Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-10-27 i Mercury

BALWIN Properties, the JSE-listed developer of more than 70 large scale sectional title estates, passed its divi- dend for the six months to August 31 compared with the 9 cents payout at the same time a year ago, because challeng- ing conditions in the housing market caused its revenue to slide by 25%. CEO Steve Brookes said in a telephone interview that during times of cyclical lows in the property market, he was glad of their brand, as it was respected, well loved and a good asset to have in the weak markets being experienced. The group’s estates have a focus on high quality, environmentally efficient, affordable apartments with innovative lifestyle offerings. Brookes said an indication of the quality of property development available in South Africa and the group…

I’ve known Yaya Mavundla for over five years and every time I see her, she’s always her bubbly self. For those who don’t know her, Mavundla is a transgender woman who has led several campaigns to make sure trans women are seen and she is finally reaping the fruits of her labour. I bumped into her at the recently held South African Fashion Week at Mall of Africa and used the opportunity to unpack her giant strides in the industry. The KwaZulu-Natal-born star was recently confirmed as one of the Miss World South Africa Red Carpet hosts, which is a big deal for the trans community because it means that the world is noticing trans women, who are now allowed to participate in beauty pageants. Looking stunning in a white…

THE SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) is planning a nationwide protest over the potential privatisation of Transnet, including the development and upgrades at a major Durban container terminal. Marches are scheduled to take place in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape, and at other Transnet depots, with the main march taking place in Durban. Satawu said they would march to Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s office and the Department of Public Enterprises to hand over a memorandum. Transnet issued a statement yesterday saying it viewed the planned action as ‘unprotected’ and that contingency plans have been put in place if Satawu’s leadership proceed. In July, Transnet announced Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services Inc (Ictsi) as the preferred bidder for the 25-year joint venture with Transnet Port Terminals…

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all matrics well for their exams. It takes determination, perseverance and sacrifice to overcome one of the greatest challenges that young people will face as they embark on a journey that will determine their future. Preparation and a focused approach are critical for ensuring good results and eliminating anxiety and fear. This will establish a greater skill set for the future of the country. It will also help in retaining professionals in the future and prevent them from seeking employment abroad. Corporate companies should take up a greater responsibility in offering more opportunities to students who have completed their tertiary studies. This ensures they gain more skills. In spite of the gravest crisis we are facing, your future lies in your…

THE recent murder of a KwaZulu-Natal South Coast farmer – killed after rushing to his neighbour’s aid during a robbery – is both tragic and senseless. The DA extends its sincere condolences to the man’s family and friends. We pray that they will find strength and spiritual support during this very difficult time. When a farmer is killed, our nation suffers. A recent report shows that South Africa is in dire need of increased food security. This as rural crime remains out of control and more and more farmers are choosing to leave our country. This is a direct result of an uncaring government that is failing to protect citizens from criminals. The DA has long called on this ANC-run government to ensure the safety of our rural communities. This…

Once you begin therapy, there will probably be shifts and changes in the way your life progresses: Old hurts and painful memories become less powerful – they don’t drive you any more. Some old hurts and painful memories become more powerful for a period. Some family members say you are meddling. Others say you are selfish. You know you are more in the driver’s seat of your life than you have ever been before. You feel empowered to fulfil your role in your family. You begin to feel deeply connected to others but not trapped by them. You feel a new reward in your friendships. Some people avoid you or gossip about you because you have “changed”. You begin to know what you can and cannot control or change. You…

IN A victory judgment for new parents, especially fathers, the high court on Wednesday ruled that both parents are entitled to maternity leave. Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg Deputy Judge President Roland Sutherland concluded that the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act regulating parental leave unfairly discriminated against various types of parents. He also found that the provisions were contrary to the interests of the child and impaired the dignity of parents and their children. Judge Sutherland concluded that the provisions of the act regulating parental leave do offend against sections 9 and 10 of the Constitution, as they unfairly discriminate between mothers and fathers and unfairly discriminate between parents, depending on whether their child was born of the mother, conceived by surrogacy or adopted. Accordingly, he declared these…

Economists and civil society groups say they expect the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to be extended further when Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) next week. Concern has been raised about possible budget cuts to government entities due to fiscal constraints. Economist Dawie Roodt said there were approximately 30 million people receiving an income from the state in the form of grants. “This will definitely be taken into consideration when the MTBPS is presented by the finance minister next week. The SRD grant will definitely be extended and I think it will become a permanent item in the Budget. We also have to bear in mind that there is an election next year and that would be taken into consideration when it comes…

