Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-05-14 i Mercury

“My husband talks very ‘rough’ to me in private and in front of our three (youngish) children. He swears and curses at me, even though he is a church-going man. When we are in church or at church functions – he is one of the church elders – his behaviour to me is perfect, and it is as if he is a different man. I want to tell the pastor what I am going through on a weekly basis with one of the pastor’s closest friends. I also don’t want to make my husband even more furious and make things worse.” We each play a role in teaching and training others how to treat us. The longer you accommodate this behaviour from your husband, the more difficult he will become…

Memories of the recent floods, KZN looting and the municipal strike are still fresh in the minds of many residents of Durban. Added to this are the wider economic pressures felt across the country and the world at large, and yet there is reason for cautious hope. Kaunda highlighted certain methods through which the metro can improve. The State of the City address underscored the enormous role that large development projects can play in rebuilding the city, and also in establishing a flourishing local economy that can benefit everyone. Kaunda emphasised that “business confidence is on an upward investment trajectory” – albeit from a very low base – but bolstered by the implementation of certain catalytic projects that he singled out. Beachwood Lifestyle Estate is mentioned as one of these…

USING the k-word can be very costly, as a businessman has discovered after the Equality Court ordered that he not only had to pay R500 000 to the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, but he also has to undergo 50 hours of racial sensitisation training to be conducted by the SA Human Rights Commission or an institution nominated by it. The court heard that Mr Ackerman (the respondent) on four occasions used the k-word in a conversation with one of his white business associates. He did not aim the k-word specifically towards any person, but his (now former) business associate Mr Wellman felt aggrieved by these words. He turned to the Equality Court, together with another business associate, Mr Amaning, to hold Ackerman accountable for his actions. Wellman said Ackerman used the…

Motorists using the country’s highways do so with a mix of hope and caution, as a shadow looms over the trust that should be inherent in the presence of law enforcement. The scourge of criminals impersonating police officers commonly known as “blue light gangs” has not only robbed innocent citizens of their belongings, but has also dealt a severe blow to the reputation and standing of our police service. Across the nation, especially in bustling urban centres, motorists have fallen prey to the brazen tactics of these imposters. They strike with impunity, often masquerading as members of the SAPS or municipal police, exploiting the trust and respect that should accompany the uniform. Armed with deception, they erect fake roadblocks or coerce drivers to stop under the guise of official…

France won a record 15 billion euros (about R296bn) in foreign investment pledges yesterday, allowing President Emmanuel Macron to bask in the limelight with global CEOs and forget about strained public finances and weak polls for a while. The bumper crop of pledges, in sectors ranging from artificial intelligence to pharmaceuticals and energy, stood Macron in good stead as he hosted business leaders for the annual “Choose France” summit at Versailles Palace. This year’s figure is up from the 13 billion euros announced in 2023. The French presidency said the investments included 56 different business projects and could lead to the creation of 10 000 jobs. Microsoft said it would invest 4 billion euros in France in its cloud and AI infrastructure, expanding its centres in Paris and Marseilles…

London: Britain’s King Charles III officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William yesterday, in a rare joint engagement with his elder son and heir. The head of state joined William at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, southern England, appointing him colonel-in-chief of his younger son Prince Harry’s old regiment. Harry, 39, a former army captain who served as an Apache helicopter pilot with the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan, has become estranged from his father and brother since leaving the royal family in early 2020 and moving to the US with his wife, Meghan. William worked as a Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot and also flew for a civilian air ambulance unit before taking up full-time royal duties.…

BARCELONA: Catalonia’s outgoing president said yesterday he would quit politics after his separatist party’s disastrous showing in the region’s election that saw Spain’s Socialists deliver an historic upset to the independence movement. Pere Aragones’s moderate Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) remains the best hope for the Socialists, who won the most votes in Sunday’s election but fell short of a majority, to form government in the prosperous northeastern region. Aragones said his party would not back the Socialists, telling them to call on hardline separatist party Junts instead. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pardoned separatist leaders. | Reuters…

