Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-04-17 i Mercury

THERE were 39 million people living with HIV in 2022 according to UNAids. In response to the ongoing battle against HIV and Aids, an innovative approach is being adopted in South Africa. TB HIV Care, in collaboration with the Department of Health and several non-profit organisations, has launched a pilot project that aims to make sexual and reproductive health (SRH) products more accessible. This initiative involves the installation of vending machines that dispense condoms, lubricants and contraception to help reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of HIV. The first of these vending machines was set up at the Hub of Hope in Mthatha last Wednesday. Jenny Mcloughlin, the programme director of TB HIV Care, announced that there are plans to introduce seven more machines across the Eastern Cape and…

Zululand District Municipality mayor and traditional Zulu Prime Minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi has initiated a defamation case against KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane as she alleged that Buthelezi solicits sexual favours from married women. Buthelezi’s lawyers had previously served Simelane with a letter demanding a retraction of the comments she had made during a recent rally in Vryheid or there would be a R10 million defamation lawsuit filed against her. “We are instructed to demand that you immediately, formally and publicly retract the statement within seven days of receipt hereof, failing which our client will have no option but to seek damages in the amount of R10 million against you as compensation for your wrongful and unlawful conduct,” the letter said. Buthelezi, who is a senior member of the IFP,…

WHEN Europe was being overrun by the German war machine, European countries couldn’t take on the might of the Nazi Germany war machine on their own but had to unite to defeat the Nazi dictator. The Allies even had help from the US and other countries around the world. The same scenario happened in South Africa during apartheid. The liberation forces united to form the United Democratic Movement and, with overseas support, toppled the Afrikaner regime. Now three decades later, the country faces a similar problem, the abuse of power by the very party that played a major role in the liberation Struggle. Thirty years of ANC rule has proved to be a dismal failure and the cries for the party’s removal get louder and louder by the day. But…

THE statements from the Israeli government subsequent to the drone attacks, supposedly from Iran, were along the lines of: “How dare they attack our sovereign territory? These attacks will require us to take severe retaliatory action.” The statements are so naive that they border on insanity. I wonder if the state of Israel has collective amnesia about what it is perpetrating, which it has done continuously for more than 190 days in the State of Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank? With its immense superiority complex, the Israeli military (I would like to think that most of the civilian population of Israel do not back the slaughter and genocide of innocent civilians in Palestine), it has opened itself to a perpetual war with its sworn enemies, Hamas. A perpetual…

The Department of Home Affairs is opening more branches across the country to alleviate the congestion and long queues experienced at their current offices. The latest branch that has been announced is due to open at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Durban on April 22. The new office will be at the mall’s parking level, near the centre’s NuMetro cinema. The branch will offer passport and ID services and people need to make appointments, as walk-ins will not be allowed, according to Lungile Gwagwa from the mall. “There is a demand for a Home Affairs office here because we have been getting a lot of enquiries. People are interested,” she said. The department has begun opening branches in popular shopping centres across the country. The minister initially mentioned this in…

Economists and activists have raised concern about the damaging effect of the illicit cigarette trade on the country’s economy. This follows the Border Management Authority’s (BMA) recent announcement of the recovery of over R3 million worth of illicit cigarettes at the Lebombo border post over the Easter weekend. Yusuf Abramjee of Tax Justice South Africa, a civil society organisation, welcomed the seizure, but noted that the bust would hardly make a dent on the “illicit cigarette tsunami that is flooding South Africa”. Abramjee said that criminal gangs smuggled tons of cigarettes through the country’s porous borders every day, adding that the illicit industry was robbing the country of over R27 billion in vital tax revenue annually. “They are manufacturing even more in licensed factories in South Africa. That’s why it…

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube says relief, assistance and support is being offered to residents and businesses affected by Sunday’s floods on the South Coast. She also conveyed her condolences to the relatives whose loved ones died in the storm. Dube-Ncube said five people were confirmed dead in the Margate area. “Three people drowned when the vehicle they were travelling in was washed away, while one was struck by lightning. The fifth victim fell from the roof when he was trying to stop the flood water that was gushing through.” She said two people were reported injured in the Umgababa area, south of eThekwini. “It saddens us that so many people’s lives were suddenly upended by the floods that swept through these communities with devastating force. “We wish to inform the…

