Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-06-25 i Mercury

AN ANXIETY attack can be scary. Your heart might start racing, you could sweat more than usual and feel restless or jittery. Sometimes, it feels like you can’t breathe properly and your mind is overwhelmed with constant worries. These physical and emotional feelings can make it hard to do everyday tasks. In South Africa, where mental health issues are increasingly common, knowing how to manage anxiety is important. The nation has been reported as having some of the worst mental health issues in the world, with financial troubles, high crime rates and social pressures among the factors that can cause stress and leave many people vulnerable to mental health problems. A 2022 paper by the Wits/Medical Research Council’s Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit painted a grim picture of mental…

A boundary is a line (usually invisible, sometimes literal) that separates a person from all other people. Each person is responsible for the wellness of his or her own boundaries. Indications of poor or troubled boundaries: Sharing too much personal information too soon with someone you hardly know. Falling in love quickly – for some, instantly – and with anyone who reaches out. Being preoccupied – can’t get him/her out of my head – with someone. Going against your values to please or attract someone. Hoping someone you meet will have poor boundaries. Accepting food, gifts, touch, or sex you do not want. Taking for the sake of getting; giving for the sake of giving. Letting someone be in charge of your life. Allowing someone else to say what you…

Dear Honourable Minister Bheki Cele. I write to you with a heart weighed down by the heavy reality of my existence in Westbury, where my mother resides, due to the resolute grip of financial constraints. Growing up in this environment has shaped my understanding of life, survival and the fragile thread upon which our existence hangs. In Westbury, the spectre of mortality looms large and omnipresent, turning it into a precarious tightrope of existence. Each moment is tinged with the haunting possibility that it could be my last. This is not mere hyperbole but a stark, unvarnished truth that I live with daily. The air is fraught with tension, where any gesture, no matter how innocuous, can be grossly misinterpreted as a sign of gang affiliation, turning me into a…

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), whose 58 MPs will be sworn in at Parliament today, said they will lead the Progressive Caucus in Parliament and not be part of the ANC and DA-led Government of National Unity (GNU). The MKP, EFF (39 seats), Vuyo Zungula’s ATM (2) and UAT (1) are the only parties in the Progressive Caucus, after the quick exit of the UDM and Al Jama-ah parties. With MKP’s 58 seats, the caucus will have 100 seats as the opposition. MKP former secretary-general Sihle Ngubane confirmed to The Mercury that they will be joining the Progressive Caucus, saying they are ready to serve the people in Parliament. The MKP MPs refused to show up at the swearing-in ceremony for the first post-election sitting of the National Assembly on…

Former MMC for Agriculture and Environmental Management Dana Wannenburg has made a comeback into the Tshwane mayoral executive committee as political head of Corporate and Shared Services, previously led by Kingsley Wakelin, now an MP. Wannenburg served under former mayor Steven Mokgalapa and was retained in the same position by Randall Williams after he assumed the mayoral position in November 2020. Williams recently resigned as a DA councillor, but he remained tight-lipped about his future as a politician. Mayor Cilliers Brink reintroduced Wannenburg to the committee after the departure of Wakelin to Parliament following the general elections. He thanked Wakelin for his immense contribution and dedication to the City of Tshwane as a DA councillor and as an MMC. “I have no doubt that he will add value to Parliament.…

With power now within their grasp, the DA’s selectivity is galling THE abomination called the Government of National Unity (GNU) has not yet got off the ground and it has already done the nation a great service. It has caused real, and fierce public debate, and that is an infinitely good thing. It has helped to break down the walls of apathy behind which too many of us have been hiding for too long. It is, it seems, not a debate exclusively dominated by academics, the colonialist media, politicians, or the elite-accredited pundits and “thought leaders” from think tanks and Foundations with hidden, pro-apartheid agendas. The people are talking. Since 1994, it seems we have been waking up in one foggy morning after the other: first the euphoria of…

A lithium battery factory in South Korea was set on fire after multiple batteries exploded yesterday, killing 22 workers, most of them Chinese nationals, fire officials said. The fire and a series of explosions ripped through the factory run by primary battery manufacturer Aricell in Hwaseong, an industrial cluster southwest of the capital Seoul. The victims likely succumbed to extremely toxic gas within seconds of the blaze getting out of control, the officials said. It was unclear what caused the explosions and the fire was largely extinguished in about six hours. Eighteen Chinese workers, two South Koreans and one Laotian were among the dead. The nationality of the other dead worker was yet to be confirmed, Kim Jin-young, an official at the Hwaseong fire service, told reporters, citing company officials.…

