Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-10-25 i Mercury

The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) has taken a transformative step in supporting black female entrepreneurship in South Africa by finalising a significant investment in Makwande Supply and Distribution. Established in 2009 and based in Alrode, Gauteng, this 100% black woman-owned company has seen remarkable growth, highlighting a commitment to safety and sustainability in the competitive field of petroleum logistics. With depots spreading across Mpumalanga, Free State, and Limpopo, the NEF’s financial backing marks a pivotal moment in the company’s journey, bolstering its operational capabilities in a rapidly evolving market. After the NEF funding in May last year, Makwande has not only maintained its workforce but has also created new employment opportunities within the community. Nona Chili, the owner of Makwande, expressed her gratitude for the NEF’s support. “This investment has…

Unilever Plc’s sales growth is accelerating as CEO Hein Schumacher’s turnaround of the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise gathers pace. Revenue increased 4.5% in the third quarter, beating the 4.3% expected by analysts, the maker of soap and stock cubes said Thursday. Consumers are buying more of its brands again with volumes up for the fourth consecutive quarter, it added. Unilever’s shares rose as much as 3.7% in early trading. The stock is up about 27% since the start of the year. The performance is “testament to the extent to which Unilever has been rehabilitated,” RBC analyst James Edwardes Jones said in a note. The Magnum maker is in the middle of a shakeup, which includes a spinoff or sale of its ice cream business and a cost-cutting initiative that will…

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal is saddened by the death of a patient at Clairwood Hospital following a fire at the facility in the early hours of this morning (Thursday). According to reports, staff evacuated 24 of the 25 patients and attempted to put out the fire with extinguishers. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The DA commends hospital staff for their efforts to save patients. It is heartbreaking that they were not able to get everyone out. Many of KZN’s medical facilities require urgent maintenance and it must be established whether this was a contributing factor to the fire. The DA, as part of KZN’s government of provincial unity (GPU), will ensure that there is a comprehensive probe into the cause of the fire. We will also…

The sorrowful pictures of the mass killings of innocent civilians across the entire Middle East are utterly beyond human comprehension. The psychology of killing and witnessing such raw violence will affect the human race for decades to come. These bloody horrors will never recede from their collective memories. These brutal massacres are directed against all of humanity and is executed with inhuman beastliness. As the sword of Damocles hangs over the people, the so-called civilised world watches on. History will not be kind to us. It will judge us harshly. The world is shocked to see images of unimaginable horror. The graphic pictures reveal unspeakable brutality and atrocity, and search for the truth as to what permits this to occur without intervention. A genocidal campaign against innocent civilians including children…

CALLS for the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), amidst criticism that it lacks neutrality and does not act in good faith when it comes to conflict zones, has been a key discussion at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The summit was attended by leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — as well as new members from Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. More than 40 000 people have been killed in Gaza since Hamas launched an attack in Israel in October last year, killing more than 1 200 Israelis and foreign nationals. Conflict in Africa has also persisted in the Sudan and in the Sahel and Great Lakes region. President Cyril Ramaphosa, during the BRICS summit outreach and heads…

Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has made a commitment to investigate the alleged weaknesses in social grant payments and the fraud in the R350 grant applications and report to Parliament within a month. Tolashe, together with the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), appeared before the social development portfolio committee this week. The committee was briefed by Stellenbosch University’s computer science students, Veer Gosai and Joel Cedras. Cedras had applied for the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant only to find that an application had already been made in his name using his details. Gosai and Cedras then conducted an informal survey on campus to check if other students had applied for the SRD. They generated ID numbers and fed these into the SRD system, which indicated if a…

At least three people have died, and thousands more have been displaced, following torrential downpours in the Eastern Cape earlier this week. Regarding the deaths, in the first incident, police said a 75-year-old man woke up to find his lounge flooded. He is believed to have then tried to remove electrical wires that were submerged in the water. It is believed that Nkuleleko Gqomo was electrocuted and died at the scene. In another case, 51-year-old Bukelwa Ndima died after coming into contact with live wires. It is believed that she came into contact with illegal connections while walking. Her body was found by relatives some distance from her home. The circumstances surrounding the third person’s death are still unclear, but police said the matter was under investigation. Eastern Cape’s…

The National Prosecuting Authority’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is deliberating on the applications made by former minister Zizi Kodwa and businessman Jehan Mackay to have the charges against them dismissed. This was heard when the two appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday. Kodwa and Mackay have both made submissions to the DPP on why the corruption charges should be dropped. The arrest of the pair was a result of an ongoing investigation into corruption at state-owned entities and following recommendations by the Zondo Commission on State Capture. Kodwa is accused of receiving bribes totalling R1.7 million from Mackay, a former executive of the IT service management company EOH. The payment was allegedly made in exchange for facilitating government tenders at a time when Kodwa was…

