Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-09-17 i Mercury

SASOL yesterday announced that Muriel Dube has been appointed chairperson of the board with effect from the end of last week. Sasol said it was pleased to pass the reins of chairperson to someone of Dube’s calibre and was confident she would provide the necessary direction and leadership as the company intensifies its focus on progressing a sustainable future business. Dube, who joined the board of Sasol as an independent non-executive director in 2018, holds an MSc degree in Environmental Change and Management from Oxford University and degrees in BA Human Sciences and BA Honours Politics. “She has an extensive background in sustainability-, commercial-, finance- and leadership roles,” said Sasol in a statement. “She previously served as the chief negotiator for the Government of South Africa in climate change negotiations…

THE two American astronauts – Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams - who have been left “stranded” in space appeared in an extended interview the other night on Sky News and apparently a lot of other stations world-wide. The two US Navy captains appear to be in good fettle. They left Earth for the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 and, while they were supposed to be there for only eight days, it's predicted they'll be there for eight months instead. Their extended stay comes after the crew discovered worrying helium leaks and thruster failures, making it too risky for them to return home in the Boeing capsule as originally planned. It's now expected that Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth with SpaceX's Crew-9 return flight in…

The EU foreign policy chief, Joseph Burrell, has consistently condemned Israel’s abhorrent actions in Gaza. What really tipped him over the edge however, was the deliberate and malicious targeting of employees from the UN agency of Palestinian refugees by the Israeli Offence Forces, whose attack killed six staff members. Put aside the now not so shocking news that Israel murdered yet another batch of aid workers (what else is new?), because really, the world, well most of it (looking at you Saudi Arabia!) has been collectively banging its head on a brick wall for nearly a year in trying to end this madness in Gaza. We are all concussed and stupid from repeating the same things, ad nauseum. Another article describing the feckless and foul assaults on the people in…

All indications are pointing to a cut in the repurchase rate (repo rate) later this week by the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) monetary policy committee (MPC). Many economists predict a cut of 25 basis points (BPS) will be announced by SARB governor Lesetja Kganyago on Thursday. The repo rate is currently at a 14-year high of 8.25% and the prime lending rate is 11.75%. If a 25 BPS cut is announced, the repo rate will fall to 8% while the prime lending rate in the country will drop to 11.50%. Absa’s SA Macroeconomics team said yesterday that they were expecting a 25 BPS cut. “Our view is in line with the Thomson Reuters consensus, with 18 of the 21 analysts (including Absa research) polled last week calling for…

DEPUTY city manager for Trading Services in the eThekwini Municipality, Sibusiso Makhanya, has been suspended by the metro following accusations that he had been negligent in his duties. It is alleged this caused the municipality to suffer R6.6 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Makhanya was suspended on Friday after a meeting of the Executive Committee. He had submitted a 10-page response to the accusations, in which he argued it would be unjust to suspend him. He is accused of failing to provide guidance and information to defend the City against a court case lodged by a service providers over non-payment of invoices for services rendered. The service provider had not been paid and was owed R63.5m. The City failed to defend the case, and a default judgment was…

The KwaZulu-Natal e-hailing Council has embarked on an “apps shutdown” protest over alleged unsafe and unfair working conditions. It said drivers who are part of the shutdown will not respond to requests for rides and this would affect e-hailing services in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and other areas in KZN. Council chairperson Sipho Mabika said their biggest concern was the safety of drivers. “We have called for the apps to not be used until our grievances are met. We have a problem with our drivers being killed and the perpetrators are not found. “That is because it is very easy to download an e-hailing app and request a ride. What criminals do is they use burner SIM cards and create fake accounts then use them to request rides with the aim…

This year, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) was “Changing the narrative on suicide”, encouraging us all to include destigmatising discussions around mental health in our daily interactions: “The call to action encourages everyone to start the conversation on suicide and suicide prevention. Every conversation, no matter how small, contributes to a supportive and understanding society. By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness and create better cultures of support.” The importance of this message is underscored by the statistics – suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-29 in our country; in 2019, South Africa reported 13 774 deaths by suicide. What is particularly jarring is that 10 861 of these deaths…