As we celebrate 30 years of democracy in South Africa, it is important for the women of this beloved country to pause and appreciate the progressive policies adopted by the ANC government that have ensured that we take our rightful spaces in all spheres of influence. Most importantly, we must also reflect on how we have used our positions to move the needle, and defend our democratic gains. In pursuit thereof, l have thought it best to start at home by examining my twin sister’s performance at the helm of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) as l believe that women’s representation in decision-making structures is not an end in and of itself but a stepping stone on the path to creating an equal, inclusive and diverse society. My…

Israel and Iran traded threats after Tehran’s first ever direct attack on its arch foe sharply heightened Middle East tensions as the Gaza war ground on with no truce in sight. Israel’s military chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi has vowed “a response” after Iran and its allies launched a barrage of more than 300 missiles, drones and rockets at Israel at the weekend. Iran said its large-scale attack was an act of self-defence following a deadly Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, and that it would consider the matter “concluded” unless Israel retaliated. However, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi also warned that “the slightest action against Iran’s interests will definitely be met with a severe, extensive and painful response”. Washington, Israel’s top ally and arms supplier, has made clear it…

A fire ripped through Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange, one of the Danish capital’s most famous landmarks, yesterday, engulfing its spire which collapsed in a scene reminiscent of the 2019 blaze at Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral. Emergency services, employees from the Danish Chamber of Commerce, including its CEO Brian Mikkelsen, and even passers-by were seen carrying large paintings away from the building in a race to save historic artefacts from the flames. A video showed the flaming spire breaking in half as it tumbled down, sending a large part crashing to the ground next to a fire truck. “Everybody is crying at the Danish Chamber of Commerce right now. It’s their workplace, but also their history,” Mikkelsen said. “It’s our cultural heritage that I’m looking at. It’s 400 years that have shaped…

The Momentum Proteas Women will look to deliver the knockout blow and score maximum points when they play their final match of the ODI series against Sri Lanka at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom today. With the first match rained out, the Proteas go into the final encounter – which is also their final game of the season – hoping do what they have often failed to do over the past few months: finish a series well. Sri Lanka, currently ranked seventh in the ICC women’s ODI rankings, cannot win the series but a draw will hand them a critical two points to go home with. It will also improve their chances of automatic World Cup qualification, edging them closer to the West Indies, who occupy the sixth and…

Two years ago the Shanghai International Circuit hosted a Covid hospital, but this weekend it will stage Formula One once more as the sport returns to China for the first time since the pandemic. Adding to the excitement of fans, they will see Shanghai native Zhou Guanyu drive at his home track in Formula One for the first time. “I’m extremely excited, in these 5 000 years of (Chinese) history there has only been one Zhou Guanyu,” said fan Wang Xiaotian. Shanghai last witnessed an F1 race in 2019, before Covid and China’s travel restrictions put a halt to almost all major international sport in the country. Tickets for the action-packed Formula One weekend – which begins with Friday morning practice, sees a sprint race on Saturday and ends with…

The Warriors have hit a stumbling block after two losses in the last three matches blighted their almost perfect start to the season – and the losing run could continue when they come face-to-face with an in-form Lions team roaring with confidence. The Joburgers are peaking at the right time and are only four points away from topping the former runaway leaders. The Warriors are still in pole position, but the Eastern Cape side find themselves in the unfamiliar position of having to go back to the drawing board with their top spot under serious threat. The Warriors were humbled by bottom side Boland at the weekend, losing by a surprising five wickets with 18 balls to spare. Captain Matthew Breetzke’s knock of 48 off 34 balls was not enough…

A tit-for-tat political battle between the ANC and Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) is threatening to plunge the province’s only metro into chaos. Two motions of no confidence brought by councillors of smaller parties – and supported by the ABC – could remove the entire political leadership of the eThekwini Municipality, if successful. One motion calls for the removal of the chief whip of council, Precious Sishange, accusing her of failing at her job, while the other motion is advocating for the removal of the entire executive committee, accusing it of the same. The two motions come shortly after Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda narrowly survived attempts to oust him through a motion of no confidence brought by the IFP and supported by most big parties. ABC leader Philani Mavundla said he will…

Liz Truss, whose spell as British prime minister lasted but weeks and was the shortest ever, has revealed in a memoir that when she moved into No 10 Downing Street, it was infested with fleas. Is she getting at her predecessor, Boris Johnson? No, according to Sky News, she says in the memoir, Ten Years To Save The West, that Bojo’s dog, Dilyn, was believed to be responsible for the fleas. Such loyalty is surely commendable. She also reveals that she and her husband had ordered new furniture for the residence “but were evicted before it could be delivered”. How does this rather slight information match the weighty title? The reviews I’ve seen so far don’t attempt to explain it. Monkey war RELATIONS between humans and monkeys in the Thai…

