Innehållsförteckning för 2025-02-17 från Mercury

DONALD Trump has competition. A petition has been launched in Denmark to buy and rename the state of California, according to Sky News, after Donald Trump said he wanted to take over Greenland – among other expansionist ideas, which included the possible taking over of Canada as another American state. The petition, which promises to “bring hygge to Hollywood” (hygge being Danish for “cosiness”), asks: “Have you ever looked at a map and thought: ‘You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates?’ “Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality.” The petition’s website claims more than 200 000 people had signed it by last Wednesday, although it is not clear how long it has been running. The petition adds: “It is in…

In this week’s Portfolio Committee on Police, the SAPS was probed on its concerning audit outcomes, including several material irregularities. When probed on debts owed to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, as the implementing agency for project building, General Fannie (Masemola) claimed that the SAPS had no arrears to Public Works, despite conflicting figures from the department. Upon confirmation with Minister (of Public Works and Infrastructure) Dean Macpherson, it emerged that the SAPS reportedly owes Public Works approximately R2 billion. This is while our officers work with dilapidated police stations, with ill-resourced detective services, and a crumbling Crime Intelligence Division. We will submit parliamentary questions to the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, to ascertain the truth. Misleading Parliament is a criminal offence, and Masemola’s position will be untenable,…

KWAZULU-NATAL Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi has warned homeowners, who have built palatial homes on land owned by Ingonyama Trust, to pay for services offered by their respective municipalities. Buthelezi said the unreasonable expectation that people who can afford to pay receive free government services presents a serious challenge to the stability of these services. Buthelezi highlighted that there are individuals who have built mansions worth millions of rand on tribal land and can clearly afford to pay for services such as water. During a meeting last week of uMngeni-uThukela Water, the MEC mentioned that the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) will assist municipalities in collecting what is owed from those who can afford to pay. “We would like to introduce smart water management…

Veterans of the ANC’s Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) military wing are spearheading a project aimed at reintegrating former comrades back into the ANC, including former president Jacob Zuma. The initiative, which is still in the planning stages, is co-led by Langa Dube, the grandson of the ANC’s founding president, John Langalibalele Dube. This project was announced during a commemorative event celebrating the legacy of John Dube at Ohlange High School in Inanda, Durban, where KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairperson Siboniso Duma emphasised the importance of unity within the ANC and highlighted Dube’s commitment to reconnecting with those who have left the party. Duma said: “Comrade Langa promised to bring back members of MK who left. He said he is targeting them because he worked with them underground and he said he would bring…

Social grants have become a lifeline for millions of South Africans. Over 16 million people are permanent beneficiaries of social grants and at least 10 million more receive the temporary Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD). This is according to a 2023 report from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). The R350 SRD grant, which was increased to R370, was introduced for six months to support unemployed people during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. However, it was extended until March 2025. As the country awaits the Budget speech this week when grant recipients are hoping Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will announce an increase in grant amounts, one family from Mabopane, a township in Tshwane, said they rely solely on the grants. The family – six siblings who are unemployed…

A Gauteng company which was taken to task earlier for paying its workers in terms of the “piece work” system – meaning that they were paid according to how much work they completed – tried in vain to have an order suspended in which they were forced to pay these workers the legal wage. In one instance, a female worker, who had worked an entire month, only took home R500 as a salary. Most of these women workers are the sole breadwinners. Crown Household, a Germiston-based company that manufactures and packages wire pot scourers, was earlier told by the CCMA that its “piece work” system was unlawful. The CCMA ordered the employer to pay the workers the money that they were owed in terms of the national minimum wage. In…

While government and law enforcement departments agreed that corruption was a dire issue in the country, they were reluctant to endorse a private member’s bill proposing the establishment of two Chapter 9 institutions to tackle complex corruption and cybersecurity. DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach introduced the Anti-Corruption Commission and Cyber Commissioner bills, which may necessitate the amendment of the Constitution if passed by Parliament. Breytenbach’s party was the lone voice in making a case for the two proposed new institutions at the meeting of the justice and constitutional development portfolio committee. Speaking on the Anti-Corruption Bill, Deputy Minister of Justice Andries Nel said corruption was one of the key issues facing the country. “It has a detrimental effect on all our efforts to develop our country and in particular to advance…

