Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-07-23 i Mercury

Dry skin, medically known as xerosis, is a common condition that can be both irritating and uncomfortable. While it is often harmless and can be caused by environmental factors, it can sometimes indicate more serious underlying health issues. Understanding the potential causes and signs can help you identify when it's more than just a surface-level problem. With winter in full force in South Africa, people who suffer from dry skin are getting ready. They are stocking up on oil-based creams and heavier moisturisers to fight the cold, dry weather. For many, small changes in skincare routines, using a humidifier indoors and drinking more water will help improve their skin. However, these simple methods may not be enough for everyone. Dr Bradley Wagemaker, a Medical Director at Lamelle Pharmaceuticals, points out…

I hope very few or no one else is having a problem understanding how a Government of National Unity works generally, not only in South Africa. In our case, this form of government did not just happen, it was resorted to as an urgent solution to the shocking realisation that after 30 years of ANC government, voters no longer trusted any political party to be the sole governor of their country; not a single party including the ANC had an outright majority win in the 2024 elections. In this situation, I thought all parties involved understood clearly that no party had a right to impose its policies or ideology over others. Such arrogance cannot be tolerated if we know what we want to achieve. Compromise is the name of the…

I HAVE been a loyal daily reader of The Mercury newspaper for the past 10 years, and I can say without fear or favour, The Mercury offers more value for money despite being a daily. The next issue is ravenously awaited. All categories from Metro to world, opinion, lifestyle, Business Report, classifieds and sport; you’re always sure to get value for money and newsworthy reading. But this is partly the reason I jotted down this piece. I have witnessed readers from all corners of the country writing their views on the letters section of the paper, and seen esteemed politicians especially from the DA and IFP using this platform to advance their agenda and views. Their views are published without prejudice. I wonder why these parties never raise concern when…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa said yesterday those who shared the vision of a better South Africa would find the doors of the Government of National Unity (GNU) always open to co-operation and collaboration. “It is expected of all who have been entrusted with positions of leadership within the GNU that we rise to the challenge to be builders and not breakers,” he said. He made the statement when he was replying to a debate on his Opening of Parliament Address. “We must be at the forefront of building a capable, ethical developmental state, of growing an inclusive economy, and reducing poverty.” On Thursday, Ramaphosa outlined three strategic priorities: inclusive growth and job creation; reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable; ethical and developmental state. Yesterday,…

PERHAPS it’s an omen for the future South Africa, with its groundbreaking 11-member Government of National Unity (GNU), that the opening of Parliament and the marking of the annual UN-designated Nelson Mandela International Day were convened last Thursday, July 18, in a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Cape Town City Hall. The relocated venue overlooking the historic Grand Parade is a poignant reminder that the challenges for the nascent 30-year post-apartheid democracy bear down heavily on the new crop of members of Parliament in the 400-seat National Assembly. The traditional historic majestic Parliament complex suffered a wilful and severe arson attack in January 2022. The complex is being renovated. That the opening of Parliament was unusually calm and sombre-tempered, with some reflection, at a time when the Cape…

Israel will be the US’s strongest ally in the Middle East regardless of who is elected president in November, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday before flying to Washington, where he was due to address the US Congress. The visit, Netanyahu’s first to his most important international ally since returning for a record sixth term as prime minister at the end of 2022, has been overshadowed by US President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek re- election. Netanyahu said he would thank Biden for all he had done for Israel throughout his career and discuss with him issues such as securing the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, defeating the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, and confronting Iran and its proxies in the region. A meeting with Biden was tentatively planned…

Britain’s former finance minister Nadhim Zahawi is assembling a £600 million (R14 billion) bid for the Daily Telegraph, Sky News reported yesterday. Zahawi, who left parliament in May after opting not to stand again in his Stratford-on-Avon seat, has approached a number of billionaire backers to help finance an offer for the daily newspaper, its Sunday sister title and the Spectator magazine, it said. Zahawi is said to be in talks about a bid for the Telegraph directly with International Media Investments (IMI), the Abu Dhabi-based vehicle which holds a majority of RedBird IMI, which effectively took control of the Telegraph and Spectator magazine in December when it repaid a debt owed by its then-owner, the Barclay family, to Lloyds Bank. But the acquisition, already subjected to regulatory inquiry, was…

