Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-10-28 i Mercury

Media freedom stands as one of the most significant pillars of a truly free nation. In societies grappling with social challenges, the ability of individuals to voice their frustrations without fear of judgment or oppression is invaluable. Independent media creates safe spaces where diverse thoughts can flourish without the shackles of censorship, allowing columnists and commentators to speak their minds openly. My journey as a journalist began with a deep admiration for Independent Media. Before joining, I often found myself captivated by their stories—narratives that were refreshingly distinct from what mainstream outlets offered. Upon joining the organisation, I quickly recognised its commitment to giving a voice to the voiceless, a mission I wholeheartedly embraced. As the content editor for Personal Finance, I appreciate that Independent Media has empowered me to…

Joe Biden, the sheriff of the American City of Warlord- formerly known as Warlock - is about to retire after having brought to book over 45 000 errant unarmed gunslingers, mostly hiding in the cellars of Tombstonegaza, a godforsaken town that did not, technically, fall under his jurisdiction but-what the hell is gun is fun? Old Joe was once young and had been hanging around the White House Liveries as a stable hand for almost half a century before being promoted to the county’s marshall. Even at eighty-plus, Joe is one of the cutest cowboys still around and kicking. After abetting that other gunslinger across the Atlantic, Marshal Netanyahu and his sidekicks to rid his once peaceable town of thugs and noisy robust cowboys hiding in tunnels and thereby perform…

THIS was a rugby cliffhanger! A masterpiece! In spite of the difference in scoreline, this match at King’s Park between the Sharks and Irish side Munster was all action and suspense from the start, with Makazole Mapimpi scoring a try in the first 43 seconds. You can’t get better than that. The final score of 41-24 – the first time the Sharks have beaten Munster – disguises the quality of a game in which Munster never gave up, were dangerous throughout and ran in two tries in the closing stages to win a bonus point. This was champagne rugby. It bodes well for the Springboks, many of whom were playing for the Sharks, when they travel overseas to play at national level. The damsels of the Pub With No Name…

The actions of the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) toward Independent Media further indicate that this regulatory body may be influenced by parties' intent on damaging the reputation of this media company. Recently, the PCSA ruled against Sunday Independent and IOL over an opinion piece by columnist Edmond Phiri, in which he compared News24 journalist Karyn Maughan to Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. This comparison followed Maughan’s article titled “Survé targets senior judge”. Sunday Independent and IOL exercised their right to appeal the decision, but the PCSA rejected their application. In issuing this ruling, the PCSA appears to have aligned itself with ongoing efforts to harm Independent Media’s reputation. Instead of reviewing the complaint impartially, the PCSA opted for a ruling that favoured a competitor, appearing to suppress alternative perspectives—a…

Seven municipalities, including the eThekwini metro, have made arrangements for the participation of amakhosi in the municipal executive committees. The other municipalities are the Msunduzi Local Municipality, Msinga, Big Five Hlabisa, Uthukela, uMgungundlovu, and Ilembe District Municipality. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi recently announced the plan. Cogta directed in a circular that traditional leaders must be consulted and participate in the municipal decisions affecting their areas. The Mercury understands that this means the traditional leaders (amakhosi) will participate fully in executive committee discussions but would not be able to vote on the items being discussed. In the circular, Cogta asked municipal councils to name the amakhosi who will be sitting on the executive committees of the different municipalities. When Buthelezi made the announcement at a meeting…

As copper theft continues to impact public infrastructure with theft and damage estimated to cost the economy R46 billion annually, it is hoped that proposed legislative amendments may tighten regulations in the scrap metal industry. This is according to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The scrap metal export ban, which was imposed in November 2022 in a bid to reduce the theft of infrastructure, was not extended after the ban expired in December last year, the department said. Asked whether the ban had made a difference to the theft of infrastructure, Department spokesperson Bongani Lukhele said the results were mixed. “We believe that the evidence is somewhat mixed and has little bearing on the claims that the prohibition has decreased infrastructure damage and theft. This was to…

