Innehållsförteckning för 2024-06-05 från Mercury

IN TODAY’S world, our cellphones have become more than just gadgets; they’ve turned into an extension of us. Everywhere you look, people are glued to their phones, swiping, typing and scrolling. It’s not just the young ones – everyone is addicted. I’m guilty too. From morning till night, my phone is never far from reach. Sometimes, I prefer doing my work on my phone rather than on a computer. It’s convenient and always there, fitting perfectly into our busy, on-the-go lifestyles. But why are we so attached? Maybe it’s because our phones offer everything – news, social media, work tools, entertainment and our loved ones with just one tap away. This constant connectivity, while convenient, also has its downsides. It blurs the line between work and personal time, making us…

If you do not tell people who you are, they will decide who you are. Which do you want? Your version or theirs? Show up. Speak up. Advocate for yourself – always. This is your thoroughly human, spiritual and adult privilege and responsibility. The healthy people in your spheres of family, friendships, faith and workplace will endorse and honour this unique human joy that is yours and be similarly showing up, speaking up and advocating for themselves, which will, of course, get your support. Do your part in reducing guesswork (withholding needed information) and crossovers (speaking for other adults rather than for yourself) and unnecessary entanglements (perpetuating gossip or “juicy” news or titbits about others) in all your relationships and in all the many spheres of your life. Clarity now,…

The South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) condemn in the strongest terms the Zionist intimidation campaign waged against author and illustrator Nathi Ngubane and Social Bandit Media, the independent publisher of From the River to the Sea: A Colouring Book. We agree with the colouring book’s creator, Ngubane, that in the face of the unspeakable genocide of Palestinian people, it is of utmost importance that children in South Africa and across the world learn about the history and culture of Palestine. It is imperative that parents and educators have tools, like this well- researched and expertly produced publication, to counter the persistent erasure and silencing of Palestinian voices in public discourse. It is the tragic, but certainly not novel, irony of Zionist propaganda that the Cape South African…

WHO doesn’t love a good breyani, especially if cooked over an open fire? While no compromise is made on the quality of potatoes, the predominant ingredient also needs to be exceptional. Recently, we’ve noticed that the quality of the rice is varying in standard. This is across most brands. The Willowton Group’s Allsome Rice was always priced right and cooked well but, recently, we have noticed that it gets too soft when it’s cooking. Tiger Brands Aunt Caroline Rice, strangely enough, has had hard and soft grains once it has been cooked. Tiger Brands have responded to my complaint but, unfortunately, the product or packaging was not kept for reference. Tastic Rice, which is the other Tiger Brands product, cooks well but is at the top end of the price…

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa yesterday said the 2024 election results have disappointed doomsayers who predicted the non-return of his party to Parliament. Holomisa said he was not interested in talks about coalitions, but was prepared to work with any political party and expressed his wish for a government of national unity. The UDM increased its seats from two to three with 78 448 votes in the National Assembly. A similar situation played out in the Eastern Cape when the party saw its seats increase from two to three with 66 572 votes. “I don’t want to lie. I expected better, especially in certain areas, but the problem is there in the Electoral Commission and I am not the only one,” Holomisa said in an interview with the Cape Times. “They…

THE uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has encouraged councillors in municipalities “to do the right thing” as the ANC breakaway party looks set to target municipalities after its historic success in last week’s elections. The party said councillors who want to work with the MKP to fix the country should come over, saying there is no time to waste. The MKP caused a stir in the provincial and national elections when it dislodged the ANC as the ruling party in KwaZulu-Natal and became the third-largest party in the country. ANC leaders in key municipalities in KZN yesterday expressed confidence that their councils will not be collapsed by mass resignations of councillors. The Mercury spoke to councillors in eThekwini Metro and Msunduzi Municipality amid concerns that the ANC is faced with deepening…

JACOB Zuma’s time as state president is remembered for his alleged corruption and state capture. He is facing criminal charges relating to the 1999 Arms Deal. He is not shy to turn to the courts and seems to get a kick out of swimming against the tide. The MK Party leader – or is he? – is never going to be an MP as a result of a conviction (for contempt of court). This could be a blessing because Zuma, and EFF leader Julius Malema, would have turned Parliament into a madhouse. Less than 24 hours after the May 29 election results were declared, Zuma was in the courtroom again where his MK Party leadership was on the line. Judgment is pending. He, supported by other smaller parties, has also…