Mothers face unprecedented challenges, judgement while carrying society’s care burden ON International Day of Care and Support (October 29) we recognise that mothers have a revered place in families and history. They ensure reproduction, their bodies host the foetus, birth children and provide sustenance and care, without which the infant would die. But why are they still subjected to judgement and hyper-surveillance if they are so important? Recently, a mother expressing breast milk at a Starbucks coffee shop in Cape Town was asked to cover up so as to not offend other customers. A social media storm ensued. Public comments included that she should have expressed in the bathroom, covered up, expressed at home before going out, or just stayed at home. Some people argued that while breastfeeding in public…

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on BRICS countries to work for high-quality development of greater BRICS co-operation this week. Xi made the remarks when addressing the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired the summit. During a small-group meeting, Xi welcomed new members to the BRICS family – which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates – and invited many countries to become partner countries. Stressing that the world was undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century, marked by new trends of multipolarity and the risks of a “new Cold War,” Xi said BRICS countries should take proactive steps towards openness, inclusiveness and win-win co-operation, conform to the general trend of the rise of the Global South,…

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC halted shipments to a customer this month after its semiconductors were sent to China’s Huawei, a Taipei government official said, potentially breaching US sanctions. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is the world’s largest contract manufacturer of chips used in everything from Apple iPhones to Nvidia’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence hardware. Huawei, the world’s leading equipment maker for fifth generation mobile internet networks, has been embroiled in a tech war between Beijing and Washington. The US slapped sanctions on Huawei in 2019, and expanded them the following year, over fears its technology could be used for Beijing’s espionage operations. Huawei denies the allegations. The sanctions cut Huawei off from global supply chains that gave it access to the US-made components and technologies crucial to manufacturing powerful AI systems.…

ANKARA: Four people were killed and 14 others wounded on Wednesday in a terrorist attack at the production facility of Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc (TUSAS) in Ankara, the Interior Ministry said. Three of the injured were in critical condition. Two terrorists had been “neutralised” by security forces immediately after the attack targeting the key defence complex on the outskirts of Ankara. According to footage published by the NTV, “several terrorists” came to the central gate of the complex on board a taxi and began shooting at the guards with machine guns. The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for similar actions in the past. | Xinhua…

SANA’A: The US-British naval coalition launched two airstrikes on the Houthi-held Yemeni airport in the port city of Hodeidah late on Wednesday, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported. Local residents said that they heard two loud explosions and saw glowing flames rising from the airport. No further details or casualties were reported. The airstrikes came a day after the Houthis said that they had launched what it called a hypersonic ballistic missile towards Tel Aviv. The airport has been closed since late 2014 when the Houthis seized control of several northern cities, including Hodeidah. The Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. | Xinhua…

“There are two little English words,” my mother would often sing, “that will open any door with ease. The one little word is THANKS; the other little word is PLEASE.” It’s clear to me that such common manners seem in short supply. Is that your observation, too? Stand back for someone, hold the door open, clear the way – and the recipients of common kindness quite often move on, ignore kindness, as if being served is their expectation and you are simply doing your job. Besides “please” and “thank you”, there is another good manners suggestion I’d add: Before you – anyone that is, including myself, of course – bank it, spend it, eat it, use it – if it was a gift – thank the person - by calling…

The SACP has reiterated its desire for South Africa to establish a sovereign wealth fund, citing the country’s wealth of natural resources that can capitalise the fund. What the SACP is ignoring is that a sovereign wealth fund is a highly sophisticated institution, relying not only on a non-corrupt and highly competent investment infrastructure and government but also on a vibrant free market economy to fund it, two things that the SACP does not want and South Africa does not have. Having a wealth of natural resources is insufficient for funding a viable sovereign wealth fund. Diamonds, metals, gas and oil don’t just magically extract themselves. There is an incredibly expensive, complex process in which resources are gathered, refined and sold — a process undertaken in South Africa by various…

Mr Markhandan. Thank you for your response to my article, and in the spirit of having a robust discussion, I will respond. Firstly, I must admit that I did not read Mr Marks' article, but I have a fairly good idea that it would have been highly disagreeable to me had I done so. So to preserve my blood pressure, I buried my head in the proverbial sand. However, I must correct your assumption that my article on Yahya Sinwar was an exercise in glorification — I simply gave credit where credit was due. This assumption that I have pledged 'blind allegiance' to him is somewhat of an exaggeration. Firstly, I am not a Palestinian and so I have no vested interest in pledging such allegiances and even if I…

