Indholdsfortegnelse for 2023-12-14 i Mercury

renovations THE Durban City Hall, the seat of eThekwini Municipality’s political administration, will undergo renovations that will see ratepayers cough up more than R33 million for the project. During the council meeting on Monday, the council approved R33.7m for some of the work that needs to be done on the historic building. However, councillors said this amount was a drop in the ocean and the real cost of renovations could be between R90m and R322m. The R33.7m will go towards the funding of priorities, including repairing storm damage in the main auditorium, roof repairs in the City Hall administration and cultural block, the upgrading of the air conditioning and ventilation system, fixing domestic pipes, and fire hydrant upgrades. The report said the procurement process for some of the work had…

Generally, when the issue of xenophobia comes up, the understanding is that this is a phenomenon practised by ignorant people. But this is far from the truth. Xenophobia and deep tribalistic sentiments run deep in many spheres of society, including the academic world. I have a colleague who suffered this. He is a black South African who happened to have different ideas to three black South African females while they were involved in a decolonising project. Incredulously, the women then took it upon themselves to investigate, by physically contacting the hospital where he was born to verify if he was born there, because he has a “Zimbabwean sounding” surname. Of course, the hospital could not reveal such confidential information to strangers. What did they intend to do with the information?…

FACT-checkers have highlighted notorious examples of artificial intelligence-generated images going viral this year, including Prince William and Prince Harry embracing at the king’s coronation, according to Sky News. Increasingly powerful and accessible tools have made possible the creating of realistic pictures quicker and more easily than ever. It has led to concerns about the potential for misinformation to spread. Charity organisation Full Fact gives eight examples from 2023 that have been shared thousands of times: Prince William and Prince Harry reunited. A slide show that appeared to show the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex at the king’s coronation spread widely on Facebook, with more than 78 000 likes. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in prison. Donald Trump’s mugshot (somewhat alarming). Emmanuel Macron amid French riots. A false picture…

KwaZulu-Natal’s fight against crime has been bolstered by the addition of more than 100 new constables. KZN police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi officiated the Passing Out Parade at the Chatsworth Stadium yesterday where he welcomed 179 new officers. He reminded the officers that by joining the SAPS, they have accepted the responsibility to serve the country. “While today marks a significant achievement, it is merely the beginning of your journey in service to the people of South Africa. Ahead of you are years of dedicated service, and I am confident that you will perform your duties with utmost dedication,” he said. Mkhwanazi noted that the Constables are part of a bigger group of 8 616 officers passing out in 11 separate parades across the country as part of the…

HUNDREDS of homes and other structures across the country built using a batch of cement from the Econo Cement brand may not be fit for purpose as the batch has been found to be of substandard quality. Experts have warned that structures built with substandard cement may not be able to carry the load they were designed for. The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) issued a nationwide recall this week of the product Econo Cement CEM V/A (S-V) 32,5N which is said to have been sold in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mbombela in Mpumalanga. It was unclear how long the batch had been available for sale but the NRCS said it had granted the Letter of Authority (LOA), which permits the sale of the product, in 2019. The NRCS…

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s refusal to apologise and withdraw his unproven statements that party veteran Mavuso Msimang had been bribed to leave the organisation was a missed opportunity to display the little, if any, credibility that is left in him. The silence and failure to distance the ANC and direct Mbalula to withdraw his statement could only mean that the likes of President Cyril Ramaphosa, his Deputy Paul Mashatile and chairperson Gwede Mantashe see nothing wrong with Mbalula’s attack on Msimang. Mbalula’s refusal came as no surprise. That’s how low the bar has been set by the current crop of leaders of this movement of Oliver Tambo, Lillian Ngoyi, Harry Gwala, and Walter Sisulu. Mbalula’s attack on Msimang was nothing short of an attempt to discredit and divert attention from…