BEING a coalition government president is not just a numbers game. It is as much, if not more, a confidence game. The commander-in-chief can never afford to look rattled about the unhealthy public confidence balance sheet or fretful about the vultures circling their position. The more reason he has to feel anxious, the more imperative it is that he looks nerveless. President Cyril Ramaphosa understands that reality well, even if we must remind him occasionally. In his closing reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate on February 13, Ramaphosa told the nation that, as much as he understands that the lawmakers need to be critical, they failed to properly debate the contents of his speech and come up with tangible solutions because they were too focused…

Few heads of diplomacy can boast the longevity of Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s foreign minister since 2005, who was elected at the weekend to head the AU’s executive commission. Youssouf won the required support of two-thirds of the region’s leaders in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to secure the post representing some 1.5 billion Africans across the continent. The 59-year-old was deemed an outside shot against veteran Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, but observers praised the career the diplomat’s low-key campaign to succeed Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat and head the pan-African bloc. The multilingual politician – who speaks Arabic, English and French – remains close to Djibouti’s leader Ismail Omar Guelleh. Guelleh called his minister’s election “a proud moment for Djibouti and Africa,” in a message on X. “His leadership will…

An Israeli airstrike killed two policemen east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, the Hamas-run interior ministry said, calling it a breach of the fragile January 19 ceasefire. It said the policemen were deployed in the area to secure the entry of aid trucks into Gaza. A third policeman was injured, it added. “The ministry...condemns this crime and calls upon the mediators and the international community to compel the occupation to stop targeting the police force,” a statement said. | AFP…

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine President Javier Milei could face an impeachment trial in Congress, opposition lawmakers said at the weekend, after the libertarian leader touted a cryptocurrency which crashed soon after. Milei posted on X recommending the little-known crypto coin $LIBRE, which soon after shot up to nearly $5 apiece. Hours later, the cryptocurrency plummeted to under $1. Argentina’s fintech chamber acknowledged that the case could potentially be a “rug pull,” in which the developers of a crypto token draw legitimate investments, pumping up the value. “This scandal, which embarrasses us on an international scale, requires us to launch an impeachment request against the president,” said lawmaker Leandro Santoro, a member of the opposition coalition. | Reuters…

Young Lhuan-dre Pretorius is riding a wave of excitement in his cricketing career, having made a notable mark as the highest run-scorer in the SA20 this past season, amassing an impressive 397 runs across 12 innings for the Paarl Royals. This recent achievement, coupled with securing a deal with Hampshire for the upcoming T20 Blast, positions him as a player to watch. Despite yet to earn a call-up to the Proteas, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes it would not be surprising to see Pretorius making his mark in the IPL in the near future. This optimism stems from Karthik’s intimate experience as Pretorius’s teammate at Paarl Royals, where he has been able to closely observe the young talent’s potential. Karthik also took note of the rising star of young…

Trust is the bedrock of any romantic relationship. Yet, when doubt creeps in, especially regarding infidelity, the heart can spiral along with anxiety and suspicion. Anxiety in relationships is common, and it is perfectly normal to feel uncertain or worried at times. Unexplained absences and late-night phone calls are obvious signs of a cheating partner ; however, some indicators can be harder to detect. While it is important to be aware of potential red flags, constantly questioning your partner’s loyalty can erode trust between you. Relationship expert Anita Fletcher of Fantasy Co, an adult toys brand, sheds light on 10 subtle signs that your partner may be straying. But please note Mzansi, feeling anxious about your relationship is a natural response when something feels off. Approach these concerns with clarity…

Few people understood President Trump’s reference during his inaugural address to bringing about “a golden age”. But in less than a month the meaning of that reference is becoming clearly apparent. Virtuous revolutions are those that occur as a result of the will of the people. On the cusp of the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence, Trump is leading a return to America’s roots based on the will of the people as expressed on November 5, 2024. Trumpism is a response to globalism which seeks to subvert national sovereignty and the values on which Western civilisation was built – individual liberty, religious freedom and respect for tradition and heritage. Last week Europe had a taste of Trumpism when Vice-President JD Vance addressed a gathering of Europe’s elites in…

