Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-12-30 i Mercury

Weight management has become a global health challenge, with obesity rates climbing at alarming rates. For many, the struggle to lose weight is not just about willpower – it’s influenced by genetics, lifestyle and underlying health conditions. In South Africa, where Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension and obesity are on the rise, new medical interventions are offering hope. One such breakthrough is GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications, which are proving to be a game-changer in weight management. The most commonly used GLP-1 medication is semaglutide, which is marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy. These drugs, initially designed for managing type 2 diabetes, are now showing remarkable results in helping people lose significant amounts of weight. Understanding GLP-1 medications GLP-1 RAs mimic the action of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone released in…

So you shopped ‘till you dropped, spent all your money and filled your trolley with Christmas shopping. When you got home, you lit up the Christmas tree and displayed all your gifts and trinkets. Though you were exhausted, you couldn’t relax; you had family and friends coming over for Christmas. So you got busy preparing a sumptuous Christmas dinner. And then the next day you celebrated Christmas with your visitors. They were all so delighted. There was so much fun and laughter. They all enjoyed your food and desserts. You were the star of the show. You drank and feasted till your belly couldn’t take any more. Oh, the joy of Christmas! And when all your visitors were gone and the house became quiet again, you dragged your feet to…

The massive sightings of drone-type objects over the skies of the USA and other parts of the world are indeed cause for concern. Over the past years, since 1947, high-level officials have publicly conceded their bewilderment about unidentified aerial phenomena. Serious people are talking seriously about these objects we saw last week in our skies. Senators and scientists, the Pentagon and presidents, former CIA directors and NASA officials, Wall Street executives and military men are talking openly about an issue that was discussed in whispers for over 75 years. It is commonly found that some people regard UFOs as a branch of science fiction but they never have been. UFOs are a cosmic reality. Sightings of UFOs cannot be put down to the misidentification of conventional aircraft or satellites because…

KwaZulu-Natal disaster management teams are mopping up after inclement weather left a trail of destruction in Nkandla, uMzinyathi and uMgungundlovu Districts, and the SA Weather Service predicts more rain today in the province. A few days before Christmas, The Mercury reported that two people died when a retaining wall collapsed during heavy rain in the Nkanini informal settlement in Durban. On Friday, storms lashed parts of KZN. The provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said Friday’s storms brought heavy rains, hail and strong winds, partially destroying over 180 houses in affected areas. “The hardest-hit area is Mbulwane, Ward 1 of the uMvoti Local Municipality, where 718 people were affected by a hailstorm. Fortunately, no lives were lost in this incident,” Cogta said. In the uMgungundlovu District under…

AN SABC employee, and an alleged ANC member, has been placed on a no-fly list by FlySafair following a brawl aboard a domestic flight from Durban to Cape Town on Boxing Day. The incident, which involved physical altercations with flight attendants, was spurred by a dispute over the drinks service and has ignited a wave of controversy across social media platforms. In widely circulated videos, the woman can be seen aggressively confronting crew members who were attempting to manage the situation. Eyewitness accounts have highlighted her intoxicated state during the altercation. Kirby Gorden, spokesperson for FlySafair, expressed the airline’s dismay at the passenger’s behaviour, emphasising that “interfering with their duties is a criminal offence”. Gorden confirmed that the passenger was handed over to police upon the plane’s arrival in Cape…

A MARRIED couple from Pretoria has been convicted of premeditated murder and fraud after plotting the death of the woman's ex-boyfriend for insurance money. The Pretoria High Court last month convicted Sibusiso Mahlangu, 34, and Lerato Mahlangu, 33, from Soshanguve, of premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder and three counts of fraud. Prior to her marriage to Sibusiso, Lerato was in a romantic relationship with the deceased, Sibusiso Sithebe, with whom she shares a child. According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, on the day of the incident on January 2, 2022, the Mahlangu couple lured Sithebe to their house in Soshanguve, where they killed him. “They then staged the scene by placing Sibusiso Mahlangu’s ring on the deceased’s finger, dressing him in Mahlangu’s clothing, and burning the body…