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives was to vote yesterday to formalise its impeachment inquiry of Democratic President Joe Biden, whose son Hunter Biden has been called to testify. House Republicans allege Biden and his family improperly profited from decisions the elder Biden participated in while serving as vice-president from 2009-17. Their probe focuses on the business dealings of Biden jnr, and it is not clear if he will appear. The White House has denied wrongdoing and dismissed the probe as politically motivated ahead of the 2024 presidential election, in which Republican Donald Trump, the only US president to be impeached twice, is the leading contender to take on Biden. Trump was acquitted by the Senate both times. House Republicans were pushing ahead with the matter before leaving for a…

The name of any T20 International batter who has more career runs than one of the pioneers of the format, AB de Villiers, should be on everyone’s lips, let alone a batter that has scored those runs in 19 fewer career innings. Reeza Hendricks owns such a T20I record in relation to the former Proteas captain. However, the stylish right-hander has flown under the radar in almost a decade since he made his T20I debut in 2014. No South African batter has scored more runs in a three-match T20I series than Hendricks’ 180, at an average of 60, in England last year, where he scored three half-centuries, striking at over 155. That was just before the T20 World Cup in Australia, and despite his form, Hendricks found himself carrying drinks…

The IFP national policy conference highlighted two hot button issues in the country – the Expropriation Bill and NHI – with the party saying it supported the expropriation of land with compensation while it raised concerns over the funding model for the universal health-care system. The party was giving feedback following its national policy conference that ended yesterday in Empangeni. The top six issues at the conference were crime, unemployment (including unemployed graduates), load shedding, corruption, the education system and the health-care system. The IFP said it supported the Expropriation Bill but differed with the way it was being followed, especially as the party believes that those who own land must be compensated if the State deems there are grounds for expropriation. MP Russel Cebekhulu, who led the policy discussions…

Zahara, our local music icon, has passed away – what sad and devastating news. Rest in peace our multi-award- winning (including 17 Samas) songstress and guitarist, who hailed from the Eastern Cape. She is no longer with us, but her entertaining and well-received music will long live on. Thanks for blessing us with your great talent coming from humble beginnings. What a pity your life has been cut short at a relatively young age by illness. May God in His mercy grant your family, and a multitude of fans, comfort, peace and strength in their bereavement. Zahara’s demise will surely put a damper on the festive season for many. I had the privilege of seeing Zahara perform live at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban, and at the…

War is not a new phenomenon. In World War II, an estimated total of 70 to 80 million people perished. The human race has survived it all. Israel is accused of using banned weaponry such as “white phosphorous”, but this has not been proved. Its weaponry is legal. Israel has committed itself to the international laws of war and uses Article 52 Protocol 3 to support its actions. Egypt administered the Gaza strip through a military governor, from 1948 to 1967, as a “controlled territory”. The Egyptian state and its citizens reject the “alleged” plan to re-colonise Gaza while using Egypt as a conduit. Arab countries refuse to accept Palestinian refugees, for obvious reasons. Hamas has violated the Geneva Convention by its unprovoked and brutal attack on Israeli civilians on…

The heavily redacted 290-page report by the IAEA on Koeberg obviously reveals major flaws and serious concerns regarding the state of Koeberg and the plans to extend its lifetime by another 20 years. Apart from the threat of potential cyberattacks against the complex, the threat of seismic events is underplayed by those in charge of the nuclear complex. Should Koeberg experience a stage 7.5 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale, within the next 20 years, which is after its 40-year life cycle, there is the possibility that Cape Town, within a 30km radius, might have to be evacuated. Without being an alarmist, Koeberg cannot function for another 20 years, its condition in every avenue of nuclear power generation is at a dangerous low peak, from advanced software to new…

Providing a Basic Income Grant (BIG) is possible in South Africa by applying a wealth tax and Social Security Tax, a new study has found. The study was conducted by Applied Development Research Solutions (ADRS) and the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ). ADRS said that the findings were based on the Dynamically Integrated Macro-Micro Simulation Model (DIMMSIM) and targeted South Africans aged between 18 and 59 years for the grant. Dr Asghar Adelzadeh, chief economic modeller at (ADRS) Global, a modelling software company, said that for the simulation the social relief of distress grant was used as a base. The study looked at the national poverty lines from Stats SA. The Food Poverty Line (FPL), which is R760, is a monthly amount that an individual needs to afford the minimum…