The world is on the brink of an economic and humanitarian catastrophe due to an escalating water crisis, according to a report by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. The report projects that by 2050, more than 50% of the world’s food production will be endangered, while global GDP could shrink by 8%, with lower-income nations facing up to a 15% loss. The Commission highlights the interlinked effects of poor water management, destructive land use, and climate change. These factors have strained the global water cycle to unprecedented levels, putting both human well-being and the global economy at risk. “Precipitation, the source of all freshwater, can no longer be relied upon,” said Johan Rockström, co-chair of the Commission. This makes food production and economic stability increasingly precarious, especially…

These gatherings highlight the mounting challenge to Western hegemony IF KEY international indabas say under the aegis of the United Nations had a Summit Competition Czar, then he or she could be excused for being bemused if not downright confused. October has become the new silly season for global conferences. That very human instinct of “jaw jaw”, as opposed unfortunately to the equally human instinct of “war war”, is descending into a competitive beauty parade seemingly drawn along age-old ideological lines. This is further complicated by inevitable instances of cross-dressing, given the socio-cultural, economic and financial complexities and disparities of the groupings. Hardly had the inaugural EU-Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Summit finished in Brussels on October 16, which saw European leaders such as President Emmanuel Macron of France cock-a-hoop hobnobbing…

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared yesterday that Israel’s “precise and powerful” strikes on Iran had been a success, as his country’s forces pounded targets in Gaza and Lebanon. The previous day’s strikes by Israeli planes on military targets in Iran had fed fears that the Middle East was spiralling towards an even wider conflict and triggered global calls for restraint. But Iranian leaders played down their importance, saying the strikes had caused only limited damage and killed four soldiers, while Netanyahu stressed that the raids had served their purpose of avenging an earlier Iranian missile barrage against Israel. “The attack in Iran was precise and powerful, achieving all of its objectives,” Netanyahu said, in a speech marking the official Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 last…

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro vowed over the weekend that his country would not be silenced after Brazil vetoed its bid to join the BRICS group of emerging economies. The South American country is in the throes of an unprecedented economic crisis, which the government says is a result of US sanctions, and has long sought to join the BRICS group. Venezuela reacted furiously to Brazil’s veto at a summit in the Russian city of Kazan earlier this week, calling the decision a “hostile” and “immoral” act. Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is a long-time ally of Maduro. But relations between them have been strained since Maduro’s disputed re-election following the July 28 ballot, which the opposition claims to have won. An adviser to Lula, former foreign minister Celso…

HANOI: Storm Trami hit central Vietnam yesterday, threatening to trigger heavy rains and dangerous floods after leaving a path of destruction in the Philippines. Rainfall in several parts of provinces from Quang Binh to Quang Nam is forecast to reach 60cm yesterday and today, said the national weather forecast agency. After sweeping across the Philippines’ main Luzon island, Trami left large areas submerged under floodwaters, making rescue and relief operations difficult as Manila braces for the impact of incoming storm Kong-rey. The storm hit the Philippines on Thursday, causing floods and landslides that have left 110 people dead as of yesterday, | Reuters…

LONDON: Some British Labour MPs yesterday accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of having a “colonial mindset” and trying to silence nations pushing for discussions on reparations for transatlantic slavery at this month’s Commonwealth summit in Samoa. Ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government summit in Samoa, where Caribbean and African nations wished to discuss the topic, Starmer said the issue was not on the agenda, and that he would like to “look forward”. Diane Abbott, Britain’s first black woman MP, said Labour previously had plans to establish a national reparations commission but Starmer “seems to have forgotten that”. | Reuters…

Richards Bay head coach Brandon Truter has expressed difficulty in shifting his side’s mentality to become winners. The Natal Rich Boyz held high-flyers Stellenbosch to a goalless draw at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday in a game that was there for the taking. Stellies were not at their usual best and could not get going as admitted by their coach Steve Barker and when Jayden Adams was given his marching orders in the second half, all eyes turned to Richards Bay to take advantage. However, the hosts could not land a decisive blow on the day and left Truter questioning his side’s ability to go for the kill. He attributed the club’s recent battles in relegation fights as one of the reasons behind their restraint at times. “Its difficult…

