Table of contents for 2022-03-17 in Mercury

Yogashen Pillay yogashen.pillay@inl.co.za THE theft of fuel through tampering with Transnet Pipelines is on the increase in KwaZulu-Natal, with the police working overtime to apprehend the culprits. Durban Transnet Pipeline yesterday confirmed that there was an attempted fuel theft on Saturday which was prevented by the tactical response team. Transnet Pipelines chief executive Michelle Phillips said that in the early hours of Saturday, the tactical response teams prevented the theft in progress on the Multi Product Pipeline between Durban and Heidelberg, in the Mooi River area. Phillips said the offenders managed to get away, adding that a fuel tanker and a bakkie were impounded and the Hawks and the SAPS were investigating. “The swift reaction by the tactical teams averted disruption in the security of supply to the Gauteng market,…

EBRAHIM ESSA | Durban It has come to my notice that my notice-deposits will now incur a fee of R45 if I place notice. I find this a really bizarre situation as I get closer to the age of 76, having been with Absa even before United changed to Allied Building Society- almost 55 years ago. How can any bank actually charge what amounts to a penalty for placing notice? Bank deposits are maintained from young so that one day, when life becomes more difficult for old people, they have something to survive on. Instead of giving some extra incentive for loyal customers, banks are showing ultra-capitalistic, greedy trends that border on criminality. You are helping yourself to money that belongs to the client. When a client opens…

GLEN CHRISTIE | Durban North ONE is beginning to wonder whether there are any conspiracy theories behind the grounding of Comair aircraft and SAA trying to regain market share. We all know how deep corruption is within most government entities. This then makes one wonder whether there is not some sort of hidden agenda by the Civil Aviation Authority to ground Comair so that SAA can regain market share. The other aspect that has become quiet is the transfer of SAA to its new owners. Has the government been paid by the new majority owners? Is SAA still an SOE of the government? Are the taxpayers still subsidising SAA? Are the new owners actually running SAA? I think the tax-paying public needs some clarification on these matters. How…

If you are “starting out” and want a really successful life, here are four ideas to work on: 1 Chase education. It is the only thing worth chasing. 2 Work at understanding money and how money works. You will either work for money, or money will work for you. Decide. Money will be your adversary, even your enemy, if you disrespect it, flaunt, waste, or demote its importance. You will either be one who pays very high interest rates, or receives it. Decide. As you grow in understanding money and you respect it and use it wisely, it will shift from being an adversary to fighting for you. 3 Take care of your control issues. People who have to manipulate and control for love waste an incredible amount of energy…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE South African authorities could fork out R200 000 in compensation for keeping a refugee legally in the country in prison for more than 20 days. They had failed to recognise the rights of a refugee who is legally in the country, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has found. He had to spend 21 days in appalling conditions behind bars – simply because both the police and Home Affairs refused to look at his valid refugee permit. Roy Kamushinda then instituted a R200 000 in damages claim against the police in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. A magistrate this week ordered that Kamushinda was entitled to the damages and ruled that the State entities had to pay him accordingly for his unlawful arrest and detention. Kamushinda was stopped on…

Nomonde Zondi nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za SCHOOLS have been urged to monitor the “crazy” TikTok challenge that pupils are participating in. The KZN Department of Education said schools must be strict and apply their code of conduct and ensure that discipline is maintained – as pupils engage in the new school challenge. The department has condemned the #anythingbutschoolshoes challenge. In the challenge, the pupils do not wear their school shoes and instead don containers for goods such as milk and different types of shoes. They sometimes dance and showcase their “shoes” for the day. Department spokesperson Sihle Mlotshwa said they were against all these “crazy” challenges. “We urge schools to be strong and strictly apply the school’s code of conduct and ensure that discipline is maintained at all times,” said Mlotshwa. The National…

Viruses have existed for more than a billion years; humans, as we know them, for less than 2 million years. Does that make viruses smarter than people? Perhaps. They certainly have lasted longer. Viruses surely have the upper hand against many humans, especially those who are fooled into believing they do not need vaccinations because their immune systems alone can fight off all viral invaders. In cases where people’s immune systems have experienced the viruses before or even their immediate ancestors have had those viral infections, they are often right. But when new viruses emerge and there is no historic human immunity, those overly confident people often end up literally dead wrong. Like humans, viruses are varied. Just as humans come in all skin shades, sizes, sexes, and attitudes, viruses…

Guatemala City: Guatemala’s conservative-dominated parliament this weej shelved a controversial law that ramped up prison sentences for women who choose to have an abortion and banned gay marriage, just days after passing it. President Alejandro Giammattei last week called for the law to be abandoned after it was passed by his allies in Congress, saying he would veto it if it came to his desk because it violates the constitution and international agreements signed by the country. According to a statement published by the parliament, the bill was shelved following a lawmakers’ meeting.…