The eThekwini Municipality has hired three former municipal employees from KwaZulu-Natal to help it successfully implement its water and sanitation turnaround strategy. The new team, made up of three local government administrators, was introduced by City manager Musa Mbhele during a two-day water and sanitation workshop. This team, according to the City, was established to find solutions to the numerous water service delivery issues. “Members of the support team are Sibusiso Sithole, a former city manager of eThekwini Municipality; Nandi Dlamini, the former municipal manager of Harry Gwala District Municipality; and Maxwell Pawandiwa, the former Ugu District Municipality Water Services Authority Executive. “The establishment of the support team is aimed at ensuring the seamless implementation of the Council- approved Water and Sanitation Turnaround Strategy,” the City said. “The purpose and…

An Iranian fishing vessel, Almeraj 1, was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in November 2023. According to media reports, the pirates demanded $400 000 (R7.6 million) in ransom and threatened to use the Iranian ship for additional hijackings if the payment was not made. Two days later, other Somali pirates hijacked a tanker, Central Park, off the Yemeni coast. The tanker sent a distress signal during the attack. Forces from a nearby American warship captured the pirates as they tried to flee in a small boat. The two attacks have led the Somali government to call for greater international support to deter a resurgence of piracy in the Horn of Africa. Similar fears that Somali piracy was on the rebound surfaced after five previous attacks in 2017, 2018, 2019 and…

Israel announced its worst combat losses for more than a month yesterday after an ambush in the ruins of Gaza City, and faced growing diplomatic isolation as civilian deaths mounted and a humanitarian catastrophe worsened. Intense fighting was under way simultaneously in the north and south of the enclave, a day after the UN demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. US President Joe Biden said Israel’s “indiscriminate” bombing of civilians was costing international support. Warplanes again bombed the length of Gaza and aid officials said the arrival of rainy winter weather worsened the conditions for hundreds of thousands of families sleeping rough in makeshift tents. The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have already been made homeless. Israel launched its campaign to annihilate the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza…

Poland’s president yesterday swore in Donald Tusk as the new pro-EU prime minister, putting an end to eight years of right-wing populist rule. Tusk, a veteran politician who already served as premier in the past, has pledged to restore Poland’s position in the EU and to double down on efforts to provide more aid to neighbouring Ukraine. The former European Council president wass expected to travel to Brussels to participate in the bloc’s summit with fellow EU leaders. Tusk’s Civic Coalition together with two smaller political groups forged an alliance that ousted the Law and Justice (PiS) from power, winning backing in the parliament in a vote of confidence Tuesday. “Our homeland is a place of political and civic miracles,” Tusk said after his cabinet was sworn in during a…

India A fast bowler Prasidh Krishna ripped through the South Africa A lower order early yesterday to spark a remarkable turnaround of form, having gone wicketless on day two of the first four-day clash in Potchefstroom. The fast bowler had to pull his weight and return the faith shown in him by the Indian selectors, who also picked him in the 16-man India Test squad that will take on the Proteas later this month. The right-arm quick started day three with Jean du Plessis’ wicket for an expertly carved 106 off 213 balls, before going on to clean up the tail as the hosts added only 21 runs to their overnight score of 298-5. In response, right-arm seamer Siya Plaatjie took the new ball for South Africa A and immediately…

While Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said yesterday that annual consumer inflation eased to 5.5% in November, down from a five-month high of 5.9% in October, there was not so good news for inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages. The November annual consumer inflation was just below market forecasts of 5.6%, mainly driven by a significant decrease in fuel prices seen in the large petrol price cut of R1.78 a litre implemented last month. However, Stats SA chief director for price statistics Patrick Kelly said consumer prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages accelerated to the highest level in four months to 9% in November from 8.7% in October. Kelly said meat inflation crept up to 3.5% from 3.4% in October, though inflation for bread and cereals declined for a seventh…