Extortion crimes in South Africa has spread exponentially in the past 10 years and was now impacting various sectors of the economy including construction and mining. A discussion on the impact of extortion was hosted by the Institute for Security Studies yesterday. Experts called for improved data on extortion crimes so that early response mechanisms could be improved. Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, senior analyst at Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said while extortion had always existed, the crime had grown in the past decade. “It takes place in almost all provinces in South Africa. We are seeing the emergence of specific extortion economies in the country.” Irish-Qhobosheane said the lack of response to the extortion incidents had allowed it to spread. “A clear example of this is the construction sector extortion.…

A teacher was given the go-ahead to sue the education authorities for damages after a pupil stabbed him at school. The Eastern Cape education department, which was sued by the teacher, Zola Ndiki, submitted a special plea to the high court sitting in Bisho. In defending the claim, it denied liability. The education department said the incident was an occupational injury, as envisaged in the Compensation of Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA). Ndiki was an educator employed at Nontswabu Junior Secondary School. He was stabbed by a pupil, as a result of which he sustained certain injuries, both physical and psychological. He issued a summons against the defendant, his employer, claiming damages in delict. Ndiki said the incident occurred when he was on duty and that he was performing…

Three police officers have appeared before the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice after they allegedly stole R180 000 from a house during a search. Sergeant Rofhiwa Sethari, 38; Constable Livhuwani Oriel Matundu, 36; and Fulufhelo Jonathan Matodzi, 32, were granted bail of R1000 each. Gauteng spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said trouble started when the three police officers approached a man who was driving around Germiston and asked for permission to search the vehicle. The complainant granted the officers permission to search his vehicle. The incident happened on Monday. “The three officers thereafter escorted the complainant to his place of residence, where they searched another vehicle that was parked at…

A woman died in a fire at Clairwood Hospital in Durban yesterday. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health said that the fire broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning, allegedly after the woman, who was a patient, set herself alight in an isolation ward of the hospital’s Internal Medicine unit. The fire gutted the ward, the department said. “Sadly, a 41-year-old female patient (died) after reportedly setting herself on fire during the early hours of this morning (Thursday), leading to the destruction of an entire ward,” the department said in a statement. The department said at least 23 patients from an adjacent ward were safely evacuated and transferred to other available beds within the hospital. There were no other injuries reported. EThekwini Fire Department divisional commander Justin Bateman…

IN A victory that resonates with hope and promise, the Rev Mzwandile Molo who hails from Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, has been elected as the general secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC). This esteemed organisation, a beacon of faith and social justice in South Africa, plays a vital role in advocating for the marginalised and fostering unity across diverse communities. Rev Molo’s election marks a significant moment, not just for the SACC, but for the nation as a whole. His journey, marked by resilience, dedication, and a deep-rooted commitment to serving others, embodies the spirit of transformation and progress that South Africa strives for. Rev Molo’s story began in the humble township of Bongolethu, a place far removed from centres of power and privilege. Growing up in this…

Italian priest Davide Marcheselli has been fighting for years against Chinese companies illegally mining gold in the town of Kitutu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He says mining has spoilt the town which lies in South Kivu province, polluting rivers and destroying fields. Hundreds of foreign companies, most of them Chinese-owned, mine gold in the mineral-rich province often without permits and without declaring profits, according to local authorities. For a long time, civil society groups and members of the church in Kitutu, have been the only people taking a stand against the powerful mining businesses, who often have friends in high places. “From the deputies, to the village chief, everyone receives something (from the companies), money or shares (in businesses),” Marcheselli said. In July, South Kivu governor Jean-Jacques Purusi…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks yesterday in Qatar, a key mediator in the Gaza war, as he sought to build momentum for a ceasefire after Israel’s killing of the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, in Gaza. US officials had described Sinwar as intransigent in negotiations brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt on a ceasefire that would also see the release of hostages from Gaza. After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Blinken flew to Saudi Arabia and then Qatar, where he was to seek assessments of where Hamas stood on a truce. Blinken “discussed renewed efforts to secure the release of the hostages and end the war in Gaza” with the Gulf state’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State Department said. He…