The crusade overseas by globalist/wokeist ideology against truth which it brands as “misinformation”, should trigger alarm that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is now dismissing as “misconceptions” opposition to its intrusion into gender education (The Mercury, April 16). The only extent of the state’s concern with gender is in the teaching of biology and in that schools may be designated as “boys” or “girls” schools. Beyond that, the issue of gender is none of the state’s business. Yet gender discrimination is being controversially promoted in American schools amidst great opposition from parents. Little children are being confronted with questions about their gender that unnecessarily promotes confusion and psychological trauma. The agenda of the promoters of this ungodly, warped ideology is the destruction of traditional norms and values, and the…

THE DA notes that President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally taken the smallest of stands against Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu by snubbing her efforts to continue the deployment of one of her closest cadres, Linton Mchunu, as acting director-general (DG) of the Department of Social Development. Instead, it took a phone call from the president to force Minister Zulu’s hand and appoint Peter Netshipale as acting DG until July 4. According to media reports, it was due to the efforts of Deputy Social Development Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, other senior managers and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), who highlighted procedural flaws and violations of public service regulations in reappointing Mchunu and three other individuals in senior positions within the department, that let rationality prevail. The DA calls…

WITH the national elections just weeks away, the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) could find itself a kingmaker in KwaZulu-Natal, especially if no single party wins an outright majority in the province. On the surface, the ANC, EFF and MKP in KZN have asserted that they are all looking for a majority victory in the province and dismissed coalition talks as something that will only be entertained after the election. Nationally, EFF leader Julius Malema has said if the ANC gets below 50%, he would be willing to bargain EFF votes with a rival party but only if they make his deputy Floyd Shivambu, the finance minister after the elections. He has also not ruled out an EFF/MKP coalition, saying he is open to working with “like-minded” parties. ANC…

The corruption and fraud trial relating to a R255 million Free State contract for asbestos removal has failed to start in the Bloemfontein High Court due to a host of challenges. Former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, businessman Edwin Sodi, Blackhead Consulting and Thabane Zulu, among others, face charges in connection with the asbestos contract. The court heard yesterday that Magashule’s former personal assistant has been arrested in the US. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed Moroadi Cholota, was arrested by US authorities, saying the State will commence with the extradition process as soon as possible, to have her back in South Africa. The State alleges that the Free State Human Settlements Department awarded a contract to the Blackhead Consulting joint venture, to audit, assess and remove asbestos from homes…

Marxist base-superstructure theory offers a profound lens to comprehend power dynamics Last Tuesday, the Electoral Court set aside the decision by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to bar former president Jacob Zuma from running for a parliamentary seat. The IEC had disqualified Zuma due to his criminal record, including a 15-month jail term in 2021. The UMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) appealed the IEC’s decision. The Electoral Court granted leave to appeal and set aside the IEC ruling. This decisive turn of events paves the way for Zuma to contest a seat in the National Assembly in the general elections on May 29. The ruling could potentially mobilise ANC voters who remain loyal to Zuma and disillusioned with the party’s stewardship of unequal societies. It presents a new dynamic. This…

The US is helping 50 countries build up their healthcare systems as part of its new global strategy to prevent another pandemic, officials said yesterday. This comes as uncertainty surrounds the fate of international talks aimed at securing a historic agreement on tackling future disease outbreaks, which resume later this month in Geneva. US officials have identified gaps in each of the 50 partner countries’ technical capacities to respond to biological threats, including surveillance of new pathogens, lab capacity to test samples, and preparedness to communicate about an outbreak. The nations’ progress will be published on a new website that went live yesterday. Alongside the countries Washington is directly supporting, it will urge its G7 partners to deliver on commitments to reach 50 more, for a total of 100 nations.…

NEW YORK: Five more prospective jurors were dismissed from Donald Trump’s historic hush-money trial yesterday, as lawyers try to choose a panel of 12 residents of heavily Democratic Manhattan to hear the Republican former US president’s criminal case impartially. Roughly half of 96 potential jurors summoned on Monday were dismissed after saying they could not impartially judge the polarisng businessman-turned-politician, who is mounting a comeback White House bid while battling four separate criminal cases. Those dismissed yesterday said they had scheduling conflicts, concerns about balancing juror service with their jobs, or had come to the conclusion they could not be fair. | Reuters…

