Innehållsförteckning för 2024-10-24 från Mercury

Information and communication technology group EOH has made progress on its growth strategy, resolved many legacy issues and significantly streamlined its corporate office and administrative functions on its journey to financial stability, the group said yesterday. In the year to July 31, the headline loss per share (HLPS) for the group that operates across Africa, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, improved substantially by 99% to 0.21 cents, after net finance costs reduced by 28% to R118 million. Revenue from continuing operations fell 3.1% to R6 billion after good growth from the International segment (27%) and Infrastructure services businesses (5%), with Digital revenue generation remaining robust. International revenue as a percentage of the total grew to 11% during the year from 8% the previous year and growth was good,…

With less than two weeks remaining before the November 5 American election, the paranoia of the globalist Left at the prospect of Trump returning to the White House is well illustrated by Joe Biden’s exhortation that Trump be “jailed” or “politically locked out”. The reason for the Left’s alarm is that Trump’s Maga movement constitutes a wrecking ball for the globalist, elitist system that has exercised power in the US for more than 60 years. Trump is not running against Kamala Harris. He is running against an establishment that is implacably opposed to him and what he represents. That grouping is what he identifies as “the enemy within”. It is openly committed to emasculating the constitution and destroying America’s social fabric through mass, unvetted immigration and un-American lawfare against…

Just what is wrong with Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, who is presiding over the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial? He was at it again recently, making inappropriate, unwelcomed and possibly denigrating remarks about ‘Africans’ in open court. He made such a comment earlier this year when he sniped that this is ‘Africa’. This blows him out of the water as a closet xenophobe. In the most recent case, he flippantly in open court, when a medical certificate was presented to the court by one of the lawyers, asked whether the doctor who signed the certificate was from South Africa. He continued that in the past, when he served in the same court, “there were medical certificates produced from our brothers from the North that claimed that they were qualified when this was…

Food safety needs to be a priority with increased public awareness regarding the purchase and consumption of food products and the registration and inspection of small businesses to ensure compliance with food safety requirements. This is according to Professor Lise Korsten, Professor in Plant Health and Food Safety, president of the Africa Academy of Science and co-director of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of Pretoria. She was commenting after a series of alleged food poisoning incidents in Gauteng and one incident in KwaZulu-Natal. Six pupils from different schools in Naledi, Soweto died allegedly after consuming food purchased from a spaza shop. In addition, 25 primary school pupils from Mshuluzane Mayisela Primary School were admitted to a hospital in Bronkhorstspruit after eating snacks bought from…

Louis Liebenberg, a diamond dealer who helped fund former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution matter, has been arrested in an alleged R4 billion diamond investment scam. The charges for which Liebenberg was arrested relate to fraud, money laundering, theft and racketeering and are linked to an alleged scam that started in 2019. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the operation led to the rounding up of eight suspects in Gauteng and the North West province. “The suspects include a couple wherein the husband is alleged to be the mastermind behind the scam along with his wife. Diamond investors were scammed of more than R4 billion since 2019,” Nkwalase said in a statement. Liebenberg gained prominence when it was reported that he paid Zuma's legal fees. Liebenberg’s company Tariomix bought and…

Free State Premier Maqueen Lehoha-Mathae and her husband, speaker of the Mangaung Metro, Lawrence Mathae, are under fire following allegations that they accepted bribes from a local contractor. A case has already been filed against the couple by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at the Park Road police station and now ActionSA has confirmed that it will also file charges against the couple, the contractor and others implicated. The couple have denied the allegations against them. The charges stem from allegations that the couple allegedly benefited, through substantial payments and lavish gifts, from a contractor, Patrick Phuti, CEO of New Beginnings. Phuti made their alleged secret dealings public after his contract was terminated. ActionSA said it will also file charges against Phuti. “The allegations centre around a questionable tender process…

City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has placed Community Development Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Kabelo Gwamanda on immediate special leave due to allegations of corruption. The two met on Tuesday after Morero ordered Gwamanda, who is an Al Jama-ah councillor, to explain himself on the allegations of fraud brought against him. “The severity of these allegations demands a proactive response to protect the integrity of the Office of the Executive Mayor,” Morero said. Gwamanda was appointed to the MMC position in August after he was removed as Joburg mayor after a year in office. The former mayor is accused of misleading vulnerable residents of Soweto into enrolling in a funeral insurance programme that required them to pay monthly premiums. It is alleged that policy holders were unable to…

