Innehållsförteckning för 2025-12-23 från Mercury

The holidays are often painted as a time of togetherness, with the warm glow of twinkling lights, laughter through shared meals and the pull of family traditions. For many, especially those experiencing an empty nest, the season brings a complex reality where feelings of loneliness and change deepen against the backdrop of festive celebration. This is the often-unspoken side of the holidays that deserves more attention. In South Africa, it hums with expectation. The clatter of pots for Christmas preps, the WhatsApp voice notes about travel plans, the soft insistence that this is the season of togetherness. And yet, behind the fairy lights and grocery queues, there is another story unfolding quieter, more tender and often unspoken. For those with an empty nest, especially during the holidays, loneliness and transition…

As 2025 draws to an end, the threat of global military conflagration intensifies. As current conflicts escalate and the fiery political exchanges between the various parties continue, a momentum will be reached where the use of nuclear weapons becomes a grim reality. In 1955, Winston Churchill uttered these solomn words on the acquisition of nuclear weapons: “Safety will be the sturdy child of terror, and survival the twin brother of annihilation”. At this point in our critical juncture, the doomsday clock, has been reset to 60 seconds before midnight, a metaphor for the end of the world. Accidental or intentional nuclear war is an emerging threat, a recently declassified intelligence report reveals that cyber threats to nuclear weapons and systems, including early warning communications and delivery systems, increases the risk…

I refer to the article: “20 new wards added in KZN pre-local polls” in The Mercury, December 17. I read with dismay that this will result in 40 new posts for councillors. The last thing we need at the moment is additional councillors. With one of two exceptions, councillors have a poor record of doing what they are supposed to be doing. How many councils have failed a national audit? The deterioration of roads and road markings is highly noticeable, grass verges require cutting, the growth of alien vegetation is gaining traction, the visibility of traffic police is marked by its absence, correct sewage processing and disposal is often suspect, the water supply is often interrupted and water quality is sometimes suspect. What is needed are fewer councillors than…

TOURISM operators along KwaZulu- Natal’s South Coast say severe flooding has disrupted the peak festive season, as damaged infrastructure, business closures, and safety concerns begin to affect visitor activity across the region. The flooding has also turned deadly. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli confirmed that two fatalities had been recorded in the Ugu District. A 63-year-old woman died after a house collapsed during a mudslide in Bomela under the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, while a 46-year-old man drowned after being swept away by floodwaters in Qholoqholo in the Umzumbe Local Municipality. In eThekwini, Ntuli said a vehicle carry- ing five occupants was swept away by floodwaters at a low-lying bridge in eManzimtoti. Two occupants escaped, while the bodies of two men aged between 25 and 40 were later recovered. One…

As families across South Africa prepare for the festive season, many parents are finalising holiday plans, juggling year-end responsibilities and (where they can afford it) deciding whether a tablet, smartphone or gaming device will make the perfect gift for their child or children. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, these devices have become synonymous with opportunities to access education, entertainment, connection, and creativity. But for millions of children, especially girls, the digital world is also where harm quietly lives. It is thus fitting that this year’s recent United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign focused on the theme ‘Unite to end digital violence against all women and girls’. Children are not only present in the digital world; they are among its largest user groups. Global data…

El Salvador announced at the weekend prison sentences for hundreds of convicted gang members, with some of them receiving centuries-long terms. A campaign against crime gangs spearheaded by President Nayib Bukele in recent years has reduced homicide rates in the Central American country to historic lows, but human rights groups accuse the authorities of committing abuses. The attorney general’s office said in a post on X that 248 members of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gang had received “exemplary sentences” for crimes including 43 homicides and 42 disappearances. It did not specify the date of each sentencing or whether the accused had been tried altogether. One individual was sentenced to 1 335 years in prison, while 10 others received prison terms ranging from 463 to 958 years, the post…

MOGADISHU: Somalia will deploy more than 10 000 security personnel in the capital, Mogadishu, ahead of next week’s local elections – the first direct polls in nearly 60 years – the security minister said at the weekend. The east African country is struggling to emerge from decades of conflict and chaos, battling a bloody Islamist insurgency and frequent natural disasters. In April, the country launched voter registration for the first time in decades, a step towards universal suffrage and end to the complex clan-based indirect voting system in place since 1969. The December 25 polls – which the opposition has boycotted, accusing the federal government of “unilateral election processes” – will see more than 1 600 candidates contest 390 local seats in the southeastern Banadir region. Nearly 400 000 people…