Besides falsehood, there is a great deal of irony in Kamala Harris’ attempt to demonise Donald Trump as a “fascist” who admired Hitler (The Mercury, October 25). Now that two pillars of the political establishment, the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, have declined to endorse Harris’ candidacy, she has resorted to personal slander of her opponent as a strategy to re-energise her flagging following. Her attempt to link Trump to Hitler was derived from a hit piece in the magazine The Atlantic based on remarks by disgruntled former White House chief of staff, General John Kelly, who was fired by Trump in 2019. Kelly alleges that Trump wanted generals who would be loyal to him in the way that Hitler had the loyalty of his generals. Three other…

ActionSA demands an urgent leadership overhaul at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), as it has become increasingly apparent that corruption has reached staggering levels, with taxpayer funds being looted and consequence management almost entirely absent. It is clear that this reflects a deeply entrenched rot within SASSA, where a shocking list of wrongdoings, from ghost beneficiaries siphoning funds to fraudulent payouts into private bank accounts and officials exploiting their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor, demands immediate and urgent reform. Earlier this week, two first-year students from Stellenbosch University appeared before Parliament after exposing a massive fraud scheme within SASSA. Over and above their testimony about their findings ActionSA, possesses emails dated September 19, 2023, from whistleblowers Bonnie Sons and Elizabeth Reuters, which reveal…

I am fascinated by process, time, growth; how life itself gets us ready for life itself. When my sons were very young neither they nor I could imagine them leaving, going off on their own. None of the three of us was ready for that. It is different now. It’s not that I want them gone. I do not. But I do want them to forge ahead with their own lives. I want them to find adventures in far off countries and to make friends with people I will never meet. Life prepared me for that transition. I find no resistance within me for it to continue. I thought I would hold onto the boys in some way but I cannot find it in me to do so. I am…

The poor performance of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal in the May elections continues to be a matter for debate at the party’s highest decision making body. The National Executive Committee (NEC), at the weekend, analysed the performance of its structure in KZN in its elections’ organisational report and discussed how poor campaigning and poor relationships with the Zulu monarch and churches affected the ballot outcome. The party’s support in the province dipped significantly from the 2019 election, where it secured 54.22% of the vote to 17% support at the May 29 ballot. The NEC also highlighted the poor showing of the ANC in Gauteng, where it went from 53% of the vote in 2019 to 36% in 2024. A senior party source said that it was unlikely that the KZN…

Sun International management was found to be in the clear by the Johannesburg Labour Appeal Court for dismissing a marketing manager who, due to his religious beliefs, could not work on weekends, as his job had demanded of him. Sun International was said to have given the manager a lifeline for 16 months after he started working for the company. His workload over weekends was shifted to another employee. But it eventually became impossible to continue with this arrangement. The company offered him an alternative posting, which he declined as it came at a reduced salary. Sun International eventually held an incapacity inquiry, and it was subsequently decided to terminate his employment. The Labour Court, meanwhile, held that his dismissal was automatically unfair in terms of the Labour Relations Act.…

A 40-year-old police officer accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend seven times has been denied bail. Sergeant Alfred Malemela allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend, Victoria Ramaphoko, 38, on September 27 this year. The shooting took place outside Mankweng Magistrate’s Court after a Heritage Day celebration. Ramaphoko works at the court. Malemela is stationed at Mankweng Police Station. Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, said Malemela went to the Magistrates Court, where Ramaphoko and her colleagues were celebrating Heritage Day. “There was an argument between Sergeant Malemela and Ramaphoko but he left the court building. He came back later in the afternoon armed with a firearm and met Ramaphoko at the gate and allegedly shot her seven times,” said Shuping. Ramaphoko was rushed to hospital and survived the shooting. The incident…

Police have confirmed the arrest of two suspects for the murder of a 46-year-old teacher who was based at the Phikiswayo Primary School in Ntuzuma. The educator was shot on the school’s premises on July 29 this year. It is alleged that she was killed as she was due to be a witness in a case involving an inmate at Westville Prison. According to KwaZulu Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, one of the suspects allegedly entered the school under the pretence of visiting the teacher. “The suspect went straight to the victim and shot her multiple times,” Netshiunda stated. The educator was pronounced dead at the scene, and Netshiunda said investigators soon suspected that her murder was an orchestrated assassination. He said the investigation led police to uncover the…

