Indholdsfortegnelse for 2024-12-06 i Mercury

The DA will again write to KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, to request the urgent vetting of all Department of Education (DoE) employees against the National Sex Offenders register. This follows the sentencing of 37-year-old Ayanda Lembede to life imprisonment for crimes committed against two female learners, aged eight and nine, at an Empangeni school between 2021 and 2022. We welcome this conviction. Lembede was employed as a security guard at the school. It is horrific to think he would use this as an opportunity to prey on young girls instead of protecting them. These shocking incidents highlight concerns raised by the DA in 2019, 2021, 2022 and again earlier this year around the vetting of DoE and school staff against the National Sex Offenders Register to ensure the increased…

THE ruthless and bloody slaughter of innocent civilians in battered Syria by 20 organisations wanting control of this ancient land lays the foundation for the world to see the true nature of foreign interference and intervention in a sovereign land. 500 000 civilians lost their lives in this gruesome civil war over the past 30 years; millions are refugees in neighbouring countries. The stomach-churning photographs and the gruesome details exposed the double standards and hypocrisy of the outside world. The reaction of the world community is truly astonishing in its feeble response. It symbolises and embodies the horrors of brute force. We must honour the memories of those who perished and those who survived them. It is our moral obligation. How can refugees survive and progress when they live under…

The re-occurrence of inconsistencies or unverifiable financial statements between the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and tertiary institutions was among issues that led to the entity receiving an adverse audit opinion for its 2022/2023 financial report. NSFAS embarked on a close out process to ensure amounts were accounted for and budgets utilised accordingly. However, data inconsistencies including claim amounts and student fee statements were identified. Briefing the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education in Parliament this week, Auditor-General of South Africa’s (AGSA) Thomas Mamogwe said the qualified amounts in the financial annual report owed to institutions by the entity was R10 billion and R11bn was owed by institutions to NSFAS. “Misstatements identified reoccurred, however decreased from the prior year. Another reason for the adverse audit outcome related to information…

City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has stated that he will not take any action on City manager Floyd Brink’s future until he has had a chance to review the ruling handed down by the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg. The court, this week, had ordered Brink to vacate his position in 10 days. The high court had ruled in favour of an application by the DA, which had challenged Brink’s appointment to the position. Following the ruling, the DA and the Good Party called for Brink’s immediate removal from office. In his ruling, Judge Stuart Wilson found that the Joburg City Council simply passed another resolution rather than enforcing the directive given in a 2023 judgment. In that order, the council had been ordered to remove Brink from office, appoint…

An award-winning educator from Richards Bay was tragically killed during an attempted cash-in-transit robbery in the KwaMbonambi area on Tuesday. Condolence messages have been shared widely on social media for Bonisiwe Maphumulo from Mzingazi Primary School. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police are searching for the suspects wanted in connection with the incident that took place on Dune Road at Nzalabantu. “Police in KwaZulu-Natal are on the lookout for suspects who attempted to rob a cash delivery vehicle. It is alleged that during the attempted robbery, one of the suspects was knocked down by a vehicle that was passing by. “The suspects then shot the driver of the vehicle that knocked their accomplice and she was declared dead at the scene,” said Netshiunda. The victim was identified as…

AS WE approach the festive season, South Africans are naturally expectant of a box of yuletide yields from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s and a chastised ANC’s maiden foray into a Government of National Unity (GNU). What, if any, will Father Christmas Enoch Godongwana conjure up from his bag of gifts? The infant GNU, hardly six months old, has been sought out in the last few weeks by the modern-day Magi – the IMF, S&P Global, Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings – the gatekeepers of the pearly gates of global economic and financial “stability”. They bring tidings enmeshed in mixed messages – that of an improving economic outlook, modest GDP growth, massive long-standing challenges and potential downside risks – domestic and global. The five overriding challenges for the GNU in…

Romania’s far-right presidential front-runner, Calin Georgescu, has put his most controversial statements aside as he goes for a single slogan echoing Donald Trump before Sunday’s run-off vote – “Romania first”. “I am ultra pro-Trump. I think in the same way he does,” said the 62-year-old, a past admirer of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, adding that he shares Trump’s “pragmatism”. “Romania has to be first,” Georgescu – who has campaigned against aid for neighbouring war-torn Ukraine – told the news site Politico, “like how it was America first. It’s about the vision … a vision for peace.” Since the rank outsider shocked Romania by winning the first round of presidential elections on November 24, he has dodged questions about his previous praise for Putin and his “Russian wisdom”. Whenever he is…