Mamelodi Sundowns had a disappointing first half of the season by their standards, and they were largely to blame for that. A serial championship-winning team, having claimed the last eight titles, Sundowns are expected to dominate in every passing season. However, their title hopes have already been put in serious jeopardy by rivals Orlando Pirates. Sundowns finished the year second on the log standings with 26 points, two behind the Sea Robbers, who are cruising in calm waters and also have a game in hand. The Brazilians struggled to find consistency in domestic football as coach Miguel Cardoso failed to establish a clear structure and approach, resulting in individual brilliance shining through instead of a collective effort. Nuno Santos has adapted seamlessly at the club, carrying the team through individual…

Whether you’re hosting Christmas Eve dinner or a traditional Christmas lunch, you know there’s going to be a whole lot of cooking involved. All the plates on the stove are finally getting a turn, the oven is permanently set to 180, and the air fryer you bought on Black Friday is working overtime. But even with Boney M blasting and a glass of wine in hand, your “clean as you go” system is failing. You’ve lost track of how long the leg of lamb has been in the oven, and you slowly start to unravel, having those fleeting thoughts of “We should have booked a restaurant.” Sometimes you just want to wake up on Christmas morning and have everything done. To be fair, many grocery stores are going out of…

Stop calling this a food crisis, because a crisis suggests confusion or happenstance, and nothing about what is happening in Gaza is unintentional. People are not running out of food; they are being pushed into starvation so deep that families are forced to eat expired flour crawling with insects, soaked in rodent waste, and covered in mold because there is literally nothing else left. And when hunger reaches this level, the body no longer asks whether food is safe, only whether it exists. What kind of world allows parents to knowingly feed their children food that may poison them just to stop their stomachs from screaming, and then still dares to talk about values, rules, and morality? Mothers are not preparing meals; they are making impossible decisions that no human…

I often ask women if they remember their wedding days. Specifics. Details. What the ceremony was like. I regularly hear, “It’s a blur, the whole thing, we were so busy.” Brides report they were too busy to have time to remember much. Their memory (think computer memory) was full of details (the flowers, flower-girls, the confetti, reception, the photographers, did the cake get delivered?) to have space to take in the joy of the moment. Hold that thought. You probably have a busy week ahead. Baking this, dropping off that. Remembering you forgot to plan. Then planning. Planning, which includes strategic shopping, scheduling appointments and picking up others to shop. Making lists of gifts to find andbuy. Buying groceries. Then, running. Running from this to that and being late for…

Deputy Executive Mayor of the Bitou Local Municipality, Nokuzola Kolwapi, has spoken out about the video circulating on social media showing her discharging a firearm during a celebration in the street, saying that there was no firearm present, and that the item in her hand is a toy gun. Kolwapi, who is also the Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM) President, released an official statement through the party’s social media, saying that the video was taken during the celebration marking the return of her son from ulwaluko – a sacred Xhosa initiation ceremony that marks the transition into manhood. “It is unfortunate that this moment has been used to score political points by the ANC and bogus so-called local community leaders.” ANC Victor Molosi Region spokesperson Moyisi Magalela said that they noted…

As South Africans hit the roads for the festive season, scammers are exploiting fear and confusion around traffic fines, sending official-looking messages to intimidate drivers into paying money they do not owe. With the rollout of the new Aarto system, criminals are posing as PayCity, Fines SA, and even traffic authorities, sending threatening SMSes and emails warning of “outstanding fines,” imminent warrants of arrest, or blocked vehicle licence renewals. “The messages are designed to pressure motorists into making immediate payments before they can verify the claims. Rob Hutchinson, founder of DearSA, said scammers are capitalising on the holiday rush and the anxiety surrounding the new traffic laws. “They know that with the increase in roadblocks this festive season, we are all anxious about being pulled over,” he said. While the…

The recent recommendation by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers to hike politicians’ salaries by 4.1% is a profound act of national insensitivity. In a country where millions grapple with the grinding reality of poverty, unemployment, and soaring food prices, this decision is a stark reminder of the ever-widening chasm between the ruling elite and the citizens they are sworn to serve. It is a direct affront to the suffering majority and a move that perpetuates the very essence of what plagues South Africa: a grotesque and unsustainable inequality. Let us be unequivocal about what these percentages mean in real terms. For the president, a 4.1% increase translates to an extra R137 000, boosting his annual salary to approximately R3.4 million. The deputy president would pocket…