Dozens of Gambians have fled border villages, fearing for their safety after the army in neighbouring Senegal launched an operation against separatist rebels. Senegal announced a military operation in the southern region of Casamance, aiming to dismantle bases belonging to the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) group. The MFDC has led a low-intensity conflict in Casamance since 1982 that has claimed several thousand lives. The southern region is separated geographically from the rest of Senegal by The Gambia, a tiny country. With recent fighting in Casamance, frightened residents in Gambian border villages have begun to flee, describing bush fires and shooting. “We have never experienced such a dire situation,” said Ismaila Bojang, who had fled to the village of Bujinha about 5km from the border. Bojang, a…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za 3SIXTY Life was liquid, had met all liabilities and claims payments, and was awaiting the outcome of a court hearing following the release of a curatorship report that would outline the insurer’s recapitalisation. This was according to acting chief executive Khandani Msibi, who joined the insurance company that is owned by the National Union of Metalworkers in March last year. He said in a telephone interview yesterday they had put up R180 million in property, R130m of which was unencumbered, for the recapitalisation of 3Sixty. He said the company had been hard hit by claims through the Covid-19 pandemic’s second and third waves in particular and had late last year breached its solvency and minimum capital requirements. “At this stage we only had two options, liquidate…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za SEVERAL labour unions have vowed to go to any lengths possible, including the Constitutional Court, to oppose a move that will give permission for employers to ask for proof of vaccination from their workers. According to the Employment and Labour Department’s new code, employers will have permission to require proof of Covid-19 vaccination from staff. Only staff who produce a medical certificate showing that they have contra-indications will be exempted from such a demand from employers. Contra-indications are symptoms or a medical condition that is a reason for a person not to receive a particular treatment or procedure because it may be harmful to them. The code of practice further states that employees refusing to be vaccinated must be counselled, and be reasonably accommodated in positions that…

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN | Kloof While terror rains down on Ukraine, many are quibbling about why it gets so much media coverage. Why not Palestine, Afghanistan, Sudan, Kashmir or Syria, they ask? They also accuse the West of hypocrisy and double standards, giving preferential treatment to blond Christian refugees from Ukraine while the dark-skinned refugees from non-European countries are given scant regard. And the criticism is justified. Just last year, Poland refused to accept a few Afghan refugees but now has opened its arms to 1.5 million Ukraine refugees. Then again, one may ask why aren’t the oil-rich Arab nations welcoming refugees from Syria and Afghanistan? Besides Turkey and Lebanon, refugees do not flock to the rich Gulf states. To be fair, there has been media coverage on the…

COLIN BURGER | Assagay The letter from Kiran Megnath in The Mercury dated 14 March made me wonder what else apartheid is actually to blame for. According to Megnath, everything that is wrong in South Africa, from crime and corruption to unemployment, is caused by the legacy of apartheid. What I find rather strange is that he then goes on to say that “nothing has changed since South Africa became a democracy – it got worse”. In 1994, the democratically elected ANC government took sole control of this country and has been in power for the past 28 years. It baffles me how apartheid can possibly be blamed for the downward spiral of South Africa since it was abolished a quarter of a century ago. It is blatantly…

| Bertrand Russell PEOPLE in Britain are boycotting Russian vodka, in solidarity with the Ukrainians. The government has announced punishing new tariffs of £900 million (R17 billion) on Russian imports, including vodka. But this could be largely symbolic, according to Sky News. Some Russian vodka isn’t very Russian at all. The popular brand, Stolichnaya, is owned by Israeli businessman Yuri Shefler, who left Russia 22 years ago when he fell out with Putin. Most is actually made in Latvia, using Slovakian instead of Russian grain. Smirnoff, which was founded in Moscow, is now owned and produced by the British company Diageo. Mind you. I once observed Russians themselves boycotting vodka, right here in Durban. It was long before Putin’s time. A large group of Russian journalists were on a…

A MAMMOTH task awaits the newly appointed Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who will have to dispel the notion he is easily accessible and willingly meets and discusses politics with politicians. He admitted to doing so with ex-president Jacob Zuma and also confirmed meeting President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss issues relating to the commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture. But before we get to the crux of this editorial, it’s important to congratulate all the chief justice nominees, especially after the robust and gruelling Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviews that lasted the entire day. Among the concerns raised during these interviews were those related to the perception that Justice Zondo was pro-Ramaphosa and anti-Zuma, an allegation he has dismissed. Other pertinent questions were about his role as the chairperson…