US Vice-President and Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her rival, Republican Donald Trump, headed into a newly intense phase of the US presidential campaign yesterday, with tensions heightened after a second apparent assassination attempt against the Republican former president. The arrest on Sunday of a gunman on Donald Trump’s Florida golf course came the same day as more bomb threats poured into Springfield, Ohio, a small Midwestern city at the centre of Republican-led conspiracies against immigrants. But the duelling campaigns are set to march on with little interruption, a day after the Secret Service confirmed one or more of its agents “opened fire on a gunman” located near the boundary of Trump’s Florida golf course and that an “AK-47 style rifle” with a scope was recovered along with a…

Germany is to expand border controls to the frontiers with all nine of its neighbours to stop irregular migrants in a move that has sparked protests from other EU members. Berlin announced the measure following a string of deadly extremist attacks that have stoked public fears and boosted support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that the step aimed to limit irregular migration and “put a stop to criminals and identify and stop Islamists at an early stage”. The border controls will be in place for an initial six months and are expected to include temporary structures at land crossings and spot checks by federal police. Poland and Austria have voiced concern and the European Commission has warned that members of the 27-nation bloc…

ROME: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised “a new era” in cross-border co-operation to tackle people smuggling gangs on a trip to Rome yesterday for talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, part of a reset in ties with Europe. Starmer has scrapped the UK’s previous government’s plan to deport asylum seekers who arrive in small boats to Rwanda, but has not ruled out plans that would see asylum claims processed offshore, similar to an agreement Italy has struck with Albania. | Reuters…

ABUJA: Nigerian state oil firm NNPC Ltd yesterday increased the price of petrol by 11%, the second increase in two weeks and a day after it started purchasing the fuel from the giant Dangote oil refinery on the outskirts of Lagos. Nigeria expects the 650 000 barrels a day refinery to end years of imports of gasoline, which had been subsidised for decades until President Bola Tinubu began removing support when he took office in May last year. Many households and small businesses use gasoline to power generators because most citizens are not connected to the national electricity grid. Nigerians are already struggling with inflation of 33.4%, which has driven up costs. | Reuters…

The Lions will require every ounce of the profundity they have developed in the past few years, if they are to claim some silverware for the first time in nearly a decade. On the weight of it, the Sharks are stacked with big-name players. They also have exceptionally good rugby players. The Lions, too, have exceptionally good rugby players, but arguably don’t have the international experience and veteran status that the Sharks enjoy and can call on for the big moments. Instead, the Joburgers have put their faith in their youth structures, developing young players over the past few seasons to finally reach this point. It has been an arduous journey, but it could finally pay off on Saturday in the Currie Cup final (kick-off 4pm), if they manage to…

LIFE HEALTHCARE announced yesterday that Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) is pro- jected to develop a diverse and sustain- able revenue stream over the next five years. LMI, a radiopharmaceutical dia- gnostics company owned by Life Health- care Group, is set for significant growth over the next five years, thanks to three key pathways. Firstly, the company anticipates a substantial rise in demand for NeuraCeq due to increasing patient needs for Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis and access to disease-modifying drugs. With a total addressable market of $2.5 billion, LMI aims to capture between 20% and 40% of this market. Secondly, the business said demand for PI-2620 and CardioCeq was expected to quickly grow when brought-to-market in 2027. It said this would be enabled by pre-existing reimbursement pathways and limited competition. It…

WHAT a brave woman! (Brave daughter rammed armed robbers, Post, September 4). She didn’t panic. She didn’t scream. She didn’t freeze. But keeping cool and calm, she saved her mother from armed robbers who had held her up at gunpoint. Which man would do what Tasneem Essob did, ram the robbers’ getaway car again and again and make them flee empty-handed? You’ve got to admire this woman and her incredible feat. What a great story of bravery, courage determination. Her heroic feat has won her many admirers. Not so lucky was 11-year-old Zarah Ramsamy who was killed when hijackers drove over her with her mother’s car. Seeing the armed robbers, the little girl panicked and hid under her mother’s vehicle. The desperate cries of the mother to stop driving over…