In the third year since the passing of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Israel continued its systematic destruction of anything Palestinian; Russia and Nato appeared intent on reigniting a modern version of the Cold War; and Sudan descended into a hellish space of famine and civil war. These conflicts each led to extreme human suffering that continues today. Collectively, they have unclothed the United Nations, stripping it of its central function to hold nations accountable for injustices and human rights transgressions. What these developments reveal is that, three years after his passing, the lessons Archbishop Tutu taught about equal justice, equal rights and human interdependence retain their relevance and healing power. While Tutu is remembered as a widely revered symbol of post-apartheid reconciliation and forgiveness, he wasn’t so beloved – at home…

Hostages held in Gaza were subjected to torture, including sexual and psychological abuse, starvation, burns and medical neglect, according to a new report by the Israeli Health Ministry that will be submitted to the UN this week. The report is based on interviews with the medical and welfare teams which treated more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages, most of whom were released in late November 2023, in a brief truce between Israel and Hamas. Eight hostages were rescued by the Israeli military. The hostages include more than 30 children and teenagers, a few of whom were found to have been bound, beaten or branded with a heated object, according to the report addressed to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and published on Saturday. Women reported sexual assault by…

Lille: Three migrants died yesterday in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, a local mayor said. The deaths take this year’s casualty toll from failed clandestine crossings to 76. The boat that was to take the migrants ran into trouble yesterday near Bleriot-Plage, a public beach in Sangatte, close to the French Channel port of Calais, an official said. People fell into the water trying to board the overcrowded vessel, French maritime services said. About 50 people were given emergency help on the beach, with many in a state of hypothermia. The total number of migrants arriving in England in small boats this year is estimated at 36 000. | AFP…

Kabul: The Taliban’s supreme leader has issued an order banning the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook areas used by Afghan women and saying that existing ones should be blocked. The Taliban government on Saturday said that new buildings should not have windows through which it is possible to see “the courtyard, kitchen, neighbour’s well and other places usually used by women”. Officials would have to monitor construction sites to ensure it is not possible to see into neighbours’ homes. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, women have been erased from public spaces. | AFP…

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for his supporters to take to the streets “to defend the vote” as he prepares to be sworn in for the 2025-2031 presidential term on January 10. The call came as the opposition coalition Democratic Unity Platform (PUD) claimed that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, was the “true” winner of the election and has announced plans to hold his swearing-in ceremony on January 10. The PUD is backed by several Western countries led by the US. Maduro said that the social and political movements supporting his administration “will remain in constant mobilisation”, and that “on January 10, the people’s forces will be present”. | Xinhua…

The Stormers believe they are now firmly back in the mix to make another charge for a United Rugby Championship (URC) title. After claiming a bonus point 24-20 win over the Sharks on Saturday at the DHL Stadium, the Cape outfit find themselves within reaching distance of the top eight teams in the tournament. Thanks to two wins in the local derbies against the Sharks and Lions at home, the inaugural URC champions bagged some valuable momentum going into 2025. They will start the season year with two European Champions Cup matches, before continuing their URC campaign away against Leinster and Ulster. There will be some more concern over youngster Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. After recovering from a hip pointer injury sustained against the Lions, it took him only 37 minutes to…

I call the handful of days between Christmas and New Year the Doldrum Days. Perhaps I had heard it somewhere, or it is a product of my imagination. Mr. Hockey, my high school geography teacher, taught us about the Doldrums, the lack of driving winds around the Equator as I understood it. The elements from above and below the equator were somehow cancelling each other out, making it tough for sailing ships to get wind in their sails. The days between Christmas and New Year are then for me aptly named. One year is pulling up ahead revealing its potential and pressures. The old one is lingering, trying to avoid its inevitable exit. It is gasping its last, and we are in the middle, often exhausted and wondering why…