SOUTH Africa has initiated a dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in relation to phytosanitary trade regulations imposed on the country’s citrus by the European Union (EU). This was announced by the Department of Agricul- ture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on Monday evening. SA said this action was initiated to find a lasting solution to the EU’s phytosanitary regulations on Citrus Black Spot (CBS), in order to protect the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in the local citrus industry. CBS is a fungal infection that could result in cosmetic blemishes on the affected fruit. Despite the world’s leading scientists proving that CBS cannot be transmitted through the actual fruit as a pathway, the EU has continued to enforce…

Purple Group’s share price shot up 23.33% yesterday following a “transformative” six months to February 29 that saw it turnaround to a solid profit, while further platform initiatives would generate future growth. CEO Charles Savage said the results heralded a return to profit- ability and their “innovation journey … as we venture into new horizons with the introduction of EasyTrader and the anticipated launch of EasySubscriptions and EasyRetire,” would continue unabated. “These initiatives, along with our robust growth across all our value drivers, signal a bright future ahead,” he said. New regional growth, while slow, was worth the time ... and their work in the Philippines to deliver on an always-on, 24-hour global operations platform, and a cost-effective engineering capability, would provide “future growth opportunities that far exceed those of…

Remember the days when low-rise jeans were the height of fashion and evenings were spent laughing along with “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and feeling at home with “Full House”? Well, dust off your old yearbooks and mixtapes, because the ’90s and early 2000s are making a grand re-entrance into our lives and wardrobes. In a world that seems to be spinning with global anxieties – from the cost-of-living crisis to the unsettling news of conflicts – Millennials and Gen Zs are turning back the clock to a seemingly simpler time. It’s not just about reliving the trends; it’s about the comfort and security that come with them. This craving for the past is more than a fashion statement; it’s a coping mechanism known as the nostalgia effect. Nostalgia, that…

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and the National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Association have emphasised that a new document, NRS 048-9 Third Edition of the load reduction and load-shedding protocol, did not imply that Stage 16 power cuts were looming. The organisations yesterday said the document was an upgrade of the guide to avoid a national emergency in the unlikely event of Stage 8 load shedding happening. In a briefing yesterday, Nersa and the NRS Association said the revised standards had helped eliminate human error as the previous guidance was up to Stage 8 only. The briefing was to calm the hyper- reaction to the recently announced approval of updated guidelines for Eskom’s load-shedding procedures by Nersa, now formally including provisions for up to Stage 16 load shedding.…

On days when I feel like an adventure, I drive for Uber. I have to believe there is something powerful at play when it comes to coincidences. This week, I picked up a passenger from an obscure petrol station in a busy truck stop. The gentleman headed for the front passenger door which, I have noticed, only South Africans and Australians tend to do. The rider revealed that he was from KwaZulu-Natal, specifically Isipingo. I immediately practised my limited Zulu with him and we were both taken aback by the serendipitous nature of our meeting. On the same day, hours later, another passenger informed me that he went regularly to visit the elephants at Thula Thula Game Reserve in KZN – and spends a few days in uMhlanga on the…

THE ANC street pole type 2024 election poster has an upper body picture of President Cyril Ramaphosa with a huge smile and the words: “Let’s do more together”. I respectfully submit that the word “together” is a falsity implying inclusivity – a kind of spin doctoring and election ploy to attract the masses. Given three long decades of a proven track record of dismal, abysmal and non-timeous service delivery and other ruling party shenanigans and gross under performance. I further submit that the undermentioned would be more appropriate and reflect the factual position: viz, let’s do more of the following; thieving and manipulating; lying and hoodwinking; making false and empty promises; capturing and tenderpreneuring; openly and unashamedly lining comrades’ pockets; pathetic, unacceptable and non-timeous service delivery; denying citizens basic human…

MERCURY CORRESPONDENT The Exclusive Books Recommends list for April is a smorgasbord of reading treats – every kind of fiction from book club page-turners and cosy crime to thrillers and inspiration, and non- fiction that delves into money- management, fresh cooking, South African biography and political comment. But three stand-out titles scream for extra spotlight – all for their power to shift our thinking through words, ideas and stories. This month’s non-fiction hero title must be Robin Sharma’s The Wealth Money Can’t Buy – the much-awaited next instalment of wisdom and invaluable life-guidance from the monk who sold his Ferrari. Sharma’s The 5am Club is one of the perennial best-sellers that have topped the charts both here and abroad since Covid-19. The popularity of this genre – self-development and inspiration…