The DA welcomes the double life sentence handed down by the Vryheid Regional Court to convicted rapist Patrick Nkosi. Nkosi, a teacher at a local school, was accused of the rape of two minor boys and had paid them each R2 to keep it quiet. The appalling act comes on the back of written parliamentary questions by the DA in 2022 around whether KZN educators are vetted against the sexual offences/child protection register. At the time, the response from KZN’s Department of Education (DoE) was “no” but that it was in the process of establishing a system to do so. Two years later and not much has changed in this regard. The DA will submit a follow up question to KZN Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, to establish whether a system…

Amid a rise in the number of online schools in South Africa, parents have been urged to be vigilant and ensure that the institutions were registered with the relevant regulatory bodies. This comes amid news of the establishment of the Unisa Open School. It was reported that the distance learning university would establish a school to provide online secondary schooling for Grades 10 and 11. Umalusi, the quality assurance council for general and further education and training, then issued a statement saying it did not accredit online schools. Its senior manager for public relations and communications, Biki Lepota, said the online school phenomenon was growing and it was important to emphasise that the body did not accredit online schools. “Umalusi accredits private providers of education and training to offer qualifications…

Heartfelt tributes were being shared yesterday following the announcement of the death of veteran actor Sello Motloung. He died on Sunday. Motloung gained notoriety from a series of television appearances, which included significant roles in shows like Backstage, Mamello and Ring of Lies, among many others. A statement on behalf of his family, which was widely shared on social media, confirmed the news. The family requested space to deal with their grief. “We are devastated to inform you of the sudden passing of Ntate Sello Motloung on Sunday. His family are in shock, and we ask that you give them space at this time. For any enquiries, please contact Artist Connection. Sello will forever be remembered as one of our legends, and we will miss him tremendously.” Well-known actress Katlego…

WHILE the Road Accident Fund (RAF) acknowledged that it is facing difficulties, it gave the assurance that it is not “imploding” but rather “floating” and has paid out R45.1 billion in claims in the 2023/24 financial year. This decreased slightly from R45.7bn 2022/23. RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo and his executive yesterday addressed the media to shed light on its annual financial performance. Letsoalo said while they had not achieved everything they had hoped to, they had made some inroads. This, he said, was despite the fact that the fuel levy of R2.18 a litre had not increased over the past three years. They had received R48.6bn from the levy during the 2023/24 financial year. He said the fund’s performance over this time must be viewed against the backdrop that he…

Emergency teams in KwaZulu-Natal are on high alert following a Yellow Level 4 warning of heavy rains, issued by the SA Weather Service (Saws). The forecaster said that for today, severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours as well as strong damaging winds and hail have been forecast for parts of the province, as well as other areas across the country. “This will lead to localised flooding along roads and bridges and localised damage to infrastructure and settlements,” Saws said. The warning was extended to northern parts of the Eastern Cape, eastern parts of the Northern Cape, Free State, southern parts of the North West and the southern parts of Gauteng. The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), has also placed teams on high alert. A spokesperson said teams would…

The funeral service for former Minister Pravin Gordhan will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban on Thursday and has been declared a Special Official Funeral Category 2 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Presidency said yesterday. Gordhan, who served as Minister of Finance from 2009 until 2014 and again from 2015 until 2017, and as Minister of Public Enterprises from February 2018 until his March 2024 announcement of planned retirement, died on Friday after a period of illness. The Presidency said the Special Official Funeral Category 2 will entail ceremonial elements performed by the SAPS. “The funeral service will be followed by a private cremation. Mr Gordhan’s family have requested that in lieu of floral tributes, mourners offer donations to charities of their choice,…

