Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-02-16 i Mercury

ESKORT has given a vote of confidence to the South African economy – in spite of domestic headwinds – with a huge expansion of its food production facility in Heidelberg, the small town where the company has produced pork products for 70 years. The leading pork manufacturer yesterday unveiled its new 10 000m² development in Heidelberg, which has expanded its Gauteng production capacity by 50% and will drive hi-tech efficiencies in its production. The enlarged factory is equipped with the largest continuous box freezer in Africa, capable of freezing 120 000kg of products to -18°C every 24 hours. Boxes move on a conveyor belt through the freezing chamber where the air is kept at -41°C – a temperature that occurs naturally only in polar regions. Chilled and frozen…

Two South African soldiers were killed in a mortar strike in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the force's first casualties since it was deployed to help quell an insurgency. Announcing the deaths, the SANDF said three more soldiers were wounded in the incident on Wednesday near the eastern city of Goma. “A mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African contingent military bases, inflicting casualties and injuries to the SANDF soldiers,” the SANDF said. “As a result of this indirect fire, the SANDF suffered two fatalities and three members sustained injuries,” the statement added. The injured were taken to the nearest hospital in Goma, capital of the troubled North Kivu province. The deaths mark the first fatalities since South Africa began to deploy 2 900 soldiers in eastern…

SOUTH Africa will return to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) next week, joining over 50 states and three international organisations for public hearings on the request for an advisory opinion on Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories. The public hearings relate to the request by the UN General Assembly for an advisory opinion on “The Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. On conclusion of the public hearings, the ICJ will then deliberate and issue an advisory opinion. Public hearings are scheduled to take place from Monday to February 26 at the Peace Palace, The Hague in the Netherlands. Fifty-two states and the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and the AU will participate in…

The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal celebrates a resounding victory in the recent by-elections held in Ward 2 of Phongolo Municipality and ward 11 of Osizweni in Newcastle. In ward 2 of Phongolo, in the far North of KZN, the IFP retained its seat with an impressive 890 votes, surpassing the MK Party’s 687 votes, while the ANC garnered 595 votes and the EFF received only 52 votes. Similarly, in ward 11 of Osizweni, Newcastle, the IFP once again demonstrated its growing support by clinching victory with a remarkable 1 298 votes. This victory marks a significant achievement as the IFP triumphed over the ANC, which received 388 votes, Team Sugar South Africa, with 383 votes, and the EFF with 164 votes. These outcomes reflect the enduring trust and confidence that the…

CAN the Sharks produce their true form against the Stormers at King’s Park tomorrow? Their record in the United Rugby Championship has been astonishingly poor – only one win – yet they’ve had some good ’uns in the ESPC Challenge Cup. Can they make the leap? They came close enough last time against the Stormers. It’s more than restoring some face in the URC. It’s also about restoring the fanaticism of the damsels of the Pub With No Name in Morningside, who have been much taken by the quality of Six Nations rugby. Some observers have expressed fears that they could have transferred their knicker-strumming support to France, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. But I’m assured by the barman at the Pub With No Name that such fears are…

South African Local Government Association (Salga) president Bheke Stofile believes the coalition governments framework will end political instability in municipalities across the country. Stofile said the initiative taken by President Cyril Ramaphosa would bring much needed political stability to municipalities, which had been plagued by infighting and the removal of mayors. Deputy President Paul Mashatile led a National Dialogue on Coalitions in Cape Town in August last year, where political parties and other stakeholders agreed on the need for a framework on coalitions. Municipalities in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape have changed mayors and speakers over the past three years. This has had an impact on service delivery. Johannesburg has had three mayors since the 2021 local government elections. DA mayor Mpho Phalatse was removed after the ANC-EFF ousted…