India’S Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked set yesterday to retain power at the head of a ruling coalition, but his Hindu nationalist party lost its outright majority for the first time in a decade as voters defied predictions of another landslide. The outcome spooked investors, with stocks falling steeply as emerging results showed that Modi would, for the first time since sweeping to power in 2014, depend on at least three disparate regional parties whose political loyalties have wavered over the years. This, analysts say, could introduce some uncertainty into policymaking after a decade in which Modi has ruled with an authoritative hold. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a majority on its own in 2014, ending India’s era of unstable coalition governments, and repeated the feat in 2019. Modi…

South Korea’s military yesterday said it would resume all military activities along the demarcation line separating the two Koreas and the North West Islands after suspending an inter- Korean military agreement. The suspension of the military agreement with the North, which President Yoon Suk Yeol approved earlier yesterday, is in response to North Korea’s decision to send hundreds of balloons carrying trash over the border. The large-scale spraying of filth balloons has “seriously threatened the safety of our people and caused property damage”, an official said. Pyongyang on Sunday said it had sent up 15 tons of wastepaper using 3 500 balloons, while Seoul vowed “unendurable” measures against the North in response, which could include blaring propaganda from loudspeakers directed at the North. Under the military pact, both countries had…

Canberra: Foreigners who have lived in Australia for at least 12 months will be eligible to join the nation’s armed forces from 2025, the federal government has announced. The defence ministry said the initiative would help grow the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Applicants must not have served in a foreign military in the previous two years and will be subject to ADF entry standards and security requirements. According to the National Defence Strategy, which was launched in April, the ADF is facing a shortage of 4 400 enlisted personnel after achieving 80% of recruitment targets between 2020-21 and 2022-23. | IANS…

Berlin: Germany is considering allowing deportations to Afghanistan, after an asylum seeker from the country injured five and killed a police officer in a knife attack. Deportations to Afghanistan from Germany have been completely stopped since the Taliban retook power in 2021. But a debate over resuming expulsions has resurged after an Afghan, 25, was accused of attacking people with a knife at an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim last week. A police officer, 29, died on Sunday after being stabbed. Five people taking part in the rally against radical Islam, were also wounded. | AFP…

There were scenes of utter devastation, as if from a movie set, in oThongathi yesterday after Monday’s storm brought heavy rain and wind that battered five districts in the province. Emergency rescue workers, provincial disaster management authorities and aid organisations were on the ground to assist with water, food and blankets as more than 120 people found themselves without homes and thousands were without power. By yesterday, distraught residents in Newtown, Burbreeze and Seatides in oThongathi were picking up the pieces of what was left of their homes with reports of some refusing to leave their properties unguarded. In Newtown, Belinda Mngadi, 61, spoke of the tragedy that had befallen her tenants when a fridge fell on top of twin 1-year-old girls. “It all happened so fast. “Soon after the…

Opinions, opinions! They are welcome but to attract some debate, they need to make sense. Proponents of the once-godly Donald Trump have lost their cards and become jokers. So too the cat-callers of global warming – they are silent because they are drowning in “unexplained” flood water, almost reaching up to the lighthouse. The lovers of President Joe Biden are enjoying warmth but the winter of their lives approaches in December. I voted ANC in the national elections but am glad that others will have to share responsibility to rescue us from the quagmire we are in. The DA victory in the Cape was no surprise. Before the victory, its Zionist benefactors were rapidly losing the plot and are now going for children’s colouring books, while our bookshops, libraries and…

DESPITE the obvious logistic complexities and the almost overwhelming number of political parties participating in our extraordinary general elections, one cannot help but feel a deep sense of gratitude to all involved in the enormity of organising the daunting undertaking. Along with a profound hope that the real possibility of some courteous way of those elected working together can evolve, despite ideological differences, in the governing of our common and beloved homeland.…

RUGBY, rugby, rugby … well, the Sharks didn’t disgrace themselves on this final outing against the Bulls, even though they lost in the end. They’ve won the Challenge Cup in the international arena and, clearly, they’ve settled after a terrible start elsewhere. A group of chums – boys and gals – have in recent days had what can be best described as a “rugby extravaganza” – a gathering from lunchtime to evening, during which we were immersed in delicious food, great wines and the best in world rugby on screen. Yes, we were watching Chasing the Sun, a unique four-part documentary on South Africa’s four (so far) victories in the Rugby World Cup. Unique because of footage capturing bone-crunching on-field action; superb on-field running and handling; practice sessions, with expert…

