Innehållsförteckning för 2021-10-15 från Mercury

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za THE eThekwini head of health is facing a probe by the Office of the Public Protector (PP) into her suitability for the job she assumed six months ago following allegations that she is not qualified for it. Rosemary van Heerden, who was appointed as the head of health earlier this year, is facing a probe by the Office of the Public Protector following an anonymous complaint. She took up the position in April this year, replacing Dr Nomakhosi Gxagxisa, who recently resigned. At the centre of the probe, it seems, is the question of whether she has a Master’s in public health as demanded by the post. Prior to being promoted, she was the city’s deputy head in the unit. Spokesperson for the Office of the Public…

With climate change threatening traditional coffee farming, Finnish scientists say they have produced coffee from cell cultures with an aroma and taste resembling the real thing. The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland may have come up with a more sustainable alternative to growing coffee beans by floating cell cultures in bio-reactors filled with a nutrient medium used to make various animal- and plant-based products. Heikki Aisala, the VTT researcher in charge of evaluating the process, said cups of cellular coffee probably could not pass standard taste tests just yet, but had lots of potential for a multi-billion dollar global industry. “Not like of course 100%. It tastes like a combination of different types of coffees. We’re not there yet with the commercial variety, but it certainly does resemble coffee…

MUHAMMAD OMAR | Durban North Election time is for political parties to raise the thermostat, but when things get really hot those who make a difference are few and far between. As for the Phoenix poster issue, the recent saga was literally round two. Round one was between the Phoenix Peace Committee and the EFF. To me, the heroes are Police Minister Cele, who emphasised the rule of law, Mr Marshall Dlamini, Mr Vusi Khoza, Mr Sham Maharaj and the Phoenix Peace Committee, who played an important role in the discussions and tensions both prior and during the march itself. To explain the significance of Phoenix, the weekend papers were “flooded” with articles and comments regarding the posters that were taken down. As for Phoenix, there is still…

PAKS PAKIRIY | Durban North ONE can only marvel at the idea that SA Airways staff want to down tools. This is the airline that was so heavily weighed down by over-staffing, expensive fringe benefits, theft and fraud that it had to go into business rescue and eventually stop flying. The previous SAA management allegedly facilitated its demise by mismanagement and supporting blatant fraud committed by service providers. Now that it has been resuscitated by a public-private partnership, the staff who have been re-employed want to sink it. It beggars belief that this reckless trade union is asking for extravagant increases. To be employed in the aviation industry is a miracle, post the pandemic. No one wants to travel and the airline industry is being decimated the…

| African News Agency (ANA) The Windhoek High Court has declared that the surrogate-born child of Phillip Lühl and Guillermo Delgado is a Namibian citizen by descent. The court ruling is seen as a win for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) rights in the Namibia, where LGBTQIA+ persons still face discrimination based on their sexual orientation. Judge Thomas Masuku in his ruling on Wednesday ordered the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security to issue a certificate of Namibian citizenship to the couple’s son, according to news website The Namibian.com. The boy was born through surrogacy in South Africa in March 2019. The judge dismissed the counter- application brought by the Ministry of Home Affairs that a paternity test was needed to prove Lühl’s biological…

Xolile Bhengu xolile.bhengu@inl.co.za CALLS have been made for the government to consider making vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory due to the slow pace of the vaccination roll-out programme. On Wednesday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala revealed that only 29% of eligible people in the province had been vaccinated. The province has a target of 7.2 million vaccinations, to reach herd immunity by the end of December. Zikalala lamented that misconceptions and misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines had caused vaccine hesitancy. According to the latest statistics, 19 668 177 vaccines have been administered in the country, with 13 799 325 people vaccinated, which is 34% of the adult population. Dr Stavros Nicolaou, senior executive; strategic trade at Aspen Pharmacare and head of the B4SA health working group, said the government may now have to…

Sibusiso Mboto sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za THE recent allegations linking ActionSA’s Newcastle mayoral candidate Faizel Cassim to the Amcor Dam pollution saga has prompted the national leadership of the party to intervene. Cassim owns a laundry company, and the Newcastle Municipality has alleged that chemicals from his business polluted the dam, threatening marine life and posing a danger to the public. Cassim last week denied any wrongdoing and told The Mercury that the allegations were politically motivated. ActionSA party spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni said: “The fact of the matter is that while the charge against Cassim is in his individual capacity, he is our mayoral candidate and, therefore, ActionSA has a vested interest in the matter, and this was the reason the party took the decisions that all communication relating to this matter be…

President’s supposed commitment to improving relations with Algeria seems a ruse MOST colonial occupiers shared the common racist and superior notion that before their arrival, their colonial subjects lacked a sense of nationhood or civility. It is the most despicable form of colonial hubris which should have been relegated to the dustbin of history when the colonial curtain lifted from Africa. With the passage of time, one would have thought such notions were no longer acceptable and would be treated with the contempt they deserve. Which is what makes the remarks of French President Emmanuel Macron last weekend all the more baffling. This is a president who entered office calling colonialism a crime against humanity, and admitted to the use of torture by the French colonial state in Algeria. But…

