Indholdsfortegnelse for 2021-08-18 i Mercury

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has proposed amendments to tax legislation that could have significant implications for pension fund members wishing to take their savings offshore. The National Treasury yesterday proposed changes that could allow the SA Revenue Service (Sars) to subject the interest in retirement funds to taxation when an individual ceases to become a South African tax resident. Currently, South Africa can forfeit its taxing rights when individuals become tax residents of another country before or when they retire. Briefing the Standing Committee on Finance, the Treasury said the rules had been changed last year and a 3-year moratorium had been implemented for persons who were no longer South African tax residents, before they could access their retirement funds savings. Treasury’s chief director for economic tax analysis Chris…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za ETHEKWINI Municipality needs to raise a whopping R8 billion to rebuild its ageing water infrastructure. But there is little hope of this happening as the unit responsible for water provision has a woefully inadequate annual budget of R478 million. The head of water and sanitation, Ednick Msweli, painted a grim picture of the state of the city’s water infrastructure, revealing to the executive committee yesterday that it could take years for the municipality to fix infrastructure that was already failing. The issue of water losses, which has been an ongoing challenge for the metro, was again raised by the audit committee in its report tabled before the exco members. Msweli said some of the city’s infrastructure was already on borrowed time as it had reached the end…

A GIANT CHINESE panda at a Singapore wildlife park has given birth to a cub – the first born in the country and a rare event for an endangered species. Pandas Kai Kai, 13, and Jia Jia, 12, entered their seventh breeding season in April this year with the aid of artificial insemination, after arriving in Singapore in 2012 on a decade-long loan from China. Weighing about 200 grams, the cub was born on Saturday but the gender has yet to be determined, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) said, adding that mother and cub were doing well. WRS said female giant pandas can display hormonal and behavioural signs of pregnancy even when not pregnant, but the organisation detected signs last month that a cub was on the way and the pregnancy…

DR B CLARK | Southbroom PAM Lentin’s letter on world overpopulation refers (The Mercury, August 12). I echo her concern as to why, when population issues are brought up, they are ignored by all, including governments. The overpopulation pandemic is the basic cause of all our problems, including starvation, poverty, pollution, illiteracy and global warming. It is the poorest places, the UN notes, where population growth is most concentrated, where it becomes impossible to eradicate hunger and malnutrition or reduce inequality and poverty. It is impossible to create jobs for the masses. It is thus difficult to provide basic services, health and education facilities. Are we blind or stupid or do we just not want to see what is staring us in the face? The poor are left…

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN | Kloof As the last witness, President Cyril Ramaphosa wanted to make a lasting impression at the inquiry into state capture that he was the good guy among the rotten apples in government. But his testimony was anything but forthright. In fact, it was disappointing. Despite the questioning and probing by the advocate, he revealed nothing startling that would shed new light on state capture. As deputy president in Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet, he was in the eye of the Gupta storm that was sweeping across the country. The country was awash with reports of looting taking place in all government departments and state-owned enterprises, and yet he told the commission he heard nothing, saw nothing and knew nothing about the Guptas and state capture. He said…

CORPORAL punishment in public schools in South Africa continues despite legislation prohibiting its use, with boys as its main targets, a new study has found. The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)’s Gender and Health Research Unit and Wits University’s School of Public Health published a study on Plos One last week on the prevalence and factors associated with the experience of corporal punishment in public schools. For the study, about 3 743 Grade 8 pupils (2 118 girls and 1 625 boys) from 24 selected public schools in Tshwane were surveyed in 2014. The study revealed a high prevalence of corporal punishment at schools, as more than half (52%) of the pupils reported receiving corporal punishment in the past six months. “The findings of this study highlight a slightly…