The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to hold a press conference today to discuss the status of its relationship with its provincial chairperson, former president Jacob Zuma. Zuma was elected chairperson of the civic organisation in November but on December 16 announced that he would not campaign for the governing party, nor would he vote for it, saying it was not the ANC he had joined. Sanco is an alliance partner of the ANC. “It will be a betrayal to campaign for the ANC of Ramaphosa. My conscience will not allow that,” he said. Zuma said he would instead campaign and vote for the MK party, in the polls. This sparked an almost immediate response from provincial ANC secretary Bheki Mtolo who responded to Zuma,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa said yesterday a profound change was taking place in the country, away from the noise and spectacle. “Our country is being steadily and fundamentally transformed for the better,” Ramaphosa said. He made the statement when responding to the debate on the State of the Nation Address (Sona) that took place over the past two days. Ramaphosa said the achievements of decades gone by also included the work of the past five years. In his response to criticism that his address did not reflect his legacy, he said it was not about his legacy, but that of the ANC-led government. “I never want to be said it is Cyril Ramaphosa’s legacy, no, it is our people’s legacy. Our people struggled to get where they are today and they…

National Development Plan relies heavily on SMMEs to provide millions of jobs GLOBALLY, the world observed the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the weekend. Amid the lofty promises is the harsh reality that considerably more needs to be done to ensure that women and girls are given the tools to succeed in science and society at large. The Chemical Industries Training and Education Authority (Chieta) is mandated to facilitate skills development, education, and training in the chemical industry. We are striving to create opportunities for the youth, women, and girls. We were proud to hear about hard-working matriculant Liyabona Ncanywa being recognised by the Eastern Cape Department of Education as one of the province’s top achievers in the National Senior Certificate Examinations. Chieta assisted her with…

Israel launched a new wave of deadly strikes on southern Gaza yesterday after vowing to push ahead with a “powerful” operation in the overcrowded city of Rafah despite growing international condemnation. After more than four months of a war that has flattened vast swathes of Gaza, displaced most of the territory’s population and pushed people to the brink of starvation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted it must press ahead into Rafah for “complete victory”. Hundreds of thousands of people have been driven into Gaza’s southernmost city, seeking shelter in a sprawling makeshift encampment near the Egyptian border. Netanyahu vowed to crush Hamas in response to the militant group’s October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1 160 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally…

Three people were in custody in Kansas City, Missouri, yesterday, facing questions about what led to a deadly mass shooting near the city’s Super Bowl victory rally and who was behind it. At least one person was killed and 21 wounded by gunfire on Wednesday outside the city’s landmark Union Station, where thousands of fans had gathered with the Kansas City Chiefs to celebrate the team’s NFL championship triumph over the San Francisco 49ers, authorities said. The bloodshed, at the end of the rally following a parade, turned the festive occasion into a scene of panic as attendees scrambled for cover at the sound of rapid-fire gunshots. Local radio station KKFI identified the slain victim as Lisa Lopez, one of its disc jockeys and host of the show Taste of…

LONDON: Facebook must face a collective lawsuit valued at around £3 billion (about R71bn) over allegations that the social media giant abused its dominant position to monetise users’ personal data, a London tribunal ruled yesterday. Legal academic Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, who is bringing the case on behalf of around 45 million Facebook users in the UK, says they were not properly compensated for the value of personal data they had to provide. Her lawyers argue users should get compensation for the economic value they would have received if Facebook was not in a dominant market position. Facebook’s parent company says the suit is “without merit”. | Reuters…

BEIJING: A cold snap is forecast to sweep across many parts of China from this weekend, with temperatures falling by up to 20°C as millions return from Lunar New Year trips, the national observatory said yesterday. Heavy snow will hit Shaanxi and Shanxi province in the north, central Henan province and eastern Shandong province from February 17-22, while temperatures in parts of the south are expected to fall to 0°C next week, the observatory said. The cold spell is expected to affect road, rail and air transport just as people are coming back from travel for the Lunar New Year celebration that lasts through the end of this week. | IANS…