The Msunduzi Municipality has reached an agreement with the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board to suspend water curtailment measures for the next five days in order to allow their system to recover. Deputy Mayor Mxolisi Mkhize stated that this suspension will give their water reservoirs an opportunity to fill up, thereby addressing supply issues when the curtailment measures are implemented again. The municipality has struggled to supply water since the curtailment measures were implemented. The curtailment measures were introduced in both eThekwini and Msunduzi after the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board was instructed by the Department of Water and Sanitation to reduce the amount of water it was abstracting from the system. Key suburbs have been left without water for days and industrial areas have reported lost production due to water outages. Mkhize explained:…

A NATIONAL Prosecuting Authority (NPA) saddled with public concerns about some of its senior members not being granted security clearance helps critics justify their scepticism about the authority’s proclaimed independence. The authority’s mandate demands that any senior member should be beyond reproach. A security clearance is vital in this regard. Therefore when questions are being asked about why Deputy National Director of Public Prosecution Anton du Plessis has not been issued with a security clearance certificate, it is cause for concern. Du Plessis is entrusted with the responsibility of handling information that may be deemed of national importance. It may be so that he has performed his duties diligently since his appointment, as the NPA contends, however this does little to allay concerns that he does not have security clearance,…

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a scion of India’s Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, submitted her nomination yesterday, to contest an election to parliament, the latest candidate from a family that has dominated politics and given the country three prime ministers. Vadra, 52, filed her papers for the Wayanad seat in the southern state of Kerala for the November 13 vote after a roadshow attended by thousands of supporters of her Congress party. Wayanad was won by Vadra’s brother Rahul Gandhi in the national election this year but he had to vacate it as he also won from a second seat in the family bastion in north India. Indian law allows candidates to retain only one. Rahul, 54, is the leader of opposition in the lower house of parliament, while their mother, Sonia, is a…

Singapore: The youngest son of Singapore’s founding leader, Lee Kuan Yew, said he was granted asylum in Britain due to persecution at home, where a family feud rages over a property dispute. Lee Hsien Yang, 67, said this week that he sought asylum in 2022 “as a last resort” from government attacks against him. The Lees’ battle over whether to demolish or preserve the single-storey house has generated headlines. Lee Hsien Yang and his sister wanted to demolish the bungalow that hosted the formation of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore since 1959. Their older brother, former premier Lee Hsien Loong, wanted to preserve the property, which prompted his siblings to accuse him of trying to exploit their father’s legacy. | AFP…

KABUL: The Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with leading aid agencies to assist thousands of displaced and needy families across Afghanistan, the ministry said yesterday. The total sum reached more than $2.4 million (R43m), benefiting over 2 236 families and 10 550 people, the statement said. The agencies will implement public utility projects in 15 provinces, it said. The Afghan caretaker government has called on local and international organisations to invest in the country and help create job opportunities. | Xinhua…

Trying to reason with unreasonable people is a waste of time. Don’t waste yours. Be aware that unreasonable people often love to argue and waste your time (and theirs). This is part of why they are unreasonable. Unreasonable people will exhaust you long before you have convinced them. They get a high from winning. Let them “win.” Mutuality, respect and “level ground” are foundational for all participants if anything worthwhile is desired. Be aware of those for whom friendship is social work. Manipulation, domination and intimidation erase all possibility of respect. It’s impossible to love someone "into" respecting you. Avoid power games, no matter who they are or what they offer. Nothing is worth sacrificing your self-worth. People who treat others as idiots should be avoided. They will soon enough…

Anybody that fails to recognise that the ongoing conflict in Gaza is not a religious issue but, far more seriously, borders on actually being a racist one, must consider the following argument: Apartheid South Africa clearly drew a red line between the racial categories of which people were considered “whites” and which were classified clearly as “non-whites”. The definitions were government gazetted! The offspring of a “mixed” relationship could never be classified as anything but “not white”. All Black people (Africans), all brown people (Indians, Arabs, and other Asians ) fell into the category of clear “non-whites”. But, wait! After World War II, Japan began to emerge as a strong international trade contender (Toyota et al) becoming one of the biggest importers of pig iron from our D.F Malan's friendly…

Long hours of preparation and burning the midnight oil have begun for matriculants. Matric exams will conclude at the end of November 2024. Pupils are facing their greatest challenge, which is to get into a university. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all matriculants the best. It takes determination, persever ance and sacrifice to overcome one of the greatest challenges that young people will face as they embark on a journey that will determine their future. Preparation and approach are the critical factors in ensuring good results and most importantly, eliminating anxiety and fear. Tertiary institutions, especially medical faculties, should re-examine the criteria of acceptance. Students should be accepted on the basis of merit, not quota system. This will establish a greater skill set for the future…

