoy time to think and plan and explore an internal world for reflection and growth and appreciation – with the love and support of significant others. The freedom to share life with a diverse collection of friends and associates with whom values and goals are shared – with the support of significant others. The freedom to reach out to family and extended family without explanation or apology – with the encouragement of significant others. The freedom to investigate and discover new interests and passions quite unlike those previously pursued – with the support of significant others. The freedom to confront situations that are fraught with unease or dissatisfaction with the hope of developing a plan to shift circumstances and…

Iconic Struggle hero Dr Farooq Moosa Meer has died. Doc was an African legend. Only time can judge the verity of his work. It is equally true that only his contemporaries can appraise the verity of his character. He was an extraordinary person who fearlessly defied racism. His death is a monumental loss for South Africa. We are a free people, worthy of our freedom and determined to protect this great nation, a nation whose struggles were fought for by people of Farooq’s calibre. He inculcated in the masses the idea that we have to be free to choose our destiny. Farooq dared to dream the greatest dream of all: a non-racial South Africa. It is said that heroism is remarkably sober. It is not the urge to surpass all…

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga says the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act is an important part of the road traffic law-enforcement interventions that are aimed at arresting carnage on roads and altering driver behaviour. She said the Constitutional Court, in handing down judgment on the constitutionality of the Aarto Act, confirmed that Aarto was constitutional and that no aspect of it encroached on the executive powers of other spheres of government. “The ruling affirms our long-held view that this is a necessary law to advance our efforts in arresting the carnage on our roads. “We welcome this judgment as it provides clarity on the mandate of the national government to determine and enforce norms and standards that apply uniformly across the country. A fragmented system of adjudicating road…

Section 194 inquiry chairperson Qubudile Dyantyi has dismissed an application by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to recuse himself from the impeachment proceedings. Mkhwebane lodged the application earlier this month setting out seven grounds for Dyantyi’s recusal. The grounds included alleged bribery, corruption and extortion; pending investigation by the parliamentary ethics committee; pending police investigation; disparaging media statements and interviews; the inquiry proceeding without Mkhwebane’s legal representation; the role of late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson, and the role of ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina. The application comes after Mkhwebane’s husband, David Skosana had alleged in a media briefing that Joemat-Pettersson had sought to extort money from him to make the inquiry go away. He had further alleged that Dyantyi and Majodina were also involved in the alleged extortion plot. In his…

Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in South Africa in lead-up to BRICS leaders summit As we alighted at one of the conference centres in Gauteng, the place was hustling and bustling with delegates attending the BRICS political parties conference. Picking up the newspaper later in the day, an article explained the BRICS symposium hosted by the National School of Government. In the lead-up to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) leaders’ summit at the end of August, a number of these symposia, conferences and events will be held. In the thinking of Chinese President Xi Jinping, these are the kind of people-to-people activities that must strengthen the relations between ordinary people of the BRICS countries. The 13th BRICS national security advisers (NSA) meeting began yesterday and ends…

The tension and uncertainty that engulfed AmaZulu last season have seemingly been eradicated with a mass exodus of players accompanied by the appointment of new head coach Pablo Franco Martin. The former Real Madrid mentor has been handed the mission of meeting the Zungu family’s boardroom ambitions on the field. He, alongside assistant coach Siboniso Vilakazi and fellow Spaniard and assistant coach Aitor van den Brule, have got right into the thick of things in pre-season, tinkering where required, ahead of what is expected to be an enterprising season. Fresh in his new role, Vilakazi has spoken about some of the club’s priority transfers, his bond with coach Martin and the club’s overall ambitions for the upcoming season. When quizzed about his conversation with club president Sandile Zungu, Vilakazi reiterated…