EThekwini residents affected by ongoing water outages, especially in Verulam, oThongathi, Phoenix and other surrounding areas, have called for the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to launch an investigation into the violation of their constitutional rights. This after eThekwini Municipality admitted on Wednesday that it would not be able to meet yesterday’s deadline to restore water supply to all affected areas, and appealed for understanding while acknowledging that residents have been suffering for a prolonged period. In a letter, addressed to SAHRC Commissioner Philile Ntuli, Verulam Water Crisis Committee spokesperson Roshan Lil-Ruthan, on behalf of citizens of Verulam and surrounding suburbs, called on the commission to launch an investigation into the violation of their constitutional rights. He said the call for action came as the deadline to restore water…

GUN violence has struck my family. My nephew Markham Moodley was a successful young man in the prime of his life but his life was tragically cut short by ruthless robbers who left his body riddled with bullets at the weekend. Markham had come down from Gauteng and was with a friend at a bar in Phoenix late Friday night, when four young robbers entered the pub. Apparently, one of the robbers held a gun at his friend. Markham instantly pulled out his gun and fired at the robber. Another robber pumped several bullets into his body and left him lying dead in a pool of blood. They took his gun and fled. Whether it was an act of bravado to defend his friend or an instant reaction, it’s hard…

GRATEFUL as I am to have been able to share my thoughts on the ANC government’s spurious lawsuit against Israel at The Hague (The Star, February 5), I was rather shocked to see myself sharing a page with “former” Hamas head Mousa Abu Marzook. His deranged op-ed was an exercise in such extreme gaslighting that the best thing would probably be to ignore it, if not for the fact that so many believe his bald-faced lies and distortions. Marzook may be the “respectable” face of Hamas, but let’s be clear who he is. Marzook, like most of Hamas’s leadership, lives not in Gaza or even the West Bank, but in Qatar. This elected servant of the Palestinian people has $4 billion to his name and when asked why instead of…

TEN marks of a real and authentic leader Possesses the capacity to treasure what’s worth treasuring about the past of any political party, church, business, school or organisation. Embraces, loves the present, and is immersed in the day-to-day joy and is hands-on in the struggle of the immediate. Sees, does what is necessary to articulate and to usher in the future. Possesses the capacity to listen without waiting to speak and without making premature judgements or decisions. Possesses the ability to hold necessary tension within and so does not become a conduit of anxiety. Understands that self-leadership is the absolute cornerstone of all successful leadership. Understands that there is a necessary loneliness that is inescapable for all effective leaders. Appreciates that unresolved past issues will agitate current relationships, especially when…

The IFP continues to perform well in by-elections across KwaZulu Natal. The party won a by-election in Newcastle in ward 11 in northern KZN. The ward was previously held by the ANC until the councillor in the area resigned when he took a full-time job with the municipality. The party also won the fiercely contested by-election in ward 2 in Pongola, also in northern KZN, which was also contested by the MK Party. The party’s provincial chairperson, Thami Ntuli, said the party was humbled by the victory in the recent by-elections. Ntuli said the victories gave them confidence as they approached the general elections. “As the IFP in the province, we are happy with the victory of the two wards. The significance of these two by-elections is that it affords…

Parliament has failed to adopt rules for the impeachment of a judicial officer and its failure to do so has resulted in a flawed constitutional process. This was among the submissions Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe made in his urgent application to interdict his planned impeachment scheduled in Parliament for next week. The suspended judge launched his application in the Western Cape High Court after Parliament decided to impeach him along with Judge Nkola Motata, following the justice and correctional service portfolio’s recommendation last year. Their planned impeachment will take place immediately after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has tabled the 2024 Budget in the Cape Town City Hall. The urgent application comes amid another application Judge Hlophe launched in the Constitutional Court for direct access wherein he is raising…