The DA is highly concerned about recent reports of escalating violence and political instability in neighbouring Mozambique. Reports of widespread violence, alleged human rights violations, and destruction of private property, including that of South African citizens residing in Mozambique, raise fear of an imminent collapse of the country’s social order. The Mozambican government is responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of every person within its borders and must take responsibility for the safeguarding of the human rights of every person residing in the country. The DA calls on all stakeholders, and in particular the Mozambican government, to take all steps to ensure the safety of South African residents and visitors and their property. The DA has already written to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans to request an…

It’s time to reflect on what has been an amazing year for parkrun South Africa! To reflect, but also to look forward to an exciting 2025. This year we have seen tens of thousands of people registering for parkrun, and our parkrun registrations have now soared to over 1.5 million. Saturday morning participant figures have climbed above 35 000 on several occasions now. It is also exciting to see how many veteran parkrunners are achieving their 500 parkrun milestones. A few months ago this was a rare occurrence, but now, it seems, there is a queue developing. We have also had a record number of volunteers this year. These wonderful volunteers have helped us to put on more events than ever before. Of course the highlight of the year was…

KING Misuzulu kaZwelithini has lost faith in his prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, due to allegations of wrongdoing and actions that threatened to undermine his kingship. This claim comes from highly placed sources within the royal house, who argue that the removal of the prime minister has been building for some time. Buthelezi was removed as the prime minister of the Zulu nation this weekend, almost a year into his tenure. He also serves as the MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs. In a press briefing held on Saturday, Buthelezi said the news of his removal had not been communicated directly to him by the king. He mentioned seeing messages circulating on social media regarding his dismissal. Buthelezi said that he would wait for the king to inform him officially…

A MAN who pointed “a gun” at a woman is starting 2025 on a clean slate after the Pietermaritzburg High Court overturned his six-month suspended jail sentence, as the “black gun” he had in his hands was, in fact, a toy gun. Gaba Octavia Jojo last year stood trial in the Kokstad Magistrate’s Court after he was charged with contravening the Firearms Control Act. It was alleged that he had unlawfully and intentionally pointed a firearm, an antique firearm, or an air gun and, more specifically, a “black gun,” at a woman. He pleaded guilty when the charge was put to him but after questioning by the magistrate before whom he appeared, the plea was changed to one of not guilty. This was as he stated that he possessed a…

KWAZULU-NATAL is grappling with a wave of violence against women and children, with over 110 women murdered in the province since the start of October. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disclosed the femicide figure at the funeral of Captain Mandla Khubisa in Esikhaleni on the KZN North Coast. Mchunu revealed that most victims knew their killers. He said, of the women killed, 64 were shot, 24 were stabbed, 15 were beaten, four suffered blunt force trauma and three were burnt to death. One of the most recent cases of violence occurred in oThongathi, where a man allegedly assaulted his seven-year-old stepson with a panga, leaving the boy critically injured and kidnapped his three-year-old stepchild. The child’s body was later recovered after the suspect led police to the location. The man has…

In a distressing development, scores of community workers employed under the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) are set to lose their jobs as a result of stringent budget cuts. A circular issued on December 24 by the director-general of the department, Mbulelo Ntshangana, reveals that more than 225 000 community-based positions across all nine provinces are at risk due to a drastic reduction in funding from the National Treasury. Just a day after Christmas, Cogta informed its Community Work Programme (CWP) employees aged 55 and above to not report for duty in the New Year due to budgetary constraints. Ntshangana’s communique outlines that these budgetary constraints, stemming from a broader set of austerity measures, have placed immense pressure on the department’s ability to manage its workforce effectively.…

As the sweltering summer heat blankets South Africa, the allure of water becomes irresistible for many. However, recent alerts from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) remind us that relaxation in these refreshing bodies of water comes with responsibility, especially with the new moon spring tide peaking on December 31. The spring tide will bring stronger currents and potentially hazardous conditions along our coastline. Coastal communities and visitors alike are urged to carefully assess conditions before venturing into the water. The dangers posed by tides, waves, and underwater hazards become amplified during this period, emphasising the need for a cautious approach to swimming and water activities. However, the need for vigilance extends far beyond coastal areas. Even those in rural parts of South Africa, where picturesque dams offer a cooling…

