Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-02-15 i Mercury

Education experts say that smaller classes and targeted teaching are key to addressing South Africa’s increasing issue with primary school pupils who cannot read for meaning. This comes after a 2030 Reading Panel conference chaired by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka released key findings in a report this week. The 18-member panel, which aims to ensure that by 2030 all South African children can read for meaning by age 10, meets annually to review progress and make recommendations to achieve this goal. “If we thought we were in trouble before with the reading crisis in the country, as we head into times of increased fiscal austerity, we are about to see the worst of it, with the poorest 70% of learners already 5-10 times less likely to be able to read, bearing the…

It is pathetic that the situation in Zimbabwe is like it is, and the community is greatly frustrated. Zimbabweans have been silenced by the ruling party, Zanu-PF, under president Emmerson Mnangagwa. The government is hiding behind certain individuals awarding them brand-new cars as a thank you for the past election, which was stolen. Zimbabwean politicians are so obsessed with cars bought using public funds. Council can’t provide clean drinking water for its residents; it is supposed to be different from the corrupt Zanu-PF central government. However, before the ink of being sworn in is dry, they are now wanting to use public funds to buy cars when they can’t remove rubbish from the streets. Zimbabweans are all on a bus where thieves are stealing from us and using the stolen…

IN A WORLD wracked by conflict, is this at least a positive omen? A colony of grey seals has established itself at a former Cold War weapons testing site on the Suffolk coast, in England, that was also a testing site during World War I and II. The site was at Orford Ness, on the Suffolk Coast, but was sold to the National Trust in 2024, according to Sky News. The seals had already moved in at Offord Ness in 2021 and have used the spot since as a breeding ground every year since, according to rangers. This season alone, 130 pups have been born. They are Suffolk’s first breeding grey seal colony, having probably spilled over from well-populated colonies in Norfolk. In the wild, it’s common for seals to…

CYBERCRIME was once again the topic of a legal dispute– this time between two car sale companies – as one bought two bakkies from the other, only to discover after delivery of the vehicles that cybercriminals had intercepted the electronic payment made. Neither of the parties were prepared to take the financial loss and the seller initially turned to the regional court in Louis Trichardt to get its R290 000 – the price at which it sold the two bakkies. The lower court earlier ruled that Hyundai Louis Trichardt had to pay Northcliff Nissan the R290 000 for the vehicles. The magistrate reasoned that the two car dealerships had a contract in place and, cybercrime or not, Northcliff Nissan was due payment for the two bakkies. Aggrieved with this judgment,…

A new international collaborative study led by the University of Pretoria’s Professor Linda Theron is set to examine the network of risk factors and resilience resources that predict depression among the Not in employment, education or training (Neet) youth in Africa. The study will be led by Theron, of UP’s Educational Psychology Department, in collaboration with peers at the South African Medical Research Council, the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and Dalhousie University in Canada. Across Africa, one in five youths are Not in employment, education or training – and this high number makes African youth disproportionately vulnerable to depression. In Nigeria and South Africa, at least one in three youths is Not in employment, education or training (36.7% and…

PARLIAMENTARIANS have raised concerns about the slow pace at which the Magistrates’ Commission processed complaints made against magistrates accused of misconduct. Yesterday, the Magistrates’ Commission briefed the justice and correctional services portfolio committee on several requests submitted for confirmation by Parliament on the provisional suspension and removal from office of about eight magistrates. Some of the cases brought before the national legislature date as far back as 2018. ANC MP Qubudile Dyantyi said there was a serious gap in the time from when the complaints were reported and when the charge sheet was produced as well when the matters were taken to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola. Dyantyi noted that in one case a complaint was laid against a magistrate in January 2021 and she was…

Delivering his inauguration address on May 10, 1994, President Nelson Mandela enjoined the newly found democratic state to create a caring, people-centred society that heals the divisions of the past. Madiba declared: “The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us.” Madiba’s government inherited a social infrastructure that was not geared to serve a growing population and a modern, transforming economy. Before 1994, infrastructure expenditure supported the development of infrastructure for a privileged minority, which contributed to the deep levels of poverty and inequality. In line with the Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP), the ANC-led government was determined to reverse apartheid’s social planning, which neglected rural development and infrastructure. Since 1994, our government has been inspired by the vision and goal…