OpenAI and military defence technology company Anduril Industries said this week that they would work together to use artificial intelligence (AI) for “national security missions”. The ChatGPT-maker and Anduril will focus on improving defences against drone attacks, the companies said in a joint release. The partnership comes nearly a year after OpenAI did away with wording in its policies that banned use of its technology for military or warfare purposes. Founded in 2017, Anduril is a technology company that builds command and control systems and a variety of drones, counting the US, Australia and the UK among its customers, according to its website. OpenAI said in October that it was collaborating with the US military’s research arm DARPA on cyber defences for critical networks. The companies said the deal…

TRIPOLI: The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) this week said it had been making intensified efforts in order to revitalise the political process and move towards the holding of national elections. Over the past few days, Stephanie Koury, the officer-in-charge of UNSMIL, held meetings with senior Libyan officials in this regard, the UN said. The talks covered the unification of state institutions, particularly the executive authority, and to enable credible elections, as well as establishing a unified budget. Libya has been divided between two rival administrations: the eastern-based government, and the western-based government in Tripoli. | Xinhua…

MOSCOW: US President Joe Biden’s administration is considering introducing preemptive pardons for current and former officials to protect them from possible prosecution after President-elect Donald Trump takes the Oval Office in January, senior Democratic Party sources said yesterday. The White House is concerned that the appointment of Trump aide Kashyap “Kash” Patel as the next director of the FBI could lead to large-scale investigations and indictments of the president-elect’s critics. Among those likely to be pardoned are current and former Biden administration officials, including Senator Adam Schiff and ex-Congresswoman Liz Cheney.…

The Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade (IFPYB) in KwaZulu-Natal expresses its deep concern over the ongoing long-distance taxi strike that has brought the province to a standstill since it began on Friday, November 29, 2024. Now entering its fifth day, this strike has caused severe disruptions, leaving commuters stranded and creating a ripple effect that is crippling the provincial economy. Of particular concern is the plight of tertiary students, many of whom are stranded in their institutions far from home. These young people, already vulnerable, face significant safety risks as they are unable to travel to their families at this critical time of the year. The taxi industry, which has accused the Department of Transport of withholding operating permits and unjustly impounding vehicles, must engage constructively with the provincial…

WHEN times are tough, as hard as it may be, try to do the counter-intuitive thing. Open your hand; don’t close it. If you hold on to what you already have, clutching your resources as if your very life depended upon them, it will. Your life will be dependent on what you are preserving — your diminishing resources. You will miss the new resources that are trying to get your attention. When your heart is broken, as hard as it may be, try to do the counter-intuitive thing. Open your heart; don’t shut it. Of course the impulse to protect can be overwhelming but shutting down, refusing to feel and refusing vulnerability to opportunities is costly. A closed heart will struggle to heal and to let go. An open heart,…

The National Road Traffic Amendment Bill has been signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Presidency announced in a statement yesterday. The bill aims to enhance road safety management, focusing on safer roads, vehicles, and users. It will also see strict rules enforced on training centres and driving licence testing centres, examiners for driving licences or vehicles, and traffic officers. The AA and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) have welcomed the bill. The Presidency said that the bill gives effect to the National Road Safety Strategy, which has five pillars: road safety management; safer roads and mobility; safer vehicles; safer road users; and post-crash response. “The bill amends the National Road Traffic Act of 1996 in a number of ways, including by providing, among other measures, for the…

Attorney Zuko Nonxuba, has been struck from the roll of legal practitioners by the Western Cape High Court due to serious misconduct. The ruling was made after the Legal Practice Council (LPC) brought an application to remove Nonxuba from the roll of practising attorneys following complaints of him allegedly stealing money from vulnerable clients. Most of the cases involved parents of children who sustained birth injuries because of negligence on the part of medical personnel during the birth process, resulting in hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, foetal distress and, ultimately, cerebral palsy. Nonxuba represented children who were found to have suffered debilitating mental and physical harm because of the negligence of personnel of the Eastern Cape Health Department. For the five claims, the MEC for Health was ordered to pay damages of…