Mayibongwe Maqhina and Jolene Marriah-Maharaj PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has extended until mid-September the deployment of members of the SANDF to assist the police in maintaining law and order. Ramaphosa said the number of deployed soldiers would be reduced from 25 000 to 10 000. In a letter to the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Amos Masondo, Ramaphosa said the extension of employment of SANDF members was for a period from August 13 to September 13. “The expenditure expected to be incurred for this extended employment is R254 914 500,” he said. In July, 25 000 soldiers were deployed for the period July 12 to August 12 following the outbreak of unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Ramaphosa said the SANDF would work with the SAPS in the prevention…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za ETHEKWINI mayor Mxolisi Kaunda wants senior managers to be the first ones charged and disciplined if they fail to act on allegations of fraud and corruption in their departments. To ensure that people accused of fraud in the municipality are disciplined, he said, the city must take action against the people who are supposed to discipline those who are committing fraud. He also called for city management to pursue those involved in alleged crimes while working for the municipality, even after they have left the municipality. His comments came after the Audit Committee highlighted concerns that disciplinary processes against those accused of corruption often took years and some of those implicated changed jobs or died before the cases were finalised. The committee was concerned that a report…

Celebrating the life of a comrade who shone the light for the people in KZN Zet Luzipo and Mfanafuthi Sithebe ON AUGUST 12 every year, we deeply mourn the tragic death of our comrade and personal friend, Smiso Nkwanyana, who passed away in 2003 following a car accident. The pain we feel of losing him remains unparalleled and cannot be overstated. Every year when this date of his passing comes, we are reminded that we still haven’t recovered from it, almost two decades down the line. This is because Nkwanyana was no ordinary political leader but a mentor, a support system to many and a people’s person. Nkwanyana was the provincial secretary of the SACP in KwaZulu-Natal which was chaired, during his tenure, by Willies Mchunu. Nkwanyana is…

Armed men killed 37 civilians in a flashpoint region of western Niger where hundreds have died in jihadist attacks this year, local sources said yesterday. The assailants “arrived on motorbikes” in the village of Darey-Daye in the Tillaberi region on Monday afternoon as people were working in the fields, a local official said. “The toll is very high – there were 37 dead, including four women and 13 children,” the source said. A local journalist confirmed the toll and described the attack as “very bloody”. “They found people in the fields and shot at anything that moved,” he said. The deaths bring the unofficial death toll from jihadist attacks in western Niger to more than 450 since the start of the year. It is also the fifth attack in this…

Qatar: A Kenyan security guard charged by Qatar with receiving money from a “foreign agent” to spread disinformation has left the Gulf state after paying a fine. Malcolm Bidali, under his pen name Noah, published articles on the plight of migrant labourers working on projects in the gas-rich host of the 2022 World Cup, including infrastructure for the tournament. “Fifteen weeks after being detained, forcibly disappeared, questioned without legal counsel, and finally charged for activities related to his social media posts, Bidali has been allowed to exit Qatar on August 16 after paying a hefty fine,” Migrant Rights said.…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za South African local procurement influencer Proudly SA said yesterday that it was studying the draft guidelines on collaboration between competitors on localisation initiatives for public comment issued last week. Proudly SA chief executive Eustace Mashimbye said they were of the view that these would have a direct impact on them, given the work they started doing back in 2018 around Localisation Commitments at corporate level, especially now that they were actively soliciting commitments at industry level. Proudly SA’s mandate is to influence local procurement in the public and private sectors, to increase local production and to influence consumers to buy local in order to stimulate job creation. This is in line with government’s plans to revive South Africa’s economy so that millions of jobs could be created…

DR IMRAN KEEKA | DA KZN Spokesperson on Education The recent dramatic spike in Covid-19 cases in KwaZulu-Natal’s schools, as the more virulent Delta variant fastens its grip on our youth, is causing justifiable anguish for those in the educational sector. Many parents have raised with the DA questions regarding protocols once cases are identified and around sanitisation of schools once a positive person has been identified. For both, there are sound procedures in place. In terms of the latter, every school is supplied with materials to sanitise daily once pupils leave. If this is not being done, it is criminal and the DA urges parents or those involved in the schooling environment to alert us immediately. While we have not, to date, received any confirmed instances of…