A Delhi city minister has started an indefinite hunger strike to demand more drinking water for India’s capital, where taps in some of its poorest areas are running nearly dry amid searing heat. “There are 2.8 million people in the city aching for just a drop of water,” Delhi Water Minister Atishi said yesterday, the fourth day of her fast. Delhi relies on the Yamuna River that runs through the capital for most of its water needs but the river slows down during dry summer months, causing shortages that lead to protests and calls for better water conservation. Atishi blamed the neighbouring farming state of Haryana for guzzling up the water. Haryana’s government hit back, saying Delhi’s mismanagement was causing water shortages. Experts said a review of water sharing pacts…

Sofia: Fugitive Bulgarian druglord Evelin Banev, wanted in several European countries, surrendered to the authorities yesterday. The former wrestler had been sought since 2018. Ukrainian authorities caught him in Kyiv in 2021 but refused to extradite him because he had acquired Ukrainian nationality. Banev, 59, fled after being sentenced in 2013 in Bulgaria to jail for money laundering. He has been the subject of an Interpol red notice since then. Banev was also wanted by Romania where he was sentenced to jail for drug trafficking; and Italy for smuggling in up to 40 tons of cocaine and supplying the ‘Ndrangheta mafia. | AFP…

Yangon: A first batch of 5 000 conscripts called up by Myanmar’s junta will begin duty at the end of this month, military sources said yesterday, as the generals struggle to crush opposition to their coup. The junta enforced a conscription law in February, three years after it seized power and sparked a widespread armed uprising that has spread across swathes of the country. The law allows the military to summon all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve in the armed forces for at least two years. Myanmar has 14 regional military commands. At least 10 of them are engaged in fighting established ethnic minority armed groups. | AFP…

While England already have one foot in the knockout round of Euro 2024 and can finish no lower than third in their group, they need to make their presence felt at a tournament that has seen optimism around them wither after two lacklustre games. England need to avoid defeat in Cologne tonight to guarantee progress and will definitely top the group with a win. If Denmark fail to beat Serbia in the other Group C match, England will qualify regardless of their result against Slovenia. Slovenia will go through to the last 16 if they win. Supporters and pundits have levelled scathing criticism at Gareth Southgate’s England side after their 1-0 win over Serbia and anxious 1-1 draw with Denmark that saw fans boo them off the pitch before the…

Breaststroke specialist Kaylene Corbett has competed at the Olympics before but will treat her 2024 Paris campaign as a novel experience. Corbett was named in the initial list of 39 athletes for the Olympic Games in Paris and is one of 15 athletes who previously competed at the world’s premier quadrennial international multi-sport event. At the Tokyo Olympics, Corbett reached the final of the 200m breaststroke and finished fifth behind fellow South African Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker), the eventual winner in record-breaking time. It was the first time since Sydney 2000 that two South African women reached the finals of the same event. In April this year, Corbett secured her Olympics ticket with a qualifying time at the South African Swimming Championships at Newton Park swimming pool in Port Elizabeth.…

RACHEL KOLISI, wife of rugby star Siya Kolisi, recently returned to social media after a three-week break. While three weeks might not seem like a long time to some, for influencers and those deeply embedded in the digital world, it can feel like an eternity. Rachel’s hiatus served as a period of much-needed respite and reflection, as she shared with her followers on Instagram. “I took a very unintentional but MUCH needed break from social media. And did a whole lot of praying. Feels kind of awkward doing a post again actually,” she posted. She shared that the prayer and introspection left her feeling refreshed and revitalised. “I have some amazing things coming up that I’m excited to share with you all. But mostly here to encourage you. If you…

EThekwini Municipality meeting with potential New York investors to grow economy Political parties have welcomed the news that eThekwini Municipality officials are meeting with New York investors to potentially invest in the City. A team from the City that includes eThekwini City manager Musa Mbhele is currently meeting with investors over deals that could benefit the city. “Captains of industry from various sectors in the US pledged new future investment,” he said. “This follows a series of strategic engagements being held in the USA led by chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee, councillor Thembo Ntuli.” Mbhele said the City is in the US to cement linkages between Durban and US-based investors and businesses. Some of the high-impact catalytic projects under way in Durban include the Dube Trade Port…