NATO said yesterday that Europe had increased its spending on defence and the US needed allies, days after former US president Donald Trump suggested that Washington might not protect countries that did not spend enough. “I expect 18 allies to spend 2% of their GDP on defence this year,” Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Brussels, adding overall military spending was set for another record year after two years of Russia’s full-fledged war against Ukraine. The number was higher than last year, when 11 of Nato’s 31 members were expected to reach the agreed target. Trump shocked Europeans on Saturday by implying that he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to Nato allies who did not spend enough. Addressing journalists’ questions linked to the…

TEHRAN: Two explosions along Iran’s main south-north gas pipeline network yesterday were caused by sabotage, Iranian oil minister Javad Owji said. Authorities also denied reports that the incident caused gas cuts to industries and offices in some provinces, state media reported. Only villages near the damaged pipeline were experiencing gas outages, which will be fixed soon, Owji said. In December, Iran executed five people who it accused of being saboteurs with links to Israel’s Mossad intelligence service in a shadow war that has seen Tehran accuse Israel of attacks on its nuclear efforts. | Reuters…

MANILA: Filipino pet lovers took some furry friends on a date on Valentine’s Day yesterday, showering them with cuddles and treats inside an animal shelter in the Philippine capital. The Manila-based Philippine Animal Welfare organised a “fur date” where visitors could spend time with the group’s rescued dogs and cats, most of which were abused or neglected by their former owners. Pet lovers mingled with the rescued pets to encourage adoption instead of buying fur babies. Visitors paid 750 pesos (R250) for their date.Most of the shelter’s 65 dogs and 170 cats were rescued from cruelty and neglect. | Reuters…

A SENIOR procurement executive at Foskor in Richards Bay has become the latest high profile business figure to be killed in the area. The 50-year-old man, whose name is known to The Mercury, was found dead in his car in the suburb of Meer-en-See in Richards Bay on Monday after an attack – an apparent hit – that took place in broad daylight. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the man sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He said the gunmen, who used rifles, fled in a silver Hyundai iX35. The motive for the murder was not yet known. Foskor’s group corporate affairs manager, Vhontsia Ramashia, said the executive had been shot after leaving the company premises on Monday afternoon. “We are deeply saddened by this event. The Richards Bay Traffic Police…

The DA’s motion to dissolve eThekwini council failed yesterday at a full council meeting in Durban. A total of 128 councillors voted against the motion with 75 in favour of it. The motion was supported by the IFP and ActionSA but was rejected by the ANC, EFF and smaller parties. Meanwhile, EFF councillor Themba Mvubu was removed as the chairperson of the human settlements and infrastructure (HSI) services committee in the municipality. The motion to dissolve the council was led by DA eThekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa, who said residents were not getting the services that they paid for. “We have seen political instability causing irreparable damage to this city. We have seen the result of this leading to the collapse of water and electricity infrastructure.” Speaking during the debate…

WE need to be honest with ourselves: the apartheid regime managed things better. I know some don’t want to hear this. The houses that were built by that regime remain strong even today. Yet the ANC called them “matchboxes”. Government departments and its utilities were well managed. I’m not in any way comparing apartheid to democracy. Apartheid remains a crime against humanity. The apartheid regime did good things for the white community and treated blacks as subhumans. Not only that, but it also killed, maimed and tortured black people for being different. That was cruel. Before 1994, Eskom was among the most best-performing utilities in South Africa. It was managed by engineers and competent managers. It also had reserves and supplied electricity to other countries in Africa. Electricity was cheap…

I HAVE a few friends whom I consider exceedingly wealthy. I know nothing, or next to nothing, about their financial resources. There’s a husband and wife I know who hardly go a weekend without their adult son and his partner and their adult daughter and her husband dropping in for a meal. The visits are apparently spontaneous and include a grandson and at least one dog. The drop-ins can last for hours and often result in a grandson who spends the night. There’s a woman I know who hears from most of her several grandchildren very regularly. That her extended family are spread around the world does not inhibit her grandchildren reaching out to her directly or through their parents with news and updates. This same woman has friends spread…

The Auditor-General has made damning findings regarding the financial statements of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), saying its records were in a shambles. Senior manager in the office of the Auditor-General, Ignatius Fourie, told Parliament yesterday that NSFAS had not been able to balance its books over the past five years. He said in the past few years, NSFAS received qualified audit opinions. In its latest report, it received an adverse audit opinion. Fourie said NSFAS submitted its 2021/22 financial statements to Parliament one year later than required because there were many issues that had not been corrected. Officials from the office of the Auditor-General yesterday briefed the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on higher education on NSFAS’s financial statements. Fourie told the committee that when they audited…