While the outcome of the seventh general elections left some political parties aggrieved, the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster has assured South Africans that any threats of instability will be “dealt with accordingly”. The ministers of the JCPS expressed satisfaction with the operations of law enforcement agencies during the elections. It confirmed that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) was also ready for the post-election phase amid political parties registering objections and concerns about the electoral process. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) declared the results free and fair on Sunday night. “With the question of how we are interpreting the comments publicly made, we stand by our view that anyone who threatens the security or stability of the country by undermining the authority of…

While traditional marketing initiatives such as above-the-line advertising play an important role in creating brand awareness for a new business, public relations (PR) can play an important role in shaping and sustaining brand identity, fostering credibility and building trusted consumer relationships. This is according to the founder and group chief executive of Johannesburg reputation management company The Allure Group (TAG), Bonnke Shipalana. Shipalana is a seasoned marketer and PR practitioner who recently partnered with Independent Media to launch the first-of-its-kind event dubbed Building a Brand Through PR Masterclass. The pioneering initiative seeks to give fledgling small and medium-sized businesses the tools on how to effectively utilise PR to craft their brand narrative, ignite excitement about their brand, create a brand following and hopefully drive sales. The day-long masterclass, which will…

CASH-IN-TRANSIT (CIT) robberies are on the increase in KwaZulu-Natal, with two incidents having been reported in the province in the last 48 hours. The latest incident which took place yesterday, saw two CIT suspects killed in a shoot-out with police and a third arrested in the Phoenix Highway, following an extensive search by police. The suspects had committed the robbery in Kranskop, northern KZN. Police said yesterday they are still searching for more suspects. Another CIT robbery took place at the Durban CBD on Monday where a security guard was shot and wounded. KZN Violence monitor, Mary de Haas said crime syndicates are responsible for the amount of CITs that are happening. “We do however need to see more convictions and more people going on trial for evidence on syndicates…

His sympathisers have had concerns about the ANC leadership since 2017 IMAGINE if the Jacob Zuma sympathisers got their wish tomorrow – not just “a presidential pardon” for all his corruption charges and contempt of court judicial conviction to pave his way to become a prominent member of Parliament after the elections, but the immediate “stepping down of Cyril Ramaphosa from the ANC and SA’s presidency” and the restoration of an environment that enables their direct access to state power and ability to disperse patronage for personal gains. How free would all citizens be in that future? Would a fresh tallying of numbers improve their satisfaction with the election results? Not if Ramaphosa remains in office, which almost certainly would be the case if an ANC-DA coalition is on the…

US President Joe Biden was expected to announce yesterday that he will temporarily close the US-Mexican border to migrants whenever numbers of illegal crossings become excessive, in a dramatic bid to address one of his political weak spots in the re-election battle against Donald Trump. Biden, 81, is set to sign a long-awaited executive order that would allow officials to curb asylum seekers and migrants when numbers top 2 500 in a day, US media reported. Under the rule, authorities would be able to then deport migrants who had crossed into the US without proper documentation. Given that illegal crossings are already often above that threshold, the freeze could be implemented at once, US media reported. Under the measure, asylum seekers would again be allowed to enter once the numbers…

WILMINGTON: Hunter Biden’s criminal trial on gun charges kicked off yesterday with a government lawyer telling jurors that President Joe Biden’s son was being prosecuted for lying on a form he filled out to purchase a handgun and was not above the law. Derek Hines began his opening arguments with the events of October 2018, when Hunter Biden purchased the gun but allegedly lied on his background check about his drug use. “It was illegal because he was user of crack and a drug addict,” Hines told jurors. If convicted on all charges in the Delaware case, Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison, though defendants generally receive shorter sentences. | Reuters…

MOSCOW: Russia welcomed Türkiye’s reported desire to become part of the BRICS group of nations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said yesterday, it would be on the agenda of the next BRICS summit. Peskov said there was heightened interest in BRICS from various states. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan this week began a visit to Beijing, the highest-level visit by a Turkish official to BRICS member China since 2012. Ankara was also eyeing co-operation with BRICS members. Nato member Türkiye has come under fire by its Western allies over its ties with Russia, with some saying its “axis” was shifting away from the Western alliance, a claim Ankara has rejected. | Reuters…