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile’s future in the Government of National Unity (GNU) is hanging in the balance after the DA showed its intentions to occupy his position as deputy president of the country. This comes after widespread expectation for President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce his Cabinet after negotiations with parties under the newly formed GNU. Mashatile has been deputy president to Ramaphosa for both party and country since the 2022 ANC elective conference where he was elected, replacing David Mabuza. The ANC, DA and IFP recently formed a GNU following last month’s general elections where all parties failed to gain an outright majority, forcing them to work together in the ANC-led GNU. The Patriotic Alliance, the GOOD Party, and the PAC later joined the trio. However, the list…

AFTER 30 years of democracy under one political party, there are bound to be serious teething problems with the sudden major departure from the 30 years of dominance of the ANC in government. As we embark on this new form of government, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are in this messy situation, because of the 30 years of ANC rule that has ended in failure, as shown by the election results. The important thing at this stage is for us all to identify the most important entities that are the fabric of any healthy, progressive society, things that can make or break a society such as education and health care, and the assigning of positions to the different political parties should depend on the strength…

WHEN will the ANC realise it is its errant behaviour that is chasing voters and supporters away from the party? It is reported Zizi Kodwa will be sworn in as an MP this week. This is outrageous because Kodwa has been charged in court over bribery claims stemming from the state capture commission. Following its own rules and regulations, Kodwa should have stepped aside as he deals with this matter, but here he is going with no worry to Parliament. If the ANC is unable to respect its own internal processes, why should the public have any confidence that it will respect the laws of the country? What about all those expelled from the party for having been criminally charged? What does this say about the image of the party…

In a case which concerns the global phenomenon of child abduction – and involves an application premised on the provisions of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction – the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that a boy, now 3, had to be returned to Canada where his father lived. The father turned to the SCA as he appealed against an earlier order by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, which ordered that the boy can remain with his mother in Pretoria. Ruling in favour of the father, the SCA commented that this matter brings to the fore the difficult task faced by courts whenever they are called upon to decide whether to return an abducted or retained child to his or her home country as…

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) says it condemns and is investigating after a board member allegedly used a “racial slur” on social media last week to describe some members of the association. It is alleged that the board member used the words “vanilla people” to describe some CMA members in a WhatsApp message. The CMA said the context of the remarks will be fully investigated while KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZN Athletics) said it will also write to the CMA for appropriate action to be taken. The board member has not been identified by the CMA. The CMA said that the board was “deeply disappointed and shocked” to receive a report concerning the posting of overtly racist remarks by one of its members within a WhatsApp chat group formed by members of…

In a society where consumer safety and well-being should be paramount, it is alarming to witness the prevalence of outlets around the country selling goods that have passed their sell-by, use-by, or best before dates. The recent findings from the National Consumer Commission (NCC) regarding non-compliance and the sale of expired goods should serve as a wake-up call to municipal authorities to take decisive action. It is imperative that local authorities step up their efforts in conducting regular inspections of these outlets to ensure the health and safety of consumers. For instance, eThekwini Municipality’s Health Unit, which already has inspectors monitoring the quality of goods sold in outlets across the city, should intensify their efforts in eradicating the selling of substandard and expired goods. The recent countrywide compliance inspections initiated…

Two Israeli air strikes targeting aid supplies killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza yesterday, medics said, as Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Rafah in the south and fought their way back into areas in the north they had already subdued months ago. One strike at a food distribution centre in Gaza City, near the Shati historic refugee camp, killed three people. Another, near Bani Suhaila town in the southern Gaza Strip, killed at least eight, including guards who accompany aid trucks, the medics said. Israel denies attacking aid efforts and accuses militants of causing harm to civilians by operating among them. Overnight, an Israeli air strike at a medical clinic in Gaza City killed the director of Gaza’s Ambulance and Emergency Department, the enclave’s health ministry said. Israel’s military…

LONDON: Princess Anne, King Charles’ younger sister, was in hospital after suffering a head injury on Sunday, Buckingham Palace said, adding that she was expected to make a full recovery from the incident which was believed to have involved a horse. The palace said yesterday that the 73-year-old had suffered minor injuries and concussion following the incident and she was now recovering at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, west England. The princess had been walking in the grounds of Gatcombe Park estate where her home is located when she suffered minor injuries to her head, a royal source said. There were horses in the vicinity and her medical team said the head injuries were consistent with impact from a horse’s head or legs. | Reuters…