In his recent fulminations at the current global polity, Mr Essa pretentiously resorts to geology-based analogies that, I suggest, are rooted in a deliberate myopia – not to see the elephant in the room. The world is tired of the notion that a perceived persecution has been weaponised against a religion with a resultant victimhood. Conveniently, the Government of India (GoI, Bharat) and Narendra Modi who are credited with the remarkable transformation of Bharat, are pilloried for the emergence of Bharat as a superpower. The GoI and Modi are merely reinvigorating the world’s longest surviving civilisation that is rooted in Sanatana Dharma (which see divinity in all) – a civilisation and country devastated (before the British), by repeated Islamic invasions that oversaw the destruction of a remarkable civilisation by looting,…

United Nations secretary-general António Guterres says fighting raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu region threatens to push the entire region over the precipice. He was speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa at the weekend. “Regional escalation must be avoided at all costs,” Guterres said. “There is no military solution. The deadlock must end – the dialogue must begin. And the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected.” The remains of the 14 SANDF soldiers who were killed in fighting in the eastern DRC late last month were handed over to their families on Thursday evening. The troops lost their lives at the hands of the M23 as fighting in the Goma region of DRC’s North Kivu…

An investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has found that traditional pit toilets remain a grim reality in 427 schools in the Eastern Cape and Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines fail to meet the needs of pupils and expose them to significant safety risks. The SAHRC said this dual failure continues to put the lives and dignity of South Africa’s youngest pupils at risk. The investigation was launched to look into the conditions of sanitation facilities in foundation phase schools in the Eastern Cape. The province recently recorded the deaths of three children due to unsafe sanitation facilities, one at a traditional pit toilet at Luna Primary School in Mbizana, and two at VIP toilets at Mcgwagule Primary School in Vaalbank and Little Champions Daycare in Mdantsane.…

Three men suspected of tampering with a corpse have been arrested in Isipingo. Private security company PT Alarms spokesperson Dhevan Govindasamy said that on Saturday morning, on-duty PT Alarms officers saw three men pushing a wheelbarrow carrying what appeared to be the body of a man in Mahes Road in Malabar Hills. The officers stopped to investigate. “The body of an African male, believed to be in his 30s, was being moved by the men,” Govindasamy said. “There were no visible physical injuries on the deceased.” He said that when the men were questioned, they gave conflicting stories. They were detained until Isipingo police arrived. Police said the three men were found transporting the decomposing body from Pilgrim informal settlement. Police said they were arrested as they could not explain…

The chief financial officer of the North West Development Corporation, who is a Zimbabwean national, has been accused of using a fraudulent South African permanent residence permit when applying for employment. Kudakwashe Mpofu, 33, was arrested by the Hawks on January 28. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), it was alleged that in March 2021, the North West Development Corporation advertised the position of asset manager based in the head office in Mafikeng. Investigations indicated that Mpofu applied for the position. As part of the application process, Mpofu attached his permanent residence permit which is alleged to be fraudulent. He was appointed to the position on May 1, 2021. In June 2023 he was appointed as CFO of the entity, the NPA said. Mpofu was remanded in custody…

THE violent history of racial injustice and oppression in South Africa provides a framework for understanding the racialised violence that plays out in schools today. As such, the country faces several other critical challenges that remain linked to its history. Conceptualising violence from a historical perspective and within the context of South Africa reveals some aspects that explain the prevalence of school violence as a consequence of violence prevailing in the community and broader society. School violence manifests itself in many forms including discipline problems such as fighting among learners, bullying, utterances of crude and sexist remarks against fellow learners and teachers, racism, stabbings, shootings and even murder. However, given that race frequently intersects with gender and class at the point of perpetration and marginalisation, these issues need to be…