In a RECENT report submitted to a session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan said that unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on China violated international law, negatively affecting the human rights of Chinese people and causing spillover effects. She welcomed China’s use of administrative and legal measures in response and called for systematic monitoring and assessment of the adverse human rights impact of unilateral coercive measures. In recent years, the US has introduced a series of unilateral coercive measures against China, such as restricting the export of semiconductors and key technologies and sanctioning certain Chinese companies. Globally, the US has imposed widespread economic and financial sanctions on countries like Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela, restricting their trade, energy exports,…

Lawyers for TikTok and parent company ByteDance were to square off with the Justice Department in a Washington courtroom yesterday over the fate of a law that could ban the short video app – used by 170 million Americans – as soon as January 19. A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hold oral arguments on a legal challenge filed by TikTok and Chinese-parent company ByteDance that seeks an injunction barring the law from taking effect. TikTok and ByteDance argue the law is unconstitutional and violates Americans’ free speech rights. Driven by worries among US lawmakers that China could access data on Americans or spy on them with the app, the US Congress passed the law in April. Biden could extend the…

Seoul: A trash balloon from North Korea landed on a Seoul building rooftop and caused a fire, a local fire department said yesterday, among thousands of balloons Pyongyang has sent southward this year, sparking a tit-for-tat propaganda campaign. The fire on Sunday was extinguished in 18 minutes and 15 fire trucks and 56 personnel were deployed, said the fire department, adding there were no casualties. Pyongyang launched about 120 trash-filled balloons towards the border on Sunday, following 50 balloons sent on Saturday, South Korea’s military said. Around 40 of the balloons had already landed in the South, mainly in northern Gyeonggi province and Seoul. | AFP…

Brussels: France’s powerful EU commissioner Thierry Breton abruptly resigned yesterday with a parting shot at the bloc’s chief as she prepared to present her new team. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne as Breton’s replacement. The bloc’s internal market commissioner claimed that EU chief Ursula von der Leyen had sought at the last minute to push him out. Breton, whose strained relationship with his EU boss was no secret, claimed Von der Leyen’s bid to block his candidacy was made for personal reasons and that she had offered, as a trade-off, a more influential portfolio for France. | AFP…

Sharpening up their breakdown work is one of the main focus points for the Springboks ahead of their potential Rugby Championship decider against Argentina on Saturday. The world champions returned to the training ground yesterday in Buenos Aires where the first part of their preparation starts ahead of the clash in Santiago del Estero. The Argentinian capital will be home to the Boks until tomorrow evening when they travel to Santiago, where the rest of the training will take place ahead of the Test on Saturday at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades (kick-off 11pm). According to Springbok loose forward Kwagga Smith, they must be on top of their game, especially at the breakdown, to stop the powerful ball-poaching loose forwards Los Pumas possess. “It’s a huge opportunity to win…

The eighth African Nations Championships will be held from February 1 to 28 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe said yesterday. The biennial African Nations Championships (CHAN) is restricted to locally-based players, ruling out big-name footballers who move to Europe. It will be the first time east Africa hosts a continental football competition for national teams, and will serve as a precursor to the three nations hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Motsepe toured three Kenyan national stadiums that are earmarked to host the event, with two currently under renovation. “I’m impressed with the commitment shown by the three countries, which gives each of them the opportunity to enhance their football infrastructure and attract thousands of visitors and boost their tourism,” said…

SPEAR, a real estate investment trust (Reit) focused on investing in real estate within the Western Cape region, said yesterday that it had successfully completed an equity capital raise of R457.8 million via a vendor consideration placement. This announcement follows the recent unconditional status of the acquisition of the Emira Western Cape portfolio, adding further impetus to its Western Cape-only-focused growth strategy. The vendor consideration placement will allow the issuance of 5 030 2197 new shares to public shareholders at an issue price of R9.10 per share. This equity placement was completed at a 1% discount to Spear’s 30-day VWAP, (volume-weighted average price), being R9.19 per share before September 13, 2024. The listing and issuance of the new shares was expected to start on Monday, September…