Jakarta: A cyberattack on Indonesia’s national data centre compromised 210 government offices and caused long delays at the capital’s main airport, with the hacker demanding $8 million (R145m) in ransom, officials said. Long queues formed at immigration gates at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport last week after systems went down in the attack, carried out using software developed by Russian ransomware outfit LockBit. The ransomware, known as Brain Cipher, made encrypted government data. LockBit has targeted governments, major companies, schools and hospitals, causing billions in damage and extracting millions in ransom. | AFP…

France will try to finally get the goals flowing against already-eliminated Poland as they seek to finish top of their Euro 2024 group today, but questions remain about the availability of key forward Kylian Mbappe. The striker – who broke his nose in France’s opener against Austria – donned a mask to take part in a practice match on Saturday against the under-21 side of German club Paderborn in which he scored twice and set up two other goals. France have so far failed to score themselves in Germany – they beat Austria in their opener courtesy of an own goal and drew 0-0 with the Netherlands – so coach Didier Deschamps will be tempted to bring Mbappe back against Poland. Netherlands lead Group D, having scored more goals than…

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC has wasted no time in addressing service delivery logjams in eThekwini Municipality, announcing urgent intervention plans aimed at resuscitating the metro. Cogta MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has written to the City’s executive committee informing it of a request to meet to discuss the intervention. The meeting is expected to take place on Thursday at the Durban City Hall. Last year, the ANC-led provincial government had announced plans to implement section 154 intervention in eThekwini. Section 154 refers to the enlisting of experts to assist the municipality in areas where there are concerns. At the time, it was announced that experts including former director-general in the Presidency Dr Cassius Lubisi and Durban’s former municipal manager and local government consultant Michael Sutcliffe…

FRENCH politics have suddenly turned very dirty indeed. Parisians threatened to defecate in the River Seine last Sunday, according to CBS News, in a protest ahead of the Olympics. This was the day Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo was to swim in the Seine to prove how clean it is for Olympic athletes. But she then delayed until after the French elections next month. President Emmanuel Macron has also promised to swim in the Seine before the Games, but has not said when. People, angry at the expense of cleaning up the river, have rallied under the hashtag “JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin”, which translates as “I … (vulgar word for defecate) in the Seine on June 23.” Okay, the action has been postponed. But the anger? A website has been set up with the…

REVEREND Musa Zondi is a man of God. I worked with him. After Zondi’s long absence, God has sent him back to bring sanity to the IFP. The IFP needs spiritual upliftment. With only 18% of the votes in KZN, the IFP has decided to ignore the will of 44% of the voters, that which was gained by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP). This is robbery. The IFP leaders got into the legislature by fighting for positions. Others whom we voted for to become MPs in the national government are waiting to see who will become deputy president and who will become ministers. They are interested in themselves. Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi must be turning in his grave, knowing that his party is crumbling. The IFP doesn’t exist. It is bunched…

Do you want to become a millionaire overnight? It’s easy, as many government employees have found. No qualifications or experience needed and no slogging for years. Just get a ticket from your uncle in the ANC, hop aboard the overnight, luxury ANC Millionaire’s Express and, like magic, the next morning, you’ll wake up rich – a millionaire. You’d be joining an exclusive club of 55 000 government employees who earn R1 million or more a year. They are the new generation of ANC millionaires being created by the government. And they are growing in number each year. You’ll often see this bling crowd leading the high life. They flash around in their big luxury vehicles and frequent big shopping malls, purchasing sought-after luxury items like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Despite…

After 40 years of dedicated service to the Garlandale High School community, principal Dawn Crowie has bid farewell and will officially be retiring at the end of the month. Rondebosch East resident Crowie, 61, originally from Belthorn Estate, saw her last day occupying the principal’s office, at the “place where it all started and ended” on June 14, when the school closed for the June holidays. “I was always wanting to be a Physical Education (PT) teacher and so that's what I studied after matric. “And then I got a post at Garlandale High from the first of January 1984 and I was a teacher of Physical Education and Typing. “I taught that for a number of years and then also, I think in 1989, I started teaching History. And…

THE 22-year-old student accused of murdering Sandton teacher Kirsten Kluyts, 34, while she was taking part in a MyRun event last year, will remain behind bars for the duration of his trial after he lost his appeal against the earlier refusal to grant him bail. The Alexandra Regional Court refused him bail after the magistrate found that, on the face of it, the State had a good case against accused Bafana Mahungela. He turned to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, to appeal the ruling. Judge RS Strydom said the interest of justice did not permit the release from detention of an accused where there was a likelihood the accused would endanger the safety of the public. The judge said implicit in the charge of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances…