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, said Cogta’s vision was to have all 54 municipalities functioning to optimum levels and called on under-performing municipalities to improve service delivery. Sithole-Moloi was addressing mayors, municipal managers, and Amakhosi at the Municipal Service Excellence Awards held at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on Tuesday night. The MEC said the aim of the awards was to encourage municipalities to draw inspiration from those that are doing well. During the ceremony, she acknowledged that there were municipalities that were not performing as expected. “She said the department would continue its monitoring measures, It would also intervene by invoking laws where necessary. “I must state that while acknowledging that, we are aware that not all municipalities have consistently met performance expectations. We…

WHEN qualified medical doctors march to force the government to give them jobs, then South Africans should know that the centre no longer holds. Incompetence and misplaced priorities can best justify the failure to employ the hundreds of doctors sitting at home, while the shortages in public hospitals are often cited as the reason patients spend hours waiting to be attended to. That this crisis has become an annual occurrence points to an uncaring culture within the health department and by extension, the entire government. The government cannot expect the public to be satisfied with the story that there isn’t enough money to accommodate all the unemployed doctors. We need not remind this administration about the billions it has pumped into SOEs, even when it was hard to justify those…

Indonesia Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto declared victory in a presidential election yesterday after unofficial vote counts showed him with a huge lead that could see him win in a single round. Political veteran Prabowo, a former special forces commander, had about 58% of votes according to four pollsters, based on ballots counted in a sample of voting stations nationwide. The number of ballots tallied ranged from about 78% to 93%. Prabowo vowed to create a government consisting of “the best Indonesians”. Rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo trailed with about 25% and 17% respectively, according to independent pollsters conducting “quick counts”, which have proven to be accurate. | Reuters…

WARSAW: A Polish doctor kidnapped in southern Chad last week has been released following a joint operation between French and Chadian forces. Aleksandra Kuligowska, a volunteer at a hospital run by the Caritas Catholic charity, was abducted on Friday last week with a Mexican colleague. “She is safe and healthy,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on X. Ildjima Abdraman, the governor of Chad’s southern Tandjile province, said local forces had rescued Kuligowska. “When the helicopter flew overhead the kidnappers came out to try to shoot down the helicopter,” he said. All three were killed. | AFP…

In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Port Natal district bowlers elevated their game in a stellar weekend at the KZN Quadrangular Tournament, hosted by the Kingfisher district, on the weekend of February 3 and 4. This tournament, considered a crucial warm-up for the forthcoming Bowls South Africa Inter District Tournament in March, served as a resounding affirmation of the meticulous selection process undertaken by the Port Natal Bowls (PNB) men’s and women’s selectors. The men’s Open A, Veteran and President’s sides showcased their prowess by claiming top positions on their respective logs, overshadowing rivals NIBA, KZN Districts and Kingfisher, who found themselves in the lower echelons. Not to be outdone, the women’s teams made an indomitable statement by achieving a clean sweep. The Open A and B, Veteran,…

EThekwini Municipality has admitted that it will not be able to meet today’s deadline to restore water supply to all areas affected by outages across the city. The municipality’s leadership, led by City manager Musa Mbhele, held a media briefing yesterday to provide an update on the work that has been done to deal with the water supply challenges. Technical teams had been hard at work to resolve the water supply interruptions, he said. “We appeal for understanding by our communities and we are cognisant that residents have been suffering without water for a prolonged period. “However, we assure residents that our teams have been working around the clock and we will not rest until the water supply is fully restored.” However, community organisations dismissed the explanation and said residents…

It is shocking how President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC fail to comprehend that if the pundits are to be believed, the forthcoming elections will result in the party’s worst performance since 1994. This is because, aside from the prowess of its adversaries, the ANC is committing suicide. The latest example is that in her contribution to the debate on the State of the Nation Address (Sona), the deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Sylvia Lucas, made bizarre statements. She insulted the public by boldly stating that load shedding is “not the end of the world”. It is such banal, arrogant, and insensitive statements by an ANC official which are going to cost it dearly. She was in fact saying South Africans are merely “whining” about…

TWENTY years ago, the beloved Archbishop Denis Hurley died at the age of 90. Sadly, we see that many people who have made our world better in big and small ways have vanished before we were ready to let them go. It was once said that “genius is so fine and rare”. Hurley was a rarity and a fine specimen of human eloquence who inspired us all. His death was a loss for all humanity. We have lost a colossal mind and a wonderful spirit. He was an inspirational personality whose influence transcended international boundaries. He explained religious matters with graciousness. Many of us were impacted by his voice, life and legacy. The local and global acclaim that followed his death was a vindication of his immense stature as a…