Twice last week, robbers attacked foreign tourists to South Africa; tourists who bring much-needed income to our country. The attacks on valuable visitors have a hidden ripple effect in that every tourist attacked returns home to tell how dangerous SA is and how the disgusting, armed South Africans steal cameras, passports, foreign currency, watches and anything of value. The attack stays in the mind of the tourist for years to come and, without doubt, the visitor tells all his friends at home that SA is not a safe place for tourists. One attack can cause hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tourists to stop visiting our country. In effect, the robbers cause greater unemployment for their own brothers and sisters; the fewer tourists we have, the fewer people are employed in the…

Expressing genuine kindness towards another – whether they be colleagues at the office, teachers in a staff room, or doctors and nurses who pass each other in the hallways of a busy hospital – is helpful to all. Expressing kindness will change your mood and enhance your day. Small acts of kindness might not change the world, but they add joy and meaning to the most repetitive of tasks. Kindness in a nutshell: Don’t gossip, or spread rumours, or tell tales about others. Don’t speak negatively about other people. Don’t lie. Try not to ignore people, or to regard others as a means to getting your way – no one wants to be your stepping stone. Be generous and wide-hearted, open-handed. Offer accurate compliments to those who might least…

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele has said that R3.8 billion is required for the implementation of the SA Post Office (Sapo) rescue plan. Gungubele said the R3.8bn in funding was one of the conditions the Cabinet agreed to when the court granted business rescue as one of the options to save Sapo. “The department has kick-started engagements with the National Treasury. Now that the rescue plan has been adopted by Sapo creditors, a submission to the government will be made,” he said. Gungubele, along with joint business rescue practitioners Anoosh Rooplal and Juanito Damons, briefed the communications and digital portfolio committee. Rooplal and Damons were appointed after Sapo was placed under business rescue in July. The developed business rescue plan was adopted by Sapo creditors on December 7.…

While new plans for nuclear power are expected to only bear fruit around 2032/33, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the country has to invest in long-term projects to secure energy sovereignty and avoid a repeat of the current load-shedding crisis. This comes as the minister on Tuesday announced the government’s move to procure 2 500 megawatts of nuclear energy with requests for proposals (RFP) expected to be released by March next year. The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2023 has also been approved by the Cabinet, which includes short-term (up to 2030) and long-term (2030-2050) plans for the energy crisis. Ramokgopa said: “The contribution of nuclear power constitutes about 5%. Now we are upping it, (in the) total energy mix, it’s the cheapest, safest and most reliable. “A significant amount…

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Employment and Labour Inspector General Aggy Moiloa has ordered inspectors to set up camp in northern KZN to ensure compliance with labour laws after a three-day joint blitz operation in the Mandeni area found several violations. The department’s blitz that started on Monday, in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs, the Mandeni Metro Police, SAPS and the textile sector bargaining council ended yesterday. Provincial chief inspector Mlungisi Zondi said inspectors found violations including non-compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Workers were also not being paid the minimum wage and Bargaining Council rates. “Workers are earning as little as R4.50 per hour instead of R25.52 p/h. There was also non-payment of overtime rates,” he said adding…

China is ready to share the huge market of the 1.4bn Chinese people with South Africa Over the past 25 years since China and South Africa established diplomatic ties, the bilateral relations have set a fine example for China-Africa and South-South co-operation. First, a high level of mutual political trust. The Heads of State of our two countries enjoy frequent exchanges. The two sides also built multiple bilateral mechanisms that are working very well, such as the Bi-National Commission, the High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, the Joint Economic and Trade Commission and the Strategic Dialogue. The CPC, the ANC and the SACP enjoy ever deeper friendly exchanges and co-operation and the comrades plus brothers special bond between our political parties continues to strengthen. China-South Africa relations enjoyed leaps forward from a…

The world for the first time yesterday approved a call to transition away from fossil fuels as UN negotiations in Dubai tackled the top culprit behind climate change, but at-risk countries said far more action was needed. After 13 days of talks and several sleepless nights in a country built on oil wealth, the Emirati president of the COP28 summit quickly banged a gavel to signal consensus among 194 countries and the EU. “You did step up, you showed flexibility, you put common interest ahead of self-interest,” said COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber, whose role as head of the United Arab Emirates’ national oil company had raised suspicion among many environmentalists. Describing the deal as bringing “transformational change”, Jaber said: “We have helped restore faith and trust in multilateralism, and…