ISTANBUL: Turkish police arrested a man at Istanbul Airport suspected of trying to smuggle poisonous spiders and scorpions out of the country. The suspect has been identified as a curator at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. Police seized dozens of bags from his luggage with 1 500 scorpions and spiders, including tarantulas, and dozens of plastic bottles containing unspecified liquids. The suspect was named as Lorenzo Prendini. Police said the specimens seized were endemic to Türkiye; their DNA could be copied and their poisons milked for making medicines. The market value of one litre of medicine obtained from scorpion venom was worth $10 million (R183m). | Reuters…

In a massive boost for the women’s game in South Africa, the Springboks have qualified for next year’s World Cup in England. This was secured by a 46-17 defeat of Madagascar in Antananarivo, a feat that should not be discounted because women’s rugby is popular in that country and the huge crowd at the Stade Makis is something the South African ladies can only dream of having in their country. Importantly, it is not just the qualification that is satisfying but the quality of rugby the Boks played. They have come a long way under coach Louis Koen – the former Springbok flyhalf – and the structure and balance in their game suggest they will make a decent fist of the World Cup after disappointing in the last tournament, held…

THE EUROPEAN Union yesterday added Dutch online travel giant Booking.com to its list of digital companies that are big enough to fall under tougher competition rules. Brussels also said it would investigate whether social media platform X, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, can be exempted from the rules. The former Twitter has filed a rebuttal arguing that “despite meeting the thresholds, X does not qualify as a important gateway between businesses and consumers,” said the European Commission, whose probe should wrap up within five months. Booking.com, whose parent company Booking Holdings is headquartered in the US, now has six months to prepare for compliance with the landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EU has already named six market “gatekeepers” that have to comply with the DMA: Google parent Alphabet,…

RAUBEX Group lifted its order book of infrastructure development and construction materials supplies by 27.5% to R25.55 billion in the year to February 29, which, with a strong balance sheet boded well for it to continue paying dividends, CEO Felicia Msiza said yesterday. She said the annual results for the 50-year-old group to February 29 were good given the many challenges faced by the country, as well as the industries in which the group operates. Major contributors to the performance were Bauba Resources and the Western Australia operations. “Although we are cautiously optimistic as this is an election year, the growth in the secured order book to R25.55bn is indicative of future pro- spects. Our growth strategy is underpinned by our diversified business model, committed workforce, strength in leadership,…

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has confirmed that the Zimbabwean political party, Zanu-PF, has not been accredited to be an observer in the country’s national and provincial elections on May 29. This is according to IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya in response to an objection by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) over reports that Zanu-PF was granted observer status. “The commission would like to reassure you and the ATM community that it has not accredited Zanu-PF or any other political party to observe the elections. “The commission strongly believes in the integrity of the elections it manages and therefore safeguards against measures that would compromise its processes,” Moepya wrote in a letter dated May 10. He was responding to concerns by ATM leader Vuyo Zungula, addressed in a…

I do perceive that some writers in the media are exactly like that sad Israeli diplomat – who should really be seriously, summarily recalled to Tel Aviv to avoid further damage to the Holy Star of David. They are running out of ideas and clinging desperately to prehistoric ideas to most ineffectively provide solutions to present problems that confound the human race. And to divert from living reality. Saira Essa, Dubai, Eastern Mosaic, moghuls, partition, “forced conversions” , “genocides” and breathless references to “Themur-Lung” are certainly not too helpful to sorting out the present genocide in Gaza. Nor do they assist in possibly providing input to preventing some most likely similar stuff in further flash points like Indian-occupied Kashmir. Nor does alluding to these “past” episodes help anything but attempts…