The Land Claims Commission has revised its annual targets aimed at settling land claims for this financial year due to the decrease in the department’s budget. Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza said her department had put strategies and plans in place to address the R34.4 million reduction in the department’s budget for food security, land reform and restitution programme. “Due to the declining budget, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights reduced its annual performance plan targets from 355 claims settled in 2022-23 financial year to 349 in the 2023/24 financial year, and 319 for the 2024-25 financial year. “Taking cognisance of the increased value of settlements and the declining budget, the commission has aligned the settlement and finalisation targets with the allocated budget,” Didiza said.…

A Durban Metro Police officer allegedly shot dead his wife before turning the gun on himself at Illovo, south of Durban, in the early hours of Monday morning. The couple’s 19-year-son, who is believed to have tried to intervene, suffered a gunshot wound to his arm. This is the second gender-based violence (GBV) incident involving a Durban Metro Police officer in the past two months. Last month, officer Sizwe Ngema allegedly stabbed fellow Metro officer Bianca Khuzwayo to death. His matter is before the court. KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda confirmed Monday’s incident. “A 45-year-old man allegedly shot and killed his 40-year-old wife, shot and injured his 19-year-old son before turning the gun on himself.” Police had opened a case of murder, attempted murder and an inquest docket, he…

Minister of Police Bheki Cele says the team of investigators that was set up to probe political killings in KwaZulu-Natal has arrested 360 suspects with 65 having been convicted. He said the strategy they were implementing in KZN will be replicated in other provinces. KZN has seen a spike in the killing of political leaders in the past few years. The ANC, IFP, NFP and the DA have seen their leaders in municipalities being killed. Political parties have complained about a lack of action by the police in arresting the perpetrators. However, Cele stated they have been acting and arrests have been made. He said since the establishment of the task team, the detectives have made progress in these cases. “Since the establishment of the team a total of…

In January 2020, fear and anger gripped the nation after Parktown Boys’ High School pupil Enoch Mpianzi drowned while on a school orientation camp. In Grade 8 and aged just 13, he drowned in a river at Nyati Bush and River Break lodge, near Brits, after the makeshift raft he and others were on overturned. Keamohetswe Shaun Seboko, a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil from Laerskool Bekker in Magaliesburg, was found dead in the school hostel’s swimming pool in 2020 during swimming lessons with 59 others. Four years later, Latoya Temilton, a Grade 7 pupil from Laerskool Queenswood in Pretoria, drowned in January during a school excursion at Wag ’n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen. It was barely bedtime on Monday when news spread of the drowning of two pupils from the…

Meta’s oversight board said yesterday it was scrutinising the social media giant’s deepfake porn policies, through the lens of two cases. The Meta board picked its two cases to “assess whether Meta’s policies and its enforcement practices are effective at addressing explicit AI-generated imagery,” it said. The board can make recommendations, but it is up to the tech firm to actually make any changes. The first case involves an AI-generated image of a nude woman posted on Instagram. The woman resembled a public figure in India, sparking complaints from users in that country. The second case involves an image depicting a nude woman resembling “an American public figure” with a man groping one of her breasts. It was posted to Facebook. Meta removed the image for violating its…

LONDON: British MPs were voting yesterday on moves by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ban anyone aged 15 and under from buying cigarettes. Sunak’s plan to impose some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules has angered some members of his governing Conservative Party including former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, who say the state should not interfere in how people live their lives. MPs will be given a so-called free vote on the bill, meaning they do not have to vote along party lines. A similar law in New Zealand was scrapped this year by the new coalition government before the legislation went into force. | Reuters…

While Manchester City midfielder Bernando Silva said he and his teammates are motivated by the possibility of winning their second consecutive treble, manager Pep Guardiola cautioned against dreaming too far ahead. City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie tonight at the Etihad having overcome them in the semi-finals last season on their way to winning the competition for the first time. They also lead the Premier League standings and are in the final four of the FA Cup. “I am not going to say ‘don’t feel this’ to my players, but I have a different opinion. We are far away from those hypothetical dreams,” Guardiola said yesterday. “When we are in the final of the FA Cup and (there are) two or three…

YOU have to go back to September 27 to find the last time Stellenbosch FC lost a match. Then, Steve Barker’s team were beaten 3-1 by Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership match. Ever since, the outfit from the Winelands has gone an incredible 22 matches unbeaten. It is a remarkable run that has delivered them the Carling Knockout trophy and taken them to second in the league behind the self-same Sundowns. Such is their form that last weekend they hammered SuperSport United 4-0 to progress to the Nedbank Cup semi-final where they have been drawn to host Rulani Mokwena’s Brazilians. Barker must be thinking “revenge is a dish best served cold”, right? Continental football clearly beckons for Stellies and with Sundowns seemingly out of reach in the championship, you…