Four suspects linked to the brutal murder of a police officer during a brazen armed robbery at a Vosloorus liquor store in Gauteng have been arrested. Siyabonga Zama Prince Thango was shot dead in July last year. The suspects, Hloniphani Cebolenkosi Nala, 28, Tshepo Hopewell Langa, 28, Nduduzo Xaba, 27, and Mnelisi Nkosikhona Mbatha, 28, were arrested this week following months of intensive investigations. The arrests were carried out by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit (SOCIU) under the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks). The incident unfolded on July 21, 2023, at the Shoprite Liquor store in the Goldspot Shopping Centre, Vosloorus, when police officers from the Crime Prevention Unit responded to a robbery at the store. “As police entered the parking area, suspects at the entrance of the…

Municipalities owed suppliers R140.1 billion as at September, while government departments owed the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure R13.8bn during the same period. This was revealed by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and his Public Works and Infrastructure counterpart Dean Macpherson when they were responding to parliamentary questions. Godongwana said municipalities owed bulk suppliers R118.7bn in arrears as at September 30. The current account for the same month stood at R21.1bn, bringing the total owed to R140.1bn. Godongwana explained that the municipalities owed Eskom R107.4bn that comprised R17.4bn in current account and R90bn in arrear debt. He said of the R90bn owed to Eskom, R74bn was owed collectively by 71 municipalities on the debt relief programme and R58.5bn constituted municipal relief debt. “There was therefore a R15.5bn increase in…

WITH Orlando Pirates seemingly finally caught up with perennial South African domestic league winners Mamelodi Sundowns, and the national team Bafana Bafana making waves in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), it is only fair that South Africans start dreaming about another African “star”, isn’t it? That Afcon title Bafana won in 1996 has really lost its shine, as has that 1995 Caf Champions League gong the Buccaneers won in Abidjan. It would be a serious shame if the same fate were to befall the Brazilians’ 2016 Champions League title. As we speak, Bafana recently achieved the rarest of feats by their standards; finishing the Afcon qualifiers on top of their group and unbeaten. Who would’ve thought… Meanwhile, Pirates and Sundowns are deep in the Champions League as the Sowetans…

Cash-strapped Cuba was struggling to revive its power grid this week, after fixing a failure at the country’s largest power plant, which had caused yet another nationwide blackout. Roman Perez Castaneda, the deputy technical director of the Guiteras thermal power plant in central Cuba, said the problem had been resolved, but most of the country was still in the dark. Perez Castaneda, quoted in government media, said the Guiteras plant could resume power generation at 8pm local time yesterday. According to authorities, 22% of the population, particularly hospitals, were able to get power from sources independent of the national grid, while the rest had none. The blackout, the third in less than two months, dealt another blow to the communist-run island of 10 million people, which is reeling from the…

PARIS: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier, a veteran politician who was formerly the EU’s Brexit negotiator, resigned yesterday after far-right and leftist MPs voted to topple his government, plunging the eurozone’s second-largest economy deeper into crisis. The political turmoil weakens an EU already reeling from the implosion of Germany’s coalition government. The hard left and far right punished Barnier in a no-confidence vote for trying to push an unpopular budget through a hung parliament without a vote. This further weakens the standing of President Emmanuel Macron, who aims to install a new prime minister soon. | Reuters…

Bogotá: Colombian Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla resigned at the request of President Gustavo Petro this week, after accusations that he turned a blind eye to the bribery of parliamentarians. A former adviser accused Bonilla last week of knowing that MPs were being paid off in return for backing key reforms promised by Petro. The attorney-general’s office alleges that the bribes were paid with $200 000 taken from public funds. Petro said he had asked for Bonilla’s resignation “not because I believe he is guilty, but because they want to destroy him for his loyalty”. A corruption scandal has engulfed top officials and MPs from the ruling party and the opposition. | AFP…

CUT off and lonely in this computer-dominated age? Longing for real human company and friendship? Dinner With A Stranger, an organisation in Scotland, could have the answers, according to the BBC. It began with Juliette Satori, formerly of the US. Last year she enrolled at Glasgow University. She went on a coffee date with three people she had never met before. “It went really well. We ended up speaking for two hours and I still speak to them today.” Her friendship blind date became part of Dinner With A Stranger, the society Juliette and her flatmates started for fellow students who want to meet new people. With students so plugged in and digital that they spend less time interacting face-to-face, they didn't have many opportunities to increase their circle of…