PRINCE Africa Zulu, who was fired this week as Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini’s spokesperson, yesterday alleged that his dismissal and that of Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) chairperson Inkosi Thanduyise Mzimela was as a result of the “deepening capture of the crown”. On Monday, the king wrote to Prince Zulu saying: “I furthermore hereby revoke any powers granted to you by me in your role as my spokesperson and royal agent, which includes the powers to ensure that such communication and stakeholder relations are managed efficiently and effectively on my behalf and on behalf of the royal family and the Zulu nation. “In light of the aforesaid, you are hereby necessitated to cease and desist to communicate with any third party, with specific reference to the media on any platform, on…

A WAR of words and threats has emerged as a result of the DA’s Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill (WCPPB). This piece of legislation, which aims to achieve greater devolution to the Western Cape government, has been branded as “secessionist” by the ANC, with their allies in the SACP vowing to make the province “ungovernable”. For a supposed liberation movement that brought “democracy” to South Africa, they are seeking to undermine democracy in the Western Cape at every opportunity. I was due to deliver an oral submission at the WCPPB public hearing in Moorreesburg on the January 30, 2024. Upon arrival at the packed town hall, there was a sizeable protest taking place inside the venue (consisting of mostly ANC members), in an attempt to delay the start of the…

Protesting Indian farmers relaxed on their tractors yesterday as they awaited orders from leaders to advance on the capital, vowing they’d last longer than the police currently blocking their route. “We are here for the long haul,” said Mela Singh, a 70-year-old from Punjab state’s Mansa district, one of the thousands of farmers setting up camp on the highway after their column was stalled by roadblocks about 200km north of New Delhi. “A month, six months, a year, it does not matter, we will only retreat when we win this battle.” Community kitchens and makeshift medical clinics have been established, while other farmers snooze beneath tarpaulins stretched over their tractor trailers. Thousands of farmers this week launched what they have dubbed “Delhi Chalo”, or “March to Delhi”, to demand a…

Ukraine needs almost half a trillion dollars to cover the reconstruction costs to areas damaged as a result of Russia’s invasion, the World Bank, EU, UN and the Ukrainian government said yesterday. And Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said that confiscated Russian assets should foot most of the bill. Kyiv is trying to marshal international resources to help it rebuild the nation’s cities, roads, bridges and energy facilities destroyed or damaged by Russia’s two-year assault. “The total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is $486 billion (about R9.2 trillion) over the next decade, up from $411bn estimated one year ago,” the European Commission said. The assessment was prepared by the four organisations. It said Ukraine would need $15bn in 2024 alone for repairing houses and critical transport links. Ukraine…

Athens: Greece’s parliament was to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption yesterday – a landmark reform promoted by the conservative government over the opposition of the country’s Orthodox Church. Dozens of ruling New Democracy party legislators were to oppose the bill in a vote. But support from opposition parties meant it was certain to pass. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotaki urged MPs to “abolish a serious inequality” in a democracy that had rendered same-sex families “invisible”. LGBTQ associations say same-sex families face myriad administrative challenges amounting to discrimination under present law. | AFP…

Seoul: Scientists in South Korea have developed a new type of sustainable hybrid food – a “meaty” rice that they say could help solve food crises and climate change. The new grain was grown in a lab by researchers at Seoul’s Yonsei University and is packed with beef muscle and fat cells. The result is a pink rice that could offer a cheaper and sustainable meat alternative. “Imagine obtaining all the nutrients we need from cell-cultured protein rice,” said Park So-hyeon, who co-authored the study. The grain was coated in fish gelatine to help beef cells latch onto the rice and then left to culture in a petri dish. The final product contained 8% more protein and 7% more fat than regular rice. | AFP…

Hot weather and north-east winds have made for some fantastic fishing this past week. Top tip: Bucktail jigs are one of the most versatile lures that you can own. They come in a variety of sizes from 1/16th of an ounce all the way up to 6oz (and more). Bucktails are essentially a lead head (hook with a sinker moulded to it) with some bucktail tied to the shank. They come in a variety of colours, and all of them produce fish. For the surf and offshore, chartreuse/white, all-white and pink/white are the three best colours. The key to success is allowing the bucktail to bounce up and down on the retrieve. Cast the lure out, allow it to sink and then work it back with a jigging action. The…