MSUNDUZI Municipality officials have been ordered to provide a detailed list of municipal accounts that were up to date, and those that were in arrears. The demand was made at yesterday’s finance committee meeting, and comes amid concerns that some of the wards in the municipality have become no-go areas for council staff who are on meter-reading duty. Recently, a ward councillor appeared before an ethics committee over allegations that he had circulated a message to local residents urging them to chase council staff away so that they could not read meters. Committee member Ross Strachan from the DA said the compilation and presentation of the report was important in helping to determine whether the current revenue collection drive was yielding any positive results. In recent weeks and months the…

Lack of honest coverage by Western media: Gaza has been under siege for years WE HAVE seen widespread protests across South Africa in light of the recent violence and escalation in the Middle East. In Cape Town and Johannesburg, pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian supporters took to the streets to make their voices heard – to stand in solidarity in the wake of the bombardment of the Gaza strip by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) following an attack by Hamas militants. Before I begin, I want to offer my sincerest condolences to the families on both sides who have lost loved ones in the conflict, and who are suffering. Israel released a statement declaring that it had dropped more than 6 000 bombs on the densely populated Gaza strip – more bombs…

Israel sent tanks, troops and armoured bulldozers into the Gaza Strip in a “targeted raid” overnight that destroyed multiple sites before withdrawing from the Hamas-ruled territory, the army said yesterday. Black smoke billowed into the sky after a blast in the grainy night-vision footage the military released hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared preparations for a ground war were under way. On the 20th day of Israel’s deadliest Gaza war yet, launched in retaliation for the bloody October 7 Hamas attacks, the army said its forces had hit “numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure and anti-tank missile launch posts”. The operation in northern Gaza came in “preparation for the next stages of combat”, it said. The black-and-white video showed a column of armoured vehicles moving near Gaza’s border fence. Other footage…

Rabat: Two people were found dead yesterday aboard a boat intercepted off Western Sahara by Moroccan coast guards with over 270 West African migrants on board, a military source said. Among the rescued migrants were “200 Senegalese, 66 Gambians, three from Guinea, two Malians, and one Sierra Leonean,” the source said. The two dead were transferred to a hospital in the Western Sahara city of Dakhla while the surviving migrants received care before being handed over to authorities. Their boat, intercepted 290km south of Dakhla, took off from Senegal six days ago in an attempt to reach the Spanish Canary Islands. | AFP…

At least 27 people died due to Hurricane Otis and four others were still missing, Mexico’s government said yesterday after one of the most powerful storms to hit the country smashed into the Pacific beach resort of Acapulco early the day before. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the government was working to re-establish power and clean up the devastation wrought by the Category 5 hurricane that tore through the southern state of Guerrero, leaving Acapulco incommunicado. Otis flooded streets, ripped roofs off homes and hotels and severed communications, road and air access. Downed phone service and electricity lines made it hard for officials to quickly assess the extent of the damage. Nearly 8 400 members of Mexico’s army, air force and national guard were deployed in and near Acapulco…

Former Springbok assistant coach and fullback Ricardo Loubscher believes it will be tight but that South Africa will eventually reign supreme in tomorrow’s World Cup final against the All Blacks. Loubscher helped coach the Boks during the Heyneke Meyer era and captain-on-the-day Fourie du Preez’s team narrowly lost to the All Blacks 20-18 in the 2015 semi-final at Twickenham. The two nations will go one step further tomorrow (kick-off 9pm) when they face off for the Webb Ellis Cup for only the second time in history. “I’m not good with predictions,” Loubscher, who is currently the backline coach of the Lions, said yesterday from Edinburgh, “but just looking at the game, it is a massive opportunity. “Congratulations to the Boks – the players and staff – for making another final.…

The Proteas departed for the 50-over World Cup in India with the intention of sticking to their traditional strengths – which has always been fast bowling. Even taking into account the loss of Anrich Nortjé and Sisanda Magala on the eve of the tournament, the emphasis remained on the quicks to put them on the front foot. And so far it has proved to be a recipe for success. The Proteas have three fast bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen – all among the leading wicket-takers at the tournament with 10 wickets each. However, with the tournament stretched far and wide across India, they also spoke about being adaptable and able to play the conditions that confront them on the day. They will need to showcase this…