DHAKA: The Bangladeshi student group leading demonstrations that have spiralled into deadly violence suspended protests yesterday for 48 hours, with its leader saying they had not wanted reform “at the expense of so much blood”. What began as demonstrations against politicised admission quotas for sought-after government jobs snowballed into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure. A curfew has been imposed and soldiers are patrolling cities, while a nationwide internet blackout since last week has restricted the flow of information to the outside world. The Supreme Court has pared back the number of reserved jobs. | AFP…

WASHINGTON: US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle admitted to Congress yesterday that she and her agency failed when a would-be assassin wounded Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a July 13 campaign rally in Pennsylvania this week. “We failed,” Cheatle, who faces Republican calls for her removal, said before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee. In the face of Republican claims that the Secret Service denied resources to protect Trump, she said security for the former president had grown ahead of the shooting. She declined to answer questions about the day’s security plan, saying it was being investigated. | Reuters…

Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth said yesterday that the club’s new hierarchy are determined to restore their team’s tarnished reputation after “falling below the required standards” last season. Ashworth is part of a new football brains trust at Old Trafford installed by Jim Ratcliffe after the British billionaire purchased a minority stake in United. Ratcliffe has control over United’s football operations and earlier this year underlined his determination to knock Manchester City “off their perch” as the Premier League’s dominant force. United finished 31 points behind champions City, but gave a glimpse of their potential by beating Pep Guardiola’s side in the FA Cup final. That proved enough to save Erik ten Hag’s job after the United manager was reportedly close to the sack after United’s eighth-place finish. Ashworth,…

Most people know that with every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The knowledge does not seem to stop the parent of an adult son or daughter from trying to “push” and “pull” an adult son or daughter out of a relationship the parent might think is unfit or unhealthy. Pushing, pulling and coercing, will result in resistance. Accepting and embracing the relationship paves the way for open conversations. Coercing closes dialogue. Loyalties are invisible and often confusing. The loyalties that connect people will often make no sense to outsiders or even insiders. Thus, if anyone messes with a pre-existing relationship, even if invited, they will pay the price. This is one reason healthy step-parenting is extraordinarily difficult. The step-parent will always, in some way, be an “outsider”.…

I respond to Visvin Reddy’s letter published on Thursday, July 18, titled, “It’s a government of national convenience”. Reddy’s opening statement spells out the disastrous route this country is taking. I agree with him when he questions how Cyril Ramaphosa’s bloated Cabinet betrays voters and drains resources. How could the president justify paying each one of his ministers and deputy ministers more than R200 000 per month. Yes R200 000 per month. It is mind boggling that each one of these members of the bloated Cabinet gets paid monthly more than the R1 000 (sic) old-age people get paid per month. The president and the ANC were very astute. They pulled the wool over the eyes of their “GNU” counterparts. But they could not worry because they have been eyeing…

Irony is defined as a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result. Isn’t it gloriously ironic that the bombing of a children’s hospital in Ukraine caused such a furore, and rightfully so, yet the consistent bombing of no fewer than eight UNWRA schools in Gaza elicited a few meagre headlines and barely a raised eyebrow? Or how about this? Apparently Hiroshima officials have rejected calls to exclude Israel from this year’s atomic bomb commemorations, the purpose of which is to promote world peace. The event is held to commemorate the horrific attack on the people of Nagasaki by the US that ultimately ended world war II. And guess who scored an invite? Yes. The very…