POLITICAL economist Moeletsi Mbeki has reiterated his long-standing belief that South Africa should do away with Broad-Based Black Economic Em- powerment (B-BBEE), saying this policy has been the main driver of corruption and inefficiency within the government. Mbeki has been one of BEE’s biggest detractors, together with affirmative action, arguing that they were the main drivers of corruption in South Africa and a disservice to the economy. Speaking at PSG’s Think Big series yesterday, Mbeki however said that it was unlikely that policies will change when a new government is installed, given the outcome of the recent elections and the parties with the most votes. “The ANC represents the black middle class, that’s why its primary policy has been black economic empowerment,” he said. Mbeki also noted that critical areas…

THE SOUTH African Institution of Civil Engineering (Saice) yesterday called for urgent infrastructure reforms to foster economic growth and improve living standards. Saice said in a statement that Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, Saice’s CEO, addressing the Big 5 Construct South Africa’s Stakeholders Engagement Forum, said: “Infrastructure contributes sig- nificantly to human development, poverty reduction, and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” Despite the progress made in the last 30 years of democracy, South Africa faced numerous challenges hindering sustainable growth, she said. The 4th SAICE Infrastructure Report Card (IRC) of 2022 had awarded an overall grade “D” to South Africa’s public infrastructure, indicating it is “at risk of failure”. Phayane-Shakhane said: “Infrastructure is not coping with normal demand and is poorly maintained”, stressing the urgent need for action to…

Pneumonia is a major cause of hospitalisation and death among children and adults in South Africa. HIV-infected individuals, regardless of age, are particularly at risk of severe illness and death from pneumonia. In light of recent outbreaks of new respiratory illnesses like pandemic influenza, there is a pressing need for a sustainable and representative pneumonia surveillance program. Data from the National Syndromic Surveillance for Pneumonia in South Africa 2010 shows that about 1.4 million children died from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), and around 12 million were hospitalised. LRTI is the leading cause of hospital stays for HIV-positive children in sub-Saharan Africa, as these children are more likely to suffer severe cases and higher death rates. LRTI includes various illnesses such as acute bronchitis, pneumonia, and flare-ups of chronic lung…

A level 4 storm left a trail of destruction in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Monday. Reports indicate that at least 11 people died and more than 50 were injured. Heavy rains and strong winds wreaked havoc in different parts of the province, affecting five districts including the eThekwini Metro, Ilembe, King Cetshwayo, Umzinyathi, Amajuba and Umkhanyakude District Municipalities. oThongathi has been classified as the hardest-hit area with hundreds of houses destroyed. Heavy damage at the Seatides Combined School has raised concern over how a number of children will continue with mid-year exams. Other areas such as Umgababa, south of the eThekwini Metro, Eshowe, Utrecht, Osizweni and KwaHlabisa have been severely affected. Schools, roads, community halls and health-care facilities were also affected. The provincial government said that at…

While I was sitting at my desk musing about this and that, something profound crossed my mind. We often speak about the political spectacle that followed the president’s announcement of a date for the general elections in South Africa. But we don’t often reflect on what the elections mean to each of us. Each time an election crops up, it sends a sturdy reminder that deep down, we are all inherently equal. It’s the magnificent way that it beautifully, almost effortlessly, normalises our society. It’s irrelevant how influential one might be, what standing you maintain in society or how much wisdom you have amassed. No matter the magnitude of our personal achievements and no matter the exponential personal growth we experience, on election day, we are all equal. We get…

MANDISA Maya will be our next chief justice. A gender-diverse Bench reflects a bias-free judiciary. Since democracy began, we have had a woman commissioner of police, woman ministers, woman judges of distinction and women in senior and pivotal Cabinet positions and in the corridors of Parliament. In long-established democracies, women have made inroads as judges during the past few decades. In our rainbow nation, woman judges have significantly impacted on our court’s jurisprudence. Unless the transformation routes involve women in top judicial posts, they will remain recipients of change rather than become agents of change. People equate a gender-diverse judiciary with a more representative governance. Since the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1979, women in many countries are…

THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says it is compiling a comprehensive report on damage following a severe storm that claimed the lives of at least seven people and displaced more than 1 000 residents. The report will form the basis for an application to the national government for disaster relief and motivation for the declaration of a disaster. A severe level 6 weather warning remains in place for the Eastern Cape, where a number of people have died and one person remains missing after a storm hit parts of Kariega and Gqeberha in Nelson Mandela Bay, as well as Buffalo City, at the weekend. The alert warns of disruptive rains leading to flooding of settlements/property, roads and danger to life with the possibility of some communities being temporarily…