THE insurance that is meant to protect eThekwini residents from large bills as a result of water leaks in their homes has come under scrutiny following complaints that consumers have been left stranded with their claims not being fully paid. Residents who have sought to claim from this insurance have reported that it only pays a fraction of the total municipal bill owed to the eThekwini Municipality. The matter was recently raised by members of the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Portfolio Committee during a visit to the province. One committee member said that during an engagement with residents in eThekwini, they fielded numerous complaints about the insurance. Residents have expressed frustration, stating that when they put in a claim, the insurance only covered a small portion of their municipal…

Another mass shooting incident has rocked the Eastern Cape after five men were shot and killed in Gqeberha. Police said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Their bodies were found on Tuesday night in a shack in the Chris Hani informal settlement in New Brighton in Gqeberha. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said just after 9pm, SAPS responded to complaints of a shooting at an informal settlement. “On arrival at the scene, police found the bodies of five men with multiple gunshot wounds. The circumstances surrounding the incident will form part of the investigation.” Nkohli said the names of the deceased were being withheld until a formal identification process is concluded. Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact Detective Sithole on 082…

A SHORTAGE of teachers and markers for certain subjects across provinces has been raised as a concern by quality assurance body Umalusi as the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations began this week. The portfolio committee on basic education was briefed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Umalusi. While it was noted that the department had made contingency plans for this year’s exams, the matter had to be dealt with going forward. DBE chief director for national assessment and public examinations, Dr Rufus Poliah, addressed the issue of the shortage of permanent staff across some provincial departments. “This is a problem; the DBE has conducted an audit of all our staff vacancies, but I must say that our Heads of Department have done the best under the severe fiscal…

KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers says provincial departments will have to take cost cutting seriously as the province has to manage a R9 billion budget deficit. Rodgers, who is also the provincial chairperson of the DA, spoke to The Mercury about his first 100 days in office and said the province’s finances were not “too healthy”. “We have inherited a province where expenditure was not managed and we have inherited a province that is now projecting a R9bn deficit. “It is not a good position and it is going to take an enormous amount of effort and fiscal discipline to be able to turn it around,” Rodgers said. He said that each member of the provincial executive would have to take an interest in the financial health of their particular…

The province is positioning itself as a prime destination for global travellers The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority (KZN Tourism & Film) is actively engaged in efforts to restore and revitalise the province’s international tourism markets, which faced significant challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our Tourism Recovery Strategy is dedicated to revitalising our international markets through targeted in-country initiatives and activations in collaboration with South African Tourism. Our international marketing initiatives align with the newly established KZN Tourism and Film board’s directive to enhance the influx of international visitors. We provide education and engagement for tourist businesses to enable them to effectively market and sell KwaZulu-Natal. In Q2, we reported that we have received 166 900 international visitors in contrast to 181 785 in Q1. Nonetheless, we hold a…

The inception of an innovation centre is a testimony to BRICS countries’ focus on development and cooperation. Ushering in a new era for greater BRICS co-operation, BRICS countries have been pooling more efforts in such areas as digital economy, green development and supply chains. The New Development Bank (NDB) set up by BRICS has delivered impressive achievements since its establishment nine years ago. Headquartered in Shanghai, it has cumulatively approved loans of $35 billion for more than 100 projects. Through the years, BRICS countries have created a variety of platforms, notably the BRICS Media Summit, the BRICS Seminar on Governance, the BRICS Civilization Dialogue, and the BRICS Young Leaders Forum, to facilitate dialogue and communication among officials, scholars and youth. In the multicultural city of Kazan, Chinese President Xi Jinping…

Several strikes on Lebanon’s Tyre were reported yesterday after the Israeli army warned residents to evacuate swathes of the coastal city which boasts a Unesco World Heritage site. AFPTV footage showed plumes of thick black smoke rising from several neighbourhoods, with parts of the evacuation area just 500m from the city’s ancient ruins. “Four strikes targeted the city of Tyre after the enemy threatened to bomb it,” the National News Agency said, after earlier reporting that “an enemy drone targeted” a “street in Tyre”. “The situation is very bad, we’re evacuating people,” said Mortada Mhanna, who heads Tyre’s disaster management unit. Bilal Kashmar, the unit’s media officer, said that many were fleeing the city and heading towards the suburbs. “You could say that the entire city of Tyre is being…

PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un examined the capabilities and functions of launch-related facilities crucial to national security recently. The leader praised the soldiers for their dedicated service, maintaining combat readiness, the Korean Central News Agency reported. Kim emphasised the strategic missile force’s pivotal role in the DPRK’s war deterrence and reaffirmed the importance of modernising the military, prioritising missile capabilities. He pointed out the growing threats from US strategic nuclear forces, stressing the need for the DPRK to strengthen its deterrence and maintain a strong nuclear posture. | Sputnik…