EBRAHIM ESSA | Durban In Indian mythology, a god by the name of Narad Muni has the evil role of whispering rumours and gossip and injurious advice into the ready ears of potential adversaries. Just before the explosion actually occurs, to walk away with pretended innocence, leaving a perfect vacuum to be filled with a highly pressurised and endless violent conflict. And that modern Muni that is omnipresent around the world, monitoring even slight possibilities of potential instability in any country, town, or village and inviting themselves into this shaky zone, giving the impression of being a heavenly saviour is, of course, none other than the US. Like its surrogate parents – the British, the French, the Belgians and other colonists – America the self-proclaimed saviour of…

“Can I help a friend who is grieving the loss of a child or the loss of a spouse?” writes the succinct reader. I will try to be equally succinct in my reply. Yes. There are things you can do to help. You can be present, around, on the outskirts. You can be like a very skilled butler, one who is helping and serving and taking care of practical needs and errands and housekeeping matters. You can say very little and listen very much and observe with your kind and patient eyes. These are things you can do. But, you will only be really good at these things if you have taken care of grieving your own losses. The minute your own losses hit you when you are trying to…

Following several big fuel price increases that motorists have endured this year, there is expected to be no major shock at the pumps in September. In fact a slight decrease is looking highly likely for diesel. This is according to the forecast by the AA, based on unaudited mid-month data released by the Central Energy Fund. The AA said the data showed that diesel was looking set for a price decrease of around 16 cents. Petrol is forecast to be heading for an increase of around 4 cents a litre, with illuminating paraffin expected to go down by 10 cents, the AA said. International oil prices have declined slightly since the beginning of August, the AA pointed out, following Opec’s announcement that it would increase output by 400 000 barrels…

Sithandiwe Velaphi sithandiwe.velaphi@inl.co.za THERE was a sombre mood and tears of anguish as some families of the people killed in a horrific bus accident on the N2 in the Eastern Cape arrived at the state mortuary in East London to identify their loved ones yesterday. The accident on Monday claimed 30 lives. Among them were 22 women, three children under four years old, one child estimated to be between two and four months old, and four men. Nine people, including a 1-year-old boy, were taken to Frere Hospital in East London to be treated for their injuries. The DMJ double-decker bus travelling from Cape Town to Mthatha, veered off the notoriously dangerous Kei Cuttings near Butterworth. It brought back memories of March last year when 25 people were killed and…

THE Road Accident Fund (RAF) should pay the claimants – the majority of whom are poor, vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves due to injuries – as soon as possible. RAF chief executive Collins Letsoalo and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula recently boasted that the fund had a surplus of R3.2 billion. However, the fund is still failing to pay some of the law firms that claimed hundreds of millions of rand on behalf of road victims. For years, various law firms have been fighting endless court battles with the RAF to secure money for their clients. Now six law firms have taken the fund to court after it failed to pay claimants within 180 days as promised. Others are challenging Letsoalo’s appointment in court, saying he is a…

French firefighters hampered by strong winds were battling to contain a fast-spreading wildfire in the hills behind the coastal town of Saint-Tropez yesterday as campsites packed with holidaymakers were evacuated. Planes carrying water and 900 firefighters were tackling the blaze, which began late on Monday at a highway service area, according to local media. Waves of extreme heat have hit much of the Mediterranean region in recent weeks, with wildfires from Spain and Greece to Turkey raising uncomfortable questions over global warming and countries’ preparedness. The French fire, which hit several villages in the southern Var region, spread quickly overnight as high winds propelled the blaze across 5 000 hectares of land, burning through 3 500ha so far. “We were completely surrounded by flames,” said Stephane Gady, mayor of…