The Department of Basic Education has called for school governing bodies (SGBs) and school management teams to play a leading role in ensuring that healthy food snacks and beverages are sold to pupils. The department was commenting after six children died in Naledi, Soweto, allegedly after eating snacks from a spaza shop and after several incidents where school pupils became ill after consuming snacks purchased from vendors or spaza shops. Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “While the school has no jurisdiction over the street vendors, the school community should make an effort to keep a database of individuals selling food and beverage items on or near the school premises,” he said. This, according to Mhlanga, meant that the entire community, where the school is located, should take responsibility for the…

THE Eastern Cape has recently witnessed a surge in mass killings that have shocked communities and raised serious concerns about public safety. Incidents such as the shooting in Bityi, near Mthatha, where five members of a family were killed and two others wounded, are alarmingly frequent occurrences. On September 28, a horrific attack in Lusikisiki resulted in the deaths of 18 people. The shooting of 10 community patrollers in Godini village, near Tina Falls, Qumbu, earlier this month resulted in six deaths. These tragic events underscore the gravity of the situation. They indicate a disturbing pattern of violence that calls for critical examination. The crime statistics released by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu painted a grim picture of escalating crime, where murder, rape, hijacking, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion are on…

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was to headline a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden yesterday, a high-profile event in a state that last backed a Republican president in 1984. Opponent Vice President Kamala Harris is traversing Philadelphia, the largest city and a Democratic stronghold in must-win Pennsylvania, and plans stops in a Black barbershop and a Puerto Rican restaurant to encourage people to vote. Speaking at the Church of Christian Compassion yesterday, Harris didn’t mention Trump by name. “In this moment we do face a real question: What kind of country do we want to live in?” she said. Trump’s rally in Manhattan, like Harris’s event in Houston on Friday with Beyonce, hopes to lean on star power to support local congressional candidates ahead of the November 5…

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, failed to secure a parliamentary majority in snap elections, a first since 2009. Media projections indicated that the LDP, along with its coalition partner Komeito, would win between 174 and 254 seats, falling short of the 233 needed for a majority in the 465-seat parliament. This disappointing outcome reflects voter frustration over rising prices and the fallout from a party slush fund scandal that previously affected former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Ishiba, who took leadership of the LDP last month, aimed for a majority to strengthen his position. However, the LDP’s performance, projected to be the worst in 15 years, raises questions about its future direction and potential coalition partners, as the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) gained ground,…

JERUSALEM: One person was killed and dozens were injured yesterday when a truck struck a bus stop at a major intersection near Tel Aviv in central Israel in what police suspected was a terrorist attack. Israeli police said about 40 people were injured, some seriously, and were taken to nearby hospitals. Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv said one of the victims succumbed to his wounds. The attack, in which a truck ran into a bus stop close to a military base, took place around 10am, police said, noting the driver was “neutralised” by a nearby civilian. Israeli media reported the attacker was an Israeli Arab from Qalansawe in central Israel. | Reuters…

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russia’s defence ministry was working on different ways to respond if the US and its Nato allies helped Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with long-range Western missiles. Russia has warned the US and its allies for weeks that such actions would be viewed as a major escalation in the conflict that has dragged on for more than a year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been urging the West to allow Kyiv to fire deep into Russia with Western missiles. This comes with Russia advancing at the fastest rate in eastern Ukraine since the first few months of the invasion. | Reuters…

Workers received good news this week with inflation falling from 4.4% to 3.8% since last month. This provides welcome relief to millions of highly indebted workers struggling to cope with rising costs of living over the past two years and salaries that barely kept pace with these. Inflation peaked at 7.8% over the past two years due to the spike in international oil prices following the war in Ukraine. This had a devastating impact upon fuel importing economies like South Africa, making the cost of transport, food, electricity and other essential goods much more expensive for workers already bleeding from a weak economy, low wages, high unemployment and endemic poverty. Further pain was felt by working class families and the economy with the 475 basis points hike in the repo…