Jerusalem: The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said yesterday that at least 42 792 people had been killed in the year-long war between Israel and Palestinian militants. The toll includes 74 deaths in the previous 24 hours, the ministry said, adding that 100 412 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel in October last year. Yesterday, a UN relief agency employee was killed in a strike on a vehicle in Gaza, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said. At least 223 UN aid workers had been killed and two-thirds of the agency’s facilities in Gaza damaged or destroyed since the war erupted, it said. | AFP…

In a landscape marked by global economic fluctuations, Southern African CEOs are expressing cautious optimism for the next year. The inaugural Africa edition of the KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook released yesterday revealed a decline in CEO confidence in the global economy, dropping from 70% in 2023 to 52% in 2024. The survey saw more than 130 CEOs in Africa share their views on geopolitics, return-to-office, ESG and generative AI. However, participants unanimously in the survey agreed that upcoming structural reforms initiated by the Government of National Unity (GNU) could rejuvenate business sentiment moving forward. A significant component of these reforms is the streamlining of skilled worker visas, a topic that weighs heavily on the minds of many CEOs. The ability to attract and retain skilled professionals is seen as paramount…

I was down on Bondi Pier With a tube of ice-cold beer And a bucketful of prawns upon my knee. Well I swallowed my last prawn, Had a technicolour yawn, And I chundered in the old Pacific sea. Bring it up, bring it up, Bring it up, bring it up, I chundered in the old Pacific sea. I’ve had liquid laughs in bars And I’ve hurled from moving cars, And I’ve chundered in the old Pacific sea … WHO remembers The Wonderful World of Barry McKenzie and other hilarious writings by Barry Humpries, set mainly in the Earl’s Court district of London and featuring our Aussie hero in his slouch hat, corks dangling from the brim? There I strode down the Earl’s Court Road, Just about getting started, When this…

I am writing to address a heartbreaking crisis affecting our community in Gauteng. The rising number of unclaimed bodies in government mortuaries, including hospital mortuaries, being buried as “John Doe” or pauper is a growing concern. Each of these individuals represent a life lost, a story untold, and a family left in anguish. Many families may be unknowingly searching for missing loved ones, unaware that their relatives could be among the unclaimed. This situation calls for urgent action. I encourage anyone who has lost contact with a loved one, and do not know where they are, to check with all government and hospital mortuaries. Seeking could restore respect (dignity) to people who have passed away. Their action could offer comfort and closure to distraught families. Furthermore, I encourage local…

UASA is pleased with the lower inflation rate as announced by Stats SA this morning (yesterday), and hopes are high that the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee will implement another 25 basis points interest rate cut in November. September’s consumer price inflation (CPI) dipped below 4% for the first time since 2021, to 3.8% from 4.4% in August. This is well below the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) key target of 4.5%. According to Stats SA, the main positive contributors to the lower inflation rate were housing and utilities, miscellaneous goods and services, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Transport was the only negative contributor. For heavily indebted workers, a cut in the repo rate will bring some relief ahead of the festive season after…

Rising costs for fuel, electricity, water, maintenance and materials were among the factors Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) said it took into account when it determined its tariff increases for the 2025/2026 financial year. TNPA said it had applied to the Ports Regulator of South Africa for an overall weighted average tariff adjustment of 7.90% for the 2025/2026 financial year. Transnet said the increase was in line with inflation and accommodated other costs such as fuel, maintenance, and water. In addition, the tariff adjustments for 2026/27 and 2027/28 are 18.61% and 2.52% respectively. The Ports Regulator of South Africa said that it had received the application from Transnet and would consider all submissions. An announcement on the Record of Decision (RoD) would be made on November 29. Speaking on rising…

The Automobile Association (AA) said it has received numerous complaints from members about the high-speed blue light motorcades. These blue light brigades were increasingly seen barging their way through heavy traffic, particularly during peak traffic hours in the morning and afternoon, the association noted. “Whatever politician is being transported in these motorcades must make it clear that they expect the highest levels of professional and ethical behaviour from their support staff,” the AA said. “Allowing these officers to act the way they do sends a message to the public that they are above the law, which they are not.” Legally, motorists are required to give way to a vehicle sounding a device or bell or displaying an identification lamp, according to Regulation 308(1) of the National Road Traffic Act. The…