NEW YORK: Returning from vacation to his CNN show on Monday, Chris Cuomo said he is a brother, not an adviser, to outgoing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. “My hope is that ultimately everyone involved can get to a better place, that some higher good will be served in all of this”, the 51-year-old said, adding that he refrained from covering the scandal on CNN due to his conflict of interest. The CNN anchor admitted he gave his brother some advice pertaining to the sexual harassment allegations against him, revealing that he urged the 63-year-old to resign.…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com After weeks of unanswered controversy and a flurry of litigation, the PSL yesterday finally stepped into the public domain at a press conference to explain the expeditious sale of beleaguered Bloemfontein Celtic’s Premiership franchise to Royal AM. The transaction drew widescale derision and disbelief since Royal AM are in bad standing with the PSL. They are awaiting a Disciplinary Committee outcome after they were found guilty of no-shows at four PSL promotion/relegation play-off matches last month. It was hard to stomach that the PSL was willing to do business with a club that called for the PSL’s acting chief executive Mato Madlala to be sent to prison if she is found to be in contempt of court after the play-offs took place. Two days before the PSL…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE GOVERNMENT has announced a R340 million fund to support small and medium-sized businesses with funding, particularly in the manufacturing and green economy sectors. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) yesterday launched the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), in partnership with international financial services firm, JP Morgan. The deployment constitutes JP Morgan’s initial R300m through the fund and R40m through grants. The fund is expected to result in R2 billion worth of financing transactions, and create a minimum of 1 000 jobs over the eight-year period. Minister Ebrahim Patel of the dtic said JP Morgan was the first international bank to undertake an EEIP programme. He said the EEIP was part of the government’s broad-based black economic empowerment framework, which allowed multinational corporations that…

Xolile Bhengu xolile.bhengu@inl.co.za THE SA Medical Association (Sama) said it would not support any of its members who spread misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and called on the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) to discipline medical professionals who breached their ethical duties by proliferating Covid-19 vaccine misinformation. The association’s comments came after a group of doctors, lawyers and business people have accused the government of what it alleged was a lack of transparency on the current Covid-19 national vaccine roll-out programme. The government began a vaccine roll-out programme on May 17 that has to date vaccinated more than 9.5 million people who registered through its Electronic Vaccination Data System. Dr Herman Edeling, a neurosurgeon, medico-legal practitioner and mediator, along with other doctors, lawyers and executives, wrote an open letter to…

People care what their avatars are wearing. When the virtual world “Decentraland” said in June that users could make and sell their own clothing for avatars to wear on the site, Hiroto Kai stayed up all night designing Japanese-inspired garments. Selling kimonos for around $140 each, he said he made $15 000 to $20 000 in just three weeks. While the idea of spending real money on clothing that does not physically exist is baffling to many, virtual possessions generate real sales in the “metaverse” – online environments where people can meet and play games. Digital artist and Japan-enthusiast Kai’s real name is Noah. He’s a 23-year-old living in New Hampshire. After making as much in three weeks as he’d earn in a year at his music store…

PETER SHARLAND | Hillcrest Cable theft is crippling our rail systems, electrical reticulation, telecoms etc, causing huge safety and financial challenges. Millions of rand of damage generates a few hundred rand worth of scrap delivered to the nearest dealer. We must pass legislation to make it illegal to be in possession of used cable of any sort. Surely the current illegal diamond laws (IDB) could be used/modified as a basis for this legislation? Bona fide electrical contractors would be issued invoices for new cable etc and scrap dealers/thieves would be fined or preferably jailed for possessing second-hand cable. A small army of inspectors would create employment, the cost of which would be offset by the savings (billions) generated by non-theft. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is…

| Dylan Thomas YESTERDAY, we looked at some of the homely philosophy of John Wayne, who was such a towering figure in Hollywood for so many years. Who remembers The Quiet Man, the early (1952) movie that became a sort of cult in various parts of the world, this part included? John Wayne was grandeur in the film in which he co-starred with the gorgeous, red-haired Maureen O’Hara. People travelled long distances to see it again and again. Set in Ireland, The Quiet Man combines humour with scenic grandeur and a fist-fight that raged across several counties, said to be the finest fight scene filmed. A very young Irish-American John Wayne returns to his birthplace to take over the small farm he has inherited. He’s a former heavyweight boxing…