Beirut: Tank deployments and deadly exchanges of fire turned Beirut into a war zone yesterday after a demonstration organised by Shia parties against the lead investigator into last year’s devastating port blast turned violent. Heavy fire rang out as ambulances rushed the wounded through the deserted streets, a few blocks from the Palace of Justice, where black-clad protesters had gathered moments earlier to demand Tarek Bitar’s removal. The judge has in recent days been in the sights of the Hezbollah and Amal parties in particular for insisting on subpoenaing top officials in his probe into the port blast. According to medics, at least six people were killed and 20 wounded by gunfire. AFP correspondents heard several loud bangs in the area, likely from heavy shelling, and saw black plumes rising…

TOKYO: Japan’s powerful lower house of parliament was dissolved yesterday in a formal step for an October 31 general election that could determine how long Prime Minister Fumio Kishida remains in office. The election comes a little more than three weeks after Kishida took office as prime minister. Any major loss of seats could undermine the premier’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s faith in his leadership, increasing the chances he’ll be dispatched through the “revolving door” that claimed six Japanese premiers between 2007-2012. He wants to maintain his ruling coalitions.…

THE Port Natal District Bowls calendar draws to a close this Sunday when the men’s and women’s semi-finalists gather at Westville Bowling Club in attempts to win the coveted fours trophies in what is regarded as the ultimate challenge in the sport. Last Sunday’s play-offs produced some unexpected results and there are a few new faces in this weekend’s semi-finals. The men’s games will see Mark Ramsden skip his Hillary team against that of Alan Perry from Umhlali Country Club, and a Stella Park derby when Trevor Phillips leads his team against Wayne Rittmuller’s warriors. The women’s games will involve Yvonne Mamotte’s team from Stella Park challenging the Hillary ladies led by Trudi Claasen and another Stella Park team, piloted by Dora Kruger, will face off against…

Yogashen Pillay yogashen.pillay@inl.co.za Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) said yesterday that it was investigating the cause of a second fire at the Richards Bay port following a blaze there last week. In a statement TNPA said that a fire broke out about 7pm on Wednesday which was extinguished, but it reignited yesterday morning and was contained. It said the fire affected one of the import conveyor belt routes. The fire came after a fire at the port on October 6. TNPA said the cause of the fire had not been established and an investigation was under way. It added that the following measures had been put in place: Business continuity plans have been executed and engagements are taking place with affected customers. A letter has been issued instructing the affected…

I HAVe decided that there is a “Big Five” when it comes to human relationships. They are: clarity, hospitality, ambition, forgiveness and humility. I believe the person who makes a concerted effort to grow these flowers (trees, fruits, crops…) in their inner garden will reap wonderful, fulfilling rewards. Clarity: the capacity to communicate who you are, what you do and don’t want, and what you will and won’t do. Greater clarity tends to lower the occurrences of misunderstandings. Hospitality: the capacity to welcome others into sharing life and resources. It’s living from a default of generosity while being able to maintain clear boundaries. Ambition: this is the capacity to want, to desire. This powerful drive, well-cultivated, can be used for good and in such a way that it hurts no…

YUGEN MOODLEY | Chatsworth THE DA was fighting a racial identity crisis for several years now, with many of its top experienced and capable non-white leaders resigning in numbers. For some reason, the DA cannot grapple with the fact that there are serious racial tensions within the party and the DA leadership is failing to address it or they are ignorant. The Phoenix apology by the DA is a slap in the face for the people of Phoenix. The DA never took any interest in the people of Phoenix after the unrest. According to social media, local media and Google searches, it is only found that ADeC lead by chief activist Visvin Reddy, local comedian (Karou Charou) and some Phoenix activists took up the plight of the Phoenix…

BEVERLY TSITSI MUTANDIRO | Human Rights Activist It is insane for the Zimbabwean government to abandon and neglect mental health issues when many Zim babweans are dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxieties and depression because of toxic politics, a climate of fear and economic hardships beyond belief. The rate of suicide in Zimbabwe has climbed because of the hopelessness in the country. The economy is completely shattered, there are no prospects for jobs, and the government is careless, clueless, and unable to solve the problems that have driven millions of Zimbabwe into foreign countries where they have strained public resources, particularly in South Africa with an estimated six million migrants from Zimbabwe. People suffering from mental health issues in Zimbabwe are considered to be social outcasts, exposed to excessive…