If you are lonely or dealing with loss or sadness, there are some things you can do yourself to let in a little hope. Everyone’s story is unique, as are our circumstances, but as you are able, there are a few things you can do to let the light in: Make a determined routine shift, no matter how difficult that might be. Change your day around. Surprise yourself with an early morning walk if you have been one to sleep in. Shake up your day. If you don’t want to feel as you do, you might have to do some things you don’t feel like doing. Join a faith community or a small group of people with aligned interests. Put yourself “out there”. If you hide yourself away, things will…

Water is life and central to the socio-economic development of people, communities and countries. Water is an extremely important source of keeping all living beings alive and well. It is therefore important that we always have access to water of quality standards. This then leads to the importance of regular monitoring the quality of the water in our resources and systems. Tomorrow is World Water Monitor ing Day, and this day is a reminder of the importance of regularly monitoring our water sources. It is an international day aimed at building public awareness and involvement in understanding the importance of water quality and protecting water sources around the world by empowering citizens to carry out basic monitoring of their local water resources. Clean, safe and quality water contributes to safe…

The SACP extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Comrade Pravin Gordhan, 75, on this monumental loss. We also extend our sympathies to the ANC and the people of South Africa at large. Comrade Gordhan served as Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2014, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2014 to 2015, and Minister of Public Enterprises from 2018 to 2024. He will be remembered, among other contributions, for his pivotal role in the national fight against state capture. The SACP worked closely with him during this critical time, particularly before 2019, in our efforts to save the country from the destructive forces of bad governance and large-scale state-capture corruption. Gordhan’s revolutionary activism emerged during his time as a pharmacy student at the University of Durban-Westville,…

The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has again set its sights on Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, after she failed to attend the signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (Bela Bill) into law at an event at the Union Buildings. Sadtu said it was fearful that the DA, which opposed elements of the bill, would run a separate Parliament and a separate Cabinet. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday signed the bill into law but due to opposition from the DA, delayed the implementation of clauses 4 and 5 for three months to allow for negotiations with parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Clause 4 of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act relates to the provincial department being responsible for the admitting of pupils into a public…

HOME Affairs has, for now, been interdicted by the Western Cape High Court from initiating any process to deport foreign nationals from the country if they have indicated an intention to apply for asylum. Thus, the department may not deport any foreign national or force them to return to their countries of origin, unless and until their asylum application has been finally rejected on its merits. The order will remain in place pending a constitutional issue in which certain provisions of the Refugees Act will be challenged. The application was brought by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town. It argued that the challenged provisions introduced an overlapping set of mechanisms whereby asylum seekers must first demonstrate adequate compliance with immigration procedures before they were entitled even to seek asylum. Scalabrini’s…

A police officer has been arrested in connection with fraud, corruption and uttering following allegations that he extorted money from the public to certify documents. Eastern Cape police said the SAPS administrative clerk was arrested along with three civilians. “An intelligence led operation comprising of the Anti-Corruption Team acted on information about an administrative clerk working with the civilians in assisting the public to certify documents,” said Eastern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa. “The civilians would solicit money from desperate members of the public to certify their documents without standing in queues. The documents would be then taken to the administrative clerk for certification, and the member of the public would pay cash.” In an unrelated incident an SAPS constable, 32, was arrested over allegations that he submitted…

The Independent Policing Union of South Africa (Ipusa) has raised its concerns about the massive litigation costs faced by the SAPS because of unlawful arrests and detentions. Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu recently provided statistics on alleged unlawful arrests in Parliament. Mchunu said 4 135 alleged illegal arrests were carried out in the 2023/2024 financial year, which resulted in claims of more than R2bn. Ipusa president Bethuel Nkuna said the lawsuits, filed by members of the public, “highlight a significant issue of misconduct within SAPS that is costing taxpayers and tarnishing the reputation of law enforcement”. The union acknowledged that many of the lawsuits were the result of ill-discipline, stemming from a lack of effective leadership and oversight within SAPS. It questioned how unlawful arrests and detentions were taking…

