Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-11-08 i Mercury

He is back, the convicted felon! Yes, Donald Trump made history and earned his bragging rights, becoming only the second former president after Grover Cleveland to make a comeback to the White House in 130 years. Not only that, he became the first former president to be convicted of a felony. Another milestone, at 78, he will be the oldest US president to hold office. But for an old man, he still has a lot of energy and pizzazz, much more than the stumbling, mumbling, stuttering Joe Biden, who couldn’t run for president again. The come-back champion secured 279 electoral college votes, 9 more than the required number, and soundly defeated his female rival, Democrat nominee Kamala Harris, in the popular vote by 51% to her 47%. His historic win…

The most conspicuous aspect of Donald Trump’s triumph is that it exposed the failure of the mass media’s relentless agenda of negative, disparaging reporting and opinion of him. Not surprisingly, the sentinels of the mass media are in meltdown. Their arrogance that they could impose their minority group-think narratives has been encountered by a red wall of 73 million. Their future prospects look bleak as alternative media sources and platforms have wrested attention away from the gods who have dominated the airwaves and the antenna for too long. As Trump stated in his victory address, common sense won on November 5. Its triumph was facilitated by Kamala Harris’ admission that she would not change any of the Biden regime’s policies of migrant invasion, energy dependence, high inflation, a sputtering economy,…

Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini said that he would do everything in his power to protect the land of the Zulus in what appeared to be a response to having to account to government officials on matters regarding the Ingonyama Trust. King Misuzulu, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier Thami Ntuli were the main speakers at an event to mark yesterday’s unveiling of the 12m statue of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona at the airport in Durban named after him. In 2010 a R3.2 million sculpture of King Shaka surrounded by cattle was unveiled at the airport but the late King Goodwill Zwelithini demanded that it be removed and replaced as it did not reflect the warrior stature of his great-grandfather. The king said King Shaka and his generation had provided lessons on the…

THE Office of the Auditor-General (A-G) has found the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development wanting in meeting its own targets while the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) lacked alignment between financial spending and actual performance. This emerged when the A-G made a presentation to the select committee on security and justice on the audit outcomes of the department and its entities. Aphendule Mantiyane, a senior manager at the office of the A-G, said the Justice department did not keep full and proper records regarding the reported achievement of targets. This was blamed on systems for collecting, collating and verifying the performance information that were ineffective. According to the report tabled at the meeting, targets not met by the department included maintenance matters finalised within 90 days and new domestic violence…

The High Court in Polokwane has granted a forfeiture order for a Toyota Corolla, valued at R86 400 after the vehicle was impounded for transporting illicit cigarettes. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) had applied and secured the final forfeiture order from the court. Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo, Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa said in August 2022, the accused Oliver Maupanga was arrested while trying to escape from a police officer who had instructed him to stop. He said after the search, police found eight boxes of cigarettes inside the vehicle and investigations began. “On November 5, 2024, the Limpopo division of the High Court sitting in Polokwane granted a forfeiture order for the Toyota Corolla vehicle.”…

SA must be careful not to compromise children’s rights in pursuit of fiscal stability Children in South Africa are caught between two powerful narratives about how best to employ the use of state resources to achieve social and economic progress. This was demonstrated in the recently presented Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) to Parliament. The MTBPS represents the government’s effort to keep ordinary citizens, the markets, and the broader development community in the loop regarding its fiscal and macro-economic thinking and how changes in these variables may impact the upcoming budget in 2025. It is both an accountability and transparency exercise and remains a global benchmark for budget transparency. So what are these big stories and how are children affected? The one story, as told in the MTBPS…

Israel conducted air strikes on Hezbollah’s main bastion in south Beirut yesterday, with one raid hitting an area near Lebanon’s only international airport. The pre-dawn raids came after Hezbollah claimed a slew of attacks on Israel, including a missile strike targeting a military base near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The health ministry said Israeli strikes on the Bekaa Valley and the densely populated ancient city of Baalbek in east Lebanon, where Hezbollah holds sway, killed 40 people. Hezbollah and Israel have been at war since late September, when Israel broadened its focus from fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip to securing its northern border. Hezbollah began low intensity strikes on Israel last year, in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attack. The strike near…

Police in Mozambique fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Maputo yesterday after the main opposition leader called for a demonstration against election results. The southern African nation has been rocked by violence since an October 9 vote, won by the Frelimo party which has been in power for almost 50 years. Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who said the results were false and that he won, called for a mass protest yesterday. “We are on the verge of a unique historical and political transition in the country,” he said, adding that he could not disclose his whereabouts other than to say he was not in Africa. The Mozambique Bar Association warned there were “conditions for a bloodbath” yesterday as a heavy security presence was seen across the capital. Several…