Xolile Bhengu xolile.bhengu@inl.co.za An extra team of divers has been sent by the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) to assist the Jozini Municipality in the search for Shayamanzi I deckhand Maxwell Nyawo, who went missing at the Jozini Dam this past weekend. Nyawo has been missing since Sunday, after he and eight other occupants dived into the Jozini Dam after the luxury boathouse caught fire. Nyawo is suspected to have drowned. Tebogo Ramatjie, spokesperson for Samsa, confirmed that two additional diving investigators from Cape Town had been sent to Jozini to intensify the search for Nyawo. Ayanda Gumede, Jozini Municipality manager for Disaster, Fire and Rescue, said as the days went by they were worried about marine life threatening the prospects of finding Nyawo. “More divers have been sent to…

DARE we dream that Bafana Bafana can qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup? Yes, we can! The courageous performances from the South African national football team in beating Ethiopia twice in the World Cup qualifiers this past week has given fans renewed hope that Bafana will be on a plane to Doha next year. Talking about planes, memes going around on social media this week saw supporters looking for cheap flights from South Africa to Qatar next year. Such was the joy that emanated from the victories. Bafana are at the top of Group G, with 10 points, one ahead of Ghana, with two more matches to go – against Zimbabwe on November 11 in South Africa, and away to Ghana on November 14. Effectively, their fate is…

Decorated runner Agnes Jebet Tirop was found stabbed to death at her home in Kenya, according to police in that country’s Elgeyo Marakwet County. Police chief Tom Makori said a search was on for Tirop’s husband, who is considered a suspect in the case and was at large, according to the Associated Press. Makori said family members of Tirop’s husband told police he called them in a state of extreme agitation and asked for forgiveness related to an unspecified act. According to Reuters, Makori added that it appeared to police officers who arrived at the scene after Tirop’s father had reported her missing that Tirop had been stabbed in the neck with a knife. Tirop, 25, was a two-time World Championships bronze medalist in the 10 000 metres. She finished…

Brussels: Five biracial women taken from their mothers in Congo 70 years ago demanded reparations from the Belgian state yesterday, which is accused of “crimes against humanity” for acts committed during the colonial era. Léa, Monique, Simone, Noëlle and Marie-Josée, who are now more than 70 years old, sued Belgium demanding reparations from central Africa’s former colonial power. The trial is the first in Belgium to shed light on the fate of biracial children born in the former Belgian colonies (DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), whose number is generally estimated at around 15 000, though there has never been an official count.…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za PSG GROUP’S investee companies put in a resilient performance in the six months to August with a 17 percent increase in the sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) value per share, and they were well positioned for another good second half performance, chief executive Piet Mouton said yesterday. The figure rose from R94.24 per share as at February 28, 2021, to R110.50 as at August 31. On October 8, the SOTP value per PSG Group share was R112.13. No interim dividend was declared compared with 164 cents declared at the interim stage last year. The underlying investments operate across a range of industries including financial services, education and food, and early-stage investments in select growth sectors. Some 80 percent of the SOTP is calculated using exchange-listed share prices,…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za FORMER President Jacob Zuma has continued to criticise former public protector Thuli Madonsela and Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, placing the blame for his arrest in early July, squarely on their shoulders. An unrepentant Zuma yesterday addressed his supporters via a Facebook feed from Nkandla after failing to show up at his welcome-home rally and prayer which was held at the People’s Park in Durban. He insisted that the Constitutional Court “majority judgment is bad in law” and he was “unconstitutionally” jailed. For his non-appearance in person at the well-attended rally, Zuma cited “known reasons” – which is his ill-health which saw him released on medical parole on September 5, two months into a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. Kicking off his speech, Zuma insisted that…

COP26, the world conference in Glasgow on climate change, approaches. It’s the last chance, they say, for the world to begin being rescued from the consequences of global warming. Global warming was started by Homo sapiens with the Industrial Revolution and the more than two centuries that followed. Do Homo sapiens have the sapiens – it means “savvy” – to reverse it? As the conference approaches, people are stressing the urgency. Sky News is screening shots focused on Buckingham Palace to illustrate what happens if COP26 fails. The worst-case scenario of rising temperatures has the palace with water reaching the second floor from rising sea levels as the polar icecaps melt (which they are doing at an alarming rate). And in that worst-case scenario, almost the whole of London would…

DUNCAN DU BOIS | Bluff WITH speculation rife about the outcome of the November 1 local government elections, Paks Pakiriy (The Mercury, October 13) correctly advises caution on candidate and party selection. One of the fallacies touted is that only the DA has the means and the muscle to take on the ANC. But opposition to the ANC is not an exclusive right of the DA. Besides, it is only through a coalition of opposition that the ANC can be challenged as Helen Zille pioneered in Cape Town in 2006. By means of a coalition with smaller parties she became mayor. Now more than ever, coalitions are going to determine political outcomes. Another of the fallacies is that only DA ward candidates can “get things done”. The…