THE State is pursuing new evidence in the case of missing 6-year-old Joshlin Smith, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The NPA gave this as the reason it requested a final postponement in the case before they take the matter forward against Jacquen Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn, Raquel “Kelly” Smith (Joshlin’s mother) and Lourencia Lombaard. The four appeared briefly in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday. NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “We requested the remand following the discovery of new evidence which needs to be investigated. If the investigation is not finalised on October 21 we will still go ahead and prosecute the group. We may take a decision then to transfer it to the high court.” The four face charges of trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation…

Recent developments have shed light on the long-standing issue of extortion in our communities, and for once, we can applaud the government for taking decisive action. The political will demonstrated in the recent police operations against extortionists sends a clear message: if the government is committed, crime can be dealt with effectively. In the past two weeks, a series of police operations across various provinces led to the deaths of 14 alleged extortionists during violent confrontations with law enforcement. These were not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern of extortion across the country. From April 2023 to the end of August 2024, a staggering 319 cases of extortion were reported at police stations nationwide. The Western Cape bore the brunt with 119 cases, followed by 82 in the…

Dried deep-sea anchovies from the eastern coastal area of Kenya can be seen in many supermarkets in Changsha. “Sales of our dried deep-sea anchovies have topped 1 billion yuan (about R2.4bn) a year, for which we need to import tens of thousands of tonnes of the fish,” said Zhou Jinsong, chairperson of Jinzai Food Group Co, Ltd. In 2018, the company set up a factory in Kenya, where locally purchased fish were processed before delivering to China. The popularity of these anchovies exemplifies the thriving economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa. Pineapples from Benin, citrus from South Africa, dried chilli pepper from Rwanda, coffee from Ethiopia, sesame from Tanzania and peanuts from Senegal have all landed on the dinner tables of ordinary Chinese. The…

LOS ANGELES: A battle over control of Rupert Murdoch’s global television and publishing empire began yesterday in a Reno, Nevada courtroom, where a judge will consider the matter of succession. Murdoch, 93, is attempting to change the terms of the family’s trust – which holds stakes in Fox News parent Fox and Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. The billionaire is looking to ensure that, upon his death, the media companies remain under the control of his eldest son, Lachlan. A closed hearing to determine whether Murdoch is acting in good faith will take place. Murdoch’s proposed amendment would block any interference by Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate. Lachlan is viewed as ideologically aligned with his conservative father. | Reuters…

PRAGUE: Factories and stores across central Europe shuttered production lines and closed their doors yesterday due to flooding that has killed at least 15 people, forced tens of thousands of evacuations and submerged towns from Poland to Romania. In Ostrava, an industrial city of 290 000 people in the Czech Republic, BorsodChem chemical plant has been shut, said a spokesperson for the company, partially owned by China’s Wanhua Chemical Group. While rivers in the Czech-Polish border area were starting to recede yesterday, flooding was widening to more areas and leaving bigger cities in both countries on alert. | Reuters…

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday ordered the regular size of the Russian army to increase by 180 000 troops to 1.5 million soldiers, the third time he has expanded its ranks since sending the military into Ukraine in February 2022. Putin ordered the overall size of the armed forces to be increased to 2.38 million people, of which 1.5 million should be active servicemen. Meanwhile, Russia has charged two more military officers with taking bribes, investigators said yesterday, the latest in arrests linked to alleged corruption in the defence ministry. The two allegedly received over 11 million rubles (R2m) from two companies. | Reuters…

AS the country looked ahead to the start of the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season and the experts made their predications as to which teams will be championship challengers, there was a realisation that not many of them included SuperSport United. Strange, because if you are a discerning follower of the local game, you’d no doubt have noticed that Gavin Hunt has a squad not too dissimilar to the ones he has won his previous championships with. Hunt’s winning teams all had strong defences made up of players who always chipped in with goals from set pieces, and the spine of the team was always solid and hardly changed, while up front he usually had a regular scorer. Barring injuries to key players, as was the case last season, he has…