THE number of senior municipal employees suspended for various transgressions grows and grows. What is being done about it? Nothing. Cases take years to investigate, and meanwhile they sit at home collecting fat salaries. What an incentive to commit fraud – get paid and do nothing! Perhaps one should get outside auditors – independent and not linked to any party – to investigate. How can one expect justice to be served when the ones who are investigating and castigating are on the same side? What about money spent on functions? In the olden days, the Town Hall was used for such things, and it fell under the jurisdiction of the municipality, so one did not have to pay a fortune for a venue. It is time for a turnaround. Ratepayers,…

THE tension is unbearable – Boks versus All Blacks for the world rugby crown. The Boks have the notable scalps of France and England. The All Blacks summoned an avalanche against Argentina. The Boks were iffy, to put it mildly, against England. Can they be iffy two matches in a row? What’s the best psychological preparation? A close call such as we had against England? Or a thumping win such as the Kiwis had against Argentina? Tomorrow evening, we’ll find out. The nation is on tenterhooks. At places like the Pub With No Name, the damsels are strumming at their knickers in anticipation of being called upon to supply elastic for a fashioning of catapults for the time-honoured celebratory feu de joie in which the street lights are shot out.…

Fruit baskets, leather bags or briefcases, gadgets, perfumes and complimentary tickets appear to have been the choice of gifts for MPs this year. The joint ethics committee announced this week that it had published the 2023 register of members’ interests on the website of Parliament on Tuesday, exactly 24 days after the closing date of the disclosure of interests by the MPs. Co-chairpersons Bekizwe Nkosi and Lydia Moshodi said the release of the register entrenched Parliament’s commitment to building public trust and confidence in public representatives. Among the declarations were: Deputy President Paul Mashatile: A bag with coffee, nuts and Tanzanian material he received during a state visit to Tanzania, a bottle of vodka from the Russian ambassador, wine from the National Youth Development Agency and the Samsung Z Fold…

GOVERNMENT is still barred from donating R50 million to Cuba after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, this week overturned the decision following a review application brought by AfriForum. The civil rights organisation AfriForum successfully stopped the government’s intended R50m donation to the Cuban government by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco). Last year AfriForum obtained an urgent interdict to prevent Dirco from donating the R50m to the Cuban government. The government’s attempt to appeal was dismissed. In the review application, AfriForum asked for the donation to be set aside, that the decision made by the National Treasury to approve the donation be set aside, and the decision to send the money may not be allowed. Furthermore, that any future donation to Cuba may not be allowed without parliamentary…

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education head Nkosinathi Ngcobo said the department would ensure that nothing prevents the writing of any paper during the matric exams which get under way next week. Ngcobo was speaking during a briefing on the state of readiness for the 2023 National Senior Certificate exams yesterday. It was also attended by MEC Mbali Frazer and other officials from the department. This briefing came after 42 schools were damaged or destroyed during storms in northern KZN at the weekend. Weziwe Hadebe, the deputy director-general for Institutional Development, said 32 schools were affected in the uMkhanyakude area and 42 in total in the province. “We have provided mobile classrooms to those affected schools. What we have done as well is to request those schools to utilise undamaged facilities in…

IN THE vast expanse of the universe, Earth stands alone as humanity’s shared home. Yet, this singular planet, essential for our survival, confronts a multitude of crises, both predictable and unforeseen. These crises force us to question the sustainability of human civilisation, and many are realising that the pursuit of material wealth pales in importance to the search for a sustainable blueprint for the future. A decade ago, President Xi Jinping introduced the concept of building a global community of shared future, providing an answer to the pressing question of humanity’s trajectory. This proposal has become a beacon in these uncertain times, outlining China’s commitment to the collective well-being of the world and the shared task of preserving our planet. The vision encapsulates the essence of interconnected destinies and urges…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday gave a last warning to all immigrants in the country illegally, including hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, to leave voluntarily before a November 1 deadline, the country’s caretaker interior minister said yesterday. Pakistan announced the move earlier in October. It says it took the decision after Afghan nationals were found involved in crimes, smuggling and attacks against government and the army, including 14 out of 24 suicide bombings this year. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans moved to Pakistan to escape war and conflicts. Islamabad alleges the militants use Afghan soil to train fighters and plan attacks inside Paki-stan, a charge Kabul denies. | Reuters.…

ABUJA: Nigeria’s Supreme Court yesterday upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election win, bringing to an end a legal challenge brought by his two main rivals, who argued that his victory was marred by irregularities. The ruling will give Tinubu, 71, a clear mandate to govern Africa’s most populous nation, which is grappling with double-digit inflation, foreign currency shortages, a weakening naira, widespread insecurity and crude oil theft. Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 after three decades of military rule, but accusations of ballot-rigging and fraud have followed its electoral cycles. The judgment follows a pattern seen in previous presidential elections. | Reuters…