LILONGWE: A prolonged fuel shortage is disrupting business in Malawi as the country has run out of foreign currency reserves, forcing fuel importers to stop their operations. Since June, the government has managed to allocate only $37 million every month, failing to meet the required $51m for the monthly importation of the commodity, Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu said this week. Consequently, fuel delivery in the country has been suspended for about 10 days, he said. Kunkuyu said that $50m had been secured from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa to help ease the country’s fuel shortage. | Xinhua…

WASHINGTON: Democratic presidential nominee Vice-President Kamala Harris responded this week to an interview with Donald Trump’s former White House chief of staff, John Kelly, who asserted that Trump met the definition of a “fascist”. Kelly told The New York Times that his former boss “prefers the dictator approach to government” and that he had no understanding of the US constitution or the concept of the rule of law. “Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable,” Harris said. Kelly said the former president would seek to rule like an authoritarian if he returned to the White House. He cited Trump as having told him Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler “did some good things”. | Reuters…

COACH Shukri Conrad’s young Proteas Test squad headed to Bangladesh with a number of unanswered questions hanging over the group. But in their seven-wicket victory in Mirpur this week, the inexperienced team replied with a statement of note. Cricket writer Ongama Gcwabe highlights three of those answers... Bowling Depth With quicks Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee going through the last phase of their rehabilitation breaks, and with Nandré Burger ruled out of the series due to injury, the fast-bowling stocks looked rather thin for a Test tour that is as physically taxing as a Bangladesh challenge. Premier paceman Kagiso Rabada is only human and would need to be rested from time to time in the match, and despite the availability of Lungi Ngidi and Dane Paterson, the attack still looked…

There’s a new addition to South Africa’s range of Shariah-compliant collective investment schemes – the Satrix MSCI World Islamic Feeder exchange traded fund (ETF) listed on the JSE this week. It brings to 31 the number of retail unit trusts and ETFs (29 and two, respectively) from South African asset managers that invest according to Islamic principles. The ETF tracks the MSCI World Islamic Index, which measures the performance of large- and mid-cap Shariah-compliant companies across 23 developed-market countries. Of the 1 410 companies in the broader MSCI World Index, the MSCI World Islamic Index represents 362 of them. Yusuf Wadee, head of exchange traded products at Satrix, said: “We are proud to launch South Africa’s first Shariah-compliant ETF with offshore exposure, providing investors with a unique opportunity to access…

ANOTHER Sharks match tomorrow, another at King’s Park and another opportunity to draw on the Springbok oomph. It’s a big ask of Munster having to meet up with a side that’s clearly on the up-and-up from an already stunning performance last week against Glasgow Warriors. But then this is rugby and you just never know what will happen. And if the spectacle turns out anything like last week’s scintillation on both sides, who can complain? Certainly not the damsels of the Pub With No Name, who 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. I have a great love for the Irish province of Munster, especially County…

It is with disgust that I hear our President Cyril Ramaphosa taking credit for leading the Government of National Unity (GNU), as if they are the drivers of change. This is deceit of the highest order. We as South Africans have witnessed and are feeling daily the effects of the plundering of our resources, which keep the ANC’s inept cronies living in luxury and a nation that must keep on pumping money into their thieving ways. Examples. Our taxes are taken to pay the debt incurred by Eskom year after year. You see, the interest on all the billions of debt has to be covered and never will be, so we pay. There could have been hundreds of thousands of houses being built annually on these payments alone. A far…

A new SkyCar, big swing, zip line and viewing platform are among the attractions planned for the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The plans for the stadium, which is currently undergoing renovations, was unveiled yesterday at a media briefing held by the eThekwini Municipality. The team of engineers leading the renovations at the stadium said it was expected that the SkyCar will be operational by the summer of next year. The City said it wanted to make the stadium, and by extension Durban, a premier tourist destination in the minds of visitors across the country. The SkyCar, a glass-encased lift that travels up the arch over the stadium to a viewing platform, has not been in operation for the past few years. The Mercury reported in 2022 that a new SkyCar had…

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has described how he believed former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) had contributed to electoral losses for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. He was addressing mourners at the memorial service held for the late Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana in Cape Town this week. Mdladlana died on October 18 at the age of 72. Mantashe stated that Zuma’s MKP also took votes from the IFP. “MKP got into the IFP network of voters coming from hostels and took significant votes there. Even in Mpumalanga, it took our votes. I still want an analyst who will write this because it was actually ethno-nationalism and also elaborate it from a research base. That was ethno-nationalism directed to the slogan (Zulu hlanganani),” he said. According…