A Northern Cape detective followed his instincts, leading to the arrest of a man alleged to have murdered his girlfriend. Sergeant Essie Esterhuyse was on standby at the Kakamas police station when he received a report about a murder at the Dassierand compound, provincial police spokesperson Captain CJ Prins said. Esterhuyse was on his way to the scene when he was approached by an unknown man who jumped into the back of his vehicle, presumably for a lift. The detective decided to drive back to the police station to interview him. He noticed blood on the man’s trousers and asked his colleagues to keep an eye on him while he headed to the crime scene. “The body of a woman in her twenties was found. The deceased woman (had) allegedly…

NINE suspects who are allegedly linked to the violence that took place in Phoenix amid the unrest, were unable to apply for bail yesterday. The suspects, who were arrested at the weekend, were meant to appear at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court, facing murder and attempted murder charges. However, after a lengthy wait for the suspects to arrive in court, their legal representatives and the State prosecutor met with the magistrate. The matter was then adjourned to Monday for bail applications. It is understood that the suspects got delayed due to an identification parade that was held at Chatsworth police station. The suspects are among the 36 suspects that Police Minister Bheki Cele last week said had been arrested in connection with the violence in Phoenix. Several people died, vehicles were…

NASA has confirmed that an asteroid, which is the size of the Empire State Building in New York, stands a remote chance of hitting Earth in two decades’ time. The asteroid is named Bennu. A former US defence secretary under president Clinton, in a radio interview, warned that an asteroid collision with Earth had the potential to wipe out humanity. Earth is in a constant game of celestial bumper cars, colliding with, and obliterating, the relatively puny space rocks that dare cross its path. Asteroids zip past our planet every year, a grim reminder of the threats planet Earth faces from outer space. Since its for mation over 5 billion years ago, Earth has been hit many times by asteroids and comets whose orbits bring them into the inner solar…

KABUL: US military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan restarted yesterday after the runway at Kabul airport was cleared of thousands desperate to flee following the Taliban’s takeover of the capital. The number of civilians had thinned out, a Western security official at the airport said a day after chaotic scenes in which US troops fired to disperse crowds and people clung to a US military transport plane as it taxied for take-off. “Runway in Kabul international airport is open. I see airplanes landing and taking off,” Stefano Pontecorvo, Nato’s civilian representative, said on Twitter. At least 12 military flights had taken off, a diplomat at the airport said. Planes were due to arrive from countries including Australia and Poland to pick up their nationals and Afghan colleagues. As…

MOSCOW: The only flight prototype of Russia’s new Il-112V light military transport aircraft crashed in the Moscow region yesterday, killing all three crew members. The turboprop plane hit the ground landing at the Kubinka airfield near Moscow, its producer, the United Aircraft Corporation confirmed. Before the crash, the right engine caught fire and the plane tilted to the starboard side, losing speed and turning over, Tass news agency reported, adding that the aircraft was completely destroyed in a blaze on the ground. An internal commission has been established to investigate the accident.…

The Blue Bulls have made a number of changes for their Currie Cup encounter with the Pumas in Nelspruit today. Fullback Sibongile Novuka, who has featured off the bench twice this season, will make his first start for Jake White’s team. In midfield, Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans will pair up, while Johan Goosen and Zak Burger will again form the halfback combination. At the back of the scrum, Elrigh Louw returns to the starting XV after starting on the bench against the Lions at the weekend. In the front row, Schalk Erasmus will start with props Gerhard Steenekamp and Mornay Smith on either side of him. Bulls director of rugby White explained some of his selections. “This is our penultimate match in the round robin stages, so it is…