The Sudanese government yesterday rejected a report backed by the UN which determined that famine had spread to five areas of the war-torn country. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) review, which UN agencies use, said last week that the war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces had created famine conditions for 638 000 people, with a further 8.1 million on the brink of mass starvation. The army-aligned government “categorically rejects the IPC’s description of the situation in Sudan as a famine”, the foreign ministry said. It said the IPC did not have access to updated field data and had not consulted with the government’s technical team. The Sudanese government, loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been based in the Red Sea city of…

ANKARA: The jailed leader of Turkiye’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, said yesterday that he may be prepared to call for militants to lay down arms, after a key ally of President Tayyip Erdogan urged him to end the group’s decades-old insurgency. Two MPs from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party met Ocalan for talks on his island prison on Saturday, in the first such visit nearly in a decade. Ocalan’s comments came after the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahceli, said Ocalan should make a call for the militants to lay down arms. Erdogan described Bahceli’s initial proposal as a “window of opportunity”. | Reuters…

US President-elect Donald Trump at the weekend threw his weight behind H-1B visas, taking the side of Elon Musk in the squabble among conservatives over the programme that allows foreigners with technical skills to temporarily work in the US. “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favour of the visas,” Trump told the New York Post. He added: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great programme.” The comments come amid an online clash that has revealed a rift in Trump’s coalition ahead of his January inauguration. Musk and other business leaders see the visa programme as essential for the US tech industry, but anti-immigrant hard-liners such as right-wing activist Laura Loomer…

As every new year rolls around, it brings a fresh wave of fitness trends to inspire us to shake up our workout routines. Whether you're a seasoned gym-goer or looking to dip your toes into something new, fitness trends can offer exciting ways to stay motivated and achieve your health goals. PureGym’s latest Annual Fitness Report has unveiled the top fitness trends for 2025, based on a massive surge in global Google searches. From remote personal training to Hyrox competitions and primal-inspired workouts, here’s what you need to know about the biggest movers and shakers of the fitness world. 1. Remote personal training: The future of fitness Taking the crown as the top trend for 2025, remote personal training has seen a staggering 414 percent increase in interest over the…

We face an uncertain year ahead, to put it mildly: apparently intensifying war between Israel and Hamas; the Ukraine war; and – most problematic of all – the vacuum of authority in Syria. It’s all a terrible mess. Yet an encouraging message comes this way from Alan Knott-Craig, former CEO of Cell C – sent on to me by a pal. I’m afraid I don’t have the expertise to agree or disagree with what Knott-Craig has to say. But I’m certainly with him on Marmite, dancing and boats. He says 64 countries have held national elections - 49 percent of the world’s population. Every headline has been filled with political noise, culminating in Donald Trump becoming US president-elect. The news cycle is not helped by events in the Middle East,…

Now, what does our impending “Happy New Year” have to do with Albert Einstein? Actually everything! One of the first giants of science that genuinely understood the latent energy within those tiny inanimate creatures termed atoms, Albert always maintained the axiom: “If you perform the same experiment exactly as before, again and again, you are most unlikely to obtain a different outcome!” So, likewise, there’s really little point in going ballistic like we mad earthlings do at midnight of the 31st of December, screaming like retarded monkeys from tropical Indian Ocean islands and repeating like Amazon Jungle parakeets and cockatoos, year after year: “Happy New Year,” without giving a thought to its genuine, sincere, inner implication. The tradition of New Year resolutions must have begun with this potentially powerful idea…

Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso is expected to announce a way forward today in addressing the impasse between the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) and its chairperson, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini. The minister said yesterday that he is aware of the growing tensions between the ITB and the king. The ITB, in a statement, essentially accused King Misuzulu of illegal interference in the running of the board by attempting to suspend its officials. It said he does not have the authority to do that. The board stated that the king had written to inform them of his intention to suspend certain officials. The board manages almost three-million hectares of land on behalf of the Zulu people with the king as the sole trustee. Speaking through his spokesperson, the minister…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed special envoy Sydney Mufamadi to Mozambique to meet with outgoing President Filipe Nyusi amid an escalation of political violence and tension in that country following the October elections. Mufamadi said Ramaphosa had asked that he express the solidarity of his government and the people of South Africa with the people of Mozambique, and their willingness to assist in resolving the crisis. “We received detailed information from our Mozambican friends about the nature of the problem, what is being done to address it, and what role they believe we, as neighbours, can play in the search for peace,” Mufamadi was quoted as saying by Radio Moçambique. SA’s National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) said yesterday that it remained committed to “ensuring the safety…

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) has welcomed the proclamation of the two Companies Amendment Acts of 2024 by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The department said in a statement that the two acts that were assented into law by Ramaphosa on July 26, 2024, and were published in the government Gazette on December 27, have become operational. “Some sections of the Companies Amendment Act 16 of 2024 and the entire Companies Second Act 17 of 2024 came into operation on December 27, 2024. This is a significant milestone in corporate law South Africa,” the dtic said. “The Companies Amendment Act focuses on the ease of doing business by clarifying, simplifying and strengthening certain sections of the Act. Sections that include 16, 25, 40, 48, 61, 90, 95, 135 and…

CIVIL rights group AfriForum has said it wants to be part of the court case if the Information Regulator proceeds with its urgent application to prevent the publication of the 2024 matric results. The regulator has brought a court application, which will be heard on January 7, calling for the matric results not to be published in newspapers. This comes after the regulator issued an enforcement notice stating that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) should not facilitate the publication of matric results in newspapers in order to protect the learners’ information. It later issued an infringement notice and also ordered the DBE to pay a fine of R5 million. However, the DBE said it would go ahead with their usual publication of results. The results will be out in…

A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival yesterday, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, killing everyone aboard except for two flight attendants plucked from the wreckage. A bird strike was cited by authorities as the likely cause of the crash – the worst aviation disaster on South Korean soil – which flung passengers out of the plane and left it “almost completely destroyed”, according to fire officials. Video showed the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 landing on its belly at Muan International Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, before crashing into a wall and exploding in flames. “Of the 179 dead, 65 have been identified,” the country’s fire agency said, adding that DNA retrieval had…

N’DJAMENA: Chadians were voting yesterday in a parliamentary election boycotted by the opposition that will likely consolidate President Mahamat Idriss Deby’s power and complete the oil-producing nation’s transition towards constitutional rule. Deby was elected in a disputed vote in May, three years after seizing power when rebels killed his father, President Idriss Deby. Opposition leader Succes Masra’s Transformateurs party and several other parties boycotted yesterday’s legislative election, the country’s first in over a decade. They were also boycotting municipal and regional elections which were being held. Final results are expected by January 31, 2025. | Reuters…

PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key policy-setting meeting of the country’s ruling party last week ahead of the new year, reports said yesterday. North Korea would launch the “toughest” strategy to counteract the US for its security and national interests, the report said. The alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded to a “nuclear military bloc” and South Korea has become an “anti-communist outpost” for the US, the report said. The meeting also reviewed the handling of floods earlier this year. Kim called for progress in defence science and technology to bolster the country’s war deterrence. | Reuters…

Georgia inaugurated a far-right governing party loyalist as president yesterday, escalating a political showdown moments after his pro-EU predecessor declared herself the “only legitimate president”. The inauguration of former footballer Mikhail Kavelashvili ratchets up a months-long political crisis that has seen huge pro-EU demonstrations. Outgoing head of state Salome Zurabishvili and protesters had declared Kavelashvili “illegitimate”, demanding a re-run of the October general elections that they say the governing Georgian Dream party rigged. “Our history clearly shows that, after countless struggles to defend our homeland and traditions, peace has always been one of the main goals and values for the Georgian people,” Kavelashvili said after taking the presidential oath in parliament. Georgian Dream has presented itself as the sole guarantor of stability in the country, accusing the West of trying…