THEMBA KHOZA | Department of Water and Sanitation SOME parts of the country are now receiving much-needed rainfall which is a positive development for a dry and water scarce country. Rainfall brings much-needed water, the source of life. South Africans rejoice and celebrate at the sight of rain as it replenishes our water resources and recharges our groundwater resources and systems translating to more water available for human use and the ecosystem. Rain brings life as water is life, but it can also be deadly and bring pain and suffering. With climate change upon us, rain patterns have changed and more often we experience heavy downpours associated with hailstorms and thunderstorms with disastrous consequences disrupting our daily lives. This then calls for everyone to be extra careful on…

Yogashen Pillay yogashen.pillay@inl.co.za THE Shallcross community has been shaken by the drive-by shooting that took place in broad daylight on Wednesday. Kesavan Isaac Naidoo, the son-in-law of slain alleged drug kingpin “Teddy Mafia”, Yaganathan Pillay, was injured during the incident that took place in Table Mountain Road in Shallcross on Wednesday. The video of the shooting went viral on social media. In it, three gunmen can be seen shooting at a white SUV that Naidoo was in. KZN police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele confirmed that police were investigating the incident. “On October 13 at 10, a shooting occurred on Table Mountain Road in Shallcross. It is alleged that a vehicle, with two occupants was travelling along Table Mountain Road when suspects began shooting at the occupants. The suspects, who were…

Karen Singh karen.singh@inl.co.za The bail application of KZN farmer Garth Simpson, who is accused of the murder of a Glencoe teenager, has been postponed to next week Thursday for judgment. Simpson, 68, appeared in the Glencoe Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the continuation of his bail application. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara said Simpson was charged with the murder of 17-year-old Qiniso Dlamini, who was shot on Simpson’s farm. He also faces charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Last month, Dlamini’s family called for justice to be served. His uncle, Doctor Ngcobo, said Dlamini was shot when he and seven other people went to fetch cows at the farm.…

THE Chinese government released a white paper last month, ahead of the 72nd founding of the People’s Republic that documents China’s journey to moderate prosperity. It hopes that by sharing its modernisation experience with the rest of the world, it can promote a “common moderate prosperity” for all humanity. The term “xiaokang”, meaning moderate prosperity, has been a consistent aspiration of the Chinese nation since ancient times. The first recorded mention of the term was more than two millennia ago in the Book of Songs. More recently, the Chinese government has, via its national congresses and Five-Year Plans, set out a phased approach of achieving modernisation and common moderate prosperity. The first target was to double the size of the economy in 1980 by the end of the 1980s and…

THE EU will not accept London’s demands for an alternative arbitrator to settle post-Brexit disputes involving Northern Ireland, Dublin said yesterday after the EU offered other concessions. The EU proposed a host of proposals this week, including reduced customs checks and paperwork on British products intended for Northern Ireland, in a bid to solve problems caused by the Brexit deal last year. But there was no movement on what Britain says is one of its red lines: the role of the EU’s European Court of Justice (ECJ) as arbiter in any post-Brexit disputes involving the province. “There should not be a role for the ECJ in any part of the UK, including Northern Ireland,” British Health Secretary Sajid Javid said yesterday. But when asked by Britain’s Times Radio if the…

LA PALMA: More people were forced to leave their homes on Wednesday evening as flows of molten rock pouring from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma threatened to engulf another neighbourhood. With no end in sight to the eruption, which is in its fourth week, authorities expected the lava flow to advance to the northwest, beyond the boundary of the evacuated area. Lava from the eruption has laid waste to nearly 600 hectares in total, destroying about 1 500 houses and other buildings, including a cement plant that gave off toxic fumes earlier in the week, as well as devouring banana and avocado plantations, authorities said.…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za BENNI McCarthy and AmaZulu face one of their biggest tests yet when they square off against Congolese giants TP Mazembe in a CAF Champions League second preliminary round first leg clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium today. Along with Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly, TP Mazembe are one of the most decorated teams in Africa, having won the Champions League five times, with their most recent success being in 2015. Usuthu’s ambitious coach McCarthy is aware that his side will have to make the most of their home advantage ahead of the second leg, which will be played in challenging conditions at TP Mazembe’s home ground in Lubumbashi on Tuesday. “We have to ensure that the home game is a positive one, as it will give us something to…

THE offshore fishing has been firing. The game fish have been testing the drags and the bottoms have been teaching the guys to backwind a KP. The North Coast has seen good snoek fishing in the early mornings. Fillet baits have seen most of the action. Get your hands on some quality sardines (redeye sardines if possible) and hit the backline early. There have been tuna and dorado in the deeper waters. Poppers have been the go to method for the tuna. Although blind casting can be tedious, it produces good results if you are fishing the right area. Next time you are slow trolling or even fishing on the bottom, pick up your popping rod and throw the popper around for a couple minutes. You might surprise yourself with…