A flood of presidential trade policy announcements has kept US automakers on edge since Donald Trump returned to the White House last month. While some signature threats –- like 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada – have been wielded and then paused, Trump’s multi-pronged assault on the international trade order is building up incremental cost pressures, according to auto industry experts. An additional 10% tariff on imports from China – a major auto parts supplier – has already been imposed, and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports that takes effect March 12 is likely to add another layer to supply and manufacturing costs. “It’s like, a little here, a little there,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said this week. “They won’t be small together.” And there has been no…

AT least 15 people were dead and another 15 injured in a stampede at the main railway station in New Delhi at the weekend as pilgrims waited to board trains to the Hindu Maha Kumbh festival, authorities said yesterday. The incident occurred on two platforms as passengers waited to board trains to Prayagraj city, where the festival is being held, news channel NDTV said. The death toll included 10 women and three children, local media said. Authorities ordered an inquiry into the incident. | Reuters…

KYIV: Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said late at the weekend that they had discussed Kyiv’s vision of a path to peace in Ukraine with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Peace talks on ending the Russian war in Ukraine are to start in the coming days between Kyiv and Moscow negotiators and senior officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration. “We met with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi together with Andriy Yermak to reaffirm mutual respect for territorial integrity,” Sybiha said about the meeting that took place during the Munich Security Conference. “We discussed the development of bilateral relations and trade. We also shared Ukraine’s vision of the path to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.” | Reuterss…

The “smallest” nudges toward greater emotional and relational health can result in huge rewards, far in excess of effort expended. I challenge you to try a few of the following suggestions. Within minutes, hours or days you will begin to feel the rewards, some of which may be uncomfortable enough for you to want to do more! Speak up for yourself in situations where formerly you may have “gone with the flow” so as not to upset anyone. You have a voice and it is worth using. Everyone’s day is worthy of a plan. Plan yours. Have three or four written goals you are able to complete or advance before the end of the day. Contact old friends and people you miss. Let them know through a card or an…

The notion that Trump is punishing South Africa only due to the Expropriation Act, couldn’t be further from the truth. The ANC and mainstream media are coming out guns blazing, accusing Afriforum as well as South African-born genius and now Trump-ally Elon Musk. The desperation with which news anchors and news channels are trying to shift the blame from the ANC cadres on to the minority Afrikaner class, has been despicable, and quite frankly, unacceptable. Our citizens don’t want to tune in to a news channel in the morning to hear ANC-loyalists opinions. We want the news. Unfiltered, non-biased, no fear and without prejudice. The likes of Newsroom Afrika, eNCA and SABC News are showing us just how twisted our government really is. Hardly any acknowledgement is given to the…

AS THE first openly gay imam, Moegsien Hendricks championed an all-inclusive, compassion-centered Islam, dedicating his life to creating safe spaces for queer Muslims, and redefining faith as a source of healing rather than harm. That is how the Global Interfaith Network (GIN), an organisation of gender and sexual minority people of faith, of which Hendricks was a founding member, described him following his murder at the weekend. As police continue to search for the two shooters and establish the motive behind his killing, prominent Muslim organisations have urged the public not to speculate about the motives behind his murder, calling for calm. Hendricks, also the founder of non-profit organisation Inner Circle, had reportedly been in Gqeberha to marry a lesbian couple in Bethelsdorp, when he was attacked. Police spokesperson Sandra…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is pushing for the revocation of 36 University of Fort Hare honours degrees. The 36 students are among the 68 that were investigated by the corruption-busting unit after it was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe the affairs of the university in 2019. The SIU had received allegations in connection with maladministration in the affairs of the university’s Department of Public Administration in the awarding of honours degrees, the management of funds, and the sourcing of public servants for study in the faculty. Briefing the Higher Education Portfolio Committee recently, SIU head in the Eastern Cape Mike Koya said 68 students were admitted to the university in a manner the unit found was irregular after they did not follow the admission prescripts. “They were…

The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources has been criticised for being silent about the alleged violation of human rights, which resulted in the death of more than 80 illegal miners at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine near Stilfontein. Civil society organisations Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) and Women Affected by Mining United in Action (Wamua) have expressed disappointment over the committee's silence. In a letter dated February 14, Macua and Wamua said it was “well-documented that at least 89 artisanal miners perished due to state-enforced starvation and violent repression”. The organisations said the SAPS, under government instruction, deliberately sealed off access to food, water and medical aid while preventing any lawful exit from the mine shafts. The organisations said despite the gravity of these events, the committee…