THE cost of living is rapidly increasing. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing day by day. The poor continue to live in abject poverty while, in contrast, the rich continue to live in the most outrageous, luxurious lifestyles. The proverbial saying that something is worlds apart really rings true in this instance. The title of the 1859 novel by Charles Dickens, ‘The Tale of Two Cities’ also aptly describes the current context of inequality. As a people of faith, we reject and protest against this horrendous normalisation of inhumanity where economic injustice has become naturalised. I am reminded of the anti-apartheid slogan of no normal sport in an abnormal society. The Calvyn Protestant church of South Africa and Namibia robustly protests for action against this evil…

The corruption case of former National Assembly speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has been postponed to January 20 to hear an application by her legal team for the prosecution to disclose certain information to her, contained in the State’s docket. The prosecution yesterday told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria that they needed time to read through her application, as the documents were lengthy and the contents of the application was only made available to the State this week. It was said that Mapisa-Nqakula’s legal team issued a 103-page document to the prosecution, containing 128 case law citations and eight legal publications regarding the subject of disclosure. According to her legal team she needs these documents, which include information contained in a SAPS diary, as it would assist her case. The prosecution said…

The SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) and the National Transport Movement Pilots Forum (NTM-PF) have warned of a secondary strike notice that could bring the airline to a complete halt. The notice, which was expected later yesterday, aims to include ground crew and other staff if SAA does not improve its 8.46% wage increase offer. An increase of 15.7% has been demanded by pilots. The ongoing strike, which began yesterday, has already disrupted operations, forcing SAA to suspend its Perth, Australia, and São Paulo, Brazil, routes, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at its service desks. Pilots picketed outside SAA’s office at OR Tambo International Airport, calling on the airline to return to the negotiating table. NTM-PF general secretary Ephraim Mphahlele said that as of yesterday, 60% of pilots had joined the…

An 80-year-old farmer was arrested when it was discovered that he was illegally linking, disseminating and selling electricity to communities that had moved onto his land in Fochville, in Gauteng. The Natjoints Energy Safety and Security Priority Committee and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are behind this latest takedown operation. “On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the Natjoints team, led by the SAPS, Eskom and Johannesburg City Power, arrived at his farm where three transformers, 119 electricity meter boxes and electrical cables used to connect each household were confiscated,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. The elderly suspect appeared in court on charges of interfering with important infrastructure costing R90 000, theft of power for R6 million and theft of meter boxes worth R47 000. The case will be back…

The KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association has raised concern about the alarming rise of vaping among young people, describing it as a growing problem that is challenging schools and parents alike. Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents Association, was commenting after a recent UCT study found that the prevalence of South African high school learners vaping increased sharply by grade, reaching 29.5% among matriculants and in some schools as high as 46%. Gani said, “Vaping has become a trend right now, a symbol of status. People, especially learners, are doing it more as a show. It has become fashionable and there’s significant peer pressure involved.” “Principals often complain to me about having to confiscate vapes from learners, as these devices are easy to hide and are being brought into schools regularly,” Gani…

NEARLY 200 000 spaza shops have been inspected since President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address on the deaths of several children due to foodborne illnesses on November 15. The announcement formed part of a media briefing by the Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, on the outcomes of a Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. The media briefing took place at Parliament yesterday. Ntshavheni said over 1 000 spaza shops, supermarkets and warehouses have been shut down, while large quantities of goods have also been confiscated and numerous fines issued for by-law violations. “There will be added scrutiny on manufacturers of food tuffs and pesticide Tuberfos to ensure that proper controls are adhered to,” Ntshavheni said. All spaza shops and food handling facilities are required to register their facility with their municipality within…

It is a worrying sign of a lack of commitment to accountability and good governance THE hypocrisy is breathtaking. Yes, any recent ANC president might do the same for a comrade. Yes, the minister is reformed, forgiven, on the mend. Only nasty people are out to punish her. Live and let live. Yet, there is something monumental in the Cabinet position swop announced by the president, Cyril Ramaphosa. Ten months ago, he scored political points at the launch of the ANC election manifesto in Durban, promising that “we will do better”. In his introduction to the manifesto, Ramaphosa also wrote that “there are forces that seek to use this election to undo the progress of democracy. It is crucial that together we defend our hard-won freedom.” He did not name…