THE DA notes the South African Post Office’s (Sapo) confirmation that it has started closing cash payment points for social grant recipients across the country. We will submit written parliamentary questions to determine exactly which Sapo payment points will be closed, the date of closure, the number of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) social grant recipients serviced at each post office, as well as the nearest alternative payment point to the closed Sapo branch. While the DA greatly encourages Sassa grant beneficiaries to switch their grant payments to reputable banks and make use of alternative payment points, the truth is that many grant recipients still rely on post offices for access to their funds. And both Sassa and the Post Office’s communication regarding the closures have been woefully inadequate,…

A senior Eskom technician has been arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. Nkhetheni Percy Ramaru, 51, was arrested on Tuesday, for alleged fraud to the tune of R14 000. According to Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, Ramaru allegedly misrepresented himself and conducted business with Eskom. “During the investigation, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) discovered that the accused failed to declare conflict of interest to Eskom, whilst investigations revealed that he was a shareholder at a company called MXO Logistics cc. “The company was conducting business with Eskom. This was discovered on the declaration forms and tender documents submitted by MXO Logistics cc to Eskom,” she said. Sekgotodi said as a result of the alleged fraud, Eskom suffered…

MINISTER of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza yesterday acknowledged receiving Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini’s letter stating that he had fired the chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB). The Ingonyama Trust administers about a third of the land, or almost 3 million hectares of land in KwaZulu-Natal. The trust falls under Didiza’s department. The king wrote to the minister this week to inform her that he had fired Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela as chairperson. The department’s spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said Didiza will respond to the king. “We confirm receipt of the king’s letters. Parliament will also be informed of the new ITB developments at the appropriate time.” Ngcobo said it was the king’s prerogative, as the sole trustee of the ITB, to nominate or revoke the nomination of…

Dr Zuleikha Mayat broke barriers with dignity and won hearts through stomachs SOUTH Africa’s gems lie in her people and the loss of a stalwart leaves us bereft of its lustre. One such doyen of our community whose influence was felt widely was Dr Zuleikha Mayat, who passed away recently at the ripe old age of 98, bringing an era of grandness to a close. Her loss to the Muslim community in particular and the Indian community in general throughout the diaspora, from Australia to Canada, the UK and the USA, wherever SA Indians have settled, will be felt for a long time. The name Zuleikha Mayat, a pioneer freelance journalist and author, is synonymous with the Women’s Cultural Group and the birth of its oldest and most successful project…

Negotiations to pause the Israel- Hamas war headed into a second day in Cairo yesterday, as Israel launched a series of deadly strikes on Lebanon, stoking fears of an escalating conflict in the region. Mediators in Egypt were racing to secure a ceasefire and free the remaining hostages before Israel proceeds with a full-scale ground incursion into the Gaza Strip’s crowded far-southern city of Rafah. A Hamas source said that a delegation was headed to Cairo to meet Egyptian and Qatari mediators after Israeli negotiators held talks with the mediators on Tuesday. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas urged Hamas to “quickly complete a prisoner deal, to spare our Palestinian people from the calamity of another catastrophic event”. CIA Director William Burns had joined Tuesday’s talks with David Barnea, head of…

Calls grew in Türkiye yesterday to shut down a controversial gold mine as hopes dimmed of rescuing nine workers trapped by a massive landslide that rolled over their open pit. Turkish state media also reported the arrest of four people, including the pit’s field manager, in the opening stages of an investigation into the accident at the site, run by a partly US-owned firm. Hundreds of rescuers have been searching through a cyanide-laced field in eastern Türkiye since Tuesday, when 10 million cubic metres of sludge crashed down from a gully. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said five of the trapped workers were believed to be in a container, three in a vehicle and another in a separate part of the pit in a truck. “The rescue operation continues,” he said,…

WASHINGTON: State-backed hackers from Russia, China, and Iran have been using tools from Microsoft-backed OpenAI to hone their skills and trick their targets, according to a report. Microsoft said in its report it had tracked hacking groups affiliated with Russian military intelligence, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and the Chinese and North Korean governments as they tried to perfect their hacking campaigns using large language models. The company rolled out a blanket ban on state-backed hacking groups using its AI products. OpenAI and Microsoft described the hackers’ use of their AI tools as “early-stage”. | Reuters…