The Independent Police Union of South Africa (Ipusa) has called on the Minister of Police to urgently address disparities in benefits, promotions, and working conditions for civilian workers employed in the SAPS. These workers, who are employed under the Public Service Act (PSA), include those working in the personnel administration, financial administration and procurement departments, as well as clerks, secretaries, messengers and cleaners. The union argues that these employees, who play a critical role in supporting police operations, are being unfairly excluded from benefits afforded to their Police Act counterparts. Ipusa president Bethuel Nkuna said PSA personnel were originally hired to handle administrative duties, allowing police officers to focus on crime-fighting. However, he said they now face the same risks as officers without receiving the same protections. “Police stations have…

As South Africa gears up for the 2026 local government elections, one pressing issue will undoubtedly dominate the discussions: water supply. Across the nation, municipalities such as eThekwini, Johannesburg, and Cape Town are grappling with water crises that have severely affected residents' everyday lives. The situation is dire, and if political parties aim to capture the hearts and minds of the electorate, water issues must be at the forefront of their campaigns. In eThekwini, the water crisis has become a common theme among residents and ratepayers associations, with many communities enduring months without access to running water. The toll this takes on families, businesses, and livelihoods is enormous. Infrastructure failures, coupled with a lack of maintenance and widespread corruption, have created a scenario where reliable water supply is no longer…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to discuss the Gaza ceasefire with Israel’s prime minister in Jerusalem yesterday, launching a Middle East tour a day after the latest hostage-prisoner exchange. On his first visit to the region as Washington’s top diplomat, Rubio is expected to push US President Donald Trump’s widely condemned proposal to take control of the Gaza Strip and relocate its more than two million residents. The plan envisions redeveloping the coastal territory into the “Riviera of the Middle East” after it was devastated by more than 15 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the idea during his recent White House visit, but foreign leaders have largely rejected it. Rubio landed at Ben Gurion airport near…

Running late and vastly over budget, a mammoth rail project stands as a monument to what critics say is Germany’s glaring failure to tackle long-standing infrastructure woes. “Stuttgart 21” is envisaged as a major, futuristic rail hub in the south-western city, a fitting gateway to a region home to the headquarters of corporate heavyweights such as Bosch and Mercedes-Benz. But 15 years after work began, the project – which involves replacing the current station with a major underground site – is not yet complete. Parts of the city centre remain a vast building site and costs have more than doubled to around $11.4 billion. “Money is just being thrown out of the window,” Dieter Reicherter, spokesperson for protest group Action Alliance Against Stuttgart 21, said. “It would be much better…

PARIS: France strongly condemned the offensive of the M23 in South Kivu, as it advances to Bukavu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “The M23 must immediately cease its offensive and withdraw from the territories it has taken control of, France’s foreign ministry,” said in a press release, adding that support to armed groups by all parties must cease. France reaffirmed its solidarity with the DRC and called on all armed groups, including M23, to lay down their weapons and resume dialogue to end the violence and protect civilian populations. The security situation in eastern DRC has deteriorated with the resurgence of the M23. Since late 2021, the M23 has intensified its attacks, capturing key strategic locations, including Bunagana on the Ugandan border and the…

KABUL: A total of 17 Afghan inmates imprisoned in African countries have been set free and returned to their homeland, Afghanistan, the ministry of foreign affairs reported at the weekend. The Embassy of Afghanistan in Cairo has successfully facilitated the release of 17 Afghan citizens from jails in multiple African countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Sudan, and Mauritania, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, deputy spokesperson for the ministry, posted on his social media account. Various reasons led to the incarceration of Afghan nationals in the said countries, Ahmad declared. Earlier in September last year, Mohammad Yusuf Mustari, acting head of prison administration, indicated that between 8 000 and 9 000 Afghan citizens are currently incarcerated outside the country. | Xinhua…