SEOUL: North Korea’s decision to use the international airport near its capital city as a site for test-firing large missiles is “absolutely bonkers” and may be a way for leader Kim Jong Un to keep a close eye on his most prized weapons, analysts said. Debris fell in or near Pyongyang after a failed test-fire from the airport yesterday, Seoul-based NK News reported, citing unnamed witnesses and a photograph of the test showing a red-tinted ball of smoke at the end of a rocket launch trail in the sky above the city. There was no confirmation of damage or casualties. The airport is in Sunan, about 17km north-west of the North Korean capital. “The idea of placing a dedicated facility to support developmental missile testing at North Korea’s major international…

PARIS: The Paris police found no indication of criminal intent in the fire outbreak in the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019, Le Parisien newspaper reports. According to the outlet, a police team concluded a probe into the incident, but concluded the fire was not a criminal act. While several more examinations are expected, the criminal origin has not been found by the police, the report says. A blaze engulfed the cathedral on April 15, resulting in the collapse of its spire and the partial destruction of its roof. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to rebuild the Notre-Dame by 2024.…

The supply of lethal weapons by Slovenia and Croatia to Ukraine was a gamble, and those behind it should understand against whom it would be used, Yuri Pilipson, the head of the Russian foreign ministry’s Fourth European Department, told Sputnik. “The plans announced by Slovenia and Croatia to supply the Kiev regime with lethal weapons also defy understanding. The authors of this gamble must be aware of who the weapon will be used against,” Pilipson said. The list of people against whom Russia imposed sanctions was agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov yesterday said. The Russian foreign ministry unveiled Moscow’s response to US sanctions targeting Russian officials and prominent figures. In particular, it envisioned individual sanctions against top US officials, including Biden, Secretary of State Anthony…

GUENTHER Steiner has got used to his phone pinging with bad news for his Haas Formula One team, but Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix could be the start of something better. The US-owned outfit, who joined the grid in 2016, have had a turbulent time since they finished fifth overall in the 2018 standings, slumping to the bottom of the championship tables last year. The last few weeks have been particularly trying. Haas were forced to sever ties with Russian racer Nikita Mazepin and his oligarch father’s potash-producing title sponsor Uralkali earlier this month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The team's freight was then delayed due to a technical problem with the aircraft carrying it, forcing them to miss the first half of the opening day of the final test…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za DEPUTY President David Mabuza has called for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, saying only negotiation and dialogue would ensure peace. He called for Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and said the fact they were talking to each other could pave the way to peace in the region. Mabuza was replying to questions in Parliament yesterday, a day after Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Candith Mashego-Dlamini and Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu told the House the government wanted Ukraine and Russia to find a peaceful solution. In addition, Mashego-Dlamini called on UN security-general Antonio Guterres to lead intervention measures in Ukraine. Mabuza, who was replying to questions in the National Council of Provinces, said the government wanted a cessation of hostilities in…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za THE ANC eThekwini Region’s much-awaited elective conference is set to be a two-horse race, pitting former mayor Zandile Gumede against current eThekwini council speaker Thabani Nyawose, with both sides brimming with confidence about their chances of victory. Gumede’s supporters expressed confidence in the chances of their candidate coming out on top as they believe they have done sufficient lobbying for her. Gumede is now a member of the provincial legislature following her removal by the governing party’s top brass from the mayor’s office in 2019. She is facing corruption charges linked to the R320 million Durban Solid Waste tender. “Given the massive effort that has been put in this campaign, victory is certain for our comrade,” said Njabulo Mchunu, one of Gumede’s key backers. He also dismissed…

KEVIN GOVENDER | Silverglen Another one bites the dust. It seems like the portfolio of national police commissioner is akin to a poisoned chalice. The current office holder, General Khehla Sitole, will end his term on March 31 by mutual agreement with President Cyril Ramaphosa and in the best interests of the country. Like his predecessors, he has a history of eccentric behaviour since taking office in 2017, but the final nail in the coffin that sealed his fate must surely have been the January 2021 judgment handed down by Judge Norman Davis in the Gauteng High Court, where he declared that Sitole had placed the interests of the ANC ahead of the country. He was fingered in a R45m “grabber deal”. Under his watch, crime intelligence officers…