Hundreds of police fanned out across Maine yesterday looking for a US Army reservist with a history of mental health issues sought in connection with mass shootings at a bowling alley and a bar in the city of Lewiston, with death toll reports ranging from 16 to 22 and dozens more wounded. Officials said there were multiple casualties in the Wednesday evening attacks, but declined to provide figures. Police told residents to stay indoors and schools across the area were closed yesterday. State police identified Robert Card, who reportedly had been committed to a mental health facility over the summer, as a person of interest. They circulated photographs of a bearded man in a brown hooded sweatshirt and jeans at one of the crime scenes armed with what appeared to…

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted or blocked, causing damage to the brain tissue. It is a serious condition that can result in disability or even death. Contrary to popular belief, strokes can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. In fact, recent studies have highlighted important differences in stroke symptoms between women and men. Understanding these differences can play a crucial role in saving lives. When it comes to the symptoms of a stroke, several factors come into play, such as the location of the stroke in the brain and the overall health of the individual. While there are certain similarities in stroke symptoms between men and women, research suggests that there are some variations between the two genders.…

ON Tuesday, many countries worldwide will be celebrating Halloween, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints’ Day. Over the years, Halloween has evolved. Back then, people would dress in spooky costumes but now they also mimic their favourite celebrities. If you want to be in your best Halloween costume this year, here are some tips on how you can achieve a punk look. Smoky eyes We know this trend has taken a back seat since minimal make-up took over, but now that it’s Halloween, it’s back in full effect. The smoky eye will give you that bold look to match your costume and it doesn't have to be all black, you can even do it with a dark blue eyeshadow. Bold lips If you want to make…

AS THE Springboks prepare to take on the All Blacks in what is expected to be an epic battle in the Rugby World Cup final in France tomorrow, Durbanites said excitement was building for the big match. Sky Tshabalala, East Coast Radio’s Breakfast Show co-host and sports presenter, said he would watch the match at Jimmy Bellows Sports Field. Tshabalala said he was expecting an “unreal” atmosphere and a sea of green and gold. “If 2019 is anything to go by, I mean a massive marquee on site with family entertainment throughout the day. Plenty of food vendors, kids’ entertainment and drink stops all around the venue. And of course the coldest and sweetest beer in town,” he said. One of South Africa’s chief Covid-19 advisers, Professor Salim Abdool Karim,…

Like Eskom, Transnet has become a bottomless pit. Its debt has ballooned to R134 billion. But it’s a small matter for those running this huge parastatal which has gone off its tracks. They have a very rich uncle who has an inexhaustible supply of funds and who is ever so willing to bail them out. Just as how the state always bails out Eskom, SAA and various other SOEs that are riddled with corruption, inefficiency, mismanagement and wasteful expenditure, it will readily bail out Transnet. For the money is not coming out of the pockets of the highly paid government officials, but from the overburdened taxpayer. So why should Transnet bosses fret over the mountain of debt? Not only is Transnet deep in debt, but it cannot deliver…

We never thought we would get here, but the fact of the matter is that poor people can no longer afford to live in the country. Our options are zero, so I would advise that we make peace and accept that given the disproportionate nature of the development that we have witnessed in the country, poor people never really have been intended to participate in it. I don’t think that rich people should feel at risk because the poor are simply too malnourished, weak and sick to succeed in proper protest against any such reality. Those among the poor who might survive this calamity must prepare themselves that things ordinarily taken for granted will become as scarce as hen’s teeth. Sports and recreation will probably follow suit, because now rugby…

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has dismissed a suggestion that the Master’s office was dysfunctional. Lamola was responding to a parliamentary question from DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach, who asked him about plans to turn the situation around. Breytenbach said Master’s offices around the country continued to be dysfunctional to a degree that was unacceptable. Last week, the Law Society of South Africa called on the national legislature to intervene as a matter of urgency as it said there was a lack of leadership, lack of service delivery, correspondence was not being unanswered, email correspondence was not being utilised, phones were not being answered and officials could not be reached. The Master’s office deals with deceased estates, bankruptcy matters, registration of tests, curatorships and the Guardian’s Fund. In response…