South Korean opposition MPs said yesterday that they would vote this weekend to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol for his botched attempt to impose martial law, and police said they were investigating claims of treason against him and top ministers. Yoon’s declaration of martial law late on Tuesday sought to consolidate power, ban political activity and censor the media. It sparked outrage in the streets and concern among South Korea’s international allies. The defence minister, who recommended the move, has resigned. MPs of the opposition Democratic Party planned to seek a vote in parliament to impeach Yoon on Saturday, a party spokesperson said. “The Yoon Suk Yeol regime’s declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people,” Democratic Party MP Kim Seung-won told the National Assembly…

The Opec oil cartel and its allies were expected yesterday to extend their supply cuts to avoid a sharp drop in prices in a global market awash in crude. However, dissension has created some doubts about maintaining the cuts that have propped up prices. Without a new agreement, the eight countries making voluntary additional production cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day are set to begin increasing production next month to gradually return it to 2022 levels. Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have already twice pushed back the production increases that were set to begin in October and December. The supply cuts are only having a muted impact on the market, with US President-elect Donald Trump expected to adopt policies to boost…

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said yesterday any attempt by the incoming Trump administration to impose tariffs on BRICS countries for trying to create a new currency or use alternatives to the dollar could cause global semiconductor supply chain disruptions. The BRICS grouping of major emerging economies initially included Brazil, Russia, India and China. Malaysia has applied to be part of the bloc aiming to challenge a world order dominated by Western economies. Trade minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Malaysia was monitoring developments after US President-elect Donald Trump said BRICS members would face 100% tariffs if they tried to replace the US dollar. | Reuters…

ALEPPO: Syrian government forces were locked in heavy fighting around the central city of Hama yesterday, trying to halt an advance of Islamist-led rebels, a war monitor said. The fighting around Hama follows a rapid offensive by the rebels, who in just days captured large chunks of territory, including Syria’s second city Aleppo, from President Bashar al-Assad’s control. Strategically located in central Syria, Hama is crucial for the army’s efforts to protect the capital, Damascus. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said rebel fighters had “surrounded Hama city from three sides”. It said 704 people had been killed in Syria since the violence erupted last week. | AFP…

The special praise that Kaizer Chiefs’ coach Nasreddine Nabi gave midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa recently is expected to motivate every player in the team to be at his best. Mthethwa made his long-awaited start – and first appearance – under Nabi when Chiefs squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Royal AM two weeks ago. And having impressed – despite the disappointing result – Mthethwa returned to the starting Xl when Amakhosi beat 2-1 Richards Bay last weekend in Polokwane. Mthethwa’s turn of fortunes started in the Home of Legends Cup as he played a crucial role in the team’s triumph of another friendly cup after winning the Cufa already. But before that, though, Mthethwa’s future at the club looked bleak as he hadn’t featured in the first six official…

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca enjoyed the sound of the travelling supporters chanting his name as his side romped to a 5-1 Premier League win at Southampton on Wednesday. Maresca's side were 4-1 up late in the game, when the away section sang his name as they celebrated Chelsea's impressive victory which moved them to second in the standings and the manager applauded the chants which made them even louder. "It was a very good feeling. You can see they are happy, that is our target, we work every day to keep them happy," Maresca told a press conference. "Tonight was a very good feeling. They can see Chelsea is back and this is an important thing." Maresca took over a Chelsea side who finished sixth last season under Mauricio Pochettino,…

Our huge annual clearance sale is here! Massive discounts on samples, soiled trade show stock, seconds, repairs and end of ranges! Only at our 53 Hunter Street branch. Sale runs from Thursday 5th 8-5pm, Friday the 6th 8-5pm, Saturday the 7th 8-1pm and Sunday the 8th 8-1pm of December 2023. Masses of rods, reels and terminal tackle. We are in the home stretch, just a few more days to Christmas and just a few more past that to the end of 2023. Fishing has been magic with plenty of good sized catches in all facets. The rock and surf fishing has been more up than down over the last week. The North Coast has still seen some good inedible fishing with a couple sandies and honeycombs testing knots and backs…