BEIJING: China’s successes in striving for modernisation by crafting a development model serve as “a great lesson” for Ethiopia’s journey towards prosperity, a senior official from Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party (PP) has said. Bikila Hurisa, the head of public and international relations of the party, said China reached its level of development by pursuing a modernisation path that suited its own characteristics and by tapping into its human capital. Engagements with Chinese counterparts had helped better understand China’s development initiatives, ranging from urban planning to rural development projects, he said. A PP delegation visited China recently. | Xinhua…

Brasília: The Brazilian Amazon experienced its smallest amount of yearly deforestation in nearly a decade, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government reported this week, in line with its promise to combat forest loss. Deforestation fell by 30.6% in the year-to-year period beginning in August 2023, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). During that time, 6 288km2 of forest were destroyed, which the INPE said was “the lowest result in the last nine years.” Over the last century, the Amazon rainforest has lost about 20% of its area to deforestation due to agriculture, logging, and urban sprawl. | AFP…

“I’m a sore loser!” That was Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram’s frank assessment of himself. Based on this evidence, it would be safe to assume that the ICC T20 World Cup final defeat to India earlier this year still rankles with Markram. The skipper, though, is determined to move on. It hasn’t been the easiest of tasks, as the Proteas have won just one out of six T20 matches since that fateful June day in Barbados. This has left Markram still searching for that elusive bilateral T20I series victory. “As a captain, it hurts your pride, and I have a lot of pride wearing this badge,” Markram said in Durban yesterday ahead of the first T20I against India today at Kingsmead (5pm start). “I want to win games and series…

The rock and surf fishing has been challenging but rewarding for anglers that have put in the effort. Make sure to explore different areas to find cleaner waters for the best catch. No matter the weather, some amazing fish are being caught across various locations. Starting with the North Coast, we’ve had reports of erratic fishing conditions. Despite the blustery winds and rain, anglers have been successful. From Ballito to Blythdale, we’ve seen incredible catches of Blue skates, Sandies, and even some non-edible species like Grey sharks and Threadfin Kingfish. Heading further north, Kingfish and Garrick are still plentiful. On the Central Coast, including Durban and the surrounding areas, there’s a mix of catches. Anglers are catching Stumpies, Grey sharks, and Shad (please note: Shad season is closed until December…

Unless all parties are meeting with the goal of reconciliation do not agree to meet. Meeting to hurt and damage each other will serve no helpful ends. Set a date and a time and parameters for your discussion. Agree on limits of time and topic and do not exceed them. Keep to the essential issues without bringing up old or irrelevant material. Listen more than you speak (always). Don’t draw unrelated people, especially mutual friends, into the conflict. Make notes of what you’d most like to say before you go to the meeting. Complete the list days before so you can make necessary edits. Leave room for humour and avoid sarcasm and cruelty. Recall what brought you together as friends in the first place. Be willing to forgive before it…

With just over one month until the window of consultation closes on clauses 4 and 5 of the BELA Act, the DA calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject yesterday’s reckless demand of the ANC Study Group on Basic Education to immediately promulgate all sections of the BELA Act. Because the President has assured stakeholders of a process of consultation to resolve the contentious clauses, he must stand firm on this commitment and demonstrate that it was not a hollow gesture. Calls from the ANC to push through the BELA Act without further consultation are divisive and contradict the ANC’s own commitment to the Government of National Unity. The DA has consistently opposed Clauses 4 and 5 of the BELA Act, which threaten to place disproportionate control over language and…

OPPOSITION party councillors in eThekwini are fuming about the council's decision to acquire a R1.5 billion loan to finance key projects, saying the loan will cost the municipality R1 million per day in interest. The loan was factored into the City’s 2024-2025 budget. The City has also borrowed in previous years and maintains that it still has the capacity to continue borrowing. The Metro said it currently owes R10 billion to financial institutions. The repayment profile includes R1 billion in interest. The municipality has also previously said that it is generating adequate revenue to service its debt obligations, in addition to the interest earned on investments. The report, tabled to council this week, provided councillors with a progress report on the sourcing of this loan. While the report was intended…

Proteas captain Aiden Markram does not believe playing T20 International world champions India at Kingsmead in Durban tonight (5pm start) in the first home international match of the summer will bring up any bad memories of their defeat in the World Cup final earlier this year. Markram became the first Proteas’ Men’s captain to lead a South African team to a World Cup final, but unfortunately could not guide his team to glory as India claimed a memorable victory at the Kensington Oval in Barbados in late June. Although the personnel may not be the same due to India’s World Cup-winning trio Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, all retiring from international T20 cricket after attaining World Cup glory, there was a feeling that the Proteas may still be…