A Western Cape man was found guilty in the Cape Town Regional Court this week of raping a 7-year-old child and infecting her with HIV. The man was handed a life sentence for raping the child, who was a distant relative. National Prosecuting Authority provincial spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the 42-year-old man was also convicted of attempted murder after infecting the girl with HIV. He received 10 years on this charge. Ntabazalila said during the trial the sexual offences prosecutor, Ruwayda Badrudeen, told the court the accused raped the then-7-year-old while she was on a couch watching television. “She did not tell anyone about what happened. A few weeks later, she was taken to a local clinic as she was not feeling well,” Ntabazalila said. “Medical examination discovered that she…

The term “apartheid” is being bandied about ad nauseam by activists sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. It is an emotively charged word, designed to evoke widespread opprobrium of Israel by comparing it to the old South Africa whose racist policies made it the polecat of the civilised world. In newspaper columns, many Jewish people have debunked the notion of Israel being an apartheid state. The current Hamas/Israeli conflict has galvanised the Tiktok propaganda machinery, with interviewees on both sides of the conflict either invoking or debunking the word “apartheid”. I don’t think these people know what living under apartheid was for millions of people like me. I wish someone would tell the pro-Palestinian lobby to stop assuming that apartheid in South Africa was a thing of the past, as one…

The Springboks have had 12-year gaps between their previous three Rugby World Cup triumphs. They won their very first tournament on home soil in 1995, when Joel Stransky slotted that extra-time drop goal against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, which led to the iconic moment when Tata Madiba handed the Webb Ellis Cup to captain Francois Pienaar. Bok fans had to wait until 2007 to see their team hoist the little golden trophy again, when skipper John Smit’s band of warriors saw off England at the Stade de France in Paris. Then it was another 12-year itch to 2019, when Siya Kolisi and his Boks made history by becoming the first team to lose a pool-stage match and go on to clinch the title – again beating England 32-12…

ROME: Births in Italy are heading for a new record low this year, according to preliminary data that points to a deepening of the country’s long-standing demographic crisis. Between January and June there were 3 500 fewer births than in the same period of 2022, the data from national statistics bureau showed. In 2022 as a whole, births fell 1.7% to 393 000, a 14th consecutive drop and the lowest number since the country’s unification in 1861. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni this month earmarked around e1 billion (R28bn) to address the crisis, and considered a national emergency for the euro zone’s third largest economy. | Reuters…

London: A much-anticipated “new” Beatles record, created with the help of artificial intelligence, will be released next week on November 2, former band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr said yesterday. Now And Then, first written and sung by late ex-Beatle John Lennon and developed by the rest of the band, has now been finally finished by McCartney and Starr – and AI – decades after its original recording. McCartney, 81, announced its release in June, in what has been dubbed “the last Beatles song”. The track will be unveiled on November 2 by Apple Corps, Capitol and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), with a music video. | AFP…

Inexperienced and untested, the new speaker of the US House of Representatives faces a baptism of fire as he contends with a pile-up of deadlines, a razor-thin majority and a raucous right wing that is unlikely to allow him an extended honeymoon period. Mike Johnson -- a committed Donald Trump acolyte and an instinctive fiscal and social conservative to his core – almost certainly harbours ambitions to drastically rein in spending and government regulation. But his first days as speaker are concerned with averting a government shutdown that will bite on November 17 unless he can find a compromise with the Democratic-controlled Senate. President Joe Biden is also seeking rapid action on a $106 billion security package that couples additional aid for Ukraine and Israel with increased spending on US…

The biggest rugby game the world has seen. That is how Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber views tomorrow night’s World Cup final against the All Blacks in Paris (kick-off 9pm). The Springbok squad left South Africa in early August on a World Cup journey that has seen them play games in London and Cardiff, undergo a training camp in Corsica and latterly, they have played pool games and play-offs in France against Scotland, Romania, Ireland, Tonga, the hosts and England. “This will never happen in our lifetime again,” Nienaber said of the epic journey his team has been on. “Rather than thinking this final might be the end or not, you have to just stay in the moment. “It’s probably the biggest occasion that we will ever be part of and…

THE offshore fishing has been very good on the entire coast. The sea and heavy launch has been the most limiting factor but weather plays along … it has been magical. The North Coast has been seeing a lot of snoek in the mornings. The fish have been on the deeper side with some proper size specimens being boasted. The fillets have out-fished most lures with spoons performing when the bait balls show up. With regards to the spoons, make sure to use a spoon as small as possible while still having enough weight to cast. The Kingfisher Anchovy spoons (5g-50g) is a great option. The deeper reefs have seen some good couta and tuna on live baits. The central coast has seen much the same as the north. The…