The importance of boycotting Zionist companies that profit from the genocide in Gaza and play a direct role in enabling Israel’s war crimes cannot be overemphasized. Organisations such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement) have been advocating tirelessly for divestment from Israeli companies that fund and profit from the occupation of Palestine. Boycotting can be extremely effective if done strategically and targeted at a small number of major corporations for maximum impact. One such company that features on the BDS boycott list is Chevron. Chevron is a US-based energy giant that rakes in billions of dollars a year from exploiting Israeli-claimed fossil gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and has operations in over 180 countries in the world. These operations generate hundreds of millions of dollars of…

The DA condemns the recent Mozambican presidential election, which was marred by widespread irregularities, violence, and political assassinations. The Mozambican electoral commission’s declaration of Daniel Chapo as President — with a claimed 70.6% of the vote - is not only suspect but indicative of a deeply compromised electoral process. Reports of blatant fraud, vote tampering, and intimidation have cast a dark shadow over Mozambique’s democracy. Observers, including the European Union, documented “irregularities during counting and unjustified alterations of results at polling stations.” These findings raise serious concerns about the legitimacy of the election and the violation of Mozambican citizens’ right to freely choose their leaders. Most disturbingly, the violent assassinations of two advisers to Venâncio Mondlane, Chapo’s leading opponent, have added to an atmosphere of fear and suppression. Elvino Dias,…

The Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) has said that South Africa has made notable strides in tackling deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) systems, addressing many issues that led to its greylisting earlier this year. FATF, a global watchdog overseeing efforts to counter money laundering and terrorism financing, said that South Africa has now largely or fully addressed 16 out of the 22 action items outlined in its greylisting report, with six critical items left to resolve by February 2025. The FATF noted this progress during its October plenary meeting in Paris, emphasising the need for continued efforts. Commenting on the progress made, the DA urged the government to act swiftly on remaining shortcomings, particularly in the prosecution of complex financial crimes. DA finance spokesperson Wendy Alexander…

DISSATISFIED members of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) have raised concerns that some members who have recently joined the party have been parachuted into leadership positions. On Friday, party leader Jacob Zuma announced at a media briefing that former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane and former ANC leader and KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu would be joining as convenors of the party in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal respectively. Earlier this month, Mchunu, in a letter to the ANC, announced that he was resigning as a member. He said he believed that the ANC should not have entered into a coalition to form the government of national unity and he was hurt by the criticism he received when he raised this view within the party. Mkhwebane resigned from the EFF two weeks ago.…

The Department of Home Affairs has issued the first-ever South African marriage certificates, officially recognising the “type of marriage” as “Muslim”. “After changes made to the Department’s internal systems, Home Affairs has granted the first batch of 33 marriage certificates for Muslim marriages for the first time in South African history,” the department said in a statement. “Members of the Islamic faith community have made extraordinary contributions to South Africa’s history for more than 350 years,” Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said. “While it comes hundreds of years later than it should have, it is a personal honour for me to preside as Minister over the granting of marriage certificates recognising Muslim marriages.” Schreiber said this marked a significant step towards enhancing the dignity of this faith community…

Two senior officials from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s northern region have been placed on precautionary suspension as a forensic investigation into a R79 million asbestos eradication contract begins. The investigation, initiated by a whistleblower’s report, seeks to address concerns surrounding payments and the rate of work completion at four KZN healthcare facilities. The urgency of the matter was amplified by ActionSA KZN provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango, who addressed a letter to MEC Martin Meyer on October 17, expressing “deep concern” over the alleged irregularities. In the letter, Mncwango detailed information received from a whistleblower, who flagged inconsistencies and potential misconduct in the handling of funds. “A whistleblower within the department has provided detailed information relating to projects at the following sites: Catherine Booth Hospital, Eshowe Hospital,…

Tap-and-go bank cards, which do not require a PIN for purchases up to R500, are a boon for criminals intent on going on a festive season shopping spree. The Banking Ombud said complaints have been received of tap-and-go transactions conducted with cards that had been lost or stolen, and the public is urged to be cautious, especially with fraud attacks expected to increase at this time of the year. However, no complaints have been received by the Banking Ombud relating to money being siphoned from tap-and-go cards by criminals using a scanning device. The Banking Division of the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) said it was aware of reports about potential fraud involving the tap-and-go functionality on bank cards with the use of unauthorised devices to access customers’ funds without…