The eThekwini Municipality plans to implement water restrictions today in areas supplied by the Wiggins Treatment Water Works Gravity System ahead of a major shutdown by uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) in August. This newsflash was shared by eThekwini ward councillors, who posted the announcement in community groups to alert residents. “The water restrictions will take place on Tuesday, July 23, from 8am to 4pm,” said the City. The City said the Water and Sanitation Unit will close its valves today in order for uMngeni-uThukela to assess work conditions in preparation for the major shutdown next month. The shutdown is to replace 1 200mm diameter sales meters on the gravity bulk pipeline, it said. “For this assessment to be undertaken by UUW, the City’s valves will be closed, and the scour will…

Goolam Muhammed Suliman Vawda, known on social media as @goolammv, has left the country after being unmasked by Independent Media investigative journalists. Reports indicate that Vawda has escaped South Africa and is now in Mauritius, where he is said to have fled after the first of several criminal charges against him have been laid following more than six years of using his anonymous account to defame prominent detractors of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the DA. “Because an owner of a media house and another person that I have rightly called out have put a total of R3 million on my head, I have safely left the country. Will reach my final destination country tomorrow which I will call home for a while. I will then continue doing what I was…

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s recent announcement of an investigation into private-sector corruption marks a significant and much-needed development in the fight against corruption in South Africa. For too long, the spotlight has shone almost exclusively on public- sector corruption, and rightly so. The pervasive corruption within government ranks has severely hampered service delivery and eroded public trust. However, this focus has inadvertently given the private sector a free pass, allowing corrupt practices to flourish unchecked. This must come to an end. Dr Motsoaledi’s probe will target specific areas of concern within the private healthcare sector: medical aid fraud; inflated prices for medical procedures and supplies; and fraudulent medico-legal suits of malpractice against the state. These corrupt activities siphon off significant resources that could otherwise bolster the public healthcare system,…

Political decisions taken this year will determine whether a target to end Aids as a public health threat by 2030 can be reached, the UN said yesterday. Figures from 2023 show a drop in new infections and fatalities and improvement in access to treatment for HIV-positive patients. But while those figures look positive, the UNAids agency warned that the progress remained fragile. “Decisions leaders make this year will determine whether (or not) countries can achieve the 2030 target of ending Aids as a public health threat and ensure progress beyond 2030,” the report said. In the over four decades since the Aids pandemic burst on to the global scene, it has killed more than 42 million people. While Aids-related deaths have been steadily declining, falling from 670 000 in…

New York: Hunter Biden has dropped his lawsuit against Fox News, filed after the US broadcaster used real nude images of him in a fictional drama concerning the president’s son, court filings showed. The voluntary dismissal came as US president Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign. The Trial of Hunter Biden was made up of six episodes published in 2022 on Fox Nation, the conservative broadcaster’s online platform owned by the family of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. A dramatised version of a criminal trial depicted Hunter being prosecuted for graft. The images originated from a laptop that Hunter dropped off at a computer repair shop but never collected.…

BELGRADE: A gunman entered a nursing home in north-western Croatia yesterday shooting dead at least six people, including his mother, and injuring six others, a government minister said. One of the wounded later died in hospital, taking the death toll to six, while four remain in critical condition. One of the victims was a nursing home employee, Marin Piletic, minister for labour, pension, family and social policy, said. Authorities have given no motive for the attack. Croatian media reported that the gunman, born in 1973, is a war veteran. The killer fled the scene, but was later arrested by the police, N1 news portal reported. | Reuters…

The Springboks can look back at four successful Tests under the returning Rassie Erasmus that yielded a 75% success rate, but more importantly, kick-started “Project 2027” with plenty of positives. A last-gasp drop goal in the second Test against Ireland prevented a clean sweep in the first four Tests, but convincing wins over Wales and Portugal, with plenty of fresh faces successfully making their debuts, will trump that loss for now. The year will only get tougher, though, when the Springboks begin their campaign in the Rugby Championship Down Under against Australia, next month. At the end of August and start of September arch-rivals New Zealand head to Johannesburg and Cape Town for double Tests in the tournament. The Boks will name their squad for the opening Tests in Brisbane…