The Durban High Court, this week, granted a preservation order for items seized by the Hawks, including an industrial shoe-making machine, two money counting machines, and cash totalling R87 946, during a drug raid on a Phoenix residence a year ago. The search and seizure operation took place on August 7, 2023, at a property on Gillham Avenue, Phoenix. Acting on a tip-off about suspected drug activity, the Hawks and the Durban Metro Drug Task Team executed a warrant and uncovered heroin capsules, cannabis and cash, alongside the money counting machines and industrial shoe-making machine which was seemingly used to conceal drugs. “The seized items had an estimated street value of R371 291,” said police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Sibu Ncane. Following the operation, two suspects were arrested and charged with…

Independent Media and Independent Online (IOL) said in a statement yesterday that they wished to make it clear that they chose to withdraw from the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) owing to the Council's mishandling of a case and other issues. The clarifying statement, the group said, came after the Council's misleading claim of "expulsion". “This so-called "expulsion" is therefore inconsequential and merely an attempt to distort the narrative,” the statement from Independent Media and IOL said. The group said they were key points for clarification including: The PCSA is a voluntary organisation with no legal standing or official regulatory authority. It is not a statutory body, and thus it cannot enforce its decisions on media entities that choose to operate outside of its jurisdiction. As such, Independent Media…

While the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has been debating the legal technicalities of genocide, violations of international law and violations of international humanitarian law, the wars in the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine rage on. In his address at the University of California, Berkeley on May 13, 1954, UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold famously said “The United Nations was not created to bring us to heaven but in order to save us from hell”. For the innocent and vulnerable trapped in major conflicts such as the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, daily life is “hell” on earth and while they don’t expect to be delivered “heaven” they should be able to rely on the UNSC to save them from the “hell” that is daily bombardment, death, terror, starvation and destruction.…

Donald Trump’s campaign has accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party of “blatant foreign interference” in the US presidential election after some volunteers travelled to help campaign for Kamala Harris. The Republican candidate’s camp has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission in Washington, calling for an investigation into what it termed apparently illegal contributions from Labour to the Harris campaign. British political volunteers have long travelled to the US ahead of elections, with activists of the centre-left Labour Party typically supporting the Democrats, its sister party, and Conservatives backing the Republicans. British officials, who asked not to be named, said that some senior Labour advisers travelled to meet Democrat strategists in recent months, on the back of their landslide victory in the British election in July. One…

Belarus will hold a presidential election on January 26, four and a half years after widespread allegations of vote rigging in the last ballot led to mass protests. Belarus, a key ally of Russia, has been ruled since 1994 by strongman President Alexander Lukashenko, who has eliminated all forms of opposition and jailed hundreds of critics and protestors. The election commission said that parliament had approved the date of the vote, which the opposition said would be a “sham”. Critics accuse Lukashenko, expected to run again, of violating human rights and jailing opponents during his three-decade rule, which has grown increasingly authoritarian. The 2020 vote was marred by allegations of fraud, triggering weeks of massive protests on the streets of the capital Minsk and across the country. Thousands were arrested…

PHNOM PENH Cambodia attracted 4.8 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of this year, up 22% from 3.92 million over the same period last year, said a Ministry of Tourism’s report yesterday. “The number has reached 99.7% of that in the first nine months of 2019, the pre-Covid-19 pandemic era,” the report said. Thailand topped the chart of international tourist arrivals to the Southeast Asian country during January to September, followed by Vietnam, China, Laos and the US. The ministry said Cambodia was a cultural and ecological tourism destination. The country received 5.45 million international tourists last year. | Xinhua…

Kyiv: Ukraine yesterday called on any North Korean troops deployed by Russia to the war-battered country to surrender. North Korea has sent 1 500 more soldiers to Russia, Seoul’s spy agency told MPs yesterday, with 10 000 troops expected to be deployed by December. “The latest deployment brings the number of Pyongyang’s troops in Russia to 3 000, MP Park Sun-won said, after a briefing by the National Intelligence Service,” he said. Experts have said that in return for sending soldiers to help Russia, the North’s leader Kim is likely aiming to acquire military technologies from Moscow. Both North Korea and Russia are under rafts of UN sanctions. | Reuters…

Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has ramped up the stakes for her squad as they prepare for their European tour opener against Denmark. The African champions kick off their campaign tomorrow (6pm SA time kick-off) at Aalborg Stadium, where they will face a formidable opponent ranked 12th in the Fifa world rankings. This three-match tour is crucial as Banyana aim to defend their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) trophy next year. Following their clash with Denmark, the team will head to England to face the European champions in Coventry, and finish the year with a tough double-header against Jamaica in the Caribbean on November 29 and December 2. As the players gear up for these matches, Ellis has made it abundantly clear that no one’s place in the…