The Department of Health has announced the arrival of a batch of Mpox-specific treatment, Tecovirimat – also known as TPOXX or ST-246 – which would be used to treat patients who developed severe health complications. The department has sought to allay fears about monkeypox, or Mpox, saying the disease is preventable and treatable if people who think they could be infected are clinically evaluated as soon as possible. This comes as the number of cases rose to 13 at the weekend, with seven in KwaZulu-Natal; five in Gauteng; and one in Cape Town. All those infected are in their 20s and 30s. Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said South Africa had acquired the medication from the World Health Organization. The WHO said it was important to distinguish Mpox from chickenpox,…

THE City of Tshwane is beset by problems of ageing infrastructure and acts of sabotage that have been blamed for prolonged water outages in Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding areas in Region 7. MMC for utility services Themba Fosi said he observed first-hand the challenges stemming from the ageing infrastructure in Region 7 during his oversight visit with mayor Cilliers Brink. This came after The Mercury’s sister title the Pretoria News last week reported that residents in the area went for days without water after the couplings used for joining pipes to Zithobeni reservoir were stretched and blasted shortly after the repairs were done. The City has since said the repairs were successfully completed, but pointed out that its infrastructure is old and vulnerable to acts of sabotage. During the visit to…

FROM trade union supremo to business guru to president of the republic, the newly sworn-in President Cyril Ramaphosa, for his second administration, cut a dapper if also a politically compromised figure. The sheer relief on his beaming face when Chief Justice Raymond Zondo swore him in perhaps betrayed a nervousness of what lies ahead. With the election done and dusted, the logical metamorphosis for Ramaphosa has been into a bespoke metaphorical cabinetmaker – kitchen or otherwise – with the unenviable playbook of allocating ministerial Cabinet posts and largesse and placating the seven-strong cohort of parties (at the latest count) that forms the Government of National Unity (GNU). The optics of President Ramaphosa posing with John Steenhuisen, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Gayton McKenzie, and Patricia de Lille only a few weeks ago would…

Russian lawmakers yesterday blamed external forces, including Ukraine and NATO, for terrorist attacks yesterday that killed at least 19 people in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim region of Russia in the North Caucasus that has long been a hotbed of violence by Islamist militants. The gunfire attacks on Sunday – at a police post, a synagogue and Orthodox churches in the regional capital of Makhachkala and a second city, Derbent – killed at least 17 police officers and an Orthodox priest, authorities said. Pro-Kremlin media appeared to play down a claim from Al Azaim Media, a Russian-language channel associated with the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, which posted a statement late Sunday that the attack was carried out in response to calls for attacks on behalf of the Islamic State organization,…

Former nurse Lucy Letby, convicted last year of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six others, has told an English court she had never harmed nor intended to harm a child in her care. Letby, 34, was found guilty last August of the multiple murders while she was working as a nurse in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England, between June 2015 and June 2016. The former nurse is on trial at Manchester Crown Court charged with one count of attempted murder of another baby girl, known as Child K, in February 2016. Letby was asked by her defence lawyer Ben Myers yestrday if she had attempted to kill Child K. “No,” she replied, denying she had intended to do the baby…

ABIDJAN: Floods and landslides killed at least 24 people in 10 days in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city, authorities said yesterday after an unusually intense start to the rainy season. Rain around four times heavier than normal fell on the economic capital over several days in that period, causing spectacular rises in water levels and landslides. The National Office for Civil Protection reported 24 deaths after “torrential rains from June 13 to June 22”, warning of the risk of collapsed buildings. Two more people were missing after being “swept away by the waters”, it said. About a quarter of the rain expected over the entire three-month rainy season from May to July fell in 24 hours. | AFP…

Nairobi: Kenya’s President William Ruto bid a ceremonial goodbye yesterday to 400 police officers set to lead a UN-backed mission to tackle gang violence in Haiti, it was reported. The East African nation offered to send 1 000 police to stabilise Haiti, alongside forces from several other countries, but the deployment has run into persistent legal troubles. The deployment was approved by a UN Security Council resolution. Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the Haiti mission and doubts over its funding, while watchdogs have accused Kenyan police of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings. Reuters…