Domestic violence is typically perpetrated by male partners against their female counterparts, though there are cases where men are subjected to both physical and emotional abuse by their female partners. What makes this situation particularly problematic for men is the stigma attached to being the victim of female abuse, as well as their experiences with police, courts, and healthcare personnel. The mechanism of whistle-blowing can help address this stigma. A recent study conducted among 25 black African men residing in Johannesburg who have been subjected to domestic violence at the hands of their female partners has found that men are likely to develop several psychosocial disorders. Most prominently, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder are likely to manifest in male victims of domestic violence. These victims are also likely to develop…

Heavy fighting rocked Gaza yesterday after G7 and Arab powers urged both Israel and Hamas to agree to a truce and hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden. Mediator Qatar said it had yet to see statements from either side “that give us a lot of confidence”, but the foreign ministry said Doha was “working with both sides on proposals on the table”. Washington said it would seek a UN Security Council resolution to back the three-phase roadmap which Biden presented last Friday as Israel’s plan, even as the war has ground on. Under the proposal, fighting would stop for an initial six weeks and hostages would be swopped for Palestinian prisoners, ahead of the start of a phase to rebuild Gaza, Biden said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…

UK police said yesterday they were trying to locate the parents of three young children – abandoned separately as newborn babies – after a judge lifted reporting restrictions on the case. Formal investigations were launched after each discovery in 2017, 2019 and January this year, when a baby girl was found dumped in a shopping bag in freezing conditions in east London. But it can only now be reported that all three cases are linked, and that the children, two girls and a boy, are related. DNA testing of the youngest child, named Baby Elsa by hospital staff, showed she has a brother, Baby Harry, and a sister, Baby Roman, who were found in the same area in similar circumstances. The Metropolitan Police has been trying to trace the children’s…

BEIJING: China has granted approval to a first group of nine automakers to carry out tests on vehicles with advanced autonomous driving technologies on public roads, as part of a plan to accelerate adoption of self-driving cars. The tests of so-called level three autonomous driving technologies will be carried out by automakers including BYD and Nio, as well as major state-owned manufacturers such as Changan Automobile, GAC and SAIC, said a statement published by the industry ministry yesterday. Fleet operators such as ride-hailing companies will also be involved. The auto industry has defined five levels of autonomous driving, spanning driver assistance features | Reuters…

Berlin: German rescuers handed out food by boat to stranded residents yesterday as large parts of southern Germany remained underwater after floods that have now claimed five lives. Several people were still missing but police reported the rescue of a woman after she spent 52 hours in a tree she had climbed to escape the flood waters. Police said they had found the 32-year-old in the forest near Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, with the help of a drone and a helicopter. In the south-eastern city of Passau, on the border with Austria, large parts of the centre were submerged by the rising waters. Elsewhere, a woman died after becoming trapped in her car. | AFP…

If ever there is a country where making a good first impression on sports fans is crucial, it’s the US. Americans are notoriously fickle in trying anything new – even football, or as the Yanks refer to it as “soccer” – took decades before breaking into the notoriously robust US sports market; and over the course of the next couple of weeks cricket will have to put the best version of itself forward during this ICC T20 World Cup if it is to leave a lasting impression. On the evidence of Monday’s opener at the Nassau County Ground in Long Island on the outskirts of New York between Sri Lanka and South Africa, the surfaces will need to improve dramatically if this is to happen. Although the Proteas came out…

Richards Bay have been placed under massive pressure to win their opening match in the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs against the University of Pretoria. The Natal Rich Boyz will play hosts to Motsepe Foundation Championship side Tuks at the King Zwelithini Stadium 3pm today, with the hope of kick-starting their defence of their top-flight status positively. Having finished 15th in the DStv Premiership, the KwaZulu-Natal outfit were tipped as favourites in the round robin three-team play-offs when pitted against second-tier sides AmaTuks and Baroka. However, AmaTuks have shifted the dynamic after their opening day 1-0 win over Baroka and have made themselves the side to beat at this early stage. Richards Bay are expected to respond to that with a win over the Pretoria-based club. The Natal Rich Boyz rounded off…