Iranians of all religions and walks of life mark the ancient Persian festival of Yalda at the weekend, though many say economic hardships fanned by international sanctions will put a damper on this year’s celebrations. Yalda falls on the winter solstice and is characterised by family gatherings and the eating of nuts, sweets and fruits. “We mostly spend time with our families, our grandparents, aunts, cousins,” Maral Bagherpour, a smiling 16-year-old student, said in northern Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar. “We take fal-e Hafez, we drink tea or coffee. My grandma sings for us sometimes,” she said. “Taking fal-e Hafez” is a popular tradition that entails using the works of renowned 14th century Persian poet Hafez, an all-time favourite in Iran, to try to divine the future and deal with difficult situations.…

PYONGYANG: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said that Japan’s attempt to go nuclear must be prevented, the official Korean Central News Agency reported at the weekend. Japan has revealed its ambition to seek nuclear weapons, crossing a red line for a war criminal state, the news agency said, citing a press statement by the director of the Institute for Japan Studies under DPRK’s foreign ministry. The ministry said Japan is revising its military security policies, as evidenced by the strengthening of its preemptive-attack capability, the easing of arms export restrictions, and the re-examination of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. “This is not a misstatement, but clearly reflects Japan’s long-cherished ambition for nuclear armament,” said the press statement. “It added that this constitutes an open challenge to Japan’s Constitution as…

Bafana Bafana ensured that they got their AFCON group-stage campaign off to a flying start after beating Angola 2–1 at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Monday night. It wasn’t the prettiest of games from Bafana, but that won’t matter as they claimed a vital win to boost their bid to reach the knockout stage and live up to their dark-horses tag in the tournament. This victory also ensured that coach Hugo Broos celebrated his 50th cap in charge of Bafana in style, while ending a winless start to the AFCON group stage that had lasted 21 years. Bafana will now be eager to beat Egypt in their next group match on Boxing Day to all but seal their place in the knockout stage, but that will be no…

The void that Steve Barker has left at Stellenbosch is huge, which is why it will take someone with tactical acumen, charisma, and energy to fill it. Barker not only transformed the team, but also built a solid structure, which has been beneficial to the club, its rivals, and the national team. The club has reportedly already been in talks with veteran coach Gavin Hunt to fill Barker’s shoes - an appointment that could certainly divide opinion, given all that Hunt has endured in recent years. Without involving Hunt, we look at three other candidates who could potentially replace Barker and steer the club into calmer waters while building on the outgoing coach's foundation. Alexandre Lafitte Lafitte is the youngest coach in the PSL top flight. In just half a…

Bowlers win matches and it will not be different in the upcoming fourth season of the SA20. Independent Media’s Ongama Gcwabe selects Six Bowlers To Watch in this year’s edition of the tournament. Kagiso Rabada - MI Cape Town South Africa’s premier bowler is set to return to play in the SA20, having not taken part in the recently concluded India tour due to injury. He will want to get back on the horse with a bang, and help MI Cape Town match Sunrisers’ record of winning back-to-back SA20 titles. With the ball, bat , and his on and off the field leadership, Rabada will be crucial for the Cape Town-based side. Marco Jansen - Sunrisers Eastern Cape Marco Jansen has been in really fine form both in international cricket…

Grief is not neat. It does not arrive with cue cards or a dress code. It spills, it stutters, and it sometimes laughs at the wrong moment. And when grief unfolds in public, amplified by social media, celebrity culture and collective trauma, it becomes something else entirely: a spectacle we feel entitled to edit. That is the quiet storm behind the viral backlash facing media personality and actress Pearl Thusi following her tribute at the memorial of Warrick Stock, better known as DJ Warras, who was shot and killed in Johannesburg’s CBD on December 16. Stock’s death sent shockwaves through South Africa’s entertainment industry, another name added to our growing list of violent losses. At his memorial on Friday, Thusi shared a personal anecdote meant to honour their bond: a…

It’s an old story, sitting with their feet up in the air-conditioned offices, chatting on their cellphones and enjoying some finger-licking chicken. Municipal officials lead a charmed life in our country. They rarely leave their offices to check how the work is going on at the sites, unless it’s to the malls to shop and dine. A recent survey found that the single largest expenditure of the municipalities is labour. But there is little to show for it. Potholes, unmarked roads and speed humps, collapsing buildings, water pollution, sewage spills and illegal dumping have become the norm in many of the local councils. One of the worst cases is eThekwini Municipality. The sewage spill on Durban beaches is so bad that the DA and ActionSA had to get a court…

EThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba says the city is buzzing with holiday makers with a significant number of visitors already in Durban ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Speaking during a media briefing yesterday, Xaba said that on Reconciliation Day, December 16, an estimated 201 000 visitors enjoyed the beachfront, making it the busiest day in recent history. Despite these unprecedented crowds, no major incidents were reported. However four Durban Central beaches had to be closed last week due to high E coli levels. Three reopened at the weekend while Laguna Beach at Blue Lagoon remains closed. Xaba said from December 1 to 21: Approximately 873 000 people visited the beaches. Approximately 490 152 visitors came to the city More than 200 children who were separated from their guardians were…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has concluded a settlement agreement with Minenhle Dlamini amid its investigation into grant funding from the National Lotteries Commission. Dlamini is one of the beneficiaries who irregularly received funds from the Mshandukani Foundation NPO, according to the SIU. In terms of the settlement agreement, Dlamini has agreed to repay the full amount of R50 000 she received in 2016 from the Mshandukani Foundation NPO, which was funded through an NLC grant intended for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Roadshow. The funds were not used for their intended purpose, said the SIU. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the investigation revealed that the Mshandukani Foundation NPO, acting as a conduit applicant through the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, received approximately R24.8 million from the NLC. He…

The National Freedom Party (NFP) has suspended its KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee chairperson, Mbali Shinga, with immediate effect. Shinga serves as the MEC for Social Development in the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU). The suspension comes after her decision to defy a directive from NFP president Ivan Barnes during a vote on the MK Party’s motion of no confidence against IFP provincial chairperson and Premier Thami Ntuli. The NFP is part of the GPU which includes the IFP, DA and ANC however the party had expressed its dissatisfaction with the leadership of the coalition government and Ntuli and had ordered Shinga to support the motion. During the debate on the motion last week, Shinga said she would not vote against a government that she was apart of. The Mercury reported…

Evidence, urgency and what to do next Climate change is increasingly destabilising the planetary systems and environmental conditions on which human health and life depend. The recently published 2025 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report shows that increasing global temperatures and the growing size of vulnerable populations – infants younger than one year and adults older than 65 years – have led to a 63% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s. Between 2012 and 2021, heat-related fatalities reached an average of 546 000 deaths a year, most of which occurred in Africa. This is the reality for millions who live and work in the hottest regions on the continent. The indicators in the report tell the story of a growing danger in households, workplaces and broader communities.…

Even as the US is embarked on a bitter rivalry with China over the deployment of artificial intelligence, Chinese technology is quietly making inroads into the US market. Despite considerable geopolitical tensions, Chinese open-source AI models are winning over a growing number of programmers and companies in the US. These are different from the closed generative AI models that have become household names – ChatGPT-maker OpenAI or Google’s Gemini – whose inner workings are fiercely protected. In contrast, “open” models offered by many Chinese rivals, from Alibaba to DeepSeek, allow programmers to customize parts of the software to suit their needs. Globally, use of Chinese-developed open models has surged from just 1.2% in late 2024 to nearly 30% in August, according to a report published this month by the developers’…

Southeast Asian foreign ministers met yesterday in Malaysia for crisis talks aimed at halting deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, which pressed on despite regional and international diplomacy. Renewed fighting this month has killed at least 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, and displaced more than 900 000 on both sides, officials said. Malaysia, which chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), expressed hope the talks in Kuala Lumpur would help achieve a lasting ceasefire between the two countries, both bloc members. Speaking at the start of yesterday’s meeting, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged the feuding neighbours and other Asean representatives to “give this matter our most urgent attention.” “We must consider the wider ramifications of the continued escalation of the situation for the people…

CAIRO: A three-day cultural event marking World Arabic Language Day kicked off at the weekend in Egypt’s capital Cairo. Held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) with the theme of “A Renewed Heritage in a Radiant Script,” the event features exhibitions, live music performances with traditional Arabic instruments, seminars, and interactive workshops that highlight the enduring legacy and evolving art of the Arabic alphabet, according to Nancy Ammar, the museum’s events coordinator. El Tayeb Abbas, CEO of the NMEC, said the event underscored how the museum’s collections reflect Egypt’s deep historical ties to the Arabic language, with artifacts bearing inscriptions and calligraphy illustrating its role in documenting the country’s journey. “The Arabic alphabet is essential for preserving the language and our cultural identity,” said Amany Abdel-Fattah, an Arabic…