WITH South African elections quickly approaching, I would like to remind my fellow citizens of the importance of voting. Voting is central to the sustainability of South Africa’s fledgling democracy and one of the most basic rights that the struggle stalwarts of this country fought for. In the past, millions of “non-white” South Africans were denied the right to vote, were segregated and displaced, persecuted, imprisoned, tortured and even murdered, in the good fight to make this basic right a reality. The struggle of South Africans against racism, discrimination, apartheid and colonialism, was fundamentally about establishing constitutional values of human rights and equal democratic participation for all who live in South Africa. Hence, South Africans owe it to our forefathers to vote. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and…

ADMINISTRATIVE and support staff at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) gathered outside the university campus at the weekend with placards in hand, in a picket over a wage dispute. The UWC Workers Union said the matter relates to workers’ unhappiness over the salary increase proposed for administrative and support staff and their salary scale brackets, which they say remain low. Union officials said: “The workers were seeking 7%. The university offered 6% without opening the books to show why they were rejecting the 7%. The workers’ salary brackets are already low, they feel significantly underpaid.” These reasons, among others, had led to a stalemate in negotiations, the union said. For many years workers “did not have a voice because of fear of victimisation”, but they were now determined…

The mother of a boy who suffered severe head injuries when he fell on a screw protruding from a steel staircase at school is claiming more than R1.6 million in damages from the private Spark School in Centurion, for the pain and suffering her child endured as a result of the accident. The matter was due to go on trial this week in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. But the mother’s lawyer John Njau said the matter has been settled. In terms of a settlement agreement, Spark School accepted 100% liability for the injuries Tshiamo Mokone suffered. Njau said the amount of damages cited at this time could be higher, as they now have to appoint medical experts to exactly assess the damages suffered by the boy, now aged 12.…

Support credible candidates who can be constructive team players in government IT IS not often that I find myself nodding along with those with whom I usually profoundly disagree and raising an eyebrow at the contributions of those I would count as political allies. But it was the position I found myself in on May 10 while moderating and listening to 10 political parties debate crime and unemployment in the Western Cape. What to make of my outbreak of fervent agreement with Patricia de Lille (GOOD); Reagan Allen (DA); Khalid Sayed (ANC); Wayne Thring (ACDP); Nkosekhaya Lala (ACC); Nazier Paulsen (EFF); Fairouz Nagia (Al Jama-ah); Lumka Mquqo (Bosa); Axolile Notywala (RISE Mzansi); and Fadiel Adams (NCC) on their plans for enhanced integration of psychosocial services to the criminal justice system…

Israel battled Hamas in Gaza yesterday, including in far-southern Rafah, despite US warnings against a full-scale invasion of the crowded city and of the threat of post-war “anarchy” across the Palestinian territory. Clashes also raged in northern and central Gaza as Israel marked a sombre Memorial Day, which is followed by Independence Day from last night, more than seven months into the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack. Israelis marked a moment’s silence and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that “our war of independence is not over yet. It continues even today... We are determined to win this struggle.” AFP correspondents in Gaza reported helicopter strikes and heavy artillery shelling in the east of Rafah, as well as battles in northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp and Gaza City’s Zeitun…

Flash floods and mud slides in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province killed at least 44 people over the weekend while a search for 15 missing people continued, authorities said yesterday. Torrential rain on Saturday evening triggered flash floods, landslides, and cold lava flow – a mud-like mixture of volcanic ash, rock debris and water – in three districts in West Sumatra province, Abdul Malik, chief of the provincial rescue team, told Reuters. The cold lava flow, known in Indonesia as a lahar, came from Mount Marapi, one of Sumatra’s most active volcanoes. In December, more than 20 people were killed after Marapi erupted. A series of eruptions has followed since. “The heavy rain swept materials such as ash and large rocks from the Marapi volcano,” said Abdul Malik, who later added…

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak yesterday insisted that his Conservative party could win a general election despite polls indicating the opposite, but refused to set a date for the vote. Sunak warned that Britain would be less safe under Keir Starmer’s Labour opposition, which is widely tipped to come back to power. Sunak cited Russia’s war in Europe, Iran’s firing of missiles in the Middle East and the uncertainty posed by artificial intelligence as threats that needed to be tackled. | AFP…