Primedia Outdoor, a division of Primedia, has been slapped with a R2.7 million penalty and has to give R1.3m free ad space to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The Competition Commission yesterday said it welcomed the Competition Tribunal’s green light to a consent deal reached between the Commission and advertising company Primedia Outdoor. The February 13 Tribunal order follows an investigation by the Commission. It found that between September 2004 and March 2018 media firms, under the auspices of an industry association Out of Home Media South Africa (OHMSA), had entered into collusive agreements, which fixed prices and trading conditions in contravention of the Competition Act. OHMSA members include: Boo! Media, Insight Outdoor, Outdoor Network, Adreach, Tractor Outdoor, SP Media, Primedia Outdoor, JB Media, Likhwane Media, Anchor Zedo, Jonet…

CIVIL society groups say any potential VAT rate increase would be a severe blow for business and ordinary citizens. This week The Mercury’s sister newspaper Business Report reported that PwC South Africa had forecast that for the government to raise an additional R15 billion in tax revenues would require either increasing the corporate income tax (CIT) rate by 1.4% to 28.4%, increasing personal income tax (PIT) rates by 0.5% across all tax bands, or increasing the VAT rate by 0.5% to 15.5%. In his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in November, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the National Treasury would propose tax measures to raise the R15bn additional revenue in the 2024 Budget. “The most economically efficient and least harmful way to raise the additional tax revenues of R15bn that…

In the next few days, two global events will take place. While the ANC’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, will join a Vladimir Putin-organised meeting of tyrants in Moscow to promote despotism and oppression, the DA will participate at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. The DA’s participation in this important global event forms part of our international outreach efforts to promote South Africa’s domestic interests. Standing firm on our constitutional values, the DA will join global leaders in Munich in working to advance justice, freedom, and democracy throughout the world. From February 16 to 18, the Munich Security Conference will bring together a cross-section of high profile delegates comprising global leaders, representatives from international organisations, media, academia and civil society. The conference is an international platform for global discussions on security…

I FIRMLY believed that Naledi Pandor was one of the very few, if any, ANC cadres that had the intellect and com mon sense to pull things together in whatever portfolio she was given. That being said, however, this belief was completely shattered apropos to her anti-Semitic stance regarding the International Court of Justice (ICJ) debacle that has been a monumental flop. No standing ovation or massive support from either the West or the Middle East. The ANC has been left with egg on its face. Israel has intensified its onslaught, and the brouhaha surrounding the ICJ has wilted and waned. Her conniving with Iran, a known terrorist supporter, and Hamas, a terrorist organisation, accurately highlighted her one-sided and biased point of view. The fact that the ANC is now…

A couple turned to court to get back their home which they lost in a fraudulent financial scheme. They were under the impression that they were applying for a loan to do refurbishments to their house – and unwittingly signed a document for their home to be sold for far less than what it was worth. Benita and Claude Anderson turned to the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha as they said they had no idea at the time that they had fallen prey to a fraudulent scheme. Their home in the city has, meanwhile, been sold to new owners. At the centre of this dispute is a fraudulent reverse-mortgage scheme devised and implemented by the now deregistered company, Asset Management Specialists (AMS), to which approximately 150 financially distressed individuals…

SAPS officers in the Eastern Cape are calling on victims of an online scam to come forward as they have successfully obtained a preservation order on one of six bank accounts used to dupe potential investors. The SAPS commercial crime investigation unit in East London has been investigating the matter. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that people last year joined an investment known as Ant-Ranch, where they registered online to be ranchers. She said the people invested money to purchase animals such as geese, snakes and donkeys. However, the animals were not handed over once purchased. Instead, this was just a way of labelling the investment in terms of the scheme. “The prices of the animals differed according to their sizes and the rancher would receive dividends…