A suspect, allegedly linked to a mass shooting in New Brighton in Gqeberha, was killed in a shoot-out with Eastern Cape police. Five men were found dead in a shack at the Chris Hani informal settlement on Tuesday night. Eastern Cape police said they responded to reports of a shooting incident and on arrival at the scene found five men had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Police said the motive for the murder was subject to an investigation. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said that police received intelligence about a suspect allegedly linked to the shooting. “The suspect was found inside a house on Tsewu Street, New Brighton.” He said as police tried to enter the house, the man who was in possession of a firearm was about…

Four accused are expected back before the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court in Gqeberha today in connection with the murder of two people in an alleged insurance payout-related killing. Andisiwe Siwe Zondani 32, Siphamandla Spa Matsha 29, Ayanda Akhanani Yeklea 29 and Siphokazi Mabuto 27, face a total of 17 charges, including six counts of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder and multiple counts related to the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. According to the allegations, Siphokazi Mabuto orchestrated a hit on her aunt, Kholelwa Mabuto. Kholelwa, an employee of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, had named Siphokazi as a beneficiary on her insurance policies. On April 17 this year, a shooting at the Mabuto family home in Motherwell left Kholelwa permanently blind…

As the festive season approaches, the eThekwini Municipality has increased the frequency of testing beach water quality to quickly identify and address any potential problems. Mayor Cyril Xaba revealed this during a media briefing yesterday, providing an update on his first 100 days in office. The briefing covered a wide range of topics, including administrative and service delivery accomplishments. Key sanitation infrastructure was damaged in the 2022 floods and resulted in high E Coli levels at the City’s beaches making them unsafe for swimming. “We have increased the frequency of testing beach water quality so that we can swiftly identify and address any potential risks. The city has a team of scientists hard at work testing the water quality at our accredited laboratory,” the mayor said. He emphasised the City’s…

AFTER a fun-filled few weeks of supporting the Proteas Women cricket and Springbok Women rugby teams, the original trail-blazers for women’s sport in South Africa, Banyana Banyana, are back on the world stage this week. The Proteas Women nearly became world champions last Sunday, but despite being beaten by New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai, they still made us proud. Coach Desiree Ellis’ Banyana side brought Mzansi joy last year when they became the first South African senior team to reach the knock-out stages of a World Cup, reaching the round of 16 in Australia and New Zealand. They produced a remarkable effort in the group stages following an opening 2-1 defeat to Sweden as they fought back to draw 2-2 with Argentina, before beating Italy…

Georgians vote tomorrow in watershed elections, with a union of pro-Western opposition forces facing off against a ruling party accused of democratic backsliding and shifting towards Russia. Brussels has warned the October 26 vote will be crucial for the fate of Georgia’s fledgling democracy and its long-held aspiration for European Union membership. Opinion polls indicate opposition parties could get enough votes to form a coalition government to supplant the ruling Georgian Dream party, controlled by powerful billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. The current government says it wants to win a supermajority in parliament to allow it to pass a constitutional ban on the pro-Western opposition. “Georgia’s traditionally fractured opposition forces have managed to forge an unprecedented united front against Georgian Dream,” said analyst Gela Vasadze at Georgia’s Strategic Analysis Centre. “But if…

Tokyo: New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s snap election gamble could backfire on Sunday, with his ruling party at risk of losing its majority for the first time in 15 years. Ishiba took office and called an election less than a month ago after a tough contest within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed for all but four of the last 69 years. “This is an attempt to create a new Japan that will drastically change the nature of Japanese society,” he said. Polls suggest the LDP could fall short of the 233 lower house seats needed for a majority for the first time since 2009. They hold 256 seats. Polls suggest that even with its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, Ishiba will be unable to form…

ABUJA: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu reshuffled the cabinet on Wednesday, sacking five ministers and appointing new ones. The ministers of education, tourism, youth development and women’s affairs as well as the minister of state, housing and urban development were sacked, Bayo Onanuga, a senior spokesperson for the president, said after a cabinet meeting. Tinubu appointed new ministers, and redeployed some officials from one ministry to another, which are subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. | Xinhua…

The shore-based fishing has been as hot as the weather. Some amazing fish have been caught recently with plenty for all facets. The North Coast has been blowing hot and cold with the varied conditions we are having. The northeast wind has not been cooling the water down as much as usual so an extra day of proper NE wind has been needed to get the fish feeding. Mackerel and redeye have been the most productive baits for most of the inedibles. Try to make a bait with a lot of smell and scent. If the peckers are an issue then wrap your bait with some chokka to make it last longer. The gullies are fishing very well on the North Coast with a host of species being landed. Prawns…