KYIV: Ukraine plans record electricity imports from five European countries after reporting significant energy infrastructure damage from Russian strikes, the energy ministry said. Imports are expected to rise to 19 484 megawatt hours (Mwh), beating the record of 18 649 Mwh at the end of March after the first wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector. With Ukraine facing a significant deficit in the system, it plans to import power from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Moldova. The grid operator said emergency assistance from the EU had already been provided. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector have caused more than $1 billion (R18.3bn) of damage. | Reuters…

AmaZulu head coach Pablo Franco Martin is leaning on his side’s character to hopefully power them into the top eight after a gruelling draw with Kaizer Chiefs. Usuthu fought back from an Ashley du Preez goal in the second minute to rescue a point against the Amakhosi and kept themselves within two points of a place in the top eight. Nevertheless, what began as a positive first campaign for Martin has now turned into a scramble by the KwaZulu Natal-based outfit to qualify for next season’s MTN8. Usuthu played in the final of the 2022 edition of the tournament and are desperate to participate in it once again, and have entrusted the Spanish-born coach with that responsibility. Martin spoke to the media after their match against Chiefs in Durban and…

In today’s society, the pursuit of youth seems to outweigh the acceptance of ageing, with many in the Western world viewing the process as undesirable and, for some, frightening. This dread of getting older, experts suggest, might be less about ageing itself and more about the fear of the unknown that comes with it. The constant bombardment of anti-ageing advertisements only serves to deepen the anxiety, suggesting that to age is to become less attractive. Yet, not all hope is lost in the quest for ageing gracefully. Nutritionists argue that while supplements aren’t a magic solution, they play a crucial role in complementing a healthy diet. As we age, our bodies might not absorb nutrients as well, making supplements a useful addition to meet our nutritional needs. Kara Burnstine, a…

Khumalo demands IEC reinstate him as leader or face legal action OUSTED uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) founder Jabulani Khumalo has demanded that the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) reinstate him as party leader or face legal action. His lawyer has sent a letter of demand to the IEC, saying Khumalo did not resign as party leader. He gave the electoral body until today to reinstate him. Speaking to The Mercury the commission said it was aware of the letter of demand, adding that there was little it could do about it. Khumalo is challenging the authenticity of the letter sent to the IEC on April 9, claiming that he had relinquished the leadership of the party to former president Jacob Zuma. In that letter, which bears Khumalo’s…

THE other day, I discovered a new way of commuting between Durban and Maritzburg. I had to get to Maritzburg but my car was not available. It was a bit late to organise a shuttle. A taxi? Huge expense. No problem, said a Zulu fellow named David. He could organise me a ride for R80. Only R80? Durban to Maritzburg? Surely not! But David knows his taxis. He took me to a minibus depot in central Durban. Sure enough, R80 to Maritz- burg. I got into a packed minibus. Packed, a bottom on every seat, but, I emphasise, not overloaded. Payment was by passing your money to the person in front of you, who would pass it to the person in front of them, who would then do the same,…

IT IS with a heavy heart that I pen this tribute to the passing of my dear friend and comrade and veteran Merebank activist, Kumba “Coastal” Govender. Kumba was undoubtedly one of the most formidable activists I had the privilege to know and collaborate with since the late 1970s. There has always been a unique affinity between the Merebank and Tongaat comrades. In many ways, these communities are politically intertwined, connected by what could be described as a political umbilical cord. Both communities nurtured courageous and prominent activists who joined the Struggle against apartheid during their youth. Kumba was a remarkable figure among them. Alongside Ivan Pillay and others, he was a pioneer in community mobilisation and organisation. During my visits, Kumba often shared enthralling tales of his early activism…