ROLAND FISHER | Durban A taxi group of 40 or so attacked law-enforcement officers to release two people held for taxi violations. Recently, our council had a meeting with taxi operators and agreed to release taxis impounded for various infringements and cancel fines that had been imposed. Coupled with the countrywide lawless behaviour of taxis in general, the obvious lack of driving skills judging by the numerous accidents involving taxis in head-on collisions and a blatant disregard for traffic lights, stopping and abandoning vehicles in the middle of the road, tailgating and speeding in urban areas, one has to ask: Why is this behaviour allowed to continue? Why is the law scared of the taxi industry? Since when do taxi mobs attack police to rescue errant members, seemingly…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za PARLIAMENTARIANS heard yesterday that most departments had performed lifestyle reviews, an important step within the lifestyle audits process. This happens as the lifestyle audits become compulsory in the public service from April 1. Briefing the public service and administration portfolio committee, Salomon Hoogenraad-Vermaak, the chief director of the public administration ethics, integrity and disciplinary technical assistance unit (TAU), said TAU had distributed a circular last October asking departments to provide feedback on progress with implementing lifestyle audits by January 31. “Sixteen national departments and six of the nine provinces provided feedback,” Hoogenraad-Vermaak said. He named Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State as the provinces that did not provide feedback. The Mpumalanga Health Department has since requested an extension to submit at the end of March. Hoogenraad-Vermaak said…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za Zwelinzima Vavi, the founding secretary-general of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) is facing the chop from the federation following allegations that he breached its constitution and finance policy. Vavi helped found the labour federation in 2017, two years after his expulsion from Cosatu. The new and second-largest labour federation after Cosatu served him with a letter on Tuesday, saying he must motivate why he should not be suspended. Vavi has to plead his case by today, and state why he should not be placed on precautionary suspension while an investigation is taking place. In the letter, which was signed by the federation’s president, Mac Chavalala, on behalf of national office bearers (NOBs), Vavi is accused of breaching the constitution of the labour movement, as…

Her concerns not manifested out of boredom, but informed by insight EARLIER this year a media storm broke over the opinion piece “Hi Mzansi, Have We Seen Justice?” written by Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. In it she laments the Constitution and the judiciary’s failure to protect the rights of South African citizens equally. The minister confronts the racial bias in the application of the Constitution, the judiciary system or rule of law and its lacklustre intervention with regard to the absence of land reform, economic reconciliation, equal distribution and ownership of the means of production in South Africa. She further denounces the role being played by native African lawmakers, as well as Constitutional and Supreme Court judges, in the continuation of the colonial-apartheid style status quo and economic oppression of…

Hong Kong: Workers in PPE gear in Hong Kong carted the bodies of coronavirus victims into refrigerated shipping containers yesterday, as the city’s mortuaries ran out of space from the Omicron surge. In under three months since the variant broke through, Hong Kong has recorded nearly a million infections and more than 4 600 deaths – the bulk from the city’s unvaccinated elderly population. Outside Fu Shan Public Mortuary yesterday, workers moved bodies covered in black tarp from a truck into rows of shipping containers. Researchers estimate the infection toll in Hong Kong is higher than official figures, likely reaching half its 7.4 million population.…

Kyiv: Ukraine yesterday dismissed Russian proposals to turn it into a neutral state, as the US readied a huge package of military aid ahead of a historic address to Congress by Kyiv’s defiant leader. On the ground, Russian rocket fire hit a train station in southern Ukraine used by thousands of fleeing refugees and fresh blasts hit the capital, which was under a total curfew. Regional officials reported no casualties as Russian strikes blew out windows at the railway station in Zaporizhzhia, where people have been arriving from the besieged city of Mariupol. Some 20 000 residents have been allowed to leave Mariupol. But exhausted, shivering evacuees speak of harrowing escape journeys and rotting corpses littering the streets. “This is the first time I have been able to breathe in…

ENGLISH rugby’s Premiership Rugby Cup will from this week feature trials of a new “smart” ball that aims to give coaches, players and fans greater insight about the game. Chips inside the ball are in touch with sensors around the stadium up to 20 times every second. An artificial intelligence tool then automatically enables “precise information and insights about the ball’s movement when it is passed and kicked - such as speed, distance and hang-time, for example - to be seen in real-time”, Premiership Rugby said yesterday. The trial marks the first time the ball, in development for several years, will be used in a professional competition in the northern hemisphere. The ball will feature in the last 15 matches of the Cup competition, starting with three fixtures tomorrow. “We…

Mihlali Baleka mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za THE South African Football Association (Safa) has reported that they are “on a sound financial footing” after receiving financial backing from various entities, including their sponsors and the football governing body Fifa, over the years. “We have long-term sponsorship contracts with most of our partners. The average term of our contracts is four years and these contracts are renewable,” the association said in a statement that was released yesterday. The statement details how the monies received are distributed but it is not clear why the statement was released. Safa has long-term sponsorships with various companies including South African Breweries, Sasol and South African Broadcasting Corporation. These sponsors are responsible for backing Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana or both teams. With Safa a member of the world governing body,…