Recent revelations by Stellenbosch University students Veer Gosai and Joel Cedras have shone a harsh light on the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and its alarming deficiencies. Upon applying for the R350 social relief of distress grant, Cedras discovered an application had unlawfully been submitted in his name. This discovery gave birth to a critical investigation that underscored systemic vulnerabilities within Sassa’s operations. The subsequent informal survey conducted by the duo exposed an insidious truth: students had applications done in their names and funds deposited into unknown bank accounts, highlighting rampant fraud in the application process. The leadership at Sassa must take accountability for this staggering breach of trust and security. Millions of rand, intended for the poorest citizens, are falling into the hands of criminals – both external…

Georgia plunged into political turmoil yesterday after the ruling party declared victory in parliamentary elections decried by the opposition as “falsified”. The EU had warned that Saturday’s vote, seen as a crucial test of democracy in the Caucasus country, would determine Tbilisi’s chances of joining the bloc. The result sets the stage for a political showdown that analysts warn could derail Georgia’s European aspirations. Official tallies from more than 99% of precincts showed the ruling Georgian Dream party winning 54.08% of the vote, while a union of four pro-Western opposition alliances garnered 37.58%, according to central election commission chair Giorgi Kalandarishvili. “The elections took place in a calm and free environment,” he said. The result gives Georgian Dream 91 seats in the 150-member parliament – enough to govern but short…

WASHINGTON: South African-born billionaire businessman Elon Musk worked illegally in the US during a brief period in the 1990s while building a startup company, the Washington Post reported. Musk denied the report yesterday saying he was allowed to legally work in the US during that period. “I was on a J-1 visa that transitioned to an H1-B,” he said on his social media platform X. The J-1 Exchange Visitor visa lets foreign students get academic training in US, while the H1-B visa is for temporary employment. The news outlet reported that Musk arrived in Palo Alto, California, in 1995 to attend Stanford University but never enrolled in his graduate studies program there. Instead, he developed software company Zip2, which sold in 1999 for $300 million, according to reports. |…

TAIPEI: China yesterday deployed fighter jets and drones in a “joint combat readiness patrol” around Taiwan, responding to a US arms sale package worth $2 billion, officials said. The US State Department approved a $2 billion arms sale package for Taiwan, including advanced surface-to-air missile systems and radar. Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected 19 Chinese aircraft yesterday, including fighter jets and drones, flying near the island over a nearly four-hour period as part of Beijing’s “joint combat readiness patrol” with warships. It was the third such patrol reported by Taiwan’s defence ministry this month. | AFP…

The Sharks are like chalk and cheese with and without their Springboks, and nobody understands this better than coach John Plumtree. This past weekend, his team showcased their prowess by defeating the 2023 champions, Munster, 41-24, following a comfortable win against the Glasgow Warriors, the reigning champions who recently outclassed the Stormers. The message to the United Rugby Championship is clear – when the Sharks are at full strength, they resemble a Springbok team and are incredibly challenging to beat. In the forwards, they possess a formidable tight five that includes Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, and Eben Etzebeth, with Siya Kolisi anchoring the loose trio. This powerful pack makes it unsurprising that Munster’s front line was overwhelmed in the set scrums. Such Springbok representation enhances…

Sport can be a fickle mistress, as Damian Willemse and Cameron Hanekom discovered this past Saturday. In a dramatic turn of events, Willemse found himself sidelined from the Springbok training camp in Jersey, while Hanekom received a surprising call-up to join the squad. It all unfolded during a Stormers match against Glasgow in Stellenbosch. Willemse, who had been performing impressively, scored a try but felt an immediate twinge in his groin. The pain on his face suggested he realised he was out for the count. Despite his efforts to continue playing, it felt like a cruel twist of fate, striking him down after spending much of the year battling injury issues. His impact on the field had given the Stormers hope, but with him injured, the team's prospects dimmed considerably.…