ONE of the crucial issues confronting the next South African government come May 29 is the current bidding war led by BHP Group Limited for the potential acquisition of mining giant Anglo-American, whose future dispensation is inextricably linked to the economic prosperity of the country especially in the context of Africa’s prime position in critical mineral reserves and a rising US dollar strutting its strength as the pre-eminent global currency in which global commodities are traded. Any wannabe pretenders such as the Chinese renminbi (RMB) or even an overhyped fictional BRICS currency are mere bystanders. The RMB’s share as a global payment’s currency, according to the April 2024 data from Swift, the international financial messaging service provider, at 4.69% pales into insignificance to the 47.37% of the US dollar and…

India’s six-week election resumed yesterday, including in Kashmir, where voters were expected to show their discontent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cancellation of their disputed territory’s semi-autonomy and the security crackdown that followed. Modi remains popular across much of India and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win the poll when it concludes early next month. But his government’s decision in 2019 to bring Kashmir under its direct rule – and the subsequent clampdown – have been deeply resented among the region’s residents, who will be voting for the first time since the move. “What we’re telling voters now is that you have to make your voice heard,” said former chief minister Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference party is campaigning for the restoration of Kashmir’s former…

Authorities in China were expected yesterday to release a citizen journalist jailed for four years after she documented the early phases of the Covid-19 outbreak from the central city of Wuhan in 2020. Zhang Zhan, 40, had travelled to Wuhan in early 2020 from Shanghai where she was based, posting first-hand accounts from crowded hospitals and empty streets that painted a more dire picture of the pandemic than the official narrative. After several months of reporting that included videos, she was detained in May 2020. She went on hunger strike in late June, prompting police to force-feed her with a tube, her lawyers said at the time. Zhang Zhan’s health seriously declined in jail and she was admitted to a prison hospital in mid-2023. The US State Department condemned Zhang’s…

Yerevan: Armenian police said yesterday that they had detained dozens of people attempting to block streets in the capital Yerevan as part of protests against government plans to concede land to Azerbaijan. Armenia has agreed to hand over territory it has controlled since the 1990s and has started border delimitation efforts, in a bid to secure an elusive peace deal with Baku and avoid another conflict. The territorial concessions have sparked weeks of protests by demonstrators, who have blocked major roads in an attempt to force Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to change course. The interior ministry said 151 people had been detained so far yesterday, but protesters had failed to close off any streets. | AFP…

GENEVA: The US and China will hold their first talks on artificial intelligence (AI) today, with Washington set to raise concerns about Beijing’s use of the fast-emerging technology, US officials said. The inaugural dialogue will take place in Geneva, with senior officials. Both China and the US are rapidly developing their AI sectors. US experts have voiced alarm over the growing ability by Chinese AI engineers to produce “deep fakes” – impersonations of real or dead people. The US, EU and Britain have been working to set regulations on AI in ways they say will protect individual privacy and security. China has sought its own path on AI. | AFP…

For just the second time in Premier League history all three promoted sides are heading back down to the Championship after a season that has exposed the growing gulf between English football’s top two tiers. Burnley and Sheffield United’s relegation has been confirmed with one game to go, while Luton’s mathematical chance of survival means little given the 12-goal swing in goal difference they would need to overtake Nottingham Forest on the final day. Not since 1997/1998 have all three promoted sides been relegated. Crystal Palace, Barnsley and Bolton perished that season but they combined for a total of 108 points. Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United have picked up just 66 points between them this season, 17 of which came against each other, smashing the previous lowest tally for three…

New Zealand captain Sam Cane will retire from Test rugby at the end of 2024, the side said yesterday, calling time on a World Cup-winning 12-year international career. “Having played 95 Tests – 27 as captain – the 32-year-old has decided to focus on spending more time with family and sign a long-term contract with Suntory Goliath in Tokyo,” New Zealand Rugby said in a statement. His retirement is not a complete surprise. The All Blacks haven’t played since they were defeated in the Rugby World Cup final by South Africa last year and Cane was already on a sabbatical in Japan. Cane said the prospect of a three-year deal with the high-spending Tokyo club was too good to pass up. “I had to weigh up everything and, in the…