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has called for corporations to forge partnerships with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to improve employment accessibility especially for rural students. Gondwe was speaking during a visit at Elangeni TVET College’s Pinetown campus yesterday. The deputy minister, who oversees work-based learning programmes in TVET and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges, expressed her belief in the power of TVET institutions to help address South Africa’s unemployment crisis. Her visit included meetings with faculty, management and students to discuss both the achievements and obstacles faced by the college community. “I am convinced that TVET colleges are not merely for those who do not qualify for universities. I have seen very smart students at TVET colleges, students who are vested in…

SOCIAL Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has blamed the R4 billion underspending of the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant allocation on a mismatch between projections and actual spending on the grants that were disbursed. “There will be no consequence management that will be taken by the Department and South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) against officials as the underspending was a result of a mismatch between projections and actual spending. “There is no wrongdoing by any official,” she said. Tolashe made the statement when she was responding to EFF MP Mazwikayise Blose, who asked about underspending of R4bn allocated for the social relief grant. Blose inquired about the factors that led to the significant underspending and what plans were in place to ensure that underspending, especially for critical social support…

Mauritius will vote on Sunday in an election overshadowed by a wire-tapping scandal that has rocked the Indian Ocean archipelago amid fears that rights are eroding in one of Africa’s biggest success stories. The legislative poll comes as the country celebrates the historic deal last month that saw Britain relinquish sovereignty of the remote Chagos Islands to Mauritius following a long-running legal dispute. But Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth’s hopes of an easy re-election were battered when secretly recorded phone calls of politicians, diplomats and journalists began to be leaked online in October. The authorities responded last week by banning social media until after the election. But an uproar from the opposition and local media forced an embarrassing climbdown within 24 hours. Mauritius, a country of 1.3 million people, has seen…

Russia is preparing this weekend to show off its vision of a “multipolar world” aimed at countering Western hegemony with a large gathering of African foreign ministers. The meeting in Sochi, southern Russia, comes after last month’s BRICS summit of leading emerging economies in the south-western city of Kazan. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have turned their backs on former colonial power France since coming under military rule following a string of coups since 2020 and have pivoted towards Moscow. Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group or its successor, Africa Corps, now support several African governments. In 2023, Russia delivered more than $5 billion in arms to Africa. Top Russian companies such as diamond miner Alrosa, metals giant Rusal and energy major Lukoil have major investments in the region. Russia…

DUBAI: Dubai’s Emirates Group announced half-year profits of $2.5 billion yesterday, citing robust demand despite conflicts in the Middle East. The airline group, operating from the world’s busiest airport for international traffic, has faced regional disruptions due to the conflicts, but has expanded its network elsewhere. Pre-tax profits of 10.4bn dirhams ($2.8bn) in the six months to September were a record for the group, but were subject to the United Arab Emirates’ new 9.0% corporate tax for the first time. Emirates also increased flights to eight destinations in Europe, Africa and Asia. Group revenue rose 5% to $19.3bn. | AFP…

BEIJING: Chinese telecoms firm Huawei announced a hackathon in early December to encourage Kenyan software developers to create innovations that could boost the digital economy. The Huawei AppCube Hackathon, scheduled for December 2-6, invites young innovators to develop solutions for e-commerce, virtual learning, and enhanced connectivity. Huawei Kenya reaffirmed the company’s commitment to digital transformation in East Africa through new products and innovations. The event will take place at Huawei’s office in Nairobi, bringing together developers and mentors to explore transformative mobile and cloud-based applications. | Xinhua…

Hedge funds have become an important tool for retirement funds looking to secure their members’ long-term goals while managing risk. As traditional investments face challenges from global economic changes and high volatility, hedge funds offer a unique way for retirement funds to diversify their existing investment strategies and manage risk. Key considerations: 1. Manager selection and portfolio construction The success of a hedge fund allocation largely depends on choosing the right manager and constructing a well-balanced portfolio. Different hedge fund managers have unique styles, strategies, and expertise. Often, hedge fund managers may employ all, or some, of the strategies available across the hedge fund toolkit. The dispersion of returns between these managers can be wide, so manager selection is a very important consideration. 2. Manager diversification Hedge funds tap into…

"It's guid to be merry and wise, It's guid to be honest and true, It's guid to support Caledonia's cause, And bide by the buff and the blue." (Robert Burns) IN BONNIE Scotland this Sunday they’ll flock in their thousands to Murrayfield, in Edinburgh, in support of the bluff and the blue – St Andrew’s Cross. Well, not quite all of them. Many Bok supporters will also have got there for what promises to be humdinger rugby in one of the world’s most beautiful stadiums, overlooked by the splendour of Edinburgh Castle and very close to The Scotsman, a splendid pub that combines a museum-like appearance with great merriment. Whatever happens on-field, it will be a wonderful experience. For visitors to Edinburgh, including Bok supporters, it really is worth staying…