The deputy mayor of the uMhlathuze Municipality, Christo Botha, has called for the swift arrest of the perpetrators after a Foskor executive in charge of procurement was gunned down in broad daylight in Richards Bay on Monday. Botha said this was not the first incident involving a private sector executive at a Richards Bay company and that criminals were becoming increasingly brazen in their attacks – carrying them out during the day and not bothering to hide their identities. The 50-year-old senior procurement executive at Foskor was found dead in his car in the suburb of Meerensee in Richards Bay. Police said the man sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The gunmen used rifles before fleeing in a silver Hyundai ix35. “This executive was in charge of the supply chain tenders…

A Western Cape man has been arrested on allegations of possessing and distributing child pornography. Garth van West, a 53-year-old Worcester resident, appeared in the Worcester Magistrate’s Court this week where he was denied bail. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, Van West will remain behind bars. “The case has been adjourned to April 3 for further investigation.” Van West was arrested on January 17. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said he was allegedly found with 95 000 images and 6 000 videos of child pornography. In opposing his bail application, State prosecutor Sonja Mathee provided the presiding officer with relevant case law and all the legislative changes over the years, which showed how serious the crime against the accused was. During his…

The glitz and glamour of the SA20 cricket tournament captured the imagination of local fans over the past month. The Sunrisers Eastern Cape pulled off a second consecutive title triumph as they beat the Durban’s Super Giants in the final at Newlands last weekend. But there was some controversy involved with the Proteas men’s team as a result, as all the top players were mandated to play in the SA20 by Cricket South Africa to ensure that the quality of the event was of the highest standard. As with other T20 tournaments around the world, the SA20 is regarded as the main ‘cash cow’ that can keep the sport in good financial health for the rest of the year. That meant a vastly under-strength side had to travel to New…

Desperate Nigerians have been protesting against soaring food prices as an economic crisis forces people to skip meals and eat poor-grade rice used as fish food. To feed their children, women in northern Nigeria have even resorted to digging up anthills in search of grain stored by the insects, according to videos shown on social media. Since coming to office last year President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended a fuel subsidy and currency controls, leading to a tripling of petrol prices and a spike in living costs as the naira slides against the dollar. Nigeria’s inflation rate hit a three-decade high above 28% in December, according to the national bureau of statistics. Dire conditions have sparked protests in several northern cities including Suleja near the capital Abuja, Minna in Niger…

London: The wife of Julian Assange said yesterday that the WikiLeaks founder would die if extradited to the US, ahead of his latest appeal against the UK ruling. The situation was “extremely grave”, as his mental and physical health were “in decline”, she said. Assange, 52, is wanted on espionage charges in the US and has been detained in Belmarsh Prison in London since April 2019. Stella Assange said her husband could be on a plane to the US “within days” if he loses the appeal, with a High Court hearing to begin on Tuesday. If successful, Assange could argue his case before the UK’s domestic courts. | AFP…

Madrid: Spanish police said yesterday that they had smashed an international ring that smuggled about 200 Senegalese nationals into Europe via Madrid airport, which has been overwhelmed by an influx of asylum-seekers. Officers arrested 12 alleged members of the ring, which had created a manual that outlined in detail how to request asylum in Spain by falsely claiming to be a minor from war-torn nations like Mali or Ethiopia, police said in a statement. Among those arrested is the suspected leader of the network. A total of 56 852 migrants entered Spain last year, an 82.1% jump from 2022 due to a record number in the Canary Islands. | AFP…

This weekend’s round of South African derbies in the United Rugby Championship will shed further light on the options available to coach Rassie Erasmus for the Springboks’ upcoming international season. The two-match series against Ireland is about four months away, and the top players have everything to play for. Independent Newspapers has been looking at the options in the various positions and today, the series checks out hooker. In this regard, tomorrow’s match between the Sharks and the Stormers in Durban is a significant one as it marks the return to play of Bongi Mbonambi. He has not played since picking up an injury early in the World Cup final against New Zealand. While most of the World Cup Boks are enjoying mandatory rest, Erasmus will want Mbonambi to regain…