FOR many people around the world, coffee is more than just a beverage ‒ it is a daily ritual, a source of comfort, and often, a means of kick-starting the day. If you are one of the many who cannot imagine starting your morning without that cherished Cup of Joe or if you simply relish the idea of exploring new ways to enhance your coffee experience, you have come to the right place. Below, we will delve into the world of coffee hacks. Make coffee ice cubes Iced coffee is not just a summer drink, it is enjoyed all year around and this coffee hack is especially fun to try at home. Instead of adding ice cubes made with water to your coffee drink, add coffee ice cubes. This way,…

A MARGIN of 64-21 … a trouncing for Portugal – yet this is only on paper. The match in Bloemfontein last weekend was somehow a spectacle that transcended the outcome. The Portuguese were first off the mark, with a try after some breathtaking running and handling, all caution thrown to the winds. Exhilarating stuff to watch. The Boks came back strong, of course, also in fine fashion, and built the points. But somehow the Portuguese never seemed out of it and towards the end, appreciably built their share of points. An unusual and wonderful game and the first I saw refereed by a woman, Scottish lass Holly Davies, who is not only a good looker, she clearly has imbibed the spirit of the game. The damsels of the Pub With…

AS PREDICTED by all those who believe in the ultimate power of just one religion – viz human rights and equality for all – the tide has finally turned against the land-snatchers aka Zionist Israel. For those who preferred to look the other way like ostriches that bury their heads in the sand so as not to reveal their shame but be shamed by the enemy, this historic list of utterances happened last weekend. Virtually the whole free world, in one loud clear voice, pushed the dagger-wielding proverbial Roman thumbs down into the artificial but not so intelligent belly of this unnatural monster. Death throes are imminent. The varices, as occurs at the last stages of cirrhosis of the liver, will now begin to bleed irreversibly. Tantrums louder than holy…

The tension between ANC and DA over the finalisation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill is being viewed as a major test for the newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU). The amendment bill was passed by the National Assembly in May but sits on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s desk, awaiting his signature. Some political parties, including the DA and ActionSA and civil society organisations, have rejected the bill and threatened to challenge it in court while the ANC, SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and other unions supported the bill which was crafted under then-education minister Angie Motshekga’s watch. The contentious bill seeks to amend key education laws in South Africa and has sparked controversy and drew criticism from various quarters. The Bela Bill proposes significant amendments…

Concerned entities say while progress is being made by the President Cyril Ramaphosa - appointed eThekwini Presidential Working Group (PWG), more needs to be done regarding the challenges facing the municipality. Ramaphosa highlighted the challenges in eThekwini during his address at the Opening of Parliament last week, stressing the importance of returning the City to its former stature. Ramaphosa told the National Assembly that he had visited eThekwini earlier this year. “I met residents of the City, with local business leaders and municipal officials. They told me that they wanted to work together to build a City that they could be proud of again. “We have since put in place the eThekwini Presidential Working Group to enhance support from national and provincial governments to turn the Metro administration around, to…

The civil rights organisation AfriForum has started legal proceedings to challenge the National Assembly’s (NA) recent appointment of former judge president John Hlophe as a member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) in the Constitutional Court. AfriForum is requesting the Constitutional Court in its application to declare that Hlophe’s appointment is irrational, unlawful and in conflict with the NA’s constitutional duty. AfriForum has already served its court documents electronically on the Speaker of Parliament, Hlophe and the MK Party. An application requesting, among other things, direct access to the Constitutional Court, will be issued to the Concourt this week. According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, it is unthinkable that aspiring judges’ ethics, integrity and suitability to serve as a judge should henceforth be assessed by Hlophe as a member…