ActionSA has made an official submission to the Electoral Review Consultation Panel (ERCP) to propose an alternative electoral model for South Africa that will increase voter turnout, enhance the quality of public representatives and introduce lasting accountability. For 30 years, South Africa has used a pure proportional representation system based on the national project of nation building in 1994 that necessitated inclusivity. Thirty years into our democracy, our national project needs to move towards greater levels of accountability and raise the bar on the quality of public representatives. ActionSA has thus proposed a bold set of solutions that will re-prioritise accountability and re-energise voters to participate in the electoral process. In this regard, we propose that South Africa adopts a Mixed Member Proportional system (MMP). South Africans being able to…

A pupil suspected of armed robbery was arrested at an exam venue while cellphones and crib notes were found on a small number of pupils during the matric examinations that are currently under way. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube gave an overview of the papers written thus far and said the administration of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams had gone well with swift response to incidents reported. As of Wednesday, 104 of the 181 question papers have been written by candidates. She said with regards to the cellphones and crib notes found, these were confiscated from a “very small number” of learners and an investigation is under way. KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga faced disruptions caused by inclement weather. While contingency plans were put in place to…

A MOTHER of three who said her husband has “absconded” from their marital home in March last year and she has no idea where he is, asked the court to order that he forfeited his share of their matrimonial benefits when they divorce, as he simply left her to fend for herself and the children. The woman turned to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, where she simply told the court that in spite of her efforts to locate her husband, she is unable to contact him as she has no idea where he was. “The plaintiff (woman) simply states that the defendant (husband) absconded from the relationship and the common home on or about March 2023 and that in doing so the defendant left her to fend for herself and…

The eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Unit will begin extensive sewage infrastructure maintenance work on Margaret Mncadi Avenue in Durban today. The maintenance work will entail desalting sand and other foreign particles that are blocking the 3.5 kilometre sewage system and manholes on Margaret Mncadi Avenue, formerly Victoria Embankment. “The maintenance work is expected to be completed in four weeks. Motorists are hereby advised that the centre lane of the eastbound carriageway of Margaret Mncadi Avenue between Joe Slovo Street and Dorothy Nyembe Street will be closed to traffic from November 8 to 22,” said the City’s communication unit. The City said in addition to the closure of the central lane, there will be no kerbside parking accessible in the impacted area during this time. The repair was important because…

It feels like just the other day that the Proteas stared down India in the T20 World Cup final in Bridgetown, Barbados. June 29 at the Kensington Oval was a historic moment as it was the first time that a senior South African men’s team had reached a World Cup title decider – following in the footsteps of their female counterparts, who had done so on home soil in the shortest format of the game in 2023. The Proteas bowled well in the first innings, restricting India to 176/7 in their 20 overs, with Keshav Maharaj claiming 2/23 and Virat Kohli scoring 76. Even a bad start, with the early loss of the wickets of Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks, didn’t dampen their spirit as the South Africans clawed their…

Japanese automaker Nissan yesterday announced 9 000 job cuts as it slashed its annual sales forecast, saying it was taking urgent measures to tackle “a severe situation”. The company reported a 93% plunge in net profit in the first half as chief executive Makoto Uchida told reporters that weak sales in the North American market were a major factor. Nissan and its domestic rivals are also struggling to stand their ground in China, as fast-growing electric vehicle firms backed by Beijing race ahead. “Facing a severe situation, Nissan is taking urgent measures to turnaround its performance and create a leaner, more resilient business capable of swiftly adapting to changes in the market,” a company statement said. “Nissan will cut global production capacity by 20% and reduce its global workforce…

BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping yesterday congratulated Donald Trump on his US presidential win and urged both nations to find the “right way to get along”, as looming US tariffs threatened to return them to the days of a trade war years ago. Stable, sound and sustainable China-US relations serve the interests of both, Xi said, adding that the international community would expect the two powers to respect each other and co-exist peacefully”. Xi also called for strengthened dialogue to properly manage differences. Ties hit a new low after clashes over trade and security, and the future of Taiwan and the South China Sea. Trump’s win could revive issues from his first presidency, when he started the trade war in 2018. | Reuters…

Budapest: The leaders of France, Germany and Poland called on Georgia yesterday to quickly probe “numerous irregularities” during a recent parliamentary poll won by the Russia-leaning ruling party but contested by the pro-Western opposition. The EU countries’ leaders said they would not be able to support the ex-Soviet republic’s ambitions to join the EU unless it showed it was serious about carrying out necessary reforms. The EU and the US blasted “irregularities” in the vote, while the ruling Georgian Dream party’s opponents have accused it of putting the Caucasus country on a pro-Kremlin track. | AFP…