Civil society organisations have some answers to problems facing SA WE LIVE in uncertain times. Economic shocks that expose our country’s apartheid legacy, as well as our government’s self-inflicted wounds, technological changes that expose the deepening inequality caused by the digital divide, pandemics, the climate emergency and inter-party conflict after intra-conflict (at political party, traditional leadership, taxi industry, gangster, and family-levels) have combined to create a widespread mood of insecurity, erosion of social cohesion, and citizen distrust of the government. This might seem to be the natural realm of the political elite: a politics-oriented protection of the current state of affairs and rooted in the appeal of patriarchal hierarchy, colonial tradition, and political patronage. In recent years we have seen how it can fuel the populist corrupt elite in particular,…

US Vice-President Kamala Harris raced yesterday to lock in Democratic support and secure the party’s nomination to take on Donald Trump in November after President Joe Biden’s sensational exit. Armed with Biden’s endorsement, the 59-year-old has quickly won the backing of a flood of Democrats as she prepares to kick off her first full day of campaigning with an event at the White House. Harris must still win over some key hold-outs if she is to wrap up the nomination, which could happen as quickly as August 1, while some Democrats are still calling for the party to show transparency with an open primary. America’s first female, black and South Asian vice-president also has a unique opportunity to unify the party, after 81-year-old Biden’s historic decision to step aside from…

Soldiers and police sealed off the headquarters of Uganda’s biggest opposition party yesterday in what police called a precautionary move ahead of anti-government protests planned for today despite a ban. In posts on social media platform X, National Unity Platform party chief Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, said security personnel had surrounded NUP headquarters in the capital Kampala, barring anyone from entering or exiting. Wine said several NUP leaders had been “violently arrested” and also showed pictures of military personnel at the premises alongside parked army trucks. Police did not immediately respond when sought for comment about the reported arrests. Wine, 42, a pop star turned politician, has in recent years emerged as the biggest challenger to veteran President Yoweri Museveni, 79. Ugandan youth who have spearheaded recent…

MOSCOW: The Kremlin yesterday slammed France for blocking some Russian journalists from covering the Olympic Games in Paris, after French officials said they suspected several of being undercover spies. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said Paris had rejected a “large number” of applications from Russian citizens for media accreditation to cover the Games. “We consider this decision unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “It violates freedom of the media,” he added. Russia has been banned from competing in the Games, which open on Friday, over its military offensive on Ukraine. A handful of Russian athletes are being allowed to compete under a neutral flag. | AFP…

PORT LOUIS: The United Arab Emirates and Mauritius signed an economic agreement aimed at increasing bilateral trade, particularly in the financial, logistics and services sectors. The pact marks the Gulf country’s first such deal with an African nation, according to the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani Al Zeyoudi. The agreement aims to boost non-oil, bilateral trade between the two countries to $500 million in five years from $170m in 2023. The pact will include trading of petrochemicals, heavy machinery, precious metals and food, and will add about 1% to both countries’ gross domestic product by the end of the decade, he said. | Bloomberg…

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus will announce his squad today for the double Tests in Australia during the Rugby Championship that kicks off next month. Erasmus admitted after the Portugal Test that several debutants and youngsters had put their hand up for selection. But he will likely rely on his experienced campaigners to do duty, especially in the first Test in Brisbane (August 10), while hopefully mixing things up for the second one in Perth (August 17). Independent Newspapers takes a look at the players at Erasmus’ disposal and those who could have sneaked in through the back door. The front row There’s an abundance of picks that won’t let the Bok pack down in any Test. With Malcolm Marx out injured after fracturing his leg, it opens the door…

The Blitzboks will rely heavily on their hot-stepping try scorer Shilton van Wyk when their bid to win a first Olympic gold medal starts tomorrow afternoon in Paris. Van Wyk, 24, is one of seven Springbok Sevens players who will be making their debuts at the Olympic Games this week and the speedster is looking forward to creating more memories with the side as part of Team South Africa in the French capital. Hailing from the small West Coast town of Saldanha Bay, he hopes his participation in arguably the biggest sporting event in the world will also inspire more kids to dream big and chase their goals. He says representing South Africa at the Olympic Gamest was never part of his goals while he was growing up, but he…